أُعادي صَرفَ دَهرٍ لا يُعادى

وَأَحتَمِلُ القَطيعَةَ وَالبِعادا

I oppose the vicissitudes of a time not to be opposed

And I endure separation and distance

وَأُظهِرُ نُصحَ قَومٍ ضَيَّعوني

وَإِن خانَت قُلوبُهُمُ الوِدادا

And I show loyalty to a people who have let me down

Even if their hearts have betrayed affection

أُعَلِّلُ بِالمُنى قَلباً عَليلاً

وَبِالصَبرِ الجَميلِ وَإِن تَمادى

I justify a sick heart with wishes

And with beautiful patience even if it persists

تُعَيِّرُني العِدا بِسَوادِ جِلدي

وَبيضُ خَصائِلي تَمحو السَوادا

My enemies taunt me about the darkness of my skin

But the whiteness of my traits erases the darkness

سَلي يا عَبلَ قَومَكِ عَن فَعالي

وَمَن حَضَرَ الوَقيعَةَ وَالطِرادا

Ask, O Ablaq, your people about my actions

And who attended the battle and the pursuit

وَرَدتُ الحَربَ وَالأَبطالُ حَولي

تَهُزُّ أَكُفُّها السُمرَ الصِعادا

I repelled war, and the heroes were around me

Their palms shaking the well-planed arrows

وَخُضتُ بِمُهجَتي بَحرَ المَنايا

وَنارُ الحَربِ تَتَّقِدُ اِتِّقادا

I plunged into the sea of death with my brain

And the fire of war burning hotter and hotter

وَعُدتُ مُخَضَّباً بِدَمِ الأَعادي

وَكَربُ الرَكضِ قَد خَضَبَ الجَوادا

I returned drenched in the blood of enemies

And the fatigue of running dyed the steed

وَكَم خَلَّفتُ مِن بِكرٍ رَداحٍ

بِصَوتِ نُواحِها تُشجي الفُؤادا

How many young camels bellowing piteously

Did I leave behind, their voices rending hearts

وَسَيفي مُرهَفُ الحَدَّينِ ماضٍ

تَقُدُّ شِفارُهُ الصَخرَ الجَمادا

My sword, both edges sharp, pressing on

Its blade splitting solid rock

وَرُمحي ما طَعَنتُ بِهِ طَعيناً

فَعادَ بِعَينِهِ نَظَرَ الرَشادا

When I stabbed anyone with my lance

He regained sight with his eye after loss

وَلَولا صارِمي وَسِنانُ رُمحي

لَما رَفَعَت بَنو عَبسٍ عِمادا

Had it not been for my sword and my lance’s blades

The Bani Abs would not have raised high their banner