أَتَدري مَن مَنَعتَ وُرودَ حَوضٍ

سَليلٍ خَضارِمٍ سَكَنوا البِطاحا

Do you know who denied the flowers water

From a pure spring where honorable men dwelt?

أَزادَ الرَكبِ تَمنعُ أم هِشاماً

وَذا الرُمحَينِ أَمنَعَهُم سِلاحا

Did they forbid the caravan or Hisham

and the two spears - did their weapons forbid them?

هُمُ مَنَعوا الأَباطِحَ دونَ فِهرٍ

وَمَن بِالخَيفِ وَالبُدُن اللِقاحا

They denied the sands, not out of spite

With their swords and bright blades that clash

بِضَربٍ دونَ بَيضَتِهم طِلَخفٍ

إِذا المَلهوفُ لاذَ بِهم وَصاحا

With blows below their egg-shaped shields

When the terrified man sought refuge and cried aloud

وَما تَدري بِأَيِهّم تُلاقي

صُدورَ المَشرفِيّةِ وَالرِماحا

You don't know which of them you will meet

With high spirits and spears raised high