حَلَفتُ بربّ الراقصاتِ عشيةً

حَلَفتُ بربّ الراقصاتِ عشيةً

وحيثُ تُناخُ البُدن دافَعَها العَقل

وحيثُ تُناخُ البُدن دافَعَها العَقل

I swore by the Lord of the she-camels dancing at dusk,

I swore by the Lord of the dancing girls one evening,

and where the sacrificial camels are made to kneel, their hobbles restraining them:

Where the bodies swayed, their minds subdued,

لئن فاتني ريبُ الزمانِ بمالكٍ

لئن فاتني ريبُ الزمانِ بمالكٍ

وقد كملت فيه المروءة والعَقلُ

وقد كملت فيه المروءة والعَقلُ

if time's misfortunes have indeed robbed me of Malik,

That if the turn of time cheated me of Mālik,

with manly virtue and sound judgment perfected in him,

Though I was complete in manliness and mind,

ففاتَ ولو قيل الفداء فديتُهُ

ففاتَ ولو قيل الفداء فديتُهُ

وما عزَّ مالٌ عن فداه ولا أهل

وما عزَّ مالٌ عن فداه ولا أهل

then he is gone; had ransom been proposed, I would have ransomed him.

I would ransom him, though to ransom were to lose all-

And neither wealth nor kin would have been too dear to ransom him.

Wealth is no substitute for ransoming one held dear.

لَنِعمَ مُناخُ الضيفِ ان جاء طارقاً

لَنِعمَ مُناخُ الضيفِ ان جاء طارقاً

اذا أخمَد النيران او حاردَ المَحل

اذا أخمَد النيران او حاردَ المَحل

What a fine resting place for a guest, should he arrive by night,

How good a resting place is the guest's if he arrives by night

when fires are quenched or drought withholds its yield!

When the fires are dead, the tents folded!

ونِعمَ محلٌّ الجار حلَّ بأهلِهِ

ونِعمَ محلٌّ الجار حلَّ بأهلِهِ

اذا ما بدا كعب المصونة والحجل

اذا ما بدا كعب المصونة والحجل

And what a fine dwelling for the neighbor who settles with his family,

How good a neighbor's camp if he halts with his family

when the sheltered woman's ankle and anklet are exposed!

When the anklets of the secluded women jingle!

ونعم اخو العاني اذا القيدُ عَضَّهُ

ونعم اخو العاني اذا القيدُ عَضَّهُ

واسرع في ضاحي سواعده الغُلُّ

واسرع في ضاحي سواعده الغُلُّ

And what a fine brother to the captive when the fetter bites him,

How excellent a brother in time of need when shackles

and the neck-shackle swiftly ravages his bare forearms!

Chafe his legs and urgently he yearns for freedom!

حَييٌ بَذِيُّ أي ذاك التمستَهُ

حَييٌ بَذِيُّ أي ذاك التمستَهُ

وذو لبدٍ شَثنٍ براثنُهُ عَبل

وذو لبدٍ شَثنٍ براثنُهُ عَبل

Modest, yet sharp-tongued—whichever you sought him to be—

Living he sought me out, that estimable man,

and a maned lion, rough-pawed and powerfully built.

His knees exposed by his slit robe.

وان جاءَ طاري الليل يخبط طارقاً

وان جاءَ طاري الليل يخبط طارقاً

تَهلَّلَّ معروفٌ خلائقهُ جَزلُ

تَهلَّلَّ معروفٌ خلائقهُ جَزلُ

And if a night traveler came groping his way to call,

When a night visitor comes knocking at the tents,

he would beam, a man of known virtues and abundant generosity.

Good deeds, like heavy rains, come down in floods.

خو ثقةٍ لا يعتري الذمّ ناره

خو ثقةٍ لا يعتري الذمّ ناره

اذا لم يكن في القوم شربٌ ولاَ أكلُ

اذا لم يكن في القوم شربٌ ولاَ أكلُ

A man of trust, whose fire is untouched by blame,

A brother you can trust will kindle no slander‐

when the people have neither drink nor food.

Not where the men are noble, caring, and sober.