1. She turned away while the rope of separation harvests sparks,
And parting has eased what remoteness complicated.

2. She wept for what made her weep in the days of her prime,
While my heart is empty, devoid of love for anyone else.

3. She said, “Can you forget the full moon?” I said, being stoic,
“As long as the sun doesn’t set, the full moon won’t rise.”

4. So she shed copious tears, strung together,
Pouring on her chest, except their pouring is done by the eyelids.

5. And shedding more tears was not my intention, even if
Every eye of hers were to water her cheek into a river.

6. I gathered the rays of perception and branded it
With resolve that gives light in every dark place.

7. I struggled to fulfill my hope but nothing could defeat
My resolve other than what Egypt itself defeated.

8. So I became a barrier, blocking Gog and Magog,
With worries whose drops never cease flooding its dam.

9. With a brave she-camel bucking mightily,
A generous gallant man who has no defect.

10. So I fancied many barren lands I walked on their backs
While the land is a sea and its people are the land.

11. The barren land is not with sturdy pegs. But the land that grew
Me and whose dwellers grew in it, that is the barren land.

12. Whoever gambles with days against their gains
I fear for it to be unveiled while it owns the moon.

13. If my sin was that my best interests went wrong,
Then the blame is on the misfortune of fate, I have an excuse.

14. Fate which wealth never ceased to be in its hands
Has folded my hopes while poverty remains in my hands.

15. I accepted it - could I be pleased if the one discontent with me
In the matter is the one whose pleasure matters the most?

16. And I endured my days with composed patience that
Bore good consequences, and patience is true to its name.

17. The rivers of aid refused to let me pasture on what
I disparage, and the act of refusal resembles the rivers.

18. How disappointed can one be who gathered in the grasps of Tayyi’
‘Adiyy the most generous, or ‘Amr?

19. We have charms - Zaydi, Udaidi -
When they shine, even the bright stars submit to them.

20. We have a gem - if it mixed with earth it would become
Its insides and outsides - nothing but dust.

21. Jadilah and Al-Gawth to whom an ear attentive
To glory inclines, while in it there is no tranquility.

22. Our positions are a standstill upon wisdom and argument -
So our elders have grown old and our youths turned grey.

23. We are soft in giving so our gentleness exceeded
The extent of gentleness, except our manner is rock solid.

24. Our gifts seem to suit whoever came to us
While no lineage brings them close to us, nor in-laws.

25. If the adornment of life with wealth turned away
The finest adornment with us is praise and gratitude.

26. The nests of orphans in the years - so whoever mews
For a chick that has a nest, we are for it a nest.

27. Our fate in generosity refused to be anything but glorious
So wealth has never had any significance for us.

28. Whoever wants to succeed through generosity, it
Is a helper for people, and for us it is an early mark.

29. Hatem competed in an arena - if the rain competed
Therein, it would be said which of the two is the rain?

30. A gallant man, people hoarded the life while he
Kept giving it away - so see for whom the treasures remained!

31. Whoever wishes, let him take pride in whatever he wishes,
For no clan other than us has that pride.

32. We gathered the heights and generosity after their separation
To us, as the days are gathered into months.

33. With our aid, the clouds of death cast their lightning in aid
While gloomy - it is our aid that cleared them.

34. With every brave warrior charging his throat as prey
When bellies are inflamed and dawn approaches.

35. Be amazed - he guides his throat to death,
And more amazing - how does his throat remain for him?

36. He is seen off by the sons of death to the battlefield
Patience sees him off, victory sees him off.

37. Archers - when the archers shaded the battlefield
Their spears red, their faces yellow.

38. You saw them with good tidings on faces that
Refused through their might to have other than good tidings.

39. With horses exceeding horses - so many horsemen
That when they speak in dignity, even eternity falls silent.

40. On every edge, eyes squint at the sight of warriors
Swimming, though their swimming is but sitting aback.

41. Its belly is folded by the saddlecloth as though
Exposed, you would doubt that it is truly its back.

42. My she-camel, when it narrates what came behind
As long as what’s ahead remains, the lute falls silent.

43. If enemies blamed its terrible morning
Neither the wolf nor the eagle can pay its dues of gratitude.

44. Through it, the Aqdar knew their worth after ignorance
Of it - Qays bin ‘Ailan and Al-Fizar.

45. Taghlib met a vanquisher - every vanquisher,
And Bakr, so it befriended our war turned feeble, Bakr.

46. And you are well aware how our lions kept
The clan of Asad - if knowing benefits you.

47. And we divided Al-Dhizya in aid and its land -
For us a foothold in its breadth, while for them frustration.

48. An ear loses its way in describing its routes
So none is guided to it but the smallest ear of corn.