كُنّا نَغارُ عَلى العَواتِقِ أَن تَرى

بِالأَمسِ خارِجَةً عَنِ الأَوطانِ

We were jealous of the ladies when they went out

Yesterday from their homes

فَخَرَجنَ حينَ ثَوى كُلَيبٌ حُسَّراً

مُستَيقِناتٍ بَعدَهُ بِهَوانِ

So they went out when Kulayb was laid to rest

Certain after him of disgrace

فَتَرى الكَواعِبَ كَالظِباءِ عَواطِلاً

إِذ حانَ مَصرَعُهُ مِنَ الأَكفانِ

You see the flirtatious girls like frightened gazelles

When his death from shrouds drew near

يَخمِشنَ مِن أَدَمِ الوُجوهِ حَواسِراً

مِن بَعدِهِ وَيَعِدنَ بِالأَزمانِ

They scratch their cheeks of fair complexion in grief

After him and they complain of fate

مُتَسَلِّباتٍ نُكدَهُنَّ وَقَد وَرى

أَجوافَهُنَّ بِحُرقَةٍ وَرَواني

Suffering sorrow, and he had flowed

Into their breasts hot embers and passion

وَيَقُلنَ مَن لِلمُستَضيقِ إِذا دَعا

أَم مَن لِخَضبِ عَوالي المُرّانِ

And they say who helps the distressed when they call

Or who helps dye the peaks of spears red

أَم لِاِتِّسارٍ بِالجزورِ إِذا غَدا

ريحٌ يُقَطِّعُ مَعقِدَ الأَشطانِ

Or who helps the slicing with blades when

A wind rends the knots of tent-ropes

أَم مَن لِاِسباقِ الدِياتِ وَجَمعِها

وَلِفادِحاتِ نَوائِبِ الحِدثانِ

Or who helps in the races of blood-monies and collecting them

And the calamities of youthful accidents

كانَ الذَحيرَةَ لِلزَّمانِ فَقَد أَتى

فَقدانُهُ وَأَخَلَّ رُكنَ مَكاني

He was protection from time, but his loss came

And left vacant the pillar of my abode

يا لَهفَ نَفسي مِن زَمانٍ فاجِعٍ

أَلقى عَلَيَّ بِكَلكَلٍ وَجِرانِ

Oh how my soul yearns from a woeful time

That cast on me fetters and neighbors

بِمُصيبَةٍ لا تُستَقالُ جَليلَةٍ

غَلَبَت عَزاءَ القَومِ وَالنِسوانِ

With an irremediable monumental calamity

That overwhelmed the tribe’s condolences and the women’s

هَدَّت حُصوناً كُنَّ قَبلُ مَلاوِذاً

لِذَوي الكُهولِ مَعاً وَلِلشُّبانِ

It toppled fortresses that were previously refuges

For the mature and youth alike

أَضحَت وَأَضحى سورُها مِن بَعدِهِ

مُتَهَدِّمَ الأَركانِ وَالبُنيانِ

After him, their fence and structure

Became dilapidated and ruined

فَاِبكينَ سَيِّدَ قَومِهِ وَاِندُبنَهُ

شُدَّت عَلَيهِ قَباطِيَ الأَكفانِ

So weep for the master of his people and eulogize him

When shrouds were tightened over him

وَاِبكينَ للأَيتامِ لَمّا أَقحَطوا

وَاِبكينَ عِندَ تَخاذُلِ الجيرانِ

And weep for the orphans when they were destitute

And weep at the betrayal of neighbors

وَاِبكينَ مَصرَعَ جيدِهِ مُتَزَمِّلاً

بِدِمائِهِ فَلَذاكَ ما أَبكاني

And weep for his neck laid low

By his blood, for that is what makes me weep

فَلَأَترُكَنَّ بِهِ قَبائِلَ تَغلِبٍ

قَتلى بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ وَمَكانِ

I will surely leave the tribes of Taghlib

Slain in every settlement and place

قَتلى تُعاوِرَها النُسورُ أَكُفَّها

يَنهَشنَها وَحَواجِلُ الغُربانِ

Slain, circled by eagles, their shoulders

Ripped apart by their talons and the claws of vultures