يَصُدُّ غُواةُ الناسِ عَنّي كَأَنَّما

يَصُدّونَ عَن لَيثٍ بِخَفّانَ خادِرِ

The wrongdoers deter people from me as if

They deter a lion with scared bleating sheep.

وَمُحَتمِلٍ ضِغناً عَلَيَّ تَرَكتُهُ

يُعالِجُ مِنّي غُصَّةً بِالحَناجِرِ

Bearing spite against me that I let pass,

He tries to vent his anger through his throat.

فَماتَ فَلَم تَذهَب حَسيفَةُ صَدرِهِ

يُخَبِّرُ عَنهُ ذاكَ أَهلُ المَقابِرِ

He died but the anger in his chest remained;

His condition is known to the gravediggers.

وَلا يُبرِئُ الدِرياقُ لَدغي وَلا الرُقى

وَلا موعِدي عِندَ اللِقاءِ بِضائِري

The antidote cannot cure my bite, or spells,

Nor the day I meet my victims for revenge.

وَإِنّي لَمِزجاءٌ لِمُهري عَلى الوَجي

وَتارِكُهُ يَشكو بُطونَ الدَوابِرِ

I do not care for my paid assassin;

I leave him complaining of saddle sores.

فَإِن أُدعَ يَومَ الرَوعِ حَسبي أَجابَني

ذَوُو حَسَبٍ في ذِروَةِ المَجدِ فاخِرِ

If called on the day of panic I will answer;

Men of repute, at the peak of glory proud.