إِنّي مِن قُضاعَةَ مَن يَكِدها

أَكِدهُ وَهيَ منّي في أَمانِ

I am of the tribe of Quḍāʿah; whoever wrongs them,

I am of Quda'a; I plot against him who plots against her, while she remains safe from me,

I wrong him, while they are safe from me.

I am not a poet of trivialities among them, but a leader in the fierce, recurring war,

وَلَستُ بِشاعِرِ السَفسافِ فيهِم

وَلَكِن مِدرَهُ الحَربِ العَوانِ

I am not a poet of trash among them,

I shall satirize those outsiders who satirize them, yet turn away from any of them who satirize me.

But a piercer in wars the protector.

سأَهجو مَن هَجاهُم مِن سِواهِم

وأَعرِضُ مِنهُم عَمَّن هَجاني

I will satirize whoever satirizes them other than themselves

And ignore those among them who have satirized me.