كَعامر بن دارِم بن راشِد

وَمارِح بِن سابق بِن حامد

Like Aamir ibn Daarim ibn Raashid

And Maarih ibn Saabiq ibn Haamid

قال أين لي أَمره لأعرفه

فَقَد غَلَوت في هَواه بِالصّفه

He said where can I find news of him

For I have been captivated by his love undoubtedly

قالَ نَعم عامر كان ملكاً

عَلى نِزارٍ كُلها مملكا

He said yes, Aamir was a king

Over Nizar, all of it his kingdom

ذا بَسطة وَنَجدة وَقوه

ندباً كَبير البَيت وَالأبوه

Possessor of generosity, Najd, and strength

An elder, like the father of a house and clan

كانَت لَهُ نَجد وَما يَليها

وَذل مِن خيفته مَن فيها

He possessed Najd and what adjoins it

And those in it cowered in fear of him

فَخَرج ابن عمه بسطام

عَلَيهِ وَاستفزه أَقوام

Then his cousin Bastaam went against him

And some people provoked him

فَمر يَسعى في فَساد أَمره

مُجتَهِداً في قَتله وَأَسره

He went about trying to corrupt his command

Striving to kill or capture him

حَتّى أَتى بَعض مُلوك اليَمَن

وَإِنَّني أَحسَبه ذا يَزن

Until he came to a king of Yemen

I reckon it was Yazin

فَقالَ ضَيف مُستَجير وانتسب

قال لَهُ أَنتَ الكَريم في العرب

He said I am a guest seeking refuge

He said to him, you are the noblest of Arabs

فَمَرحباً انزل برَحب وَسعه

وَجفنة عَظيمة مدعده

So welcome, descend into ample space

And a great bowl brimming over

حَتَّى إِذا ما حَضَر الشراب

وَطاشَت الأَحلام وَالأَلباب

Until when the drink was served

And dreams and minds were aflight

أَرهقه جَهلاً على ابن عَمه

عامر لما كان جَد همه

He defamed his cousin foolishly

Aamir, since he was his greatest concern

وَقال ملك ضائع ما فيه

ذو نَجدة إِن رُمتَهُ تَحميه

And said, a lost kingdom weak

With Najd, if you sieged him, protecting him

وَعامر قَد أَوحَش العَشائِرا

فَعادَ كُل القَوم مِنهُ نافِرا

Aamir has estranged the clans

So all the people resent him

وَلو تَلاقَت في الوَغى الصفوف

وَاِشتَكَت الرِّماح وَالسُّيوف

And if the ranks met in battle

And the spears and swords collided

لانقلب القَوم إليك عَنهُ

لِغَيظهم لما لَقوه مِنهُ

The people would turn against him for you

In their fury over what they saw of him

فإِن مَن لا يَحفَظ القُلوبا

يخذل حين يَشهَد الحُروبا

For he who does not keep hearts safeguarded

Will be abandoned when battles flare up

وَمن أَضاع جُندَه في السلم

لَم يَحفَظوه في لِقاء الخَصم

He who neglected his soldiers in peace

Will not keep them in facing the opponent

فَالجُند لا يَرعون من أَضاعَهُم

كَلا وَلا يَحمونَ من أَجاعَهُم

The soldiers do not care for one who neglected them

No, they do not protect one who starved them

وَبرهُم وَنفعهم كَالذخر

وَحفظهم يَنفع عِندَ الذّعر

Being good and beneficial to them is like hoarding

And keeping them safe helps in times of panic

فأضعف المُلوك طراً عقدا

مَن غَره السلم فأقصى الجُندا

The weakest kings in their rule

Are those peace deceived, neglecting soldiers

يَرضونَهُ وَيظهرون الطاعه

حَتَّى إِذا فادح حرب راعه

They are pleased with him and show obedience

Until when the clamor of war startles him

أَقبل يرضيهم بِبَذل المال

لعلهم يَحمونَ لِلقِتال

He starts trying to please them with wealth

Hoping they will protect him in battle

وَلَيسَ يغني عَنهُ ذاكَ شيا

وَلا يَزيد القَوم إِلا غَيا

But that will not avail him anything

Except to increase the people's disdain

حَتَّى إِذا قيل نزال فروا

وَخلفوه وَحده وَمروا

Until when told of war, they flee

Abandoning him alone as they leave

وَأَسعَد المُلوك من أَرضاهم

في حالة السلم وَمَن أَعطاهم

The luckiest kings are those who pleased them

In times of peace, those who gave to them

فَيَعلَمونَ إِنَّ ذاكَ دينه

فَكُلهم بِجُهدِهِ يعينه

So they know this is his way

And all strive to support him

فَيكثرونَ وَهُم قَليل

والحر يزكو عنده الجميل

So the few become many

And the noble becomes greater through him

وجاهل من يذخر الأموالا

ويحفظ الخيول وَالبِغالا

And ignorant is he who hoards wealth

And preserves horses and mules

لساعة الحاجة حينَ تَفدح

إِن ادخار الناس عِندي أَصلح

For the hour of need, when it flares up

For in my view, hoarding people is best

مثل حَديث الأَسدين قالا

ابن لَنا وَأَوجز المَقالا

Like the talk of two lions who said

We have a son, to summarize the speech