وَدِّع هُرَيرَةَ إِنَّ الرَكبَ مُرتَحِلُ

وَهَل تُطيقُ وَداعاً أَيُّها الرَجُلُ

Bid Huraira farewell, the caravan is departing

Can you, O man, bear to say farewell?

غَرّاءُ فَرعاءُ مَصقولٌ عَوارِضُها

تَمشي الهُوَينا كَما يَمشي الوَجي الوَحِلُ

A smooth-flanked, nimble she-camel, polished are her limbs

She walks like an ostrich walking through mud

كَأَنَّ مِشيَتَها مِن بَيتِ جارَتِها

مَرُّ السَحابَةِ لا رَيثٌ وَلا عَجَلُ

As if her gait were from her neighbor's house

Passing of a cloud, neither slow nor hasty

تَسمَعُ لِلحَليِ وَسواساً إِذا اِنصَرَفَت

كَما اِستَعانَ بِريحٍ عِشرِقٌ زَجِلُ

You can hear the tinkling of her ornament when she turns

As the whizzing sound made by an ear-pierced Arab youth

لَيسَت كَمَن يَكرَهُ الجيرانُ طَلعَتَها

وَلا تَراها لِسِرِّ الجارِ تَختَتِلُ

She is not one who the neighbors dislike her appearance

Nor do they see her spying on the neighbor

يَكادُ يَصرَعُها لَولا تَشَدُّدُها

إِذا تَقومُ إِلى جاراتِها الكَسَلُ

Exhaustion nearly makes her collapse were it not for her perseverance

When she rises to walk with her lazy companions

إِذا تُعالِجُ قِرناً ساعَةً فَتَرَت

وَاِهتَزَّ مِنها ذَنوبُ المَتنِ وَالكَفَلُ

When she contends with a rival for a moment, she rests

And the tails and humps on her back sway

مِلءُ الوِشاحِ وَصِفرُ الدَرعِ بَهكَنَةٌ

إِذا تَأَتّى يَكادُ الخَصرُ يَنخَزِلُ

The full saddle blanket and yellow coat are adornments

When she comes, her waist seems to bend

صَدَّت هُرَيرَةُ عَنّا ما تُكَلِّمُنا

جَهلاً بِأُمِّ خُلَيدٍ حَبلَ مَن تَصِلُ

Huraira turned away from us, not speaking to us

Ignorant of Umm Khulaid who she is intimate with

أَأَن رَأَت رَجُلاً أَعشى أَضَرَّ بِهِ

رَيبُ المَنونِ وَدَهرٌ مُفنِدٌ خَبِلُ

Did she see a blind man whom the specter of death addled

And time made him senile and confused?

