1. They said to him, "Return the donkey for your
Father is a scoundrel, his head and his armies
١. فَقالوا لَهُ رُدَّ الحِمارَ فَإِنَّهُ
أَبوكَ لَئيمٌ رَأسُهُ وَجَحافِلُه
2. You wish he were more gentle
To your father, but his son distracts him
٢. وَأَنتَ حَريصٌ أَن يَكونَ مُجاشِعٌ
أَباكَ وَلَكِنَّ اِبنَهُ عَنكَ شاغِلُه
3. They did not dress him in armor until
His joints underneath his skin fell from disgrace
٣. وَما أَلبَسوهُ الدِرعَ حَتّى تَزَيَّلَت
مِنَ الخِزيِ دونَ الجِلدِ مِنهُ مَفاصِلُه
4. Was he anything but a fox pleased with himself
For the wave he rode was as high as mountains rolled by him
٤. وَهَل كانَ إِلّا ثَعلَباً راضَ نَفسَهُ
بِمَوجٍ تَسامى كَالجِبالِ مَجاوِلُه
5. He chewed out a bite in the sea when
Its high waves and its low crashed down upon him
٥. ضَغا ضَغوَةً في البَحرِ لَمّا تَغَطمَطَت
عَلَيهِ أَعالي مَوجِهِ وَأَسافِلُه
6. So he woke up thrown behind his rubbish
Where the roar of the sea met its coast
٦. فَأَصبَحَ مَطروحاً وَراءَ غُثائِهِ
بِحَيثُ اِلتَقى مِن ناجِخِ البَحرِ ساحِلُه
7. What good are you if you miss the estate of Darim
And whatever Kulaib may build and fight for it
٧. وَهَل أَنتَ إِن فاتَتكَ مَسعاةُ دارِمٍ
وَما قَد بَنى آتٍ كُلَيباً فَقاتِلُه
8. They said to ‘Ibbad aid us, for they saw
Death's droplets pour down, soaking its floods
٨. وَقالوا لِعَبّادٍ أَغِثنا وَقَد رَأَوا
شَآبيبَ مَوتٍ يُقطِرُ السُمَّ وابِلُه
9. ‘Ibbad does not have for them any of my two horses
Whose legs race when evil bites their thighs
٩. وَما عِندَ عَبّادٍ لَهُم مِن كَريهَتي
رَواحٌ إِذا ما الشَرُّ عَضَّت رَجائِلُه
10. You have fallen for a sheikh who did not birth you
While you hide and diminish your own father
١٠. فَخَرتَ بِشَيخٍ لَم يَلِدكَ وَدونَهُ
أَبٌ لَكَ تُخفي شَخصَهُ وَتُضائِلُه
11. By God my honor, if I give away my jewel
To the owner of the black spot on his shoulder
١١. فَلِلَّهِ عِرضي إِن جَعَلتُ كَريمَتي
إِلى صاحِبِ المِعزى المُوَقَّعِ كاهِلُه
12. A coward who has never held a sword
But instead holds the walking stick of the two holy sites
١٢. جَباناً وَلَم يَعقِد لِسَيفٍ حِمالَةً
وَلَكِن عِصامُ القِربَتَينِ حَمائِلُه
13. The young camel bleats to him if
The wind blows it from knowing one who will not abandon it
١٣. يَظَلُّ إِلَيهِ الجَحشُ يَنهَقُ إِن عَلَت
بِهِ الريحُ مِن عِرفانِ مَن لا يُزايِلُه
14. It has help whose companions are its allies
Its loads from them and its beginnings from them
١٤. لَهُ عانَةٌ أَعفاؤُها آلِفاتُهُ
حُمولَتُهُ مِنها وَمِنها حَلائِلُه
15. Marked are their shoulders from its riding
And its resting places are known from their signs
١٥. مُوَقَّعَةٌ أَكتافُها مِن رُكوبِهِ
وَتُعرَفُ بِالكاذاتِ مِنها مَنازِلُه
16. Do not claim if your people did not find
A generous one among them other than the wretched of them
١٦. أَلا تَدَّعي إِن كانَ قَومُكَ لَم تَجِد
كَريماً لَهُم إِلّا لَئيماً أَوائِلُه