لَهزَم خَدَّيَّ بِهِ مُلَهْزِمُهْ

ورَعْنُ مَقْرُومٍ تَسامَى آرِمُهْ

His cheeks defeated their defeater

The pasture of a broken limb transcended its heights

وَالحَجْرُ وَالصَمّانُ يَحْبُو أَوْجَمُهْ

وَلا مَعاً مُخَفِّقٌ فَعَيْهَمُهْ

The rock and the solid stand amazed at its intensity

No group fluttering together out of fear for it

فَصَارَ إِذْ لَمْ يَبْقَ إِلَّا شِرْذِمُهْ

عايَنَ حَيّاً كَالحِراجِ نَعَمُهْ

So when there was nothing left but its fragments

It saw lively like the fine forest, its blessings

يَكُون أَقْصَى شَلِّهِ مُحْرَنْجَمُهْ

عَضَّ السِفارِ فَهْوَ آزٍ زِيمُهْ

At the end of its decline, it was invigorated

It bit the edge so it became grievous in its pain

إِذا الْتَقَتْ أَرْبَعَ أَيْدٍ تَهْجِمُهْ

حَفَّ حَفِيفَ الغَيْثِ جادَتْ دِيَمُهْ

When four hands gathered to attack it

It moaned like the howling rain, shedding its blood

يَمْسُدُ أَعْلَى لَحْمِهِ وَيَأْرِمُهْ

جَادَتْ بِمَطْحُونٍ لها لا تَأْجِمُهْ

Pressing down on the flesh atop it and wounding it

She was generous with that which she would not refuse

تَطْبُخُهُ ضُرُوعُها وَتَأْدِمُهْ

ماذَا يُبَنِّي خِنْدِفاً وَتَهْدِمُهْ

Her breasts cook it and subjugate it

What can build a wall and demolish it?

وَيَسْتَجِيشُ عَسْكَراً وَتَهْزِمُهْ

وَمَغْنَماً تَجْمَعُهُ وَتَقْسِمُهْ

Muster an army and defeat it?

Gather spoils and distribute it?

مَرْوانُ لَمَّا أَنْ تَهاوَت أَنْجُمُهْ

وَخانَهُ في حُكْمِهِ مُنَجِّمُهْ

When Marwan’s stars collapsed

And the fortune-teller betrayed his fate

في بَطْنِهِ غاشِيَةٌ تُتَمِّمُهْ

الشِعْرُ صَعْبٌ وَطَوِيلٌ سُلَّمُهْ

A slumber overcame him and carried him away

Poetry is arduous with a high summit

إِذا ارْتَقَى فِيهِ الَّذِي لا يَعْلَمُهْ

زَلَّتْ بِهِ إِلَى الحَضِيضِ قَدَمُهْ

When climbed by one unaware of it

His feet slip down to the nadir

وَالشِعْرُ لا يَسْطِيعُهُ مَنْ يَظْلِمُهْ

يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُعْرِبَهُ فَيُعْجِمُهْ

And poetry cannot be managed by one who treats it unfairly

Wanting to eloquently speak it but garbling it