لَما تَخايَلت الحُمولُ حَسبتَها

دَوماً بأَيلَةَ ناعِماً مَكموما

When the camels' loads appeared to you

You thought them always to be a gentle, restrained doe

يا أَيُّها السَّدِمُ المُلوِّي رأسَه

ليَقودَ مِن أَهلِ الحِجازِ بَريما

O you who twists his head, the long-necked one

To lead a company of people from Hejaz

أَتُريد عَمرَو بن الخَليعِ وَدونهُ

كَعبٌ إِذاً لَوَجَدتَهُ مَرؤوما

Do you want Amr ibn Al-Khalid and his followers?

Kab would be there if you found him downcast

إِنَّ الخَليعَ وَرهطَهُ في عامِرٍ

كالقَلبِ أُلبِسَ جُؤجُؤا وَحَزيما

Surely Al-Khalid and his comrades in Aamir

Are like a heart clothed in armor and leather

لا تسرعَنَّ إِلى رَبيعةَ إِنَّهُم

جَمَعوا سَواداً لِلعدوِّ عَظيما

Do not hasten to Rabia for they

Have gathered a large force for the enemy

شَعباً تَفَرَّقَ مِن جِماعٍ واحِدٍ

عَدلت مَعدّاً تابِعاً وَصَميما

A people divided from a united whole

I turned aside, loyal and steadfast

لا تَغزوَنَّ الدَّهرَ آل مُطَرِّفٍ

لا ظالِماً أَبَداً وَلا مَظلوما

Do not attack the clan of Mutarrif

Never unjust or oppressed

فاقصِد بِذرعِكَ لَو وَطئتَ بِلادَهُم

لاقَت بكارَتُكَ الحِقاقُ قُروما

So aim your spear, if you tread their land

You will meet their virginity a difficult task

وَتَعاقبتكَ كَتائِب ابن مُطَرِّفٍ

فأَرَتكَ في وَضحِ الصَّباحِ نُجوما

And the regiments of Ibn Mutarrif will alternate against you

And show you at dawn like stars

قَومٌ رِباطُ الخَيلِ وَسطَ بيوتِهِم

وأَسِنَّةٌ زُرقٌ تُخال نُجوما

A people whose horses' reins are between their houses

And blue spears that you imagine as stars

وَمخرقٍ عَنهُ القَميصُ تَخالُهُ

وَسطَ البيوتِ مِنَ الحَياءِ سَقيما

With Al-Mukhariq's shirt stripped off him

Appearing amidst the houses in shyness

حَتّى إِذا رُفِعَ اللواءُ رأَيتَهُ

تَحتَ اللواءِ عَلى الخَميسِ زَعيما

Until the banner is raised you will see him

Beneath the banner on Thursday a leader

وإِذا تَشاءُ وَجَدت مِنهُم مانِعاً

فَلِجاً عَلى سُخطِ العَدوّ مُقيما

And if you wish you will find among them a deterrent

Settled in anger against the enemy

أَو ناشِئاً حَدثاً تُحَكِّمَ مِثلَهُ

صُلعُ الرِّجالِ تَوارثَ التَّحكيما

Or a youth judging the like of him

The baldness of men has inherited judgment

لَن تَستَطيعَ بأَن تُحَوِّلَ عِزَّهُم

حَتّى تُحَوِّلَ ذا الضَّبابِ يَسوما

You will not be able to change their glory

Unless you change the constant blowing wind

إِن سالموكَ فَدَعهُمُ مِن هَذِهِ

وارقُد كَفى لَكَ بِالرُّقادِ نَعيما

If they make peace with you, leave them be

And sleep, for sleep is enough bliss for you