أَتَوني بِقَيّاضٍ وَقَد نامَ صُحبَتي

أَتَوني بِقَيّاضٍ وَقَد نامَ صُحبَتي

وَحارِسُهُم لَيثٌ هِزَبرٌ أَبو أَجرِ

وَحارِسُهُم لَيثٌ هِزَبرٌ أَبو أَجرِ

They came upon me at Qayyāḍ while my companions slept.

They brought a judge when my companions slept,

And their guard was a lion—a mighty lion, a sire of cubs.

And their guard a fierce, angry lion.

فَقَتَّلتُ قَوماً مِنهُم لا أَعِزَّةً

فَقَتَّلتُ قَوماً مِنهُم لا أَعِزَّةً

كِراماً وَلا عِندَ الحَقائِقِ بِالصّبرِ

كِراماً وَلا عِندَ الحَقائِقِ بِالصّبرِ

So I slaughtered men among them—neither mighty

So I killed many of them, neither proudly

nor noble, nor steadfast in the hour of trial.

Nor patiently when faced with the truth.