لَقَد عَلَمَت فِتيانُ عَمرٍو بِأَنَّني

أَحوطُ ذماري في الشَهورِ الأَطاوِلِ

Surely the youths of 'Amr have known that I

Keep my weapons sharp through the long months,

وَإِن فاتَ أَمرٌ قَدَّموني فَرُمتُهُ

ذِيادَ العَوادي عِندَ إِحدى الزَلازِلِ

And if I miss a chance when offered, I turn it

Aside with a glancing blow at the moment of onslaught.

وَإِنّي أَرُدُّ الكَيشَ عَن سُنَنِ الهَوى

وَيَرجِعُ رُمحي بَعد رَيّانُ ناهِلِ

And verily I repel wantonness far from the path of passion

And my spear returns to the sheath after blood-licking.

فَمَن يَكُ خَوّارَ اليَدَينِ فَإِنَّني

إِذا كَشَّرَت عَن نابِها غَيرَ خامِلِ

So let him who is given to biting his hands beware of me

When she bares her fangs, no malice in her lacking.

وَيَومَ نَهاوَندٍ شَدَوتُ فَلَم أَحمِ

وَقَد أَحسَنَت فيهِم جَميعُ القَبائِلِ

And on the day of Naḥāwand I plied them unsparingly, and there

Did the whole of the tribes acquit themselves nobly.

عَشِيَّةَ وَلّى الفَيرُزانَ مُوائِلاً

إِلى جَبلِ آبٍ حَذرَ القَواجِلِ

In the evening the Daylamite turned in flight

To the hill of Āb, fearful of being trapped.

فَأَدرَكَهُ مِنّا أَخو الهَيجِ وَالنَدى

فَقَنطَرَهُ عِندَ اِزدِحامِ الحَوامِلِ

There my brother in dash and onslaught came up with him

And unhorsed him at the moment of the encounter.

وَأَشلاؤُهُم في وَأيِ خُردٍ مُقيمَةٍ

نُفوسُهُمُ غَبسُ الذِئابِ العَواسِلِ

And their remnants are in every valley, dwelling place fixed,

While their souls are the souls of ravening wolves.

وَنَحنُ وَلينا كُلَّ يَومٍ لَفارِسٍ

نِطاحاً وَكَدحاً بِالقُرونِ الكَوامِلِ

And daily we at each dawn to a horseman

Deal blows and receive them, stout lances charges.