1. Lamis came by night—if only she had not come,

    until she could untie the ropes of a fettered captive.

  2. I greeted your dwelling with a greeting of peace

    on the day of al-Sulayy—what ailed it that it did not speak?

  3. And the young women found the gray at my hair's parting strange,

    after prolonged ardent love and yearning.

  4. I once followed the rope of youth's guide,

    when youth had a radiance not yet faded.

  5. O Qufayr, al-Zubayr and his clan have learned

    that Mujashiʿ's rope is not the strongest.

  6. Valor was recalled, but Mujashiʿ had neither

    the bearing of the standard nor defenders in fierce combat.

  7. We are the defenders at every dreaded frontier,

    and through us every closed gate is opened.

  8. And through us every grave calamity is warded off—

    not like your leaping in karraq garments.

  9. Malik has denied any likeness to al-Farazdaq,

    and you have sunk to the station of a lowly, spurious kinsman.

  10. Donkey's Trough is al-Farazdaq's father—so mark

    his knotted neck-veins and his contracted elbow.

  11. Of all creatures, the worst we know among you

    is Donkey's Trough—and the worst of those not yet created.

  12. How many a disgrace has been stirred up against you,

    after which al-Farazdaq is no longer Farazdaq!

  13. Dhakwan charged upon your women in their howdahs at midmorning,

    and gave your father the bitterest, most acrid draught to drink.

Sol 6.1