يا لَيتَ حرباً ذاقَ الأَعادي

يا لَيتَ حرباً ذاقَ الأَعادي

طَعمَين مِنّا أَرياً وَسُمّا

طَعمَين مِنّا أَرياً وَسُمّا

If only there were a war in which the foe might taste

Ah, if only the enemies tasted in war

two flavors from us: honey and poison.

two flavors from us: honey and poison.

هَذا إِذا ما ناشبوهُ حَرباً

هَذا إِذا ما ناشبوهُ حَرباً

وَذا إِذا اِستَوهبوهُ سِلما

وَذا إِذا اِستَوهبوهُ سِلما

The poison, when they engage him in battle;

This, whenever they engage him in war,

the honey, when they beg peace of him.

and that, when they ask him to grant peace.

لا غرو إِن حَمّ منك جِسمٌ

لا غرو إِن حَمّ منك جِسمٌ

فَعادَة الأسد أَن تُحمّا

فَعادَة الأسد أَن تُحمّا

No wonder that your body burned with fever:

No wonder if your body is feverish,

for lions are accustomed to fever.

for it is lions' habit to suffer fever.

لَيُهنِني إِن طلعتَ بَدراً

لَيُهنِني إِن طلعتَ بَدراً

لأعيُنِ الخَلقِِ مُستَتِمّا

لأعيُنِ الخَلقِِ مُستَتِمّا

May it gladden me, should you rise as a full moon,

May it gladden me if you rise as a full moon,

before all creation’s eyes, in perfect fullness.

full-orbed before the eyes of creation.

لا زِلتَ تَلقى العُداة بُؤسى

لا زِلتَ تَلقى العُداة بُؤسى

مِنكَ وَيَلقى الولاة نُعمى

مِنكَ وَيَلقى الولاة نُعمى

May you ever confront the foe with misery

May you ever meet your enemies with misery

from you, while governors encounter bounty.

from you, while governors meet with bliss.

وَليَخزَ من قال مِن حسود

وَليَخزَ من قال مِن حسود

إِن يَكُنِ الحَقُّ قَد أَلَمّا

إِن يَكُنِ الحَقُّ قَد أَلَمّا

And shame upon the envious one who said,

And may any envious person who spoke be disgraced,

“Perhaps the inevitable—death—has come upon him.”

if the truth has indeed arrived.