تَعَوَّذ إِذا ما قُمتَ مِن بَعدِ هَجعَةٍ

مِنَ المَرءِ في سُلطانَةِ المُتَفَحِّشِ

Seek refuge when you rise after slumber

From the tyranny of the vulgar and base

وَمِن رَجُلٍ لا تَعطِفُ الرَحمُ قَلبَهُ

جَريءٍ عَلى أَحوالِهِ مُتَحَرِّشِ

And from a man whose heart is untouched by mercy

Reckless in his ways, insolent and rash

لَجوجٍ شَديدٍ بَطشُهُ وَعِقابُهُ

مَتى يَأتِهِ ساعٍ بِعَمياءَ يَبطِشِ

Obstinate and fierce, harsh in punishment

Whenever the blind hour brings him chance

أَمِن ضَربَةٍ بِالعودِ لَم يَدمَ كَلمُها

ضَرَبتَ بِمَصقولٍ عِلاوَةَ فَندَشِ

From a blow with a stick that left no words behind

You struck with a polished blade, rent and gashed

فَأَزهَقتَ في يَومِ العَروبَةِ نَفسَهُ

بِغَيرِ قَتيلٍ صاحِياً غَيرَ مُنتَشِ

Thus on the day of valor you took his life

Though no victim called, no foe attacked

فَلا وَصَلَتكَ الرَحمُ مِن ذي قَرابَةٍ

وَلا ذَهَبَ الضِغنُ الَّذي أَنتَ مُحتَشِ

So neither kinship nor severing of ties

Can save you from the abjection you have hatched

فَجَعتَ بِهِ أُمّاً عَجوزاً كَبيرَةً

فَلا زِلتَ في سُلطانِكَ المُتَنَهنَشِ

Leaving an aged, frail mother bereft

Still enthroned in your rule, corroded and wretched

أَبى رُتَبيلٌ قَتلَهُ فَقَتَلتَهُ

وَأَنتَ عَلى خَوّارَةٍ فَوقَ مَفرَشِ

Rutbil refused, so you killed him

While lounging atop a mattress unabashed

فَإِن تَدعُنا مِن بَعدِها لِكَريهِةٍ

نَدَعكَ فَريداً في الخَلا المُتَوحِّشِ

If after this we shun you out of loathing

We'll leave you alone in the desolate wild

وَلَم يُغنِ عَنكَ الناسُ مِثلَ غِنائِنا

وَلَم تَمتَنِع مِن آكِلٍ مُتَمَشمِشِ

And people's aid unlike ours was of no use

Nor did you refrain from rending with relish

وَباكِيَةٍ تَبكي عَلى قَبرِ فَندَشٍ

فَقُلتُ لَها أَذري دُموعَكِ وَاِخمِشي

A weeping woman laments at Fandashe's grave

I said: restrain your tears and be still

فَتىً كانَ مِقداماً إِذا الخَيلُ أَحجَمَت

ضَروباً بِنَصلِ السَيفِ لَيسَ بِمُرعَشِ

He was a bold knight when horses held back

Striking with the sword's blade, no weakling or craven

ضَروباً لِهاماتِ الرِجالِ بِسَيفِهِ

وَرودَ القِتالِ كَالحَمِيِّ المَعَطَّشِ

Striking the skulls of men with his sword

Plunging into fray like a thirsty raven

وَإِنّا لَنُجزي الذَحلَ بِالذَحلِ مِثلَهُ

وَنَضرِبُ خَيشومَ الأَبَلِّ الغَطَمَّشِ

We will requite wickedness in full measure

And smite the snout of the surly, brazen beast