فَإِن يَقدِر عَلَيَّ أَبو قُبَيسٍ

تَجِدني عِندَهُ حَسَنَ المَكانِ

If Abu Qubays can overcome me,

You will find me with him, in good standing,

تَجِدني كُنتُ خَيراً مِنكَ غَيباً

وَأَمضى بِاللِسانِ وَبِالسِنانِ

You will find me; absent I was better than you,

More eloquent in speech and sharp of tooth.

وَأَيُّ الناسِ أَغدَرُ مِن شَآمٍ

لَهُ صُرَدانِ مُنطَلِقِ اللِسانِ

And what people are more treacherous than Sham,

With his unsheathed tongue ever ready.

فَإِنَّ الغَدرَ قَد عَلِمَت مَعَدٌّ

بَناهُ في بَني ذُبيانَ باني

For the treachery of Ma‘add is well-known,

He built it among the tribes of Dhubyan.

وَإِنَّ الفَحلَ تُنزَعُ خُصيَتاهُ

فَيُصبِحُ جافِراً قَرِحَ العِجانِ

And indeed the stallion is gelded,

And becomes lackluster, scraped of virility.