إِن تَكُ خَيلي يَومَ تَكريتَ أَحجَمَت
وَقُتِّلَ فُرساني فَما كُنتُ وانِيا
Though my horses drew back on the day of Tikrit,
and my horsemen were killed, I was no laggard.
وَما كُنتُ وَقَّافاً وَلَكِن مُبارِزاً
أُقاتِلُهُم وَحدي فُرادى وَثانِيا
I did not stand idle; I went out to fight,
fighting them alone, singly and two at a time.
دَعاني الفَتى الأَسدِيُّ عَمرُو بنُ جُندَبٍ
فَقُلتُ لَهُ لَبَّيكَ لَمّا دَعانِيا
The Asadi youth, Amr ibn Jundab, called to me,
and when he called, I answered him, “Here I am.”
وَأُقسِمُ لَو فُودِيتُهُ لَفَدَيتُهُ
بِأَهلي وَما جَمَّعتُ كَهلاً وَناشِيا
I swear, if ransom could have saved him, I would have ransomed him
with my family and all I had gathered, old and young.
يَعِزُّ عَلى اِبنِ الحُرِّ أَن راحَ راجِعاً
وَخُلِّفتَ في القَتلى بِتَكريتَ ثاوِيا
It grieves Ibn al-Hurr to have returned
while you were left lying among the slain at Tikrit.
لَعَمري لَقَد طاعَنتُ دونَكَ بِالقَنا
وَجالَدتُهُم لَو أَنَّ لِلحَتفِ واقِيا
By my life, I thrust my spear in your defense,
and fought them hand to hand—if only death could be warded off.
لَعَمري لَقَد آسَيتَني حينَ أَدبَروا
وَما زِلتُ مَحمودَ اللِّقاءِ مُواسِيا
By my life, you stood by me when they turned away,
and I remained steadfast in battle, standing by others.
وَما كانَ ظَنِّي إِذ أُقاتِلُ دونَهُم
عَدُوَّهُمُ أَلا يَكونوا وَرائِيا
When I fought their enemy on their behalf, I never thought
that they would fail to stand behind me.
أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَرى بَعدَما أَرى
جَماعَةَ قَومي نصرَةً وَالمَوالِيا
Would that I knew, after all I have seen, whether I shall see
my people gathered in support, with the allies.
وَهَل أَزجُرَن بِالكوفَةِ الخَيلَ شُزَّباً
ضَوامِرَ تَردي بِالكُماةِ عَوادِيا
And shall I urge on lean horses at Kufa,
gaunt steeds charging with armored warriors,
فَأَلقى عَلَيها مُصعَباً وَجُنودَهُ
فَأَقتُلُ أَعدائي وَأدرِكُ ثارِيا
to meet Mus'ab and his soldiers on their backs,
and kill my enemies and claim my vengeance?
Sol 6