لَنِعمَ الحَيُّ حَيُّ بَني كُلَيبٍ

إِذا ما أَوقَدوا فَوقَ اليَفاعِ

How excellent is the tribe of Kulayb

When they light fires on high ground!

وَنِعمَ الحَيُّ حَيُّ بَني كُلَيبٍ

إِذا اِختَلَطَ الدَواعي بِالدَواعي

How excellent is the tribe of Kulayb

When motives mingle with motives!

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ جارَ بَني زُهَيرٍ

قَصيرُ الباعِ لَيسَ بِذي اِمتِناعِ

Have you not seen that the neighbor of the tribe of Zuheir,

With short supply, is no match for them?

وَلَيسَ الجارُ جارُ بَني كُلَيبٍ

بِمُقصىً في المَحَلِّ وَلا مُضاعِ

And the neighbor is not a neighbor of the tribe of Kulayb,

With no refuge or support.

هُمُ صَنَعوا لِجارِهِمُ وَلَيسَت

يَدُ الخَرقاءِ مِثلَ يَدِ الصَناعِ

They made things for their neighbor while the hands

Of the patch-clothed are not like the hands of makers,

وَيَحرُمُ سِرُّ جارَتِهِم عَلَيهِم

وَيَأكُلُ جارُهُم أُنُفَ القِصاعِ

And their neighbor's secrets are sacred to them

While their neighbor eats the choicest portions openly.

وَجارُهُمُ إِذا ما حَلَّ فيهِم

عَلى أَكنافِ رابِيَةٍ يَفاعِ

And when war comes upon them,

On the shoulders of a lofty she-camel,

لَعَمرُكَ ما قُرادُ بَني رِياحٍ

إِذا نُزِعَ القُرادُ بِمُستَطاعِ

By your life! The fleas of the tribe of Ri'ah,

When fleas are picked off, are no match for them!