ضَرَبنَ إِلَينا خُدوداً وِساما

وَقُلنَ لَنا اليَومَ موتوا كِراما

They struck cheeks against us and said to us today: "Die with honor!"

And do not remain in the climate of ignominy

وَلا تَبرُكوا بِمُناخِ الذَليلِ

يُرَحِّلُهُ الضَيمُ عاما فَعاما

That humiliation displaces year after year

How much will we submit to the suspicion of time

إِلى كَم خُضوعٌ لِرَيبِ الزَمانِ

قُعوداً أَلا طالَ هَذا مَناما

Sitting, without standing up? This sleep has been too long

No self-respect protects against this humiliation

وَلا أَنفَ تَحمي لِهَذا الهَوانِ

وَلا قَلبَ يَأنَفُ هَذا المَقاما

Nor a heart that dislikes this position

So if your Lord does not say what the advisor says

فَإِن رابَكُم ما يَقولُ النَصيحُ

فَسالوا القَنا وَاِستَشيروا الحُساما

Then ask the spear and consult the swords

And bring the horses closer to the battlegrounds

وَأَدنوا العَليقَ إِلى المُقرَباتِ

تَقُل لَكُمُ لَيسَ إِلّا اللِجاما

They will say to you that there is no escape

You woke up to defend against misfortunes

تَيَقَّظتُمُ لِدِفاعِ الخُطوبِ

فَلَم تَترُكونَ الأَعادي نِياما

But you did not leave the enemies asleep

Are we not the sons of the white from Hashim

أَلَسنا بَني البيضِ مِن هاشِمٍ

أَعَزَّ جَناباً وَأَوفى ذِماما

The most honorable lineage and the most faithful to their word

And misfortunes did not take away our youths

وَما تَفتَلينا المَنايا غُلاماً

يُؤَمَّلُ إِلّا اِفتَلَينا غُلاما

That we hoped for except we took away their youths

For us, every exile in the heights does not

لَنا كُلُّ مُغتَرَبٍ في العَلا

ءِ لا يَطرُقُ الحَيَّ إِلّا لِماما

Knock on the wall except at its summit

And if he sensed injustice, he refused

وَقَد كانَ إِن شَمَّ ضَيماً أَبى

فَمِن أَينَ عُلِّمَ هَذا الشِماما

So from where was this tolerance taught?

For the just leader I made them

إِلى الطائِعِ العَدلِ أَعمَلتُهُن

نَ سَومَ القَطا يَدَّرِعنَ الظَلاما

Like the Pleiades, armed with darkness

As if I were driving away jinn

كَأَنّي أَروعُ بِها جِنَّةً

إِذا اِلتَبَسَت بِالدُجى أَو نَعاما

When they blend into the darkness or ostriches

The friends say when they come back

يَقولُ الرِفاقُ إِذا رَجَّعَت

مِنَ الأَينِ جَرجَرَةً أَو بُغاما

From the battle, dragging or roaring

May God clatter your anklets

لَكَ اللَهُ جَعجِع بِأَنضائِهِنَّ

تَعَفِّ السَنامِ وَتَنقِ السُلامى

That whip the towering and bite the smooth

To where do I rein my steed

إِلى أَينَ خَلفِيَ أَثني العِنانَ

إِذا ما وَجَدتُ أَمامي إِماما

When I find a leader in front of me?

