عَفَا مِنْ سُلَيْمَى ذُو كُلافٍ فَمُنْكِفُ

مَبَادِي الجَمِيعِ القَيْظُ والمُتَصَيَّفُ

The summer heat and winter's cold alike

Have driven all people from Suleima's ruins.

وأَقْفَرَ مِنْها بَعْدَ مَا قَدْ تَحُلُّهُ

مَدَافِعُ أَحْرَاضٍ ومَا كَانَ يُخْلِفُ

After the tents were struck, only the wild beasts

Remained behind, there where the flocks were folded.

رَآهاً فُؤَادِي أُمَّ خِشْفٍ خَلاَلَهَا

بِقُورِ الوِرَاقَيْنِ السَّرَاءُ المُصَنِّفُ

My heart, O Umm Khishf, when I see

Among the scrolls of scholars bright,

رَعَتْ بِرَحَايَا في الخَرِيفِ وعَادَةٌ

لَهَا بِرَحَايَا كُلَّ شَعْبَانَ تُخْرَفُ

Your grazing beasts each autumn take delight

In meadows - and they graze each Sha'ban too.

زَجَرْنَا بَنِي كَعْبٍ فَأَمَّا خِيَارُهُمْ

فَصَدُّوا ولَلْمَعْرُوفُ في النَّاسِ أَعْرَفُ

We warned the tribe of Ka'b; and the best of them

Swerved from their course, for good deeds they were known.

وأَمَّا أُنَاسٌ فَاسْتَعَارُوا بَعِيرَنَا

فَقِيدَ لَهُمْ بَادٍ بِهِ العُرُّ أَخْشَفُ

Yet some men borrowed camels without our consent -

So suffer them: baldness disfigures their heads.

لهُ خَدُّ مَيْمُونٍ وأَشْأَمُ سَاحِقٌ

فَأَيَّهُمَا مَا شِئْتُمُ فَتَعَيَّفُوا

With cheeks like Maymoun's, and a brand like Saheeq's

Choose whichever sign you wish by which to know them.

فَإِنَّا أُنَاسٌ عُودُنَا عُودُ نَبْعَةٍ

بِهِ أَوَدٌ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْهُ المُثَقِّفُ

We are a people whose nature is like a Nab'ah tree's;

None can bend us, though skilled at timber work.

لَنَا عَكَرٌ حَوْمٌ وعِزُّ عَرَنْدَسٌ

فَنَمْضي إِذَا شِئْنَا ونَأْبَى فَنَزْحَفُ

Our glory is Ukarh, Hawm, and noble 'Arnadas;

We march or halt at will, with none to hinder.

وبِيضٌ مِنَ المَاذِيِّ حَامٍٍ قَتِيرُهَا

حَرَابِيُّهَا كَالقَطْرِ أَوْ هِيَ أَلْطَفُ

We have white she-camels, daughters of a Mahri sire;

Their females are gentler than drops of rain.

وشَهْبَاءُ تَنْبُو النَّبْلُ عَنْهَا كَأَنَّهَا

صَفاً زَلَّ عَنْ أَرْكَانِهِ المُتَزَحْلِفُ

Shahba, who makes the arrows miss as though

They slipped from a quiver with its straps unfastened;

لَنَا كَلْكَلٌ أَعْيَا عَلَى كلِّ غَامِزٍ

بِهِ زَوَرٌ بَادٍ مِنَ العِزِّ أَجْنَفُ

We have a Kulkal, who tires every foe

And renders vain their blows with might and pride;

وجُرْدٌ جَعَلْنَاهَا ذَحِيلَ كَرَامَةٍ

تُبَاشِرُ أَلْبَانَ اللِّقَاحِ وتُلْحَفُ

And a Jurth kept for its valor's sake, that goes

To meet the stallions, yearning for their scent;

نَزَعْنَا لَهَا الحَوْذَانَ حَوْلَ سُوَيْقَةٍ

فَقَدْ جَعَلَتْ أَفْوَاهُهُنَّ تَوَسَّفُ

We removed their nose-rings after Sawayqah

Until their mouths could scarcely grasp the grass;

دَعَاهُنَّ دَاعِ بِالْبُكَاءِ فَسُرِّحَتْ

أَدِيمَ الضُّحَى تُنْضَى إِلَيْهِ وتُسْنَفُ

They were called at dawn with weeping, and set loose,

While the tents were folded, hastening to their call;

عَلَى كُلِّ مِلْوَاحٍ يَجُولُ بَرِيمُهَا

تُبَارِي اللِّجَامَ الفَارِسيَّ وتَصْدِفُ

Around each pasturing camel they roam,

Challenging the Persian' bridle with their pace;

وَأَهْوَجَ مُسْتَرْخِي الحِزَامِ تَمَرَّسَتْ

بِهِ الحَرْبُ حَتَّى جسمُهُ مُتَحَرِّفُ

With the twisted girth-strap of a worn-out saddle

Clinging to their sides where the skin hangs slack.

