أبلغ ابا قيسٍ اذا ما لقيتَهُ

أبلغ ابا قيسٍ اذا ما لقيتَهُ

نَعامَةُ أدنى دارِهِ فَظَليم

نَعامَةُ أدنى دارِهِ فَظَليم

Tell Abū Qays, whenever you meet him—

Tell Abu Qays, if you meet him,

Naʿāmah is his nearest dwelling, then Ẓalīm—

The ostrich of the outskirts of his abode is gloomy,

بأنّا ذوو حَدٍّ وانّ قبيلكم

بأنّا ذوو حَدٍّ وانّ قبيلكم

بني خالدٍ لو تعلمون كريم

بني خالدٍ لو تعلمون كريم

that we are men of mettle, and that your tribe,

That we are people of resolve and that your tribe,

O sons of Khālid, is noble, if you only knew;

O Bani Khalid, would be generous if you knew,

وانّ الذي الى لكم في بيوتكم

وانّ الذي الى لكم في بيوتكم

بِمقسمِهِ لو تعلمون أثيمُ

بِمقسمِهِ لو تعلمون أثيمُ

and that the man who swore to you in your homes

And that the one who swears falsely in your homes

bears sin for his oath, if you only knew.

Would be sinful if you knew.

هو الفاجعُ المنكي سراة صديقهِ

هو الفاجعُ المنكي سراة صديقهِ

وذو طلبٍ يومَ اللّقاءِ غَشومُ

وذو طلبٍ يومَ اللّقاءِ غَشومُ

He bereaves and sorely afflicts the noblest of his friends,

He is the one who devastates the friends of his friend

and is a ruthless pursuer on the day of battle.

And is aggressive the day they meet.

فنهجمُ ابياتا ونُبكي نُسّيَةٌ

فنهجمُ ابياتا ونُبكي نُسّيَةٌ

بنسوتنا يوماً لهنَّ نحيمُ

بنسوتنا يوماً لهنَّ نحيمُ

So we shall storm homes and make a few women weep,

So we attack some verses and cry over a forgotten love

in requital for our women—one day they shall wail.

That we once passionately adored.

كأنَّ بُحَيراً لم يقل لي ما ترى

كأنَّ بُحَيراً لم يقل لي ما ترى

من الأمر أو ينظر بوجه قسيم

من الأمر أو ينظر بوجه قسيم

As though Buḥayr had never said to me, ‘What do you think

As if Buḥayrah had not said to me, “What do you see

of the matter?’ or looked at me with his handsome face.

Of the matter?” or looked with a frown.

ولو شئت نجّاكَ الكميتُ ولم يكن

ولو شئت نجّاكَ الكميتُ ولم يكن

كأنّكَ نَصبٌ للرجالِ رَجيمُ

كأنّكَ نَصبٌ للرجالِ رَجيمُ

And had you wished, the dark-bay horse would have saved you; you would not have been

And if I wanted, al-Kumayt would have saved you, and you would not have been

like a target for men to pelt with stones.

Like a target for the arrows of men.

ولكن رأيت الموتَ ادركَ تُبَّعا

ولكن رأيت الموتَ ادركَ تُبَّعا

ومن بعده من حادثٍ وقديمِ

ومن بعده من حادثٍ وقديمِ

But you saw that death had overtaken Tubbaʿ,

But I saw death overtake Tubba‘

and those after him, both recent and ancient.

And, after him, accident and fate.

فيا لعبيدٍ خلقة إنَّ خيرَكم

فيا لعبيدٍ خلقة إنَّ خيرَكم

بجُزرَةَ بين الاعشين مُقيمُ

بجُزرَةَ بين الاعشين مُقيمُ

So, O slaves by birth! Indeed, your best man

So oh slaves, the best of you

lies at Juzrah, between al-Aʿshayn.

Stays on Jurash between two millstones.

غَدَرتُم ولم تُربع عليه ركابُكم

غَدَرتُم ولم تُربع عليه ركابُكم

كأنكُم لم تُفجعوا بعظيمِ

كأنكُم لم تُفجعوا بعظيمِ

You broke faith, and your riding camels did not halt beside him,

You betrayed him and did not set your riding camels over him

as though you had not been bereaved of a great man.

As if you had not lost a dear one.

وكنتُ كذاتِ البوّ ريعت فَرَجّعت

وكنتُ كذاتِ البوّ ريعت فَرَجّعت

وهل ينفَعَنها نظرةٌ وشميمُ

وهل ينفَعَنها نظرةٌ وشميمُ

And I was like a she-camel with a straw-stuffed calfskin, startled into repeated moans.

And I was like the bawer whose milk was stopped, but she returned

And can a look and a sniff do her any good?

Does a bleat or moan benefit her?

أطافت فسافت ثم عادت فرجعت

أطافت فسافت ثم عادت فرجعت

الا ليس عنها سَجُرها بصريمِ

الا ليس عنها سَجُرها بصريمِ

She circled and sniffed, then returned and moaned again.

She circled, then she paced, then she returned,

Ah, her yearning cannot be severed from her.

Alas! Her young is not still alive for her.