يا من يصيدُ إذا غزا أسد الشرى

يا من يصيدُ إذا غزا أسد الشرى

ويشقُّ في الحرب العجاجَ الأكدرا

ويشقُّ في الحرب العجاجَ الأكدرا

O you who hunt the lion of al-Sharā when you go to war,

O you who hunts when the lion of evil attacks

And cleave through the murky dust of battle,

And tears through the thick darkness in war

لك في طراد الصيّدِ هذا لذةٌ

لك في طراد الصيّدِ هذا لذةٌ

والصيدُ كل الصيدِ في جوفِ الفرا

والصيدُ كل الصيدِ في جوفِ الفرا

You find delight in pursuing this game,

For you is pleasure in hunting this prey

And game—all game—is in the wild ass's belly.

And all prey is inside the vastness of the earth

ولموته بك هاهنا خيرٌ له

ولموته بك هاهنا خيرٌ له

من عيشةٍ فيما هنالك مزدرى

من عيشةٍ فيما هنالك مزدرى

And its death here by your hand is better for it

And for it to die here by you is better

Than living despised in that place yonder.

Than disgraced life over there

ألبستهُ شرفاً بصرفك همة

ألبستهُ شرفاً بصرفك همة

في قصدهِ وكفى بذلك مفخرا

في قصدهِ وكفى بذلك مفخرا

You clothed it in honor by directing your resolve

You have honored it by expending your resolve

Toward pursuing it; that alone is cause enough for pride.

In pursuing it, and that suffices as pride

ما فرَّ قبلك راجياً بسلامةٍ

ما فرَّ قبلك راجياً بسلامةٍ

لكنْ لتدركه إِذا ما قصرّا

لكنْ لتدركه إِذا ما قصرّا

It did not flee before you hoping for safety,

None before you fled hoping for safety

But so that you might catch it when it fell behind.

But so you would catch it if it fell short

ما كنتَ لو ألقى إِليك بنفسه

ما كنتَ لو ألقى إِليك بنفسه

ترضى إِذا لقي بها مستاثرا

ترضى إِذا لقي بها مستاثرا

Had it thrown itself before you, you would not

You would not be pleased if it surrendered itself

Be satisfied if it met you thus, self-seeking [reading uncertain].

While hoarding its soul greedily

لكنّ سرّك أَن يفرَّ بنفسه

لكنّ سرّك أَن يفرَّ بنفسه

حتى تطاردَه الخيولُ كما ترى

حتى تطاردَه الخيولُ كما ترى

Rather, you were pleased that it should flee for its life,

But your secret is for it to flee with its soul

So that the horses might pursue it, as you see.

So horses chase it as you see

ظفرتْ يداك به وتلك دلالةٌ

ظفرتْ يداك به وتلك دلالةٌ

تنبي بكونك في الحروب مظفّرا

تنبي بكونك في الحروب مظفّرا

Your two hands have seized it, and that is a sign

Your hands have triumphed over it, and that is a sign

Proclaiming you victorious in wars.

Indicating you are victorious in wars

لا زالَ ربُّك يرتضيكَ لخلقهِ

لا زالَ ربُّك يرتضيكَ لخلقهِ

ملكاً ويدفعُ عنهم لا ماعرى

ملكاً ويدفعُ عنهم لا ماعرى

May your Lord ever choose you for His creatures

Your Lord continues to choose you for His creation

As king, and ward off whatever befalls them [wording unclear].

A king, and protects them, not weak

ويريك ما تهوى ويرزقك البقا

ويريك ما تهوى ويرزقك البقا

عمراً به ما آدمىٌّ عُمِرا

عمراً به ما آدمىٌّ عُمِرا

And show you what you desire, and grant you enduring life—

And shows you what you desire and grants you survival

A lifetime such as no mortal has ever been granted.

With a life no human has lived