إِن كُنتَ عَن خَيرِ الأَنامِ سائِلاً

فَخَيرُهُم أَكثَرُهُم فَضائِلا

If you seek the best of all men

If you inquire about the noblest of all creation,

The best among them have the most virtues

The noblest is he who is richest in virtues.

مَن أَنتَ مِنهُم يا هُمامَ وائِلا

الطاعِنينَ في الوَغى أَوائِلا

Who are you among them, O determined one, O first

The folk to whom you belong, O hero of Wa'il,

The first to plunge into the fray

Those striking first in the thick of the war,

وَالعاذِلينَ في النَدى العَواذِلا

قَد فَضَلوا بِفَضلِكَ القَبائِلا

And the first to blame in calamity, the blamers

And silencing those who would limit their largesse,

They have surpassed the tribes through your excellence

Have, by your excellence, eclipsed all tribes.