فَإِنْ يَكُ سَيَّرَهَا مُصْعبُ

فَإِنْ يَكُ سَيَّرَهَا مُصْعبُ

فإِنّي إلَى مُصْعَبِ مُذْنِبُ

فإِنّي إلَى مُصْعَبِ مُذْنِبُ

If Mus‘ab has sent it on its way,

So if Mus'ab sent it forth,

then I have wronged Mus‘ab.

then I have wronged Mus'ab.

أقُودُ الكَتِيبَةَ مُسْتَلْئِماً

أقُودُ الكَتِيبَةَ مُسْتَلْئِماً

كَأنّي أخُو عرةٍ أجْرَبُ

كَأنّي أخُو عرةٍ أجْرَبُ

I lead the battalion, clad in armor,

I lead the battalion clad in armor,

as though afflicted with mange—mangy.

as though I were a mangy man afflicted with scabies.

عَلَيَّ دِلاَصٌ تَخَيَّرْتهَا

عَلَيَّ دِلاَصٌ تَخَيَّرْتهَا

وَفي الكَفّ ذُو رَوْنَقٍ يَقْضِبُ

وَفي الكَفّ ذُو رَوْنَقٍ يَقْضِبُ

Upon me is supple mail that I chose,

I wear smooth mail that I chose,

and in my hand, a gleaming blade that cleaves.

and in my hand is a gleaming blade that cleaves.

فَلَوْ أن يَحْيَى بِهِ قَوةٌ

فَلَوْ أن يَحْيَى بِهِ قَوةٌ

فَيَغْزُو مَعَ القوْمِ أوْ يَرْكَب

فَيَغْزُو مَعَ القوْمِ أوْ يَرْكَب

If only Yahya had strength in him,

If only Yahya had strength,

that he might campaign with the men, or ride.

so he could campaign with the men, or ride.

وَلَكِنَّ يَحْيَى كَفَرْخِ العُقَا

وَلَكِنَّ يَحْيَى كَفَرْخِ العُقَا

بِ في الوَكْرِ مَسْتَضْعَفٌ أزْغَبُ

بِ في الوَكْرِ مَسْتَضْعَفٌ أزْغَبُ

But Yahya is like the chick of an eagle,

But Yahya is like an eagle's chick,

in the nest, helpless and downy.

in the nest, helpless and downy.