1. By the life of Abi Rabi'ah, he would not have left
The land of Bani Rabi'ah out of disgrace,

2. Had the love of the rich been for his riches,
And had he been among his clan in any stature.

3. The slanderers hemmed him in and disquieted him,
And there was also covert enmity from some scoundrels.

4. But for the fact that his mother is my mother,
And that he who insults him has insulted me,

5. And that his father is as my father, and would have tasted
The bitterness of my ice-cold blade, had it been otherwise!

6. For if he insulted me with satire,
That would humiliate the most eloquent upon my tongue.

7. I taught him archery every day,
But when his arm grew strong, he shot me!

8. And how much did I teach him the composition of verse,
But when he composed a single line, he insulted me!