تَحِنُّ بِزَوراءِ المَدينَةِ ناقَتي
حَنينَ عَجولٍ تَبتَغِ البَوَّ رائِمِ
My she-camel yearns for the outskirts of the city,
Yearning like a calf seeking pasture at dusk.
وَيا لَيتَ زَوراءَ المَدينَةِ أَصبَحَت
بِأَحفارِ فَلجٍ أَو بِسَيفِ الكَواظِمِ
If only the city outskirts were transformed
Into digging pits or by Sword of Judgement made flat!
وَكَم نامَ عَنّي بِالمَدينَةِ لَم يُبَل
إِلَيَّ اِطِّلاعَ النَفسِ دونَ الحَيازِمِ
How often I slept in the city, unaware—
My soul kept from prying—of wiles and sly tricks,
إِذا جَشَأَت نَفسي أَقولُ لَها اِرجِعي
وَرائِكِ وَاِستَحيِي بَياضَ اللَهازِمِ
When my soul grew impudent, I'd say to her: "Turn back!
Be ashamed before whiteness of scattered remnants!"
فَإِنَّ الَّتي ضَرَّتكَ لَو ذُقتَ طَعمَها
عَلَيكَ مِنَ الأَعباءِ يَومَ التَخاصُمِ
For she who harmed you, if you'd tasted her poison,
Would burden you amid disputes of Judgement Day.
وَلَستَ بِمَأخوذٍ بِلَغوٍ تَقولُهُ
إِذا لَم تَعَمَّد عاقِداتِ العَزائِمِ
You're not one who lightly utters words
Unless with purpose you've girded determined will.
وَلَمّا أَبَوا إِلّا الرَحيلَ وَأَعلَقوا
عُرىً في بُرىً مَخشوشَةٍ بِالخَزائِمِ
When they refused but to depart, and tethered
On saddles—slit, rugged—mouths grim with insult,
وَراحوا بِجُثماني وَأَمسَكَ قَلبَهُ
حُشاشَتُهُ بَينَ المُصَلّى وَواقِمِ
And took off with my body, my heart held back,
Clutched in anxiety 'tween worshipper and pillar,
أَقولُ لِمَغلوبٍ أَماتَ عِظامَهُ
تَعاقُبُ أَدراجِ النُجومِ العَوائِمِ
I say to one defeated, whom time with passing stars
Has turned his bones to dust: "If we call, you answer not,
إِذا نَحنُ نادَينا أَبى أَن يُجيبُنا
وَإِن نَحنُ فَدَّيناهُ غَيرَ الغَماغِمِ
And if we ransom you with more than clouds,
You give us naught but drippings of the rain."
سَيُدنيكَ مِن خَيرِ البَرِيَّةِ فَاِعتَدِل
تَناقُلُ نَصَّ اليَعمُلاتِ الرَواسِمِ
Fate will bring you the best of mankind; so be just—
Transferring texts of laws inscribed on tablets.
إِلى المُؤمِنِ الفَكّاكِ كُلَّ مُقَيَّدٍ
يَداهُ وَمُلقي الثِقلِ عَن كُلِّ غارِمِ
To believer who frees all shackled at wrist
And unburdens others of each heavy debt,
بِكَفَّينِ بَيضاوَينِ في راحَتَيهِما
حَيا كُلُّ شَيءٍ بِالغُيوثِ السَواجِمِ
With two hands—whitened palms—in them contained
Life of all things by rains of succor are sustained,
بِخَيرِ يَدَي مَن كانَ بَعدَ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَجارَيهِ وَالمَظلومِ لِلَّهِ صائِمِ
By the best of hands, after Mohammed,
And his noble kin from Hashim's line descended.
فَلَمّا حَبا وادي القُرى مِن وَرائِنا
وَأَشرَفنَ أَقتارَ الفِجاجِ القَوائِمِ
When valley of Qura to our rear unfurled
And we climbed the mountain ridges rising in sight,
لَوى كُلُّ مُشتاقٍ مِنَ القَومِ رَأسَهُ
بِمُغرَورِقاتٍ كَالشِنانِ الهَزائِمِ
Each longing one among our band turned his head,
Blinded by cascades like defeated warriors in flight.
