قَعقَعتُ حِضنَي حاجِزٍ وَصِحابُهُ

قَعقَعتُ حِضنَي حاجِزٍ وَصِحابُهُ

وَقَد نَبَذوا خُلقانَهُم وَتَشَنَّعوا

وَقَد نَبَذوا خُلقانَهُم وَتَشَنَّعوا

I rattled Hajiz's two flanks, and his companions' too;

I clattered the barrier's bosom while its guards

and they had cast off their threadbare clothes and armed themselves.

Had cast off their manners and turned savage

أَطِنُّ إِذا صادَفتُ وَعثاً وَإِن جَرى

أَطِنُّ إِذا صادَفتُ وَعثاً وَإِن جَرى

بِيَ السَهلُ أَو مَتنٌ مِنَ الأَرضِ مَهيَعُ

بِيَ السَهلُ أَو مَتنٌ مِنَ الأَرضِ مَهيَعُ

I whirr when I meet loose sand, and when

I moan when facing hardship though if I race

the plain carries me along, or a wide, open ridge of earth.

Through a plain or rugged earth I am blithe

أُجاري ظِلالَ الطَيرِ لَو فاتَ واحِدٌ

أُجاري ظِلالَ الطَيرِ لَو فاتَ واحِدٌ

وَلَو صَدَقوا قالوا لَهُ هُوَ أَسرَعُ

وَلَو صَدَقوا قالوا لَهُ هُوَ أَسرَعُ

I race the shadows of birds; were one to outstrip me,

I race with the shadows of birds and if one flees

and were they truthful, they would tell it, 'He is faster.'

Had they been true they'd say he's the swiftest

فَلَو كانَ مِن فِتيانِ قَيسٍ وَخِندِفٍ

فَلَو كانَ مِن فِتيانِ قَيسٍ وَخِندِفٍ

أَطافَ بِهِ القُنّاصُ مِن حَيثُ أَفزَعوا

أَطافَ بِهِ القُنّاصُ مِن حَيثُ أَفزَعوا

So had he been one of the young men of Qays and Khindif,

Had he been one of Qais and Khindif's youths

the hunters would have surrounded him from where they had startled him.

The hunter would circle where they panicked

أَحُثُّ ثَلاثاً نِصفَ يَومٍ وَلَيلَةً

أَحُثُّ ثَلاثاً نِصفَ يَومٍ وَلَيلَةً

وَأَنتَ مُريحٌ عِندَ بَيتِكَ أَروَعُ

وَأَنتَ مُريحٌ عِندَ بَيتِكَ أَروَعُ

I urge three onward for half a day and a night,

I hasten three days halfway and nighttime

while you, a gallant fellow, rest at your house.

While you rest easy at home, more blithe

وَلَو كانَ قِرنٌ واحِدٌ لَكَفَيتُهُ

وَلَو كانَ قِرنٌ واحِدٌ لَكَفَيتُهُ

وَما كانَ بِي في القَومِ مُذ جُدتُ مَطمَعُ

وَما كانَ بِي في القَومِ مُذ جُدتُ مَطمَعُ

Had there been a single adversary, I would have dealt with him;

Had he one horn I'd suffice him

and since I ran full tilt, none in the band has had hope of catching me.

And I was not for the tribe since I grew up a coveted prize