وَلَلمَوتُ خَيرٌ لِلفَتى مِن حَياتِهِ

وَلَلمَوتُ خَيرٌ لِلفَتى مِن حَياتِهِ

إِذا لَم يَثِب لِلأَمرِ إِلّا بِقائِدِ

إِذا لَم يَثِب لِلأَمرِ إِلّا بِقائِدِ

And death is indeed better for a young man than his life,

Death is better for the youth than his life

If he rises to a task only with a leader.

If he cannot stand firm in times of plight

فَعالِج جَسيماتِ الأُمورِ وَلا تَكُن

فَعالِج جَسيماتِ الأُمورِ وَلا تَكُن

هَبيتَ الفُؤادِ هَمُّهُ لِلوَسائِدِ

هَبيتَ الفُؤادِ هَمُّهُ لِلوَسائِدِ

So tackle weighty affairs, and do not be

So face the burdens of life and do not be

A man dull of heart, whose only concern is pillows.

Like one with a languid heart asleep at night

إِذا الريحُ جاءَت بِالجَهامِ تَشُلُّهُ

إِذا الريحُ جاءَت بِالجَهامِ تَشُلُّهُ

هَذا لَيلُهُ شَلَّ القِلاصِ الطَرائِدِ

هَذا لَيلُهُ شَلَّ القِلاصِ الطَرائِدِ

When the wind comes with a rainless cloud, driving it,

When the winds bring the clouds that weigh him down

This is its night [wording unclear]—like the driving of fleeing young she-camels—

This is a night that has stilled the hunters’ flights

وَأَعقَبَ نَوءَ المِرزَمَينِ بِغُبرَةٍ

وَأَعقَبَ نَوءَ المِرزَمَينِ بِغُبرَةٍ

وَقَطرٍ قَلِيلِ الماءِ بِاللَيلِ بارِدِ

وَقَطرٍ قَلِيلِ الماءِ بِاللَيلِ بارِدِ

And the rain-season of the two Mirzam stars is followed by dust,

And after the rain of Al-Mirzamayn comes dust

And scant rain, cold by night,

And little rain in the cold night that bites

كَفى حاجَةَ الأَضيافِ حَتّى يُريحَها

كَفى حاجَةَ الأَضيافِ حَتّى يُريحَها

عَنِ الحَيِّ مِنّا كُلُّ أَروَعَ ماجِدِ

عَنِ الحَيِّ مِنّا كُلُّ أَروَعَ ماجِدِ

The guests’ needs are met, until their burden is lifted

It quenches the guests’ needs until it gives rest

From the tribe, by every gallant, noble man among us.

From the living, all the most glorious knights

تَراهُ بِتَفريجِ الأُمورِ وَلَفِّها

تَراهُ بِتَفريجِ الأُمورِ وَلَفِّها

لَمّا نالَ مِن مَعروفِها غَيرَ زاهِدِ

لَمّا نالَ مِن مَعروفِها غَيرَ زاهِدِ

You see him untangling affairs and drawing them together,

You see him relieving worries and covering them

Not indifferent when he gains some of their good.

When he attained his kindness without being self-righteous

وَلَيسَ أَخونا عِندَ شَرٍّ يَخافُهُ

وَلَيسَ أَخونا عِندَ شَرٍّ يَخافُهُ

وَلا عِندَ خَيرٍ إِن رَجاهُ بِواحِدِ

وَلا عِندَ خَيرٍ إِن رَجاهُ بِواحِدِ

And our brother is not, when facing an evil he fears,

And our brother is not there when harm he fears

Nor when facing good, if he hopes for it, alone.

Nor when good is hoped for, by only one knight

إِذا قيلَ مَن لِلمُعضِلاتِ أَجابَهُ

إِذا قيلَ مَن لِلمُعضِلاتِ أَجابَهُ

عِظامُ اللُهى مِنّا طِوالُ السَواعِدِ

عِظامُ اللُهى مِنّا طِوالُ السَواعِدِ

When it is asked, “Who will face the hard tasks?” the answer comes

When it is said who can solve the problems, it is

From our men of lavish gifts and long forearms.

The strong arms amongst us, pillars of might