أَلا طَرَقَتنا أُمُّ أَوسٍ وَدونَها
حِراجٌ مِنَ الظُلَماءِ يَعشى غُرابُها
Oh, Umm Awes drew near us under the veil of night,
Her raven deep, we slept as if between sweet musk,
فَبِتنا كَأَنّا بَينَنا لَطَميَّةٌ
مِنَ المِسكِ أَو داريَّةٌ وَعِيابُها
Or a perfume shop, with its fragrance rife.
You watch o’er unveiled damsels in fearful plight,
تَرى لِمُبيناتِ الخَراعَةِ راقِباً
حِذارَ الطَواغي وَالعَفافُ رَقيبُها
Lest rakes assail, while modesty is their ward.
How can you trust them when the tribe of Asad
وَكَيفَ تُرَجّيها وَقَد حالَ دونَها
بَنو أَسَدٍ كُهلانُها وَشَبابُها
Surrounds on every side, old men and youths for fight?
When morn salutes, greet it again at night,
عَلَيها إِذا ما الشَمسُ ذَرَّت تَحيَّةٌ
وَأُخرى إِذا ماالشَمسُ حانَ إِيابُها
Ye sons of Asad, though you rage and despise,
And Quraish afterward make peace, and smite Joheina’s spite.
بَني أَسَدٍ إِن تَغضبوا ثُمَّ تَغضبوا
وَتَعدِل قُرَيشٌ ثُمَّ تَحمِ قَيساً غِضابُها
Meantime your weakest clan, Temim, for you fights,
And when enraged can match your angry zoo.
وَأَحقَرُ مَحقورٍ تَميمٌ أَخوكُمُ
وَإِن غَضِبَت يَربوعُها وَرَبابُها
I care not though they spread the slanderer’s lies,
Nor heed the buzzing of the circling flies.
أَلا لا أُبالي أَن تُخَندِفَ خِندِفٌ
وَلَستُ أُبالي أَن يَطِنَّ ذُبابُها
Ye sons of Asad, befriend the abject train
That bow their necks and serve in lowly pain.
بَني أَسَدٍ كونوا لِمَن قَد عَلِمتُمُ
مَوالي ذَلَّت لِلهَوانِ رِقابُها
Were jinn in conflict we would not disdain
To draw our sabres forth till jackals flee.
فَلَو حارَبَتنا الجِنُّ لَم نَرفَعِ القَنا
عَنِ الجِنِّ حتى لاتَهُرَّ كِلابُها
And did all Qais with one accord maintain,
And swear by God the One, we would not be
وَلَو أَنَّ قَيساً قَيسَ عَيلانِ أَقسَمَت
عَلى الشَمسِ لَم يَطلَع عَلَيكَ حِجابُها
Bereft of empire save what Quraish claims
By right of kin; else would we bring their pride full low.
لَنا المُلكُ إِلّا أَنَّ شَيئاً تَعِدُّهُ
قُرَيشٌ وَلَو شِئنا لَذَلَّت رِقابُها
And if Quraish against us aught proclaims,
Then say to them I will not be their foe,
وَإِن غَضِبَت مِن ذا قُرَيشٌ فَقُل لَها
مَعاذَ الإِلهِ أَن أَكونَ أَهابَها
But apt at answers, and I love to blame,
And censure much that passes to and fro.
وَإِني لَقَوّالُ الجَوابِ وَإِنَّني
لَمُفتَجِرٌ أَشياءَ يُعيِي جَوابُها
Shall I then fear the keeper of the fold,
The ostrich with her learnt and memorized rules?
فَهَل يَمنَعَنّي أَن أَسيرَ بِبَلدَةٍ
نَعامَةُ مُفتاحُ المَخازي وَبابُها
For ‘gainst the hate of Qais we can enroll
A host of Asad when the lion bares his fangs.
فَإِنَّ لِقَيسٍ مِن بَغيضٍ لَناصِراً
إِذا أَسَدٌ كَشَّت لِفَخرٍ ضَبابِها
Still does Qais lead on from shame to shame,
Yet thrive on foul abuse in times that smile.
تُقَدَّمُ قَيسٌ كُلَّ يَومِ كَريهَةٍ
وَيُثني عَلَيها في الرَخاءِ ذُنوبُها
More firmly based than tribes who trust the claim
Of brethren when the storm bursts o’er their heads.
وَأَعمَدُ مِن قَومٍ كَفاهُم أَخوهُم
صِدامَ الرَعادي حينَ فُلَّت نُيوبُها
When Qais turns in wrath thy hand is lame,
While from thy feet all power of motion fled.
إِذا غَضِبَت قَيسٌ عَلَيكَ تَقاصَرَت
يَداكَ وَفاتَ الرِجلَ مِنكَ رِكابُها
