لَقَد عَلِمَت جَديلَةُ أَنَّ بِشراً

لَقَد عَلِمَت جَديلَةُ أَنَّ بِشراً

غَداةَ مُرَبَّحٍ مُرُّ التقاضي

غَداةَ مُرَبَّحٍ مُرُّ التقاضي

Jadilah has surely learned that Bishr,

Jadilah knew well that morning

on the morning at Murabbah, was bitter in exacting his due,

When the litigant came in the daybreak wretched,

غَداةَ أَتاهُمُ بِالخَيلِ شُعثاً

غَداةَ أَتاهُمُ بِالخَيلِ شُعثاً

يَدُقُّ نُسورَها حَدُّ الِقضاضِ

يَدُقُّ نُسورَها حَدُّ الِقضاضِ

the morning he came upon them with disheveled horses,

That morning he approached them on horses disheveled—

the sharp gravel pounding the frogs of their hooves.

Their blades as sharp as can be for slashing.

عَلَيها كُلُّ أَصيَدَ تَغلِبِىًّ

عَلَيها كُلُّ أَصيَدَ تَغلِبِىًّ

كَريمِ مُرَكَّبِ الحَدَّين ماضِ

كَريمِ مُرَكَّبِ الحَدَّين ماضِ

Upon them rode every proud Taghlibi,

Upon it pounced every honorable hunter

noble in stock on both sides, resolute.

With a noble steed of excellent speed.

بِأَيديهِم صَوارِمُ مُرهَفاتٌ

بِأَيديهِم صَوارِمُ مُرهَفاتٌ

جَلاها القَينُ خالِصَةُ البَياضِ

جَلاها القَينُ خالِصَةُ البَياضِ

In their hands were keen swords, finely honed,

In their hands gleamed polished swords

which the smith had polished to pure whiteness,

Made glossy white by the whetstone.

وَكُلُّ مُثَقَّفٍ باِلكَفَّ لَدنٍ

وَكُلُّ مُثَقَّفٍ باِلكَفَّ لَدنٍ

وَسابِغَةٍ مِنَ الحَلَقِ المُغاض

وَسابِغَةٍ مِنَ الحَلَقِ المُغاض

and every straightened, supple spear in hand,

And each was girded with a Yemeni scabbard

and a full-length coat of mail of closely drawn rings.

And a gleaming sword of Indian steel.

فَغادَرَ مَعقِلاً وَأَخاهُ حِصناً

فَغادَرَ مَعقِلاً وَأَخاهُ حِصناً

عَفيرَ الوَجه لَيسَ بِذي اِنتِهاضِ

عَفيرَ الوَجه لَيسَ بِذي اِنتِهاضِ

So he left Ma'qil and his brother Hisn

So he left the stronghold and his brother the citadel,

with dust-covered faces, unable to rise.

Pale-faced, being no longer valiant.