صَباحُ الطَعنِ في كَرٍّ وَفَرٍّ

صَباحُ الطَعنِ في كَرٍّ وَفَرٍّ

وَلا ساقٍ يَطوفُ بِكَأسِ خَمرِ

وَلا ساقٍ يَطوفُ بِكَأسِ خَمرِ

A morning of spear-thrusts in charge and retreat,

The morning of assault with spear and mace,

With no cupbearer going round with a cup of wine,

No cup-bearer wanders with a cup of wine.

أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن قَرعِ المَلاهي

أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن قَرعِ المَلاهي

عَلى كَأسٍ وَإِبريقٍ وَزَهرِ

عَلى كَأسٍ وَإِبريقٍ وَزَهرِ

Is dearer to me than the beating of instruments

I prefer the clinking of cups, jugs and flowers

Over a cup, a ewer, and flowers.

To the banging of drums and musical play.

مُدامي ما تَبَقّى مِن خُماري

مُدامي ما تَبَقّى مِن خُماري

بِأَطرافِ القَنا وَالخَيلُ تَجري

بِأَطرافِ القَنا وَالخَيلُ تَجري

My wine is what remains of my intoxication,

My wine remains as long as my veil,

At the tips of spears, while the horses race.

With horses galloping along Qana's banks.

أَنا العَبدُ الَّذي خُبِّرتَ عَنهُ

أَنا العَبدُ الَّذي خُبِّرتَ عَنهُ

يُلاقي في الكَريهَةِ أَلفَ حُرِّ

يُلاقي في الكَريهَةِ أَلفَ حُرِّ

I am the slave you have been told about,

I am the slave you've been told about,

Who faces a thousand free men in battle.

Who meets a thousand knights in battle.

خُلِقتُ مِنَ الحَديدِ أَشَدُّ قَلباً

خُلِقتُ مِنَ الحَديدِ أَشَدُّ قَلباً

فَكَيفَ أَخافُ مِن بيضٍ وَسُمرِ

فَكَيفَ أَخافُ مِن بيضٍ وَسُمرِ

I was made with a heart stronger than iron;

I was created with a heart harder than iron,

So how could I fear white blades and tawny spears?

So how can I fear eggs and sparrows?

وَأَبطِشُ بِالكَمِيِّ وَلا أُبالي

وَأَبطِشُ بِالكَمِيِّ وَلا أُبالي

وَأَعلو لِلسِماكِ بِكُلِّ فَخرِ

وَأَعلو لِلسِماكِ بِكُلِّ فَخرِ

And I assail the armored warrior without a care,

I wield the sword without concern

And I rise to al-Simak in all my glory.

And charge the heavily armed with pride.

وَيَبصُرني الشُجاعُ يَفِرُّ مِنّي

وَيَبصُرني الشُجاعُ يَفِرُّ مِنّي

وَيَرعَشُ ظَهرُهُ مِنّي وَيَسري

وَيَرعَشُ ظَهرُهُ مِنّي وَيَسري

And when the brave man sees me, he flees from me;

The brave see me and flee from me,

And his back trembles for fear of me, and he travels by night.

Their backs shiver and march away.

ظَنَنتُم يا بَني شَيبانَ ظَنّاً

ظَنَنتُم يا بَني شَيبانَ ظَنّاً

فَأَخلَفَ ظَنَّكُم جَلدي وَصَبري

فَأَخلَفَ ظَنَّكُم جَلدي وَصَبري

You made an assumption, O sons of Shayban,

You thought, O Bani Shayban, mere thoughts,

But my fortitude and patience proved your assumption false.

But my patience and composure proved you wrong.

سَلوا عَنّي الرَبيعَ وَقَد أَتاني

سَلوا عَنّي الرَبيعَ وَقَد أَتاني

بِجُردِ الخَيلِ مِن ساداتِ بَدرِ

بِجُردِ الخَيلِ مِن ساداتِ بَدرِ

Ask al-Rabi about me—he had come to me

Ask Spring about me, for it has come upon me

With sleek horses from the chiefs of Badr.

With the mustering of horses, the lords of Badr.

أَسَرتُ سَراتَهُم وَرَجَعتُ عَنهُم

أَسَرتُ سَراتَهُم وَرَجَعتُ عَنهُم

وَقَد فَرَّقتُهُم في كُلِّ قُطرِ

وَقَد فَرَّقتُهُم في كُلِّ قُطرِ

I captured their chiefs and withdrew from them,

I captured their elite and turned away from them,

Having scattered them in every quarter.

After scattering them in every region.

وَها أَنا قَد بَرَزتُ اليَومَ أَشفي

وَها أَنا قَد بَرَزتُ اليَومَ أَشفي

فُؤادي مِنكُمُ وَغَليلَ صَدري

فُؤادي مِنكُمُ وَغَليلَ صَدري

And here I am: today I have come forth to soothe

And here I've come out today to heal

My heart by vengeance on you, and my breast's burning thirst.

My heart of you and relieve my chest.

وَآخُذُ مالَ عَبلَةَ بِالمَواضي

وَآخُذُ مالَ عَبلَةَ بِالمَواضي

وَيَعرِفُ صاحِبُ الإيوانِ قَدري

وَيَعرِفُ صاحِبُ الإيوانِ قَدري

And I take Abla's wealth with keen-edged swords,

I seize the wealth of Abla in the meadows,

And the lord of the vaulted hall knows my worth.

And the lord of the manor knows my worth.