أَلا يا لَهفِ لَو شَدَّت قَناتي

قَبائِلُ عامِرٍ يَومَ الصَبيبِ

Oh, burning passion, if only the valleys

Of 'Amir's tribes were bound

غَداةَ تَجَمَّعَت كَعبٌ عَلَينا

جَلائِبَ بَينَ أَبناءِ الحَريبِ

On the day we gathered at Ka'b against them

Among the sons of Harib

فَلَمّا أَن رَأَونا في وَغاها

كَآسادِ العَرينَةِ وَالحَجيبِ

When they saw us in ambush

Like lions in their den, they were wary

تَداعَوا ثُمَّ مالوا في ذُراها

كَفِعلِ مُعانِتٍ أَمِنَ الرَجيبِ

They gathered, then scattered in the meadows

Like frightened deer avoiding danger

وَطاروا كالنَعامِ بِبَطنِ قَوِّ

مُواءَلَةً عَلى حَذَرِ الرَقيبِ

They fled like ostriches with full bellies

Fearful of any watcher, they ran

مَنَعنا الغَيلَ مِمَّن حَلَّ فيهِ

إِلى بَطنِ الجَريبِ إِلى الكَثيبِ

We prevented them from reaching

The insides of valley or dune

وَخَيلٍ عالِكاتِ اللُجمِ فينا

كَأَنَّ كُماتَها أُسدُ الضَريبِ

With horses, their coats glittering, among us

Like roaring lionesses on the hunt

وَجُردٌ جَمعُها بيضٌ خِفافٌ

عَلى جَنبَي تُضارِعَ فَاللَهيبِ

And steeds, their white forms gathered

Racing by the hillside like flames

هُمُ سَدّوا عَلَيكُم بَطنَ نَجدٍ

وَضَرّاتِ الجُبابَةِ وَالهَضيبِ

They blocked you off from Najd

And the valley of Jubah and Hathayb

قَتَلنا مِنهُمُ أَسلافَ صِدقٍ

وَأُبنا بِالأُسارى وَالقَعيبِ

We killed their noble elders there

And captured their youths and servants