أَلاَ يا عمرو عمرو قَبيلِ سَهْمٍ

لقد أخطأتَ رأيكَ في عَقيلِ

Alas, O Amr, before the arrow strikes,

You have erred in judgment, O Aqil.

بُليتَ بِحَيّةٍ صَمّاءَ باتَتْ

تَلَفّتُ أينَ مُلْتَمَسُ القبيلِ

You were stung by a deaf adder

As I search - where can the tribe be found?

بِعَيْنٍ تَنْفُذُ البيداءَ لحظاً

ونابٍ غيرِ موصولٍ كليلِ

With an eye piercing the horizon in a glance

And fangs unleashed like a smooth file.

وقد كانتْ تُرَجِّمُهُ قريشٌ

على عَمياءَ مِنْ قالٍ وقيلِ

The Quraysh used to translate it for him

Based on the blindness of saying and telling.

أَلاَ للهِ درُّ أبي يَزيدٍ

لِهَرْجِ الأَمْرِ والخَطْبِ الجليلِ

Alas! Praiseworthy is my father Yazid

For the tumultuous affair and momentous event.

فما خاصَمْتُ مِثْلَكَ من خصِيمٍ

ولا حالوتَ مِثْلَكَ مِنْ حَويلِ

Never have I contended with the like of you,

Nor been confounded by the like of your wiles.

أتاني زائراً ورأى عَلِيّا

قَليلَ المالِ مُنْقَطِعَ الخَليلِ

You came to me as a visitor and saw

Me, with little wealth, deserted by friends.

فأَجْزَلتُ العطاء له ودَبّتْ

عَقَارِبُهُ لِسَالِفَةِ الدّخولِ

So I was generous to you, though your toes

Itched to flee once your wants were fulfilled.

فلم يرضَ الكثيرَ وقد أراهُ

سَخُوطاً للكثيرِ وَلِلْقَلِيلِ

You were ungrateful for much, though I showed it to you,

Scowling at plenty and little alike.