وما زالت بنو شيبان تبغي

وعفو البغي مصرعه وخيم

And Banu Shayban never ceased their aggression,

And excess in aggression brings a dire downfall.

إلى أن جاءها قدرٌ متاحٌ

فأسلمها المحاور والحميم

Until an allotted fate came upon them,

So their conversational companion and close friend abandoned them.

فاضحت فوق ظهر الأرض صرعى

تغطّيها الكواكب والنجوم

So they lay slain upon the earth's back,

The planets and the stars covering them.

وأسرى في حبال الذل فيهم

على سغب ومعطشة كلوم

And among them were captives in humiliation's bonds,

With wounds on top of hunger and thirst.

وأصبح مالها نهبا وطاحت

بنوها والظلوم له غشوم

And their wealth became plunder, and down fell

Their sons—and for the oppressor there is a ruthless tyrant.

ترىذكرت بنو شيبان قولي

لهم كفّوا فإنّ الظلم لوم

Do you think Banu Shayban remembered my words

To them: 'Desist, for injustice brings blame'?

وأطمعها كرور السعد حتّى

تمادت والبلاء له هجوم

And fortune's repeated returns made them covetous, until

They persisted in excess—and calamity has its onslaught.

فأوسعها الأمير رخا وحلما

فقد ندمت وما ندم الحليم

So the emir lavished ease and forbearance upon them;

So they regretted it, but the forbearing man did not.

وأفرشها بساط السلم حتّى

على طغيانها نغل الأديم

And he spread the carpet of peace for them, until

Amid their tyranny, the hide rotted.

دعت ليلا لها صنما فصمّت

وما سمعت كما سمعت تميم

At night they called upon an idol of their own, then grew deaf,

And did not hear as Tamim heard.

ووافاهم عساكر

كأن مسرها السيل العريم

And armies came upon them,

As though their advance were a raging torrent.

وكم من جحفل يسعى إليهم

وأوسعها من الشرّ الخصوم

And many a mighty host hastened toward them,

And their foes heaped evil upon them.

وفرّ وفارسها المرجّى

فرارا لا يسرّ به كريم

And their much-hoped-for horseman fled,

A flight that would gladden no noble man.

وما منهم أسير أو قتيل

تبكّيه اليتيمة واليتيم

And no captive or slain man among them

Is wept for by the orphan girl and the orphan boy.

لقد نعمت بنو شيبان دهرا

براذان وطال بها النعيم

Indeed, Banu Shayban enjoyed ease for an age

In Radhan, and their prosperity lasted long.

فلم تشكر لمولاها وتاهت

فأسلمها إلى العرض الغريم

But they gave their patron no thanks and grew arrogant,

So the adversary surrendered them to exposure.

وأوسعت البلاد أذى وشرّا

فأوسعها من الشر الخصوم

And they heaped harm and evil upon the lands,

So their foes heaped evil upon them.

أبوا للضّيف حقا واستهانوا

بجارهم ويحذرهم فطيم

They denied the guest his due and treated with contempt

Their neighbor; even a weaned child fears them.

فهاجوا في الحرام ولم يذمّوا

لحيّ والذمام هو الحريم

They ran riot in what was sacred and granted no protection

To any clan; yet pledged protection is the sacred boundary.

قست منهم قلوبهمُ وشحّوا

وما رحموا فليس لهم رحيم

Their hearts grew hard, and they were miserly,

And they showed no mercy, so none is merciful to them.

أيخطب لابن عروة وهو لصّ

مغيرٌ إن ذا خطب عظيم

Is a sermon preached for Ibn Urwa, though he is a thief,

A raider? Indeed, this is a grave affair.

وهيهات السلامة كل يوم

وإن غرّوا أخا جهل يدوم

And safety day after day is far beyond reach,

Even if they deceive a man whose ignorance endures.

بنو شيبان كانت في نعيم

يلوذ بها المجاور والحميم

Banu Shayban once lived in prosperity;

The neighbor and the close friend sought refuge with them.