أَمِسحَلُ دونَ ضَمِّكَ وَالعِناقِ

أَمِسحَلُ دونَ ضَمِّكَ وَالعِناقِ

طِعانٌ بِالمُثَقَّفَةِ الدِقاقِ

طِعانٌ بِالمُثَقَّفَةِ الدِقاقِ

O Misḥal, barring your clasp and embrace

Without your embrace and kiss,

are thrusts with slender, straightened lances,

I am pierced by the sharp tongue of the cultivated one,

وَضَربَةُ فَيصَلٍ مِن كَفِّ لَيثٍ

وَضَربَةُ فَيصَلٍ مِن كَفِّ لَيثٍ

كَريمِ الجَدِّ فاقَ عَلى الرِفاقِ

كَريمِ الجَدِّ فاقَ عَلى الرِفاقِ

and a keen sword's stroke from a lion's hand,

And the strike of a valiant hand like a noble lion

noble in ancestry, surpassing his companions.

Surpassing the comrades.

وَدونَ عُبَيلَةٍ ضَربُ المَواضي

وَدونَ عُبَيلَةٍ ضَربُ المَواضي

وَطَعنٌ مِنهُ تَكتَحِلُ المَآقي

وَطَعنٌ مِنهُ تَكتَحِلُ المَآقي

And barring the way to ʿUbayla are blows of keen swords,

Without Ubaylah, striking the meadows

and thrusts from which the eye-corners take their kohl.

And his thrust that makes the waterholes bleed.

أَنا البَطَلُ الَّذي خُبِّرتَ عَنهُ

أَنا البَطَلُ الَّذي خُبِّرتَ عَنهُ

وَذِكري شاعَ في كُلِّ الأَفاقِ

وَذِكري شاعَ في كُلِّ الأَفاقِ

I am the hero of whom you have been told,

I am the hero whom you were told about,

and my renown has spread through every horizon.

And my fame spread in all horizons.

إِذا اِفتَخَرَ الجَبانُ بِبَذلِ مالٍ

إِذا اِفتَخَرَ الجَبانُ بِبَذلِ مالٍ

فَفَخري بِالمُضَمَّرَةِ العِتاقِ

فَفَخري بِالمُضَمَّرَةِ العِتاقِ

If the coward boasts of giving wealth,

When the coward boasts with spending money,

then my pride is in lean, well-bred steeds.

My pride is in the hidden virtues.

وَإِن طَعَنَ الفَوارِسُ صَدرَ خَصمٍ

وَإِن طَعَنَ الفَوارِسُ صَدرَ خَصمٍ

فَطَعني في النُحورِ وَفي التَراقي

فَطَعني في النُحورِ وَفي التَراقي

And if the horsemen pierce an enemy's breast,

And if the horsemen stab the chest of an opponent,

then my thrusts strike throats and collarbones.

My stab is in the necks and the shoulders.

وَإِنّي قَد سَبَقتُ لِكُلِّ فَضلٍ

وَإِنّي قَد سَبَقتُ لِكُلِّ فَضلٍ

فَهَل مَن يَرتَقي مِثلي المَراقي

فَهَل مَن يَرتَقي مِثلي المَراقي

And I have already led the way in every excellence;

And I have preceded in every merit,

so is there anyone who climbs the heights as I do?

So who can climb like me the high places?

أَلا فَاِخبِر لِكِندَةَ ما تَراهُ

أَلا فَاِخبِر لِكِندَةَ ما تَراهُ

قَريباً مِن قِتالٍ مَع مُحاقِ

قَريباً مِن قِتالٍ مَع مُحاقِ

Take heed: tell Kinda what you will see

Inform Kindah what you see,

soon—battle accompanied by annihilation.

Of fighting soon with Muhaqiq.

وَأَوصِهِم بِما تَختارُ مِنهُم

وَأَوصِهِم بِما تَختارُ مِنهُم

فَما لَكَ رَجعَةٌ بَعدَ التَلاقي

فَما لَكَ رَجعَةٌ بَعدَ التَلاقي

And instruct them concerning what you choose from among them,

And advise them with what you choose among them,

for you shall not return after the encounter.

For you have no return after the encounter.