1. Arammah, you were the companion of every poem
If only you enjoyed the old intimacy
١. أَرامَةُ كُنتِ مَألَفَ كُلِّ ريمِ
لَوِ اِستَمتَعتِ بِالأُنسِ القَديمِ
2. Misery made you beautiful with longing
So you became gardens of bliss to me
٢. أَدارَ البُؤسِ حَسَّنَكِ التَصابي
إِلَيَّ فَصِرتِ جَنّاتِ النَعيمِ
3. If you have become a battlefield for distractions
You have indeed become a battlefield of worries
٣. لَئِن أَصبَحتِ مَيدانَ السَوافي
لَقَد أَصبَحتِ مَيدانَ الهُمومِ
4. And of what saddened absence is that I
Complained but did not complain to a compassionate one
٤. وَمِمّا ضَرَّمَ البُرَحاءَ أَنّي
شَكَوتُ فَما شَكَوتُ إِلى رَحيمِ
5. I think the tears on my cheek will remain
Traces of my weeping in the traces
٥. أَظُنُّ الدَمعَ في خَدّي سَيَبقى
رُسوماً مِن بُكائي في الرُسومِ
6. And nights I spend awake as if I were
Safe and sound or stayed up over Safeem
٦. وَلَيلٍ بِتُّ أَكلَأُهُ كَأَنّي
سَليمٌ أَو سَهِرتُ عَلى سَليمِ
7. I am wary of its stars, roaring
Arrogantly, not grazing for the herdsman
٧. أُراعي مِن كَواكِبِهِ هِجاناً
سَواماً ما تَريعُ إِلى المُسيمِ
8. So I swear if the darkness were asked about me
It would inform you of great passion
٨. فَأُقسِمُ لَو سَأَلتِ دُجاهُ عَنّي
لَقَد أَنباكِ عَن وَجدٍ عَظيمِ
9. We pitched our tents in the land of the beloved tribe
The daughters of travel under the sons of determination
٩. أَنَخنا في دِيارِ بَني حَبيبٍ
بَناتِ السَيرِ تَحتَ بَني العَزيمِ
10. And not ceased in the act of Ibn Amr
A generous one from the clan of the generous
١٠. وَما إِن زالَ في جَرمِ اِبنِ عَمرٍو
كَريمٌ مِن بَني عَبدِ الكَريمِ
11. His help almost leaves him destitute
When his hands rain down upon the destitute
١١. يَكادُ نَداهُ يَترُكُهُ عَديماً
إِذا هَطَلَت يَداهُ عَلى عَديمِ
12. You see him defend the sanctity of glory
So you think he defends a haram
١٢. تَراهُ يَذُبُّ عَن حَرَمِ المَعالي
فَتَحسِبُهُ يُدافِعُ عَن حَريمِ
13. A creditor annoyed with him, yet he
Avoided frustrating the creditor
١٣. غَريمٍ لِلمُلِمِّ بِهِ وَحاشى
نَداهُ مِن مُماطَلَةِ الغَريمِ
14. The foolish spearman made the heights quake
And none make the heights quake but cowards
١٤. سَفيهُ الرُمحِ أُرعِفَتِ العَوالي
وَلَيسَ المُرعِفاتُ سِوى الكُلومِ
15. When the striking of war intensifies, he shows
The most ignorant opinion in dangerous affairs
١٥. إِذا ما الضَربُ حَشَّ الحَربَ أَبدى
أَغَرَّ الرَأيِ في الخَطبِ البَهيمِ
16. War hides from him when its
Cauldrons boil with an accursed devil
١٦. تُثَفّى الحَربُ مِنهُ حينَ تَغلي
مَراجِلُها بِشَيطانٍ رَجيمِ
17. So if he attends an assembly one day of separation
You will see the like of Luqman the Wise
١٧. فَإِن شَهِدَ المَقامَةَ يَومَ فَصلٍ
رَأَيتَ نَظيرَ لُقمانِ الحَكيمِ
18. When exhaustion descends upon them, he distances it
From the countryside gardens with a lofty soul
١٨. إِذا نَزَلَ النَزيعُ بِهِم قَرَوهُ
رِياضَ الريفِ مِن أُنُفٍ جَميمِ
19. If you were to see them and their visitors
You would not differentiate between the distant and the intimate
١٩. فَلَو شاهَدتَهُم وَالزائِريهِم
لَما مِزتَ البَعيدَ مِنَ الحَميمِ
20. They are guided in every glory
To the path of the straight path
٢٠. أُولَئِكَ قَد هُدوا في كُلِّ مَجدٍ
إِلى نَهجِ الصِراطِ المُستَقيمِ
21. Prosperity made them inhabitants of lofty virtues
When the stingy descends upon the borders
٢١. أَحَلَّهُمُ النَدى سِطَةَ المَعالي
إِذا نَزَلَ البَخيلُ عَلى التُخومِ
22. Outstanding qualities that will not please you
Unless you testify to their good aroma
٢٢. فُروعٌ لا تَرِفُّ عَلَيكَ إِلّا
شَهِدتَ لَها عَلى طيبِ الأَرومِ
23. And in the nobility of speech is evidence of truth
For one testing the ancient nobility
٢٣. وَفي شَرَفِ الحَديثِ دَليلُ صِدقٍ
لِمُختَبِرٍ عَلى الشَرَفِ القَديمِ
24. They have hidden pearls that when illuminated
Their brilliance rivals that of the stars
٢٤. لَهُم غُرَرٌ تُخالُ إِذا اِستَنارَت
بَواهِرُها ضَرائِرَ لِلنُجومِ
25. Brave men for one seeking refuge through them, lions
For lions and for the brave
٢٥. قُرومٌ لِلمُجيرِ بِهِم أُسودٌ
نَكالٌ لِلأُسودِ وَلِلقُرومِ
26. When they descend upon a place, they render it orderly
With traces like the traces of clouds
٢٦. إِذا نَزَلوا بِمَحلٍ رَوَّضوهُ
بآِثارٍ كَآثارِ الغُيومِ
27. Every child of Eve has an excuse
And no excuse for a miserable delinquent
٢٧. لِكُلٍّ مِن بَني حَوّاءَ عُذرٌ
وَلا عُذرٌ لِطائِيٍّ لَئيمِ
28. The most deserving of people of generosity is a man
Who still comes to a generous origin
٢٨. أَحَقُّ الناسِ بِالكَرَمِ اِمرُؤٌ لَم
يَزَل يَأوي إِلى أَصلٍ كَريمِ