وَقائِلَةٍ وَالدَمعُ يَحدُرُ كُحلَها

لَبِئسَ المَدى أَجرى إِلَيهِ اِبنُ ضَمضَمِ

Her tears flowed and she wept as kohl dripped from her eyes,

"How far has the son of Dhamdam strayed!"

غَزا مِن أُصولِ النَخلِ حَتّى إِذا اِنتَهى

بِكِنهِلَ أَدّى رُمحُهُ شَرَّ مَغنَمِ

He marched from the roots of the palm trees until he ended

At Kinahil, where his spear disclosed the worst kind of booty.

فَلَو كُنتَ صُلبَ العودِ أَو ذا حَفيظَةٍ

لَوَرَّيتَ عَن مَولاكَ في لَيلِ مُظلِمِ

Had you been tough as wood or quick to anger,

You would have avoided your master on a dark night.

لَجُرتَ بِهادٍ أَو لَقُلتَ لِمُدلِجٍ

مِنَ القَومِ لَمّا يَقضِ نَعسَتَهُ نَمِ

You would have walked softly or told the one who slumbers,

"When his people awake from their sleep."

وَكُنتَ كَذِئبِ السوءِ لَمّا رَأى دَماً

بِصاحِبِهِ يَوماً أَحالَ عَلى الدَمِ

You were like the wretched wolf who, when he saw blood

On his companion one day, was quick to bloodshed.

لَقَد خُنتَ قَوماً لَو لَجَأتَ إِلَيهِمِ

طَريدَ دَمٍ أَو حامِلاً ثِقلَ مَغرَمِ

You betrayed a people who, had you sought refuge with them,

As a hunted man or one laden with debt,

لَأَلفَيتَ فيهِم مُطعِماً وَمُطاعِناً

وَراءَكَ شَزراً بِالوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ

Would have sheltered and fed you

And shielded your back with close-knit armor.

لَكانوا كَرُكنٍ مِن عَمايَةَ مِنهُمُ

مَنيعِ الذُرى صَعبٍ عَلى المُتَظَلِّمِ

They would have been like the pillar of a tent of them,

Impregnable, hard for the oppressor to seize.

فَلا شَرِبوا إِلّا بِمِلحٍ مُزَلَّجٍ

وَلا نَسَكوا الإِسلامَ إِن لَم تَنَدَّمِ

Never did they drink but the freshest pure water,

Nor forsake Islam, unless you regret.