1. Have you visited the abodes of the living or do you not visit them?
How can the inanimate dwell in the abodes of the living and revolve around them?

2. The abandoned house is of no use to the love-lorn
When its landmarks have collapsed and its walls crumbled.

3. It is as if the abodes of the living have from the footprints of decay
Become manuscripts of monks whose lines have been erased.

4. As if a Harithi woman has struck her wrist
With a Yemeni tattoo whose inscription remains.

5. It escapes the hunters while it is still unsteady on its feet
And it fears the string of the hunter though it does it no harm.

6. If the composure of Al-Farazdaq falters one day
And he becomes enviously hostile to Qais, it does not harm it.

7. From now you have poured for Al-Farazdaq the noxious wine
To the war of Qais while its cooking pot was boiling.

8. As if you, son of Qain, were giving your sword to his enemies
While war makes its pots boil.

9. So do not feel safe from Qais, for they are
The clans of protected women whose chambers have not been violated.

10. Valiant horsemen protecting women
Whose bridal payments are high among Quraish.

11. Verily Qais are shining stars
Whose light pierces the darkness of night.

12. Homes have been built for Qais since ancient times
With high walls and impenetrable fortresses.

13. So the horsemen of Qais prevent access to their sanctuary
And among them are mountains as rugged and impenetrable as lions.

14. Qais are the clans of glory and prowess,
Qais are the protectors of horses with bleeding necks.

15. Sulaim, Dhubyan, ‘Abs and ‘Amir,
Impregnable fortresses reaching high glory.

16. Do you not see that Qais are unassailable
And their leader decrees authority over you?

17. Kings, and fathers-in-law of kings, among them
Are the life-giving rains that revive the land.

18. Verily the mountains of glory, the clan of Khindif,
Are for Qais so they have triumphed and their supporters have triumphed.

19. Do you not see when Mujashi’ sought protection, Qais
Granted it while no other tribe would grant it protection?

20. O Banu Darim! Who drove back raiding horses
On the morning of Safa - none survived but a tenth of them!

21. You attacked Qais at Khawr Mujashi’
So you stumbled on lagging feet and hunched backs.

22. It was as if leaning peaks descended upon them
With spears whose points could not be withstood.

23. Ja’far had vowed to cut off the nose of al-Qain
When their fortresses were taken, their vows would be fulfilled.

24. The Shumus clan of Ja’far’s family
Would be submitted to and the poor among them given.

25. Their lives are glory, and tombs built for Ja’far
When the glories of life are mentioned in graves.

26. You shunned Ja’far on the day of Ma’bad
So he surrendered while Qalha’ was a captive held prisoner.

27. Do you forget the day of Rahrahana and your mother
Junaybah, whose horses stumbled over each other?

28. And recall what occurred between Dhibab and Ja’far
Yet forget those killed whose chambers were not violated?

29. The polished Indian swords among you forced
At dawn only a few rare lean camels.

30. So he sang to insult you in the war with Ja’far,
Its palm trees and castles will sing your shame.

31. When you have only the bows of Mujashi’
As protectors, their walls were violated.

32. Do you not see that God disgraced Mujashi’
When their affairs were mentioned after the affliction?

33. Because they do not revere any covenant
Nor is there a neighbor among them who fears violation.

34. The dwellings of Mujashi’ were built upon wickedness
Until even their deepest foundations were rotten.

35. Among them are many disgraceful broods
That are counted, and others whose months have been completed.

36. Clans that do not fulfill a covenant
Nor respect a neighbor’s privacy.

37. The rogues of Makhrazin fouled the valley of Khawr
Heading towards it while it was still dawn.

38. Boasting when Mujashi’ felt self-conceited
And their camels came with dates from Hawarin.

39. The clan of ‘Ushar has no springs or meadows
And their Zindah are rapacious wolves.

40. It is enough that the boor of Mirjalain insults Mujashi’
When the horsemen sense the raiding parties.

41. The people have known that Mujashi’,
When they were known for disgrace, little was denied them.

42. The covenant of Mujashi’ does not protect a neighbor
If war does not cease and no envoy returns.

43. It gouged out the eyes of Ghalib at Kair
The vilest of Qain when it provoked them.

44. I treated the affliction of Farazdaq with a poultice
So it no longer feared festering.

45. I quenched his thirst with poison then sickened him
With a draft of bitter aloes.

46. It has come to the streams of al-Aqyan
Seeking respite, panting, whenever its saddle lifted.

47. One day the wine-skin of Farazdaq held only disgrace
While another held the Babylonians and their wine.

48. When you drink Babylonian wine you have no shame
Nor is pure juice served to the chaste.

49. You have not ceased, O knot-tier, building evil
Confiding in a despicable soul.

50. I saw you tie no loin cloths or girdles
But only the cords of wineskins to collect their fee.

51. I have marked you with disgraces but there was none
To prevent the companion of evil from provoking it.

52. You met a courageous man not born of Mujashi’
Who is more fearsome than the stallions of the mountains.

53. You praise Sa’d whom you did not aid and Minqar
At Hawmal while their cooking pots bubble.

54. You roamed around the meadows of ‘Urwah but there was none
To quench the thirst of its meadows.

55. Your blind mother called one night of Minqar
Disturbances - she has slipped and her disturbances prolonged.

56. She circulated your disgrace in Najd
And it echoed through the mountains seeking an echo.

57. By your life! The girl of Mujashi’ will not be forgotten
Nor the covenant which enraged Az-Zubair with deception.

58. The crew of ships complain of your betrayal
While logs float down the meadows of Marrin.

59. On the day of Az-Zubair you were like
Beasts whose lairs were dug into the dens.

60. Had you been one of us, the predators would not have shared your neighbor.
There would have been none to drive them away.

61. Had we given protection to Az-Zubair you would have met him
In the place of Anwaq where its valleys cannot be reached.

62. You defend the step of Tamim, O horsemen,
When war bares its piercing hissing.

63. So who can convey my message to Tamim
Openly while my soul’s intentions are sincere.

64. I have inclined fondly towards Qais but they have no substitute,
The nobles of Layla’s clan and domain.