نِعمَ الضَجيعُ غَداةَ الدَجنِ يَصرَعَها

لِلَّذَةِ المَرءِ لا جافٍ وَلا تَفِلُ

A fine bedmate in the morning after spending the night

For the pleasure of a man, neither dry nor sated

هِركَولَةٌ فُنُقٌ دُرمٌ مَرافِقُها

كَأَنَّ أَخمَصَها بِالشَوكِ مُنتَعِلُ

A lanky, long-necked camel, her companions

As if her hooves are shod with thorns

إِذا تَقومُ يَضوعُ المِسكُ أَصوِرَةً

وَالزَنبَقُ الوَردُ مِن أَردانِها شَمِلُ

When she stands, musk diffuses from her breast

And the flowers' perfume from her chest wraps around

ما رَوضَةٌ مِن رِياضِ الحَزنِ مُعشَبَةٌ

خَضراءُ جادَ عَلَيها مُسبِلٌ هَطِلُ

No garden among the gardens of sorrow is grassed

Green, with a pouring rain upon it gushing

يُضاحِكُ الشَمسَ مِنها كَوكَبٌ شَرِقٌ

مُؤَزَّرٌ بِعَميمِ النَبتِ مُكتَهِلُ

The sun smiles upon it like a rising star

Girded with the robes of vegetation, laden

يَوماً بِأَطيَبَ مِنها نَشرَ رائِحَةٍ

وَلا بِأَحسَنَ مِنها إِذ دَنا الأُصُلُ

Never a day that was sweeter than it spreading fragrance

Nor more beautiful than when its origin drew near

عُلَّقتُها عَرَضاً وَعُلَّقَت رَجُلاً

غَيري وَعُلَّقَ أُخرى غَيرَها الرَجُلُ

I admired her figure and another admired her legs

And another admired a different woman's legs

وَعَلَّقَتهُ فَتاةٌ ما يُحاوِلُها

مِن أَهلِها مَيِّتٌ يَهذي بِها وَهِلُ

And a girl admired him who did not attempt to seduce her

Of his family, though one infatuated with her wanders confused

وَعُلِّقَتني أُخَيرى ما تُلائِمُني

فَاِجتَمَعَ الحُبَّ حُبّاً كُلُّهُ تَبِلُ

And another admired me who does not suit me

So love gathered, all of it matured

فَكُلُّنا مُغرَمٌ يَهذي بِصاحِبِهِ

ناءٍ وَدانٍ وَمَحبولٌ وَمُحتَبِلُ

Each of us lovesick, infatuated with his companion

Yearning, brought near, fettered, and fettering

قالَت هُرَيرَةُ لَمّا جِئتُ زائِرَها

وَيلي عَلَيكَ وَوَيلي مِنكَ يا رَجُلُ

Huraira said, when I came visiting her:

Woe to you from me, O man!

يا مَن يَرى عارِضاً قَد بِتُّ أَرقُبُهُ

كَأَنَّما البَرقُ في حافاتِهِ الشُعَلُ

O you who see a cheek whose lightning on its edges

Is like lightning in its edges flashing

لَهُ رِدافٌ وَجَوزٌ مُفأَمٌ عَمِلٌ

مُنَطَّقٌ بِسِجالِ الماءِ مُتَّصِلُ

It has a back, neck, and curly hair, a creation

Girded with necklaces of water, joined

لَم يُلهِني اللَهوُ عَنهُ حينَ أَرقُبُهُ

وَلا اللَذاذَةُ مِن كَأسٍ وَلا الكَسَلُ

Revelry did not distract me from it when I saw its nape

Nor did pleasures of a cup, or laziness

فَقُلتُ لِلشَربِ في دُرنى وَقَد ثَمِلوا

شيموا وَكَيفَ يَشيمُ الشارِبُ الثَمِلُ

So I said to those drinking until drunk in a circle:

Be dignified! How can the sated be dignified?

بَرقاً يُضيءُ عَلى أَجزاعِ مَسقِطِهِ

وَبِالخَبِيَّةِ مِنهُ عارِضٌ هَطِلُ

Lightning illuminating the trunks of its cloudburst

And the ruinous rain from it pouring

قالوا نِمارٌ فَبَطنُ الخالِ جادَهُما

فَالعَسجَدِيَّةُ فَالأَبلاءُ فَالرِجَلُ

They said, "Sprinkling," so its collected clouds poured on them

Al-Asjadiyya, then Al-Abla, then the leg

فَالسَفحُ يَجري فَخِنزيرٌ فَبُرقَتُهُ

حَتّى تَدافَعَ مِنهُ الرَبوُ فَالجَبَلُ

Then the torrent flowing, then a creek, then its downpour

Until the highlands and mountains repelled it

حَتّى تَحَمَّلَ مِنهُ الماءَ تَكلِفَةً

رَوضُ القَطا فَكَثيبُ الغَينَةِ السَهِلُ

Until Ma'qil took from it a burden of water

The meadow of wild cats and the easy slope of Ghaniyya

يَسقي دِياراً لَها قَد أَصبَحَت عُزُباً

زوراً تَجانَفَ عَنها القَودُ وَالرَسَلُ

Watering dwellings that had become desolate

A land whose fires and messengers had departed from it

وَبَلدَةً مِثلِ ظَهرِ التُرسِ موحِشَةٍ

لِلجِنِّ بِاللَيلِ في حافاتِها زَجَلُ

And a town like the back of a shield, desolate

Where jinn wail on its outskirts at night

لا يَتَنَمّى لَها بِالقَيظِ يَركَبُها

إِلّا الَّذينَ لَهُم فيما أَتَوا مَهَلُ

None who ascend it in the heat except those who are safe

I passed by it with swift, sturdy she-camels

جاوَزتُها بِطَليحٍ جَسرَةٍ سُرُحٍ

في مِرفَقَيها إِذا اِستَعرَضتَها فَتَلُ

On whose sides, when she displays them, are hollows

"Either you see us barefoot, we have no sandals

إِمّا تَرَينا حُفاةً لا نِعالَ لَنا

إِنّا كَذَلِكَ ما نَحفى وَنَنتَعِلُ

We are just like that, we do not guard or wear sandals"