لَهُنَّ بِشُبَّاكِ الحَدِيدِ زَوَافِرٌ

دَوَابِرُهَا بِالجَنْدَلِ الصُّمِّ تُقْذَفُ

Their clanking fetters as the iron rings are loosed

Are scattered by the silent, gathering gloom.

لَدُنْ غُدْوَةً حَتَّى نَزَعْنَ عَشِيَّةً

وقَدْ مَاتَ شَطْرُ الشَّمْسِ والشَّطْرُ مُدْنَفُ

From dawn until nightfall they are let loose,

While half the day is gone and half remains.

رَأَوْنَا بِبَقْعَاءِ المَسَالِحِ دُونَنَا

مِنَ المَوْتِ جُوْنٌ ذُو غَوَارِبَ أَكْلَفُ

We have seen by the patches on the coats of mail

Death always near, though clad in various garb.

وقَوْمٌ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ رِمَاحُ رُدَيْنَةٍ

شَوَارِعُ تَسْتَأْنِي دَماً أُوْ تَسْلَّفُ

And a people with the spears of Rudainah

Whose streets grow calm after shedding blood,

بِجَمعٍ رَأَتْهُ الجِنُّ فَاخْتَشَعَتْ لَهُ

ولَلشَّمْسُ أَدْنضى لِلْخُسُوفِ وأَكْسَفُ

With a host the jinn saw and shuddered,

While the paling sun at the eclipse grew dark.

وجُرْثُومَةٍ لاَ يَنْزِعُ الذُّلُّ أَصْلَهَا

يُطِيفُ بِهَا المَحْرُوبُ والمُتَضَيِّفُ

A tribe whose glory time cannot destroy,

Bringing low the vanquished and humbling the proud;

تُعَيِّرُنَا كَعْبٌ كِلاَباً وقَتْلَهَا

ويُقْتَلُ أَدْنَى مِنْ كِلاَبٍ وأَضْعَفُ

Ka'b's hounds insult us and kill their own kind,

Yet the meanest dog is better than their best.

وتَتْرُكُ قَتْلَى قد عَلِمْنَا مَكَانَهَا

وتَعْفُو جِرَاحٌ عَنْ دَمٍ فَتَقَرَّفُ

They leave their dead for us to recognize

While their wounds allow the blood to flow afresh.

وقَدْ نَازَعتْنَا مِنْ كِلاَبٍ قَبَائلٌ

مَحَاجِمُ مِنْهَا مَا يَفِيضُ ويَنْطِفُ

Worthless tribes have contested with us the right

To guardianship, overflowing with folly.

قَتَلْنَا وأَبْكَيْنَا حَمِيمَ بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ

عَلَى مَشْهَدٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ وهْوَ مُرْدَفُ

We slew Humaym son of Ja'far

As he rode surrounded by a group of his clan.

جَمَعْنَا أبَا أَدَّى وأَدَّى بِطَعْنَةٍ

فَظَلَّ بَقِيُّ فِيهِمَا مُتَقَصِّفُ

We gathered Abu Adad who gathered his kin

With a single thrust, leaving the rest distraught.

طَعَنَّاً حُبَيْشاً طَعْنَةً ظَلَّ بَعْدَهَا

يَنُوءُ حُبَيْشُ لِلْيَدَيْنِ ويُنْزَفُ

We stabbed Hubaysh with one stroke after which

Hubaysh still swayed helplessly from side to side.

فَمَهْمَا تَعَضَّ الحَرْبُ مِنَّا فَإِنَّهَا

تَعَضُّ بِأَثْبَاجِ سِوَانَا فَتَكْتِفُ

So whenever war bites deep from us

It will bite on bones that quickly mend.

لَنَا ضَالَةٌ يَنْجُو المُكَاسِرخ دُونَهَا

إِذَا رَحِمَتْهُ أَوْ يُلِحُّ فَيَتْلَفُ

We have a straggling herd that saves the fugitive

If they take pity on him or he persists.

