عَلى مَركِبي مِنّي السَلامُ وَبِزَّتي

عَلى مَركِبي مِنّي السَلامُ وَبِزَّتي

وَغَدواتِ لَهوٍ قَد فَقَدنَ مَكاني

وَغَدواتِ لَهوٍ قَد فَقَدنَ مَكاني

Peace from me upon my mount and my finery,

Peace be upon my steed and my fine attire,

And upon mornings of revelry that have lost my presence.

And upon mornings of revelry that have lost my presence.

فَلَو أَنَّ خِدنَيَّ القَريبَينِ أَبصَرا

فَلَو أَنَّ خِدنَيَّ القَريبَينِ أَبصَرا

خُضوعِيَ لِلسَجّانِ ما عَرَفاني

خُضوعِيَ لِلسَجّانِ ما عَرَفاني

For if my two close companions had seen

For if my two intimate companions could but witness

My submission to the jailer, they would not have recognized me.

My abject submission to the jailer, they would not recognize me.

وَلَو أَبصَراني وَالقُيودُ تَلُفُّني

وَلَو أَبصَراني وَالقُيودُ تَلُفُّني

وَمَشيِي إِلى البَوّابِ بِالنَجَشانِ

وَمَشيِي إِلى البَوّابِ بِالنَجَشانِ

And if they had seen me with fetters wrapped around me,

And were they to see me while fetters coil around me,

And my hurried walk to the gatekeeper.

And my stumbling gait toward the gatekeeper in heavy chains.

لَحا اللَهُ مَن أَمسى يُرَشِّحُ نَصرَهُ

لَحا اللَهُ مَن أَمسى يُرَشِّحُ نَصرَهُ

بِفَكِّ إِسارٍ مِنهُ عِندَ يَماني

بِفَكِّ إِسارٍ مِنهُ عِندَ يَماني

May God curse whoever now seeks his deliverance

May God curse the one who seeks to secure his triumph

Through release from bondage at a Yemeni's hands.

By releasing a captive held by a Yamani.

وَما لي وَقَحطاناً وَبَثَّ مَديحِها

وَما لي وَقَحطاناً وَبَثَّ مَديحِها

وَنَصبي لَها نَفسي بِكُلِّ مَكانِ

وَنَصبي لَها نَفسي بِكُلِّ مَكانِ

And what have I to do with Qahtan and spreading its praise,

What have I to do with Qahtan and the broadcasting of her praise,

And putting myself at its service everywhere?

And dedicating myself to her cause in every place?

فَإِن أُمسِ لا تُخشى لِسَيفِيَ فِتكَةٌ

فَإِن أُمسِ لا تُخشى لِسَيفِيَ فِتكَةٌ

فَلا تَأمَنَن يا فَضلُ فِتكَ لِساني

فَلا تَأمَنَن يا فَضلُ فِتكَ لِساني

For if my sword's deadly strike is no longer feared,

For though I have come to where the strike of my sword is not feared,

Then never feel safe, O Fadl, from my tongue's deadly strike.

Do not feel secure, O Fadl, against the strike of my tongue.

وَإِنّي لَأَرجو أَن أَراكَ كَجَعفَرٍ

وَإِنّي لَأَرجو أَن أَراكَ كَجَعفَرٍ

وَنِصفاكَ فَوقَ الجِسرِ يُقتَسَمانِ

وَنِصفاكَ فَوقَ الجِسرِ يُقتَسَمانِ

And I do indeed hope to see you like Ja'far,

And I truly hope to see you meet the fate of Ja'far,

With your two halves divided up above the bridge.

With your two halves displayed apart upon the bridge.