وَأَيقَنَ أَنّا لا نَرُدُّ صُدورَها
وَلَمّا تُواجِهّا جِبالُ الجَراجِمِ
And realized we'd not return to visit them,
When mountains of separation stood in our way.
أَكُنتُم ظَنَنتُم رِحلَتي تَنثَني بِكُم
وَلَم يَنقُدِ الإِدلاجُ طَيَّ العَمائِمِ
Did you think my journey would conclude with you,
When the twisting of turbans had not yet come undone?
لَبِئسَ إِذاً حامي الحَقيقَةِ وَالَّذي
يُلاذُ بِهِ في المُعضِلاتِ العَظائِمِ
How ugly—the guardian of truth who takes refuge
In Him when tangled in life's awful calamities!
وَمائِن كَأَنَّ الدِمنَ فَوقَ جَمامِهِ
عِباءٌ كَسَتهُ مِن فُروجِ المَخارِمِ
Mourner—as if sitariat on his head
Were a gown whose tatters the squalls make dance!
رِياحٌ عَلى أَعطانِهِ حَيثُ تَلتَقي
عَفا وَخَلا مِن عَهدِهِ المُتَقادِمِ
Winds flapping his ropes where East and West
Have worn his covenant threadbare in time long past.
وَرَدتُ وَأَعجازُ النُجومِ كَأَنَّها
وَقَد غارَ تاليها هَجائِنُ هاجِمِ
I returned with stars in reverse—as if
Their pursuer attacked from rear, striking necks down.
بِغيدٍ وَأَطلاحٍ كَأَنَّ عُيونَها
نِطاقٌ أَظَلَّتها قِلاتُ الجَماجِمِ
With ringing of bells—their eyes like a circlet
Shading them—ring of prominent cheekbones encased.
كَأَنَّ رِحالَ المَيسِ ضَمَّت حِبالُها
قَناطِرَ طَيِّ الجَندَلِ المُتَلاجِمِ
As if legs of ibex were entwined by ropes
Of howdah—compacted, bound tight in a mass.
إِلَيكَ وَلِيَّ الحَقِّ لاقى غُروضَها
وَأَحقابَها إِدراجُها بِالمَناسِمِ
Before you, Defender of Truth, their necks reached out
And their humps, as you called them, arranged in due place.
نَواهِضَ يَحمِلنَ الهُمومَ الَّتي جَفَت
بِنا عَن حَشايا المُحصَناتِ الكَرائِمِ
High-bred steeds carrying cares that dried up
Within us, of noble ladies aloof in their tents.
لِيَبلُغنَ مِلءَ الرَرضِ نوراً وَرَحمَةً
وَعَدلاً وَغَيثَ المُغبِراتِ القَواتِمِ
To fill the earth with light, mercy, justice,
Rain for the dusty, late watering at end of bleak days.
جُعِلتَ لِأَهلِ الرَرضِ أَمناً وَرَحمَةً
وَبُرءً لِئاثارِ القُروحِ الكَوالِمِ
You were made secure refuge and mercy for mankind,
Cure for wounds that multiply and cannot be staunched.
كَما بَعَثَ اللَهُ النَبِيَّ مُحَمَّداً
عَلى فَترَةٍ وَالناسُ مِثلَ البَهائِمِ
Just as God sent as prophet Mohammed
When mankind was beastlike, in days of ignorance lost,
وَرِثتُم قَناةَ المُلكِ غَيرَ كَلالَةٍ
عَنِ اِبنِ مَنافٍ عَبدِ شَمسٍ وَهاشِمِ
You inherited canal of kingship without thirst
From Banu Hashim and sons of Manaf, noblest of kin.
أَبَأنا بِهِم قَتلى وَما في دِمائِهِم
وَفاءٌ وَهُنَّ الشافِياتُ الحَوائِمِ
By their blood they swore, and their blood
Was sincere, though they the healing flasks were smashed.
جَزى اللَهُ قَومي إِذ أَرادَ خِفارَتي
قُتَيبَةُ سَعيَ الرَفضَلينَ الأَكارِمِ
May God reward my people, for when they sought my life,
Qutaiba strove to gain two honorable men.
