أَبي حامِلُ الأَلفِ الَّتي جَرَّ حارِثٌ

أَبي حامِلُ الأَلفِ الَّتي جَرَّ حارِثٌ

لِمُرَّةَ إِذ لَم يُرقِ عِرقاً رِجالُها

لِمُرَّةَ إِذ لَم يُرقِ عِرقاً رِجالُها

My father bore the thousand that Ḥārith incurred

My father bears the banner which Harith

For Murrah, when her men had not staunched a vein.

Dragged at Murra when her men's veins did not quiver,

وَنَحنُ وَدَينا الجَونَ مِن جَذمِ كَفِّهِ

وَنَحنُ وَدَينا الجَونَ مِن جَذمِ كَفِّهِ

غَناءَ اليَمينِ زايَلَتها شِمالُها

غَناءَ اليَمينِ زايَلَتها شِمالُها

And we paid al-Jawn compensation for the severing of his hand:

And we cherished life from his palm though

The right hand’s worth, bereft of its left.

The melody of fortune forsook its right.

وَنَحنُ حَمَلنا عَن كِنانَةَ جُرحَها

وَنَحنُ حَمَلنا عَن كِنانَةَ جُرحَها

وَجُرمَ هِلالٍ حينَ ضاقَت نِعالُها

وَجُرمَ هِلالٍ حينَ ضاقَت نِعالُها

And we bore, for Kinānah, the burden of her wound,

We, for Kinana's wound, her suffering have borne

And Hilāl’s offense, when her sandals grew tight.

And for a crescent moon, when her shoes were straitened,

وَنَحنُ إِذا ضاقَت مَعَدٌّ حُلومُها

وَنَحنُ إِذا ضاقَت مَعَدٌّ حُلومُها

وَنَحنُ إِذا خَفَّت مَعَدٌّ جِبالُها

وَنَحنُ إِذا خَفَّت مَعَدٌّ جِبالُها

And we are there when Maʿadd’s judgment is strained,

And when the bowels of Ma'add were gripped with hunger

And we are there when Maʿadd’s mountains grow light.

And when the mountains of Ma'add were stripped bare.

وَلَسنا كَقَومٍ مُحدِثينَ سِيادَةً

وَلَسنا كَقَومٍ مُحدِثينَ سِيادَةً

يُرى مالُها وَلا يُحَسُّ فَعالُها

يُرى مالُها وَلا يُحَسُّ فَعالُها

And we are not like a people newly come to leadership,

We are not like a people who newly come to power,

Whose wealth is seen, but whose deeds are not felt.

Their wealth is seen, but their works are not felt.

مَساعيهُمُ مَقصورَةٌ في بُيوتِهِم

مَساعيهُمُ مَقصورَةٌ في بُيوتِهِم

وَمَسعاتُنا ذُبيانُ طُرّاً عِيالُها

وَمَسعاتُنا ذُبيانُ طُرّاً عِيالُها

Their endeavors are confined to their houses,

Their labours are limited to their houses,

And all Dhubyān are dependents of our endeavor.

While our forays are dove-flighted raids sending their families into mourning.

يُريغونَ في الخِصبِ الأُمورَ وَنَفعُهُم

يُريغونَ في الخِصبِ الأُمورَ وَنَفعُهُم

قَليلٌ إِذا الأَموالُ طالَ هُزالُها

قَليلٌ إِذا الأَموالُ طالَ هُزالُها

They pursue affairs in times of plenty, but their help

They slander destiny in prosperity, but their benefit

Is scant when the livestock have long been gaunt.

Is little when possessions lose their savour,

وَقُلنا بِلا عِيٍّ وَسُسنا بِطاقَةٍ

وَقُلنا بِلا عِيٍّ وَسُسنا بِطاقَةٍ

إِذا النارُ نارُ الحَربِ طالَ اِشتِعالُها

إِذا النارُ نارُ الحَربِ طالَ اِشتِعالُها

And we spoke without faltering and governed with strength,

And we spoke without defect and spun with an effortless whorl

When the fire—the fire of war—burned long.

What time the fires of war sent up their flames.