أَلا أَبلِغا سَعدَ بنَ لَيثٍ وَجُندُعاً

وَكَلباً أَثيبوا المَنَّ غَيرَ المُكَدَّرِ

Convey to Saad ibn Layth and Jundu`,

And to Kalb - they have enjoyed favors without being embittered,

فَنَهنَهتُ أولى القَومِ عَنّي بِضَربَةٍ

تَنَفَّسَ مِنها كُلُّ حَشيانِ مُجحَرِ

With one stroke, I dealt the first blow to the people,

From which every wild creature in its lair drew breath,

وَلا تَحسَبنَ جاري إِلى ظِلِّ مَرخَةٍ

وَلا تَحسَبَنهُ فَقعَ قاعٍ بِقَرقَرِ

Think not that my neighbor is in the shade of a tree,

Nor that he has fallen into a deep ravine.

وَكُنتُ إِذا جاري دَعا لِمَضوفَةٍ

أُشَمِّرِ حَتّى يَنصُفَ الساقَ مِئزِري

When my neighbor called for help against an aggressor,

I would roll up my sleeves to mid-forearm.

وَلكِنَّني جَمرُ الغَضا مِن وَرائِهِ

يُخَفِّرُني سَيفي إِذا لَم أُخَفَّر

But I am an ember concealed behind it,

My sword humbles me if I am not humble.

أَبي الناسُ إِلّا الشَرَّ مِنّي فَدَعهُم

وَإِيّايَ ما جاءوا إِلَيَّ بِمُنكَرِ

People desire only evil from me, so leave them be,

And spare me what they bring of disgrace.

إِذا مَعشَرٌ يَوماً بَغَوني بَغَيتُهُم

بِمُسقِطَةِ الأَحبالِ فَقماءَ قِنطِرِ

If a group one day rebels against me, I will rebel against them

With a perfect blow that severs the ropes of the bridge.

إِذا أَدرَكَت أولاهُم أُخرَياتُهُم

حَنَوتُ لَهُم بِالسَندَرِيِّ المُوَتَّرِ

When the first of them overtakes the last of them,

I will stoop upon them with a polished spear.

وَطَعنٍ كَرُمحِ الشَولِ أَمسَت غَوارِزاً

جَواذِبُها تَأبى عَلى المُتَغَبِّرِ

With a stab like a spear impaling a largemouth bass,

Its barbs refuse to be stained with blood.

مَنَنتُ عَلى لَيثِ بنِ سَعدٍ وَجُندُعٍ

أَثيبي بِها سَعدَ بنَ لَيثٍ أَو اِكفُري

I have bestowed favor upon Layth ibn Saad and Jundu,

With it I reward Saad ibn Layth or disbelieve.

وَقُلتُ لَهُم قَد أَدرَكَتكُم كَتيبَةٌ

مُفَسِّدَةُ الأَدبارِ ما لَم تُخَفَّرِ

And I said to them an army has overtaken you

That disorders the heels unless they are humbled.