أَعَرَفتَ رَبعاً غَيرَ آهِل

قَفرَ الرُسومِ بِبَطنِ حائِل

I knew a deserted quarter,

Empty ruins in the belly of peaks,

أَقوى وَغَيَّرَهُ اِختِلا

فُ تَناسُخِ الحِجَجِ النَواسِل

Overpowered and changed by vicissitudes -

Successive pilgrimages of descendants.

خَلَقاً كَأَنَّ تُرابَ مَد

رَجَتَيهِ يُنخَلُ بِالمَناخِل

Created as though the soil of edifices

Swept by its foundations with winnowers,

وَكَأَنَّما بَسَطَ الشَوا

طِبُ بَينَها حُصُرَ الرَوامِل

As though it had spread the terraces

Among which tents of poles were planted.

بانَ الخَليطُ مِنَ الخَلي

طِ لِداعِيَي بَينٍ مُعاجِل

The mixed throng of both callers was seen

In haste between the two swift ones.

وَخَلا القَرينُ مِنَ القَري

نِ مِنَ القُوى وَمِنَ الحَبائِل

And the rider was separated from the rider

Of strength and the bonds of kinship.

وَصَلوا العَشِيَّ إِلى الجَوا

شِنِ وَالغُدُوَّ إِلى الأَصائِل

They arrived at nightfall and at dawn

To Al-Jawshin and Al-Asail.

بِالعيسِ مُصغِيَةَ الخُدو

دِ لِأَزمَلِ الحادي المُوائِل

With lambs obeying the shepherds

For the one driving the stragglers;

قوداً تَجاسَرُ بِالحُدو

جِ بِشاطِئِ الشَرَفِ المُقابِل

Leaders daring the shore

Of glory opposite and facing.

فَمَضَوا وَصَحبي قائِلو

نَ بِظِلِّ أَهيَفَ ذي مَخايِل

So they went on, and my companions said

In the shadow of bending oh mentor!

قَليقٍ لِأَفنانِ الرِيا

حِ لِلاقِحٍ مِنها وَحائِل

Calm before the winds of the bells

For bees among them and barriers.

مِن بَينِ مُعتَدِلِ البِنا

ءِ وَبَينَ ضاحي الظِلِّ مائِل

Between correct and leaning

Its pegs are the tent poles ornamented with burdens.

أَوتادُهُ وُرُكُ الرِحا

لِ مُطَنَّباتٍ بِالحَمائِل

And the pillar of its center

Are spiked Yemeni partitions.

وَعِمادُ أَوسَطِهِ عتا

قُ صَفائِحِ اليَمَنِ الفَواصِل

And appointed over it

Of the cooking and embers were.

وَسَما عَلَيهِ مِن بُرو

دِ الأَتحمِيَّةِ وَالمَراجِل

Until when the shadows bent

After the trotting of Mudaris

حَتّى إِذا صَغَتِ الظِلا

لُ بُعَيدَ هَروَلَةِ العَساقِل

And knees of the camels gave birth

And the hollows of ostriches

وَاِنجَبنَ عَن حَدَبِ الإِكا

مِ وَعَن جَماعيرِ الجَراوِل

From between its pastures or wadis

Inverted with the ties of resolutions and crises

وَصَغا العَشِيُّ وَبانَ أَل

وانُ المِساحِ مِنَ الأَعابِل

They watched the shepherdesses when they were summoned

With luggage and travelling companies,

مِن بَينِ رُيَّعِها الضَوا

بِعِ أَو شَوامِذِها الشَوائِل

With baby camels and tents

Adorned for them the anklets’ harmony,

مَعكوسَةً بِعُرى الحَزا

ئِمِ وَالأَزِمَّةِ بِالحَدائِل

Until there passed by us, laughing,

Through a thicket of cotton, carrier.

فَتَرو النَجائِبِ حينَ رُدْ

دَت بِالرِحالِ وَبِالرَحائِل

They were heading to the ancestors, the predecessors,

Of brilliance, attack, and struggle.

بِالمَيسِ وَالحُصُرِ الجِيا

دِ يَزينُها رَقمُ العَثاكِل

So they startled when they recognized someone standing

Below the flag and below the standard.

