لَقَد سُمتَ نَفسَكَ يا اِبنَ الظَرِب

وَجَشَّمتَهُم مَنزِلاً قَد صَعُب

Indeed you have burdened yourself, O son of reproach,

And led them to a difficult dwelling,

وَحَمَّلتَهُم مَركَباً باهِظاً

مِنَ العِبءِ إِذ سُقتَهُم لِلشَغَب

And loaded them with a heavy vessel,

When you instigated them to war,

بِحَربِ خُزاعَةَ أَهلِ العُلا

وَأَهلِ الثَناءِ وَأَهلِ الحَسَب

With the war against Khaza'ah, the people of glory,

And people of praise and noble lineage.

هُمُ المانِعو البَيتِ وَالذائِدونَ

عَنِ الحُرُماتِ جَميعَ العَرَب

They are the protectors of the house, and the repellers

Of all the Arabs from violating sanctities.

نَفَوا جُرهُماً وَنَفَوا بَعدَهُم

كِنانَةَ غَصباً بِبيضِ القُضُب

They drove away their neighbors, and after them,

Kinanah by force with the striking of lofty spears,

وَسُمرِ الرِماحِ وَجُردِ الجِيادِ

عَلَيها فَوارِسُ صِدقٍ نُجُب

And reddened lances and saddled steeds,

Knights of integrity and elite nobles upon them.

وَهُم أَلحَقوا أَسَداً عَنوَةً

بِأَحياءِ طَيٍّ وَحازوا السَلَب

And they joined a lion by force,

To the living quarters of Tayy and seized the booty.

خُزاعَةُ قَومي فَإِن أَفتَخِر

بِهِم يَزكُ مُعتَصَري وَالنَسَب

Khaza'ah are my people, so if I take pride

In them, it purifies my pressed wine and lineage.

هُمُ الرَأسُ وَالناسُ مِن بَعدِهِم

ذُنابى وَما الرَأسُ مِثلُ الذَنَب

They are the head, and the people after them,

Are my tail, and the head is not like the tail,

يُواسي لَدى المَحلِ مَولاهُمُ

وَتُكشَفُ عَنهُ غُمومُ الكُرَب

Their patron consoles his client in adversity

And worries are uncovered from him.

فَجارُهُمُ آمِنٌ دَهرَهُ

بِهِم أَن يُضامَ وَأَن يُغتَصَب

So their neighbor lives securely his lifetime

Through them, from being wronged or robbed.

يُلَبّونَ في الحَربِ خَوفَ الهِجاءِ

وَيَبرونَ أَعداءَهُم بِالحَرَب

They dispel in war the fear of panic,

And defeat their enemies in combat.

وَلَو لَم يُنَجِّكَ مِن كَيدِهِم

أَمينُ الفُصوصِ شَديدُ العَصَب

And had not the protector of bandits,

Of severe discipline, saved you from their scheme,

لَزُرتَ المَنايا فَلا تَكفُرَن

جَوادَكَ نُعماهُ يا اِبنَ الظَرِب

You would have met your death, so do not disbelieve

The generosity of your horse, O son of reproach.

فَإِن يَلتَقوكَ يَزُركَ الحِما

مُ أَو تَنجُ ثانِيَةً بِالهَرَب

For if they meet you, the protective clan will visit you

Or you will escape a second time by fleeing.