1. أَقفَرَت بَعدَ عَبدِ شَمسٍ كَداءُ

    فَكُدَيٌّ فَالرُكنُ فَالبَطحاءُ

    Kada' lies deserted, with ʿAbd Shams gone,

    and Kudayy, the Corner, and al-Batha';

  2. فَمِنىً فَالجِمارُ مِن عَبدِ شَمسٍ

    مُقفِراتٌ فَبَلدَحٌ فَحِراءُ

    and Mina and al-Jimar, bereft of ʿAbd Shams,

    lie deserted, as do Baldah and Hira';

  3. فَالخِيامُ الَّتي بِعُسفانَ فَالجُح

    فَةُ مِنهُم فَالقاعُ فَالأَبواءُ

    and the tents at ʿUsfan, and al-Juhfah,

    bereft of them, and al-Qaʿ and al-Abwa',

  4. موحِشاتٌ إِلى تَعاهِنَ فَالسُق

    يا قِفارٌ مِن عَبدِ شَمسٍ خَلاءُ

    are forlorn, as far as Taʿahin and al-Suqya:

    desolate tracts, empty of ʿAbd Shams.

  5. قَد أَراهُم وَفي المَواسِمِ إِذ يَغـ

    ـدونَ حِلمٌ وَنائِلٌ وَبَهاءُ

    I used to see them at the festivals, when they

    went forth, with forbearance, bounty, and splendor.

  6. وَحِسانٌ مِثلُ الدُمى عَبشَميّا

    تٌ عَلَيهِنَّ بَهجَةٌ وَحَياءُ

    And beauties like figurines, women of ʿAbd Shams,

    upon them were radiance and modesty.

  7. لا يَبِعنَ العِيابَ في مَوسِمِ النا

    سِ إِذا طافَ بِالعِيابِ النِساءُ

    They sell no garment bags at the people's festival,

    when women go round with garment bags.

  8. ظاهِراتُ الجَمالِ وَالسَروِ يَنظُر

    نَ كَما يَنظُرُ الأَراكَ الظِباءُ

    Showing beauty and nobility, they gaze

    as gazelles gaze upon the arak trees.

  9. حَبَّذا العَيشُ حينَ قَومي جَميعٌ

    لَم تُفَرِّق أُمورَها الأَهواءُ

    How sweet was life when my people were united,

    and passions had not divided their affairs!

  10. قَبلَ أَن تَطمَعَ القَبائِلُ في مُلـ

    ـكِ قُرَيشٍ وَتَشمَتَ الأَعداءُ

    Before the tribes aspired to the dominion

    of Quraysh, and the enemies gloated.

  11. أَيُّها المُشتَهي فَناءَ قُرَيشٍ

    بِيَدِ اللَهِ عُمرُها وَالفَناءُ

    O you who long for Quraysh's destruction,

    in God's hand are its lifespan and extinction.

  12. إِن تُوَدِّع مِنَ البِلادِ قُرَيشٌ

    لا يَكُن بَعدَهُم لِحَيٍّ بَقاءُ

    If Quraysh departs from the lands,

    no tribe will survive after them.

  13. لَو تُقَفّي وَتَترُكُ الناسَ كانوا

    غَنَمَ الذِئبِ غابَ عَنها الرِعاءُ

    Were it to turn away and leave the people, they would be

    the wolf's sheep, their shepherds gone.

  14. هَل تَرى مِن مُخَلَّدٍ غَيرَ أَنَّ الـ

    ـلَهَ يَبقى وَتَذهَبُ الأَشياءُ

    Do you see anyone immortal, save that

    God endures and all things pass away?

  15. يَأمُلُ الناسُ في غَدٍ رَغَبَ الدَهـ

    ـرِ أَلا في غَدٍ يَكونُ القَضاءُ

    People hope for time's bounty tomorrow;

    lo, tomorrow the decree will come.

  16. لَم نَزَل آمِنينَ يَحسُدُنا النا

    سُ وَيَجري لَنا بِذاكَ الثَراءُ

    We have always been secure, envied by the people,

    and wealth has flowed to us with that.

  17. فَرَضينا فَمُت بِدائِكَ غَمّاً

    لا تُميتَنَّ غَيرَكَ الأَدواءُ

    So we are content; die grieving of your sickness;

    may ailments kill no one else.

  18. لَو بَكَت هَذِهِ السَماءُ عَلى قَو

    مٍ كِرامٍ بَكَت عَلينا السَماءُ

    If this sky wept for a people

    of noble character, the sky would weep for us.

  19. نَحنُ مِنّا النَبيُّ الأُمِّيُّ وَالصِد

    ديقُ مِنّا التَقِيُّ وَالخُلَفاءُ

    We have the unlettered Prophet among us, and al-Siddiq,

    the pious one, is of us, as are the caliphs.

  20. وَقَتيلُ الأَحزابِ حَمزَةُ مِنّا

    أَسَدُ اللَهِ وَالسَناءُ سَناءُ

    And Hamzah, slain by the confederates, is of us,

    the Lion of God—and splendor is splendor.

