اِعمِد إِذا كُنتَ مُختاراً نَدى رَجُلٍ

إِلى جَميلٍ فَتى الجودِ اِبنِ حُمرانا

If you are chosen as the fresh dew of a man’s foot,

Go to the handsome, open-handed youth, son of Humran.

الطاعِنِ الطَعنَةَ النَجلاءَ قَد حَجَزَت

عَنها بِصَدرِ قَناةِ الرُمحِ مَن حانا

He who pierces with the polished, splendid spear thrust

Has protected her from it with the boss of his spear shaft if he bent aside.

بِهِ اِطمَأَنَّت قُلوبُ القَومِ إِذ نَشَزَت

إِذا الجَبانُ رَأى لِلمَوتِ أَلوانا

The hearts of the people took comfort in him when they quaked,

Whenever the coward saw the colors of death.

شَوامِخٌ لِبَني شَمخٍ إِذا اِرتَفَعَت

لا تُرتَقى وَأَشَدُّ الناسِ أَركانا

Tall pillars of the lofty tribe of Shamkh when they towered,

Cannot be climbed, and they are the firmest of buttresses.

إِذا أَتَيتَ بَني شَمخٍ وَجَدتَ لَهُم

لِلمَكرُماتِ عَلى المَعروفِ أَعوانا

When you come to the tribe of Shamkh you will find them

Allies for honoring good turns.

تَغدو النِساءَ إِلى شَمخٍ إِذا فَزِعَت

وَأَكلَحَ البَأسُ أَفواهاً وَأَسنانا

The women hasten to Shamkh when they are terrified

And war bares its teeth and fangs.

بِهِم تُواري نِساءُ الحَيِّ أَسوُقَها

إِذا دَعَوا يَومَ بَأسٍ يا لِذُبيانا

With them the women of the quarter conceal its lanes

When they call in a day of distress, “Oh for gallant men!”

مِنهُم فَوارِسُ قَيسٍ وَالَّذينَ لَهُم

قِبصُ الحَصى وَثِقالُ الوَزنِ ميزانا

Among them are the horsemen of Qais and those who

Aim well with pebbles and weighing balances.

أَنتَ اِبنُ أُمِّ اِمرِئٍ تَنمي إِذا نُسِبَت

حَيثُ اِنتَمَت بِأَبيها بِنتُ حَسّانا

You are the son of the mother of a prince who grows tall when traced back,

Wherever she traces back to the daughter of Hassân.

نالَت بِهِ الشَمسَ لَو كادَت تَناوَلَها

بِالمَجدِ إِن كانَ مَجدٌ عِندَها كانا

By it the sun would have attained it if she almost reached out

For glory, if there were glory with her to attain.