لَبِئسَت هَدايا القافِلينَ أَتَيتُمُ

بِها أَهلَكُم يا شَرَّ جَيشَينِ عُنصُرا

How wretched are the gifts of the caravans you brought,

You ruined your people, O evil armies.

رَجَعتُم عَلَيهِم بِالهَوانِ فَأَصبَحوا

عَلى ظَهرِ عُريانِ السَلائِقِ رَدبَرا

You returned to them in disgrace, so they became

With bare backs, riding the saddled camels backwards.

وَقَد كانَ شيمَ السَيفُ بَعدَ اِستِلالِهِ

عَلَيهِم وَناءَ الغَيثُ فيهِم فَأَمطَرا

The swords were in the habit of unsheathing against them,

And the rain poured upon them, so it rained heavily.

رَدَدتُم عَلَينا الخَيلَ وَالتُركَ عِندَكُم

تَحَدّى طِعاناً بِالأَسِنَّةِ أَحمَرا

You brought back to us horses and Turks with you,

Challenging with crimson tongues and biting.

إِلى مَحِكٍ في الحَربِ يَأبى إِذا اِلتَقَت

أَسِنَّتُها بِالمَوتِ حَتّى يُخَيَّرا

To a conclusive trial through war which refuses, when

Its tongues meet with death, until it is given the choice.

إِذا عَجَمَتهُ الحَربُ يَوماً أَمَرَّها

عَلى قُتُرٍ مِنها عَنِ اللينِ أَعسَرا

When war excites it one day, it is controlled

By the most difficult of its bridles, away from gentleness.

وَلَمّا رَأى اللَهُ الَّذي قَد صَنَعتُمُ

وَأَنَّ اِبنَ سَيبُختَ اِعتَدى وَتَجَبَّرا

And when Allah saw what you have done,

And that the son of Sibukht overstepped and was arrogant,

وَقارَعتُمُ في الحَقِّ مَن كانَ أَهلُهُ

بِباطِلِ سَيبُختَ الضَلالِ وَذَكَّرا

And you opposed in truth those whose people

Were with the falsehood of Sibukht and his misguidance.

رَماكُم بِمَيمونِ النَقيبَةِ حازِمٍ

إِذا لَم يُقَم بِالحَقِّ لِلَّهِ نَكَّرا

He threw you with the auspicious right hand of Hazim,

Whenever right is not established for Allah’s sake, it is denied.

أَبِيَّ المُنى لَم تَنتَقِض مُرَّةٌ بِهِ

وَلَكِن إِذا ما أَورَدَ الأَمرَ أَصدَرا

My father does not refuse an abode, but when

The matter requires, he issues his judgement.

أَخا غَمَراتٍ يَجعَلَ اللَهُ كَعبَهُ

هُوَ الظَفِرُ الأَعلى إِذا البَأسُ أَصحَرا

Brother of Ghamarat, may Allah make his heel

The highest victory when the affliction becomes widespread.

مُعانٌ عَلى حَقٍّ وَطالِبُ بَيعَةٍ

لِأَفضَلِ أَحياءَ العَشيرَةِ مَعشَرا

Mu'an is on the truth and seeking the pledge

Of allegiance to the best of the tribe’s society.

لِآلِ أَبي العاصي تُراثُ مَشورَةٍ

لِسُلطانِهِم في الحَقِّ أَلّا يُغَيَّرا

For the family of Abi Al-'Asi, there is a legacy of consultation

For their authority in truth, so it is not altered.

عَجِبتُ لِنَوكى مِن نِزارٍ وَحينِهِم

رَبيعَةَ وَالأَحزابِ مِمَّن تَمَضَّرا

I am amazed by the camel herds of Nizar and their clan,

Rabi'ah and the parties who have become senile.