حَيِّ الدِيارَ بِسَيلَ فَالقَهرِ
فَجُبابَةٍ فَحِقاءَ فَالوَجرِ
Revive the home with torrential rain
Of abundant, life-giving showers
لَيسَت بِشَوشاةِ الحَديثِ وَلا
فُتُقِ مُغالِبَةٍ عَلى الأَمرِ
Not frivolous, foolish prattle
Nor forceful domination of affairs
تُمسي كَأَلواحِ السِلاحِ وَتُض
حي كَالمَهاةِ في صَبيحَةِ القَطرِ
You rouse up at dawn like drawn swords
And stir to life like beasts in a rainy dawn
كَوَديعَةِ الهَجهاجِ بَوَّأَها
بِبِراقِ عاذِ البيضِ أَو ثَجرِ
A pledge like clamoring partridges
Sheltered by a chief with brilliant armor
لِهَدَجدَجٍ جُربٍ مَساعِرُهُ
قَد عادَها شَهراً إِلى شَهرِ
For a youth whose saddlebags were patched
Who returned month after month
حَلَقَت بَنو عُزوانَ جُؤجُؤَهُ
وَالرَأسُ غَيرَ قَنازِعٍ زُعرِ
The sons of ‘Uzzwan circled around him
While he shook his head, unyielding, bold
طَفّاحَةُ الرِجلَينِ مَيلَعَةٌ
سُرحُ المِلاطِ بَعيدَةُ القَدرِ
Her easy gait ever nimble
Her riding camel with long, elegant legs
وَتَواهَقَت أَخفافُها طَبَقاً
وَالظِلُّ لَم يَفضُل وَلَم يُكرِ
Her brisk mounts move in harmony
Neither ahead or behind each other's shadows
أَبلِغ سَراةَ بَني رِفاعَةَ ال
صِق بِالغَطارِفِ مِنهُمُ الزَهرِ
Give the message to the chiefs of Rifa'ah
Adorned with the blossoms among them
بِكَ عِترَةُ الضَبِّ الذَليلَةِ تَح
رَنبي عَلى أَرحائِها الخُضرِ
With you the disgraced hyenas howl
Whimpering in their lairs
يَدعونَ جارَهُمُ وَذِمَّتُهُ
عَلَهاً وَما يَدعونَ مِن عُصرِ
They call out to their neighbor for help
Yet call for no aid or relief
لا صابَ جارَهُمُ الرَبيعُ وَلا
زادَت حُمولَتُهُ عَلى عَشرِ
Neither has spring reached their neighbor
Nor increased his burden tenfold
طَرَقَ الخَناسِرَةَ اللِثامَ فَلَم
يَسعَ الخَفيرُ بِناقَةِ القَسرِ
The sneaky thieves have donned their masks
But the vigilant guard spotted the fugitives
لَو كُنتُ ا عِلمٍ عَلِمتُ وَكَيفَ لي
بِالعِلمِ بَعدَ تَدَبُّرِ الأَمرِ
If only I had knowledge, I would know
After pondering the matter
لَو بي تَحَمَّسَتِ الرِكابُ إِذاً
ما خانَني حَسَبي وَلا وَفري
If only steeds hastened with me
My worth and escape would not fail me
