1. جَلَبنا الخَيلَ مِن أَجَأ وَسَلمى

    تَخُبُّ عَوابِساً خَبَبَ الذِئابِ

    We brought the horses from Aja and Salma,

    Trotting grim-faced with the trot of wolves.

  2. جَلَبنا كُلَّ طرفٍ أَعوَجِيِّ

    وَسَلهَبَةٍ كَخافِيَّةِ العُقابِ

    We brought every noble steed of A'waj's stock,

    And every long-bodied mare, like an eagle's secondary wing feather,

  3. نَسوف لِلحِزامِ بِمِرفَقَيها

    شَنونَ الصُلب صَمّاءَ الكِعابِ

    Wearing through the girth with her two elbows,

    Lean-backed, with solid hocks.

  4. ضُرِبنَ بِعَمرَةٍ فَخَرَجنَ مِنها

    خُروجَ الوَدقِ مِن خَلَلِ السَحابِ

    Urged on at 'Amra, they came streaming out of it,

    As rain pours through gaps in the clouds.

  5. فَكانوا بَينَ مَكبولٍ أَسيرٍ

    وَمُنعفِرِ المَضاحِكِ في التُرابِ

    So they were either fettered captives,

    Or men with their smiling teeth dust-smeared on the ground.

  6. وَلَو كانَت تُكَلِّمُ أَرضَ قَيسٍ

    لَأَضحَت تَشتَكي لِبَني كلابِ

    And if the land of Qays could speak,

    It would complain to the sons of Kilab.

  7. وَقَد عَلَمت بَنو عَبسٍ وَبَدرٍ

    وَمُرَّةً أَنَّني مُرٌ عِقابي

    The sons of 'Abs and Badr have learned,

    And Murra, that my punishment is bitter.

  8. كَأَنَّ مَحالَها بِالنيرِ حَرثٌ

    أَثارَتهُ بِمَجمَرَةٍ صَلابِ

    As though its grounds at al-Nir were a ploughed field,

    Churned up by stout steeds with compact hooves.

  9. فَلَمّا أَن بَدَت أَعلامُ لُبنى

    وَكُنَّ لَنا كَمُستَتِرِ الحِجابِ

    So when the landmarks of Lubna came into view,

    And were to us like something hidden behind a veil,

  10. صَبَحناهُنَّ مِن سَمَلِ الأَداوي

    فَمُصطَبِحٌ عَلى عَجَلٍ وَآبِ

    We gave them their morning drink from the waterskins' dregs,

    Some drinking in haste, others refusing.

  11. وَيَومَ المَلحِ يَومَ بَني نُمَيرٍ

    أَصابَتكُم بِأَظفارٍ وَنابِ

    And on the day of al-Malh, the day of Banu Numayr,

    You were struck with claws and a fang.

  12. وَآنف أَن أَعُدَّ عَلى نُمَيرٍ

    وَقائِعَنا بِرَوضاتِ الرَبابِ

    And I disdain to recount against Numayr

    Our battles in the meadows of al-Rabab.

  13. وَبَينَ يَعفُهُنَّ لَهُم رَقيبٌ

    أَضاعَ وَلَم يَخَف نَعبَ الغُرابِ

    And among Ya'fuhunna, a lookout of theirs

    Neglected his watch and did not fear the raven's croak,

  14. وَأَلقى نَفسَهُ وَهَوَينَ رَهواً

    يُنازِعنَ الأَعِنَّةِ كَالكِعابِ

    And cast himself down, while they swept down gently,

    Straining against the reins like young maidens.