I gained access to the house's lord in his unawareness

فَقَد أُخالِسُ رَبَّ البَيتِ غَفلَتَهُ

وَقَد يُحاذِرُ مِنّي ثُمَّ ما يَئلُ

And he may be wary of me then show no concern

And I may lead the boys one day and they follow me

وَقَد أَقودُ الصَبى يَوماً فَيَتبَعُني

وَقَد يُصاحِبُني ذو الشِرَّةِ الغَزِلُ

And the slender youth may accompany me, flexing

And I went early to the shop, the crippled following me

وَقَد غَدَوتُ إِلى الحانوتِ يَتبَعُني

شاوٍ مِشَلٌّ شَلولٌ شُلشُلٌ شَوِلُ

Swaying, limping, hobbling, deformed

Amongst youths like Indian swords, well aware

في فِتيَةٍ كَسُيوفِ الهِندِ قَد عَلِموا

أَن لَيسَ يَدفَعُ عَن ذي الحيلَةِ الحِيَلُ

That ruses do not ward off one of cunning and schemes

I competed with them over cannabis reeds, reclining

نازَعتُهُم قُضُبَ الرَيحانِ مُتَّكِئاً

وَقَهوَةً مُزَّةٌ راوُوقُها خَضِلُ

And coffee bringing sleep, its cups green

They do not awake from it while it is a wager

لا يَستَفيقونَ مِنها وَهيَ راهَنَةٌ

إِلّا بِهاتِ وَإِن عَلَّوا وَإِن نَهِلوا

Except by screaming, though they went high and got drunk

With it the jar-bearer runs, his robes gathered

يَسعى بِها ذو زُجاجاتٍ لَهُ نُطَفٌ

مُقَلِّصٌ أَسفَلَ السِربالِ مُعتَمِلُ

Hemmed at the lower garment, filled

And the responsive one's leggings sound when he walks

وَمُستَجيبٍ تَخالُ الصَنجَ يَسمَعُهُ

إِذا تُرَجِّعُ فيهِ القَينَةُ الفُضُلُ

When the ankle rattles the coins' clinking

From all that is a day I sported on it

مِن كُلِّ ذَلِكَ يَومٌ قَد لَهَوتُ بِهِ

وَفي التَجارِبِ طولُ اللَهوِ وَالغَزَلُ

And in experiences, the length of play and amusements

And those trailing the trains of their robes, lurking

وَالساحِباتُ ذُيولَ الخَزِّ آوِنَةً

وَالرافِلاتُ عَلى أَعجازِها العِجَلُ

And those with thick ankles above their heels

Inform Yazid ibn Shayban, fully informed:

أَبلِغ يَزيدَ بَني شَيبانَ مَألُكَةً

أَبا ثُبيتٍ أَما تَنفَكُّ تَأتَكِلُ

Abu Thubayt, do you not cease nibbling at our hills?

Are you not done gouging our milestones?

