وَما زِلتُ مُذ كُنتُ الخُماسِيَّ تُتَّقى

بِيَ الحَربُ وَالعاوُونَ إِذ نَبَحوا وَحدي

Since I was a boy of five years, war and foes have targeted me

Had it not been for the clan of Marwan and the faith they profess

فَلَولا بَنو مَروانَ وَالدينُ إِنَّهُم

بَنو أُمُّنا كَفّوا الشَديدَ عَنِ الضَهدِ

The sons of our mother, who warded off harm from the helpless

Your wedding was arranged, O shepherd of our pastures

لَقَد أُنكِحَت عِرساكَ راعي مَخاضِنا

وَبِعناكَ في نَجرانَ بِالحَذَفِ القَهدِ

And we married you off in Najran with a meager dowry

Come, O son of the camel herdsman, you'll not find

أَهِب يا اِبنَ راعي الإِبلَ إِنَّكَ لَم تَجِد

أَباً لَكَ في جَيشٍ يَسيرُ وَلا وَفدِ

A father for yourself in any marching army or visiting party

If you fear or cannot plunge into the deep waters

إِذا خِفتَ أَو لَم تَستَطِع خَوضَ غَمرَةٍ

لِقَومٍ ذَوي دَرءٍ لَجَأتَ إِلى سَعدِ

Of a people adept at repelling attacks, you take refuge in Saad

For if you stay with Saad, you are the lowest of the low there

فَإِن تَكُ في سَعدٍ فَأَنتَ لَئيمُها

وَفي عامِرٍ مَولىً أَذَلُّ مِنَ العَبدِ

And with Aamir, more humiliated than a slave

If you ask the ears of Qutaybah, they will testify

وَإِن تَسأَلوا أُذنَي قُتَيبَةَ تَشهَدا

لَكُم وَاِبنَ عِجلى إِذ يُسَحَّجُ في البُردِ

To you and the son of ‘Ijlan as he tosses about in the cold

O Abu Salih! When we chose his brains

أَبا صالِحٍ حَيثُ اِنتَقَينا دِماغَهُ

مِنَ الرَأسِ عَن ضاحٍ مَفارِقُهُ جَعدِ

From his head in vengeance for Dahhak's departure

Whenever the Qaisi camel bellowed,

وَكُنّا إِذا القَيسِيُّ نَبَّ عَتودُهُ

ضَرَبناهُ فَوقَ الأُنثَيَينِ عَلى الكَردِ

We would strike it above the uterus at the neck

And the shepherd bequeathed you Oubayd and Hirawwah

وَأَورَثَكَ الراعي عُبَيدٌ هِراوَةً

وَماطورَةً تَحتَ السَوِيَّةِ مِن جِلدِ

As well as Maṭawrah under the plateau made of skin