عَلى مَركِبي مِنّي السَلامُ وَبِزَّتي

وَغَدواتِ لَهوٍ قَد فَقَدنَ مَكاني

Peace be upon my steed and my fine attire,

And upon mornings of revelry that have lost my presence.

فَلَو أَنَّ خِدنَيَّ القَريبَينِ أَبصَرا

خُضوعِيَ لِلسَجّانِ ما عَرَفاني

For if my two intimate companions could but witness

My abject submission to the jailer, they would not recognize me.

وَلَو أَبصَراني وَالقُيودُ تَلُفُّني

وَمَشيِي إِلى البَوّابِ بِالنَجَشانِ

And were they to see me while fetters coil around me,

And my stumbling gait toward the gatekeeper in heavy chains.

لَحا اللَهُ مَن أَمسى يُرَشِّحُ نَصرَهُ

بِفَكِّ إِسارٍ مِنهُ عِندَ يَماني

May God curse the one who seeks to secure his triumph

By releasing a captive held by a Yamani.

وَما لي وَقَحطاناً وَبَثَّ مَديحِها

وَنَصبي لَها نَفسي بِكُلِّ مَكانِ

What have I to do with Qahtan and the broadcasting of her praise,

And dedicating myself to her cause in every place?

فَإِن أُمسِ لا تُخشى لِسَيفِيَ فِتكَةٌ

فَلا تَأمَنَن يا فَضلُ فِتكَ لِساني

For though I have come to where the strike of my sword is not feared,

Do not feel secure, O Fadl, against the strike of my tongue.

وَإِنّي لَأَرجو أَن أَراكَ كَجَعفَرٍ

وَنِصفاكَ فَوقَ الجِسرِ يُقتَسَمانِ

And I truly hope to see you meet the fate of Ja'far,

With your two halves displayed apart upon the bridge.