1. In the morning, Wa'il's two sons set out to reproach me,

    while between them lies something graver than reproach:

  2. matters whose grit allows no sleep,

    that make men zealous for their honor choke on drink.

  3. Climb the date palms, and defer your claim against us

    for your chiefs' blood on the day of al-Kulab.

  4. How wretched the avengers that morning, when up rose

    upon the riding camels the buttocks of al-Ribab.

  5. Hallab's daughters wheel about them,

    and we urge them on with cries of 'Hal!' and 'Hab!'

  6. When the dust billows up, they emerge from it

    with black dust like an eagle's covert feather.

  7. And 'Abd al-Qays have yellowed beards,

    as though their farts were patches of fog.

  8. For they have neither led fine steeds nor reared them,

    nor ridden well-broken riding camels.

  9. In the wake of the asses they fit with packsaddles,

    their led mounts are yearling dogs.

  10. O Abu Ghassan, you did not humiliate me,

    but you did humiliate the sons of Shihab.

  11. I came to you as a petitioner, and you denied my request,

    and you gave me nothing but dust.

  12. If ever, after you, I choose a Jahdari

    over Qays, may my riding camels never return.

Sol 6.1