حَتّى مَرَرنَ بِنا يَخِد

نَ خِلالَ ذي قَطَنٍ فَحامِل

They saw the gazelles. They heard the voice

Of a snarling cur or a howling baboon.

يَسمون لِلسَلَفِ المُقَدْ

دَمِ ذي البَهاءِ وَذي التَهاوُل

I continued lending them

Talk from truth or lies.

فَنَفرنَ حينَ عَرَفنَ شَخ

صِيَ ماثِلاً دونَ الرَواحِل

And I exerted myself. Then I said

In lower jesting of jesters:

نَظَرَ الظِباءِ سَمِعنَ صَو

تَ مُكَلِّبٍ أَو صَوتَ حابِل

Words that almost descend

More logical than great minds.

ما زِلتُ أَقتَرِضُ الحَدي

ثَ لَهُنَّ مِن حَقٍّ وَباطِل

And I poured on them from the right, once,

And from the qualities another time.

وَأَجِدُّ ثُمَّ أَقولُ في

أَدنى مُهازَلَةِ المُهازِل

Like the shepherd when he handled

The unforeseen game that assails.

قَولاً يَكادُ يُنَزَّلُ ال

أَروى مِنَ الشُعُفِ العَواقِل

Until I made them listen

To my talk after the shooting of arrows

وَأَصَبُّهُنَّ مِنَ الأَي

منِ مَرَّةً وَعَنِ الشَمائِل

And they submitted to me in some

Submission instead of conflict and dispute

فِعلَ المُديرِ إِذا أَدا

رَ بِغِرَّةِ الصَيدِ المُخاتِل

And they glanced through the bushes

With the eyes of startled cows

حَتّى أرعَوَينَ إِلى حَدِي

ثِيَ بَعدَ إِرعادِ الخَصائِل

From everyone seen

With cheeks and mole on fingertips

وَخَضَعنَ لي بَعضَ الخُضو

عِ عَنِ التَنازُحِ وَالتَحاوُل

Silent, resembling the dwellings

Of the Sabbath ghosts in repose

وَرَنَونَ مِن خَلَلِ الخُدو

رِ بِأَعيُنِ البَقَرِ الخَواذِل

Or a ewe yearning for the object

Of love of the parts and joints

مِن كُلِّ ذي ذَنَبٍ يُرى

بِخُدودِهِ وَشمُ الأَنامِل

As though the air makes its garment flutter

With the fans of the disputants

كُمتٍ تُشَبِّهُها عِتا

قَ قَرائِنِ السِبتِ العَواطِل

The knights of darkness dressed it

With their black hands in mourning

لَأمٍ تَحِنُّ بشهِ مَزا

ميرُ الجَنائِبِ وَالأَشامِل

So its sleeping innards

Seem like the bellies of pregnant she-camels

وَكَأَنَّما يُذري الهَبا

ءَ بِهِ مَراويحُ المَجادِل

Were it not for the watching of eyes

When they winked and someone said

صَلتِ العَوارِضِ لَبَّسَت

هُ سُدولَها أَيدي السَوادِل

And fear of the telling of the anecdote

In the assembly and gatherings

فَكَأَنَّ نائِسَهُ العَرا

رُ عَرارُ بُطنانِ الخَمائِل

And conviction of repeated news

Of problems and entanglements

لَولا مُراقَبَةُ العُيو

نِ إِذا شَزَرنَ وَقيلُ قائِل

And my watching for a tomorrow and what

I mean by overflowing saying

وَمَخافَةٌ لِنَبا المَقا

لَةِ في المَقامَةِ وَالمَحافِل

After the farewells I certainly healed

The pillars from entanglements

وَتَيَقُّنُ الخَبَرِ المُرَجْ

جَمِ ذي المُشاكَلَةِ المُشاكِل

From me and you at the edge

Of advancing resources and streams

وَتَنَظُّري لِغَدٍ وَما

أَعنى بِهِ مِن فَرطِ قائِل

Far from it! It has spoiled what you have

Of connections and means

بَعدَ القَصاءِ لَقَد شَفَي

تُ الحَائِماتِ مِنَ الغَلائِل

And your rope frayed when you avoided

What spoils from ropes

مِنّي وَمِنكِ عَلى حِذا

رِ رَدى المَصادِرِ وَالمَناهِل

And you were miserly to destiny

In appeasing the flatterers

هَيهاتَ أَخلَقَ ما لَدَي

كِ مَنَ العَلائِقِ وَالوَسائِل

With a reader that effaces

Remembrance of joining ties

وَاِرتَثَّ حَبلُكَ إِذ نَأَي

تِ بِما يَرِثُّ مِنَ الحَبائِل

You roam confused, not pitched

Nor awake, nor grazing to the mounts

وَطَوَيتِ كَشحاً لِلصَري

مَةِ في مُجامَلَةِ المُجامِل

And you recalled the people of Ruwaimah

Deluded memory of the like!

بِقِرانِ جاذِبَةٍ تُنَسْ

سِي عَهدَ ذي الوَصلِ المُواصِل

The smell of estrangement from endearment

Pure hide of mature she camels

حَتّامَ أَنتَ تَهيمُ لا

حَتّامَ بِالأُنسِ المُزايِل

And closing of swollen

Returning high and low

لا تَستَفيقُ وَلا تَفي

قُ وَلا تَريعُ إِلى العَواذِل

Its habit to you is bewildered, addled

I uncover its darkness with the union

وَذَكَرتَ أَهلَ رُوَيمَتَي

نِ تَوَهُّماً ذِكرَ المُماثِل

Of owl’s gatherings disgraced!

