1. أُخبِرتُ أَنَّ أَبا الحُوَيرِثِ قَد

    خَطَّ الصَحيفَةَ أَيتَ لِلحِلمِ

    I was told that Abu al-Huwayrith had

    written the document—come to sound judgment!

  2. أَحَسِبتَني في الدينِ تابِعَةً

    أَوَلَو حَلَلتُ عَلى بَني سَهمِ

    Did you think me a mere dependent in allegiance,

    even if I lodged among Banu Sahm?

  3. قَومٌ هُمُ وَلَدوا أَبي وَلَهُم

    جُلُّ الحِجازِ بُنوا عَلى الحَزمِ

    A people who begot my father, and theirs is

    the greater part of the Hijaz; they were built upon firm resolve.

  4. مَنَعوا الخَزايَةَ عَن بُيوتِهِمُ

    بِأَسِنَّةٍ وَصَفائِحٍ خُذمِ

    They kept disgrace away from their houses

    with spearheads and keen-cutting blades.

  5. وَجَلالُهُم ما قَد عَلِمتَ إِذا

    أُحلِلتُمُ بِمَخارِمِ الأُكمِ

    And their greatness is what you already know, when

    you were lodged in the passes among the hills.

  6. وَلَقَد غَدَوتُ عَلى القَنيصِ بِسابِحٍ

    مِثلِ الوَذيلَةِ جُرشُعٍ لَأمِ

    And indeed I set out in the morning for game on a swimming-gaited steed,

    like a silver ingot, broad-chested and sturdily built;

  7. قَيدِ الأَوابِدِ ما يُغَيِّبُها

    كَالسيدِ لا ضَرَعٍ وَلا قَحمِ

    a fetter for wild beasts, never letting them disappear,

    like a wolf, neither feeble nor worn with age;

  8. صَعلٍ كَسافِلَةِ القَناةِ مِنَ ال

    مُرّانِ يَنفي الخَيلَ بِالعَذمِ

    small-headed, like the lower end of a spear-shaft of

    ash wood, driving other horses away by biting.