هُمُ سَمِعوا يَومَ المُحَصسَبِ مِن مِنىً
نِدائي إِذِ اِلتَفَّت رِفاقُ المَواسِمِ
They heard—while crowds at Minna gathered—my call
When raiders turned their backs preparing to flee.
هُمُ طَلَبوها بِالسُيوفِ وَبِالقَنا
وَجُردٍ شَجٍ أَفواهُها بِالشَكائِمِ
They pursued with swords and sharp spears
That bare their teeth, hurling vile insults.
تُقادُ وَما رُدَّت إِذا ما تَوَهَّسَت
إِلى البَأسِ بِالمُستَبسِلينَ الضَراغِمِ
Urged on but not held back when facing the valiant
With bared heads, catastrophic for wicked foes.
كَأَنَّكَ لَم تَسمَع تَميمَن إِذا دَعَت
تَميمُن وَلَم تَسمَع بِيَومِ اِبنِ خازِمِ
As if you never heard of Tameem's raids, when called,
Tameem responds, oblivious to Ibn Khazim's day.
وَقَبلَكَ عَجَّلنا اِبنَ عَجلى حِمامَهُ
بِأَسيافِنا يَصدَعنَ هامَ الجَماجِمِ
Before you we hurried Ibn ‘Ajlaa to his fate
With our swords splitting skulls and piercing bones.
وَما لَقِيَت قَيسُ اِبنُ عَيلانَ وَقعَةً
وَلا حَرَّ يَومٍ مِثلَ يَومِ الأَراقِمِ
Qais Ibn ‘Ailaan met no disasters,
Nor fought a day like the day of Al-‘Araaqim.
عَشِيَّةَ لاقى اِبنُ الحُبابُ حِسابَهُ
بِسِنجارَ أَنضاءَ السُيوفِ الصَوارِمِ
The eve Ibn Al-Hubaab faced his reckoning
In Sinjar, swords polished and gleaming struck.
نَبَحتَ لِقَيسٍ نَبحَةً لَم تَدَع لَها
أُنوفَن وَمَرَّت طَيرُها بِالأَشائِمِ
For Qais we barked a bark leaving no trace
Of honor; their shame our hissing arrows hit.
نَدِمتَ عَلى العِصيانِ لَمّا رَأَيتَنا
كَأَنّا ذُرى الأَطوادِ ذاتِ المَخارِمِ
You regretted rebellion when you saw us
Like mountain goats with split cheeks and tattered ears.
عَلى طاعَةٍ لَو أَنَّ أَجبالَ طَيِّئٍ
عَمَدنَ لَها وَالهَضبَ هَضبَ التَهائِمِ
Obedient though mountains of Taiy sided with them,
And plateau carried what no plateau has carried before.
لِيَنقُلنَها لَم يَستَطِعنَ الَّذي رَسا
لَها عِندَ عالٍ فَوقَ سَبعينَ دائِمِ
When commoners fail to acknowledge and obey,
Naught remains between them and us but swish of sword slashes.
وَأَلقَيتَ مِن كَفَّيكَ حَبلَ جَماعَةٍ
وَطاعَةَ مَهدِيٍّ خَديدِ النَقائِمِ
Qais stirs up against me only the worthless rabble,
Scorned riffraff with vile organs for hearing,
فَإِن تَكُ قَيسٌ في قُتَيبَةَ أُغضِبَت
فَلا عَطَسَت إِلّا بِأَجدَعَ راغِمِ
Yet insulting my Tameem and praising Qais,
You're either mad for ‘Ailaan or Suhool the scatterbrain.
وَما كانَ إِلّا باهِلِيّاً مُجَدَّعاً
طَغى فَسَقَيناهُ بِكَأسِ اِبنِ خازِمِ
Bring for judgment your sire and his brother—
Both shamed alike in the cloak of disgrace.
لَقَد شَهِدَت قَيسٌ فَما كانَ نَصرُها
قُتَيبَةَ إِلّا عَضَّها بِالأَباهِمِ
If you were one of them you'd not fatigue praising them,
But a donkey with legs like date palm stalks!
