فَإِن تَفخَر بِنا فَلَرُبَّ قَومٍ

رَفَعنا جَدَّهُم بَعدَ السَفالِ

If you take pride in us, then many a tribe

We have raised their glory after abasement

دَنَوا مِن فيإِنا أَو كانَ فينا

لَهُم ضَخمُ الدَسيعَةِ في الحِبالِ

They drew near to us or if they had in them

Stout warriors wielding ropes in combat

وَما في الناسِ مِن أَحَدٍ يُساوي

زُرارَةُ أَو يَنالُ بَني عِقالِ

And of mankind there is none can match

Zurara or attain the sons of Iqal

فَإِيُّكُمُ بَني كَعبٍ إِذا ما

مَدَدنا الحَبلَ يَصبِرُ لِلنِضالِ

So which of you, O sons of Kaab will when

We extend the rope show patience in strife

أَجَعدِيٌّ أَسَكُّ مِنَ المَخازي

أَمِ العَجلانُ زائِدَةُ الرِئالِ

A crook-nosed bargainer, more worthless than whey

Or camels bleating with trailing litters

أَلَم تَرَني قَشَرتُ بَني قُشَيرٍ

كَقِشرِ عَصا المُنَقِّحِ مِن مُعالِ

Did you not see me strip the sons of Qushayr

Like stripping a peeled wand of withies

وَما شَيءٌ بِأَضيَعَ مِن قُشَيرٍ

وَلا ضَأنٌ تَريعُ إِلى خَيالِ

Naught is more lost than Qushayr nor sheep

That graze on a phantom or mere semblance

تَراهُم حَولَ خَيرَةَ مِن يَتيمٍ

وَأَرمَلَةٍ تَموتُ مِنَ الهُزالِ

You see them gathered round some orphan's spoils

And widow who is dying of emaciation

وَقَد تَحظى اللَئيمَةُ بَعدَ فَقرٍ

وَتُعطى الرِزقَ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمالِ

The wicked woman, after poverty, attains

Sustenance, from a child and wealth