سائِل قُرَيشاً وَأَحلافَها

مَتى كانَ عَوفٌ لَها يُنسَبُ

Ask the Quraysh and their allies

When was ‘Awf ever attributed to them?

أَفيما مَضى نَسَبٌ ثابِتٌ

فَيُعلَمُ أَم دَعوَةٌ تُكذَبُ

Was there an established lineage in the past

That can be known, or is it a claim they fabricate?

فَإِنَّ قُرَيشاً سَتَنفيكُمُ

إِلى نَسَبٍ غَيرُهُ أَثقَبُ

For the Quraysh will attribute you

To a lineage other than his, more burdensome,

إِلى جِذمِ قَينٍ لَئيمِ العُروقِِ

عُرقوبُ والِدِهِ أَصهَبُ

To the despicable Jidhma of Qays, foul of roots,

‘Urqub the father of As-Sabah.

إِلى تَغلِبٍ إِنَّهُم شَرُّ جيلٍ

فَلَيسَ لَكُم غَيرَهُم مَذهَبُ

To Taghlib - they are the worst of tribes -

You have no refuge but them.

وَقَد كانَ عَهدي بِها لَم تَنَل

سَنِيّاً وَلا شَرَفاً تَغلِبُ

And my pact with them did not gain me

A year of honor or nobility they would acknowledge.