وَحيٍّ مِن بَني جُشَمِ بْنِ بَكرٍ

يُزيرونَ القَنا ثُغَرَ الأَعادي

A vision from the sons of Jusham son of Bakr

They watch over Qina, the threshold of enemies

إِذا نَزلوا الحِمَى مِن أَرض نجدٍ

كَفَوهُ تَرَقُّبَ الدِّيَمِ الغَوادي

When they descend to protect Himyar from the land of Najd

Its anticipation suffices to guard the permanent dwellings

أَعاريبٌ إِذا غَضِبوا تَروَّتْ

دَماً سَرِباً أَنابيبُ الصِّعادِ

Arabs, when they get angry, blood pours

Coppiously from the veins of warriors

لَهم أَيدٍ تَشُدُّ عُرا عُلاهُم

بِأَطرافِ المُهَنَّدَةِ الحِدادِ

They have hands that tighten the reins of their steeds

With the edges of decorated iron

وأَعناقٌ بِها صَيَدٌ قَديمٌ

تُواري العِزَّ بِاللَّمَمِ الجِعادِ

And necks on which is an old hunt

Hiding glory with excellent mounts

وَلَو جاوَرتهم لَنُشِغْتَ كِبراً

يُخَيِّمُ بَينَ جيدِكَ وَالنِّجادِ

And if you lived next to them you would be burdened

Brooding between your neck and achievement

إِذا ما جَفَّ ظَهرُ الأَرضِ مَحلاً

فَهُم أَندى البَريَّةِ بَطنَ وادِ

When the back of the earth dries up

They are the most verdant of the lands, valley and plateau

وَفيهم كُلُّ واضِحَةِ المُحَيّا

كأَنَّ وِشاحَها قَلِقاً وِسادي

And among them are all distinctly beautiful

As if their face veil is restless and a pillow

وَلَولا عَتبُها اِنتَعَلَتْ نَجيعاً

إِلى حَضَنٍ حوافرُ مِن جيادي

And were it not for her criticism, she would have ridden

To the lap whose hooves are from thoroughbred horses

نأتْ فكأَنَّ أَجفاني طَوَتها

تباريحُ الهمومِ على قَتادِ

She came so it seemed my eyelids scolded me

The passages of worries upon the crown

وَبَينَ عُقودِها وَالقُرطِ بُعدٌ

حكى ما بَينَهُنَّ مِنَ البِعادِ

And between her necklaces and earrings is a distance

That describes what is between them of separation

أَغصُّ العَينَ بالعَبَراتِ وَجداً

لأَنّي بِالهَوى شَرِقُ الفؤادِ

I choke my eyes with tears of passion

For I am lovesick and brokenhearted