1. Alas! Who has an eye that overflows with tears
That complain of grit and weep because of it

2. That wished for the company of one far away
While time has tired it out until it is dull

3. And it has spent the night in Baghdad veiled
In black garments seeking her students

4. The events of time assail us
Like the aiming of the firm-handed archer

5. And it remained preoccupied with other than you
So it is far from what is in it because of you

6. The spindle at the ends of the country
Is not startled by fear of its dogs

7. In the shadows of the niche she resembles
A houri in the midst of her prayer niche

8. Keep her farther away, leave your purpose
And cut off the causes that tie you

9. O Lord of the tongues that are like swords
That cut off the necks of their owners

10. How much man is wronged by himself
So do not let it eat him with its fangs

11. For if an opportunity presented itself in an enemy
Do not reveal your action except through it

12. If you do not quickly enter its door
Your enemy will come at you from its door

13. That which is lacking in the youth of men
Grows in their endings and intellects

14. I travel with the stallion in an important task
With saddlebags stuffed to capacity

15. As you raced in the morning with a swimmer
The excellent, quick-striking steed

16. Matched stride for stride by a bare Maghribi horse
When he almost outstripped it

17. As if their genitals were one
Agonizing and hurting because of it

18. Like two blades from a polished, inscribed sword
Neither refused nor did the other because of it

19. And they flew equally with slackened reins
As if it were he, and it were she

20. Deceiving them after you see
The salvation of their worries because of it

21. So they refuted doubt, neither outstripped
His pace nor hers

22. And some people said, “Why not him?”
And some people said, “Why not her?”

23. I advised my kin—if only they would heed—
Sincere advice of kinship and its lineages

24. And they rode their unruliness and climbed
Up a slippery ascent that drops its riders

25. And they sought the prey of the evil lion
That had bared its fangs between them

26. They left the lion to lurk, then took their fill
Of what the lion leaves behind in the thickets

27. We killed Umayya in her house
And we are more deserving of her belongings

28. And so many partisan groups among you
Poured out the caliphate a drink in their cups

29. Whenever you draw near, she welcomes you
As clients and is content with her milk-sellers

30. And when Allah refused that you should rule
We rose up to it and took charge of it

31. And none of its chamberlains turned a newcomer away from us
When we stood at its doors

32. As the pivot-stone met its mate
We called it and overcame it

33. And we inherited the clothes of the Prophet
So why do you pull at their hems?

34. For how many wombs, O sons of their daughters!
But the sons of the uncle are more entitled to it

35. By it Allah washed the site of the Hijaz
And healed it after its wounds

36. And on the day of Hunayn you
Routed while war bared its fang

37. And when the dust settled on his shroud
A King fell amidst his clothes

38. So hold off, sons of our uncle! She is
A gift of a Giving Lord who granted her to us

39. And she shook the two worlds
So she inclined toward us with her mooring ropes

40. And I swear you know
That we are the best of her wardens