رأيتُكَ فتَّاكاً على الرُّوم والزِّنجِ

رأيتُكَ فتَّاكاً على الرُّوم والزِّنجِ

بغَيرِ سِلاحٍ بَل بأنيابِكَ الفُلجِ

بغَيرِ سِلاحٍ بَل بأنيابِكَ الفُلجِ

I saw you wreaking slaughter on Romans and Zanj,

I saw you, a ruthless slayer of the Romans and the Zanj,

I saw you as a fierce warrior against the Byzantines and Africans

weaponless—armed only with your gap-toothed fangs.

without a weapon, but rather with your spaced-apart fangs.

With no weapons, but only your disabling fangs

فقلتُ لربِّ الكَرمِ سَل فارِسَ الوَغَى

فقلتُ لربِّ الكَرمِ سَل فارِسَ الوَغَى

أماناً وإلا ألحقَ الكرمَ بالمَرجِ

أماناً وإلا ألحقَ الكرمَ بالمَرجِ

So I told the vineyard’s lord: “Beg the warrior of the fray

So I said to the vineyard's owner: Ask the knight of battle

So I said to the Lord of Generosity, ask the knight of havoc

for safe conduct, or he will turn the vineyard into a meadow.”

for safe-conduct, or else he will turn the vineyard into a meadow.

For safety, else I will ruin generosity with death