فَإِن تَقعُدوا تَقعُد لِئامٌ أَذِلَّةٌ
وَإِن عُدتُمُ عُدنا بِبيضٍ صَوارِمِ
I protect my Tameem from the likes of you—
I am her son and her famous knight of seasons.
أَتَغضَبُ أَن أُذنا قُتَيبَةَ حُزَّتا
جِهارَن وَلَم تَغضَب لِيَومِ اِبنِ خازِمِ
I am Tameem's son, the champion behind her
When the criminal submits to inviolable laws.
وَما مِنهُما إِلّا بَعَثنا بِرَأسِهِ
إِلى الشَأمِ فَوقَ الشاحِجاتِ الرَواسِمِ
When the faces of people sweat under their turbans
From exertion, under the mid-day sun,
تَذَبذَبُ في المِخلاةِ تَحتَ بُطونِها
مُحَذَّفَةَ الرَذنابِ جُلحَ المَقادِمِ
My father when asked: "Who are you, proud one?"
Would say: "Of what people is this defiant hero?"
سَتَعلَمُ أَيُّ الوَدِيَينِ لَهُ الثَرى
قَديمَن وَأَولى بِالبُحورِ الخَضارِمِ
Vile wretch selling Qais honor for profit—
They are builders of glory and noble deeds!
أَوادٍ بِهِ صِنُّ الوِبارِ يُسيلُهُ
إِذا بالَ فيهِ الوَبرُ فَوقَ الخَراشِمِ
The highwaymen learned no captives like our captives,
Nor our ransacking with the overwhelming conquests.
كَوادٍ بِهِ البَيتُ العَتيقُ تَمُدُّهُ
بُحورٌ طَمَت مِن عَبدِ شَمسٍ وَهاشِمِ
When the valiant grew weary of carrying blood money,
Every debt collector turned to our graves.
فَما بَينَ مَن لَم يُعطِ سَمعاً وَطاعَةً
وَبَينَ تَميمٍ غَيرُ حَزِّ الحَلاقِمِ
Each victim seeking refuge comes running to us,
And every oppressor flees exhausted from our grip.
وَكانَ لَهُم يَومانِ كانا عَلَيهِمُ
كَأَيّامِ عادِن بِالنُحوسِ الرَشائِمِ
‘Aamir refused to take one captive of theirs
When we had a hundred of theirs within our grasp.
وَيَومٌ لَهُم مِنّا بِحَومانَةَ اِلتَقَت
عَلَيهِم ذُرى حَوماتِ بَحرٍ قُماقِمِ
They said: Give us more, they are worthless,
Though they be ruinous troublers of sublime gathering.
تَخَلّى عَنِ الدُنيا قُتَيبَةُ إِذ رَأى
تَميماً عَلَيها البيضُ تَحتَ العَمائِمِ
They deemed an eyebrow more costly to ransom,
And its folk more deserving of glorious days.
غَداةَ اِضمَحَلَّت قَيسُ عَيلانَ إِذ دَعا
كَما يَضمَحِلُّ الآلُ فَوقَ المَخارِمِ
Unlike Kulayb or any like Darim's father,
Swords of India—their attacks may slice a talisman,
لِتَمنَعَهُ قَيسٌ وَلا قَيسَ عِندَهُ
إِذا ما دَعا أَو يَرتَقي في السَلالِمِ
Sometimes severing the neck's hanging taweez,
The day we shaded ‘Aamir at Hawazan's valley,
تُحَرِّكُ قَيسٌ في رُؤوسٍ لَئيمَةٍ
أُنوفَن وَآذاناً لِئامَ المَصالِمِ
Where sons of ‘Aamir were all triumphant victors,
When Tufayl son of Malik left Qurzul routed,
وَلَمّا رَأَينا المُشرِكينَ يَقودُهُم
قُتَيبَةُ زَحفاً في جُموعِ الزَمازِمِ
And we struck Shutayr son of Khalid, whose mother
Would recognize him by the washbowl that caught his blood.
