عن قاسم بالطف هات وأورد

أنباء قصّته وسبط محمد

Tell of Qasim at al-Taff, and recount

the story of him and Muhammad’s grandson.

عرض الكتاب وقال يا عماه وا

أسفاه لي إن فات أمري من يدي

He presented the letter and said, “O my uncle! Ah,

alas for me if my affairs slip from my hands!

وبنو أبي وردوا موارده وما

لي دون مورد معشري من مورد

And my father’s sons have reached its watering places, yet

I have no watering place other than my people’s.

أرأيت بي يا عم نقصا دونهم

فيفون وعدك هم وأخلف موعدي

Have you seen in me, uncle, some failing compared with them,

that they fulfill your pledge while I miss my appointed hour?

تأبى علي نقيبة عزماتها

وطأت بأخمصها مناط الفرقد

A noble woman forbids me that; her resolves

have trodden with their soles the height where Farqad hangs.

قالت بنيّ خذ النصيب كمثل ما

أخذته قومك يا فتى بهم اقتد

She said, ‘My son, take your share, like that which

your people took; young man, follow their example.

الركب جدوا واردين وأدركوا

فضل السباق وأنت دون المورد

The caravan pressed on to the water and gained

the honor of coming first, while you remain short of the watering place.

كلا لأنت أبو البسالة والذي

أبقى أبوك لمثل هذا المشهد

No! You are indeed the father of valor, and the one

your father left behind for a scene like this.

وأبيك لو كتب القتال على النسا

لبذلت نفسي دون عمك أفتدي

And by your father, were fighting prescribed for women,

I would surely give my life to shield your uncle, offering myself as ransom.

يا ليت قتلك دافع عنه الردى

والسبي عن حرم النبي محمد

If only your being slain could ward death away from him,

and captivity from the women of the Prophet Muhammad’s household.’”