لَئِن تَكُ طَيِّئٌ كانَت لِئاماً

فَأَلأَمُها رَبيعَةُ أَو بَنوهُ

If the tribe of Tayy were truly base,

Then Rabi'ah—or his sons—are the basest of the lot.

وَإِن تَكُ طَيِّئٌ كانَت كِراماً

فَوَردانٌ لِغَيرِهِمِ أَبوهُ

And if the tribe of Tayy were truly noble,

Then Wardan's father belongs to any kin but theirs.

مَرَرنا مِنهُ في حِسمى بِعَبدٍ

يَمُجُّ اللُؤمَ مَنخِرُهُ وَفوهُ

In Hisma, we encountered a wretch of his line,

From whose nostrils and mouth baseness spews forth.

أَشَذَّ بِعِرسِهِ عَنّي عَبيدي

فَأَتلَفَهُم وَمالي أَتلَفوهُ

He lured my servants astray with his wife,

Ruining them, as they have ruined my wealth.

فَإِن شَقِيَت بِأَيديهِم جِيادي

لَقَد شَقِيَت بِمُنصُلِيَ الوُجوهُ

Yet if my steeds have suffered misery at their hands,

Then surely faces have suffered misery by my blade.