لَقَد عَلِمَت جَديلَةُ أَنَّ بِشراً

غَداةَ مُرَبَّحٍ مُرُّ التقاضي

Jadilah knew well that morning

When the litigant came in the daybreak wretched,

غَداةَ أَتاهُمُ بِالخَيلِ شُعثاً

يَدُقُّ نُسورَها حَدُّ الِقضاضِ

That morning he approached them on horses disheveled—

Their blades as sharp as can be for slashing.

عَلَيها كُلُّ أَصيَدَ تَغلِبِىًّ

كَريمِ مُرَكَّبِ الحَدَّين ماضِ

Upon it pounced every honorable hunter

With a noble steed of excellent speed.

بِأَيديهِم صَوارِمُ مُرهَفاتٌ

جَلاها القَينُ خالِصَةُ البَياضِ

In their hands gleamed polished swords

Made glossy white by the whetstone.

وَكُلُّ مُثَقَّفٍ باِلكَفَّ لَدنٍ

وَسابِغَةٍ مِنَ الحَلَقِ المُغاض

And each was girded with a Yemeni scabbard

And a gleaming sword of Indian steel.

فَغادَرَ مَعقِلاً وَأَخاهُ حِصناً

عَفيرَ الوَجه لَيسَ بِذي اِنتِهاضِ

So he left the stronghold and his brother the citadel,

Pale-faced, being no longer valiant.