غِيّاً لِباهِلَةَ الَّتي شَقِيَت بِنا
غِيّاً يَكونُ لَها كَغُلٍّ مُجلَبِ
Curse the Bahila who have wronged us
Their punishment will be like a neck shackle
فَلَعَلَّ باهِلَةَ بنَ يَعصُرَ مِثلُنا
حَيثُ اِلتَقى بِمِنىً مُناخُ الأَركُبِ
Perhaps Bahila will squeeze us like grapes
Where the riding beasts gathered at Mina
تُعطى رَبيعَةُ عامِرٍ أَموالَها
في غَيرِ ما اِجتَرَموا وَهُم كَالأَرنَبِ
The wealth of ‘Amir’s Rabī‘ah is given away
For crimes they never committed, like rabbits
تُرمى وَتُحذَفُ بِالعِصِيِّ وَما لَها
مِن ذي المَخالِبِ فَوقَها مِن مَهرَبِ
Pelted and chased with sticks though innocent
With no refuge from the clawed predator above
أَنتُم شَرارُ عَبيدِ حَيِّيُ عامِرٍ
حَسَباً وَأَلأَمُهُ سَنوخَ مُرَكَّبِ
You are the worst slaves of Ḥayy of ‘Amir
Enough! May his assembled army collapse
لا تَمنَعونَ لَهُم حَرامَ حَليلَةٍ
وَتُنالُ أَيُّمُهُم وَإِن لَم تُخطَبِ
You don’t stop them from forbidden women
And any of them can have her without proposal
أَظَنَنتُمُ أَن قَد عُتِقتُم بَعدَما
كُنتُم عَبيدَ إِتاوَةٍ في تَغلِبِ
Did you think you were freed after being
Slaves of the Itāwah in Taghlib’s land?
مِنّا الرَسولُ وَكُلُّ أَزهَرَ بَعدَهُ
كَالبَدرِ وَهوَ خَليفَةٌ في المَوكِبِ
The Messenger is from us, and each successor
Like the full moon leading the caravan
لَو غَيرُ عَبدِ بَني جُؤَيَّةَ سَبَّني
مِمَّن يَدِبُّ عَلى العَصا لَم أَغضَبِ
If not for ‘Abd of Jusham's sons insulting me
I wouldn't be angry at one who walks with a cane
وَجَدَتكَ أُمُّكَ وَالَّذي مَنَّيتَها
كَالبَحرِ أَقبَلَ زاخِراً وَالثَعلَبِ
Your mother found you like a raging sea
With a fox inside trying to dam its current
أَقعى لِيَحبِسَ بِاِستِهِ تَيّارَهُ
فَهوى عَلى حَدَبٍ لَهُ مُتَنَصِّبِ
He collapsed on a sandy bank formed against him
When he tried to contain its flow with his mouth
كَم فِيَّ مِن مَلِكٍ أَغَرَّ وَسوقَةٍ
حَكَمٍ بِأَردِيَةَ المَكارِمِ مُحتَبي
How many kings have I made proud, and ministers
Judging with the gown of nobility wrapped around them
وَإِذا عَدَدتَ وَجَدتَني لِنَجيبَةٍ
غَرّاءَ قَد أَدَّت لِفَحلٍ مُنجِبِ
If you count my ancestors, you'll find me a descendant
Of a noble stud covering a pedigree mare
إِنّي أَسُبُّ قَبيلَةً لَم يَمنَعوا
حَوضاً وَلا شَرِبوا بِصافي المَشرَبِ
I insult a tribe who didn't protect
A drinking pool or drink clear spring water
وَالباهِلِيُّ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ حَلَّها
عَبدٌ يُقِرُّ عَلى الهَوانِ المُجلِبِ
The Bahila are slaves in every land they settled
Bowing in disgrace and shackled servitude
وَالباهِلِيُّ وَلَو رَأى عِرساً لَهُ
يُغشى حَرامُ فِراشِها لَم يَغضَبِ
Even if the Bahila saw a forbidden marriage bed
They wouldn't be angry if it was violated
