عَفا الرَسمُ أَم لا بَعدَ حَولٍ تَجَرَّما

عَفا الرَسمُ أَم لا بَعدَ حَولٍ تَجَرَّما

لِأَسماءَ رَسمٌ كَالصَحيفَةِ أَعجَما

لِأَسماءَ رَسمٌ كَالصَحيفَةِ أَعجَما

Has the trace faded, or not, after a year has run its course?

Has the drawing forgiven, or not, after a year of sin?

Asma's trace, like a written page, has fallen mute.

A drawing for Asma, like scribbles in a foreign script.

لِأَسماءَ إِذ لَمّا تَفُتنا دِيارُها

لِأَسماءَ إِذ لَمّا تَفُتنا دِيارُها

وَلَم نَخشَ مِن أَسبابِها أَن تَجَذَّما

وَلَم نَخشَ مِن أَسبابِها أَن تَجَذَّما

Of Asma, when her dwellings had not yet eluded us,

For Asma, when her homelands could not tempt us

and we feared no severing of the ties to her.

And we feared not that its causes would entrap us.

فَدَع ذا وَبَلِّغ قَومَنا إِن لَقِيتَهُم

فَدَع ذا وَبَلِّغ قَومَنا إِن لَقِيتَهُم

وَهَل يُخطِئَنَّ اللَومُ مَن كانَ أَلوَما

وَهَل يُخطِئَنَّ اللَومُ مَن كانَ أَلوَما

So leave that, and tell our people, if you meet them—

So leave that be, and tell our people, if you meet them,

and can blame ever miss the one most blameworthy?—

Does blame miss who has always been most blamable?

مَوالِيَنا الأَحلافَ عَمروَ بنَ عامِرٍ

مَوالِيَنا الأَحلافَ عَمروَ بنَ عامِرٍ

وَآلَ الصَموتِ أَن نُفاثَةُ أَحجَما

وَآلَ الصَموتِ أَن نُفاثَةُ أَحجَما

our allies, the confederates, 'Amr ibn 'Amir,

Our loyal allies: 'Amr ibn 'Aamir

and the house of al-Samut, that Nufatha held back.

And the house of Samut—how Nufatha showed reserve!

كِلا أَخَوَينا قَد تَخَيَّرَ مَحضَراً

كِلا أَخَوَينا قَد تَخَيَّرَ مَحضَراً

مِنَ المُنحَنى مِن عاقِلٍ ثُمَّ خَيَّما

مِنَ المُنحَنى مِن عاقِلٍ ثُمَّ خَيَّما

Each of our two brothers has chosen a watering-place

Both our brothers chose a place of assembly

at the bend in 'Aqil, then pitched his tents.

From the winding road, from a wise man, then camped.

وَفَرَّ الوَحيدُ بَعدَ حَرسٍ وَيَومِهِ

وَفَرَّ الوَحيدُ بَعدَ حَرسٍ وَيَومِهِ

وَحَلَّ الضِبابُ في عَلِيِّ بنِ أَسلَما

وَحَلَّ الضِبابُ في عَلِيِّ بنِ أَسلَما

Al-Wahid fled after Hars and its battle-day,

The lonely one fled after guarding and his day,

and al-Dibab settled with 'Ali ibn Aslam.

And fog descended on 'Ali ibn Aslam.

وَوَدَّعَنا بِالجَلهَتَينِ مُساحِقٌ

وَوَدَّعَنا بِالجَلهَتَينِ مُساحِقٌ

وَصاحَبَ سَيّارٌ حِماراً وَهَيثَما

وَصاحَبَ سَيّارٌ حِماراً وَهَيثَما

Musahiq bade us farewell at al-Jalhatayn,

With the two armor-coats Misahiq bade us farewell,

and Sayyar joined Himar and Haytham.

And a horseman made off with a donkey bleating.

وَحَيَّ السَواري إِن أَقولُ لِجَمعِهِم

وَحَيَّ السَواري إِن أَقولُ لِجَمعِهِم

عَلى النَأيِ إِلّا أَن يُحَيّا وَيَسلَما

عَلى النَأيِ إِلّا أَن يُحَيّا وَيَسلَما

And al-Sawari's clan—to their company I say nothing,

I bid the horsemen live, if I say to their band

despite the distance, save: may they be greeted and safe.

