أُقْسِمُ بِالجُرْدِ السَّراحِيبِ

أُقْسِمُ بِالجُرْدِ السَّراحِيبِ

وَالرُّمْحِ رَعّافَ الأَنابِيبِ

وَالرُّمْحِ رَعّافَ الأَنابِيبِ

I swear by the sleek, long-limbed steeds,

I swear by the smooth spears

And by the spear whose shaft-segments gush blood:

And the spears with twisted spikes

لَأّلْبَسَنَّ اليَوْمَ حِرْباؤهُ

لَأّلْبَسَنَّ اليَوْمَ حِرْباؤهُ

مِنْ شَمْسِهِ تَحتَ شَآبِيبِ

مِنْ شَمْسِهِ تَحتَ شَآبِيبِ

I shall surely don the day, whose chameleon

I will dress him today in his clothes

Is beneath showers from its sun.

From his sun beneath clouds

أَطْوي على ظِلٍّ قَصيرِ الخُطا

أَطْوي على ظِلٍّ قَصيرِ الخُطا

مَناسِمَ العيسِ المَطارِيبِ

مَناسِمَ العيسِ المَطارِيبِ

I fold, beneath a short-stepping shadow,

I fold over a short shadow

The footpads of the eager pale camels,

The soft blowing of the gentle breeze

وَأقْتَفي حِينَ أَرُومُ العُلا

وَأقْتَفي حِينَ أَرُومُ العُلا

آثارَ آبَاءٍ مَناجِيبِ

آثارَ آبَاءٍ مَناجِيبِ

And when I seek eminence, I follow

And I follow when I seek glory

The footsteps of noble forefathers.

The tracks of forefathers who confessed

وَكَيْفَ أَبْغيها وَفَقْدُ الغِنَى

وَكَيْفَ أَبْغيها وَفَقْدُ الغِنَى

يُذِلُّ أَعْناقَ المَصاعِيبِ

يُذِلُّ أَعْناقَ المَصاعِيبِ

And how can I seek it, when lack of wealth

How can I seek it when lacking wealth

Bows the necks of the untamed?

Humiliates the necks of victims

وَالعُسْرُ قَيْدُ المَرْءِ لكِنَّني

وَالعُسْرُ قَيْدُ المَرْءِ لكِنَّني

أَقْرَعُ للْمَجْدِ ظَنابِيبي

أَقْرَعُ للْمَجْدِ ظَنابِيبي

And hardship is a man's fetter, yet I

And hardship is man's shackle but I

Strike my shinbones for glory.

Bang for glory my drums

أَمْشِي على ظَلْعِي إِلى شَأْوِهِ

أَمْشِي على ظَلْعِي إِلى شَأْوِهِ

تَعَجْرُفاً فِعْلَ الأَعارِيبِ

تَعَجْرُفاً فِعْلَ الأَعارِيبِ

I walk, despite my limp, toward its farthest reach,

I walk with my pride to his glory

With reckless boldness, as the Bedouin do.

Arrogantly like the nomads’ deed