When we departed to the son of al-Muṭīʿ

إِذا ما أَنَخنا إِلى اِبنِ المُطيعِ

حَمِدنا السُرى وَأَطَلنا المُقاما

We praised the journey and prolonged the stay

A leader whom you see follow the path of his fathers

إِمامٌ تَرى سِلكَ آبائِهِ

بُعَيدَ الرَسولِ إِماماً إِماما

After the Messenger, a leader, a leader

He counts ʿAlī's family from Hāshim

يَعُدُّ لِعَليائِهِ هاشِماً

إِذا ما الأَذِلّاءُ عَدّوا هِشاما

When the lowliest count Hishām

Among the firmly holding their spears

مِنَ الراكِزينَ الرِماحَ الطِوا

لَ وَالرافِعينَ العِمادَ العِظاما

And raising their pillars high

When they build a towering edifice

إِذا ما بَنَوا بَيتَ أُكرومَةٍ

أَطالوا السُموكَ وَمَدّوا الدِعاما

They lengthen the necks and extend the pillars

With the sun, they carpeted it with stars

مَعَ الشَمسِ قَد فَرَشوهُ نُجوماً

مِنَ العِزِّ أَو ظَلَّلوهُ غَماما

With honor, or shaded it with clouds

As if you meet brilliant full moons

كَأَنَّكَ تَلقى بُدوراً تُضيءُ

إِذا طَلَعوا أَو قُروماً تَسامى

When they rise, or lofty stars when they ascend

They woke, while the misfortunes woke only them

هُمُ اِستَيقَظوا وَحدَهُم لِلخُطوبِ

فَقاموا بِها وَأَناموا الأَناما

So they stood up to face them while the people slept

They have a lineage intertwined like stars

لَهُم نَسَبٌ كَاِشتِباكِ النُجومِ

تَرى لِلمَناقِبِ فيهِ اِزدِحاما

You see merits so crowded in it

Bright like the brilliance of al-Musharrifī

مُضيءٌ كَشَعشَعَةِ المَشرَفِيِّ

يَنفي الظَلامَ وَيَأبى الظِلاما

Dispelling darkness and refusing shadows

Nobility showers upon it processions

يَزُرُّ السَماحَ عَلَيهِ الشُفوفَ

وَيُلبِسُهُ العِزَّ بيضاً وَلاما

And dresses it in white, flawless robes

Upon it, from al-Mustafā, is a shining light

عَلَيهِ مِنَ المُصطَفى لامِعٌ

يُميطُ الأَذى وَيُجَلّي القَتاما

That wipes away harm and illuminates darkness

When they compose verses challenging enemies

إِذا أَنشَأوا لِلعِدا عارِضاً

أَسالَ بِواديهِمُ أَو أَغاما

He flooded their valley or gathered clouds

And they spent the night eyelined with spears

وَباتوا قَدِ اِكتَحَلوا بِالطِعانِ

وَقَد رَجَّلوا بِالنَجيعِ الجُماما

And stirruped with the roaring, rumbling camels

And their chests harbor ferocity

وَطارَت بِقَلبِهِمُ المُقرَبا

تُ تَركَبُ أَعقابَهُنَّ القُداما

Their heels mounted with courage

And al-Almaʿī has given his steed free rein

وَقَد طَوَّحَ الأَلمَعِيُّ العِنانَ

مِنَ الرَوعِ وَالأَعوَجِيُّ الحِزاما

Out of awe, and al-Aʿwajī his belt

As if the rear of their spears are Yemeni

كَأَنَّ الرِماحَ بِأَعجازِها

يَمانِيَةٌ تَستَهِلُّ الغَماما

Initiating the clouds' descent

With mouths from stabbing whose edges

شَواحٍ مِنَ الطَعنِ أَفواهُها

كَما جَرَّتِ الناصِحونَ الجِلاما

Are like the dispensing of advice the advisors drew

They threw embers into their homes

رَمَوا في بُيوتِهِمُ جَمرَةً

أَطالوا القُعودَ لَها وَالقِياما

Prolonging the sitting for it and the standing

When they mention vengeance, they sever necks

إِذا ذَكَروا الوِترَ حَزّوا الرِقابَ

وَإِن ذَكَروا العَفوَ جَزّوا اللِماما

And when they mention pardon, they break vultures

Your heights are too great to be wanted

عَلاؤُكَ أَعظَمُ مِن أَن يُرامَ

وَمَجدُكَ أَمنَعُ مِن أَن يُضاما

And your glory too impregnable to be coveted

You are the most honored among Hashim

وَأَنتَ المُعَظَّمُ في هاشِمٍ

إِذا ما بَدا بادِؤوهُ قِياما

When the lowliest rise against him

And they left the meadows of glory for him

وَأَخلَوا لَهُ مُعشِباتِ العَلا

ءِ يَرعى الجَميمَ وَيُسقى الجِماما

To pasture the bountiful and be watered from the clouds

You walked through the open country, and the ignoble

مَشَيتَ البَراحَ وَراجَ الذَلي

لُ يوصِدُ باباً وَيُرخي قِراما

Shut their door and opened their mantle

You were never but the shepherds

وَما كُنتُمُ الدَهرَ إِلّا الرُعاةَ

وَلا سائِرُ الخَلقِ إِلّا السَواما

And the rest of mankind nothing but beasts

I swear by them, straight as arrows

حَلَفتُ بِها كَقِسِيِّ النِبا

عِ تَحسَبُ أَعناقَهُنَّ السِهاما

You would think their necks the arrows

Like a band of camels from Muẓaynah I befriended

كَحافِلَةِ المُزنِ آنَستُها

مُسَمَّحَةً في قِيادِ النُعامى

Haughty in leading the ostriches

And every well-bred camel to a she-camel

وَكُلِّ فَنيقٍ إِلى ناقَةٍ

يُساقِطُها زَبَداً أَو لُغاما

It makes froth or spittle fall from her mouth

And every son of night on an old camel

