أَمَا وَالخَيْلِ تَعْثُرُ في العَجاجِ

وَآسادٍ تَهَشُّ إِلى الهِياجِ

When horses stumble on the rough terrain,

And lions fiercely roar and rage,

وَضَرْبٍ لا يُنَهْنِهُهُ تَريكٌ

يُطابِقُ خِلْسَةَ الطَّعْنِ الخِلاجِ

And blows rain down without cease,

Matching the quick thrusts that pierce and wound,

إِذا لَقِحَتْ بِهِ حَرْبٌ عَقيمٌ

تَمَخَّضَتِ المَنايا لِلنِّتاجِ

If fruitless war is ignited by them,

Death is birthed for the offspring.

لَأَرْتَدينَّ بِالظَّلْماءِ حَتّى

تَشُقَّ عَزائِمي ثُغَرَ الدَّياجِي

I would charge into the darkness until

My steely resolve breaches the enemy ranks,

وَتَعْتَرِكُ الفَوارِسُ في مَكَرٍّ

يُريكَ السُّمْرَ دامِيَةَ الزِّجاجِ

And the knights engage in cunning

That shows you the glint of lances through the dust.

فَكمْ أُغْضي الجُفونَ على قَذاهَا

بِحَيْثُ الأَرْضُ ضَيِّقَةُ الفِجاجِ

How I veil my eyes from their tips

When the earth feels too narrow to contain them.

أَلَسْتُ ابْنَ المُلوكِ وَهَلْ كقَوْمِي

ذَراً لِمُرَوَّعٍ وَحَياً لِراجِ

Am I not the son of kings? Is my people

Prey for the terrified or sheep for the wolf?

وَكَمْ مُتَخَمِّطٍ فيهِمْ أَبِيٍّ

وَخَرّاجٍ مِنَ الغَمَراتِ ناجِ

And how many highbred among them are fathers

And protectors against floods of calamity?

وَأرْوَعَ تَحْتَ أَخْمَصِهِ الثُّرَيَّا

وَفَوْقَ جَبينِهِ خَرَزاتُ تاجِ

Most awe-inspiring with his defiant gaze

And above his forehead gemstone crowns shine.

نَموْني لِلْعُلا فَحَلَلْتُ مِنْها

بِحيْثُ يُرَى مِنَ الأُذُنِ المُناجِي

They reared me for greatness until I surpassed it,

Where the earring can be seen on the intimate confidant.

وَلي شِيمٌ أَوابِدُ آنِساتٌ

يُشابُ العَذْبُ مِنْها بِالأُجَاجِ

And I have a nature, desolate ruins are familiar to me,

Where the sweet is mingled with the bitter.

مَتى يَطْلُبْ مُعانَدَتي لَئيمٌ

فَدُونَ سَجاجَتي غَلْقُ الرِّتاجِ

Whenever a worthless fool seeks to defy me,

My fiery temper bars the doors of concession.