1. يا دهرُ هلْ عاديتَ فيمنْ سادا

    مِثلي وهلْ جاورتَ فيمنْ جادَا

    O Time, have you opposed, among those who ruled,

    one like me? And among the generous, have you dwelt beside my like?

  2. إنّا أُناسٌ نَرحَمُ الأمْجادا

    أكثرَ من رحمتِنا الحُسّادا

    We are a people who pity the noble

    more than we pity the envious.

  3. فلْيأتِني وليجْمَع العُبّادا

    وليَمْلأ الآكامَ والوِهادا

    So let him come to me and muster the worshippers,

    and fill the hills and valleys

  4. الرّجْلَ والفُرسانَ والجِيادا

    والسمرَ والصوارمَ الحِدادا

    with foot soldiers, horsemen, and fine steeds,

    and tawny spears and sharp, cleaving swords

  5. تَمنعُ مني السبعةَ الشِّدادا

    ليعلمَ العالمُ من أفادا

    that shield the seven mighty heavens from me,

    so the world may know who has gained,

  6. وأينا لأيِّنا أبادا

    ومن غدتْ صروفُهُ تُقادا

    and which of us has annihilated the other,

    and whose turns of fortune have come to be led captive,

  7. قد لبِستْ من بَعدِهِ حِدادا

    إنّ سِناني يَعرِفُ الفُؤادا

    having already donned mourning after him.

    My spearhead indeed knows the heart

  8. أَجودُ من عِرفانِهِ الصِّعادا

    كما لساني يُحسنِ الجِلادا

    better than it knows the spear-shafts,

    just as my tongue masters combat

  9. أحسنُ من إحْسانِهِ الإنْشادا

    لو كانَ سيفاً أكملَ الأغْمادا

    better than it masters reciting verse.

    Were it a sword, it would finish off the scabbards;

  10. فكيفَ عافَ الشَّفتين زَادَا

    how, then, has it spurned the two lips as food?