إِذا نَحنُ حالَفنا شِفارَ البَواتِرِ
وَسُمرَ القَنا فَوقَ الجِيادِ الضَوامِرِ
When we pledged allegiance over the edges of swords
And the spears were raised above the noble steeds
عَلى حَربِ قَومٍ كانَ فينا كِفايَةً
وَلَو أَنَّهُم مِثلُ البِحارِ الزَواخِرِ
To war against a tribe, though we sufficed
Even if they were like the vast, turbulent seas
وَما الفَخرُ في جَمعِ الجُيوشِ وَإِنَّما
فَخارُ الفَتى تَفريقُ جَمعِ العَساكِرِ
Glory lies not in gathering armies but rather
The valor of a man is breaking up a host of soldiers
سَلي يا اِبنَةَ الأَعمامِ عَنّي وَقَد أَتَت
قَبائِلُ كَلبٍ مَع غَنِيٍّ وَعامِرِ
Hold off, O daughter of uncles, the tribes of Kalb
Have come with Ghaneem and Amir
تَموجُ كَمَوجِ البَحرِ تَحتَ غَمامَةٍ
قَدِ اِنتَسَجَت مِن وَقعِ ضَربِ الحَوافِرِ
They surge like the waves of the sea beneath clouds
That have gathered from the striking of hooves
فَوَلَّوا سِراعاً وَالقَنا في ظُهورِهِم
تَشُكُّ الكُلى بَينَ الحَشا وَالخَواصِرِ
So they fled hastily with the spears in their backs
Almost cleaving kidney from abdomen and chest
وَبِالسَيفِ قَد خَلَّفتُ في القَفرِ مِنهُمُ
عِظاماً وَلَحماً لِلنُسورِ الكَواسِرِ
With the sword I left in the wasteland bones
And flesh of theirs for the tearing eagles
وَما راعَ قَومي غَيرُ قَولِ اِبنِ ظالِمٍ
وَكانَ خَبيثاً قَولُهُ قَولَ ماكِرِ
Yet my tribe did not heed except the word of the son of an oppressor
Wicked were his words, the words of a deceiver
بَغى وَاِدَّعى أَن لَيسَ في الأَرضِ مِثلُهُ
فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا بانَ فَخرُ المُفاخِرِ
He sought and claimed none on earth matched him
But when we met the pride of the arrogant was laid bare
أُحِبُّ بَني عَبسٍ وَلَو هَدَروا دَمي
مَحَبَّةَ عَبدٍ صادِقِ القَولِ صابِرِ
I love the clan of Abs though they spill my blood
With the love of a truthful, steadfast slave
وَأَدنو إِذا ما أَبعَدوني وَأَلتَقي
رِماحَ العِدا عَنهُم وَحَرَّ الهَواجِرِ
And I approach when they distance me and I meet
The spears of foes and hot arrows
تَوَلّى زُهَيرٌ وَالمَقانِبُ حَولَهُ
قَتيلاً وَأَطرافُ الرِماحِ الشَواجِرِ
Zuhair turned his back and spears surrounded him
A corpse with the blades of long spears
وَكانَ أَجَلَّ الناسِ قَدراً وَقَد غَدا
أَجَلَّ قَتيلٍ زارَ أَهلَ المَقابِرِ
He was the greatest of men in worth yet he arose
The greatest corpse to visit the graves
فَوا أَسَفا كَيفَ اِشتَفى قَلبُ خالِدٍ
بِتاجِ بَني عَبسِ كِرامِ العَشائِرِ
Alas how Khalid's heart was gladdened
By the crown of Banu Abs, the honored tribes
وَكَيفَ أَنامُ اللَيلَ مِن دونِ ثَأرِهِ
وَقَد كانَ ذُخري في الخُطوبِ الكَبائِرِ
How can I sleep the night without avenging him
When he was my protection in major calamities
