وَالخَيْلُ تَجْرِي بَعْدَ خَرْقٍ خَرْقا

وَالخَيْلُ تَجْرِي بَعْدَ خَرْقٍ خَرْقا

تَنْجُو وَأَدْناهُنَّ يَلْقَى مشْقا

تَنْجُو وَأَدْناهُنَّ يَلْقَى مشْقا

And the horses run across open tract after open tract.

The horses gallop on, after a tear, tearing away,

They race away, and the nearest of them receives a lash,

They escape unharmed, while beneath them they meet misery,

بِأَرْبَعٍ لا يَعْتَنِفْنَ العَفْقا

بِأَرْبَعٍ لا يَعْتَنِفْنَ العَفْقا

يَهْوِينَ شَتَّى وَيَقَعْنَ وَفْقا

يَهْوِينَ شَتَّى وَيَقَعْنَ وَفْقا

On four feet, with no roughness in their pounding;

With four hooves that do not heed the stumbling-block,

They swoop down separately and land in unison.

They plunge headlong and fall prone,

لا يَكْدَحُ الناسُ لَهُنَّ صَفْقا

لا يَكْدَحُ الناسُ لَهُنَّ صَفْقا

وَإِنْ هَمَرْنَ بَعْدَ مَعْقٍ مَعْقا

وَإِنْ هَمَرْنَ بَعْدَ مَعْقٍ مَعْقا

People need not toil at clapping to urge them on.

Men do not toil for them with applause,

And if they race over one distant stretch after another,

And if they gallop after being well-fed, well-fed,

عَرَفْتَ مِنْ ضَرْبِ الحَرِيرِ عِتْقا

عَرَفْتَ مِنْ ضَرْبِ الحَرِيرِ عِتْقا

فِيهِ إِذا السَهْبُ بِهِنَّ ارْمَقّا

فِيهِ إِذا السَهْبُ بِهِنَّ ارْمَقّا

You recognize noble breeding from al-Harir's stock

You recognize from the beating of silk, deliverance,

In him, when the plain narrows beneath them.

When in it the arrows with them twinkle,

أَلَا نُبالِي إِذْ بَدَرْنا الشَرْقا

أَلَا نُبالِي إِذْ بَدَرْنا الشَرْقا

أَيَوْمُ نَحْسٍ أَمْ يَكُونُ طَلْقا

أَيَوْمُ نَحْسٍ أَمْ يَكُونُ طَلْقا

Do we not care, when we outstrip the sunrise,

Do we not care, when we radiate the East,

Whether the day is ill-starred or fair?

Whether it be an ill-omened day, or whether it be serene,

كَيْفَ تَرَى الكامِلَ يَقْضِي فَرْقا

كَيْفَ تَرَى الكامِلَ يَقْضِي فَرْقا

وَالمَرْءُ ذُو الصِدْقِ يُبَلِّي الصِدْقا

وَالمَرْءُ ذُو الصِدْقِ يُبَلِّي الصِدْقا

How do you find al-Kamil, gaining a lead?

How do you see the valiant man decide separation?

And a man of true mettle puts true mettle to the test.

And the truthful man of integrity makes evident his integrity,

لَوْلا شَكِيمُ المِسْحَلَيْنِ انْدَقّا

لَوْلا شَكِيمُ المِسْحَلَيْنِ انْدَقّا

إِذا العَجاجُ المُسْتَطارُ انْعَقَّا

إِذا العَجاجُ المُسْتَطارُ انْعَقَّا

But for the bit of the two bridle-rings, he would shatter

Were it not for the Chief of Mishalayn's disdaining,

When the airborne dust splits apart.

When the importunate pedlar begins to rant.