هَلا سَأَلتِ بَني نَبهانَ ما حَسبي

هَلا سَأَلتِ بَني نَبهانَ ما حَسبي

عِندَ الطِعانِ إِذا ما اِحمَرَّت الحَدَقُ

عِندَ الطِعانِ إِذا ما اِحمَرَّت الحَدَقُ

Why did you not ask the sons of Nabhan what my standing is—

Why did you not ask the sons of Nabhan what my standing is

amid the thrust of spears, when eyes blaze red;

Amid spear-fighting, when the pupils turn red,

وَجاءَت الخَيلُ مَحمراً بَوادِرُها

وَجاءَت الخَيلُ مَحمراً بَوادِرُها

بِالماءِ يَسفَحُ عَن لَبّاتِها العَلَقُ

بِالماءِ يَسفَحُ عَن لَبّاتِها العَلَقُ

when the cavalry charges, their forechests crimson,

And the horses come, the flesh of their necks reddened

and clotted blood, mingled with sweat, streams from their throat-hollows—

With water, as clotted blood pours from their upper chests?

هَل أَطعَنُ الفَارِسَ الحامي حَقيقَتُهُ

هَل أَطعَنُ الفَارِسَ الحامي حَقيقَتُهُ

نَجلاءَ يَهلِكِ فيها الريبَ وَالحَزَقُ

نَجلاءَ يَهلِكِ فيها الريبَ وَالحَزَقُ

whether I spear the horseman guarding what is his to defend

Do I pierce the horseman who defends his honor

with a gaping wound in which doubt and rancor perish;

With a gaping thrust in which doubt and massed bands perish?

وَاِضرِبُ الكَبشَ وَالخيلانَ جانِحَةً

وَاِضرِبُ الكَبشَ وَالخيلانَ جانِحَةً

وَالهُمامُ مِنّا وَمِن أَعدائِنا فَلَقُ

وَالهُمامُ مِنّا وَمِن أَعدائِنا فَلَقُ

and strike the champion as the two cavalry hosts wheel aside,

And I strike the ram-like champion while both cavalry hosts press inward,

while every hero, ours and our foes’ alike, is panic-stricken?

And the valiant, among us and among our enemies, are split apart.

وَالخَيلُ تَعلَمُ أَنّي كُنتُ فارِسَها

وَالخَيلُ تَعلَمُ أَنّي كُنتُ فارِسَها

يَومَ الأَكسُ بِهِ مِن نَجدَةٍ رَوَقُ

يَومَ الأَكسُ بِهِ مِن نَجدَةٍ رَوَقُ

The horses know that I was their champion rider

And the horses know that I was their rider

on the day of al-Akuss, when valor shone splendidly—

On the day valor struck the fainthearted man with terror,

إِذ قالَ أَوسٌ أَما مِن طَيّ مِن رَجُلٍ

إِذ قالَ أَوسٌ أَما مِن طَيّ مِن رَجُلٍ

يَحمي الذِمارَ وَبيضَ القَومِ تَأتَلِقُ

يَحمي الذِمارَ وَبيضَ القَومِ تَأتَلِقُ

when Aws cried, “Is there no man of Tayy

When Aws said, ‘Is there no man among Tayy

to guard our sacred honor while the warriors’ bright blades flash?”

To defend what is sacred, while the people's white blades gleam?’

وَالجارُ يَعلَمُ أَنّي لَستُ خاذِلَهُ

وَالجارُ يَعلَمُ أَنّي لَستُ خاذِلَهُ

إِن ناب دَهرٌ لَعَظمِ الجارِ مُعتَرِقُ

إِن ناب دَهرٌ لَعَظمِ الجارِ مُعتَرِقُ

My protected neighbor knows that I am not one to fail him

And the neighbor knows that I am not one to forsake him,

if ravening Time assails, gnawing him to the very bone.

Should time strike, stripping the neighbor's bones bare.

إِذ لا أَرى المالَ رَيّاً بَل أَرى عَتباً

إِذ لا أَرى المالَ رَيّاً بَل أَرى عَتباً

نَجلاً بِهِ وَمَنايا القَومِ تَعتَلِقُ

نَجلاً بِهِ وَمَنايا القَومِ تَعتَلِقُ

For I do not count wealth a quenching draught; rather, I see

For I see wealth not as thirst quenched, but as reproach,

grave reproach in it, while men’s appointed deaths close in.

Vast within it, while the people's deaths cling to it.

هَذا الثَناءُ فَإِن تَرضى فَراضِيَّةٌ

هَذا الثَناءُ فَإِن تَرضى فَراضِيَّةٌ

أَو تَسخَطي فَإِلى مَن تُعطَفُ العنقُ

أَو تَسخَطي فَإِلى مَن تُعطَفُ العنقُ

Such is my renown: if it pleases you, be content;

Such is the praise; if you are pleased, then pleased you are;

or be displeased—for I am one toward whom the neck turns.

Or if you are angered, toward whom will your neck be turned?