سَأَلتَ قُرَيشاً فَلَم يَكذِبوا

فَسَل وَحوَحاً وَأَبا عامِرِ

You asked the Quraysh, and they did not lie,

So ask Wahwah and Abu Amer,

ما أَصلُ حَسّانَ في قَومِهِ

وَلَيسَ المُسائِلُ كَالخابِرِ

What is the origin of Hassan among his people,

And questions are not like news.

فَلَو يَصدُقونَ لَأَنبَوكُمُ

بِأَنّا ذَوُو الحَسَبِ القاهِرِ

If they were truthful, they would tell you

That we are of noble and victorious lineage,

وَأَنّا مَساعيرُ عِندَ الوَغى

نَرُدُّ شَبا الأَبلَخِ الفاجِرِ

And that we are quick to the fray,

Repulsing the insolent, transgressing youth.

وَرِثتُ الفَعالَ وَبَذلَ التِلا

دِ وَالمَجدَ عَن كابِرٍ كابِرِ

I inherited gallantry and generosity

And glory from many a magnificent ancestor.

وَحَملَ الدِياتِ وَفَكَّ العُنا

ةِ وَالعِزَّ في الحَسَبِ الفاخِرِ

And took upon myself blood-money and ransom,

And honor and noble rank.

بِكُلِّ مَتينٍ أَصَمِّ الكُعو

بِ وَأَبيَضَ ذي رَونَقٍ باتِرِ

The shoulders of every tall, fully armed warrior,

And bright-faced, graceful, slender-waisted.

وَبَيضاءَ كَالنَهيِ فَضفاضَةٍ

تَثَنّى بِعولٍ عَلى الناشِرِ

And white-faced women like prohibition, languid,

Swaying with chubby, round-faced infants.

بِها نَختَلي مُهَجَ الدارِعي

نَ إِذا نَوَّرَ الصُبحُ لِلناظِرِ

With them we while away the watches of the night

When the dawn gleams for the onlooker.

إِذا اِستَبَقَ الناسُ غاياتِهِم

وَجَدتَ الزِبَعرى مَعَ الآخِرِ

When people vie for their utmost goals

You will find Zib'ar in the rear.

وَما يَجعَلُ العَيَّ وَسطَ النَدِي

يِ كَالمَحرَبِ المِصقَعِ الشاعِرِ

And nothing places a fault in the midst of praise

Like the heavily-armed, eloquent poet.

وَكَيفَ يُناصِبُني مُفحَمٌ

يُنَصُّ إِلى مُلصَقٍ بائِرِ

How can an ignorant man disparage me,

One who clings to a shining sword?

فَبِئسَ الخَطيبُ وَنِعمَ الأَجيرُ

وَمُستَأبِطُ القِدرِ لِلجازِرِ

Evil is the orator and excellent the hireling,

And the despicable the butcher.