أحبابنَا كم عَسى الصدودُ

ومَا لكم مَا لكُم عُهودُ

Our loved ones, how many greetings were repelled,

And yet, you had no covenants,

وعدتموني برمل حزْوى

وصلاً فما تمت الوُعوُد

You promised me the sands of Hazwa,

Yet the vows were never fulfilled.

وقلْتُمُ قد سلوتَ عنّا

وهَذه أدمعي شهودُ

And you said, “Ask about us,”

The sanctity of love did not prevent you,

وَحُرْمةُ الودِ ما قَلاَكم

ولا سلا قلبي العَمْيدُ

Nor did the pleading of my resolute heart.

Since you deserted the abode of Ani,

ومُذ حَلَلْتم زرودَ أني

أقول لا أوْحشت زرود

I say, no longer does the abode seem desolate.

In her herd, I was told there are gazelles

في سِرْبهَا قِيْلَ لي ظبّاءٌ

بلحظهَا تُقْنصُ الأسودُ

With a glance, they hunt the lions.

Beneath your tents are alluring doe

وتحت أخداركم مهَاةٌ

يظلُّها الفاحمُ الجعيد

Shaded by the towering palm.

When they walk, they touch the heights,

إذا مشت ماست الأعالي

وأرتج ما حازت البرود

And when settled, the coolness spreads.

For the rod, they have grace,

فقدّها للقضيب قَدٌّ

وجيدُها للغزالِ جيدُ

And for the fawn, charm.

If little of their clan is kind

إن قلّ من قومها رحيم

أوعزّ منْ مائهم وَرود

Or abundant in meadows and flowers.

In the abode of Al-Walid is a sea,

ففي مَحَلّ الوليد بحرٌ

تنيخُ من حولِه الوفودُ

Where delegations alight around it.

Suhail, the father of deserts,

إذا سُهَيلٌ أبو الغوادي

والسؤدد الطارف التليد

And the towering, straight, towering palm.

None can be found like Abu Al-Mazin,

مثل أبي المزن لَيْسَ يُلْقى

من أينْ يُلقي له نَديد

Whence can his equal be found?

Of high glory, of high lineage,

رفيعُ مجدٍ رفيعُ جَدٍ

فدت حِذا حده الخُدود

Ransoms offered to curb his assault.

In his hand appears a full moon,

يَطْلعُ في الدست منه بدر

ينيرُ أو وابلٌ يجود

Illuminating, or clouds that pour forth.

From his palm pours forth bounty,

يفيضُ من كفّهِ عطايا

أقلُّها القُودُ والنقود

The least of which is Dirhams and Dinars.

How oft has fate sought to mar

كم حاول الدهرُ ثلم عَكّ

فْسدّه رأيه السَّديد

His upright opinion, yet it holds firm.

Matters are surrendered to him, only intending

ألْقَتْ إليه الأمور فما إن

تريد إلا الذي يريد

That which he intends.

And with them, how many troops has he invaded,

وكم بها قد غزا جنودا

منها على إثرها جنودُ

After which, troops followed in succession.

From them, he leads countless legions

يقودُ منها العديدَ فردٌ

بمثلِه يَكْمُلُ العَديد

With his like, the countless thrives.

He has ruled them as a youth and elder

قد سادها يافعاً وكهلاً

ومثله واجب يسود

And one like him is destined to rule.

O Father of Ali, O Father Al-Walid

أبا عليٍّ أبا وليدٍ

لافارقت نجمَك السعود

May your star never abandon highness.

My song was beneath the ridge of my abode

أغنيتي تحت عقر داري

وكان لي أينقُ وبيد

And to me belonged soft lament and hand.

So O son of Zann and O son of Sa’d

فيا ابن زَنٍّ ويا ابن سَعْد

ويا ابن عكٍ وهم أسود

And O son of ‘Akk, for they are lions.

Garb me in that which will not perish

كسوتني ما يبيد فَالْبَس

مدائحاً قط لا تبيد

With praises never perishing.

Inherited in your sons, not old,

موروثة في بنيك لابل

بينهم برْدُها جديد

Among them, its embroidery renewed.