فَقَدتُ بَني لُبنى فَلَمّا فَقَدتُهُم

صَبَرتُ وَلَم أَقطَع عَلَيهِم أَباجِلي

I lost the sons of Lubna, and when I lost them,

I was patient and did not shorten my resolve.

حِسانُ الوُجوهِ طَيِّبٌ حُجُزاتُهُم

كَريمٌ نَثاهُم غَيرُ لُفٍّ مَعازِلِ

The beauty of their faces was wholesome,

Their burial place generous, not mean dwellings.

رِماحٌ مِنَ الخَطِّيَّ زُرقٌ نِصالُها

حِدادٌ أَعاليها شِدادُ الأَسافِلِ

Lances from Khati, their blades gleaming blue,

Their heights polished, their bases rugged.

قَتَلتَ قَتيلاً لا يُحالِفُ غَدرَةً

وَلا سُبَّةً لا زِلتَ أَسفَلَ سافِلِ

You killed a victim who betrays no treachery

Nor disgrace, you remain the lowest of the low.

وَقَد أَمِنوني وَاِطمَأَنَّت نُفوسُهُم

وَلَم يَعلَموا كُلَّ الَّذي هُوَ داخِلي

They had trusted me, their souls felt secure,

Not knowing all that was inside me.

فَمَن كانَ يَرجو الصُلحَ مِنهُم فَإِنَّهُ

كَأَحمَرِ عادٍ أَو كُلَيبٍ لِوائِلِ

Whoever hopes for reconciliation from them,

Is like the red sands of ‘Ad or an owl crying at dusk.

أُصيبَت هُذَيلٌ بِاِبنِ لُبنى وَجُدِّعَت

أُنوفُهُمُ بِاللَوذَعِيِّ الحُلاحِلِ

Hudhayl was hit by Lubna’s son and their

Noses were cut by the biting swords.

رَأَيتُ بَني العَلّاتِ لَمّا تَضافَروا

يَحوزونَ سَهمي دونَهُم بِالشَمائِلِ

I saw the sons of ‘Allat, when they swarmed

Seizing my arrows ahead of them with their wristbands.

فَلَهفي عَلى عَمرِو بنِ مُرَّةَ لَهفَةً

وَلَهفى عَلى مَيتٍ بِقَوسى المَعاقِلِ

My craving for ‘Amr bin Murrah is a burning craving,

And my craving for the dead with my powerful bow.