Sol 6.1

  1. Al-Thurayya stands desolate of Fatimah's folk,

    and Majra al-Sahb, and al-Rijal al-Biraq.

  2. So her destination is now far removed from it;

    marrow-fat young she-camels wear out before reaching her.

  3. And when she would make mutual delousing her excuse,

    she would offer something cool and sweet to taste.

  4. She wore a necklace of pearl strands,

    adorning her face along the course of al-ʿIqāq [unclear reference].

  5. Cares kept me from visiting you,

    driving me far from you—so when shall we meet?

  6. Come, who will carry a message to Qays?

    So how did you find the taste of discord?

  7. We seized women from among you openly,

    with no dowry reckoned and no bridal payment.

  8. Our steeds keep racing onward all day,

    with an even-paced trot and a stretching gallop.

  9. And if al-Samʿa's star is ill-omened,

    under which she was born, and under the moon in darkness,

  10. then the folly of Banu Sulaym has revived

    buried evil and the old grudges that remain.

  11. We filled al-Tharthar's bank with them,

    and outfitted Umaymah for departure.

  12. We struck them in bitter strife until

    we drove them down to Hadath al-Riqaq.

  13. And Ibn al-Hubab met our blazing fury,

    leaving him no need of any woman diviner or spell-healer.

  14. So his head lay in the lands of ʿAkk,

    and the rest of his body at Jaba Buraq.

  15. The foxes of al-Hashshak visit his remains,

    foul-smelling, with flesh-stripped bones exposed.

  16. And if the days do not run out, we shall give

    Jamilah the same before we part,

  17. in a land where they know al-Shamaradha;

    we fight them with spears, with noble young men,

  18. and graybeards who hasten to the caller,

    with death's cup, when exchanging draughts is loathed.

  19. And a fine brother in battle he is when encountered,

    when souls leap to the collarbones.

  20. Their women seek refuge with Dukhan's two sons;

    but for that, they would have returned with the traveling parties.

  21. So do not give yourselves over to hopes of peace,

    for war has lifted her girdle high.

  22. Only a moment—a 'yes' and a 'no'—until you see her

    with her skirts tucked up above foot and shin.

  23. So do not weep over your hopes in Banu Tamim,

    for there is no meeting between you and them.

  24. And as for the two stinking ones, Dukhan's two sons,

    they have been picked clean like flesh-stripped bones.

  25. They reeked as they defended Qays's honor,

    but no protector saved the two slaves' noses.

  26. And whoever encounters predators and goads them

    shall meet death by slender white swords.

Sol 6.1