لا تَزجُرِ الفِتيانَ عَن سوءِ الرِعَه

لا تَزجُرِ الفِتيانَ عَن سوءِ الرِعَه

يا رُبَّ هَيجا هِيَ خَيرٌ مِن دَعَه

يا رُبَّ هَيجا هِيَ خَيرٌ مِن دَعَه

Do not restrain the young men from reckless conduct.

Do not chide the youths for their mischief,

Ah, many a battle is better than repose.

For, my lord, their vigor is better than stillness.

يا اِبنَ المُلوكِ السادَةِ الهَبَنقَعَه

يا اِبنَ المُلوكِ السادَةِ الهَبَنقَعَه

أَنا لَبيدٌ ثُمَّ هَذي المَنزَعَه

أَنا لَبيدٌ ثُمَّ هَذي المَنزَعَه

O son of kings, those mighty lords!

O son of lords, chieftains, people of renown,

I am Labid; this, then, is my aim.

I am Labid, then this inspired speech.

في كُلِّ يَومٍ هامَتي مُقَزَّعَه

في كُلِّ يَومٍ هامَتي مُقَزَّعَه

قانِعَةً وَلَم تَكُن مُقَنَّعَه

قانِعَةً وَلَم تَكُن مُقَنَّعَه

Every day my head is shaven in patches,

Every day my resolve is torn asunder,

Bowed, though it has never been veiled.

Content, though never contented.

نَحنُ بَنو أُمِّ البَنينَ الأَربَعَه

نَحنُ بَنو أُمِّ البَنينَ الأَربَعَه

وَنَحنُ خَيرُ عامِرِ بنِ صَعصَعَه

وَنَحنُ خَيرُ عامِرِ بنِ صَعصَعَه

We are Umm al-Banin's four sons,

We are the sons of the mother of four sons,

And we are the best of Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah's clan.

And we are the best of the tribe of Sa'sa'ah.

المُطعِمونَ الجَفنَةَ المُدَعدَعَه

المُطعِمونَ الجَفنَةَ المُدَعدَعَه

وَالضارِبونَ الهامَ تَحتَ الخَيضَعَه

وَالضارِبونَ الهامَ تَحتَ الخَيضَعَه

Who feed others from the bowl heaped high,

Who feast the famished, the needy,

And strike heads beneath the din of battle.

And strike with the sword beneath the armpits.

يا واهِبَ المالِ الجَزيلِ مِن سَعَه

يا واهِبَ المالِ الجَزيلِ مِن سَعَه

سُيوفُ حَقٍّ وَجِفانٌ مُترَعَه

سُيوفُ حَقٍّ وَجِفانٌ مُترَعَه

O giver of abundant wealth from your plenty!

O giver of abundant, copious wealth,

Swords of justice, and bowls filled to the brim.

Swords of truth and hands generous of gifts.

إِلَيكَ جاوَزنا بِلاداً مُسبِعَه

إِلَيكَ جاوَزنا بِلاداً مُسبِعَه

إِذِ الفَلاةُ أَوحَشَت في المَعمَعَه

إِذِ الفَلاةُ أَوحَشَت في المَعمَعَه

To reach you, we crossed lands teeming with beasts of prey,

To you we passed through lands seventy in number,

When the desert grew desolate in the scorching heat.

When the desert turned desolate and confused.

يُخبِركَ عَن هَذا خَبيرٌ فَاِسمَعَه

يُخبِركَ عَن هَذا خَبيرٌ فَاِسمَعَه

مَهلاً أَبَيتَ اللَعنَ لا تَأكُل مَعَه

مَهلاً أَبَيتَ اللَعنَ لا تَأكُل مَعَه

One who knows will tell you of this, so listen to him.

One who knows this will inform you, so listen,

Wait—may you be free of curses—do not eat with him.

Gently, man, refuse not food you share.

إِنَّ اِستَهُ مِن بَرَصٍ مُلَمَّعَه

إِنَّ اِستَهُ مِن بَرَصٍ مُلَمَّعَه

وَإِنَّهُ يُدخِلُ فيها إِصبَعَه

وَإِنَّهُ يُدخِلُ فيها إِصبَعَه

Indeed, his anus is mottled with vitiligo,

Verily his condition results from mange dispersed,

And indeed he inserts his finger into it.

And he inserts in it his fingers,

يُدخِلُها حَتّى يُواري أَشجَعَه

يُدخِلُها حَتّى يُواري أَشجَعَه

كَأَنَّما يَطلُبُ شَيئاً ضَيَّعَه

كَأَنَّما يَطلُبُ شَيئاً ضَيَّعَه

He inserts it until he conceals his knuckle,

Inserts them until he hides his armpits,

As though seeking something he has lost.

As though seeking something he had lost.