ما سارِقُ الدِرعَينِ إِن كُنتَ ذاكِراً

ما سارِقُ الدِرعَينِ إِن كُنتَ ذاكِراً

بِذي كَرَمٍ مِنَ الرِجالِ أُوادِعُه

بِذي كَرَمٍ مِنَ الرِجالِ أُوادِعُه

The thief of the two coats of mail, if you remember,

O you who took the coats of mail, if you remember

is no noble man among men with whom I would make peace.

A generous man, I bid him farewell.

فَقَد أَنزَلَتهُ بِنتُ سَعدٍ فَأَصبَحَت

فَقَد أَنزَلَتهُ بِنتُ سَعدٍ فَأَصبَحَت

يُنازِعُها جِلدُ اِستِها وَتُنازِعُه

يُنازِعُها جِلدُ اِستِها وَتُنازِعُه

For Saʿd’s daughter has lodged him, and now

Saad's daughter brought him down, so she became

the skin of her arse contends with her, and she with it.

His smooth skin contends with her, and she contends with it.

فَهَلّا أَسيداً جِئتَ جارَكَ راغِباً

فَهَلّا أَسيداً جِئتَ جارَكَ راغِباً

إِلَيهِ وَلَم تَعمَد لَهُ فَتُرافِعُه

إِلَيهِ وَلَم تَعمَد لَهُ فَتُرافِعُه

So why did you not come to Asīd, your neighbor, seeking

Why did you not come to your neighbor desiring

his favor, instead of targeting him and taking him to court?

Him, and not set out to contend with him?

ظَنَنتُم بِأَن يَخفى الَّذي قَد صَنَعتُمُ

ظَنَنتُم بِأَن يَخفى الَّذي قَد صَنَعتُمُ

وَفيكُم نَبِيٌّ عِندَهُ الحُكمُ واضِعُه

وَفيكُم نَبِيٌّ عِندَهُ الحُكمُ واضِعُه

You thought that what you had done would remain hidden,

You thought that what you had done would be hidden

though among you is a prophet with whom judgment rests, who pronounces it.

While in your midst was a prophet, the one who laid down its rule.

فَلَولا رِجالٌ مِنكُمُ أَن يَسوأَهُم

فَلَولا رِجالٌ مِنكُمُ أَن يَسوأَهُم

هِجائي لَقَد حَلَّت عَلَيكُم طَوالِعُه

هِجائي لَقَد حَلَّت عَلَيكُم طَوالِعُه

Were it not for men among you whom

If not for some men among you whom my

my satire would hurt, its opening verses would surely have descended upon you.

Satire distressed, its fortunes would have descended upon you.

فَإِن تَذكُروا كَعباً إِذا ما نُسيتُمُ

فَإِن تَذكُروا كَعباً إِذا ما نُسيتُمُ

فَهَل مِن أَديمٍ لَيسَ فيهِ أَكارِعُه

فَهَل مِن أَديمٍ لَيسَ فيهِ أَكارِعُه

So if you mention Kaʿb when you are forgotten,

If you remember Ka'b when you forget,

then is there any hide that does not include its trotters?

Is there any skin that does not have scabs upon it?

هُمُ الرَأسُ وَالأَذنابُ في الناسِ أَنتُم

هُمُ الرَأسُ وَالأَذنابُ في الناسِ أَنتُم

فَلَم تَكُ إِلّا في الرُؤوسِ مَسامِعُه

فَلَم تَكُ إِلّا في الرُؤوسِ مَسامِعُه

They are the head, and you the tails among mankind;

You are the heads and the tails among people.

for its ears were nowhere but in heads.

You were none but in the heads were its hearings.