فَخرُ الرِجالِ سَلاسِلٌ وَقُيودُ
وَكَذا النِساءُ بَخانِقٌ وَعُقودُ
The pride of men are chains and shackles,
As are women's necklaces and bracelets.
وَإِذا غُبارُ الخَيلِ مَدَّ رُواقَهُ
سُكري بِهِ لا ما جَنى العُنقودُ
And when the dust of horses fills its expanse,
I become drunk with it, not with what the grapevines produced.
يا دَهرُ لا تُبقِ عَلَيَّ فَقَد دَنا
ما كُنتُ أَطلُبُ قَبلَ ذا وَأُريدُ
O time, do not leave me, for what I sought is near,
What I wanted before this and intended.
فَالقَتلُ لي مِن بَعدِ عَبلَةَ راحَةٌ
وَالعَيشُ بَعدَ فِراقِها مَنكودُ
For killing after separation is rest for me,
And living after parting from her is miserable.
يا عَبلَ قَد دَنَتِ المَنِيَّةُ فَاِندُبي
إِن كانَ جَفنُكِ بِالدُموعِ يَجودُ
O Abla, death has drawn near, so mourn for me,
If your eyelids overflow with tears.
يا عَبلَ إِن تَبكي عَلَيَّ فَقَد بَكى
صَرفُ الزَمانِ عَلَيَّ وَهوَ حَسودُ
O Abla, if you cry for me, time's turns
Have cried for me while being envious.
يا عَبلَ إِن سَفَكوا دَمي فَفَعائِلي
في كُلِّ يَومٍ ذِكرُهُنَّ جَديدُ
O Abla, if they shed my blood, my deeds
Are mentioned anew each day.
لَهفي عَلَيكِ إِذا بَقيتِ سَبِيَّةً
تَدعينَ عَنتَرَ وَهوَ عَنكِ بَعيدُ
I yearn for you if you remain captive,
Calling for Antara while he is far from you.
وَلَقَد لَقيتُ الفُرسَ يا اِبنَةَ مالِكٍ
وَجُيوشُها قَد ضاقَ عَنها البيدُ
And I have met the Persians, O daughter of Malik,
While their armies crowded the expanse.
وَتَموجُ مَوجَ البَحرِ إِلّا أَنَّها
لاقَت أُسوداً فَوقَهُنَّ حَديدُ
They surged like the waves of the sea, except
They met lions, while over them was iron.
جاروا فَحَكَّمنا الصَوارِمَ بَينَنا
فَقَضَت وَأَطرافُ الرِماحِ شُهودُ
They attacked so we judged between us with swords
That passed judgement while spearheads bore witness.
يا عَبلَ كَم مِن جَحفَلٍ فَرَّقتُهُ
وَالجَوُّ أَسوَدُ وَالجِبالُ تَميدُ
O Abla, how many regiments I dispersed
While the atmosphere was dark and the mountains swayed.
فَسَطا عَلَيَّ الدَهرُ سَطوَةَ غادِرٍ
وَالدَهرُ يَبخُلُ تارَةً وَيَجودُ
Time has subjected me to the injustice of a traitor,
And time is sometimes stingy and sometimes generous.
