لَعمري لقد أَنْصَفْتُ والنَّصْفُ عَادَتي

وعايَنَ طَعْناً في العَجاجِ المُعَايِنُ

I have been just, as justice is my way,

And the keen critic saw in the impetuous one, blame.

ولولا رَجائي أنْ تَؤوبُوا بِنُهْزَةٍ

وأنْ تَغْسِلُوا عاراً وَعَتْهُ الكنائنُ

Had I not hoped you would repent with a rebuke,

And cleanse yourselves of dishonor that clings to you,

لناديتُ للهيَجا رجالاً سِواكُمُ

ولكنّما تحمي الملوكَ البطائنُ

I would have called out against you other men,

But kings are protected by their retinues.

أَتَدْرُونَ مَنْ لاَقَيْتُمُ فُلَّ جَيْشُكُمْ

لَقِيتُمْ لُيوثاً أَصَحَرَتْها العَرَائنُ

Do you know whom you confronted and your army collapsed?

You confronted lions whom the deserts nurtured.

لقيتُمْ صَناديدَ العِراقِ ومَنْ بِهمْ

إذا جاشَتِ الهِيجاءُ تُحْمَى الظّعائنُ

You confronted the chiefs of Iraq and those with them,

When passions are aroused, the resolute are inflamed.

ومَا كانَ مِنْكُم فارِسٌ دونَ فارِسٍ

ولكِنّهُ ما قَدّر اللهُ كائنُ

And no horseman of yours fell short of a horseman,

But it was not God's will, it had to be.