Like one whose wounds left him

شَمَّ العَلوقِ مِنَ الهِجا

نِ نَقِيَّ أَجلادٍ قَواحِل

Naught but rags

Clothed when they meet

و مُغَمِّضٍ أَشِبٍّ مَخو

فِ رَدى الأَعالي وَالأَسافِل

With rough coarse wool

From hastened feeble

قَد بِتُّ أَدأَبُهُ إِلَي

كَ بِغَيهِبٍ هَدِبِ الغَياطِل

Or azure color

Of ewes drawing udders

أَجتابُ ظُلمَتَهُ بِضَخ

مِ مَجامِعِ الدَأَياتِ بازِل

Like kohl

Periods separated Al-Rabee

كَمُكَدَّمٍ لَم يُبقِ قا

نِصُهُ لَهُ غَيرَ الحَبائِل

From pasturage and runnels

Until when the she camels bellow

يَكسونَهُ عِندَ اللِقا

حِ نِطافَ ذي خَضَلٍ شُلاشِل

And are like palm trees

He recalls the fodder. And in the fodder

مِن مُعجِلِ مَهوٍ رَذي

مٍ أَو كُمَيتِ اللَونِ آيِل

The remainder of fodders had melted

Or a bundle of pistachios remained

مِن طَيِّ مُنجَذِبِ الفِرا

رِ ضُروعُها مِثلُ المَكاحِل

With little pregnant ewes

Whites that warble as though they

حُقبٌ تَفَرَّقَتِ الرَبي

عَ مِنَ الرُبا وَمِنَ المَسايِل

Are texts of Indian swords

So he drives them on and carries them

حَتّى إِذا بُهمى المِتا

نِ جَرَت وَكانَت كَالنَسائِل

To the absence of carriers

He watches over their valleys and joins

وَرَمى مَناخِرَها السَفى

مِنهُ بِمُركوزٍ وَذابِل

The distant outcast throng

They say, “Enough!” and he continues

ذَكَرَ الثِمادَ وَفي الثِما

دِ وَقَد ذَوى باقي الثَمائِل

Persistent plunging

Kindler of fires on live coals

أَو شالُ أَنطِفَةٍ بَقي

نَ بِحَومِ أَرخافٍ قَلائِل

When the clashes became tumultuous

I relied on you O Yazeed

بيضٌ يَلُحنَ كَأَنَّهُنْ

نَ مُتونُ أَسيافٍ فَواصِل

And excellent is the relied upon means

I hope for supererogation from your hands

فَاِنصاعَ يَطرُدُها وَيَح

مِلُها عَلى غَيبِ المَحامِل

And you have abundant supererogation

With a visit that wipes out

يَرعى هَواديها وَيُل

حِقُ بالِيَ الخُذلِ الزَوامِل

The breeds with us, firm and shouldered

Does it increase, O son of Zarah’s horsemen

يَقلونَ قَلواً وَهوَ يَز

مُلُ مِراخاءً مُواغِل

And protective allies for allies

And son of the crowned for the crowned

ضَرِمُ الشَذاةِ عَلى الحَمي

رِ إِذا غَدا صَخِبُ الصَلاصِل

And eminent for the eminent

And son of dodder for the dodder

إِنّي اِعتَمَدتُكَ يا يَزي

