تَداركَ حُزنٌ بِالقَنا آلَ عامِرٍ

تَداركَ حُزنٌ بِالقَنا آلَ عامِرٍ

قَفا حُضُنٍ وَالكَرُّ بِالخَيلِ أَعسَرُ

قَفا حُضُنٍ وَالكَرُّ بِالخَيلِ أَعسَرُ

Huzn rescued the clan of ‘Amir with spears,

The sorrow of Āl ʿĀmir was alleviated at Qanāt

behind Hudun, where charging on horseback was harder.

With stout thighs and the attack with horses more difficult

فَإِنّي بِذا الجارِ الخَفاجِيِّ واثِقٌ

فَإِنّي بِذا الجارِ الخَفاجِيِّ واثِقٌ

وَقَلبي مِنَ الجارِ العِبادِيِّ أَوجَرُ

وَقَلبي مِنَ الجارِ العِبادِيِّ أَوجَرُ

For I trust this Khafaji neighbor,

For I am confident in this lowborn neighbor

but my heart is more fearful of the ‘Ibadi neighbor.

While my heart is warier of the noble neighbor

إِذا ما عُقَيلِيٌّ أَقامَ بِذِمَّةٍ

إِذا ما عُقَيلِيٌّ أَقامَ بِذِمَّةٍ

شَريكَينِ فيها فَالعِبادِيُّ أَوجَرُ

شَريكَينِ فيها فَالعِبادِيُّ أَوجَرُ

Whenever an ‘Uqayli upholds a pledge of protection,

Whenever a ʿUqaylī takes protection

the two being partners in it, the ‘Ibadi is more fearful.

With two partners in it, the nobler is more treacherous

لَعَمري لَقَد خارَت خَفاجَةُ عامِراً

لَعَمري لَقَد خارَت خَفاجَةُ عامِراً

كَما خَيرُ بَيتٍ بِالعِراقِ المُشَقَّرُ

كَما خَيرُ بَيتٍ بِالعِراقِ المُشَقَّرُ

By my life, Khafaja has indeed surpassed ‘Amir,

By my life, Khafājah has certainly deserted ʿĀmir

just as al-Mushaqqar is the finest house in Iraq.

As Khayr's house in Iraq is the most wretched

وَإِنَّكَ لَو تُعطي العِبادِيَّ مَشقَصاً

وَإِنَّكَ لَو تُعطي العِبادِيَّ مَشقَصاً

لَراشى كَما راشى عَلى الطَبعِ أَبخَرُ

لَراشى كَما راشى عَلى الطَبعِ أَبخَرُ

And indeed, if you gave the ‘Ibadi an arrowhead,

And truly if you give the nobleman a whip

he would surely bribe, just as Abkhar bribed at the river.

He would act rashly as he is by nature most insolent