نَشَدتُ بَني النَجّارِ أَفعالَ والِدي

إِذا لَم يَجِد عانٍ لَهُ مَن يُوازِعُه

I reminded the sons of Najjar of their father’s deeds

When he finds no helper to contend with him

وَراثَ عَلَيهِ الوافِدونَ فَما يَرى

عَلى النَأيِ مِنهُم ذا حِفاظٍ يُطالِعُه

The newcomers inherited it from him, yet he sees

No one from afar watching over him

وَسُدَّ عَلَيهِ كُلُّ أَمرٍ يُريدُهُ

وَزيدَ وَثاقاً فَاِقفَعَلَّت أَصابِعُه

And every matter he wants is denied to him

And his shackles were increased, so his fingers twisted

إِذا ذَكَرَ الحَيَّ المُقيمَ حُلولُهُم

وَأَبصَرَ ما يَلقى اِستَهَلَّت مَدامِعُه

When he recalls the living tribes settling

And sees what he encounters, his tears poured forth

أَلَسنا نَنُصُّ العيسَ فيهِ عَلى الوَجا

إِذا نامَ مَولاهُ وَلَذَّت مَضاجِعُه

Are we not helping Jesus therein when his Master sleeps

And his bedding is soft?

وَلا نَنتَهي حَتّى نَفُكَّ كُبولَهُ

بِأَموالِنا وَالخَيرُ يُحمَدُ صانِعُه

And we do not stop until we undo his fetters

With our wealth, and its Maker is praised

وَأَنشُدُكُم وَالبَغيُ مُهلِكُ أَهلِهِ

إِذا ما شِتاءُ المَحلِ هَبَّت زَعازِعُه

And I remind you - transgression destroys its people

When the winter of the area blows its gusts

إِذا ما وَليدُ الحَيِّ لَم يُسقَ شَربَةً

وَقَد ضَنَّ عَنهُ بِالصَبوحِ مَراضِعُه

When the nursling of the living is not given a drink

And its wet nurses have refused it at dawn

وَراحَت جِلادُ الشَولِ حُدباً ظُهورُها

إِلى مَسرَحٍ بِالجَوِّ جَدبَ مَرابِعُه

And the backs of the slender camels have become humpbacked

To a pasture in the air whose expanse is barren

أَلَسنا نَكُبُّ الكومَ وَسطَ رِحالِنا

وَنَستَصلِحُ المَولى إِذا قَلَّ راقِعُه

Are we not overturning the heap amid our belongings

And conciliating the Master when his quilt is little?

فَإِن نابَهُ أَمرٌ وَقَتهُ نُفوسُنا

وَما نالَنا مِن صالِحٍ فَهوَ واسِعُه

So if an order angers him, our souls are his ransom

And whatever good we attain is its plenty

وَأَنشُدُكُم وَالبَغيُ مُهلِكُ أَهلِهِ

إِذا الكَبشُ لَم يوجَد لَهُ مَن يُقارِعُه

And I remind you - transgression destroys its people

When the ram finds none to contend with him

أَلَسنا نُوازيهِ بِجَمعٍ كَأَنَّهُ

أَتِيٌّ أَمَدَّتهُ بِلَيلٍ دَوافِعُه

Are we not equaling him with a group as if

Nighttime sent its visitors to help him?

فَنَكثُرُكُم فيهِ وَنَصلى بِحَرِّهِ

وَنَمشي إِلى أَبطالِهِ فَنُماصِعُه

So we will multiply around it and pray for its sake

And walk to its heroes and claw them

وَأَنشُدُكُم وَالبَغيُ مُهلِكُ أَهلِهِ

إِذا الخَصمُ لَم يوجَد لَهُ مَن يُدافِعُه

And I remind you - transgression destroys its people

When the opponent finds none to defend him

وَأَكثَرَ حَتّى دَرَّ حَبلُ وَريدِهِ

وَقَصَّرَ عَنهُ في المَقالَةِ وازِعُه

And speaks much until the rope of his vein hangs loose

And his censor falls short of him in the address

أَلَسنا نُصاديهِ وَنَعدِلُ مَيلَهُ

وَلا نَنتَهي أَو يَخلُصَ الحَقُّ ناصِعُه

Are we not contending with him and straightening his inclination

Nor do we stop until the truth lays bare its defender?

وَأَنشُدُكُم وَالبَغيُ مُهلِكُ أَهلِهِ

إِذا الضَيفُ لَم يوجَد لَهُ مَن يُنازِعُه

And I remind you - transgression destroys its people

When the guest finds none to vie with him

أَلَسنا نُحَيِّيهِ وَيَأمَنُ سَربُهُ

وَنَفرُشُهُ أَمناً وَيُطعَمُ جائِعُه

Are we not greeting him while his flock is safe

And we furnish him secure and feed his hunger?

فَلا تَكفُرونا ما فَعَلنا إِلَيكُمُ

وَأَثنوا بِهِ وَالكُفرُ بورٌ بَضائِعُه

So do not deny us what we have done for you

And praise it, for ingratitude ruins the trader

كَما لَو فَعَلتُم مِثلَ ذاكَ إِلَيهِمِ

لَأَثنَوا بِهِ ما يَأثُرُ القَولَ سامِعُه

Just as if you had done the like to them

They would have praised it - speech affects its hearer