حارِ بنَ كَعبٍ أَلا الأَحلامُ تَزجُرُكُم

عَنّي وَأَنتُم مِنَ الجوفِ الجَماخيرِ

Alas, do dreams not deter you,

While you are pusillanimous and cowardly?

لا عَيبَ بِالقَومِ مِن طولٍ وَلا عِظَمٍ

جُسمُ البِغالِ وَأَحلامُ العَصافيرِ

There is no defect with the people, neither of height nor bigness,

The bodies of mules and the dreams of sparrows,

كَأَنَّهُم قَصَبٌ جوفٌ مُكاسِرُهُ

مُثَقَّبٌ فيهِ أَرواحُ الأَعاصيرِ

As though they are hollow reeds, broken in them,

The spirits of hurricanes perforated in them.

أَلا طِعانٌ أَلا فُرسانُ عادِيَةٍ

إِلّا تُجَشُّؤُكُم حَولَ التَنانيرِ

Alas warriors, alas impetuous horsemen,

Unless you cluster around the cooking pots.

دَعوا التَخاجُؤَ وَاِمشوا مِشيَةً سُجُحاً

إِنَّ الرِجالَ ذَوُو عُصبٍ وَتَذكيرِ

Leave off wavering and walk with dignity and pride,

Verily men are of lofty resolve and reminder.

لا يَنفُعُ الطولُ مِن نوكِ القُلوبِ وَلا

يَهدي الإِلَهُ سَبيلَ المَعشَرِ البورِ

Neither length of the bow’s string nor the hollowness of hearts avail,

Nor does God guide the way of the ignoble worthless folk.

إِنّي سَأَنصُرُ عِرضي مِن سَراتِكُمُ

إِنَّ الحَماسَ نَسِيٌّ غَيرُ مَذكورِ

Verily I will protect my honor from your evils,

Verily valor has become forgetful and unmentioned.

أَلفى أَباهُ وَأَلفى جَدَّهُ حُبِسا

بِمَعزِلٍ عَن مَعالي المَجدِ وَالخيرِ

I found his father and I found his grandfather,

Imprisoned far from the glories of glory and good.