From afar, “Live!”—or else, “Greetings and peace!”

فَلَمّا رَأَينا أَن تُرِكنا لِأَمرِنا

فَلَمّا رَأَينا أَن تُرِكنا لِأَمرِنا

أَتَينا الَّتي كانَت أَحَقَّ وَأَكرَما

أَتَينا الَّتي كانَت أَحَقَّ وَأَكرَما

So when we saw that we were left to our own affairs,

When we saw we were left to our own affair,

we took the course that was more rightful and more honorable.

We came to her who was most rightful and noble.

وَقُلنا اِنتِظارٌ وَاِئتِمارٌ وَقُوَّةٌ

وَقُلنا اِنتِظارٌ وَاِئتِمارٌ وَقُوَّةٌ

وَجُرثومَةٌ عادِيَّةٌ لَن تَهَدَّما

وَجُرثومَةٌ عادِيَّةٌ لَن تَهَدَّما

And we said: patience, counsel, and strength,

And we said: “Waiting and searching, strength

and an ancestral root, ancient as 'Ad, never to crumble.

And a lasting, common band cannot be destroyed.

بِحَمدِ الإِلَهِ ما اِجتَباها وَأَهلَها

بِحَمدِ الإِلَهِ ما اِجتَباها وَأَهلَها

حَميداً وَقَبلَ اليَومِ مَنَّ وَأَنعَما

حَميداً وَقَبلَ اليَومِ مَنَّ وَأَنعَما

With praise to God, who chose it and its people,

Thanks be to God for her choice and her people,

praiseworthy as He is; before today He bestowed favor and blessings.

Blessed before today—He favored and blessed.”

وَقُل لِاِبنِ عَمرٍ ما تَرى رَأيَ قَومِكُم

وَقُل لِاِبنِ عَمرٍ ما تَرى رَأيَ قَومِكُم

أَبا مُدرِكٍ لَو يَأخُذونَ المُزَنَّما

أَبا مُدرِكٍ لَو يَأخُذونَ المُزَنَّما

And say to Ibn 'Amr: what do you think of your people's judgment,

And say to Ibn 'Umar: “What do you see of your people’s thoughts,

Abu Mudrik, if they were to seize the ear-tagged outsider?

Abu Mudrik? Would they take the interlaced?”

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ عودُنا عودُ نَبعَةٍ

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ عودُنا عودُ نَبعَةٍ

صَليبٌ إِذا ما الدَهرُ أَجشَمَ مُعظِما

صَليبٌ إِذا ما الدَهرُ أَجشَمَ مُعظِما

We are a people whose wood is the wood of a nab' tree,

While we are a people accustomed to the custom of Naba’a:

stout, whenever time lays a grievous burden upon us.

A cross, when the age grew grim with prohibitions.

وَنَحنُ سَعَينا ثُمَّ أَدرَكَ سَعيَنا

وَنَحنُ سَعَينا ثُمَّ أَدرَكَ سَعيَنا

حُصَينُ بنُ عَوفٍ بَعدَما كانَ أَشأَما

حُصَينُ بنُ عَوفٍ بَعدَما كانَ أَشأَما

We strove; then our endeavor was joined

We strove and then our striving attained

by Husayn ibn 'Awf, after he had been ill-starred.

Husain ibn 'Awf, after he had been most deterring.

وَفَكَّ أَبا الجَوّابِ عَمروُ بنُ خالِدٍ

وَفَكَّ أَبا الجَوّابِ عَمروُ بنُ خالِدٍ

وَما كانَ عَنهُ ناكِلاً حَيثُ يَمَّما

وَما كانَ عَنهُ ناكِلاً حَيثُ يَمَّما

And 'Amr ibn Khalid freed Abu al-Jawwab,

And Abu l-Jawwab 'Amr ibn Khalid unbound him

nor did he shrink from him wherever he headed.

And he was no shirker there, wherever he probed.

