تَمَنَّيتُمُ أَن تَفقِدوني وَإِنَّما

تَمَنَّيتُمُ أَن تَفقِدوني وَإِنَّما

تَمَنَّيتُمُ أَن تَفقِدوا العِزَّ أَصيَدا

تَمَنَّيتُمُ أَن تَفقِدوا العِزَّ أَصيَدا

You wished to lose me, but in truth

You wish that you could find fault with me, yet

you wished to lose glory, its head held high.

All you wish is that you could disparage my honour.

أَما أَنا أَعلى مَن تَعُدّونَ هِمَّةً

أَما أَنا أَعلى مَن تَعُدّونَ هِمَّةً

وَإِن كُنتُ أَدنى مَن تَعُدّونَ مَولِدا

وَإِن كُنتُ أَدنى مَن تَعُدّونَ مَولِدا

Indeed, I am loftiest in aspiration among those you count,

But I am greater than you reckon in spirit,

even if I am the youngest by birth among those you count.

Though I am meaner than you reckon in birth.

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو عُصبَةً مِن عَشيرَتي

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو عُصبَةً مِن عَشيرَتي

يُسيؤونَ لي في القَولِ غَيباً وَمَشهَدا

يُسيؤونَ لي في القَولِ غَيباً وَمَشهَدا

To God I complain of a band from my own clan,

To God I complain of a party among my tribe

who wrong me with their words, in my absence and in my presence.

Who do me wrong in words, behind my back and to my face.

وَإِن حارَبوا كُنتُ المِجَنَّ أَمامُهُم

وَإِن حارَبوا كُنتُ المِجَنَّ أَمامُهُم

وَإِن ضارَبوا كُنتُ المُهَنَّدَ وَاليَدا

وَإِن ضارَبوا كُنتُ المُهَنَّدَ وَاليَدا

And if they waged war, I was the shield before them;

When they make war on me, I am their protection,

and if they exchanged blows, I was the Indian-forged sword and the hand.

And when they strike out, I am their hand and their arm.

وَإِن نابَ خَطبٌ أَو أَلَمَّت مُلِمَّةٌ

وَإِن نابَ خَطبٌ أَو أَلَمَّت مُلِمَّةٌ

جَعَلتُ لَهُم نَفسي وَما مَلَكَت فِدا

جَعَلتُ لَهُم نَفسي وَما مَلَكَت فِدا

And if a crisis struck or a calamity befell them,

When disaster befalls or misfortune arrives,

I offered them myself and all I owned as ransom.

I offer them myself and all I possess as sacrifice.

يَوَدّونَ أَن لُيُبصِروني سَفاهَةً

يَوَدّونَ أَن لُيُبصِروني سَفاهَةً

وَلَو غِبتُ عَن أَمرٍ تَرَكتُهُمُ سُدى

وَلَو غِبتُ عَن أَمرٍ تَرَكتُهُمُ سُدى

Foolishly, they wish not to see me,

They want to show me guilty of foolishness,

yet were I absent from an affair, I would leave them adrift.

Though if I were absent from them they would fall into ruin.

مَعالٍ لَهُم لَو أَنصَفوا في جَمالِها

مَعالٍ لَهُم لَو أَنصَفوا في جَمالِها

وَحَظٌّ لِنَفسي اليَومَ وَهوَ لَهُم غَدا

وَحَظٌّ لِنَفسي اليَومَ وَهوَ لَهُم غَدا

These are lofty honors for them, if they would do justice to their beauty,

I have abundant virtue for them, if only they were just towards it,

and good fortune for me today, and for them tomorrow.

While for myself I have a share today which will be theirs tomorrow.

فَلا تَعِدوني نِعمَةً فَمَتى غَدَت

فَلا تَعِدوني نِعمَةً فَمَتى غَدَت

فَأَهلي بِها أَولى وَإِن أَصبَحوا عِدا

فَأَهلي بِها أَولى وَإِن أَصبَحوا عِدا

So do not promise me a blessing; for whenever it comes,

So do not count it a favour to me, for when did it become

my kin have the greater claim to it, even if they become enemies.

A favour, while my family is more deserving of it even if they become foes.