Ode CXVIII: We brought up our horse from

We brought up our horse from the two sides of Arik to AjaR, to the ribs of ar-Rikham,

A vast host that [by shaking the earth] drove the field-rats from their holes, mighty in its array, a sure defence against enemies.

We slew whom we slew : then we turned against the folk of ash-Shuraif, as far as Shamam ;

We found those of them whom Yazid leads weak in discipline, without organization.

So let loose [thy hatred] upon us, O Yazid, disgraced as thou art — or hold it back, with a scar upon thy nose like [that made by] the nose-string of a camel !

Thou resemblest the flatulent ass of a woman that cooks samn : thou art full of folly, a reviler of the generous,

And men know thee well for an old man famous for his silliness among them this many a year.

And when thou utterest lampoons against the Sons of Tamim, thou art like one that heaps upon himself load upon load of punishment.

They had pity upon thee, but thou didst not requite them with aught but reviling and contention ;

And they left thee more ready to mute than a bustard that has seen a hawk, and fuller of terror than an ostrich.

They smote thee a blow on the head so that the membrane of thy brain was visible among the shattered bones.

When [those that tended thee] were dressing thy wound, there burst out upon them a big mother-owl with hairy legs and claws ;

And it was fortunate for thee that the skin closed over its purulent surface, and that thou wast kept from taking food or drink.

And our people sent back to thee the Sons of 'Ida [without achieving anything, like] an arrow without notch or point, and with the worst of disgrace,

And the two houses of Ja'far and the tribe of Ka'b, and the house of the Sons of al- Wahid, without any pasturing cattle.

And as for us, Dabba was not of us, nor Thaqf, nor the son of Abu 'Isam,

Nor Fadh of the Fadhs, nor Shuyaim, nor your Sulma — Be thou deaf, O Echo !

Ye slew your protected stranger and cast him forth : — by your Mother ! and what was the lad's offence ?

Ho ! who will carry from me a message to the man of Jarm ? — and the best of speech is truthful talk together.

Why, when thou sawest Abu Mu'adh and 'Ulbah, didst thou not take vengeance for thy wrong ?

I see him, instead of riding on the saddle, bound fast on the haunches of the mare [behind the rider] with the girth (?)