وَيَومَ أَتانا حَيُّ عُروَةَ وَاِبنِهِ

وَيَومَ أَتانا حَيُّ عُروَةَ وَاِبنِهِ

إِلى فاتِكٍ ذي جُرأَةٍ قَد تَحَتَّما

إِلى فاتِكٍ ذي جُرأَةٍ قَد تَحَتَّما

And on the day the clan of 'Urwa and his son came to us,

And the day Hayy ibn 'Urwa and his son came to us

to a ruthless man of daring, firmly resolved,

To eloquent Fatik, bold and resolved,

غَداةَ دَعاهُ الحارِثانِ وَمُسهِرٌ

غَداةَ دَعاهُ الحارِثانِ وَمُسهِرٌ

فَلاقى خَليجاً واسِعاً غَيرَ أَخرَما

فَلاقى خَليجاً واسِعاً غَيرَ أَخرَما

the morning the two Hariths and Mus'hir summoned him,

The morning Harithan and Mushir called him

he met a broad gulf, unbroken.

He met a wide gulf, no isthmus in between.

فَإِن تَذكُروا حُسنَ الفُروضِ فَإِنَّنا

فَإِن تَذكُروا حُسنَ الفُروضِ فَإِنَّنا

أَبَأنا بِأَنواحِ القُرَيطَينِ مَأتَما

أَبَأنا بِأَنواحِ القُرَيطَينِ مَأتَما

If you recall the fairness of the allotted shares, then we

So if you recall the excellence of duties, we

brought mourning upon the clans of the two Qurayts.

Sufficed at the keening women of the Quraysh.

وَإِمّا تَعُدّوا الصالِحاتِ فَإِنَّني

وَإِمّا تَعُدّوا الصالِحاتِ فَإِنَّني

أَقولُ بِها حَتّى أَمَلَّ وَأَسأَما

أَقولُ بِها حَتّى أَمَلَّ وَأَسأَما

And if you count good deeds, then I

Or if you count good deeds, I say of them

will tell of them until I tire and grow weary.

Until I am weary and fed up.

وَإِن لَم يَكُن إِلّا القِتالُ فَإِنَّنا

وَإِن لَم يَكُن إِلّا القِتالُ فَإِنَّنا

نُقاتِلُ مَن بَينَ العَروضِ وَخَثعَما

نُقاتِلُ مَن بَينَ العَروضِ وَخَثعَما

And if nothing remains but battle, then we

And if there is only battle, we

fight whoever lies between al-'Arud and Khath'am.

Do battle with whoever is between chestnut and brown.

أَبى خَسفَنا أَن لا تَزالُ رُواتُنا

أَبى خَسفَنا أَن لا تَزالُ رُواتُنا

وَأَفراسُنا يَتبَعنَ غَوجاً مُحَرَّما

وَأَفراسُنا يَتبَعنَ غَوجاً مُحَرَّما

We cannot be abased while our water-carriers,

The marsh at our heels refused that our herd

and our horses, keep following a supple, inviolate charger,

And steeds should cease pursuing a forbidden mere.

يَنُبنَ عَدُوّاً أَو رَواجِعَ مِنهُمُ

يَنُبنَ عَدُوّاً أَو رَواجِعَ مِنهُمُ

بَوانِيَ مَجداً أَو كَواسِبَ مَغنَما

بَوانِيَ مَجداً أَو كَواسِبَ مَغنَما

raiding an enemy or returning from them,

Driving back a foe, or stragglers among them,

building glory or winning booty.

An opener of glory or earning spoils.

وَإِنّا أُناسٌ لا تَزالَ جِيادُنا

وَإِنّا أُناسٌ لا تَزالَ جِيادُنا

تَخُبُّ بِأَعضادِ المَطِيِّ مُخَدَّما

تَخُبُّ بِأَعضادِ المَطِيِّ مُخَدَّما

We are a people whose fine horses never cease

We are a people whose steeds will never cease

to trot beside the riding-camels' shoulders, white-ankleted.

To dart with the flanks of the ridden beast.

تَكُرُّ أَحاليبُ اللَديدَ عَلَيهُمُ

تَكُرُّ أَحاليبُ اللَديدَ عَلَيهُمُ

وَتوفى جِفانُ الضَيفِ مَحضاً مُعَمَّما

وَتوفى جِفانُ الضَيفِ مَحضاً مُعَمَّما

The valley-side's milking herds return to them,

Turning the well-worn spindle-ends back on them,

and the guest's bowls are filled with pure milk crowned with foam.

Quenching the guest's thirst with pure curdled milk.

