عَدَونا عَدوَةً لا شَكَّ فيها

وَخِلناهُم ذُؤَيبَةَ أَو حَبيبا

They were hostile to us, no doubt about that,

Yet we left them as loved ones or enemies.

فَنُغرى الثائِرينَ بِهِم وَقُلنا

شِفاءُ النَفسِ أَن بَعَثوا الحُروبا

So we provoke the rebels with them and say,

"Healing the soul is to ignite wars."

كَأَنّي إِذ عَدَوا ضَمَّنتُ بَزّي

مِنَ العِقبانِ خائِتَةً طَلوبا

As if when they became hostile, I tucked

At the end of my mantle a taloned hawk.

جَريمَةَ ناهِضٍ في رَأسِ نيقٍ

تَرى لِعِظامِ ما جَمَعَت صَليبا

The crime of an assailant in the head of a tall one

You see gathering bones for a cross.

رَأَت قَنَصاً عَلى فَوتٍ فَضَمَّت

إِلى حَيزومِها ريشاً رَطيبا

It saw a prey bird on the ground so tucked

Into its beak feathers, gentle and fine.

فَلاقَتهُ بِبلقَعَةٍ بَرازٍ

فَصادَمَ بَينَ عَينَيها الجَبوبا

It met it with a polished forehead

So it clashed between its eyes, pure white.

مَنَعنا مِن عَدِيِّ بَني حُنَيفٍ

صِحابَ مُضَرِّسٍ وَاِبنَي شَعوبا

We prevented the enemy of the Bani Hannif

And the armored allies and sons of Sha’ob.

فَأَثنوا يا بَني شِجعٍ عَلَينا

وَحَقُّ اِبنَي شَعوبٍ أَن يُثيبا

So they praised, “O Bani Shijaa, well done!”

And the right of the Sha’ob's sons is to reward.

فَسائِل سَبرَةَ الشِجعِيَّ عَنّا

غَداةَ تَخالُنا نَجواً جَنيبا

In the morning, ask Sabra the Shijai about us

When we were separated, seeking asylum.

بِأَنَّ السابِقَ القِردِيَّ أَلقى

عَلَيهِ الثَوبَ إِذ وَلّى دَبيبا

That the foremost ape had cast

The garment on him as he crept away.

وَلَولا نَحنُ أَرهَقَهُ صُهَيبٌ

حُسامَ الحَدِّ مَذروبا خَشيبا

And if it were not for us, Suhaib would have exhausted him,

The sword of truth, vanquished, defeated.

بِهِ نَدَعُ الكَمِيَّ عَلى يَدَيهِ

يَخِرُّ تَخالُهُ نَسراً قَشيبا

With it we leave the short one in his hands

Cowering, his evil shrinking, despised.

غَداةَ دَعا بَني شِجعٍ وَوَلّى

يَؤُمُّ الخَطمَ لا يَدعو مُجيبا

In the morning he called the Bani Shijaa and fled,

Biting his lip, not calling a respondent.

لَعَلَّكَ نافِعي يا عُروَ يَوماً

إِذا جاوَرتُ مِن تَحتِ القُبورِ

Perhaps you will benefit me one day, O Uro,

When I dwell under the graves.