سَليمُ بنَ مَنصورٍ أَلَمّا تُخَبَّروا

سَليمُ بنَ مَنصورٍ أَلَمّا تُخَبَّروا

بِما كانَ مِن حَربَي كُلَيبٍ وَداحِسِ

بِما كانَ مِن حَربَي كُلَيبٍ وَداحِسِ

Sulaym son of Mansur, have you not yet been told

Salim son of Mansur, have you not been informed

of what befell in the two wars of Kulayb and Dahis,

Of what transpired in the wars of Kulayb and Dahis

وَما كانَ في حَربِ اليَحابِرِ مِن دَمٍ

وَما كانَ في حَربِ اليَحابِرِ مِن دَمٍ

مُباحٍ وَجَدعٍ مُؤلِمٍ لِلمَعاطِسِ

مُباحٍ وَجَدعٍ مُؤلِمٍ لِلمَعاطِسِ

and of the blood in the war of al-Yahabir,

And what blood was shed in the war of Al-Yahabir

freely shed, and the painful mutilation of noses,

Permitted blood and painful flesh wounds

وَما كانَ في حَربَي سُلَيمٍ وَقَبلَهُم

وَما كانَ في حَربَي سُلَيمٍ وَقَبلَهُم

بِحَربِ بُعَثٍ مِن هَلاكِ الفَوارِسِ

بِحَربِ بُعَثٍ مِن هَلاكِ الفَوارِسِ

and of what befell in Sulaym's two wars, and before them

And what transpired in the wars of Sulaym before them

in the war of Bu'ath—the death of horsemen?

In the war of Bu`ath from the destruction of the horsemen

تَسافَهَتِ الأَحلامُ فيها جَهالَةً

تَسافَهَتِ الأَحلامُ فيها جَهالَةً

وَأُضرِمَ فيها كُلُّ رَطبٍ وَيابِسِ

وَأُضرِمَ فيها كُلُّ رَطبٍ وَيابِسِ

Minds turned foolish in them through ignorance,

The dreams therein acted foolishly out of ignorance

and everything green and dry was set ablaze in them.

And every fresh and dried dates were set ablaze

فَكُفّوا خُفاقاً عَن سَفاهَةِ رَأيِهِ

فَكُفّوا خُفاقاً عَن سَفاهَةِ رَأيِهِ

وَصاحِبَهُ العَبّاسَ قَبلَ الدَهارِسِ

وَصاحِبَهُ العَبّاسَ قَبلَ الدَهارِسِ

So restrain Khufaq from the folly of his counsel,

So restrain the fluttering from the foolishness of his opinion

and his companion al-Abbas, before calamities strike.

And his friend Al-'Abbas before the young warriors

وَإِلّا فَأَنتُم مِثلُ مَن كانَ قَبلُكُم

وَإِلّا فَأَنتُم مِثلُ مَن كانَ قَبلُكُم

وَمَن يَعقِلُ الأَمثالَ غَيرُ الأَكايِسِ

وَمَن يَعقِلُ الأَمثالَ غَيرُ الأَكايِسِ

Otherwise, you are like those who came before you;

Otherwise you are like those who were before you

and who understands such examples but the wise?

And none understands parables except the prudent