ضَرَبنا بِسَيفٍ في يَمينِكَ لَم نَدَع
بِهِ دونَ بابِ الصينِ عَيناً لِظالِمِ
The day of Ibn Dhi Saydan, their spear shafts impaled him,
His rear flanked by the piercing tips of lances.
بِهِ ضَرَبَ اللَهُ الَّذينَ تَحَزَّبوا
بِبَدرٍ عَلى أَعناقِهِم وَالمَعاصِمِ
While we split the skull of Ibn Khuwaylid,
More than the mother of chicks among piercing claws.
فَإِنَّ تَميماً لَم تَكُن أُمُّهُ اِبتَغَت
لَهُ صِحَّةً في مَهدِهِ بِالثَمائِمِ
We left eighty mature warriors of Hilal Ibn ‘Aamir
For the vultures tearing with might and talons slashing.
كَأَنَّ أَكُفَّ القابِلاتِ لِأُمِّهِ
رَمَينَ بِعادِيِّ الأُسودِ الدَراغِمِ
With Dahna sands we buried ‘Ayylan,
In a grave mound piled high with her tumulus.
تَأَزَّرَ بَينَ القابِلاتِ وَلَم يَكُن
لَهُ تَوأَمٌ إِلّا دَهاءٌ لِحازِمِ
We prevented Mas'ad from our spears,
Ever facing the cowardly, never the valiant.
وَضَبَّةُ أَخوالي هُمُ الهامَةُ الَّتي
بِها مُضَرٌ دَمّاغَةٌ لِلجَماجِمِ
With knotted shanks like lanterns fused together,
Polished white with the legs of Ostriches.
إِذا هِيَ ماسَت في الحَديدِ وَأَعلَمَت
تَميمٌ وَجاشَت كَالبُحورِ الخَضارِمِ
We broke the nose of ‘Aylaan with spears
And white-legged mares with pedigrees pure.
فَما الناسُ في جَمعَيهِمُ غَيرُ حِشوَةٍ
إِذا خَمَدَ الأَصواتُ غَيرَ الغَماغِمِ
Had it been Qais instead of ‘Aylaan that perished
From tips of tent pegs and guy-ropes lying crushed,
كَذَبتَ اِبنِ دِمنَ الأَرضِ وَاِبنَ مَراغَها
لَآلُ تَميمٍ بِالسُيوفِ الصَوارِمِ
They would be like cuttlefish washed ashore
From the sea, flailing severed from their limbs.
جَلَوا هُمَماً فَوقَ الوُجوهِ وَأَنزَلوا
بِعَيلانَ أَيّاماً عِظامَ المَلاحِمِ
We are a people who buy with our blood
Abodes of demise, yearning for glorious deeds.
تُعَيِّرُنا أَيَّمَ قَيسٍ وَلَم نَدَع
لِعَيلانَ أَنفاً مُستَقيمَ الخَياشِمِ
Are we not most deserving when people compete
For glory, with prolific performers of favors?
فَما أَنتَ مِن قَيسٍ فَتَنبَحَ دونَها
وَلا مِن تَميمٍ في الرُؤوسِ الأَعاظِمِ
Kings whose abundance would overwhelm you
And submerge you in their deep billowing storms,
وَإِنَّكَ إِذ تَهجو تَميمَن وَتَرتَشي
تَبابينَ قَيسٍ أَو سُحوقَ العَمائِمِ
Weighed against mountains, we would tip the scales,
With mountain massifs, gigantic and lofty.
كَمُهريقِ ماءٍ بِالفَلاةِ وَغَرَّهُ
سَرابٌ أَثارَتهُ رِياحُ السَمائِمِ
Gaze from your perch overlooking us
With distant hills, rising high, peaks like spear heads.
بَلى وَأَبيكَ الكَلبِ إِنّي لَعالِمٌ
بِهِم فَهُمُ الأَدنَونَ يَومَ التَلاحُمِ
Had the sun been asked who is our peer,
Or inclined for Hashim's sons with favor,
فَقَرِّب إِلى أَشياخِنا إِذ دَعَوتَهُم
أَباكَ وَدَعدِع بِالجِداءِ التَوائِمِ
How can you face Darim where his kin
Merge into celestial sphere, the double star of brilliance?
