دع قاطعاً بيديه يأْخُذْ خِيفَةً

دع قاطعاً بيديه يأْخُذْ خِيفَةً

ويُهينُ مولاه ويأمُلُ ضعفَهْ

ويُهينُ مولاه ويأمُلُ ضعفَهْ

Leave one who severs ties to grasp fear with his own two hands,

And dishonors his master and hopes to see him weak.

أَتظنُّ أَنَّ بقاءَه من بعدهِ

أَتظنُّ أَنَّ بقاءَه من بعدهِ

الا كما يثنى المسارقُ طرفَهْ

الا كما يثنى المسارقُ طرفَهْ

Do you think his life after him would last

Longer than a furtive watcher takes to turn his gaze?

ما كان الاَّ مثلَ طاعنِ نفسه

ما كان الاَّ مثلَ طاعنِ نفسه

بسنانه سفهاً ليقتلَ رِدْفَهْ

بسنانه سفهاً ليقتلَ رِدْفَهْ

He was merely like one who stabs himself

With his spearpoint, foolishly, to kill the man riding behind him;

أو كالممُسّحِ نصفَه بيمينه

أو كالممُسّحِ نصفَه بيمينه

متشاغلاً والذئبُ يأكل نصفَهْ

متشاغلاً والذئبُ يأكل نصفَهْ

Or like one rubbing half his body with his right hand,

Preoccupied, while the wolf devours his other half.

مَرِحٌ يَهُزُّ الى المعالى عطفَه

مَرِحٌ يَهُزُّ الى المعالى عطفَه

ويُخَلِّفُ المطلوبَ منها خِلفَهْ

ويُخَلِّفُ المطلوبَ منها خِلفَهْ

Exultant, he sways his flank toward lofty honors,

Yet leaves behind him the prize he seeks among them.

لله دَرُّ مديحنا لو أَنه

لله دَرُّ مديحنا لو أَنه

يحوى مناقبَه وَيَبْلُغُ وصفَهْ

يحوى مناقبَه وَيَبْلُغُ وصفَهْ

How splendid our praise would be, if only it

Could encompass his virtues and describe him fully!