أَقولُ لِأَدنى صاحِبَيَّ نَصيحَةً

وَلِلأَسمَرِ المِغوارِ ما تَرَيانِ

I said to the nearer of my two friends in counsel, and to the bold swarthy one: "What do you see?"

Then the one who offered me advice replied: "I deem the right course is to head towards Oman."

فَقالَ الَّذي أَبدى لي النُصحَ مِنهُما

أَرى الرَأيَ أَن تَجتازَ نَحوَ عُمانِ

"For if in Hajib and his lands there is no refuge, then indeed your feet have stumbled."

A youth of the Banu Khattab who shakes for generosity, as shakes the sharp edge of a Yemeni blade.

فَإِن لا تَكُن في حاجِبٍ وَبِلادِهِ

نَجاةٌ فَقَد زَلَّت بِكَ القَدَمانِ

He is the sword: if you handle it gently, its touch is soft; yet its edges, if you treat them roughly, are rough.

فَتى مِن بَني الخَطّابِ يَهتَزُّ لِلنَدى

كَما اِهتَزَّ عَصبُ الشَفرَتَينِ يَمانِ

هُوَ السَيفُ إِن لا يَنَتهُ لانَ مَسُّهُ

وَغَرباهُ إِن خاشَنتَهُ خَشِنانِ