ثَنى عِطْفَهُ للْبارِقِ المتأجّجِ

كَما عَلِقَتْ نارٌ بأطْرافِ عَرْفَجِ

He bent his arm towards the flashing lightning

As a fire clung to the edges of the horizon

وقد صَغَتِ الجَوْزاءُ والفَجْرُ ساطِعٌ

كَما لمَعَتْ رَيّا إليَّ بدُمْلُجِ

And the dawn shone brightly

As she smiled at me with flushed cheeks

فبِتّ أراعيهِ على حدِّ مِرْفَقٍ

بطَرْفٍ مَتى يَطْمَحْ بهِ الشّوْقُ أنْشِجِ

I stayed up watching him at the edge of my elbow

With a gaze that longed to glance at him

وكادَتْ عَذارى الحَيِّ يَقْبِسْنَ نارَهُ

إذا ما تلَوَّتْ في السّنا المُتَوهِّجِ

And the chaste girls of the tribe almost caught his fire

When it blazed among the glowing embers

وشَوقي حَليمٌ غَيْرَ أنّ صَبابَةً

تُسَفِّهُ حِلْمَ الوامِقِ المُتَحرِّجِ

And my passion is gentle, if not for the recklessness

That makes the rational lose composure

إذا ما سَرى بَرْقٌ وقد هَبّتِ الصَّبا

كَلِفْتُ بذِكْرى أكْحَلِ العَيْنِ أدْعَجِ

When lightning flashed as the breeze blew

I was burdened with memories of the black-eyed one

ففي وَمَضانِ البَرْقِ منهُ ابتِسامةٌ

وللريحِ رَيّا نَشْرِهِ المتأرِّجِ

In the flashes of lightning, her smile

And for the wind, the scent of her flowing hair

لَبَيْتٌ بأعلى تَلْعَةٍ في ظِلالِهِ

مَلاعِبُ خَفّاقٍ من الرّيحِ سَجْسَجِ

There is a house on top of a hill in its shade

Playful curtains fluttering in the breeze

تَشُدُّ النِّزاريّاتُ أطْنابَهُ العُلا

بأرْضٍ يَلوذُ الطّيْرُ فيها بعَوْسَجِ

The doves tie its lofty pillars

To a land where birds take refuge

ويَمْشينَ رَهْواً مِشْيَةً قُرَشيّةً

تَنوءُ بكُثْبانِ النّقا المُتَرَجْرِجِ

And they walk slowly, gracefully

Swaying with the undulating sand dunes

وتُشْرِقُ بالوَرْدِ الخُدودُ نَواضِراً

إذا ابْتَسَمَتْ عن أقْحُوانٍ مُفَلَّجِ

And the cheeks shine radiantly

When she smiles with parted lips

ونَغْمَةُ راعي الذّوْدِ يُزْجي إفالَهُ

بدِعْصٍ يُهاديهِ ندىً اللّيلِ أثْبَجِ

And the melody of the shepherd revives his camels

With a stick guiding them, moist with the night's dew

وغارَتُنا والصُّبْحُ حَطّ لِثامَهُ

على كُلِّ مَوّارِ المِلاطَيْنِ أهْوَجِ

Our cave and the dawn dropped its veil

On every summit of the two plateaus

أحَبُّ إلَيْنا مِنْ قُوَيْقٍ وضَجْعَةٍ

على زَهَرٍ يسْتَوقِفُ العَيْنَ مُبهِجِ

Dearer to us than rest and sleep

On flowers that delight the gazing eyes

فللّهِ مَرْأىً بالعَقيقِ ومَسْمَعٌ

عشيّةَ مرّتْ بالحِمى أُخْتُ مُدْلِجِ

By God, the views of the red valley and a voice

One evening as she passed by the sanctuary

يَحُفُّ بها مِنْ فَرِْ خِنْدِفَ غِلْمَةٌ

كِنانيّةٌ تَنْحو خَمائِلَ مَنْعِجِ

Surrounded by the young and virtuous

Heading to the perfect, towering camels

أمالوا العَوالي بينَ آذانِ قُرَّحٍ

تردَّدْنَ في آلِ الضُّبَيْبِ وأعْوَجِ

They leaned between the ears of white-footed camels

Echoing among the houses of Dubayb and Auja

فلمْ أرَ أُسْداً قَبْلَهُمْ تَحْتَ أدْرُعٍ

ولا رشأً مِنْ قَبْلِها وَسْطَ هَوْدَجِ

Never before have I seen lions under armor

Nor a doe amidst the turbulence

تجلّتْ لنا كالشّمْسِ يَكْنُفُ خِدْرَها

بُدورٌ تَوارَتْ مِنْ حُدوجٍ بأبْرُجِ

She appeared to us like the sun, its orb guarded

By revolving towers concealed by barricades

فما اكْتحَلَتْ عَيْني وللبَيْنِ رَوْعَةٌ

بأحْسَنَ منْ يَومِ الوَداعِ وأسمَجِ

My eyes have never been lined while we are apart

Better than the day of farewell, however solemn

وهاجَتْ تَباريحُ الصّبابةِ والهَوى

بَلابِلَ منْ صَدْرٍ على الوَجْدِ مُشْرَجِ

And the recklessness of youth and passion raged

Sparks erupting from a fervent heart

كأنّ فُؤادي بينَ أحْشاءِ مُجْرِمٍ

دَعاهُ الفَتى الجوثيُّ يَخشى ويَرْتجي

As if my heart is amidst the intestines of a villain

Called by the brave warrior, fearing and trembling

