وَفِتْيَةٍ مِنْ بَني سَعْدٍ طَرَقْتُهُمُ

وَفِتْيَةٍ مِنْ بَني سَعْدٍ طَرَقْتُهُمُ

فَبِتُّ أَلْبِسُ بِالْأَبْطالِ أَبْطالا

فَبِتُّ أَلْبِسُ بِالْأَبْطالِ أَبْطالا

And many a band of young men of Banū Saʿd I came upon by night;

And I came upon young men of Banu Saʿd by night,

I spent the night pitting champions against champions.

so I spent the night pitting champions against champions.

ثُمَّ انْصَرَفْتُ وَجُرْدُ الخَيْلِ دامِيَةٌ

ثُمَّ انْصَرَفْتُ وَجُرْدُ الخَيْلِ دامِيَةٌ

صُدورهُنَّ وَلَمْ يُكْلَمْنَ أَكْفالا

صُدورهُنَّ وَلَمْ يُكْلَمْنَ أَكْفالا

Then I withdrew, with the sleek steeds bleeding

Then I withdrew, the sleek steeds bloodied

From their chests, while their croups had suffered no wound.

at their chests, but unwounded in their rumps.

وَكُنْتُ أُعْلِمُهُمْ أَنِّي مُجالِدُهُمْ

وَكُنْتُ أُعْلِمُهُمْ أَنِّي مُجالِدُهُمْ

بِصارِمِي فَوَفى حُرٌّ بِما قالا

بِصارِمِي فَوَفى حُرٌّ بِما قالا

I had made known to them that I would cross swords with them

And I had told them that I would fight them

With my keen sword—thus a freeborn man fulfilled his word.

with my keen sword; so a noble man kept his word.