أَتاني وَعيدُ اِبنِ الزُّبَيرِ فَلَم أُرَع

أَتاني وَعيدُ اِبنِ الزُّبَيرِ فَلَم أُرَع

وَما مِثلُ قَلبي بِالوَعيدِ يُرَوّعُ

وَما مِثلُ قَلبي بِالوَعيدِ يُرَوّعُ

Ibn al-Zubayr’s threat came to me, but I was not frightened;

The threat of Ibn al-Zubayr came to me, but I was not afraid,

and a heart like mine is not terrified by threats.

And my heart is not of the kind that threats can terrify,

فَلا تَرمِيَنّي بِالوَعيدِ فَإِنَّني

فَلا تَرمِيَنّي بِالوَعيدِ فَإِنَّني

سَأَترُكُ ما تَهوى وَأَنفُكَ أَجدَعُ

سَأَترُكُ ما تَهوى وَأَنفُكَ أَجدَعُ

So do not assail me with threats, for I

So do not threaten me, for I will abandon what you desire,

shall abandon what you desire, with your nose cut off.

And I will persist, though you split me in two.

فَإِن أَنا لَم أُسعِطكَ غَيظاً بِغارَةٍ

فَإِن أَنا لَم أُسعِطكَ غَيظاً بِغارَةٍ

وَأَصدَعُ ما قَد كادَ بِالأَمسِ يُرقَعُ

وَأَصدَعُ ما قَد كادَ بِالأَمسِ يُرقَعُ

For if I do not force rage into your nostrils with a raid,

If I did not enrage you with a sudden raid,

and split open what had almost been patched yesterday,

And break what was almost mended yesterday,

فَلا وَضَعَت عِندي حَصانٌ قِناعَها

فَلا وَضَعَت عِندي حَصانٌ قِناعَها

وَلا قادَني لِلناسِ قَلبٌ مُشَيَّعُ

وَلا قادَني لِلناسِ قَلبٌ مُشَيَّعُ

then may no chaste woman lay aside her veil in my presence,

I would not stable a horse, tying up her muzzle,

nor may a dauntless heart lead me to face men.

Nor would a heart that leads people escort me.

سَتَعلَمُ إِن مالَت بِيَ الرِّيحُ مَيلَةً

سَتَعلَمُ إِن مالَت بِيَ الرِّيحُ مَيلَةً

عَلَيكَ غَداً أَنّي أَوِ اِيّاكَ أَجزَعُ

عَلَيكَ غَداً أَنّي أَوِ اِيّاكَ أَجزَعُ

You will know, if the wind should turn and carry me

You will know, if the wind blows favorably for me,

against you tomorrow, which of us is more fearful—I or you.

Tomorrow, whether it is I or you who will despair.

وَفي الشامِ إِخواني وَجُلَّ عَشيرَتي

وَفي الشامِ إِخواني وَجُلَّ عَشيرَتي

وَقَد جعلَت نَفسي إِلَيكَ تَطَلَّعُ

وَقَد جعلَت نَفسي إِلَيكَ تَطَلَّعُ

And in al-Sham are my brothers and most of my clan;

In Damascus are my brothers and the bulk of my clan,

and my soul has begun to look eagerly toward you.

And I have set my soul to look to you.