لَقَد سُمتَ نَفسَكَ يا اِبنَ الظَرِب

لَقَد سُمتَ نَفسَكَ يا اِبنَ الظَرِب

وَجَشَّمتَهُم مَنزِلاً قَد صَعُب

وَجَشَّمتَهُم مَنزِلاً قَد صَعُب

You have indeed burdened yourself, O son of al-Ẓarib,

Indeed you have burdened yourself, O son of reproach,

and forced them into a position that had grown difficult,

And led them to a difficult dwelling,

وَحَمَّلتَهُم مَركَباً باهِظاً

وَحَمَّلتَهُم مَركَباً باهِظاً

مِنَ العِبءِ إِذ سُقتَهُم لِلشَغَب

مِنَ العِبءِ إِذ سُقتَهُم لِلشَغَب

and saddled them with a crushing undertaking,

And loaded them with a heavy vessel,

heavy with burden, when you drove them to strife,

When you instigated them to war,

بِحَربِ خُزاعَةَ أَهلِ العُلا

بِحَربِ خُزاعَةَ أَهلِ العُلا

وَأَهلِ الثَناءِ وَأَهلِ الحَسَب

وَأَهلِ الثَناءِ وَأَهلِ الحَسَب

by warring against Khuzāʿah, people of lofty honor,

With the war against Khaza'ah, the people of glory,

and people of praise, and people of ancestral distinction.

And people of praise and noble lineage.

هُمُ المانِعو البَيتِ وَالذائِدونَ

هُمُ المانِعو البَيتِ وَالذائِدونَ

عَنِ الحُرُماتِ جَميعَ العَرَب

عَنِ الحُرُماتِ جَميعَ العَرَب

They are the House's protectors, and they repel

They are the protectors of the house, and the repellers

all the Arabs from its sacred precincts.

Of all the Arabs from violating sanctities.

نَفَوا جُرهُماً وَنَفَوا بَعدَهُم

نَفَوا جُرهُماً وَنَفَوا بَعدَهُم

كِنانَةَ غَصباً بِبيضِ القُضُب

كِنانَةَ غَصباً بِبيضِ القُضُب

They expelled Jurhum, and after them expelled

They drove away their neighbors, and after them,

Kinānah by force, with white, keen swords,

Kinanah by force with the striking of lofty spears,

وَسُمرِ الرِماحِ وَجُردِ الجِيادِ

وَسُمرِ الرِماحِ وَجُردِ الجِيادِ

عَلَيها فَوارِسُ صِدقٍ نُجُب

عَلَيها فَوارِسُ صِدقٍ نُجُب

and brown spears and sleek steeds,

And reddened lances and saddled steeds,

upon which ride true, noble horsemen.

Knights of integrity and elite nobles upon them.

وَهُم أَلحَقوا أَسَداً عَنوَةً

وَهُم أَلحَقوا أَسَداً عَنوَةً

بِأَحياءِ طَيٍّ وَحازوا السَلَب

بِأَحياءِ طَيٍّ وَحازوا السَلَب

And they forced Asad to join

And they joined a lion by force,

the clans of Ṭayy, and seized the spoils.

To the living quarters of Tayy and seized the booty.

خُزاعَةُ قَومي فَإِن أَفتَخِر

خُزاعَةُ قَومي فَإِن أَفتَخِر

بِهِم يَزكُ مُعتَصَري وَالنَسَب

بِهِم يَزكُ مُعتَصَري وَالنَسَب

Khuzāʿah are my people; if I boast

Khaza'ah are my people, so if I take pride

of them, my ancestral stock and lineage are ennobled.

In them, it purifies my pressed wine and lineage.

هُمُ الرَأسُ وَالناسُ مِن بَعدِهِم

هُمُ الرَأسُ وَالناسُ مِن بَعدِهِم

ذُنابى وَما الرَأسُ مِثلُ الذَنَب

ذُنابى وَما الرَأسُ مِثلُ الذَنَب

They are the head; the people who come after them

They are the head, and the people after them,

are the tail—and the head is not like the tail.

Are my tail, and the head is not like the tail,

يُواسي لَدى المَحلِ مَولاهُمُ

يُواسي لَدى المَحلِ مَولاهُمُ

وَتُكشَفُ عَنهُ غُمومُ الكُرَب

وَتُكشَفُ عَنهُ غُمومُ الكُرَب

They support their client in times of drought,

Their patron consoles his client in adversity

and the sorrows of affliction are lifted from him.

And worries are uncovered from him.

فَجارُهُمُ آمِنٌ دَهرَهُ

فَجارُهُمُ آمِنٌ دَهرَهُ

بِهِم أَن يُضامَ وَأَن يُغتَصَب

بِهِم أَن يُضامَ وَأَن يُغتَصَب

So their neighbor is safe throughout his life,

So their neighbor lives securely his lifetime

through them, from being wronged or despoiled.

Through them, from being wronged or robbed.

يُلَبّونَ في الحَربِ خَوفَ الهِجاءِ

يُلَبّونَ في الحَربِ خَوفَ الهِجاءِ

وَيَبرونَ أَعداءَهُم بِالحَرَب

وَيَبرونَ أَعداءَهُم بِالحَرَب

They answer the call in war for fear of lampoons,

They dispel in war the fear of panic,

and wear their enemies down through plunder.

And defeat their enemies in combat.

وَلَو لَم يُنَجِّكَ مِن كَيدِهِم

وَلَو لَم يُنَجِّكَ مِن كَيدِهِم

أَمينُ الفُصوصِ شَديدُ العَصَب

أَمينُ الفُصوصِ شَديدُ العَصَب

And had you not been saved from their wiles

And had not the protector of bandits,

by a steed of sound joints and strong sinews,

Of severe discipline, saved you from their scheme,

لَزُرتَ المَنايا فَلا تَكفُرَن

لَزُرتَ المَنايا فَلا تَكفُرَن

جَوادَكَ نُعماهُ يا اِبنَ الظَرِب

جَوادَكَ نُعماهُ يا اِبنَ الظَرِب

you would have visited death; so do not be ungrateful

You would have met your death, so do not disbelieve

for your steed's favor, O son of al-Ẓarib.

The generosity of your horse, O son of reproach.

فَإِن يَلتَقوكَ يَزُركَ الحِما

فَإِن يَلتَقوكَ يَزُركَ الحِما

مُ أَو تَنجُ ثانِيَةً بِالهَرَب

مُ أَو تَنجُ ثانِيَةً بِالهَرَب

So if they meet you, death will visit you,

For if they meet you, the protective clan will visit you

or you will escape a second time by flight.

Or you will escape a second time by fleeing.