ألاَ هَلْ أَتَى غَسَّانَ في نَأْيِ دَارِهَا

وَأَخْبَرُ شَيءٍ بالأُمُورِ عَليمُها

Has Ghassan in her home afar been told

Of what has come to pass, for she is wise,

بأنْ قَدْ رَمَتْنَا عَنْ قِسِيٍّ عَدَاوَةً

مَعَدٌّ معاً جُهَّالُهَا وحَليمُها

That we a feud with Kais fierce uphold

Though foolish ones and sane of him were ties;

لأَنّا عَبَدْنَا اللهَ لم نَرْجُ غَيْرَهُ

رَجَاءَ الجِنَانِ إذْ أَتَانَا زَعِيمُها

For we Allah as Lord alone extol

Hoping in Paradise to win a prize,

نَبِيٌّ لَهُ فِي قَوْمِهِ إِرْثُ عِزَّةٍ

وأَعْراقُ صِدْقٍ هَذَبْتْهَا أرُومُهَا

The Prophet of a folk of high emprise

Whose roots sincerity and truth comprise.

فَسَارُوا وَسِرْنَا فالتَقَيْنَا كأنَّنَا

أُسُودُ لِقاءٍ لا يُرَجَّى كَلِيمُهَا

As foes we met like lions undismayed

Of fight, though destiny denies such guise.

ضَرَبْنَاهُمُ حتَّى هَوَى في مِكْرِّنَا

لمنخرِ سُوءٍ من لؤيٍّ عَظِيمُهَا

With stratagem we smote till low were laid

The nostrils of the basest enemies.

فَوَلُّوْا وَدُسْنَاهُمْ ببِيضٍ صَوَارِمٍ

سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا حِلفُها وصَمِيمُهَا

In white swords sheathed they turned; alike arrayed

Against us stand their friends and enemies.