أَبَيتَ اللَعنَ وَالراعي مَتى ما

يَضَع تَكُنِ الرَعِيَّةُ لِلذِئابِ

You refused imprecation though the shepherd - whenever

The flock is left to the wolves - finds his wealth dispersed

فَيُصبِح مالُهُ فَرسَي وَيُفرَش

إِلى ما كانَ مِن ظُفرٍ وَنابِ

And turns to its former glory and sharpness.

Our excuse is that You punish us for a sin

عَذَرنا أَن تُعاقِبَنا بِذَنبٍ

فَما بالُ اِبنِ عائِذٍ المُصابِ

Then why does the son of A'idh the afflicted suffer?

Did he sin or gain or were You unjust

أَأَجرَمَ أَم جَنى أَم لَم تَخُطّوا

لَهُ أَمناً فَيوجَدَ في الكِتابِ

To him, finding no security in Scripture?

Had we feared You, You would not have won it

فَلَو كُنّا نَخافُكَ لَم تَنَلها

بِذي بَقَرٍ فَرَوضاتِ الرُبابِ

With Ubaid's son, on coursers racing the hill-tops.

Were we in Yamaamah or were we

أَكُنّا بِاليَمامَةِ أَو لَكُنّا

مِنَ المُتَحَدِّرينَ عَلى جَنابِ

Of those who pour down the hill-sides?

Deluded when the King made a raid against us -

أَغَرنا إِذ أَغارَ المَلكُ فينا

مَنالاً وَالقِبابُ مَعَ القِبابِ

An attainment, and tents matching with tents -

Punishing the son of A'idh the son of a slave,

عِقاباً بِاِبنِ عائِذٍ اِبنِ عَبدٍ

وَكُنّا في العَدوِّ ذَوي عِقابِ

While we were his peers in striking the foe.

We had agreed to lay low the roaring warriors

تَواعَدنا أُضاخَهُمُ وَنَقراً

وَمَنعِجَهُم بِأَحياءٍ غِضابِ

And make the forbidden ghada trees their burial-ground

In a torrent wherein Balqaa is made desolate

بِمَجرٍ تَهِلكُ البَلقاءُ فيهِ

فَلا تَبقى وَنودي بِالرِكابِ

With no survival, and men call for mounts.

There she remained twisting for a long time

فَظَلَّت تَقتَري مَرخاً طِوالاً

إِلى الأَبياتِ تُلوي بِالنِهابِ

Towards ruins, bending over with vulture-like neck.

We took vengeance on the branded slaves

أَخَذنا بِالمُخَطَّمِ مَن عَلِمتُم

مِنَ الدُهمِ المُزَنَّمَةِ الرِعابِ

Of terrible appearance and fearful cries.