ألا أبلغ جماعة أهل مرو

على ما كان من ناءٍ وبُعدِ

Now, convey to the assembled people of Merv,

despite all the remoteness and distance,

رسالة ناصح يهدي سلاماً

ويأمر في الذي ركبوا بجَدِ

a sincere adviser’s message, offering greetings

and urging earnestness in what they have undertaken.

وأبلغ حارثاً عنا اعتذاراً

إليه بأن من قِبلي بجُهدِ

And convey to Harith an apology from us,

to him, explaining that those with me are hard-pressed.

ولولا ذاك قد زارتك خيلٌ

من المصرين بالفرسان تَردى

But for that, horses would already have come to you,

from the two cities, galloping with their riders.

فلا تهنوا ولا تَرضوا بخف

ولا يغرركم أسد بعهدِ

So do not weaken or accept abasement,

nor let Asad deceive you with a pledge.

وكونوا كالبغايا إن خدعتم

وإن أقررتم ضيماً لوغدِ

And be like harlots if you let yourselves be deceived,

and if you accept humiliation at a scoundrel’s hands.

وإلا فارفعوا الرايات سودا

على أهل الضلالة والتعدي

Otherwise, raise the black banners

against the people of error and transgression.

فكيف وأنتم سبعون ألفاً

رماكم خالد بشبيه قردِ

How, then, when you number seventy thousand,

could Khalid assail you with one resembling a monkey,

ومن ولى بذمته رزينا

وشيعته ولم يعرف بعهدِ

and one who turned his back on his pledge to Razin

and his followers, and was not known to keep a pledge?

وقد غَشَّى قضاعة ثوب خِزْي

بقتل أبي سَلامَان بن سَعْدِ

And he has clothed Quda'ah in a garment of shame,

by killing Abu Salaman ibn Sa'd.

فمهلك يا قضاعُ فلا تكوني

توابعَ لا أصول لها بنجدِ

So hold back, Quda'ah; do not become

followers with no roots in Najd.

وكنت إذا دعوت بني نِزار

أتاك الدهمُ من سَبْط وجَعْدِ

And whenever you called upon the sons of Nizar,

the dark host would come to you, straight-haired and curly-haired alike.

فجدِّع من قضاعة كل أنف

ولا فازت على يوم بمجدِ

So lop off every nose in Quda'ah,

and may she never gain glory on any day.