دُ وَنِعمَ مُعتَمَدُ الوَسائِل

Mischievous, scheming, undertaker

And the elders, the early ones

أَرجو نَوافِلَ مِن يَدَي

كَ وَأَنتَ مَبسوطُ النَوافِل

Wealthy and of lasting renown

And the middle aged disputants

بِزِوَرَّةٍ تَمطو النُسو

عَ بِنا مَطا صُلبٍ وَكاهِل

The tallest in rivalry

And the defenders, the benefactors

أَيَزيدُ يَاِبنَ ذَرا الحَوا

صِنِ وَالعَقائِلِ لِلعَقائِل

For every confused person’s means

And the most fragrant, the most generous

وَاِبنَ المُتَوَّجِ لَلمُتَوْ

وَجِ وَالحُلاحِلِ لِلحُلاحِل

The superior in preference

And son of the most courageous and noble

وَاِبنَ القَماقِمَةِ القَما

مِسَةِ الخَلاجِمَةِ المَقاوِل

Of early great effects

And son of the daring, son of resolve

وَالأَقدَمينَ الأَوَّلي

نَ غِنىً وَذِكراً غَيرَ خامِل

Of effects and possessions

The most courageous son of the noble

وَالخِضرِمينَ المُخصِمي

نَ الأَطوَلينَ لَدى التَطاوُل

To each by devious contriving

He attained the loftiest of matters

وَالدافِعينَ النافِعي

نَ لِكُلِّ مُختَبِطٍ وَسائِل

When they were undertaken

And if mounts collide

وَالأَطيَبينَ الأَكرَمي

نَ الأَفضَلينَ لَدى التَفاضُل

In prosperity or tremors

The people of Iraq have no business with him

وَاِبنَ الأَغَرّينَ الكِرا

مِ ذَوي المَآثيرِ الأَوائِل

Without familiarity or alliance

And you see in his presence

وَاِبنَ الهُمامِ ابنِ الخِيا

رِ ذَوي المَآثِرِ وَالمَآكِل

Of dignity and the assembly of tribes

Between newcomers he greets

إِنَّ الأَغَرَّ اِبنَ الكَرا

مِ لِكُلِّ بِطريقٍ مُخايِل

And departing streams

Good is the climate to him if you

سامى جَسيماتِ الأُمو

رِ فَنالَها عِندَ التَناوُل

Ward off intimacy or descent

It gives hopes when asked

وَإِذا تَزاحَمَتِ المَنا

كِبُ في الرَخاءِ وَفي الزَلازِل

To fulfill what gives every hopeful ambition

And it is generous from a fresh eye

لا ذَت بِهِ أَهلُ العِرا

قِ بِلا أَلَفَّ وَلا مُواكِل

West torrent valley streams

Neither diminishing of waters nor

وَتَرى لَدَيهِ مِنَ الرِفا

قِ وَحَضرِ جُمّاعِ القَبائِل

Illness of enterers from entrances

Does it increase, O pillar of glory

مِن بَينِ وَارِدَةٍ يُما

حُ لَها وَصادِرَةٍ نَواهِل

For the garlanded and every doer?

