لَو كانَ ناهٍ لِاِبنِ حَيَّةَ زاجِراً

لَنَهاهُ ذا عَن وَقعَةِ السُلانِ

If warning the son of a viper were effective

He would have warned him against the doings of Sulaan

يَومٌ لَنا كانَت رِئاسَةٌ أَهلِهِ

دونَ القَبائِلِ مِن بَني عَدنانِ

One day we were the leaders of our people

Above the other tribes of the Adnanites

غَضِبَت مَعَدٌّ غَثُّها وَسَمينُها

فيهِ مُمالاةً عَلى غَسّانِ

The Ma'add were angry, their fat and plump ones

Accommodating Ghassan over us

فَأَزالَهُم عَنّا كُلَيبُ بِطَعنَةٍ

في عَمرِ بابِلَ مِن بَني قَحطانِ

So Kulayb finished them off with one thrust

In the lifetime of Babylon, of Qahtan's sons

وَلَقَد مَضى عَنها اِبنُ حَيَّةَ مُدبِراً

تَحتَ العَجاجَةِ وَالحُتوفُ دَوانِ

Indeed, Ibn Hayya fled from it in retreat

Under coats of mail and attacks renewed

لَمّا رَآنا بِالكُلابِ كَأَنَّنا

أُسدٌ مَلاوِثَةٌ عَلى خَفّانِ

When he saw us like growling lions

Pouncing on prey over the low hills

تَرَكَ الَّتي سَحَبَت عَلَيهِ ذُيولَها

تَحتَ العَجاجِ بِذِلَّةٍ وَهَوانِ

He left those who had dragged their tails at him

In humiliation and disgrace under coats of mail

وَنَجا بَمُهجَتِهِ وَأَسلَمَ قَومَهُ

مُتَسَربِلينَ رَواعِفَ المُرّانِ

And he saved his people by his wisdom

Wearing coats of mail and spear shafts

يَمشونَ في حَلَقِ الحَديدِ كَأَنَّهُم

جُربُ الجِمالِ طُلينَ بِالقَطِرانِ

Walking amidst rings of iron as if they were

Camels tarred over with pitch

نِعمَ الفَوارِسُ لا فَوارِسُ مَذحِجٍ

يَومَ الهِياجِ وَلا بَنو هَمدانِ

What excellent horsemen, not horsemen of Mudhij

On a day of skirmish, nor the sons of Hamdan

هَزَموا العِداةَ بِكُلِّ أَسمَرَ مارِنٍ

وَمُهَنَّدٍ مِنلِ الغَديرِ يَماني

They routed the enemies with every brown spear

And every flashing Yemeni sword