لمّا تَماسَكتِ الدُموعُ

وَتنبّهَ القَلبُ الصَديعُ

When my tears were held back

And my aching heart awakened

وَتَناكَرَت هِمَمي لَما

يَستامها الخَطبُ الفَظيعُ

And my resolves denied what

The terrible events blamed them for

قالوا الخُضوعُ سياسَةٌ

فليبدُ مِنك لَهُم خُضوعُ

They said: Submission is wise politics

So for them feign submission from yourself

وَأَلَذُّ مِن طَعم الخُضو

عِ عَلى فَمي السَمُّ النَقيعُ

And sweeter than the taste of submission

On my mouth is lethal poison

إِن يسلب القَومُ العدى

مُلكي وتسلمني الجُموعُ

If the people seize

My rule and I am handed to the masses

القَلبُ بَينَ ضُلوعِه

لَم تسلم القَلبَ الضُلوعُ

The heart within my ribs

My ribs did not hand over the heart

لَم أَستَلَب شرفَ الطبا

ع أيسلَبُ الشَرفُ الرَفيعُ

I have not lost the honor of resolve

Can lofty honor be lost?

قَد رُمتُ يَومَ نِزالِهم

أَلا تُحصّنَني الدُروعُ

I plunged on the day of their battle

Will not the shields protect me?

وَبَرَزتُ لَيسَ سِوى القَمي

صِ عَن الحَشى شيءٌ دفوعُ

I went forth with no more than a shirt

To shield my breast—is that not enough?

وَبَذَلتُ نَفسي كَي تَسي

لَ إِذا يَسيل بِها النَجيعُ

I sacrificed myself so that it would flow

When the wounds started gushing

أَجَلي تَأَخَّرَ لَم يَكُن

بِهَوايَ ذُلّيَ وَالخُشوعُ

My death was delayed—it was not

Through my love of degradation and submission

ما سرتُ قَطُّ إِلى القِتا

ل وَكان مِن أَمَلي الرُجوعُ

Never have I walked

To battle except with the wish to return

شِيَمُ الألى أَنا مِنهُمُ

وَالأَصلُ تَتبَعه الفُروعُ

The traits of glory are mine

The branches follow the origin