عَدَونا عَدوَةً لا شَكَّ فيها

عَدَونا عَدوَةً لا شَكَّ فيها

وَخِلناهُم ذُؤَيبَةَ أَو حَبيبا

وَخِلناهُم ذُؤَيبَةَ أَو حَبيبا

We made a dash, with no doubt about it,

They were hostile to us, no doubt about that,

and took them for Dhu'ayba or Habib.

Yet we left them as loved ones or enemies.

فَنُغرى الثائِرينَ بِهِم وَقُلنا

فَنُغرى الثائِرينَ بِهِم وَقُلنا

شِفاءُ النَفسِ أَن بَعَثوا الحُروبا

شِفاءُ النَفسِ أَن بَعَثوا الحُروبا

So we incited the avengers against them, and said:

So we provoke the rebels with them and say,

“The soul's cure lies in their stirring up wars.”

"Healing the soul is to ignite wars."

كَأَنّي إِذ عَدَوا ضَمَّنتُ بَزّي

كَأَنّي إِذ عَدَوا ضَمَّنتُ بَزّي

مِنَ العِقبانِ خائِتَةً طَلوبا

مِنَ العِقبانِ خائِتَةً طَلوبا

As though, when they ran, I had enclosed in my gear

As if when they became hostile, I tucked

a swooping eagle eager for prey,

At the end of my mantle a taloned hawk.

جَريمَةَ ناهِضٍ في رَأسِ نيقٍ

جَريمَةَ ناهِضٍ في رَأسِ نيقٍ

تَرى لِعِظامِ ما جَمَعَت صَليبا

تَرى لِعِظامِ ما جَمَعَت صَليبا

providing for a fledgling on a mountain peak;

The crime of an assailant in the head of a tall one

you see fat in the bones of what she has gathered.

You see gathering bones for a cross.

رَأَت قَنَصاً عَلى فَوتٍ فَضَمَّت

رَأَت قَنَصاً عَلى فَوتٍ فَضَمَّت

إِلى حَيزومِها ريشاً رَطيبا

إِلى حَيزومِها ريشاً رَطيبا

She saw quarry far off, and folded

It saw a prey bird on the ground so tucked

her soft feathers against her breast.

Into its beak feathers, gentle and fine.

فَلاقَتهُ بِبلقَعَةٍ بَرازٍ

فَلاقَتهُ بِبلقَعَةٍ بَرازٍ

فَصادَمَ بَينَ عَينَيها الجَبوبا

فَصادَمَ بَينَ عَينَيها الجَبوبا

Then she met it on a barren, open plain,

It met it with a polished forehead

and it struck the hard earth before her eyes.

So it clashed between its eyes, pure white.

مَنَعنا مِن عَدِيِّ بَني حُنَيفٍ

مَنَعنا مِن عَدِيِّ بَني حُنَيفٍ

صِحابَ مُضَرِّسٍ وَاِبنَي شَعوبا

صِحابَ مُضَرِّسٍ وَاِبنَي شَعوبا

We shielded from the raiders of Banu Hunayf

We prevented the enemy of the Bani Hannif

Mudarris's companions and Sha'ub's two sons.

And the armored allies and sons of Sha’ob.

فَأَثنوا يا بَني شِجعٍ عَلَينا

فَأَثنوا يا بَني شِجعٍ عَلَينا

وَحَقُّ اِبنَي شَعوبٍ أَن يُثيبا

وَحَقُّ اِبنَي شَعوبٍ أَن يُثيبا

So praise us, Banu Shij',

So they praised, “O Bani Shijaa, well done!”

and Sha'ub's two sons ought to repay us.

And the right of the Sha’ob's sons is to reward.

فَسائِل سَبرَةَ الشِجعِيَّ عَنّا

فَسائِل سَبرَةَ الشِجعِيَّ عَنّا

غَداةَ تَخالُنا نَجواً جَنيبا

غَداةَ تَخالُنا نَجواً جَنيبا

So ask Sabra al-Shij'i about us,

In the morning, ask Sabra the Shijai about us

on the morning you would take us for a cloud driven by the south wind:

When we were separated, seeking asylum.

بِأَنَّ السابِقَ القِردِيَّ أَلقى

بِأَنَّ السابِقَ القِردِيَّ أَلقى

عَلَيهِ الثَوبَ إِذ وَلّى دَبيبا

عَلَيهِ الثَوبَ إِذ وَلّى دَبيبا

how the swift al-Qirdi cast

That the foremost ape had cast

the cloak over him as he crept away.

The garment on him as he crept away.

وَلَولا نَحنُ أَرهَقَهُ صُهَيبٌ

وَلَولا نَحنُ أَرهَقَهُ صُهَيبٌ

حُسامَ الحَدِّ مَذروبا خَشيبا

حُسامَ الحَدِّ مَذروبا خَشيبا

But for us, Suhayb would have assailed him

And if it were not for us, Suhaib would have exhausted him,

with a keen-edged blade, sharpened and unpolished.

The sword of truth, vanquished, defeated.

بِهِ نَدَعُ الكَمِيَّ عَلى يَدَيهِ

بِهِ نَدَعُ الكَمِيَّ عَلى يَدَيهِ

يَخِرُّ تَخالُهُ نَسراً قَشيبا

يَخِرُّ تَخالُهُ نَسراً قَشيبا

With it we leave the armored warrior on his hands,

With it we leave the short one in his hands

falling—you would think him a poisoned vulture.

Cowering, his evil shrinking, despised.

غَداةَ دَعا بَني شِجعٍ وَوَلّى

غَداةَ دَعا بَني شِجعٍ وَوَلّى

يَؤُمُّ الخَطمَ لا يَدعو مُجيبا

يَؤُمُّ الخَطمَ لا يَدعو مُجيبا

On the morning he called Banu Shij' and turned away,

In the morning he called the Bani Shijaa and fled,

heading for al-Khatm, with none to answer his call.

Biting his lip, not calling a respondent.

لَعَلَّكَ نافِعي يا عُروَ يَوماً

لَعَلَّكَ نافِعي يا عُروَ يَوماً

إِذا جاوَرتُ مِن تَحتِ القُبورِ

إِذا جاوَرتُ مِن تَحتِ القُبورِ

Perhaps you will help me one day, O 'Urwa,

Perhaps you will benefit me one day, O Uro,

when I dwell as a neighbor beneath the graves.

When I dwell under the graves.