وَلا اِتَّبَعَتكُم يَومَ ظَعنٍ فِلائُها
وَلا زُجِرَت فيكُم فِحالَتُها هَلِ
Nor did they follow you on the day of rift, so blame them,
Nor were they deterred among you, so censure them.
وَلَكِنَّ أَعفاءً عَلى إِثرِ عانَةً
عَلَيهِنَّ أَنحاءُ السِلاءِ المُعَدَّلِ
But they were gentle after suffering,
Upon them the easy going, balanced saddle clothes.
بَناتُ اِبنِ مَرقومِ الذِراعَينِ لَم يَكُن
لِيُذعَرَ مِن صَوتِ اللِجامِ المُصَلصِلِ
The daughters of the one whose arms were marked that he scare
From the clanging, rattling bridle.
أَرى اللَيلَ يَجلوهُ النَهارَ وَلا أَرى
عِظامَ المَخازي عَن عَطِيَّةَ تَنجَلي
I see the night disclosing the day, but do not see
The bones of the wind-riders 'bout Uthayya appear.
أَمِن جَزَعٍ أَن لَم يَكُن مِثلَ غالِبٍ
أَبوكَ الَّذي يَمشي بِريقٍ مُوَصَّلِ
Is it from fear that he was not like victor Ghalib
Your father who walks proudly with bared sword?
ظَلِلتَ تُصادي عَن عَطِيَّةَ قائِماً
لِتَضرِبَ أَعلى رَأسِهِ غَيرَ مُؤتَلِ
You continued to block Uthayya standing
To strike at the top of his head without wavering.
لَكَ الوَيلُ لا تَقتُل عَطِيَّةَ إِنَّهُ
أَبوكَ وَلَكِن غَيرَهُ فَتَبَدَّلِ
Woe to you! Do not kill Uthayya, for he is
Your father, though another one has changed.
وَبادِل بِهِ مِن قَومِ بَضعَةَ مِثلَهُ
أَباً شَرَّ ذي نَعلَينِ أَو غَيرِ مُنعَلِ
And change him with another one from Bana's tribe, like him
A father, worse sandaled or unshod!
فَإِن هُم أَبَوا أَن يَقبَلوهُ وَلَم تَجِد
فِراقاً لَهُ إِلّا الَّذي رُمتَ فَاِفعَلِ
And if they refuse to accept him and you find
No separation for him but that you have cast, then do it!
وَإِن تَهجُ آلَ الزِبرِقانِ فَإِنَّما
هَجَوتَ الطِوالَ الشُمَّ مِن هَضبِ يَذبُلِ
And if you stir up the family of Zibriqan, then you have
But stirred the tall, slender one of withering Hudba.
وَقَد يَنبَحُ الكَلبُ النُجومَ وَدونَها
فَراسِخُ تُنضي العَينَ لِلمَتَأَمِّلِ
And the dog may bark at the stars while beneath them
Lie fathomless leagues for the gazer.
فَما تَمَّ في سَعدٍ وَلا آلِ مالِكٍ
غُلامٌ إِذا ما قيلَ لَم يَتَبَهدَلِ
And none of Sa'd's family nor Malik's house was
A lad who when addressed would then waver.
لَهُم وَهَبَ النُعمانُ بُردَ مُحَرِّقٍ
بِمَجدِ مَعَدٍّ وَالعَديدِ المُحَصَّلِ
To them Nu'man gave a burning coat of mail
By the glory of Ma'add and the assembled host.
وَهُم لِرَسولِ اللَهِ أَوفى مُجيرُهُم
وَعَمّوا بِفَضلٍ يَومَ بَسرٍ مُجَلَّلِ
And they to Allah's Messenger were the best protectors of one granted sanctuary,
And they spread favour the day of Basra, bedecked.
هَجَوتَ بَني عَوفٍ وَما في هِجائِهِم
رَواحٌ لِعَبدٍ مِن كُلَيبٍ مُغَربَلِ
You railed at Bana 'Awf, but in your railing at them
Is no meanness for a slave from Culayb sifted.
أَبَهدَلَةَ الأَخيارَ تَهجو وَلَم يَزَل
لَهُم أَوَّلٌ يَعلو عَلى كُلِّ أَوَّلِ
Abahdal, you rail at the virtuous! Yet there was not
To them a first who would rise over every first!
