أَبلِغ أَبا سَلمى رَسولاً يَروعُهُ

وَلَو حَلَّ ذا سِدرٍ وَأَهلي بِعَسجَلِ

Convey to Abū Salamah a messenger that alarms him

Even if he has settled with a lote-tree and my family with common mallow

رَسولَ اِمرِيءٍ أَهدى إِليكَ نَصيحَةً

فَإِن مَعشَرٌ جادوا بِعِرضِكَ فَاِبخَلِ

A messenger from Imri' al-Qays who gifted you sincere advice

For a group of men were stingy with your honor so deny them

فَإِن بَوَّءوكَ مَنزِلاً غَيرَ طائِلٍ

غَليظاً فَلا تَنزِل بِهِ وَتَحَوَّلِ

If they direct you to an improper dwelling

Harsh, do not take it up and turn away

وَلا تَطعَمَن ما يُطعِمونَكَ إِنَّما

أَتَوكَ عَلى قُربانِهِم بِالمُثَمَّلِ

Do not eat what they feed you, verily

They only came to you for their rites with sweetmeats

وَحُلَّ النَجاةَ لَيسَ مَن حَلَّ نَجوَةً

كَمَن حَلَّ في فَرجِ السِماكِ بِمَحفِلِ

The escape to safety is not like one who escaped to safety

As one who escaped into the vulva of a poisonous fish openly

أَبَعدَ الإِزارِ مُجسَداً لَكَ شاهِداً

أَتَيتَ بِهِ في الدارِ لَم يَتَزَيَّلِ

Without his lower garment, displaying himself as a witness for you

You brought him into the house but he did not get dressed

أَراكَ إِذاً قَد صِرتَ لِلقَومِ ناضِحاً

يُقالُ لَهُ بِالغَربِ أَدبِر وَأَقبِلِ

I then see you have become an open enemy of the people

It is said to him from behind, turn around and turn back

وَأُنبِئتُ أَن قَد أَلزَموكَ نُفوذَهُ

وَذَلِكَ لِلجيرانِ عَزلٌ بِمَعزِلِ

And I was informed that they made you take an oath

And that is isolation from the neighbors in isolation

كِلانا عَدُوٌّ لَو يَرى في عَدُوِّهِ

مَساغاً وَكُلٌّ في العِدا غَيرُ مُجمِلِ

Kilāna is an enemy, if he sees in his enemy

Vulnerability, while each one in enmity is unforgiving

إِذا ما اِلتَقَينا كانَ أُنسُ حَديثِنا

صُماتا بِطَرفٍ كالمَعابِلِ أَطحَلِ

When we meet, the intimacy of our conversation is

Silent with a glance, like the full moon rising

فَخُذها فَلَيسَت لِلعَزيزِ بِخُطَّةٍ

وَفيها مَقالٌ لِاِمريءٍ مُتَذَلِّلِ

So take it, for it is no scheme for the honored one

In it is speech for one who is submissive

وَأُنبِئتُ أَن قَد أَحرَمَ الغُسلَ عامِرٌ

وَأَنّي لَراضٍ عَنكَ ما لَم تُرَجَّلِ

And I was informed that ʿĀmir has forbidden himself from bathing

And that I am pleased with you as long as you do not become senile

وَقَد عَلِمَ الأَقوامُ ما بِخُوَيلِدٍ

عَلى خالِدٍ في القَومِ مِن مُتَفَضَّلِ

The people have known what Khawalid has over Khālid

Among the people of grace and favor

فَإِن كانَ باغٍ نالَ مِنكَ ظُلامَةً

فَإِنَّ شِفاءَ البَغي سَيفُكَ فَاِقتُلِ

So if a hater has taken darkness from you

Then healing his hatred is your sword, so kill him