غَدَرتَ ولم تُحسِن وَفاءً ولم يكن

غَدَرتَ ولم تُحسِن وَفاءً ولم يكن

ليحتملَ الأَسبابَ إِلَّا المُعَوَّدُ

ليحتملَ الأَسبابَ إِلَّا المُعَوَّدُ

You betrayed and failed to keep faith, and none could

You betrayed me, never faithful, as if

bear the bonds except one accustomed to them.

Misfortune I'd been born to bear, and yet

وكيف لقيسٍ أن يُنَوِّطَ نفسَهُ

وكيف لقيسٍ أن يُنَوِّطَ نفسَهُ

إّا ما جرى والمَضرَحِيُّ المُسَوَّدُ

إّا ما جرى والمَضرَحِيُّ المُسَوَّدُ

And how can Qays set himself on a par

How could Qays subjugate his very self

when he races with the noble, acknowledged chief?

To what has passed - that mule, his spirit's debt?