  21. وَعَلِيٌّ وَجَعفَرٌ ذو الجَناحَي

    نِ هُناكَ الوَصِيُّ وَالشُهَداءُ

    And ʿAli, and Jaʿfar, possessor of two wings:

    there are the appointed successor and the martyrs.

  22. وَالزُبَيرُ الَّذي أَجابَ رَسولَ الـ

    ـلَهِ في الكَربِ وَالبَلاءُ بَلاءُ

    And al-Zubayr, who answered God's Messenger

    in anguish, when trial was truly trial;

  23. وَالَّذي نَغَّصَ اِبنَ دومَةَ ما تو

    حي الشَياطينُ وَالسُيوفُ ظِماءُ

    and he who spoiled for Ibn Dumah what

    the devils inspired, while the swords thirsted;

  24. فَأَباحَ العِراقَ يَضرِبُهُم بِال

    سَيفِ صَلتاً وَفي الضِرابِ غَلاءُ

    so he laid Iraq open, striking them with

    an unsheathed sword; the blows came at a high price.

  25. غُيِّبوا عَن مَواطِنٍ مُفظِعاتٍ

    لَيسَ فيها إِلا السُيوفَ رَخاءُ

    They were kept away from terrifying battlefields,

    where there was no ease but swords.

  26. فَسَعوا كَي يُفَلِّلوكَ وَيَأبى الـ

    ـلَهُ إِلّا الَّذي يَرى وَيَشاءُ

    So they strove to blunt your edge, but God permits

    only what He deems fit and wills.

  27. حَسَداً إِذ رَأَوكَ فَضَّلَكَ اللَـ

    ـهُ بِما فُضِّلَت بِهِ النُجَباءُ

    Out of envy, when they saw that God had favored you

    with that by which the noble are favored.

  28. فَعَلى هَديِهِم خَرَجتَ وَما طِب

    بُكَ في اللَهِ إِذ خَرَجتَ الرِياءُ

    So you went forth following their guidance; your way

    in God's cause, when you went forth, was not ostentation.

  29. إِن تَعِش لا نَزَل بِخَيرٍ وَإِن تَه

    لِك نَزُل مِثلَ ما يَزولُ العَماءُ

    If you live, we shall remain well; and if you

    perish, we vanish as the cloudbank vanishes.

  30. إِنَّما مُصعَبٌ شِهابٌ مِنَ اللَـ

    ـهِ تَجَلَّت عَن وَجهِهِ الظَلماءُ

    Musʿab is but a blazing star from God;

    darkness has lifted from his face.

  31. مُلكُهُ مُلكُ قُوَّةٍ لَيسَ فيهِ

    جَبَروتٌ وَلا بِهِ كِبرِياءُ

    His rule is a rule of strength; in it is no

    tyranny, nor is there any arrogance.

  32. يَتَّقي اللَهَ في الأُمورِ وَقَد أَفـ

    ـلَحَ مَن كانَ هَمَّهُ الإِتِّقاءُ

    He fears God in all affairs; prosperous indeed

    is he whose concern is godly fear.

  33. إِنَّ لِلَّهِ دَرَّ قَومٍ يُريدو

    نَكَ بِالنَقصِ وَالشَقاءُ شَقاءُ

    How remarkable, by God, are men who seek

    to diminish you—and misery is misery!

  34. بَعدَما أَحرَزَ الإِلَهُ بِكَ الرَتـ

    ـقَ وَهَرَّت كِلابَكَ الأَعداءُ

    After God secured the mending of the breach through you,

    and the enemies set your dogs snarling.

  35. وَرِجالٌ لَو شِئتَ سَمَّيتَهُم مِنـ

    ـنا وَمِنّا القُضاةُ وَالعُلَماءُ

    And men whom I could name, if you wished, from among

    us; among us also are the judges and scholars.

  36. مِنهُمُ ذو النَدى سُهَيلُ بنُ عَمروٍ

    عِصمَةُ الجارِ حينَ حُبَّ الوَفاءُ

    Among them is generous Suhayl ibn ʿAmr,

    the neighbor's protection, when loyalty was cherished.

  37. حاطَ أَخوالَهُ خُزاعَةَ لَمّا

    كَثَرَتهُم بِمَكَّةَ الأَحياءُ

    He guarded his mother's kin, Khuzaʿah, when

    the clans in Mecca outnumbered them.

  38. حينَ قالَ الرَسولُ زولوا فَزالوا

    شَرَعَ الدينَ لَيسَ فيهِ خَفاءُ

    When the Messenger said, 'Move away,' and they moved away,

    he ordained the religion; nothing in it is hidden.

  39. وَرِجالٌ مِنَ الأَحابيشِ كانَت

    لَهُمُ في الَّذينَ حاطَ دِماءُ

    And men of the Ahabish had

    blood claims against those he protected.

  40. وَالَّذي أُشرِبَت قُرَيشٌ لَهُ الحُب

    بَ عَلَيهِ مِمّا يُحَبُّ رِداءُ

    And he for whom Quraysh was imbued with love:

    upon him lies a mantle of all that is beloved.

