نُبِّئتُ أَنَّ الخَزرَجِيِّينَ حافَظوا

بِأَلفَينِ مِنهُم دارِعونَ وَحُسَّرُ

I was told that two thousand Khazraj defended

With armor and lances held high

وَما فَتِئَت خَيلٌ تَثوبُ وَتَدَّعي

إِلى النَمرِ حَتّى غَصَّ بِالقَومِ عَرعَرُ

And the cavalry never rested, charging

At the leopards until overwhelmed with men

وَقَد صارَتِ الأَسرى لِمَن يَصطَلي الوَغى

فَخابَت مِنَ الأَسرى حُبَينٌ وَيَعمَرُ

The captives now belong to whoever survives the fray

Among them Hubain and Ya'mar were disappointed

وَسارَت عَدِيٌّ لِلجِوارِ فَأَجزَرَت

وَغَيرُ عَدِيٍّ في المَواطِنِ أَصبَرُ

And the Adi went to help their neighbors and were successful

While others in their stead were more patient

وَغَنَّمَ عَتّابَ اِبنَ سَعدٍ سِواهُمُ

وَشَمَّصَ بَهراءَ الوَشيجُ المُمَكَّرُ

And Attab son of Sa'd plundered their possessions

As Bahra the sly and scheming took control

وَحَلَّت هِلالٌ بَينَ حَرثٍ وَقَريَةٍ

تَروحُ عَلَيها بِالعَشِيِّ المُعَصفَرُ

The crescent shone between ruins and villages

Sweeping over them in the dusky twilight

أَلا إِنَّ شَرَّ الناسِ حَيثُ لَقيتَهُم

أَراهيطُ بِالثَرثارِ حَضرى وَوُفَّرُ

Lo! The worst of men wherever you meet them

Are the wanton and reckless, the rabble and riffraff

وَعَمروُ بنُ بَكرٍ لَم تُكَشَّف سُتورُها

وَحَرَّرتُ عَبدَ اللَهِ فيمَن يُحَرَّرُ

And Amr son of Bakr, his secrets were not unveiled

As I listed Abdallah among those to be ransomed