A king whom kings obey

نِعمَ المُناخُ إِلَيهِ أَن

تَ لِدَفعِ ضَميمٍ أَو لِنازِل

Keener sighted than abandoned mounts

You see him host the noble

تُعطي الرَغائِبَ حينَ يُخل

لِفُ ما يُؤَمِّلُ كُلَّ آمِل

And doing good, undertaken

Immersing the arts in attainment

وَتَجودُ مِن عَينٍ ضَفو

فِ الغَربِ مُترَعَةِ الجَداوِل

When the hand’s lion prevailed

Uttering conversation, saying

لا الثَمدُ يَنقُصُها وَلا

عَلَلُ الدِخالِ مِنَ المَداخِل

To the silent the separated joints

Below the closed eye

أَيَزيدُ عَمَّ المَجدُ مِن

كَ المُحتَفينَ وَكُلَّ ناعِل

From exits and entrances

I seek refuge in your conquest, O Yazeed

مَلِكٌ تَدينُ لَهُ المُلو

كُ أَشَمُّ عَصّاءُ العَواذِل

It is time to detach relations

In the confused roads of purpose

تَرّاكُ أَندِيَةِ السَفا

هُ وَقائِلٌ لِلخَيرِ فاعِل

And the meeting place of rising valleys

He mixed the armies with armies

غَمرُ البَديهَةِ بِالنَوا

لِ إِذا غَدا سَبطُ الأَنامِل

And bombs with bombs

In every lofty, brilliant

نَطِقُ المَقالَةِ قائِلُ

لِلمُستَكِنّاتِ المَفاصِل

Dusk or twilight

Renewing traces, having much Müd

تَحتَ المُغَمَّضَةِ العَما

سِ مِنَ المَخارِجِ وَالمَداخِل

And stirring the reckless souls

Like the mewing of wild cats when

أَزرى بِخُفضِكَ يا يَزي

دُ أَوانُ تَجريدِ المَناصِل

The storyteller cannot say, a sayer said

You continued waving over your head

في مُستَحيرِ رَدى المَنو

نِ وَمُلتَقى الأَسَلِ النَواهِل

A flag atop a standard

Shading its shadows the corpses

خَلَطَ العضساكِرَ بِالعَسا

كِرِ وَالقَنابِلَ بِالقَنابِل

Of possessor of supplies and floods

Scattering the heap and leaving

في كُلِّ أَرعَنَ ذي بَوا

رِقَ بِالعَشِيِّ وَذي هَواطِل

What comes from streams

With picks in which flags

مُتَجَدِّدِ الآثارِ ذي

لَجَبٍ كَثيرٍ وَحى الصَواهِل

Appear between intervals of rain

In which the drinking horns of blood appear

كَوَغى القَطا ما يَستَبي

نُ بِهِ المُحَدِّثُ قيلَ قائِل

To warble from a body and means

And indeed you were patient from harm

ما زِلتَ تَخفِقُ فَوقَ رَأ

سِكَ رايَةٌ في رَأسِ عامِل

And the measuring of measurers

So you went out initiating

تَغشى بِحِزقَيها المَتا

لِفَ ذاتَ دُفّاعٍ وَوابِل

The vanguards of the early tribe

And your house took the most virtuous that settled

تَذَرُ الإِكامَ فَضاً وَتَج

هَرُ ما وَرَدتَ مِنَ المَناهِل

At the peak of the highest dunes

And you descended from the path of lowliness

بِمقانِبٍ فيها المَنا

يا بَينَ أَثناءِ القَساطِل

To an impregnable abode

And your traits refused that their surface be razed

فيها سَفاسيقُ الدَما

ءِ يَلُحنَ مِن جَسِدٍ وَسائِل

By the blows of pickaxes

And you attained the best that you sought

وَلَقَد صَبَرتَ عَن المُسي

ءِ وَعَن مُكايَلَةِ المُكايِل

Of noble deeds and virtues

And you took your moon with the right

فَخَرَجتَ مُبتَدِئاً نَفو

ذَ سَوابِقِ العُصَبِ الأَوائِل

In winning the traits of the competitor

وَاِحتَلَّ بَيتُكَ حَيثُ حلْ

لَ بِذِرَوَةِ القُحَمِ الأَطاوِل

وَنَزلتَ عَن عِرضِ الذَلي

لِ بِمَنزِلٍ أَشِبِ المَعاقِل

وَأَبَت صَفاتُكَ أَن يُؤَيْ

يِسَ صَفحَها وَقعُ المَعاوِل

وَبَلَغتَ أَفضَلَ ما تُري

دُ مِنَ المَكارِمِ وَالفَضائِل

وَأَخَذتَ قَمرَكَ بِاليَمي

نِ بِفَوزِ خَصلاتِ المُناضِل