دَعني أَجِدُّ إِلى العَلياءِ في الطَلبِ

دَعني أَجِدُّ إِلى العَلياءِ في الطَلبِ

وَأَبلُغُ الغايَةَ القُصوى مِنَ الرُتَبِ

وَأَبلُغُ الغايَةَ القُصوى مِنَ الرُتَبِ

Let me strive toward the heights of glory in my quest,

Let me strive to ascend the heights in my quest,

And reach the utmost limit of rank.

And reach the utmost summit of the ranks,

لَعَلَّ عَبلَةَ تُضحي وَهيَ راضِيَةٌ

لَعَلَّ عَبلَةَ تُضحي وَهيَ راضِيَةٌ

عَلى سَوادي وَتَمحو صورَةَ الغَضَبِ

عَلى سَوادي وَتَمحو صورَةَ الغَضَبِ

Perhaps Abla will come to be pleased,

Perhaps Ubla will make peace happily

Despite my blackness, and erase the image of anger,

Overlooking my darkness and erasing the face of anger,

إِذا رَأَت سائِرَ الساداتِ سائِرَةً

إِذا رَأَت سائِرَ الساداتِ سائِرَةً

تَزورُ شِعري بِرُكنِ البَيتِ في رَجَبِ

تَزورُ شِعري بِرُكنِ البَيتِ في رَجَبِ

When she sees all the nobles journeying

When she sees the elite ladies visiting

To visit my poetry at the corner of the House in Rajab.

My poetry in the corner of the house in Rajab,

يا عَبلَ قومي اِنظُري فِعلي وَلا تَسَلَي

يا عَبلَ قومي اِنظُري فِعلي وَلا تَسَلَي

عَنّي الحَسودَ الَّذي يُنبيكِ بِالكَذِبِ

عَنّي الحَسودَ الَّذي يُنبيكِ بِالكَذِبِ

O Abla, rise, behold my deeds, and do not inquire

O Ubla arise and look at my actions, do not ask

About me of the envious man who tells you lies.

The envious one about me, who misleads you with lies,

إِذ أَقبَلَت حَدَقُ الفُرسانِ تَرمُقُني

إِذ أَقبَلَت حَدَقُ الفُرسانِ تَرمُقُني

وَكُلُّ مِقدامِ حَربٍ مالَ لِلهَرَبِ

وَكُلُّ مِقدامِ حَربٍ مالَ لِلهَرَبِ

When the horsemen's eyes turned to gaze at me,

When the eyes of the knights peered at me

And every bold warrior turned toward flight,

And every brave warrior turned to flee,

فَما تَرَكتُ لَهُم وَجهاً لِمُنهَزِمٍ

فَما تَرَكتُ لَهُم وَجهاً لِمُنهَزِمٍ

وَلا طَريقاً يُنَجّيهِم مِنَ العَطَبِ

وَلا طَريقاً يُنَجّيهِم مِنَ العَطَبِ

Then I left them no avenue of retreat,

I left them no face of one who flees,

Nor a path to save them from destruction.

Nor an escape route to save them from ruin,

فَبادِري وَاِنظُري طَعناً إِذا نَظَرَت

فَبادِري وَاِنظُري طَعناً إِذا نَظَرَت

عَينُ الوَليدِ إِلَيهِ شابَ وَهوَ صَبي

عَينُ الوَليدِ إِلَيهِ شابَ وَهوَ صَبي

So hasten and behold thrusts that, when seen

So hurry and watch a stab when the eye of Al-Walid

By an infant's eye, turn him gray-haired while still a boy.

Looks at it, it will grow up while he is still a boy,

خُلِقتُ لِلحَربِ أُحميها إِذا بَرَدَت

خُلِقتُ لِلحَربِ أُحميها إِذا بَرَدَت

وَأَصطَلي نارَها في شِدَّةِ اللَهَبِ

وَأَصطَلي نارَها في شِدَّةِ اللَهَبِ

I was created for war; I heat it when it grows cold,

I was created for war, I protect it when it cools down,

And bask in its fire amid the fierce blaze,

And ignite its fire in the intensity of the flames,

بِصارِمٍ حَيثُما جَرَّدتُهُ سَجَدَت

بِصارِمٍ حَيثُما جَرَّدتُهُ سَجَدَت

لَهُ جَبابِرَةُ الأَعجامِ وَالعَرَبِ

لَهُ جَبابِرَةُ الأَعجامِ وَالعَرَبِ

With a keen sword—wherever I drew it, they fell prostrate

With a sword wherever I unsheathe it,

Before it, the tyrants of non-Arabs and Arabs.

The tyrants of non-Arabs and Arabs bow down to it,

وَقَد طَلَبتُ مِنَ العَلياءِ مَنزِلَةً

وَقَد طَلَبتُ مِنَ العَلياءِ مَنزِلَةً

بِصارِمي لا بِأُمّي لا وَلا بِأَبي

بِصارِمي لا بِأُمّي لا وَلا بِأَبي

And I have sought a station in the heights of glory,

And I have sought from the Most High a position

By my keen sword—not by my mother, no, nor by my father.

With my sword, not with my mother or father,

فَمَن أَجابَ نَجا مِمّا يُحاذِرُهُ

فَمَن أَجابَ نَجا مِمّا يُحاذِرُهُ

وَمَن أَبى ذاقَ طَعمَ الحَربِ وَالحَرَبِ

وَمَن أَبى ذاقَ طَعمَ الحَربِ وَالحَرَبِ

So whoever answers escapes what he fears,

Whoever responds will be saved from what he fears,

And whoever refuses tastes the flavor of war and plunder.

And whoever refuses will taste the flavor of war and wars.