ما وَلَدَت أُمّي مِنَ القَومِ عاجِزاً

ما وَلَدَت أُمّي مِنَ القَومِ عاجِزاً

وَلا كانَ ريشي مِن ذُنابي وَلا لَغبِ

وَلا كانَ ريشي مِن ذُنابي وَلا لَغبِ

My mother bore no weakling among the people,

My mother did not give birth to me as a weakling of the people

Nor was my plumage of tail feathers or inferior quills.

Nor were my feathers plucked from my tail feathers or bald

وَلا كُنتُ فَقعاً نابِتاً بِقَرارَةٍ

وَلا كُنتُ فَقعاً نابِتاً بِقَرارَةٍ

وَلَكِنَّني آوي إِلى عَطَنٍ رَحبِ

وَلَكِنَّني آوي إِلى عَطَنٍ رَحبِ

Nor was I a truffle growing in a hollow;

Nor was I a vain sprout growing in emptiness

Instead, I take shelter at a spacious watering ground.

But I take refuge in a vast, spacious enclosure

أُجيبُ إِذا الداعي دَعاني وَأَحتَمي

أُجيبُ إِذا الداعي دَعاني وَأَحتَمي

بِأَبيَضَ مَصقولٍ ضَريبتُهُ عَضبِ

بِأَبيَضَ مَصقولٍ ضَريبتُهُ عَضبِ

I answer when the caller summons me, and defend myself

I respond when the caller calls me and I arm myself

With a bright, keen sword whose cutting edge is polished.

With a white polished sword I sharpened with determination

وَإِنّي لَمِن قَومٍ إِذا حارَبوا العِدى

وَإِنّي لَمِن قَومٍ إِذا حارَبوا العِدى

أَغاروا بِفتيانٍ مَغاويرَ كَالشهبِ

أَغاروا بِفتيانٍ مَغاويرَ كَالشهبِ

And indeed I belong to a people who, when they fight the foe,

And I am among a people, if they fight the enemies

Raid with intrepid young men like meteors.

They launch raids with young warriors like shooting stars

فَلا توعِدوني بِالفَخَارِ فَإِنَّني

فَلا توعِدوني بِالفَخَارِ فَإِنَّني

سَأَحمِلُكُم مِنّي عَلى مركِبٍ صَعبِ

سَأَحمِلُكُم مِنّي عَلى مركِبٍ صَعبِ

So do not threaten me with boasts, for I

So do not threaten me with frailty, for I

Will set you upon a mount hard to ride.

Will bear you from me on a difficult mount