فَلَو كُنتَ مِنهُم لَم تَعِب مِدحَتي لَهُم
وَلَكِن حِمارٌ وَشيُهُ بِالقَوائِمِ
Our swords left ‘Aylaan only stumps and palms
With the spear shafts' ends striking the rear of their necks.
مَنَعتُ تَميماً مِنكَ إِنّي أَنا اِبنُها
وَراجِلُها المَعروفُ عِندَ المَواسِمِ
Days we witnessed their women as small stars
Wandering in the night, their banners stripped.
أَنا اِبنُ تَميمٍ وَالمُحامي وَرائَها
إِذا أَسلَمَ الجاني ذِمارَ المَحارِمِ
The day of woe for Qais at Dhi Najb,
Bereft of many orphans in the house of mourning,
إِذا ما وُجوهُ الناسِ سالَت جِباهُها
مِنَ العَرَقِ المَعبوطِ تَحتَ العَمائِمِ
While we at Dafinah left Hudhayl's band
Keeping night vigil, though heads in slumber bowing.
أَبي مَن إِذا ما قيلَ مَن أَنتَ مُعتَزٍ
إِذا قيلَ مِمَّن قَومُ هَذا المُراجِمِ
I swear by the shrine maidens dancing to Mina,
Circling with yearning around the Precinct's walls,
أَدِرسانَ قَيسٍ لا أَبا لَكَ تَشتَري
بِأَعراضِ قَومٍ هُم بُناةِ المَكارِمِ
Disheveled, fearing no blurring of their modesty
When their ornaments brushed against the turbans,
وَما عَلِمَ الرَقوامُ مِثلَ أَسيرِنا
أَسيرَن وَلا إِجدافِنا بِالكَواظِمِ
That Qais Ibn ‘Aylaan will find with Tameem
No treaty intact, their progeny reject compliance.
إِذا عَجَزَ الأَحياءُ أَن يَحمِلوا دَماً
أَناخَ إِلى أَجداثِنا كُلُّ غارِمِ
By my life! If Hawazin tended to their affairs
They would dwell in the Abode of Blame with vile outcasts.
تَرى كُلُّ مَظلومٍ إِلَينا فِرارُهُ
وَيَهرُبُ مِنّا جَهدَهُ كُلُّ ظالِمِ
Had I not shunned attacking Suleim,
I would have served them a cup of deadly poison.
أَبَت عامِرٌ أَن يَأخُذوا بِأَسيرِهِم
مِئينَ مِنَ الأَسرى لَهُم عِندَ دارِمِ
You are not of ‘Aylaan's Qais among the tribes,
Nor of their lofty skulls and prominent bones.
وَقالوا لَهُم زيدوا عَلَيهِم فَإِنَّهُم
لَغاءٌ وَإِن كانوا ثُغامَ اللَهازِمِ
If Qais were mustered, you'd be the unworthy few,
Most distant from Qais' lineage—learned man knows!
رَأَوا حاجِباً أَغلى فِداءً وَقَومَهُ
أَحَقَّ بِأَيّامِ العُلى وَالمَكارِمِ
You're the lowest cowards of ‘Aylaan
And weakest when events require heroes.
فَلا نَقتُلُ الأَسرى وَلَكِن نَفُكُّهُم
إِذا أَثقَلَ الأَعناقَ حَملُ المَغارِمِ
My maternal uncles are the august glory
With which Mudar's drums make the skulls resound.
فَهَل ضَربَةُ الرومِيِّ جاعِلَةٌ لَكُم
أَباً عَن كُلَيبٍ أَو أَباً مِثلَ دارِمِ
When they're adorned with necklaces and don their war caps,
Tameem rises like the towering waves of seas.
كَذاكَ سُيُفُ الهِندِ تَنبو ظُباتُها
وَيَقطَعنَ أَحياناً مَناطَ التَمائِمِ
People assembled are naught but rabble
Once the din and clamor turn to silence.