وَكُلِّ اِبنِ لَيلٍ عَلى مُقرَمٍ

إِذا ما وَنى زاغَ مِنهُ الزِماما

When it turns aside, the reins slip from it

And for the traveler's belongings, there are smooth stones in his saddlebags

وَلِلرَحلِ لَحيانِ في دَفِّهِ

إِذا اِجلَوَّذَ اللَيلُ لاكَ السَناما

When night falls, wearing out the camel's flank

Spending the night as if there is an awl in it

يَبيتُ كَأَنَّ بِهِ أَولَقاً

مِنَ السَيرِ أَو خابِلاً أَو عُداما

From travel, or an abolished village, or tent pegs

Fulfilling his worries' pledge unlawfully

يُؤَدّي أُشَيعَثَ جَمَّ الهُمومِ

حَراماً يُزاوِلُ أَرضاً حَراما

Traveling an unlawful land

Like the worn Yemeni sword that sheathed

كَنَصلِ اليَمانِيِّ أَبلى القِرابَ

وَما أَضمَرَ الغِمدُ مِنهُ كَهاما

What it concealed of rust

Showing clearly in his face pride

يُبَيِّنُ لِلمَجدِ في وَجهِهِ

سُفوراً وَلَم يَنضُ عَنهُ اللِثاما

Without the mask being removed from it

And he rode the gift horse to its nostrils

وَكَبَّ الهَدِيَّ لِأَذقانِهِ

يَؤُمُّ بِهِ زَمزَماً وَالمَقاما

Circling Zamzam with it and the Station

The camels yield to him the lead

تَخالُ النَجيعَ لِهَذا صِداراً

إِذا ما جَرى وَلِهَذا زِماما

When one gallops, and the reins to this one

You are more precious to my inwardness

لَأَنتُم أَعَزُّ عَلى مُهجَتي

مِنَ الماءِ يَنقَعُ مِنهُ الأُواما

Than water oozing from which beasts drink

And even if you are far away in the land

وَإِنّي وَإِن كُنتُمُ في البِلا

دِ أَنأى دِياراً وَأَبدى خِياما

While I inhabit the furthest houses and pitch tents

Is not your father my father, and do not our roots

أَلَيسَ أَبوكُم أَبي وَالعُروقُ

تُخَلِّطُ لَحمي بِكُم وَالعِظاما

Mix my flesh with yours, and our bones?

We grew together, so our roots converged

نَبَتنا مَعاً فَاِلتَقَينا عُروقاً

بِأَرضِ العُلى وَاِختَلَطنا رُغاما

In the land of glory and our bits mixed

When glory covers your foreheads

إِذا عَمَّمَ المَجدُ هاماتِكُم

كَفانِيَ لَوثاً بِهِ وَاِعتِماما

It sufficed me for branding and blinding

If my persona is other than you

لَئِن كانَ شَخصِيَ في غَيرِكُم

فَإِنَّ لِقَلبِيَ فيكُم مَقاما

Then my heart indeed has a place with you

And my tongue is for you and praise

وَإِنَّ لِساني لَكُم وَالثَناءَ

وَإِنَّ وُلوعي بِكُم وَالغَراما

And my passion and love for you

I was once driving away kings

وَكُنتُ زَماناً أَذودُ المُلوكَ

عَنِ السِلكِ رَقرَقتَ فيهِ النِظاما

From the path—order glistened in it

I wanted nobility, not gifts

أُريدُ الكَرامَةَ لا المَكرُماتِ

وَنَيلَ العُلى لا العَطايا الجِساما

And reaching heights, not bounties or bodies

So keep the dear ones away from my mind

فَحوزوا العَقائِلَ عَن خاطِري

إِلى ما أُماطِلُ عَنها إِلى ما

To what I avert it, to what

My reproach has been long against one who saw

لَقَد طالَ عَتبي عَلى ناظِرٍ

رَأى بارِقاً غَيرَ دانٍ فَشاما

A shining light other than yielding or Hashim

How much do I renew my love for you

إِلى كَم أُجَدِّدُ وَجدي بِكُم

وَأَعلَقُ مِنكُم حِبالاً رِماما

And fasten ropes from you, frayed

I multiply its knots again

أَزيدُ مَعاقِدَها مِرَّةً

وَتَأبى العَلائِقُ إِلّا اِنجِذاما

But bonds refuse except bursting

And I seek refuge in you from my love returning

وَإِنّي أَعوذُ بِكُم أَن يَعودَ

حُبابي قِلىً وَثَنائي مَلاما

Withered and my praise regretted

Is there then one clapping to sell Iraq

فَهَل صافِقٌ فَأَبيعَ العِرا

قَ غَيرَ غَبينٍ وَأَشري الشَآما

Other than stupid and buy Damascus?

When I do not visit the place of the noble

إِذا لَم أَزُر مَطلَعَ المَكرُما

تِ قَد أَخَذَ البَدرُ فيهِ التَماما

The full moon has taken over it

I would cloak myself in that majesty

فَأُلبِسُ عِطفَيَّ ذاكَ الجَلالَ

وَأورِدُ عَينَيَّ ذاكَ الهُماما

And make my eyes attain that resolve

How little do I care for speeches after it

فَما أَحفِلُ الخَطبَ مِن بَعدِها

إِذا جَلَّ بَل لا أُبالي الحِماما

When it appears! Rather, I do not care for pigeons

Will the curiosities be watered from your river

أَتُروى الغَرائِبُ مِن وِردِكُم

وَذَودي عَلى جانِبَيهِ يُظامى

While my poetic compositions on its banks are protected?

So do not deny a castle whose owner

فَلا تُنكِروا قُلعَةً مِن فَتىً

أَقامَ عَلى مَطلِكُم ما أَقاما

Stayed facing your horizon as long as he stayed

Greetings! If there is no meeting

سَلامٌ إِذا لَم يَكُن لُقيَةٌ

وَإِنَّ يَداً أَن تَرُدّوا السَلاما

And a hand if you repel the greetings!