وَكَانَ لَنَا عِنْدَ المُلوكِ مَشَاهِدٌ

مَقَامٌ وبُرْهَانٌ قَدِيمٌ ومَوْقِفُ

And we had a position of honor with kings -

Established of old, and still unchanged.

ومَا قَدَعَتْنَا مِنْ مَعَدًّ قَبِيلَةٌ

ونَقْدَعُ مَنْ شِئْنَا ولاَ نَتَكَلَّفُ

No tribe has ever split us, though we split

Whom we desire, without the least fatigue.

دَعَانِي كُلَيْبٌ بِالمَدِينَةِ دَعْوةً

وأَفْنَاءُ قَيْسٍ شَاهِدُونَ وخِنْدِفُ

Kulayb summoned me to his abode in Medina

While the open spaces of Qays stand witness.

فَكَانَ جَوَابِي أَنْ حَزَزْتَ أَخَاهُمُ

جِهَاراً وأَنْيَابِي مِنَ الحِرْبِ تَصْرِفُ

So my reply was that his brother you wronged

Openly, and my fangs in war are bared.

وقَالَ كُلَيْبٌ اخْضِبُوا لِيَ لحْيَتِي

لَوَ أَنِّي غُدُوٍّاً عِنْدَ مَرْوَانَ أَعْرِفُ

And Kulayb said: “Go dye my beard for me;

Would I were at Marwan's court this morning!"

فَلَمَّا دَنَا لِلْبَابِ أَشْبَهَ أُمَّهُ

وقَالَتْ لَهُمْ نَفْسُ المَذَلَّةِ أَزْحِفُوا

But when he came to the gate his mother resembled him

And said: “Back, you disgraced one full of shame!"

فَإِنْ يَكُ في بُعْرَانَ قَيْسٍ مَعُوَنةٌ

يَكُنْ لِبَني العَجْلاَنِ في الضَّرْبِ مِخْشَفُ

For if the dwellings of Qays in Bu'ran can grant

Succour, the 'Udran have boldness in striking.

جَزَيْتُ ابْنَ أَرْوَى بِالمَدِينَةِ قَرْضَهُ

وقُلْتُ لِشُفَّاعِ المَدِينَةِ أَوْجِفُوا

I paid Ibn Arwa in Medina his due;

And said to those who sought gifts in Medina: “Begone!"

وإِنَّا لَنَزَّالُونْ تَغْشَى نِعَالَنَا

سَوَابِغُ مِنْ أَصْنَافِ رَيْطٍ ورَفْرَفُ

Soon our sandals shall tread your courts

In diverse layers of fancy stitching.

مَكَارِيمُ لِلْجِيرَانِ بَادٍ هَوَانُنَا

ذَوَاتَ الذُّرَى مِنْهَا سَمِينٌ وأَعْجَفُ

Fine steeds we lend to neighbors for free,

Though some are lean and some too short of leg.

خِلاَلَ بُيُوتِ الحَيِّ مِنْهَا مُذَرَّعٌ

بِطَعْنٍ ومِنْهَا عَاتِبٌ مُتَسَيَّفُ

Through the tribe's homes are smooth-cheeked youths

With lance or flashing blade held close at hand.

إِذَا الطَّيْرُ أَمْسَتْ وهْيَ عُبْسٌ جوَانِحٌ

فُوَيْقَ بُيُوتِ الحَيِّ تَهْفُو وتَخْطَفُ

When the birds flock home in the evening gloom

Our homes resound with their cries and flap of wings.

ونَحْنُ بَنُو أُمٍّ نَشَأْنَا ثَلاَثةً

نَقُومُ بِأَبْوَابِ المُلُوكِ فَنُعْرَفُ

We are three brothers born of a single mother,

Who attend the kings' courts and there are known -

بَنُو أُمِّكُمْ إِنْ تَعْرِفُوا الحَقَّ يَعْرِفُوا

وإِنْ تَنْسِفُوا يَوْماً عَنِ الحَقِّ يَنْسِفُوا

Sons of your mother; if you know the truth, know them!

Support them always and do not abandon them!

فَلاَ أَعْرِفَنْ شَيْخاً لَهُ أُمُّ سَبْعَةٍ

يُمَارِسُنَا يَوْماً إِذَا النَّاسُ أَجْحَفُوا

I know of no elder of a mother sevenfold

Who rivals us, if men have gone too far.