حُدِّثتُI was told أَنَّthat رُوَيعيthe paltry herdsman of الإِبِلِthe camels يَشتُمُنيinsults me
حُدِّثتُ أَنَّ رُوَيعي الإِبِلِ يَشتُمُني
وَاللَهُand God يَصرِفُturns away أَقواماًsome people عَنِfrom الرَّشَدِright judgment
وَاللَهُ يَصرِفُ أَقواماً عَنِ الرَّشَدِ
I was told that a petty camel-herder is reviling me—
I was told that the paltry camel-herder insults me,
and God turns peoples away from right guidance.
And God turns some people away from right judgment.
فَإِنَّكَfor you الشِعرُpoetry إِذwhen تُزجيyou send forth قَوافيهُits rhymes
فَإِنَّكَ الشِعرُ إِذ تُزجي قَوافيهُ
كَمُبتَغيlike one seeking الصَيدِgame فيin عِرّيسَةِthe lair of الأَسَدِthe lion
كَمُبتَغي الصَيدِ في عِرّيسَةِ الأَسَدِ
For when you drive poetry’s rhymes onward,
For you, when you send forth poetry’s rhymes,
you are like one seeking game in the lion’s lair.
Are like one seeking game in the lion’s lair.
وَماand not قُضاعَةُQuda'a عَنfrom نَصرِيaiding me بِنابِيَةٍat all reluctant
وَما قُضاعَةُ عَن نَصرِي بِنابِيَةٍ
إِذاwhen تَسامَتvied for eminence قُرومُthe chiefs of الناسِmen فيamid لَبَدِdense throngs
إِذا تَسامَت قُرومُ الناسِ في لَبَدِ
And Qudaʿa is not far from coming to my aid
And Quda'a does not hold back from aiding me,
when the people’s champions vie for eminence in a dense throng.
When the chiefs of men vie for eminence amid dense throngs.
إِخوانُناour brothers حِميَرٌHimyar تبنيbuilds التَمامperfection لَناfor us
إِخوانُنا حِميَرٌ تبني التَمام لَنا
وَالحَمدُand praise لاnot يُبتَنىis built إِلّاexcept عَلىupon عَمَدِpillars
وَالحَمدُ لا يُبتَنى إِلّا عَلى عَمَدِ
Our brothers, Himyar, build perfection for us;
Our brothers, Himyar, build perfection for us,
and praise is built only upon pillars.
And praise is built only upon pillars.
جُذامُJudham اِخَتُناour sister tribe الأَدنَونَthe nearest kin قَدindeed عَلِمواthey know
جُذامُ اِخَتُنا الأَدنَونَ قَد عَلِموا
وَماand not أَخوهُمtheir brother بِمُضظَّرٍhard-pressed وَلاnor وَجِدِaggrieved
وَما أَخوهُم بِمُضظَّرٍ وَلا وَجِدِ
Judham, our brothers nearest in kin, know full well
Judham, our sister tribe and nearest kin, know well,
that their brother is neither driven by need nor moved by anger.
And their brother is neither hard-pressed nor aggrieved.
وَطِيِّئٌand Tayy مَعشَرٌa people ناءٍdistant وَمَجمَعُناand our meeting point
وَطِيِّئٌ مَعشَرٌ ناءٍ وَمَجمَعُنا
أَقصىthe farthest of الدِيارَthe lands وَأَرباهُمand their highest lineage إِلىto أَدَدِAdad
أَقصى الدِيارَ وَأَرباهُم إِلى أَدَدِ
Tayy is a far-off clan; the point where our lineages meet
And Tayy are a distant people; our meeting point
lies at the farthest reaches of the lands, and their chiefs trace back to Adad.
Lies in the remotest lands, and their highest lineage reaches Adad.
