لَحَى اللهُ مَنْ يَرْنُو إِلى أَمَدِ العُلا

لَحَى اللهُ مَنْ يَرْنُو إِلى أَمَدِ العُلا

بِعَيْنٍ مَتى تَلْحَظْ شَبا السَّيْفِ تَشْخَصِ

بِعَيْنٍ مَتى تَلْحَظْ شَبا السَّيْفِ تَشْخَصِ

May God curse whoever gazes toward the utmost heights of glory

May Allah curse whoever aspires to supreme power

With an eye that freezes in fear whenever it sees the sword's edge.

With an eye that glances eagerly when swords flash bright.

وَغَيْري إِذا رِيعَ اسْتَكانَ وَإِنْ يُشِدْ

وَغَيْري إِذا رِيعَ اسْتَكانَ وَإِنْ يُشِدْ

بِذِكْرِ مَساعي قَوْمِهِ يَتَخَرَّصِ

بِذِكْرِ مَساعي قَوْمِهِ يَتَخَرَّصِ

Others, unlike me, cower when frightened; and if they extol

Others cower when war's clarion blares, but I

Their people's achievements, they speak falsely.

Stand firm, recalling my people’s valorous might.

وَلِي بِرِباعٍ تُنْبِتُ الذُّلَّ رُبْصَةٌ

وَلِي بِرِباعٍ تُنْبِتُ الذُّلَّ رُبْصَةٌ

وَلَولا انْتِكاسُ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ أَتَرَبَّصِ

وَلَولا انْتِكاسُ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ أَتَرَبَّصِ

And I bide my time in dwellings that breed humiliation;

Though fortunes shift, I’ll never blench or quail,

But for fortune's reversal, I would not bide my time.

But rend my foes beneath my falcon’s flight.

سَأُلْحِفُ أَهْلَ الأَرْضِ ظِلَّ عَجاجَةٍ

سَأُلْحِفُ أَهْلَ الأَرْضِ ظِلَّ عَجاجَةٍ

إِذا لَبِسَتْهُ الخَيْلُ لَمْ يَتَقَلَّصِ

إِذا لَبِسَتْهُ الخَيْلُ لَمْ يَتَقَلَّصِ

I shall cloak the people of the earth in a dust cloud's shadow;

Their hordes will scatter at my destrier’s charge,

When the horses wear it, it will not recede.

As ostrich chicks when lynxes loom in sight.

وَفِي أُمِّ رَأْسِي نَخْوَةٌ أُمَويَّةٌ

وَفِي أُمِّ رَأْسِي نَخْوَةٌ أُمَويَّةٌ

ضَمِنْتُ لَها أَنْ يَلْثِمَ النَّجْمُ أَخْمَصي

ضَمِنْتُ لَها أَنْ يَلْثِمَ النَّجْمُ أَخْمَصي

And in the core of my head dwells Umayyad pride;

In my mother’s womb, deep Omayyad blood

I have pledged to it that the star shall kiss the arch of my foot.

Promised that stars would kiss my horse’s height.