ما يُنسِني الدَهرُ لا يَبرَح لَنا شَجَناً

ما يُنسِني الدَهرُ لا يَبرَح لَنا شَجَناً

يَومٌ تَدارَكَهُ الأَجمالُ وَالنوقُ

يَومٌ تَدارَكَهُ الأَجمالُ وَالنوقُ

Whatever time may make me forget, a sorrow never leaves us:

What time does not make me forget still leaves us with yearning

a day when he-camels and she-camels converged.

A day when beauty and charm were regained

ما زالَ في القَلبِ وَجدٌ يَرتَقي صُعُداً

ما زالَ في القَلبِ وَجدٌ يَرتَقي صُعُداً

حَتّى أَصابَ سَوادَ العَينِ تَغريقُ

حَتّى أَصابَ سَوادَ العَينِ تَغريقُ

Longing in the heart kept climbing higher,

In my heart there remained a passion that climbed heights

until a flood of tears reached the eye's dark pupil.

Until it reached the pupil of my eye and overflowed

أَينَ الأولى أَنزَلوا النُعمانَ ضاحِيَةً

أَينَ الأولى أَنزَلوا النُعمانَ ضاحِيَةً

أَم أَينَ أَبناءُ شَيبانَ الغَرانيقُ

أَم أَينَ أَبناءُ شَيبانَ الغَرانيقُ

Where are those who brought al-Nu‘man down in the open,

Where are the first ones who made Nu'man a meadow

or where are Shayban's sons, those crane-like youths?

Or where are the sons of Shayban, the heroic knights

صاهَرتَ قَوماً لِئاماً في صُدورِهِمُ

صاهَرتَ قَوماً لِئاماً في صُدورِهِمُ

ضِغنٌ قَديمٌ وَفي أَخلاقِهِم ضيقُ

ضِغنٌ قَديمٌ وَفي أَخلاقِهِم ضيقُ

You married into a base people, in whose breasts lies

You have allied with wicked people, in whose hearts

an old grudge, and in whose character lies pettiness.

Is ancient rancor and their morals are narrow

قُل لِلأُخَيطِلِ إِذ جَدَّ الجِراءُ بِنا

قُل لِلأُخَيطِلِ إِذ جَدَّ الجِراءُ بِنا

أَقصِر فَإِنَّكَ بِالتَقصيرِ مَحقوقُ

أَقصِر فَإِنَّكَ بِالتَقصيرِ مَحقوقُ

Tell al-Ukhaytil, now that our race has grown earnest:

Tell Al-Ukhaydir, when dire need has befallen us

Desist, for falling short is what befits you.

To shorten, for in shortening you will have enough

لا تَطلُعُ الشَمسُ إِلّا وَهوَ في تَعَبٍ

لا تَطلُعُ الشَمسُ إِلّا وَهوَ في تَعَبٍ

وَلا تَغَيَّبُ إِلّا وَهوَ مَسبوقُ

وَلا تَغَيَّبُ إِلّا وَهوَ مَسبوقُ

The sun never rises but he is weary,

The sun does not rise except he is in fatigue

nor sets but he has been outstripped.

Nor sets except he is outrun

نَفسي الفِداءُ لِقَيسٍ يَومَ تَعصِبكُم

نَفسي الفِداءُ لِقَيسٍ يَومَ تَعصِبكُم

إِذ لا يَبُلُّ لِسانَ الأَخطَلِ الريقُ

إِذ لا يَبُلُّ لِسانَ الأَخطَلِ الريقُ

My soul be the ransom for Qays on the day they bind you,

My soul is sacrificed for Qays the day your turbans were tied

when saliva does not moisten al-Akhtal's tongue.

For the tongue of Al-Akhṭal cannot be worn out

بيضٌ بِأَيديهِمُ شُهبٌ مُجَرَّبَةٌ

بيضٌ بِأَيديهِمُ شُهبٌ مُجَرَّبَةٌ

لِلهامِ جَذٌ وَلِلأَعناقِ تَطبيقُ

لِلهامِ جَذٌ وَلِلأَعناقِ تَطبيقُ

White blades in their hands, gleaming and battle-tested,

In their hands are white swords, tested

severing heads and cutting necks at the joints.

For the zealous a bridle, and for necks a strap

وَالتَغلِبِيّونَ بِئسَ الفَحلُ فَحلُهُمُ

وَالتَغلِبِيّونَ بِئسَ الفَحلُ فَحلُهُمُ

فَحلاً وَأُمُّهُمُ زَلّاءُ مِنطيقُ

فَحلاً وَأُمُّهُمُ زَلّاءُ مِنطيقُ

And the Taghlibites—their sire is a wretched sire,

And the Taghlib are the worst tribe, their stallion

as sires go; and their mother is flat-buttocked and girdled.

A stallion whose mother is an unsteady she-camel

تَحتَ المَناطِقِ أَستاهٌ مُصَلَّبَةٌ

تَحتَ المَناطِقِ أَستاهٌ مُصَلَّبَةٌ

مِثلَ الدَوا مَسَّها الأَنقاسُ وَالليقُ

مِثلَ الدَوا مَسَّها الأَنقاسُ وَالليقُ

Beneath the girdles are cross-marked arses,

Under the loincloths are stiff lances

like inkwells touched by ink and woolen wadding.

Like tent poles touched by the howdah and the strap