1. حذار حذار أخيّ الشجن

    نبال عيون يقمن الفتن

    Beware, beware, my dear brother, of sorrow.

    The arrows of eyes stir up turmoil.

  2. يهجن الشجون بغمز الجفون

    وركب المنون بها قد كمن

    They rouse sorrows with the winking of eyelids,

    and death's cavalcade lies hidden in them.

  3. برين العظام برشق السهام

    وكم مستهام بهنّ افتتن

    They wore away the bones with volleys of arrows,

    and how many a lovesick man has been bewitched by them!

  4. فمن لي بحوراء لمياء ثغر

    وبرّاق ظلم إذا الليل جن

    Who, then, will bring me a dark-eyed, dusky-lipped beauty,

    with gleaming teeth when night grows dark?

  5. إذا لم تزرني فيمتد ليلي

    سهيدا بليلي فقيد الوسن

    If she does not visit me, my night stretches on,

    while I lie sleepless through my night, bereft of slumber.

  6. واكتم وجدي فينهل دمعي

    مبيحا لما في فوادي استكن

    I conceal my passion, yet my tears stream down,

    revealing what lies hidden in my heart.

  7. أيا رب يوم هتكت الستار

    لخلع العذار بظبي ودن

    Ah, many a day I rent the veil,

    to cast off the bridle with a gazelle and a wine jar,

  8. بذات قوام كخطي لدن

    وكاس عقار عقرنا المحن

    with a woman whose figure is like a supple Khatti spear,

    and with a cup of wine we slew our trials.

  9. رنين الحجول بخلخالها

    كمثل العزول ينادي علن

    The chime of anklets at her ankle-ring

    is like a reproacher calling aloud.

  10. تريك سهيلا اذا اسفرت

    محل الخزام هني الوطن

    When she unveils, she shows you Suhayl

    at the site of her nose-ring, in a pleasant abode.

  11. وماست فخلنا قضيبا تثنى

    ولاحت فباحت جواري عدن

    She swayed, and we thought a branch was bending;

    she appeared, and Eden's maidens spoke openly.

  12. كان الأراقم في فرعها

    وأسود عبس بجفن قطن

    Serpents were in her locks,

    and the lions of ʿAbs dwelt in an eyelid.

  13. كهاة تريع لصوت مهيب

    لغير هواها الشجي ما ظعن

    A full-figured woman, she turns at a caller's voice;

    the lovelorn man never journeyed for any love but hers.

  14. تلوح بخد وجيد ونهدٍ

    للثم وضم وشم زهن

    She appears with cheek, neck, and breast,

    for kissing, embracing, and eagerly inhaling her scent,

  15. وكشح لطيف وخصر نحيف

    رقيق كجسمي رهين الوهن

    and a delicate flank and slender waist,

    delicate as my body, hostage to weakness,

  16. وردفٍ كحقف رجيح الدلال

    وقد مديد رطيب البدن

    and hips like a sand dune, heavy with coquettish charm,

    and a tall figure with a supple body.

  17. وتعطيك كاسا رحيق رضاب

    عصير شفاه لنفي الحزن

    She gives you a cup of nectar—her sweet saliva,

    the juice of lips, to banish sorrow.

  18. وليس بأحلى لنا من هواها

    إلا امتداحي فريد الزمن

    Nothing is sweeter to us than love for her,

    except my praise of the peerless man of the age:

  19. عليّ الكمال سني المقال

    سمي النوال زكي الفطن

    exalted in perfection, radiant in speech,

    lofty in bounty, keen in perception.

  20. ومن آل اسعد ذو مطلع

    بسعد السعود ضياه اقترن

    A scion of the house of Asʿad, whose rising

    joined its radiance to Saʿd al-Suʿud.

  21. ودانت لديه المعالي ونادت

    أ أنت الخطيب فنعم الختن

    High honors bowed before him and called:

    "Are you the suitor? What an excellent son-in-law!"

  22. يعيش القريض لديه فزره

    لنيل الأماني وفز بالمنن

    Poetry lives in his presence; visit him

    to attain your wishes and win bounties.

  23. فنعم الأمير كريم الأيادي

    بنيل النوال أشاد السنن

    What an excellent prince, with generous hands!

    By bestowing bounty, he exalted the traditions.

  24. هزبر بمتن سريع انقضاض

    كسيد الفضاء بنصر معن

    A lion with a sturdy back, swift to pounce,

    like a wolf of the open land, with Maʿn's triumph.

  25. كأن فؤاد الكمي سوارٌ

    بمعصم رمح به قد طعن

    As though the armored warrior's heart were a bracelet

    on the wrist of a spear with which he had thrust.

  26. كأنّ قلوب الأعادي محلٌ

    لسن الرديني بها قد سكن

    As though the enemies' hearts were a dwelling

    for the Rudayni spear-point, lodged within them.

  27. تحيي المعالي بني مرعب

    ليوث العوالي غداة الظعن

    High honors salute the sons of Murʿib,

    lions of tall spears on the morning of departure.

  28. هم الغالبون فدع تغلبا

    ودع عنك بكرا وتلك الدمن

    They are the victors, so leave Taghlib aside,

    and set aside Bakr and those camp ruins.

  29. وشبب بشاص وفي برج دوس

    ويوم بحصن لهم مرتهن

    And sing of Shas and of Burj Daws,

    and a day at a fortress, pledged to them,

  30. ويوم بنهر الأونط الذي

    يفوق الذنايب فيمن ومن

    and a day by the River al-Unt, which

    surpasses al-Dhanaʾib in its men—this one and that.

  31. أخيّ فدعني فإني لهم

    أصيغ النظام جهاراً علن

    My dear brother, leave me be, for it is for them

    that I fashion verse, openly and aloud.

  32. هم الحارزون المعالي جمالاً

    وساموا القريض بأوفى الثمن

    They secure high honors as their adornment,

    and bid the fullest price for poetry.

  33. إليك علي المقام تبدت

    فتاة المديح بوجه حسن

    To you, exalted in rank, has appeared

    the maiden of praise with a lovely face,

  34. لتهدي دعاء وتلثم كفاً

    يفوق السحاب بفيض المنن

    to offer a prayer and kiss a hand

    that surpasses the clouds in its flood of bounty.

  35. فخذها بعفو لقد غرّدت

    بأبهى صفا ولفظ فتن

    So receive her with indulgence; she has warbled

    with the loveliest clarity and enchanting words,

  36. تنادي المهلهل مع حارث

    خليلي عوجا لرسم الدمن

    calling to al-Muhalhil and Harith:

    "My two friends, turn aside to the traces of the ruined camps."