خليلٌ لم أَهَبهُ من قِلاهُ

ولكنَّ المواهبَ للكرامِ

A friend to whom I gave no gifts

Yet gifts are for the noble ones

خَليلٌ لم أَخُنهُ ولم يَخُنّي

كذلك ما خِلالي أَو نِدامي

A friend who never betrayed me, nor I him

That's how we are, without regrets or blame

حَبَوتُ به كريماً من قريشٍ

فَسُرَّ به وَصِينَ عن اللئامِ

I held him dear, a noble of Quraysh

So he rejoiced, shunning the vile ones

وكنتُ إذا نهضتُ به لقومٍ

تَجَاوَبَ صوتُ نَوحٍ بالتدامِ

When with him I approached a tribe

His voice joined the wailers' in grief

بِعُفروسٍ تُبادِرُهُ يَدَاهُ

وَصَمصامٍ يُصَمِّمُ في العِظامِ

With a swift horse that met his hands

And a sword that cut deep in the bones

وَمُهر كَريمةٍ في صَفحَتَيهِ

نَوَافذُ بالأَسنَّةِ وَالسِّهامِ

And the generous gift of a noble mare

Her saddle adorned with arrows and spears

وَوَقعُ المشرَفيّ بِحاجِبَيهِ

وَجَبهَتِهِ وما تحتَ الحِزامِ

And the posture of one sitting tall in the saddle

His brow, his waist, all under his belt

أُقَدّمُهُ وَيَحميهِ عَبوسٌ

على أَكتادِهِ كُرهُ اللِّمامِ

I sent him forth, guarded by a frown

On his shoulders, hating the vile ones

هنالكَ لو لَقِيتَ قِرناً

وبُهمَةَ مَعشرٍ غَيرَ الكَهَامِ

There you'd have seen many a foe

And the onslaught of hosts, not weaklings

لقد أَحمَيتَ ذاتَ الرَّوض حتى

تَرَبَّعَها أَدَاحِيُّ النَّعامِ

Truly you protected the fragrant abode

Until it was ruled by the long-necked ostrich

يُسَيِّرُ بينَ خَطمِ اللَّوذِ عمرو

فَلَوذِ القارَتَينِ إِلى بَرَامِ

Amr leads the mares of Luza

To the sacred enclave, to Baram

فَصَفحِ حَبونَنٍ فَخَليفِ صُبحٍ

فَنَحلَ إِلى رَنينَ إِلى بَشَامِ

So dawn's first light, pardon and forgive

And bestow your melodies and delight