يا راكِباً أَضحى يَحُثُّ مَطيِّه

لِيَؤمَّ مَروَ عَلى الطَريقِ المَهيَعِ

O rider who hastens his steed at dawn

To set out to Marw by the dreadful route,

أَبلِغ بِها قَوماً أَثاروا فِتنَةً

ظَلّت بِها الأَكبادُ رَهنَ تَقَطّعِ

Take word to a people who stirred up strife

By which livers were pledged to be hacked apart.

إِذ أَقدمُوا ظُلماً عَلى سُلطانِهِم

بِالغَدرِ وَالخَلعِ الذَميمِ المُفظعِ

When they wrongfully rebelled against their sultan,

With vile, abhorred treason and breach of faith,

وَبحلِّ عَقدِ لِوائِهِ وَإِباحَةٍ

لِحَريمِهِ وَجَنابِهِ المتمنِّعِ

And dissolved his authority’s bonds, and declared open season

On what he deemed sacrosanct and inviolable,

أَبلغهُمُ أَنّي اِتَخَذتُ لِفِعلِهم

فَألاً لَهُ في القَومِ أَسوأُ مَوقِعِ

Tell them I have determined upon their deed

A ruinous outcome for them, of terrible effect.

أَمّا اللِواءُ وَحلّهُ فَمخبِّرٌ

عَن حَلِّ عِقدٍ مِنهُمُ مُستَجمِعِ

As for the banner, its loosening bears tidings

Of the undoing of a pact binding them together.

وَالخَلعُ يُخبِرُ أَن سَتُخلَعُ مِنهُم ال

أَرواحُ بِالقَتلِ الأَشَدِّ الأَشنَعِ

And breach of faith tells that their souls will be wrenched out

By the most violent, horrifying death.

وَالغَدرُ يُنبئ أَن تُغادِر في الوَغى

أَشلاؤُهُم لِنُسورِهِ وَالأَضبُعِ

And treason speaks of their limbs being scattered amid the fray

As prey for eagles and beasts.

وَالفِرقَتانِ فَشاهِدٌ مَعناهُما

بِتَفَرّقٍ لِجمُوعِهِم وَتَصَدُّعِ

And the two desertions together mean

The breaking apart and crumbling of their forces.

فَتَسمَّعوا لَمقالَتي وَتَأَهّبوا

بِذَميمِ بَغيِكُمُ لِسوءِ المَصرَعِ

So hearken to my words, and make ready,

Thanks to your vile rebellion, for an evil end.

فَاللَهُ لَيسَ بِغافِلٍ عَن أَمرِكُم

حَتّى يُحِلَّ بِكُم عُقوبَةَ مُوجِعِ

For God is not heedless of your affair

Until He makes you suffer a woeful punishment.