تَزاجَرَ هَذَ الناسُ عَنّي تَقِيَّةً

تَزاجَرَ هَذَ الناسُ عَنّي تَقِيَّةً

فَما بالُ هَذا الطاهِرِيِّ وَبالي

فَما بالُ هَذا الطاهِرِيِّ وَبالي

These people held one another back from me out of caution;

These people have shunned me out of piety,

So what business has this al-Tahiri with me?

Yet why does this ascetic assail me thus,

يُساجِلُني حَتّى كَأَن لَيسَ بُحتُرٌ

يُساجِلُني حَتّى كَأَن لَيسَ بُحتُرٌ

أَبي وَاِبنُ هَمّامِ بنِ مُرَّةَ خالي

أَبي وَاِبنُ هَمّامِ بنِ مُرَّةَ خالي

He vies with me, until it is as though Buhtur were not

Arguing with me as though he were no monk.

My father, nor Ibn Hammam ibn Murra my maternal uncle.

My father and Hammam ibn Murrah's son were uncles of mine.

أَخي وَاِبنُ عَمّي سابَقَتني خِصالُهُ

أَخي وَاِبنُ عَمّي سابَقَتني خِصالُهُ

إِلى شَرَفٍ أَو سابَقَتهُ خِصالي

إِلى شَرَفٍ أَو سابَقَتهُ خِصالي

My brother and my paternal cousin—his virtues raced against me

My brother and cousin have qualities,

Toward honor, or my virtues raced against him.

That raise them high, or I have qualities that raise me high.

بَنو الحارِثِ الحَرّابِ يَغشَونَ نَصرَةُ

بَنو الحارِثِ الحَرّابِ يَغشَونَ نَصرَةُ

بِكُلِّ جَهيرٍ في السِلاحِ طِوالِ

بِكُلِّ جَهيرٍ في السِلاحِ طِوالِ

The sons of al-Harith the warrior come to give aid

The warlike sons of Al-Harith throng to give victorious aid,

With every imposing, tall man under arms.

With every warrior crying aloud and the long spear uplifted.

أُولَئِكَ قَومٌ أَنتَ كُفءُ سَراتِهِم

أُولَئِكَ قَومٌ أَنتَ كُفءُ سَراتِهِم

وَشَرواهُمُ في سُؤدُدٍ وَمَعالِ

وَشَرواهُمُ في سُؤدُدٍ وَمَعالِ

Those are a people whose chiefs you equal,

They are a people whose peers you would be honored to have as friends,

And their peer in nobility and lofty deeds.

And their nobility in pasture and plain is unquestioned.

دِيارُهُمُ بِالغوطَتَينِ وَدارُكُم

دِيارُهُمُ بِالغوطَتَينِ وَدارُكُم

بِعُسفانَ تُسقى مِن حَياً بِعَزالِ

بِعُسفانَ تُسقى مِن حَياً بِعَزالِ

Their homes are in the two Ghoutas, and your home

Their abode is in Al-Ghawta and yours in ‘Usfan,

In Usfan, watered by life-giving rain pouring through spouts.

Watered from Hai with ceaseless flow.

لَهُم وَرَقُ الزَيتونِ غَضّاً وَعِندَكُم

لَهُم وَرَقُ الزَيتونِ غَضّاً وَعِندَكُم

شَريجانِ مِن أَثلٍ يَرِفُّ وَضالِ

شَريجانِ مِن أَثلٍ يَرِفُّ وَضالِ

They have fresh olive foliage, while you have

For them are olive-sprays still moist, while yours are

A matched pair of swaying tamarisk and wild lote.

Acacias dropping tassels fray’d and sere.

تُراكَ مُسامِيَّ الغَداةِ فَفائِتي

تُراكَ مُسامِيَّ الغَداةِ فَفائِتي

بِجُملَةِ شِعري وَهوَ جُملَةُ مالي

بِجُملَةِ شِعري وَهوَ جُملَةُ مالي

Do you think you can rival me this morning, then surpass me

You may see me fasting in the morning, and that

In all my poetry, which is all my wealth?

Is the whole of my poetry and all my money.