1. وَلَدَت بَنو حُرثانَ فَرخَ مُحَرِّقٍ

    بِلِوى الوَضيعَةِ مُرتَجَ الأَبوابِ

    The sons of Hurthan brought forth Muharriq’s fledgling,

    At the sandy bend of al-Wadi‘a, with his doors barred.

  2. لا تَسقِني بِيَدَيكَ إِن لَم أَلتَمِس

    نَعَمَ الضَجوعِ بِغارَةٍ أَسرابِ

    Do not give me drink with your own hands if I do not seek

    The herds of al-Daju‘ with raiding squadrons.

  3. تَهدي أَوائِلَهُنَّ كُلُّ طِمِرَّةٍ

    جَرداءَ مِثلِ هِراوَةِ الأَعزابِ

    Their vanguard is led by every long-legged mare,

    Sleek, like the cudgel of bachelors,

  4. وَمُقَطِّعٍ حَلَقَ الرِحالَةِ سابِحٍ

    بادٍ نَواجِذُهُ عَلى الأَظرابِ

    And every galloping horse that snaps the saddle’s rings,

    His back teeth showing on the rocky knolls.

  5. يَخرُجنَ مِن خَلَلِ الغُبارِ عَوابِساً

    تَحتَ العَجاجَةِ في الغُبارِ الكابي

    They emerge through gaps in the dust, scowling,

    Beneath the dust-cloud, amid billowing dust.

  6. وَإِذا الأَسِنَّةُ أُشرِعَت لِنُحورِها

    أَبدَينَ حَدَّ نَواجِذِ الأَنيابِ

    And when spearheads are leveled at their breasts,

    They bare the sharp edges of their canine teeth.

  7. يَحمِلنَ فِتيانَ الوَغى مِن جَعفَرٍ

    شُعثاً كَأَنَّهُمُ أُسودُ الغابِ

    They carry the young warriors of Ja‘far,

    Disheveled, as though they were lions of the thickets.

  8. وَمُدَجَّجينَ تَرى المَغاوِلَ وَسطَهُم

    وَذُبابَ كُلِّ مُهَنَّدٍ قِرضابِ

    And fully armored—you see daggers among them,

    And the tip of every keen-cutting Indian sword.

  9. يَرعَونَ مُنخَرِقَ اللَديدِ كَأَنَّهُم

    في العِزِّ أُسرَةُ حاجِبٍ وَشِهابِ

    They guard the broad passage along the valley-side, as though they were,

    In might, the clan of Hajib and Shihab.

  10. أَبَني كِلابٍ كَيفَ تُنفى جَعفَرٌ

    وَبَنو ضُبَينَةَ حاضِرو الأَجبابِ

    O sons of Kilab, how can Ja‘far be banished,

    While the sons of Dubayna dwell at al-Ajbab?

  11. قَتَلوا اِبنَ عُروَةَ ثُمَّ لَطّوا دونَهُ

    حَتّى نُحاكِمَهُم إِلى جَوّابِ

    They killed Ibn ‘Urwa, then covered up his killing,

    Until we bring them before Jawwab for judgment.

  12. بَينَ اِبنِ قُطرَةَ وَاِبنِ هاتِكِ عَرشِهِ

    ما إِن يَجودُ لِوافِدٍ بِخِطابِ

    Between Ibn Qutra and the son of the man who tore down his throne,

    He grants no visitor so much as a word.

  13. قَومٌ لَهُم عَرَفَت مَعَدٌّ فَضلَها

    وَالحَقُّ يَعرِفُهُ ذَوُو الأَلبابِ

    A people whose excellence Ma‘add has acknowledged,

    And those of understanding recognize the truth.