  41. وَأَبو الفَضلِ وَاِبنُهُ الحِبرُ عَبدُ الـ

    ـلَهِ إِن عَيَّ بِالرَأيِ الفُقَهاءُ

    And Abu al-Fadl, and his son, the scholar ʿAbd Allah,

    when the jurists falter in their judgment;

  42. وَالَّذي إِن أَشارَ نَحوَكَ لَطماً

    تَبِعَ اللَطمَ نائِلٌ وَعَطاءُ

    and he who, if he gestures toward you with a slap—

    bounty and gifts follow the slap.

  43. وَالبُحورُ الَّتي تُعَدُّ إِذا النا

    سُ لَهُم جاهِلِيَّةٌ عَمياءُ

    And the seas of bounty, numbered when the people

    were in blind ignorance:

  44. يُطعِمونَ السَديفَ مِن قَحدِ الشَو

    لِ مَن آوَت إِلَيهِمُ البَطحاءُ

    they serve fat from the humps of milkless she-camels

    to those whom al-Batha' has lodged with them,

  45. في جِفانٍ كَأَنَّهُنَّ جَوابٍ

    مُترَعاتٍ كَما تَفيضُ النِهاءُ

    in bowls as though they were cisterns,

    brimful, as pools overflow.

  46. وَهُمُ المُحتَبونَ في حُلَلِ اليُم

    نَةِ فيهِم سَماحَةٌ وَبَهاءُ

    And they sit with knees clasped, in robes

    of Yemeni cloth, full of generosity and splendor.

  47. أَقسَموا لا نَزالُ نُطعِمُ ما هَبـ

    ـبَت رِياحُ الشَمالِ وَالأَصباءُ

    They swore: 'We shall keep feeding, as long as

    the north winds and the east winds blow.'

  48. وَعِياضٌ مِنّا عِياضُ بنُ غَنمٍ

    كانَ مِن خَيرِ ما أَجَنَّ النِساءُ

    And ʿIyad is of us—ʿIyad ibn Ghanm;

    he was among the best whom women carried in their wombs.

  49. عَينِ فَاِبكي عَلى قُرَيشٍ وَهَل يُر

    جِعُ ما فاتَ إِن بَكَيتِ البُكاءُ

    O eye, then weep for Quraysh! But can

    weeping bring back what is gone, if you weep?

  50. مَعشَرٌ حَتفُهُم سُيوفُ بَني العَلـ

    ـلاتِ يَخشَونَ أَن يَضيعَ اللِواءُ

    A people whose doom is their half-brothers' swords:

    they fear that the banner might be lost.

  51. تَرَكَ الرَأسَ كَالثَغامَةِ مِنّي

    نَكَباتٌ تَسري بِها الأَنباءُ

    My head has been left white as thaghamah

    by calamities whose tidings spread.

  52. مِثلُ وَقعِ القَدومِ حَلَّ بِنا فَال

    ناسُ مِما أَصابَنا أَخلاءُ

    Like an adze's blow, it fell upon us, while

    the people are spared what has struck us.

  53. لَيسَ لِلَّهِ حُرمَةٌ مِثلُ بَيتٍ

    نَحنُ حُجّابُهُ عَلَيهِ المُلاءُ

    There is no sanctuary of God's like the House;

    we are its guardians, with coverings upon it.

  54. خَصَّهُ اللَهُ بِالكَرامَةِ فَالبا

    دونَ وَالعاكِفونَ فيهِ سَواءُ

    God singled it out for honor; so desert dwellers

    and those who stay within it are equal.

  55. حَرَّقَتهُ رِجالُ لَخمٍ وَعَكٍّ

    وَجُذامٌ وَحِميَرٌ وَصُداءُ

    Men of Lakhm and ʿAkk burned it,

    and Judham, Himyar, and Suda';

  56. فَبَنَيناهُ مِن بَعدِ ما حَرَّقوهُ

    فَاِستَوى السَمكُ وَاِستَقَلَّ البِناءُ

    so we rebuilt it after they burned it,

    and its roof stood level, and the structure rose aloft.

  57. كَيفَ نَومي عَلى الفِراشِ وَلَمّا

    يَشمَلِ الشامَ غارَةٌ شَعواءُ

    How can I sleep upon my bed, when

    a fierce, sweeping raid has not yet engulfed al-Sham?

  58. تُذهِلُ الشَيخَ عَن بَنيهِ وَتُبدي

    عَن بُراها العَقيلَةُ العَذراءُ

    It distracts the old man from his sons, while

    the noble virgin exposes her anklets.

  59. أَنا عَنكُم بَني أُمَيَّةَ مُزوَر

    رٌ وَأَنتُم في نَفسِيَ الأَعداءُ

    I am averse to you, sons of Umayyah,

    and in my soul you are the enemies.

  60. إِنَّ قَتلى بِالطَفِّ قَد أَوجَعَتني

    كانَ مِنكُم لَئِن قُتِلتُم شِفاءُ

    The slain at al-Taff have indeed pained me;

    were you slain, healing would come from you.