ما يَلمَعُ البَرقُ إِلّا حَنَّ مُغتَرِب

كَأَنَّهُ مِن دواعي شَوقِهِ وَصِبُ

The lightning only flashes when an exile yearns,

As if it is one of the causes of his longing and wakefulness.

أَهلاً بِطَيفٍ لأُمِّ السِمطِ أَرَّقَنا

وَنَحنُ لا صَدَدٌ مِنها وَلا كَثَبُ

Greetings to the specter of Umm Al-Simt that kept us awake,

While we have neither shields nor spears against it.

وُدّي عَلى ما عَهِدتُم في تَجَدُّدِهِ

لا القَلبُ عَنكُم بطولِ النَأيِ يَنقَلِبُ

My love for you remains as I knew it, despite the long absence,

My heart does not change its loyalty however remote you are.

كَفى القَبائِلَ مَعنٌ كُلَّ مُعضِلَةٍ

يُحمى بِها الدينُ أَو يُرعى بِها لحَسَبُ

The tribes suffice every complicated issue,

With it religion is protected or provision is made as needed.

كَنزُ المَحامِدِ وَالتَقوى دَفاتِرُهُ

وَلَيسَ مِن كَنزِهِ الأَوراقُ وَالذَهَبُ

The treasure of praise and piety, its registers,

Not its papers and gold.

أَنتَ الشِهابُ الَّذي يُرمى العَدُوُّ بِهِ

فَيَستَنيرُ وَتَخبو عِندَهُ الشُهُبُ

You are the shooting star enemies are struck with,

So they shine while their flames die down.

بَنو شُرَيكٍ هُمُ القَومُ الَّذينَ لَهُم

في كُلِّ رِهانٌ يُرحِزُ القَصَبُ

The people of Shurayk, they are the ones who

In every bet, win the stakes.

إِن الفَوارِسَ مِن شَيبانَ قَد عُرِفوا

بِالصِدقِ إِن نَزَلوا وَالمَوتِ إِن رَكِبوا

The horsemen of Shayban are known

For their truthfulness when they descend and their death when they ride.

قَد جَرَّبَ الناسُ قَبلَ اليَومِ أَنَّهُمُ

أَهلُ الحُلومِ وَأَهلُ الشَغبِ إِن شَغَبوا

People before today have experienced that they

Are people of forbearance and people of mischief if they make mischief.

قُل لِلجَوادِ الَّذي يَسعى لِيُدرِكَهُ

أَقصِر فَما لَكَ إِلّا الفَوتُ وَالطَلَبُ

Tell the generous one who strives to reach him,

"Desist, you have nothing left but loss and pursuit."