هُوَ مَا قُلْتُ فاحْذَرَنْهَا صَبَاحَا

غَارَةً تَمْلأُ الْفَضَاءَ رِمَاحَا

It's what I said, so beware of it in the morning

A raid that fills the space with spears

تَتْرُكُ الْمَاءَ لا يَسُوغُ لِظَامٍ

وتَرُدُّ الدَّمَ الْحَرَامَ مُباحَا

Leaving the water unlawful for anyone to drink

And making lawful blood flow again

لا تَرَى بَيْنَها سِوَى عَبْقَرِيٍّ

يَأْلَفُ الطَّعْنَ نَجْدَةً وَارْتِيَاحَا

You see nothing but skillfulness among them

Accustomed to stabbing as an act of delight

لَهِجٌ بِالْحُروبِ لا يَأْلَفُ الْخَفْ

ضَ ولا يَصْحَبُ الْفَتَاةَ الرَّدَاحَا

Eager for wars, not accustomed to cowardice

Nor accompanying an unarmed damsel

مِسْعَرٌ لِلْوَغَى أَخُو غَدَوَاتٍ

تَجْعَلُ الأَرْضَ مَأْتَماً وصِيَاحَا

Inciting turmoil, brothers of mornings

That turn the land into a funeral with screams

لا يُرَى عَاتِباً عَلَى شِيَمِ الدَّهْ

رِ وَلا عَابِثاً وَلا مَزَّاحَا

Not seen blaming the traits of vileness

Nor playing or joking

يَفْعَلُ الْفَعْلَةَ الَّتي تَبْهَرُ النَّا

سَ وتَرْنُو لَهَا الْعُيُونُ طِمَاحا

Doing deeds that dazzle people

And for which eyes long eagerly

لا كَمَنْ يَسْأَلُ الْوُفُودَ عَنِ الأَنْ

باءِ عَجْزَاً وَيَرْقُبُ الأَشْبَاحَا

Not like one who asks the delegations about news

Out of inadequacy, watching ghosts

فَاعْتَبِرْ أَيُّهَا الْمُجَاهِرُ بِالْقَوْ

لِ وَلا تَبْعَثَنْ عَلَيْكَ نُواحَا

So take heed, O you who declare might openly

Lest dirges be sung for you

إِنَّ في بُرْدَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ لَيْثاً

يَقصُ الْقِرْنَ أَوْ يَفُلُّ السِّلاحَا

In these two icy limbs of mine is a lion

That severs the horn or makes weapons recoil

سَدِكَاتٍ بِالرُّمْحِ مِنْهُ بَنانٌ

تَمْلأُ الأَرْضَ والسَّماءَ جِرَاحَا

Warriors with spears, among them are youths

Filling the earth and sky with wounds

أَنَا مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ كِرامٍ عَلَى الدَّهْ

رِ أَفَادُوهُ عِزَّةً وصَلاحَا

I am from a generous tribe, honorable

They benefited it with glory and righteousness

فَرَعُوا بِالْقَنَا قِنَانَ الْمَعَالِي

وَأَعَدُّوا لِبَابِهَا مِفْتَاحَا

They guarded the heights of glories with resolve

And made for its doors a key

عَمَرُوا الأَرْضَ مُدَّةً ثُمَّ زَالُوا

مِثْلَمَا زَالَتِ الْقُرُونُ اجْتِياحَا

They settled the land for a time, then passed away

Just as generations passed away, overrunning

وَأَتَتْ بَعْدَهُمْ عَليَّ لَيَالٍ

لا أَرَى في سَمائِهَا مِصَباحَا

And after them came upon me nights

Wherein I see no lamp in their sky

فَسَقَاهُمْ مُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثِ سحْلاً

يَجْعَلُ النَّبْتَ لِلْعَراءِ وِشَاحَا

The sender of rain quenched them with torrents

Making vegetation grow on barren land