إِنَّ بِالشّعبِ الذي دونَ سلعٍ

لَقتيلاً دَمُه ما يُطَلُّ

For a people who have no goods to sell

Their blood spilled is never made well

خَلَّفَ العِبءَ علَيَّ وَوَلّى

أَنَا بِالعِبءِ له مُستَقِلُّ

He left the burden upon me and fled

I with the burden for him was steadfast instead

وَوَراءَ الثَّأرِ منّي ابنُ أُختٍ

مَصِعٌ عُقدَتُهُ ما تُحَلُّ

And behind vengeance from me a nephew

His knotted belt never comes undone

مُطرِقٌ يَرشُح مَوتاً كَما

أطرَقَ أَفعى يَنفُثُ السمَّ صِلُّ

Bowed stagnant dealing out death like

A coiled viper spewing venom none

خَبَرٌ ما نابَنا مصمَئِلٌّ

جَلَّ حَتّى دَقَّ فِيه الأَجَلُّ

News that has not failed us fateful

Till in it the end did pull

بَزَّنِي الدَّهرُ وكانَ غَشُوماً

بِأبِيٍّ جَارُهُ ما يُذَلُّ

Time tried me and was unjust

With a neighbor whose rope is never pulled

شَامِسٌ في القُرِّ حتّى إِذا ما

ذَكَتِ الشِّعرى فَبَردٌ وظِلُّ

Thirsty in the grave until when

The fire was lit, so cold and shade

يَابِسَ الجَنبَينِ من غَيرِ بُؤس

وَنَدِيُّ الكَفَّينِ شَهمٌ مُدِلُّ

With ribs spared no misery

And palms generous, valiant and great

ظَاعِنٌ بالحَزمِ حَتّى إِذا ما

حَلَّ حَلَّ الحَزمُ حَيث يَحُلُّ

Decisive in resolve until when

Resolve weakens where it always will

غَيثُ مُزنٍ غامِرٌ حيثُ يُجدِي

وَإِذا يَسطُو فَلَيثٌ أَبَلُّ

A pouring Ghayth rain doing good where found

And when virtues flow a glorious flood

مُسبِلٌ في الحَيِّ أَحوى رِفَلٌّ

وإِذا يَعدُو فَسِمعٌ أَزَلُّ

Generous among the living the best garb

And when running the swiftest steed

وَلَهُ طَعمانِ أَريٌ وَشَريٌ

وَكِلا الطَّعمَينِ قَد ذاقَ كُلُّ

Who has two flavors sweet and bitter

And both flavors has fully tasted

يَركَبُ الهَولَ وَحِيداً وَلا

يَصحَبُهُ إِلّا اليَمانِي الأَفَلُّ

Rides horror alone with no other rider

Except the left-handed lowest man

وَفُتُوٍّ هَجَّروُا ثُمَّ أَسرُوا

لَيلَهم حتّى إِذا انجابَ حَلُّوا

Secluded they became angry then bonded

Their night until the darkness lifted they enjoyed

كُلُّ ماضٍ قَد تَرَدَّى بماضٍ

كَسَنا البَرقِ إِذا ما يُسَلُّ

Everything past with something past is gone

Like the lightning's glow when it is cast

فاحتَسَوا أَنفاسَ نَومٍ فَلَمَّا

ثَمِلُوا رُعتُهُم فَاشمَعَلُّوا

So they took breath's rest but when

Sated their slumber, they lit unrest

فَادَّرَكنا الثَّأرَ مِنهُم وَلَمَّا

يَنجُ مِلحَيَّينِ إِلّا الأَقَلُّ

We took vengeance on them and when

Of the two no survivors were left

فَلَئِن فَلَّت هُذَيلٌ شَبَاهُ

لَبِما كانَ هُذَيلاً يَفُلُّ

If Hudhayl slipped in what likened them

It was for what Hudhayl was ruined

وَبِما أَبركَهُم في مُناخٍ

جَعجَعٍ يَنقُبُ فِيه الأَظَلُّ

And for what blessed them in an enclosure

Clamoring wherein predators prowl

وَبِما صَبَّحَها في ذُراها

مِنهُ بَعد القَتلِ نَهلٌ وَشَلُّ

And for what it woke among their homes

After the killing, loss and fools

صَلِيَت مِنّى هُذَيلٌ بِخِرقٍ

لا يَمَلُّ الشَّرَّ حَتّى يَمَلُّوا

Hudhayl prayed against me ceaselessly

Doing harm until they are harmed

يُنهِلُ الصَّعدَة حتّى إِذا مَا

نَهِلَت كانَ لَها مِنهُ عَلُّ

It drinks destruction until when

Destruction drinks it is filled

تَضحَكُ الضَّبعُ لِقَتلى هُذَيلٍ

وَتَرى الذِّئبَ لَها يَستَهِلُّ

The hyena laughs at Hudhayl's dead

And the wolf for it yawns sleepily

وَعِتَاقُ الطَّيرِ تَهفُو بِطَاناً

تَتَخَطّاهُمُ فَما تَستَقِلُّ

Birds of prey shriek circling over

Swooping down on them but do not settle

حَلَّتِ الخَمرُ وكانَت حَرَاماً

وَبِلأيٍ ما أَلَمَّت تَحِلُّ

Wine is forbidden but why

When unlawful does it still excite

فاسقِنيها يا سَوادَ بنَ عَمرو

إِنَّ جِسمي بَعدَ خالِي لَخَلُّ

So serve it to me O Swad bin Amr

For my body without it is destitute

رائحٌ بالمجدِ غادٍ عليهِ

من ثيابِ الحَمدِ ثَوبٌ رِفَلٌّ

Diffusing glory wherever he goes

In robes of praise a splendid suit

أَفتَحُ الراحة بالجُودِ جُوداً

عاشَ في جَدوى يَدَيِهِ المُقِلُّ

Bestowing comfort freely generous

One who in his open hands is humble thrives