أَلَستَ مُنتَهِياً عَن نَحتِ أَثلَتِنا

وَلَستَ ضائِرَها ما أَطَّتِ الإِبِلُ

You are not harming them however far the camels range

You seduce against us the party of Mas'ud and his brothers

تُغري بِنا رَهطَ مَسعودٍ وَإِخوَتِهِ

عِندَ اللِقاءِ فَتُردي ثُمَّ تَعتَزِلُ

When we meet, then you chase them away and withdraw

I will recognize you if the forces come against us

لَأَعرِفَنَّكَ إِن جَدَّ النَفيرُ بِنا

وَشُبَّتِ الحَربُ بِالطُوّافِ وَاِحتَمَلوا

And war grows hot from circling them while they assault

Like the butt of a boulder, one day to split it

كَناطِحٍ صَخرَةً يَوماً لِيَفلِقَها

فَلَم يَضِرها وَأَوهى قَرنَهُ الوَعِلُ

But it did no damage while its horn weakened

I will recognize you if our enmity grows serious

لَأَعرِفَنَّكَ إِن جَدَّت عَداوَتُنا

وَاِلتُمِسَ النَصرُ مِنكُم عوضُ تُحتَمَلُ

And victory is sought from you, endured as recompense

It fixes the spears of resolute men on our sycamores

تُلزِمُ أَرماحَ ذي الجَدَّينِ سَورَتَنا

عِندَ اللِقاءِ فَتُرديهِم وَتَعتَزِلُ

When we meet, so you chase them away and withdraw

Do not sit while you have consumed it as firewood

لا تَقعُدَنَّ وَقَد أَكَّلتَها حَطَباً

تَعوذُ مِن شَرِّها يَوماً وَتَبتَهِلُ

Seeking refuge from its evil one day and praying

There were among the People of the Cave, if they had sat

قَد كانَ في أَهلِ كَهفٍ إِن هُمُ قَعَدوا

وَالجاشِرِيَّةِ مَن يَسعى وَيَنتَضِلُ

And the Decisive Battalion, some who strove and toiled

Ask the Bani Asad about us, for they know

سائِل بَني أَسَدٍ عَنّا فَقَد عَلِموا

أَن سَوفَ يَأتيكَ مِن أَنبائِنا شَكَلُ

That the form of our news will reach you

And ask Qushayr and Abdillah, all of them

وَاِسأَل قُشَيراً وَعَبدَ اللَهِ كُلُّهُمُ

وَاِسأَل رَبيعَةَ عَنّا كَيفَ نَفتَعِلُ

And ask Rabee'a about us, how we act

We fight them, then we kill them

إِنّا نُقاتِلُهُم ثُمَّتَ نَقتُلُهُم

عِندَ اللِقاءِ وَهُم جاروا وَهُم جَهِلوا

When we meet, while they were neighbors and ignoramuses

Nay! You claimed that we do not fight you

كَلّا زَعَمتُم بِأَنّا لا نُقاتِلُكُم

إِنّا لِأَمثالِكُم يا قَومَنا قُتُلُ

We only fight the likes of you, O our people, the slain!

Until the leader of the people reclines

حَتّى يَظَلَّ عَميدُ القَومِ مُتَّكِئاً

يَدفَعُ بِالراحِ عَنهُ نِسوَةٌ عُجُلُ

While the women drive away flies with palm branches

An Indian struck him and aimed straight

أَصابَهُ هِندُوانِيٌّ فَأَقصَدَهُ

أَو ذابِلٌ مِن رِماحِ الخَطِّ مُعتَدِلُ

Or a wavering spear cast from the battle line

We stab the camels in the hidden places of their saddlebags

قَد نَطعَنُ العيرَ في مَكنونِ فائِلِهِ

وَقَد يَشيطُ عَلى أَرماحِنا البَطَلُ

And the hero is whipped by our spears

Will you desist? None deters the transgressors

هَل تَنتَهونَ وَلا يَنهى ذَوي شَطَطٍ

كَالطَعنِ يَذهَبُ فيهِ الزَيتُ وَالفُتُلُ

Like stabbing in which oil and blood flow

By the life of Him who destiny traced its passions

إِنّي لَعَمرُ الَّذي خَطَّت مَناسِمُها

لَهُ وَسيقَ إِلَيهِ الباقِرُ الغُيُلُ

To Him the pouring rain returned

If you kill a leader who was not preventing

لَئِن قَتَلتُم عَميداً لَم يَكُن صَدَداً

لَنَقتُلَن مِثلَهُ مِنكُم فَنَمتَثِلُ

We will kill the like of him from you and reciprocate

If you deprive us of the thick of battle

لَئِن مُنيتَ بِنا عَن غِبِّ مَعرَكَةٍ

لَم تُلفِنا مِن دِماءِ القَومِ نَنتَفِلُ

You will not find us drinking the blood of people and delighting

We are the horsemen on the day of calamity, overflowing

نَحنُ الفَوارِسُ يَومَ الحِنوِ ضاحِيَةً

جَنبي فُطَيمَةَ لا ميلٌ وَلا عُزُلُ

Set Futi'ma aside, neither inclination nor separation

They said, "Ride!" And we said that is our custom

قالوا الرُكوبَ فَقُلنا تِلكَ عادَتُنا

أَو تَنزِلونَ فَإِنّا مَعشَرٌ نُزُلُ

Or will you dismount? We are a people who dismount