يُلِمُّ بمَغْشيِّ الرّواقَيْنِ ماجِدٍ

يُساجِلُ أنواءَ الرّبيعِ المُثَجّجِ

He competes with the seasons of spring

Clashing with its raging winds

ويَنْسِبُهُ آلُ المُسَيّبِ في الذُّرا

إِلى كُلِّ مَشْبوحِ الذِّراعَيْنِ أبْلَجِ

And the people of Musayyab trace his lineage

To every honorable and glorious forefather

وتُعْرَفُ فيهِ من وُهَيْبٍ وجَعْفرٍ

شَمائِلُ مَنْ يَفْخَرْ بِها لا يُلَجْلِجِ

In him, the traits of Wuhayb and Ja'far are known

Characteristics to be proud of, undoubtedly

سَماحٌ إذا ألْقى الشّتاءُ جِرانَهُ

وهبّتْ لكَ النّكْباءُ مِنْ كُلِّ منْأَجِ

Magnanimity when winter hurls its spears

And misfortune strikes you from every side

وطَعْنٌ يُجِرُّ القِرْنَ عاليَةَ القنا

ويَخْطِرُ منهُ في الرِّداءِ المُضَرَّجِ

A piercing stab that drags the lofty spear

As it flickers through the blood-stained garment

وتيهٌ عُقَيْليٌّ كأنّ دِلاصَهُ

يُزَرُّ على ذي لِبْدَتَيْنِ مُهَيّجٍ

A determined search as if his glancing

Incites one with smooth cheeks

عليكَ بَهاءَ الدّلَتَيْنِ تعطّفَتْ

هَوازِنُ في جُرْثومِها المتوَشِّجِ

You deserve the charm of the two cheeks that have inclined

The noble Hawazin in their swirling fray

تَخوضُ الوَغى والقَوْمُ ما بينَ مُلْجِمٍ

أتاهُ الصّريخُ العامريُّ ومُسْرِجِ

They charge into battle while the people waver between

Being called by Al-Amri and startled by Al-Musrij

إذا اعْتَقَلَ القَيْسيُّ رُمْحاً تكسّرَتْ

أعالِيهِ في صَدْرِ الكَميِّ المُدجَّجِ

When the Qaysi grabs a spear, its sharp edge shatters

Against the chest of Al-Kami in shining armor

فكَمْ لكَ منْ يَومٍ أغَرَّ مُحَجَّلٍ

وقَتْلى علَيها الأنْسُرُ الفُتْخُ تَنْتَجي

Oh how many glorious days of clashing

And slain foes strewn by the victorious blades

تَرَكْتُمْ لَدى النّشّاشِ منْ سِرِّ وائِلٍ

جُثاً حَنَفيّاتٍ بِكلِّ مُعرَّجِ

You left the corpses of the Bani Wail

Sprinkled at Al-Nashash, in every valley

وبالحَفَرِ القَبْرُ القَنانيُّ داثِرٌ

بهِ هامَةٌ لمْ يَسْقِها آلُ مَذْحِجِ

And the pitted Qanani grave lies ruined

With wind that did not blow on the Mudhij dwellings

وكُلُّ غُلامٍ عامريٍّ إذا سَما

إِلى القِرْنِ لمْ يحْفِلْ صِياحَ المُهَجْهِجِ

And every young and valiant tribesman, when resolved

Does not heed the screams of Al-Muhajjahj

تُرشّحُ للهَيْجاءِ نَفْساً شَريسةً

متى تُلْقِحِ الحَرْبَ العَقيمَةَ تُنتِجِ

You ignite a ferocious soul for battle

Whenever you provoke the barren war, it bears fruit

ولو كُنتَ يومَ الجَوْنِ بالشِّعْبِ لمْ يَسُدْ

شُرَيْحٌ ولم يُذْكَرْ غَناءٌ لحُنْدُجِ

Had you been with us at the Jun battle, Shurayh

Would not have blocked, nor would the songs of Hunduj

فسدَّ بِكَ الحيُّ العَباديُّ في العُلا

مَكانَ الخَفاجيِّ الأغَرِّ المُتَوَّجِ

You sealed the Abadi route at the heights

Instead of Al-Khafaji, the short man with the turban

ونِيطَ بكَ الآمالُ لا زالَ يَنتَهي

إليكَ بآمالِ الوَرى كُلّ مَنهَجِ

And hopes always lead to you

Every path comes to you with people's hopes

وجاءَكَ بي نِضْوٌ كأنّيَ فوقَهُ

مُهيبٌ بصَفّاقِ الجَناحَيْنِ أخْرَجِ

And Nidwa brought me to you, as if above it

A terrifying creature with flapping wings

ولَولاكَ لمْ أخْبِطْ دُجَى الليْلِ والفَلا

بسَيْرٍ يُلَوّي منْ طُلَى الرّكْبِ مُزْعِجِ

And were it not for you, I would not wander

The darkness and desolation with a journey that pains

وعندكَ قَوْمٌ يُلْقِحونَ ضَغائِناً

فألْحِقْ مُتِمَّ الحامِلاتِ بمُخْدِجِ

And you have people who incite our disdain

So inflict the pregnant she-camels with Mukhdrij

فَذو العُرِّ يُكْوَى حينَ يُعْضِلُ داؤُهُ

وكلُّ أخي حَزْمٍ متى يَكْوِ يُنْضِجِ

The one with mange is cauterized when his affliction persists

And every resolute brother, when ripe, bears fruit