أيا ذا الذي في كفّه مرهف الشبا

أيا ذا الذي في كفّه مرهف الشبا

يصيب به عمدا مكان المقاتل

يصيب به عمدا مكان المقاتل

O you in whose palm is a keen-edged blade,

O you whose palm holds a keen-edged blade,

who deliberately plays with it at the vital spots,

He deliberately strikes the vital spots with it.

يبعّض أجسام الورى غير هائب

يبعّض أجسام الورى غير هائب

ويأخذ جذرا من عطاء ونائل

ويأخذ جذرا من عطاء ونائل

cutting the bodies of humankind, unafraid,

He cuts people's bodies into parts, unafraid,

and extracting a root from ʿAṭāʾ and Nāʾil.

And takes a cut of gifts and bounty.

يريق دماء الناس وهو صديقهم

يريق دماء الناس وهو صديقهم

يحبّ ويدني نحوه بالوسائل

يحبّ ويدني نحوه بالوسائل

He spills people’s blood, though he is their friend;

He sheds people's blood, yet he is their friend.

he loves them and draws them close to him by various means.

He is loved and draws people toward him by various means.

ترى الناس أفواجاً إليه رجالهم

ترى الناس أفواجاً إليه رجالهم

ونسوانهم جمعا كمثل المحافل

ونسوانهم جمعا كمثل المحافل

You see the people flocking to him—their men,

You see people coming to him in crowds—their men,

and their women, gathered like great assemblies.

And their women, all together like assembled throngs.

إذا غاب يستبطى وإن كان حاضرا

إذا غاب يستبطى وإن كان حاضرا

يحيّا ويوما نحوه بالأنامل

يحيّا ويوما نحوه بالأنامل

When absent, he is thought slow to arrive; but when present,

When absent, he is thought slow to return; when present,

he is greeted, and fingers point toward him.

He is greeted, and people gesture toward him with their fingertips.