لِمَنِ الدِيارُ تَسَربَلَت بِبِلاها

نَسِيَتكَ رَبَّتُها وَما تَنساها

To whom do the abodes belong, clothed in their own decay?

Their mistress has forgotten you, yet you do not forget her.

لا تَكذِبَنَّ فَما أَراكَ بِمُنتَهٍ

عَنها وَإِن كَلَّفتَ أَن تَشناها

Do not lie, for I do not see you desisting

From her, even if you burden yourself to loathe her.

فَاِقرِ الهُمومَ إِذا عَرَتكَ شِمِلَّةً

عَبِلَت مَناكِبُها وَطالَ قَراها

So quell your worries, when they afflict you, with a swift she-camel,

Whose shoulders are sturdy and whose back is long,

لِتَزورَ مِن قَحطانَ قَرمَ مَغاوِلٍ

لا مُعجَباً صَلِفاً وَلا تَيّاها

To visit, from the tribe of Qahtan, a stallion-chief of raiding warriors,

Neither self-admiring, nor boastful, nor arrogant.

خَضَعَت لِعُثمانَ اِبنُ عُثمانَ العُلى

حَتّى تَسَنَّمَ فَوقَها فَعَلاها

The heights of glory submitted to Uthman, son of Uthman,

Until he mounted their summit and ascended high.

تُمسي المَكارِمُ حَيثُ يُمسي رَحلُهُ

وَإِذا غَدا في مَنزِلٍ أَغداها

Noble virtues settle for the night wherever his saddle settles,

And if he departs an abode at dawn, he leads them forth.

سَيفٌ مَنايا الناسِ فيهِ كَوامِنٌ

مَعطوفَةُ اليُمنى عَلى يُسراها

He is a sword in which the dooms of men lie hidden,

Its right hand folded powerfully over its left.

فَإِذا الخَليفَةُ هَزَّهُ لِضَريبَةٍ

أَنحى عَلى مَكروهِها فَمَضاها

So when the Caliph brandishes him for a strike,

He bears down on the hateful difficulty and cuts it through.

وَكَذاكَ عَكٌّ لا تَزالُ سُيوفُها

تَنهَلُّ مِن مُهَجِ الكُماةِ ظُباها

And likewise is the tribe of Akk, whose swords cease not

To let their edges drink deep from the lifeblood of warriors.

فَاِحذَر عَداوَتَها وَصَلِّ لِسِلمِها

فَكَما عَرَفتَ سُيوفَها وَقَناها

So beware their enmity and pray for their peace,

For you know well the nature of their swords and spears.

قَومٌ إِذا وَجِدَت عَلَيكَ صُدورُهُم

لَم تَرضَ عَنكَ مَنِيَّةٌ تَلقاها

A people who, if their hearts harbor wrath against you,

No death you encounter will be content to spare you.