أَلَم يَنهَ أَولادَ اللَقيطَةِ عِلمُهُم

أَلَم يَنهَ أَولادَ اللَقيطَةِ عِلمُهُم

بِزَبّانَ إِذ يَهجونَهُ وَهوَ نائِمُ

بِزَبّانَ إِذ يَهجونَهُ وَهوَ نائِمُ

Were the foundling woman’s sons not deterred by their knowledge

Did not his eloquence warn the sons of bastardy

of Zabbān, when they lampoon him while he sleeps?

When they satirized him while he was asleep?

يُطيقونَ بِالأَعشى وَصُبَّ عَلَيهِمُ

يُطيقونَ بِالأَعشى وَصُبَّ عَلَيهِمُ

لِسانٌ كَصَدرِ الهِندُوانِيِّ صارِمُ

لِسانٌ كَصَدرِ الهِندُوانِيِّ صارِمُ

They can stand their ground with al-Aʿshā, yet upon them has been poured

They can cope with al-A'sha and pour upon them

a cutting tongue, like the forepart of an Indian sword.

A tongue like the Indian swords, sharp and firm.

وَإِنَّ قَتيلاً بِالهَباةِ في اِستِهِ

وَإِنَّ قَتيلاً بِالهَباةِ في اِستِهِ

صَحيفَتُهُ إِن عادَ لِلظُلمِ ظالِمُ

صَحيفَتُهُ إِن عادَ لِلظُلمِ ظالِمُ

And indeed, a man slain at al-Habāh has in his anus

And indeed the one killed at al-Haba'

his document, should a wrongdoer return to wrongdoing.

His writings, if he returns to oppression as an oppressor,

مَتى تَقرَؤوها تَهدِكُم مِن ضَلالِكُم

مَتى تَقرَؤوها تَهدِكُم مِن ضَلالِكُم

وَتُعرَف إِذا ما فُضَّ عَنها الخَواتِمُ

وَتُعرَف إِذا ما فُضَّ عَنها الخَواتِمُ

Whenever you read it, it will guide you away from your error,

When you read them, they will shatter your misguidance

and it is recognized when its seals are broken off.

And be recognized when the seals are undone from it,

لَدى مَربِطِ الأَفراسِ عِندَ أَبيكُمُ

لَدى مَربِطِ الأَفراسِ عِندَ أَبيكُمُ

حَذاكُم بِها صُلبُ العَداوَةِ حازِمُ

حَذاكُم بِها صُلبُ العَداوَةِ حازِمُ

At the horses’ tethering-place, beside your father,

At the horse-post, by your father,

a resolute man, unyielding in enmity, gifted you with it.

The essence of enmity restrained you with them.

فَإِن تَسأَلوا عَنها فَوارِسَ داحِسٍ

فَإِن تَسأَلوا عَنها فَوارِسَ داحِسٍ

يُنَبِّئكَ عَنها مِن رَواحَةَ عالِمُ

يُنَبِّئكَ عَنها مِن رَواحَةَ عالِمُ

So if you ask the horsemen of Dāhis about it,

So if you ask the horsemen of Dahis

a knowledgeable man of Rawāḥah will tell you about it.

He will inform you about it, a knowledgeable man from Ruwahah.

فَأَقسَمَ مُرتاحاً شَريكُ بنُ مالِكٍ

فَأَقسَمَ مُرتاحاً شَريكُ بنُ مالِكٍ

إِذا ما اِلتَقَينا خَصمَهُ لا يُسالِمُ

إِذا ما اِلتَقَينا خَصمَهُ لا يُسالِمُ

Then Sharīk son of Mālik swore, elated,

Thus did Shurayk ibn Malik swear calmly

that when we meet, he will make no peace with his adversary.

When we meet his opponent, he will not make peace.

وَأَقسَمَ يَأتي خُطَّةَ الضَيمِ طائِعاً

وَأَقسَمَ يَأتي خُطَّةَ الضَيمِ طائِعاً

بَلى سَوفَ تَأتيها وَأَنفُكَ راغِمُ

بَلى سَوفَ تَأتيها وَأَنفُكَ راغِمُ

And he swore he would not willingly accept humiliating terms;

And he swore he will willingly come to the wronged one,

yes, you will accept them, your nose rubbed in dust.

Yes, he will come to him while you are unwilling.