صَباحُ الطَعنِ في كَرٍّ وَفَرٍّ

وَلا ساقٍ يَطوفُ بِكَأسِ خَمرِ

The morning of assault with spear and mace,

No cup-bearer wanders with a cup of wine.

أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن قَرعِ المَلاهي

عَلى كَأسٍ وَإِبريقٍ وَزَهرِ

I prefer the clinking of cups, jugs and flowers

To the banging of drums and musical play.

مُدامي ما تَبَقّى مِن خُماري

بِأَطرافِ القَنا وَالخَيلُ تَجري

My wine remains as long as my veil,

With horses galloping along Qana's banks.

أَنا العَبدُ الَّذي خُبِّرتَ عَنهُ

يُلاقي في الكَريهَةِ أَلفَ حُرِّ

I am the slave you've been told about,

Who meets a thousand knights in battle.

خُلِقتُ مِنَ الحَديدِ أَشَدُّ قَلباً

فَكَيفَ أَخافُ مِن بيضٍ وَسُمرِ

I was created with a heart harder than iron,

So how can I fear eggs and sparrows?

وَأَبطِشُ بِالكَمِيِّ وَلا أُبالي

وَأَعلو لِلسِماكِ بِكُلِّ فَخرِ

I wield the sword without concern

And charge the heavily armed with pride.

وَيَبصُرني الشُجاعُ يَفِرُّ مِنّي

وَيَرعَشُ ظَهرُهُ مِنّي وَيَسري

The brave see me and flee from me,

Their backs shiver and march away.

ظَنَنتُم يا بَني شَيبانَ ظَنّاً

فَأَخلَفَ ظَنَّكُم جَلدي وَصَبري

You thought, O Bani Shayban, mere thoughts,

But my patience and composure proved you wrong.

سَلوا عَنّي الرَبيعَ وَقَد أَتاني

بِجُردِ الخَيلِ مِن ساداتِ بَدرِ

Ask Spring about me, for it has come upon me

With the mustering of horses, the lords of Badr.

أَسَرتُ سَراتَهُم وَرَجَعتُ عَنهُم

وَقَد فَرَّقتُهُم في كُلِّ قُطرِ

I captured their elite and turned away from them,

After scattering them in every region.

وَها أَنا قَد بَرَزتُ اليَومَ أَشفي

فُؤادي مِنكُمُ وَغَليلَ صَدري

And here I've come out today to heal

My heart of you and relieve my chest.

وَآخُذُ مالَ عَبلَةَ بِالمَواضي

وَيَعرِفُ صاحِبُ الإيوانِ قَدري

I seize the wealth of Abla in the meadows,

And the lord of the manor knows my worth.