سَتَحْمِلُني ورَحْلي ذاتُ وَخْدٍ

سَتَحْمِلُني ورَحْلي ذاتُ وَخْدٍ

عَلَيْها بِنْتُ آباءٍ كرامِ

عَلَيْها بِنْتُ آباءٍ كرامِ

A swift-striding she-camel will carry me and my saddle,

She shall carry me and my belongings,

bearing a daughter of noble forefathers.

A daughter of noble fathers,

إذا جَعَلَتْ سوادَ الشأمِ جَنْباً

إذا جَعَلَتْ سوادَ الشأمِ جَنْباً

وغُلِّقَ دونَها بابُ اللِّئامِ

وغُلِّقَ دونَها بابُ اللِّئامِ

When she has left the cultivated lands of al-Sham to one side,

When she makes the darkness of evening a neighbor,

and the door of the ignoble has been bolted against her,

And its door is closed to the base.

فَلَيْسَ بعائدٍ أبداً إليهِمْ

فَلَيْسَ بعائدٍ أبداً إليهِمْ

ذَوُو الحاجاتِ في غَلَسِ الظلامِ

ذَوُو الحاجاتِ في غَلَسِ الظلامِ

never again will there return to them

So he shall never return to them,

those in need, in the gloom before dawn.

The needy in the darkness of gloom.

أَعاتِكَ لَوْ رَأَيْتِ غَداةَ بِنَّا

أَعاتِكَ لَوْ رَأَيْتِ غَداةَ بِنَّا

عَزاءَ النَّفْسِ عَنْكُمْ واعتزامي

عَزاءَ النَّفْسِ عَنْكُمْ واعتزامي

O Atika, had you seen, the morning we departed,

If only you saw me in the morning,

my soul's fortitude in leaving you, and my resolve,

When my soul found solace away from you and resolved.

إذاً لَعَلِمْتِ واسْتَيْقَنْتِ أنِّي

إذاً لَعَلِمْتِ واسْتَيْقَنْتِ أنِّي

مُشَيَّعَةٌ وَلَمْ تَرْعَيْ ذِمامي

مُشَيَّعَةٌ وَلَمْ تَرْعَيْ ذِمامي

then you would surely have known and been certain that I

Then you would know and be certain that I

am courageous, though you did not honor my right to protection.

Am a farewell visitor who did not heed my reins.

أَأَجْعَلُ مِثْلَ تَوْبَةَ في نَداهُ

أَأَجْعَلُ مِثْلَ تَوْبَةَ في نَداهُ

أَبا الذِّبان فُوهُ الدَّهْرَ دَامِي

أَبا الذِّبان فُوهُ الدَّهْرَ دَامِي

Shall I deem Tawba's equal in generosity

Shall I, like the repentance of one who cries,

Abu al-Dhibban, whose mouth is forever bleeding?

Make the days that have passed my guardian?

مَعاذَ اللّهِ ما عَسَفَتْ برَحْلِي

مَعاذَ اللّهِ ما عَسَفَتْ برَحْلِي

تُغِذُّ السَّيْرَ للبَلَدِ التّهامي

تُغِذُّ السَّيْرَ للبَلَدِ التّهامي

God forbid, so long as she travels with my saddle,

Never! My belongings were not swept by the winds

hastening her pace toward the land of Tihama.

That feed travel towards the coveted land.

أَقُلْتِ خَلِيفةٌ فَسِواه أحْجى

أَقُلْتِ خَلِيفةٌ فَسِواه أحْجى

بإِمْرَتِهِ وأَوْلَى باللئامِ

بإِمْرَتِهِ وأَوْلَى باللئامِ

Did you say, “A caliph”? Another is worthier

You said a caliph, but he is the same

of his office, and more suited to the ignoble.

As any other in his rule and more fitting of the base.

لِثامِ المِلْكِ حِينَ تُعَدُّ كَعْبٌ

لِثامِ المِلْكِ حِينَ تُعَدُّ كَعْبٌ

ذَوُو الأَخْطارِ والخُطَطِ الجِسامِ

ذَوُو الأَخْطارِ والخُطَطِ الجِسامِ

The veil of kingship, when Kaʿb is reckoned—

The mantle of kingship when Kaeb is counted

men of high standing and mighty undertakings.

Among those of great perils and lofty stature.