أَلا رُبَّ أَعداءٍ لِئامٍ قَرَيتُهُم

أَلا رُبَّ أَعداءٍ لِئامٍ قَرَيتُهُم

مُتونَ سُيوفٍ أَو صُدورَ عَوالي

مُتونَ سُيوفٍ أَو صُدورَ عَوالي

Ah, many vile enemies have I entertained

Many are the despicable enemies whose bellies

With the backs of swords or the points of long spears.

I have filled with the points of swords or the edges of spears

إِذا كَلبُهُم يَوماً عَوى بي رَمَيتهم

إِذا كَلبُهُم يَوماً عَوى بي رَمَيتهم

بِكَلبٍ إِذا عاوى الكِلابَ عَوى لي

بِكَلبٍ إِذا عاوى الكِلابَ عَوى لي

If their dog ever howled at me, I assailed them

When their dog once howled at me, I pelted them

With a dog that, when it exchanged howls with the dogs, howled for me.

with a dog - when dogs howl at dogs, I howl back