وَيَومَ جَعَلنا الظِلَّ فيهِ لِعامِرٍ
مُصَمَّمَةً تَفأى شُؤونَ الجَماجِمِ
Accursed liar—lowly worm denying Tameem
And earth's Creator! Tameem's stalwart heroes
فَمِنهُنَّ يَومٌ لِلبَريكَينِ إِذ تَرى
بَنو عامِرٍ أَن غانِمٌ كُلُّ سالِمِ
With gleaming swords have lowered the pride
Of ‘Aylaan, inflicting upon them days of epic wars.
وَمِنهُنَّ إِذ أَرخى طُفَيلُ اِبنُ مالِكٍ
عَلى قُرزُلٍ رِجلي رَكوضِ الهَزائِمِ
You taunt me over Qais' days, yet I left no
‘Aylaan nose straight with symmetrical features.
وَنَحنُ ضَرَبنا مِن شُتَيرِ اِبنِ خالِدٍ
عَلى حَيثُ تَستَسقيهِ أُمُّ الجَماجِمِ
So you are neither Qais defending them
Nor Tameem, among the greatest of renown.
وَيَومَ اِبنِ ذي سَيدانَ إِذ فَوَّزَت بِهِ
إِلى المَوتِ أَعجازُ الرِماحِ الغَواشِمِ
Yet insulting Tameem while praising Qais
You are either mad for ‘Aylaan or a Suhooli buffoon.
وَنَحنُ ضَرَبنا هامَةَ اِبنِ خُوَيلِدٍ
يَزيدَ عَلى أُمِّ الفِراخِ الجَواثِمِ
I have prevented the likes of you from attacking Tameem—
I am her son and famous knight of all seasons.
وَنَحنُ قَتَلنا اِبنَي هُتَيمٍ وَأَدرَكَت
بُجَيراً بِنا رُكضُ الذُكورِ الصَلادِمِ
I am Tameem's son and her defending champion
When the fugitive seeks inviolable sanctuaries.
وَنَحنُ قَسَمنا مِن قُدامَةَ رَأسَهُ
بِصَدعٍ عَلى يافوخِهِ مُتَفاقِمِ
The day Tameem dons their white apparel
Under turbans, during major rituals and rites,
وَعَمراً أَخا عَوفٍ تَرَكنا بِمُلتَقىً
مِنَ الخَيلِ في سامٍ مِنَ النَقعِ قاتِمِ
Qais Ibn ‘Aylaan will find with Tameem
No treaties left, their progeny reject compliance.
وَنَهنُ تَرَكنا مِن هِلالِ اِبنِ عامِرٍ
ثَمانينَ كَهلاً لِلنُسورِ القَشاعِمِ
By my life! If Hawazin tended to their affairs
They would dwell in the Abode of Blame with vile outcasts.
بِدَهنا تَميمٍ حَيثُ سُدَّت عَلَيهِمُ
بِمُعتَرَكٍ مِن رَملِها المُتَراكِمِ
Had I not disdained to war with Suleim,
I would have served them a cup of fatal poison.
وَنَحنُ مَنَعنا مِن مَصادٍ رِماحَنا
وَكُنّا إِذا يَلقَينَ غَيرَ حَوائِمِ
You are not Qais of ‘Aylaan among the tribes,
Neither their lofty skulls and prominent bones.
رُدَينِيَّةً صُمَّ الكُعوبِ كَأَنَّها
مَصابيحُ في تَركيبِها المُتَلاحِمِ
When Qais is gathered, you are the unworthy few,
Most distant from the Qais' pristine stock—for scholars know!
وَنَحنُ جَدَعنا أَنفَ عَيلانَ بِالقَنا
وَبِالراسِياتِ البيضِ ذاتِ القَوائِمِ
You are the lowest cowards of ‘Aylaan
And weakest when events require heroes.
وَلَو أَنَّ قَيساً قَيسَ عَيلانَ أَصبَحَت
بِمُستَنِّ أَبوالِ الرُبابِ وَدارِمِ
I wonder that Qais took upon herself
Stubborn folly, author of calamities.
لَكانوا كَأَقذاءٍ طَفَت في غُطامِطٍ
مِنَ البَحرِ في آذِيِّها المُتَلاطِمِ
Seeking protection in Muraagha and its people—
Yet none of them for Qais would be my equal!
