أَلَم تَرَ أَنّي كَرِهتُ الحُروبَ

وَأَنّي نَدِمتُ عَلى ما مَضى

Did you not see that I hated wars

And that I regretted what had passed

نَدامَةَ زارٍ عَلى نَفسِهِ

لِتِلكَ الَّتي عارُها يُتَّقى

The regret of one who is miserable over himself

For that whose disgrace is to be avoided

وَأَيقَنتُ أَنّي لِما جِئتُهُ

مِنَ الأَمرِ لابِسُ ثَوبَي خَزى

And I realized that when I came to it

Of the matter wearing two garments of shame

حَياءً وَمِثلي حَقيقٌ بِهِ

وَلَم يَلبَسِ القَومُ مِثلَ الحَيا

Modesty, and one like me deserves it

And the people have not worn the like of modesty

وَكانَت سُلَيمٌ إِذا قَدَّمَت

فَتىً لِلحَوادِثِ كُنتُ الفَتى

And Sulaim was whenever she brought forth

A young man for adversity, I was that young man

وَكُنتُ أُفيءُ عَلَيها النِهابَ

وَأَنكي عِداها وَأَحمي الحِمى

And I would turn back her raids for her

And I would groan over her enemies and protect the sanctuary

فَلَم أوقِدِ الحَربَ حَتّى رَمى

خُفافٌ بِأَسهُمِهِ مَن رَمى

So I did not ignite war until

Khufaf shot his arrows at whoever shot

فَأَلهَبَ حَرباً بِأَصبارِها

فَلَم أَكُ فيها ضَعيفَ القُوى

So he ignited a war with her patience

I was not in it weak in strength

فَإِن تَعطِفِ القَومَ أَحلامُهُم

وَيَرجِعَ مِن وُدِّهِم ما نَأى

So if their dreams turn the people gently

And what has become distant of their friendship returns

فَلَستُ فَقيراً إِلى حَربِهِم

وَما بِيَ عَن سَلمِهِم مِن غِنى

Then I am not needy for their war

And I have no wealth without their peace