نُبِّئتُ رُكبانَ الطَريقِ تَناذَروا

عَقيلاً إِذا حَلّوا الذِنابَ فَصَرخَدا

I was told travelers on the road warned one another,

"Beware of ‘Aqil when they pitched tents at Dhinab,"

فَتىً يَجعَلُ المَحضَ الصَريحَ لِبَطنِهِ

شِعاراً وَيُقري الضَيفَ عَضباً مُهَنَّدا

A youth who shows his inmost thoughts outwardly

And entertains the guest with anger most intense,

مَسَحناكَ مَسحَ الكَلبِ إِذ أَنتَ باسِطٌ

ذُناباكَ حَتّى اِشتَلتَ لِلناسِ أَعقَدا

We have stroked you like a dog wagging

Its tail fawningly to people knotted in deceit.

عُوَيفَ اِستِها قَد سُقتَ نَفسَكَ تَنتَقي

سِوانا فَما فَما فُتَّ الحِمارَ المُقَيَّدا

Worthless one, you have led yourself to drink

Vile water, yet the bridled donkey did not yield.

وَقَد أَسلَموا أَستاهُمُ لِقَبيلَةٍ

قُضاعِيَّةً يَدعونَ حُنّاً وَأَصيَدا

And their chieftains have surrendered to a tribe

Of Daws who summon defectors and Asid.

إِذا قُلتُ قَد صالَحتُ شَمُخاً وَمازِناً

أَبى السَبَبُ النائي وَكُفرُهُمُ اليَدا

When I said I've made peace with Samh and Mazin,

Events abroad and their unbelief refused consent.

وَأَمّا بَنو بَدرٍ فَلا زالَ وُدُّهُم

عَلى الشَرَفِ الأَقصى وَأَبعَدَ أَبعَدا

As for the clan of Badr, their affection still

Endures for the most noble and farthest goal,

وَيوقِدُ عَوفٌ لِلعَشيرَةِ نارَهُ

فَهَلّا عَلى جَفرِ الهَباءَةِ أَوقَدا

And ‘Awf kindles for his tribe a fire

That blazes high above the drifting sands.