إنّي أَعُوذُ بِرَوحٍ أن يُقَدّمَنِي

إنّي أَعُوذُ بِرَوحٍ أن يُقَدّمَنِي

إلى البِرازِ فَتَخزَى بي بَنُو أَسَدِ

إلى البِرازِ فَتَخزَى بي بَنُو أَسَدِ

I seek refuge in Rawḥ from his sending me forward

Indeed, I seek refuge with Rawh lest he send me forth

into the fray, bringing shame upon the sons of Asad through me.

Into single combat, and Banu Asad be disgraced through me.

إنّ البِرَازَ إلى الأقرَانِ أعلَمُهُ

إنّ البِرَازَ إلى الأقرَانِ أعلَمُهُ

مِمَّا يُفرِّقُ بَينَ الرُّوحِ والجَسَدِ

مِمَّا يُفرِّقُ بَينَ الرُّوحِ والجَسَدِ

For going forth against one’s peers, I know full well, is

Indeed, I know that single combat against one's equals

one of the things that part the soul from the body.

Is among the things that separate the soul from the body.

قَد حالَفَتكَ المَنَايَا إذ صَمَدتَ لَها

قَد حالَفَتكَ المَنَايَا إذ صَمَدتَ لَها

وأَصبَحتَ لِجَميعِ الخَلقِ بالرَّصَدِ

وأَصبَحتَ لِجَميعِ الخَلقِ بالرَّصَدِ

The fates of death have allied themselves with you, since you stood against them,

The fates of death have made a pact with you, since you advanced toward them,

and now you lie in wait for all humankind.

And now you lie in wait for all creation.

إنَّ المُهَلَّبَ حُبَّ المَوتِ أَورَثَكُم

إنَّ المُهَلَّبَ حُبَّ المَوتِ أَورَثَكُم

وَمَا وَرِثتُ اختِيارَ المَوتِ عَن أحَدِ

وَمَا وَرِثتُ اختِيارَ المَوتِ عَن أحَدِ

Al-Muhallab bequeathed to you the love of death,

Indeed, al-Muhallab bequeathed to you all a love of death,

but from no one did I inherit the choice of death.

But I inherited from no one a preference for death.

لَو أنَّ لي مُهجَةً أُخرَى لَجُدتُ بِهَا

لَو أنَّ لي مُهجَةً أُخرَى لَجُدتُ بِهَا

لكِنَّها خُلِقَت فَرداً فَلَم أجُدِ

لكِنَّها خُلِقَت فَرداً فَلَم أجُدِ

Had I another life, I would freely give it away;

If I had another life, I would give it freely,

but it was created one and only, so I could not bring myself to give it.

But it was created as just one, so I have not been generous.