رِوايَةٌ قَد رَوَت عَن أُمَّةِ العَرَبِ

ما لَيسَ يُنسى عَلى الأَيّام وَالحِقَبِ

A tale that told of the Arab nation

Deeds not forgotten as days and eras pass

مَآثِرٌ في سجلِّ المَجدِ قَد كتَبَت

لَو أَنصِفَتْ خَطَّها الرَّاوونَ بِالذَّهَب

Achievements written in the scroll of glory

That if transcribed in gold would be truly classed

هُم الرِّجالُ رِجالُ الفَخرِ ذكرهمُ

باقٍ عَلى الدَّهرِ في الأَفواهِ وَالكُتُبِ

These were the men, the men of pride we mention

Whose fame forever lives in word and text

أَهلُ المَزِيةِ في بَأسٍ وَفي كَرَمٍ

وَسَادةُ الشِّعرِ وَالأَقوالِ وَالخُطبِ

The people of excellence, in valor and generosity

And the masters of verse, words and address

كَم غَصَّ نادٍ بِهِم قَدَماً وَكَم عَمَرَت

آثارَهُم نادياً في العُجمِ وَالعَرَبِ

How many places thrived where they stepped

And how long did their works thrive among foreigners and Arabs

ظَلْنا نُطارحُ عَنهُم كُلَّ نادِرَةٍ

لَم تَخْلُ مِن أَدَبٍ لِلمَرءِ أَو طَرَبِ

We kept relating each rare incident of theirs

That was not devoid of the refinement or joy of man

حَتّى تَبَدّت لَنا أَشخاصُهُم فَقَضى

مِن أَجلِها كُلّ وَهمٍ أَعجَب العَجَبِ

Until their personages became clear to us and so

Every perplexing apprehension came to its relief

في لَيلَةٍ لَم يَكُن لِلحلم مُنتَجِعٌ

فيها وَلا في الكَرى لِلطَّرفِ مِن أَرَبِ

In a night where sleep found no refuge

Nor eyes in seeing, any rest

بِتنا نَرى مَن خَلا مِن مَعشَر دَرَجوا

كَأَنَّهُم أُنشِروا مِن دارسِ التُّربِ

We saw the procession of those who passed

As if they were resurrected from the abode of dust

ثُمَ اِنقَضَوا وَإِلى اللَّهِ المَصير وَما

يَبقى سِوى وَجههُ المَيمونُ في الحجبِ

Then they vanished, and to God was their return, so nothing

Remained save His Auspicious Countenance behind the veils

لِلّهِ ناشرُ هَذا البَرد مِن رجلٍ

وَفي النَّجابةِ حَقَّ الفَضلِ وَالأَدبِ

By God, the sender of this cool morning breeze

Rightfully the excellence and refinement of man

قَد جَدَّدتْ يَده وَشيَ القَديم لَنا

وَإِنَّ في الخَمرِ مَعنىً لَيسَ في العنَبِ

His hand renewed what had grown old for us

And though grapes hold no such meaning as wine