قالَ آخيلُ أَيُّها الشَّيخُ صَبرا

لَيسَ بي حاجَةٌ لِما تَتَحَرَّى

Akhil said, "O old man, have patience,

I have no need for what you feign.

إنَّ زَفساً أَجَلَّني وَسَيحمِي

سُفُني بي ما دُمتُ بالعَيشِ آنِس

Zafsa has given me respite and will protect me,

Providing me joy while I live.

هاكَ فَصلَ الخِطابِ لاتُهمِ دَمعا

وتَسُمني في حُبِّ أَترِيذَ صَدعا

And do not force me into shattered love.

Do not make me love her while you are my beloved.

لا تُحِبَّنَّهُ وأَنتَ حَبيبي

إِن تَكُن مِن مَحَبتَّي غَيرَ بائِس

If you are not hopeless in your love for me,

Then meet the one who has finished me, inevitably,

فَاقلِيَنَّ الَّذي قَلانِيَ حَتما

وَمَعي احكُم أُشاطِرَنَّكَ حُكما

And judge with me, I will share the judgment with you.

These messengers stir up discord,

هَؤُلاءِ البَلاغَ يُنمُونَ حالاً

وَهُنا بِت علَى وَتيرِ الطَّنَافس

And here I stay, competing.

So when dawn breaks we will look into

فإِذا الفَجرُ لاحَ نَبحَثُ فِيما

نَرتَإِيهِ لِنَغبتَدِي أَو نُقِيما

What we hope for, whether to raid or stay.

And looking at the sea he said the tide will come

ولِفَطرُقلَ مُومِئاً قالَ يَأتي

بِفرَاشٍ غَضٍّ لتَمضِي النَّواطِس

With a fresh breeze to speed the ships."

Ajax shouted, “Odysseus, come!

هَبَّ آياسُ قالَ أُوذِيسُ هَيَّا

لا أَرى هكَذا المُنَى يَثَهَيَّا

I do not see this as a wise course."

And it is up to us to craft an answer, even if

وَعلَينا نُنمي الجَوابَ وإِن سا

ءَ فإِنَّ الإغرِيقَ ظَلُّوا بِهاجِس

The Greeks have been troubled by it."

"Akhil is stubborn by nature

إِنَّ آخِيلَ قَد تَصَلَّبَ طَبعا

وأَداني الخُلاَّنِ ما ظَلَّ يَرعى

And has brought me down though I tended the sheep.

They exalt him above all the exalted

عَظَّمُوهُ مِن فَوقِ كلِّ عَظِيمٍ

وَهوَ عاتٍ جافٍ ظَلُومٌ قُنَاعِس

While he is harsh, dry, and unjust.

How many brothers ransom themselves with money and son

كَم أَخٍ يَفتَدُونَ بِالمالِ وابنِ

ويَظَلُّ الجاني بِرَغدٍ وأَمنِ

While the criminal stays prosperous and safe?

And the family of the murdered, even if they gain wealth

وأَهالي المَقتُولِ إِن أَحرَزُوا الما

لَ وَفِيراً عَفَوا وعافُوا وعَافُوا المَراجِس

Abundantly, they pardon, excuse, and ignore the offenses."

"Your heart has frozen, vexed for a girl,

قَلبُكَ اكمَدَّ حانِقاً لِفَتاةِ

وأَتَينا نَحبُوكَ سَبعَ بَناتِ

And we came to you, seven daughters,

And beyond the treasures, magnificent gifts,

وعَدا الغِيدَ باهِراتِ العَطايا

سَكِّن الرَّوعَ ألقِ عَنكَ الهَواجِس

Calm your terror, cast off your worries.

On behalf of all the Greeks we have come to you

عن جَمِيعَ الإِغرِيقِ جئِنا إِلَيكا

بُغيَةً أَن نُرَى أَحَبَّ لَدَيكا

Wanting to see what is most dear to you.

We are in your house where you are

نَحنُ في بَيتِكَ الَّذي أَنتَ فِيهِ

فاحترِمهُ وارعَ الضًّيُوفَ وآنِس

So respect it, and respect your guests and cheer up."