يَقولُ حَيّايَ مِن عَوفٍ وَمِن جُشَمٍ

يا كَعبُ وَيحَكَ هَلّا تَشتَري غَنَما

Hayya says, from Auf and from Jusham,

"O Ka'b, woe to you! Why don't you buy sheep?

ما لِيَ مِنهَا إذا ما أَزمَةٌ أَزَمَت

وَمِن أُوَيسٍ إِذا ما أَنفُهُ رَذَما

Of no use are they to me when crisis overwhelms,

Or from Uways when his nostrils spew mucus.

أَخشى عَلَيها كَسوباً غَيرَ مُدَّخِرٍ

عاري الأَشاجِعِ لا يُشوي إِذا ضَغَما

I fear for them wearers without savings,

Barefoot, not cooking when evening comes.

إِذا تَلَوّى بِلَحمِ الشاةِ تَبَّرَها

أَشلاءَ بُردٍ وَلَم يَجعَل لَها وَضَما

When he twists the sheep's meat, he soils it,

Limb scraps in the cold, no fat does he leave it.

إِن يَغدُ في شيعَةٍ لَم يَثنِهِ نَهَرٌ

وَإِن غَدا واحِداً لا يَتَّقي الظَلِما

If he goes in a group, no river makes him waver,

And if alone, he fears no darkness.

وَإِن أَطافَ وَلَم يَظفَر بِضّائِنَةٍ

في لَيلَةٍ ساوَرَ الأَقوامَ وَالنَعَما

If he circles without gaining a prize

In the night, he contends with men and sheep.

وَإِن أَغارَ وَلَم يَحلَ بِطائِلَةٍ

في ظُلمَةٍ اِبنِ جَميرٍ ساوَرَ الفُطُما

And if he raids without reaching a troop

In the dark, he contends with young camels.

إِذ لا تَزالُ فَريسٌ أَو مُغَبَّبَةٌ

صَيداءُ تَنشِجُ مِن دونِ الدِماغِ دَما

Since they remain either prey or stolen,

Looted game bleeding from the brain."