حَيِّ المَنازِل أَقفَرَت بِسِهامِ
وَعَفَت مَعالِمُها بِجَنبِ بِرامِ
The dwellings are desolate, struck by arrows,
Their landmarks obscured, next to domed structures.
جَرَّت عَلَيها الرامِساتُ ذُيولَها
وَسِجالَ كُلِّ مُخَلخَلٍ سجّامِ
The winds have dragged their tails over them,
And the clash of every shaky, unsteady one.
أَقوَت وَقَد كانَت تَحُلُّ بِجوِّها
حورُ المَدامِعِ مِن ظِباءِ الشامِ
They were lively, though now devoid of their essence,
The doe-eyed gazelles from the hills of Damascus.
تَرَكَتكَ يَومَ تَعَرَّضَت لَكَ بِاللِوا
دَنَفاً تُعالِجُ لَوعَةَ الأَسقامِ
You abandoned me when you were afflicted
With a malady that exacerbates the pains of the sick.
إِنَّ الأَراقِمَ أَصبَحَت مَسؤولَةً
بِقَرارَةٍ لِمَواطِئِ الأَقدامِ
Indeed the fates have become accountable
For the firmness of footsteps’ landing places.
تَرَكَت ظُباة سُيوفِنا ساداتِهِم
ما بَينَ مَصروعٍ وَآخَرَ دامي
Our swords left their masters slain,
Between one fallen and another bloodied.
لا تَحسَبَنَّ إِذا هَمَمتَ بِحَربِنا
أَنّا لَدا الهَيجاءِ غَيرُ كِرامِ
When you think to war against us, do not assume
We are anything but honorable and magnanimous.
وَلَقَد عَلَمتَ وَأَنتَ فينا شاهِدٌ
وَسُيوفُنا تَفري فُروعَ الهامِ
You know, having witnessed us yourself,
Our blades shearing the branches of resolve.
أنّا لَنَمنَعُ بِالطِعانِ دِيارَنا
وَالضَربُ تَحسَبُهُ شِهابَ ضِرامِ
With thrusting spears we shall defend our lands,
A strike you’ll think a shooting star falling.
فَوقَ الجِيادِ شَواخِصاً أَبصارُها
تَعدو بِكُلِّ مُهَنَّدٍ صَمصامِ
Over the steeds, their sights raised high,
Galloping with each swift, fleet mount.
ضَمِنَت لَها أَرماحُنا وَسُيوفُنا
بِهَلاكِ تَغلِبَ آخِرَ الأَيّامِ
Our lances and swords have guaranteed
The destruction at the end of days.
وَإِذا الكِرامُ تَذاكَرَت أَيّامَها
كُنتُم عَلى الأَيّامِ غَيرَ كِرامِ
And when the honorable speak of their days,
You are, in their days, devoid of honor.
فَاِسأَل لِكِندَةَ حينَ أَقبَلَ جَمعُها
حَولَ اِبنِ كَبشَةَ وَاِبنِ أُمِّ قَطامِ
Ask the tribes of Kindah when their army approached
The son of Kabashah and son of Umm Qatam,
مَلِكانِ قَد قادا الجُيوشَ وَأَثخَنا
بِالقَتلِ كُلَّ مُتَوَّجٍ قَمقامِ
Two kings who led armies and bloodied
Every crowned head with killing,
رَجَعا وَقَد نَسِيا الَّذي قَصَدا لَهُ
وَالخَيلُ تُقرَعُ مِثلَ سَيلِ عُرامِ
They returned having forgotten their purpose,
Their horses stamping like a flood of locusts.
وَجَرى النَعامُ عَلى الفَلاةِ جَوافِلاً
تَبغي الرِجالُ بَوادِرَ الأَعظامِ
The ostriches ran in droves over the desert,
Seeking the remains of men’s bones.
وَوَجَدتَّ ثَمَّ حُلومَنا عادِيَّةً
وَكَأَنَّ أَعدانا بِلا أَحلامِ
You found our dreams placid,
As if our enemies were without aspirations.
أَفَبَعدَ مَقتَلِكُم بُجَيراً عَنوَةً
تَرجونَ وِدّاً آخِرَ الأَيامِ
After treacherously killing Bujayr,
Can you hope for affection in the future?
كَلّا وَرَبِّ الراقِصاتِ إِلى مِنّي
كَلّا وَرَبِّ الحِلِّ وَالإِحرامِ
No, by the Lord of swaying dancers,
No, by the Lord of permitted and forbidden.
حَتّى تُقيدونا النُفوسَ بِقَتلِهِ
وَتَروموا في الشَحناءِ كُلَّ مَرامِ
Until you bind us by killing him
And set out to obtain every goal,
وَتَجولَ رَبّاتُ الخُدورِ حَواسِراً
يَبكينَ كُلَّ مُغاوِرٍ ضَرغامِ
The ladies of the homes will roam around
Weeping for every deep, dark dwelling.