فَإِنّا أُناسٌ نَشتَري بِدِمائِنا
دِيارَ المَنايا رَغبَةً في المَكارِمِ
How strange Kulayb insults me, when Kulayb
Was a milking ground for vilest obscenities.
أَلَسنا أَحَقَّ الناسِ يَومَ تَقايَسوا
إِلى المَجدِ بِالمُستَأثِراتِ الجَسائِمِ
مُلوكٌ إِذا طَمَّت عَلَيكَ بُحورُها
تَطَحطَحتَ في آذِيِّها المُتَصادِمِ
إِذا ما وُزِنّا بِالجِبالِ رَأَيتَنا
نَميلُ بِأَنضادِ الجِبالِ الأَضاخِمِ
تَرانا إِذا صَعَّدتَ عَينَكَ مُشرِفاً
عَلَيكَ بِأَطوادٍ طِوالِ المَخارِمِ
وَلَو سُؤِلَت مَن كُفأُنا الشَمسُ أَومَأَت
إِلى اِبنَي مَنافٍ عَبدِ شَمسٍ وَهاشِمِ
وَكَيفَ تُلاقي دارِماً حَيثُ تَلتَقي
ذُراها إِلى حَيثُ النُجومِ التَوائِمِ
لَقَد تَرَكَت قَيساً ظُباتُ سُيوفِنا
وَأَيدٍ بِأَعجازِ الرِماحِ اللَهاذِمِ
وَقائِعَ أَيّامٍ أَرَينَ نِسائَهُم
نَهاراً صَغيراتِ النُجومِ العَوائِمِ
بِذي نَجَبٍ يَومٌ لِقَيسٍ شَريدُهُ
كَثيرُ اليَتامى في ظِلالِ المَآتِمِ
وَنَحنُ تَرَكنا بِالدَفينَةِ حاضِراً
لِئالِ سُلَيمٍ هامُهُم غَيرُ نائِمِ
حَلَفتُ بِرَبِّ الراقِصاتِ إِلى مِنىً
يَقينَ نَهاراً دامِياتِ المَناسِمِ
عَلَيهِنَّ شُعثٌ ما اِتَّقوا مِن وَريقَةٍ
إِذا ما اِلتَظَت شَهبائُها بِالعَمائِمِ
لَتَحتَلِبَن قَيسُ اِبنُ عَيلانَ لَقحَةً
صَرىً ثَرَّةً أَخلافُها غَيرَ رائِمِ
لَعَمري لَئِن لامَت هَوازِنُ أَمرَها
لَقَد أَصبَحَت حَلَّت بِدارِ المَلاوِمِ
وَلَولا اِرتِفاعي عَن سُلَيمٍ سَقَيتُها
كِئاسَ سِمامٍ مُرَّةً وَعَلاقِمِ
فَما أَنتُمُ مِن قَيسِ عَيلانَ في الذُرى
وَلا مِن أَثافيها العِظامِ الجَماجِمِ
إِذا حُصِّلَت قَيسٌ فَأَنتُم قَليلُها
وَأَبعَدُها مِن صُلبِ قَيسٍ لِعالِمِ
وَأَنتُم أَذَلُّ قَيسِ عَيلانَ حُبوَةً
وَأَعجَزُها عِندَ الأُمورِ العَوارِمِ
وَما كانَ هَذا الناسُ حَتّى هَداهُمُ
بِنا اللَهُ إِلّا مِثلَ شاءِ البَهائِمِ
فَما مِنهُمُ إِلّا يُقادُ بِأَنفِهِ
إِلى مَلِكٍ مِن خِندِفٍ بِالخَزائِمِ
عَجِبتُ إِلى قَيسٍ وَما قَد تَكَلَّفَت
مِنَ الشِقوَةِ الحَمقاءِ ذاتِ النَقائِمِ
يَلوذُنَ مِنّي بِالمَراغَةِ وَاِبنِها
وَما مِنهُما مِنّي لِقَيسٍ بِعاصِمِ
فَيا عَجَبا حَتّى كُلَيبٌ تَسُبُّني
وَكانَت كُلَيبٌ مَدرَجاً لِلمَشاتِمِ