لَنا مَنسَرٌ صَعبُ المَقادَةِ فاتِكٌ

لَنا مَنسَرٌ صَعبُ المَقادَةِ فاتِكٌ

شُجاعٌ إِذا ما آنَسَ السِربَ أَلجَما

شُجاعٌ إِذا ما آنَسَ السِربَ أَلجَما

We have a raiding band, hard to rein in, ruthless,

We have a colt, hard to control, gallant,

bold: whenever it sights a herd, it puts on the bridles.

Bold when he senses the herd of horses.

نُغيرُ بِهِ طَوراً وَطَوراً نَضُمُّهُ

نُغيرُ بِهِ طَوراً وَطَوراً نَضُمُّهُ

إِلى كُلِّ مَحبوكٍ مِنَ السَروِ أَيهَما

إِلى كُلِّ مَحبوكٍ مِنَ السَروِ أَيهَما

Sometimes we raid with it, and sometimes we join it

Now we drive him on, now we cheek him

to every firm-knit, dauntless man among the nobles.

To every interwoven tamarisk or lotus.

وَنَحنُ أَزَلنا طَيِّئاً عَن بِلادَنا

وَنَحنُ أَزَلنا طَيِّئاً عَن بِلادَنا

وَحَلفَ مُرادٍ مِن مَذانِبَ تَحتَما

وَحَلفَ مُرادٍ مِن مَذانِبَ تَحتَما

We drove Tayyi' out of our lands,

We made Taiy withdraw from our lands

and Murad's confederates from Tahtam's watercourses.

And Murad's alliance from its coverts.

وَنَحنُ أَتَينا حَنبَشاً بِاِبنِ عَمِّهِ

وَنَحنُ أَتَينا حَنبَشاً بِاِبنِ عَمِّهِ

أَبا الحُصنِ إِذ عافَ الشَرابَ وَأَقسَما

أَبا الحُصنِ إِذ عافَ الشَرابَ وَأَقسَما

We brought Hanbash his cousin,

We came upon Hanbash with his uncle's son

Abu al-Husn, when he shunned drink and swore an oath.

Abu l-Husn, when he shunned wine and swore off.

فَأَبلِغ بَني بَكرٍ إِذا ما لَقَيتَها

فَأَبلِغ بَني بَكرٍ إِذا ما لَقَيتَها

عَلى خَيرِ ما يُلقى بِهِ مَن تَزَغَّما

عَلى خَيرِ ما يُلقى بِهِ مَن تَزَغَّما

So tell Banu Bakr, whenever you meet them,

So tell the Bakr, if you meet them,

with the kindest greeting offered to one who grumbles:

With the best greeting one who is honored may give.

أَبونا أَبوكُم وَالأَواصِرُ بَينَنا

أَبونا أَبوكُم وَالأَواصِرُ بَينَنا

قَريبٌ وَلَم نَأمُر مَنيعاً لِيَأثَما

قَريبٌ وَلَم نَأمُر مَنيعاً لِيَأثَما

Our father is your father, and the ties between us

Our father is your father, our ties between us

are close; we did not bid Mani' commit a sin.

Close—we ordered no untouchable to sin.

فَإِن تَقبَلوا المَعروفَ نَصبِر لِحَقِّكُم

فَإِن تَقبَلوا المَعروفَ نَصبِر لِحَقِّكُم

وَلَن يَعدَمَ المَعروفُ خُفّاً وَمَنسِما

وَلَن يَعدَمَ المَعروفُ خُفّاً وَمَنسِما

If you accept kindness, we shall patiently honor your due,

If you accept propriety, we will be patient for your rights,

and kindness will never lack a camel's pad and toe.

Propriety will not lack a parting gift or hobble.

وَإِلّا فَما بِالمَوتِ ضُرٌّ لِأَهلِهِ

وَإِلّا فَما بِالمَوتِ ضُرٌّ لِأَهلِهِ

وَلَم يُبقِ هَذا الدَهرُ في العَيشِ مَندَما

وَلَم يُبقِ هَذا الدَهرُ في العَيشِ مَندَما

And if not, death holds no harm for those who meet it,

Otherwise no harm in death for its people,

and this age has left nothing in life to regret losing.

And this age left none to regret life.