أَلا دَرى الصِّيدُ مِن قَومِي الصَّناديدُ

أَلا دَرى الصِّيدُ مِن قَومِي الصَّناديدُ

أَنِّي أَسير بِدارِ الذُّلِّ مَصفودُ

أَنِّي أَسير بِدارِ الذُّلِّ مَصفودُ

Do the lionhearted men of my people, those stalwart chiefs, not know

Have the proud, valiant chiefs of my people not learned

that I am a captive in humiliation’s house, bound in fetters?

that I am a captive, shackled in the abode of humiliation?

لا أَبسُطُ الخَطوَ إِلا ظَلَّ يَقبِضُهُ

لا أَبسُطُ الخَطوَ إِلا ظَلَّ يَقبِضُهُ

كِبلٌ كَما اِلتَفَّتِ الحَيّاتُ مَعقودُ

كِبلٌ كَما اِلتَفَّتِ الحَيّاتُ مَعقودُ

I never stretch my stride but it remains clutched tight

I never lengthen my stride without its being held back

by a fetter, knotted like serpents coiled.

by a knotted fetter, coiled as serpents coil.

وَقَد تَأَلَّبَ أَقوامٌ لِسَفكِ دَمي

وَقَد تَأَلَّبَ أَقوامٌ لِسَفكِ دَمي

لا يَعرِفُ الفَضلُ مَأواهُم وَلا الجودُ

لا يَعرِفُ الفَضلُ مَأواهُم وَلا الجودُ

And men have banded together to spill my blood,

And men have banded together to shed my blood;

though virtue knows not their dwelling, nor does generosity:

virtue knows not their dwelling, nor does generosity.

ثَلاثَةٌ مِن بَني حُرٍّ وَلا سَعِدوا

ثَلاثَةٌ مِن بَني حُرٍّ وَلا سَعِدوا

وَواحِدٌ مِن بَني حَوراءَ مَجحودُ

وَواحِدٌ مِن بَني حَوراءَ مَجحودُ

three are of Banu Hurr—may they never prosper—

Three of the sons of Ḥurr—may they not prosper—

and one of Banu Hawra, disowned.

and one from the sons of Ḥawrāʾ, disowned.