أَهاجَكَ لَيلى إِذ أَجَدَّ رَحيلُها
نَعَم وَثَنَت لَمّا اِحزَأَلَّت حُمولُها
Leila stirred him when she made ready to depart
Yes, and leaned aside when the litters were loaded
لَقَد سِرتُ شَرقِيَّ البِلادِ وَغَربِها
وَقَد ضَرَبَتني شَمسُها وَظُلولُها
I have ranged over the lands, east and west
And her sun has struck me, and her shades
يَنوءُ فَيَعدو مِن قَريبٍ إِذا عَدا
وَيَكمُنُ في خَشباءَ وَعثٍ مَقيلُها
He limps, then races headlong when left alone
And ambushes in scrub and tangled grass
سَيَأتي أَمير المُؤمِنينَ وَدونَهُ
صِمادٌ مِنَ الصَوّانِ مَرتٌ مُيولُها
The Commander of the Faithful will come with his men
A bulwark of warriors, bows bent in hand
فَبيدُ المُنَقّى فَالمَشارِفُ دونَهُ
فَرَوضَةُ بُصرى أَعرَضَت فَبَسيلُها
By the sacred heights, then the plains beneath
The meadows of Busra have bared their arms
ثَنائي تُؤَدّيهِ إليك وَمِدحَتي
صُهابِيَّةُ الأَلوانِ باقٍ ذَميلُها
My song I sing to you, and my eulogy
Colored like the falcon's wing, lasting as reproach
عَسوفٌ بِأَجوازِ الفَلا حِميَرِيَّةٌ
مَريشٌ بِذِئبانِ السَبيبِ تَليلُها
Light horses in the stables of phaenix build
Bay steeds whose bridles jingle with little bells
يُغادي بَفارِ المِسكِ طَوراً وَتارَةً
تُرى الدِرعُ مُرفَضّاً عَلَيهِ نَثيلُها
Now he rides a scent of priceless musk
Now you see his coat of mail cast off from him
وَقَد شَخَصَت بِالسابِرِيَّةِ فَوقَهُ
مُعَلَّبَةَ الأُنبوبِ ماضٍ أَليلُها
The lances with their tubular hooks towards him
Their blades, polished smooth, glinting
تَرى اِبنَ أَبي العاصي وَقَد صُفَّ دونَهُ
ثَمانونَ أَلفاً قَد تَوافَت كُمولُها
You see the son of Abi 'l-'Ass draw up his lines
Eighty thousand all told, when their numbers mount
يُقَلِّبُ عَيني حَيَّةٍ بِمَحارَةٍ
أَضافَ إِلَيها السَارِياتِ سَبيلُها
He turns his dangerous eyes, wary and ominous
To which he has added the swift intervening squadrons
يَصُدُّ وَيُغضي وَهوَ لَيثُ خِفِيَّةٍ
إِذا أَمكَنَتهُ عَدوَةٌ لا يُقيلُها
He charges and wheels away, a wolf in ambush
When the foe gives him room, he is merciless
بَسَطتَ لِباغي العُرفِ كَفّاً بَسيطَةً
تَنالُ العِدى بَلهَ الصَديقَ فضولُها
You extended a meager hand to the trespassing aggressor
Which suffices to wrong the kindred, but also the stranger
وَلَم يَكُ عَن عَفرٍ تَفَرُّعُكَ العُلى
وَلَكِن مَواريثُ الجُدودِ تَؤولُها
Not from any noble stock did your highest fortune spring
Rather, inheritances of forebears devolve upon you
حَموا مَنزِلَ الأَملاكِ مِن مَرجِ راهِطٍ
وَرَملَةِ لُدٍّ أَن تُباحَ سُهولُها
Protect the abode of the kings from the tribe of Raht
And the sands of Lud, lest their meadows be ravaged
