وَأَهلَ حَبَونا مِن مُرادٍ تَدارَكَت

وَجَرماً بِوادٍ خالَطَ البَحرَ ساحِلُه

The people of Habouna attained their desires after being thwarted,

And a sin next to a valley whose coast mixed with the sea.

صَبَحناهُمُ الجُردَ الجِيادَ كَأَنَّها

قَطاً أَفزَعَتهُ يَومَ طَلٍّ أَجادِلُه

We took them by surprise at dawn, the steeds, as though they were

Wildcats startled by a prowler on a clear night arguing with them.

أَلا إِنَّ ميراثَ الكُلَيبِيِّ لِاِبنِهِ

إِذا ماتَ رِبقاً ثَلَّةٍ وَحَبائِلُه

Indeed, the inheritance of the Kulaibis is for his son,

When he dies, a quiverful of arrows and weapons.

فَأَقبِل عَلى رِبقَي أَبيكَ فَإِنَّما

لِكُلِّ اِمرِئٍ ما أَورَثَتهُ أَوائِلُه

So set your mind on your father’s quiver, for

Each man gets what his ancestors bequeathed.

تَسَربَلَ ثَوبَ اللُؤمِ في بَطنِ أُمِّهِ

ذِراعاهُ مِن أَشهادِهِ وَأَنامِلُه

He donned the garment of villainy in his mother's womb,

Its sleeves from his supporters and helpers.

كَما شَهِدَت أَيدي المُجوسِ عَلَيهِمُ

بِأَعمالِهِم وَالحَقُّ تَبدو مَحاصِلُه

As the hands of the Magi testified against themselves

Through their deeds, and the truth shows its results.

عَجِبتُ لِقَومٍ يَدَّعونَ إِلى أَبي

وَيَهجونَني وَالدَهرُ جَمٌّ مَجاهِلُه

I wondered at people claiming descent from my father,

And insulting me, while time is obscuring their ignorance.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ رُدَّ الحِمارَ فَإِنَّهُ

أَبوكَ لَئيمٌ رَأسُهُ وَجَحافِلُه

So I said to him, “Return the donkey, for

Your father is a scoundrel, his head and his gang.”

يَسيلُ عَلى شِدقَي جَريرٍ لُعابِهُ

كَشَلشالِ وَطبٍ ما تَجِفُّ شَلاشِلُه

The spittle flows down the cheeks of Jarir

Like a torrent, ceaselessly streaming.

لِيَغمِزَ عِزّاً قَد عَسا عَظمُ رَأسِهِ

قُراسِيَةً كَالفَحلِ يَصرِفُ بازِلُه

Lest he wink at honor, while the bones of his head

Have hardened, turning like a stallion circling his mares.

بَناهُ لَنا الأَعلى فَطالَت فُروعُهُ

فَأَعياكَ وَاِشتَدَّت عَلَيكَ أَسافِلُه

He built it for us, but its branches grew so high

That it wearied you and its lower parts burdened you.

فَلا هُوَ مُسطيعٌ أَبوكَ اِرتِقائَهُ

وَلا أَنتَ عَمّا قَد بَنى اللَهُ عادِلُه

Neither can your father climb it,

Nor you fathom what God has justly built.

فَإِن كُنتَ تَرجو أَن تُوازِيَ دارِماً

فَرُم حَضَناً فَاِنظُر مَتى أَنتَ ناقِلُه

If you hope to rival the Darim house,

Then shoot an arrow and see when you can match it.

وَأَرسَلَ يَرجو اِبنُ المَراغَةِ صُلحَنا

فَرُدَّ وَلَم تَرجِع بِنُجحٍ رَسائِلُه

The son of Maragha sued for peace with us,

But was rebuffed, and his messages returned fruitless.

وَلاقى شَديدَ الدَرءِ مُستَحصِدَ القِوى

تَفَرَّقُ بِالعِصيانِ عَنهُ عَواذِلُه

He met with strong rejection, the harvester of power,

As his supporters scattered, disobeying him.

إِلى كُلِّ حَيٍّ قَد خَطَبنا بَناتِهِم

بِأَرعَنَ مِثلِ الطَودِ جَمٍّ صَواهِلُه

To every clan whose daughters we had sought in marriage

With the zeal of a towering camel, noisy in its passion.