فَلَو أَنّي أُطِعتُ عُصبَتُ قَومي

فَلَو أَنّي أُطِعتُ عُصبَتُ قَومي

إِلى رُكنِ اليَمامَةِ أَو شآمِ

إِلى رُكنِ اليَمامَةِ أَو شآمِ

So, had I been obeyed, I would have rallied my people

If I had obeyed the madness of my people

If only I were obeyed by the band of my people,

to a stronghold in al-Yamamah or Sham.

To Rukn of Yamamah or Syria

[We would have marched] to the corners of Al-Yamamah or the Levant,

وَلَكِني إِذا أَبرَمتُ أَمراً

وَلَكِني إِذا أَبرَمتُ أَمراً

مُنيتُ بِخَلفِ آراءِ الطِغامِ

مُنيتُ بِخَلفِ آراءِ الطِغامِ

But whenever I firmly settle a matter,

But when I decide on an affair

But whenever I firmly resolve a matter,

I am afflicted by the rabble’s opposing views.

I die opposing the opinions of the ignorant mob

I am plagued by the dissenting opinions of the riffraff.