خُذِ الكَأْسَ مِنّي أيُّها الرَّشَأُ الأَحْوى

وَشِمْ نَظَراً يَصْحو مِنَ المُقْلَةِ النَّشْوى

Take the cup from me, O destiny long foretold,

And gaze with eyes awakening from slumber.

فَلِلْأَمَدِ الأَدْنى سَمَتْ بِكَ هِمَّةٌ

وَلي هِمَّةٌ تَسْمو إِلى الغايَةِ القُصْوى

For the nearer goal your purpose was set,

While my purpose soars to the ultimate aim.

أَنا ابْنُ سُراةِ الحَيِّ مِنْ فَرْعِ غالبٍ

أَرى فيهِمُ مِنْ تالدِ المَجْدِ ما أَهْوى

I am the son of the dwellers in valour abode,

From a branch of glorious ancestry.

وَأَطْلُبُ أَمْراً حالَ بَيْني وَبَيْنَهُ

زَمانٌ نَباني وَامْتَعَضْتُ مِنَ الشّكْوى

I see in them that which my spirit desires,

Though an age has come between me and it.

فَيا سَعْدُ ناولني السُّرَيْجِيَّ إِنَّهُ

شَكا ظَمَأً بَرْحاً وقد حان أَنْ يَرْوَى

So pass me the charger for it complains of thirst,

And the time is due that it should be watered.

وَقَرِّبْ جَوادي وَانْشُرِ الدِّرْعَ إِنَّها

إِذا الحَرْبُ حَكَّتْ بَرْكَها بِيَ لا تُطْوى

Bring forth my steed and unfold the coat of mail,

For if war whistles its leash cannot be tied.

سَتَعْلَمُ إِنْ قَرَّطْتُ طِرْفِي عِنانَهُ

مَنِ الأَشِرُ الرَّوَّاعُ وَالمَرِسُ الألْوى

You will know if I pluck its rein to advance,

Who is the intrepid hero, and who the proven warrior.