إِذا ما تَأتتِ في عَدوك فُرصَةٌ

إِذا ما تَأتتِ في عَدوك فُرصَةٌ

فَثب وَاِنتَهزها وَثبة الضَيغم الأَشَر

فَثب وَاِنتَهزها وَثبة الضَيغم الأَشَر

If ever an opportunity against your enemy presents itself,

If an opportunity arises against your enemy,

then spring and seize it with an exultant lion’s leap.

Pounce and seize it like a hungry jackal,

وَلاتك مثل المَرء أَمهل لصه

وَلاتك مثل المَرء أَمهل لصه

لِيَنظر ما يَقضي فَنامَ وَما شعر

لِيَنظر ما يَقضي فَنامَ وَما شعر

And do not be like the man who gave his thief time

Do not be like the man who left a thief

to see what he would do, then fell asleep, unaware.

To see what he would do, and fell asleep unawares,

وَخاضَ جَميع اللَيل في بَحر نَومه

وَخاضَ جَميع اللَيل في بَحر نَومه

وَلَم يَنتبه حَتّى قَضى لَصه الوَطر

وَلَم يَنتبه حَتّى قَضى لَصه الوَطر

And he waded all night in the sea of his sleep,

And spent the whole night lost in his sea of slumber,

and did not awaken until his thief had accomplished his aim.

Not waking until the thief had made off with his belongings.