لا تسألي الناسَ عن مالي وكثرته

لا تسألي الناسَ عن مالي وكثرته

وسائلي القومَ عن ديني وَعن خُلُقي

وسائلي القومَ عن ديني وَعن خُلُقي

Do not ask the people about my wealth and its abundance;

Do not ask people about my wealth and its abundance;

ask the tribe about my faith and my character.

ask the folk about my faith and my character.

قد يعلمُ الناسُ أنّا من سَراتِهمُ

قد يعلمُ الناسُ أنّا من سَراتِهمُ

إذا سما بصرُ الرِّعدِيدةِ الفرِقِ

إذا سما بصرُ الرِّعدِيدةِ الفرِقِ

The people know that we are among their noblest men

People know well that we are among their nobles,

when the frightened gaze of the trembling coward lifts.

when the frightened, trembling coward's gaze rises.

أُعطي السِّنانَ غداةَ الرَوع نِحلتَهُ

أُعطي السِّنانَ غداةَ الرَوع نِحلتَهُ

وعاملَ الرُمحِ أَروِيهِ من العَلَقِ

وعاملَ الرُمحِ أَروِيهِ من العَلَقِ

On the morning of terror, I give the spearhead its due,

I give the spearhead its gift on the morning of terror,

and drench the spear’s shaft in clotted blood.

and slake the thirst of the spear's upper shaft with clotted blood.

وأَطعَنُ الطعنةَ النِّجلاءَ عن عُرُضٍ

وأَطعَنُ الطعنةَ النِّجلاءَ عن عُرُضٍ

تَنفي المسابيرَ بالإزبادِ والفَهَقِ

تَنفي المسابيرَ بالإزبادِ والفَهَقِ

I thrust a broad, gaping wound straight across—

And I deliver a gaping spear-thrust from the side,

a wound that drives out the probes with froth and a violent gush.

that drives out the probes with foaming, gushing blood.

عَفُّ الإياسَةِ عما لستُ نائلَه

عَفُّ الإياسَةِ عما لستُ نائلَه

وإن ظُلِمتُ شديدُ الحِقدِ والحَنَقِ

وإن ظُلِمتُ شديدُ الحِقدِ والحَنَقِ

I chastely renounce whatever I cannot attain;

I chastely forgo what I have no hope of attaining;

but if I am wronged, my rancor and rage are fierce.

and if wronged, I am fierce in rancor and rage.

وأكشِفُ المأزِقَ المكروبَ غُمَّتُهُ

وأكشِفُ المأزِقَ المكروبَ غُمَّتُهُ

وأكتُم السرَّ فيه ضربةُ العُنُقِ

وأكتُم السرَّ فيه ضربةُ العُنُقِ

I dispel the distress of the hard-pressed man in his tight plight,

And I dispel the anguish-laden gloom of the strait,

and keep a secret even when it costs a stroke to the neck.

and keep the secret, even at the cost of a stroke to the neck.

قد يُقتِرُ المرءُ يوماً وهوَ ذو حَسَبٍ

قد يُقتِرُ المرءُ يوماً وهوَ ذو حَسَبٍ

وقد يَثُوبُ سوامُ العاجِزِ الحَمِقِ

وقد يَثُوبُ سوامُ العاجِزِ الحَمِقِ

A man may one day be poor though he is nobly born,

A man may one day grow poor, despite his noble standing,

and the grazing herds of a helpless fool may multiply.

and the ineffectual fool's grazing herds may multiply.

قد يَكثرُ المالُ يوماً بعد قِلّتِهِ

قد يَكثرُ المالُ يوماً بعد قِلّتِهِ

ويكتسي العودُ بعد الجَدبِ بالورقِ

ويكتسي العودُ بعد الجَدبِ بالورقِ

Wealth may one day grow abundant after scarcity,

Wealth may one day grow plentiful after being scant,

and after drought the bare branch clothes itself in leaves.

and the branch clothes itself in leaves after drought.

وقد أجودُ وما مالي بذي فَنَعٍ

وقد أجودُ وما مالي بذي فَنَعٍ

وقد أكُرُّ وراءَ المُجحَرِ البَرقِ

وقد أكُرُّ وراءَ المُجحَرِ البَرقِ

Indeed, I am generous though my wealth is not abundant,

And at times I give generously, though my wealth is not abundant,

and indeed, I charge after the cornered foe, his eyes flashing with fear.

and at times I charge again behind the man driven into hiding, wide-eyed with fear.

وأهجرُ الفعلَ ذا حُوبٍ وَمَنقَصَةٍ

وأهجرُ الفعلَ ذا حُوبٍ وَمَنقَصَةٍ

وأتركُ القولَ يُدنيني من الرَّهَقِ

وأتركُ القولَ يُدنيني من الرَّهَقِ

I shun every deed that bears sin and dishonor,

And I shun deeds of sin and disgrace,

and leave unsaid the words that draw me near iniquity.

and abandon speech that draws me toward wrongdoing.