نَشَا مُستَسِرّاً بَينَ هَضبٍ هَشيمَةٍ

وَبَينَ حَبارٍ عُدمُلِيٍّ تَهَدَّما

He rose concealed between a crumbling plateau,

And crumbling, unstable hills,

إِذا اِكتَحَلتَ عَينُ البَصيرَ بِرَأيِهِ

بَداهُ بِذَعرٍ قَبلَ أَن يَتَهَضَّما

When the eyes of the seer are lined with his opinion,

He saw it in panic before it crumbled.

أَسَلُّ سَماوِيٌّ كَأَنَّ لِسانُهُ

أُسِلَّ سَوادِيّاً مِنَ الكُحلِ أَسحَما

A heavenly downpour as if its tongue

Was poured out blackened by kohl.

إِذا خافَ خَوفاً أَجمَرَتهُ بِلادُهُ

كَما يُضمِرُ الصَدرُ الحَديثَ المُكَتَّما

When he fears out of fear his country singes him

As the chest harbors the suppressed talk.

وَفي الناسِ أَشباهٌ كَثيرٌ وَلَم أَكُن

لِأُشبِهَ شَرّاً مِن شُبَيلٍ وَأَلأَما

And among the people many resemble, but I wouldn’t

Resemble any evil from Shubail or be defamed.

تَشَبَّهتُ ما لَو عَضَّ شِبلَ بنَ حَنبرٍ

لَظَلَّ شُبَيلٌ يَسلَحُ الماءَوالدَما

If Shibil bin Hanbir resembled what he did,

Shubail would continue shedding blood and tears.