أَشاعِرَ عَبدَ اللَهِ إِن كُنتَ لائِماً

فَإِنّي لِما تَأَتي مِنَ الأَمرِ لائِمُ

O Abdu'llah, if you're blaming me

Then I'm blaming you for what has come to be

تُحَضِّضُ أَفناءَ الرِبابِ سَفاهَةً

وَعِرضُكَ مَوتورٌ وَلَيلُكَ نائِمُ

You squander mornings with your idle lute

While your honor wanes and nights you sleep right through

وَهَل عَجَبٌ أَن تُدرِكَ السَيدَ وِترَها

وَتَصبِرُ لِلحَقِّ السَراةُ الأَكارِمُ

What surprise that fate should overtake its lord

While the noble heart shows patience for the right

رَأيتُكَ لَم تَمنَع طُهَيَّةَ حُكمَها

وَأَعطَيتَ يَربوعاً وَأَنفُكَ راغِمُ

I saw you let Dishiyya have her way

And give in to Yarbou' though your nose was tight

وَأَنتَ اِمرؤٌ لا تَقبَلُ الصُلحَ طائِعاً

وَلَكِن مَتى تُظَأَر فَإِنَّكَ رائِمُ

You, a man who spurns peace when offered free

Yet once avenged, is placated and beams bright

دَعَوتُم إِلى أَمرِ النَواكَةِ دارِماً

فَقَد تَركتُكُم وَالنَواكَةَ دارِمُ

I called you to make peace in Darim's affair

But left you warriors, and Darim's fight goes on

وَكَنتَ كَذاتِ البَوِّ شُرِّمَت اِستُها

فَطابَقَت لَمّا خَرَّمَتكَ الغَمائِمُ

You were like a rain-pierced tent mended anew

Yet when sorrows pierced you, you came undone

فَلو كُنتَ مَولى مُسلَت ما تَجلَلت

بِهِ ضَبعٌ في مُنتَقى القَومِ واحِمُ

Had you been a guardian of dependents pure

No hyena could soil the choice of communal shun

وَلَم يُدرِك المَقتولُ إِلاّ مَجَرَّهُ

وَما أَسارَت مِنهُ النُسورُ القَشاعِمُ

Only the slain know the blow that laid them low

Not the vultures who came to pick their bones clean

عَلَيكَ اِبنَ عَوفٍ لا تَدَعهُ فَإِنَّما

كَفاكَ مَوالينا الَّذي جَرَّ سالِمُ

Ibn 'Awf don't leave him be, for it's enough

That our protector brought peace to end this scene

أَتَذكُرُ أَقواماً كَفَوكَ شُؤونَهُم

وَشَأنُكَ إِلاّ تَركُهُ مُتَفاقِمُ

Do you recall the allies you saved from plight?

Yet your state persists unless you heal this seam