Abu ‘Ali said: Abu Bakr [ibn Durayd], God have mercy on him, informed me that he was informed by al-Sakan ibn Sa‘id on the authority of Muhmmad ibn ‘Abbad that Ibn al-Kalbi said:
A man of Murad, one Harim by name, made a raid on the holdings of ‘Amr ibn Barraqa al-Hamdani and got away with his camels and horses. So ‘Amr went to Salma, the daughter of a Hamdani chief whose visions used to guide members of the tribe in their course of action, and he told her about Harim's raid. She said:
"By the lightning when it flickers faintly, and the crespuscule as [pale as] potash, and the lowland and the peak! Harim is a leader of men, a man it is difficult to approach, and well-guarded is his keep. But lo! I see where destiny is yours to seize, at al-Jabra where the ground is level. Attack him there and you'll not be repelled."
‘Amr launched his raid on Harim [as instructed], and drove off with everything Harim owned. When Harim came around asking for some of his stuff back, ‘Amr sent him off with nothing, saying (meter: ṭawīl)
Sulayma says: Don't sleep the night through
facing high ground that is treacherous, oblivious
to how the bandits' night is going.
How can a man sleep whose wealth consists, for the most part,
of a sword [that gleams] as white as salt?
When someone with [me for] an enemy falls prey to delusion,
nothing they desire is left to them,
and their right arm stays unfree.
Ṣa‘ālīk don’t get much sleep. Or didn't you know?
Sleep is for the secure and untroubled.
When night grows dark and dark gets deep
and owls screech up from the hillocks
That verse is also recited as:
When night grows dark and stars turn bright
and owls screech up from the hillocks
and sleep's companions give in to its deluding powers,
that's when I excel at taking advantage.
By the House of God, you lie! You never took possession,
never got away clean. Not as long as my sword has a hilt!
I'm shadowed by people who crave my peace
after making war on me when I was tranquil.
Today there comes a call for me to relent,
when already their hard-hoofed horses have been
distributed among my tribe.
To my leader's daughter I say: If Harim hopes
for the return of what's mine to him, he is dreaming.
If your mind is sharp and your sword is cutting
and you have a hot nose, your oppressor will
[have no choice but to] go away.
And when you go after livestock guarded by spearshafts,
you either live on in glory or [you are slain, and no one but]
the canyon walls will mourn your passing.
From the Dictations of Abu ‘Ali al-Qali
