لمعت كتلويح الرداء المُسبَل

والليل صبغ خضابه لم ينصل

Her veil fluttered like a waving sleeve,

And the night dyed its henna but did not settle.

نار كسَحْر العَوْد أرشد ضوؤها

بالبيد أعناق الركاب الضُّلل

A fire like the magic of fragrant wood guided its light

With the full moon over the necks of the lost riders.

طابت لمعتسف الظلام كأنما

شبت على قنن اليفاع بمندل

The place where the darkness gathered gleamed as if

It slept at the peaks of Al-Yafa’ mountains in Mundel.

فعلمت أنَّ بني تميم عندها

يتقارعون على الضيوف النُزَّل

So I knew that the clan of Tamim was there

Competing there for the guests they hosted.

العاقرين الكومَ وهي منيفة

والضاربين الهام تحت القسطل

The barren Al-Kawm and it was rainy

And those hitting Al-Ham under Al-Qistal.

والسائسين الملك لا آراؤهم

تهفو ولا معروفهم بمقلل

And those governing the kingdom, their views

Were confused and their good deeds were few.

قومي وأين كمثل قومي والقنا

والبيض بين مقصَّدٍ ومفلل

My people! Who can compare to my people and Al-Qinna

And the white land between targeted and scattered?

نجلوا أخا وجدٍ بغير خريدةٍ

جعل النسيب لذابل أو منصل

They supported a brother and grandfather without buying him,

Making the distant relative like one who is armed or dismantled.

شغلته عن وصف الهوى ذِكَرُ العلى

فنضا شعار الشاعر المتغزل

His preoccupation with describing love distracted him

From describing the most high, so the mantra of the infatuated poet failed.

قضَّى شبيبته بمجد مشيبه

فإذا المشيب بدا له لم يوْجَل

He spent his youth in glory until his old age,

So when his old age appeared, he was not hesitant.

لا عزَّ في سراة مُطهَّمٍ

ولباس سابغةٍ وهبَّة مقْصل

There is no honor in a fully armed knight

And abundant clothing and carved gift.

وطلوعها شعثاً كأنَّ عجاجَها

بالقاع أسنمةُ الغمام المُثقل

And its emergence disheveled as if its clouds

Were the edges of heavy laden clouds.

هيم إلى رود القلات فإن غزت

أغنى النجيع عن البرود السلسل

It wandered to soften Al-Qalat, so if it raided,

It made the slumber dispense with the chained coats of mail.

يلحظن مخترق الرماح كأنما

في لبَّة الغطريف مجرى جدول

They watch the piercing of spears as if

In the folds of the quiver there is a stream.

من كل مقلاق العنان طِمِرَّةٍ

تنزو بهفهاف القميص شمردل

From every short rein a swift mare

Galloping with the fluttering of a ragged shirt.

يحملن فرساناً كأنَّ دروعهم

سُنَّت على مثل الجبال المُثَّل

They carry horsemen as if their armors

Were made in the image of mountain peaks.

صُبراً تلاقوا حاسراً لمدججٍ

منهم ويطرد ذو السلاح بأعزل

With patience they met a destructive armed force

And the armed man expels the unarmed.

قوماً إذا طبعت نصول سيوفهم

قام النجيعُ لها مقام الصَّيقل

A people, if the tips of their swords imprinted,

The slumber would stand up for it like a polisher.

يتفارطون إلى مساورة الرَّدى

كمتفارط الكدري نحو المنهل

They rush into engaging adversity

Like the muddy in galloping to the watering place.

وتقارب الأبطال حتى استمسكوا

بالمشرفي عن الوشيج الذُّبَلّ

And the heroes drew so close they clung

To the eminent, apart from the withered.

فكأن حربهم أوارُ ضريمةٍ

بالقاع أو بأس الوزير أبي علي

It was as if their war was the threshing of flocks

In the lowlands, or the might of Minister Abu Ali

ندب إذا ذلَّ الخميسُ عن العدا

قام الكتاب له مقام الجحفل

If Thursday declined from justice,

The writers would stand up for it like soldiers.

غمر الرداء كأن سح بنانه

بالجود شؤبوب الحيا المتهلل

The gown flooded as if its prominent features

Were dyed by the generosity of the adorned life.

هتنٌ إذا سئل الغمامُ بأزمةٍ

أعطى ذوي الحاجات ما لم يسئل

Yielding when asked by the cloud in crisis,

Giving the needy what they did not request.

فيبيت هو مؤمل إحسانه

وعظيمُ ما يوليه غير مؤمل

So he spends the night hopeful of his favor

And the tremendous things he grants without hope.

عفُّ الإزار يظلُّ من شعف العُلى

خلو الفؤاد عن الغزال الأغزل

He is chaste of heart free of the most amorous gazelle,

The images of glory to him

فرسوم منزلةٍ إلى أسماعه

أحلى وأعذب من رسوم المنزل

Are sweeter and more delicious than images of home,

Going to war with the enemies, so if he is called

جارٍ إلى حرب العدا فإذا انتدى

لقي الصعاب بحبوة لم تحلل

He meets difficulties with unshakable determination,

The feet of a hero and the resolve of one firm,

أقدام ذي لبدٍ وهمةُ أَعْصَمٍ

وإباءُ بازي ويقظة أجْدل

And the refusal of a champion and the vigilance of a protector,

And the train of his gown fluttering as if

وأغر فضفاض الرداء كأنما

نيطت عمامته بقُنَّة يذبل

His turban was tied with a withering band.

A formidable man whose enemy spends the night in blindness

شهمٌ يبيتُ عدوهُ في غمرةٍ

من خوفه ونزيله في معقل

From fear of him while his guest is in an impregnable refuge.

The protection of the Glory of the Faith that cannot be breached

نعمى جلال الدين غير منيعةٍ

وحمى جلال غيرُ مبذَّل

And the protection of the Glorious that cannot be violated.

O you who rise above all adversity

يا فارعاً بالعزم كل منيفةٍ

وعرٍ تزلُّ بأخمص المتوقِّلِ

And naked hard ground that makes the shod stumble.

Look to the garments of chiefs preceded by

أنظر إلى حلل القريض يَفوفُها

نشوان من غاير العُلى لم ينهل

A vanguard of the eminent who did not draw water.

They meet opponents, dwelling and arguing,

يلقى الخصوم مُنازلاً ومجادلاً

ثبت الجنان بصارمٍ وبمقول

Confirming the soul with a sharp sword and speech.

The latter outdid the former in his knowledge

سبقَ الأخير إلى معاني علمه

طبعاً وزاد على معاني الأول

Naturally, and surpassed the meanings of the first.

Had my words not included the most high

لولا تضمُّن ما أقول من العُلى

وثناك كنتُ عن المديح بمعزل

And your praise, I would have shunned praise.

A kingdom faded in pre-Islamic times but

ملكٌ ثوى بالجاهلية رمسُهُ

فبعثته مني ببركة زلزل

I revived it through you by the grace of the earthquake.

And after the dark night is the dawn of good fortune,

ووراء ليل الحظ صبحُ سعادةٍ

فارغب بنفسك عن خليقة مهمل

So turn yourself away from the habits of the neglectful.