أَرى المَوتَ لا يُبقي عَلى ذي جَلادَةٍ

أَرى المَوتَ لا يُبقي عَلى ذي جَلادَةٍ

وَلا غَيرَةٍ إِلّا دَنا لَهُ مُرصِدا

وَلا غَيرَةٍ إِلّا دَنا لَهُ مُرصِدا

I see that death spares no man of fortitude,

I see that death spares no man of fortitude

nor anyone else: it draws near to him, lying in wait.

or zeal for honor, but draws near to him, lying in wait.

أَما تُصلِحُ الدُنيا لَنا بَعضَ لَيلَةٍ

أَما تُصلِحُ الدُنيا لَنا بَعضَ لَيلَةٍ

مِنَ الدَهرِ إِلّا عادَ شَيءٌ فَأَفسَدا

مِنَ الدَهرِ إِلّا عادَ شَيءٌ فَأَفسَدا

Does the world ever come right for us, even for part of a night,

Does the world ever set things right for us for part of a night

without something, in the course of time, returning to spoil it?

in all of time, without something returning to spoil them?

وَمَن حَمَلَ الخَيلَ العِتاقَ عَلى الوَجا

وَمَن حَمَلَ الخَيلَ العِتاقَ عَلى الوَجا

تُقادُ إِلى الأَعداءِ مَثنىً وَمَوحَدا

تُقادُ إِلى الأَعداءِ مَثنىً وَمَوحَدا

And he who drove the noble, purebred steeds on despite their sore hooves,

And he who urged the thoroughbred horses onward despite sore hooves,

as they were led against the enemy in pairs and singly—

led against the enemy, two by two and singly—

لَعَمرُكَ ما أَنسى اِبنَ أَحوَزَ ما جَرَت

لَعَمرُكَ ما أَنسى اِبنَ أَحوَزَ ما جَرَت

رِياحٌ وَما فاءَ الحَمامُ وَغَرَّدا

رِياحٌ وَما فاءَ الحَمامُ وَغَرَّدا

by your life, I shall not forget Ibn Ahwaz as long as

By your life, I shall not forget Ibn Ahwaz so long as there blow

winds blow, and doves return and sing.

winds, and so long as doves return and sing.

لَقَد أَدرَكَ الأَوتارَ إِذ حَمِيَ الوَغى

لَقَد أَدرَكَ الأَوتارَ إِذ حَمِيَ الوَغى

بِأَزدِ عُمانَ إِذ أَباحَ وَأَشهَدا

بِأَزدِ عُمانَ إِذ أَباحَ وَأَشهَدا

He surely exacted blood-vengeance when the battle raged,

He surely exacted vengeance when battle grew fierce,

against Oman’s Azd, when he made their blood fair game and made the deed manifest.

upon the Azd of Oman, when he laid waste and made others witness it.