وَسائِل زَرنجاً هَل كَبَّ جَمعاً

لما لَقِيَت صِقاعاً مِن صِقاعِ

And to Zarnuj did my raiders march, gathering a great host,

When they met a difficult region of rugged peaks.

لَقَد عَجِبتُ زرنَجُ إِذ رَأَوني

شَعَبتُ القَومَ مِن سُنَنِ الصِداعِ

Zarnuj were amazed when they saw me

Routing the people with relentless headache-dealing blows.

بِبيضٍ تَترُكُ الأَطرافَ بَتراً

وَيَهتِكُ وَقعُها زيمَ القِناعِ

With white swords that lop off limbs,

Whose slamming blows pierce even mail-coats.

وَقَومي يَعلَمونَ فَسائِلوهُم

بِنا أَيّامَ نَلمَحُ بِالقِراعِ

Ask my people, they know, ask them

About the days when we clashed in combat.

بأَنا لا نَلوذُ مِنَ الأَعادي

وَنُنزِلُ بِالفَضاءِ وَبِالجِراعِ

That we do not flee from foes,

But fight them openly on the plain or in ravines.

وَيَحمِلُني إِلى الهَيجاءِ عَبلٌ

سَبوحٌ مِثلُ مُرتَجِ القِلاعِ

My swift camel carries me into the fray,

Bounding like a startled oryx frightened from its lair.

ينفُرُني إِذا ما غِبتُ عَنهُم

وَيَلحَقُني وَإِن كَرِهوا مَصاعي

It chases after me if I leave it behind,

And follows me even if they dislike my course.

وَنَقتُلُ فيهِم قَعصاً وَصَبراً

وَما فِعلي هُناكَ بِمُستَطاعِ

And we kill among them both the slow and the hasty,

Though I had no might to achieve anything there.

دَلَفتُ لَهُم بِما جَنَبوا وَلَكِنَّ

لَقوا حَرباً كَساطِعَةِ البِقاعِ

I came to them with peace, but they

Met me with a war bright as the shining plains.

بَعَثتُ بِنَهيهِم وَالقَومُ فيها

شُهودُ بَينَ خِزيٍ وَاِختِضاعِ

I sent them warning but the people in their folly

Witnessed shame and bowed heads.