هَجَوتُ اِبنَ الفُرَيعَةِ إِذ هَجاني

هَجَوتُ اِبنَ الفُرَيعَةِ إِذ هَجاني

فَما بالي وَبالُ بَني بَشيرِ

فَما بالي وَبالُ بَني بَشيرِ

I satirized Ibn al-Furayʿah when he satirized me.

Ibn al-Furay'ah insulted me when he insulted,

So what have I to do with Banū Bashīr?

So what is it to me or the people of Bashir?

أُفَيحِجُ مِن بَني النَجّارِ يُضحي

أُفَيحِجُ مِن بَني النَجّارِ يُضحي

شَديدَ القُصرَيَينِ مِنَ السَحورِ

شَديدَ القُصرَيَينِ مِنَ السَحورِ

A bow-legged little man of Banū al-Najjār spends the morning

Must I boast from the carpenter's sons who slaughter

With both lower ribs taut from his predawn meal.

The long and short poles from early morning?

وَقَد جارَيتُ قَد عَلِمَت مَعَدٌّ

وَقَد جارَيتُ قَد عَلِمَت مَعَدٌّ

بِلا واني اليَدَينِ وَلا قَصيرِ

بِلا واني اليَدَينِ وَلا قَصيرِ

And I have raced—as Maʿadd well knows—

I have contended, Madad has already known

On a steed neither weak in the forelegs nor short,

My hands do not fail, nor am I too short.

بِذي شَقٍّ عَلى الضَبَراتِ حَتّى

بِذي شَقٍّ عَلى الضَبَراتِ حَتّى

يَلينَ عَلى التَجَخُّفِ وَالشَخيرِ

يَلينَ عَلى التَجَخُّفِ وَالشَخيرِ

With a split-tipped lash as he bounds, until

With gap teeth over the elephants until

He yields, despite his bluster and snorting.

He relents to frivolity and snoring.