رَماني فأَصْماني وَأَعْرَضَ كَيْ أَرى

رَماني فأَصْماني وَأَعْرَضَ كَيْ أَرى

بأَنَّ الفَتى لا يَسْتَحِلُّ دَمي ظُلْما

بأَنَّ الفَتى لا يَسْتَحِلُّ دَمي ظُلْما

He shot me, struck me dead, and turned away so I might see

He attacked me then turned away haughtily, that I might see

That the youth does not deem it lawful to shed my blood unjustly,

That this youth does not deserve my blood, unjustly shed,

كَما أَقْصَدَ الرَّامي بسَهْمٍ رَميَّةً

كَما أَقْصَدَ الرَّامي بسَهْمٍ رَميَّةً

فأَثْبَتَ فيها النَّصْلَ وَانْتَزَعَ السَّهْما

فأَثْبَتَ فيها النَّصْلَ وَانْتَزَعَ السَّهْما

Just as an archer killed his quarry with an arrow,

As the shooter aims his arrow at the target,

Then lodged the arrowhead in it and pulled out the shaft.

And leaves the arrowhead embedded while retrieving the shaft.