1. إِن تَكُ كَلباً مِن كُلَيبٍ فَإِنَّني

    مِنَ الدارِمِيِّينَ الطِوالِ الشَقاشِقِ

    If you are a dog of Kulayb, then I am

    of the Darimis, with their long, bellowing throat-sacs.

  2. نَظَلُّ نَدامى لِلمُلوكِ وَأَنتُمُ

    تُمَشَّونَ بِالأَرباقِ ميلَ العَوائِقِ

    We remain drinking companions to kings, while you

    are led about in halters, swaying under restraints.

  3. وَإِنّا لَتَروى بِالأَكُفِّ رِماحُنا

    إِذا أُرعِشَت أَيديكُمُ بِالمَعالِقِ

    And our spears indeed drink their fill in our hands

    when your hands tremble with hanging cups.

  4. وَإِنَّ ثِيابَ المُلكِ في آلِ دارِمٍ

    هُمُ وَرِثوها لا كُلَيبُ النَواهِقِ

    The robes of kingship are indeed in the house of Darim;

    they inherited them, not Kulayb of the braying asses.

  5. ثِيابُ أَبي قابوسَ أَورَثَها اِبنَهُ

    وَأَورَثَناها عَن مُلوكِ المَشارِقِ

    Abu Qabus's robes—he bequeathed them to his son,

    and handed them down to us from the kings of the East.

  6. وَإِنّا لَتَجري الخَمرُ بَينَ سَراتِنا

    وَبَينَ أَبي قابوسَ فَوقَ النَمارِقِ

    And wine indeed flows between our chiefs

    and Abu Qabus, upon the cushions,

  7. لَدُن غَدوَةً حَتّى نَروحَ وَتاجُهُ

    عَلَينا وَذاكي المِسكِ فَوقَ المَفارِقِ

    from early morning until we depart at evening, his crown

    above us, and fragrant musk upon our hair-partings.

  8. كُلَيبٌ وَراءَ الناسِ تُرمى وُجوهُها

    عَنِ المَجدِ لا تَدنو لِبابِ السُرادِقِ

    Kulayb trails behind the people, its faces driven back

    from glory; it never nears the pavilion's gate.

  9. وَإِنَّ ثِيابي مِن ثِيابِ مُحَرِّقٍ

    وَلَم أَستَعِرها مِن مُعاعٍ وَناعِقِ

    And my robes are indeed from the robes of Muharriq;

    I did not borrow them from a lowly fellow or a flock-caller.

  10. يَظَلُّ لَنا يَومانِ يَومٌ نُقيمُهُ

    نَدامى وَيَومٌ في ظِلالِ الخَوافِقِ

    Two days are ever ours: a day we spend

    as drinking companions, and a day in the shade of fluttering banners.

  11. وَلَو كُنتَ تَحتَ الأَرضِ شَقَّ حَديدَها

    قَوافِيَّ عَن كَلبٍ مَعَ اللَحدِ لاصِقِ

    Even if you lay beneath the earth, its iron would be cleft

    by my rhymes, uncovering a dog pressed against the grave's niche.

  12. خَرَجنَ كَنيرانِ الشِتاءِ عَواصِياً

    إِلى أَهلِ دَمخٍ مِن وَراءِ المَخارِقِ

    They went forth like winter fires, unbridled,

    to the people of Damkh from beyond the mountain passes,

  13. عَلى شَأوِ أَولاهُنَّ حَتّى تَنازَعَت

    بِهِنَّ رُواةٌ مِن تَنوخٍ وَغافِقِ

    keeping pace with the first of them, until rivalry arose

    over them among reciters from Tanukh and Ghafiq.

  14. وَنَحنُ إِذا عَدَّت تَميمٌ قَديمَها

    مَكانَ النَواصي مِن وُجوهِ السَوابِقِ

    And when Tamim counts its ancient glories, we hold

    the place of forelocks on the faces of winning steeds.

  15. مَنَعتُكَ ميراثُ المُلوكِ وَتاجَهُم

    وَأَنتَ لِذَرعي بَيذَقٌ في البَياذِقِ

    I have denied you the kings' inheritance and their crown,

    and against my might you are a pawn among pawns.