رَأَيتُ بَني آلِ اِمرِئِ القَيسِ أَصفَقوا

عَلَينا وَقالوا إِنَّنا نَحنُ أَكثَرُ

I saw the sons of Imru' al-Qais clap at us,

And say, "We are more numerous!"

سُليمُ بنُ مَنصورٍ وَأَفناءُ عامِرٍ

وَسَعدُ بنُ بَكرٍ وَالنُصورُ وَأَعصُرُ

Sulaym ibn Mansur and the troops of 'Amir,

And Sa'd ibn Bakr and al-Nusur and A'sur!

خُذوا حَظَّكُم يا آلَ عِكرِمَ وَاِذكُروا

أَواصِرَنا وَالرِحمُ بِالغَيبِ تُذكَرُ

"Take your share, O sons of 'Ikrimah, and remember

Our ties of kinship - though absent, kinship endures."

خُذوا حَظَّكُم مِن وُدِّنا إِنَّ قُربَنا

إِذا ضَرَّسَتنا الحَربُ نارٌ تَسَعَّرُ

Take your share of our affection - our kinship,

When war bares its fangs, is a raging fire!

وَإِنّا وَإِيّاكُم إِلى ما نَسومُكُم

لَمِثلانِ أَو أَنتُم إِلى الصُلحِ أَفقَرُ

And we and you, for what we demand of you,

Are alike - or you are more in need of peace!

إِذا ما سَمِعنا صارِخاً مَعَجَت بِنا

إِلى صَوتِهِ وُرقُ المَراكِلِ ضُمَّرُ

When we hear a warrior cry out in anger,

At his voice the animals' skins quiver in terror.

وَإِن شُلَّ رَيعانُ الجَميعِ مَخافَةً

نَقولُ جِهاراً وَيلَكُم لا تُنَفِّروا

And if the commoners hold back in fear

We openly cry, "Woe to you! Do not take fright!"

عَلى رِسلِكُم إِنّا سَنُعدي وَراءَكُم

فَتَمنَعُكُم أَرماحُنا أَو سَنُعذِرُ

"Against your envoys we will take the offensive,

Holding back your spears, or we will make excuse."

وَإِلّا فَإِنّا بِالشَرَبَّةِ فَاللِوى

نُعَقِّرُ أُمّاتِ الرِباعِ وَنَيسِرُ

Otherwise, by the covenant! We will hamstring

The mothers of foals at first light and ride out!