سَلي فَتَياتِ هَذا الحَيِّ عَنّي

يَقُلنَ بِما رَأَينَ وَما سَمِعنَه

Ask the maidens of this neighborhood about me

They will tell you what they have seen and heard

أَلَستُ أَمَدَّهُم لِذَوِيَّ ظِلّاً

أَلَستُ أَعَدَّهُم لِلقَومِ جَفنَه

Did I not give shade to those in need?

Did I not prepare the people for war?

أَلَستُ أَقَرَّهُم بِالضَيفِ عَيناً

أَلَستُ أَمَرَّهُم في الحَربِ لُهنَه

Did I not welcome guests?

Did I not lead in times of strife?

رَضيتُ العاذِلاتِ وَما يَقُلنَه

وَإِن أَصبَحتُ عَصّاءً لَهُنَّه

I was content with those who blamed me

Even if they were harsh towards me

بَكَرنَ يَلُمنَني وَرَأَينَ جودي

عَلى الأَرماحِ بِالنَفسِ المَضَنَّه

They blamed me in the morning and saw my generosity

With my life on the tips of spears

فَقُلتُ لَهُنَّ هَل فيكُنَّ باقٍ

عَلى نُوَبِ الزَمانِ إِذا طَرَقنَه

I said to them, is there any good left in you

As time passes by?

وَكَم فَجرٍ سَبَقنَ إِلى مَلامي

فَعُدتُ ضُحىً وَلَم أَحفِل بِهِنَّه

How many dawns have I been blamed

Yet I woke up not bothered by them

وَإِن يَكُنِ الحِذارُ مِنَ المَنايا

سَبيلاً لِلحَياةِ فَلِم تَمُتنَه

And if death is feared

As a way of life, why wish for it?

سَأُشهِدُها عَلى ماكانَ مِنّي

بِبَسطي في النَدى بِكَلامِكُنَّه

I will bear witness to what I have done

By speaking openly with you all

فَإِن أَهلَك فَعَن أَجَلٍ مُسَمّى

سَيَأتيني وَلَو ما بَينَكُنَّه

If I die, it is my appointed time

And it will come even if I avoid you

وَإِن أَسلَم فَقَرضٌ سَوفَ يوفى

وَأَتبَعَكُنَّ إِن قَدَّمتُكُنَّه

And if I live, it is a debt to be repaid

And I will follow you if you lead me

فَلا يَأمُرنَني بِمَقامِ ذُلٍّ

فَما أَنا بِالمُطيعِ إِذا أَمَرنَه

So do not tell me to live in humiliation

For I will not obey such a command

وَراجِعَةٍ إِلَيَّ تَقولُ سِرّاً

أَعودُ إِلى نَصيحَتِهِ لَعَنَّه

And one who comes to me in secret

Saying she returns to my advice, may she be cursed!

فَلَمّا لَم تَجِد طَمَعاً تَوَلَّت

وَقالَت فِيَّ عاتِبَةً وَقُلنَه

When she did not find hope she turned away

And spoke accusingly and said

أَرَيتَكَ ماتَقولُ بَناتُ عَمّي

إِذا وَصَفَ النِساءُ رِجالُهُنَّه

Do you see what my cousins say

When women describe their men?

أَما وَاللَهِ لايُمسينَ حَسرى

يُلَفِّقنَ الكَلامَ وَيَعتَذِرنَه

By God, they will not spend the night in regret

Making up words and excuses

وَلَكِن سَوفَ أوجِدُهُنَّ وَصفاً

وَأَبسُطُ في المَديحِ كَلامُهُنَّه

Rather I will find for them a description

And speak at length in praise of them

مَتى مايَدنُ مِن أَجَلٍ كِتابي

أَمُت بَينَ الأَعِنَّةِ وَالأَسِنَّه

Whenever my writing approaches its end

I die between pleading and accusing

وَمَوتٌ في مَقامِ العِزِّ أَشهى

إِلى الفُرسانِ مِن عَيشٍ بِمَهنَه

And death in a place of honor is more beloved

To the knights than life in disgrace