غَدَوتُ وَقَد أَزمَعتُ وَثبَةَ ماجِدٍ

لِأَفدِيَ بِاِبني مِن رَدى المَوتِ خالِيا

I set out at dawn, resolved like the intrepid Majid,

To ransom my son with my life from certain death.

غُلامٌ أَبوهُ المُستَجارُ بِقَبرِهِ

وَصَعصَعَةُ الفَكّاكُ مَن كانَ عانِيا

A boy whose father takes refuge in his grave,

While the knight redeemer relieves the distressed.

وَكُنتَ اِبنَ أَشياخٍ يُجيرونَ مَن جَنى

وَيُحيُونَ بِالغَيثِ العِظامَ البَوالِيا

You were the son of elders who gave refuge

And revived the withered bones with rain.

يُداوُونَ بِالأَحلامِ وَالجَهلِ مِنهُمُ

وَيُؤسى بِهِمصَدعُ الَّذي كانَ واهِيا

They cured ignorance and delirium,

And gave solace to the ailing and frail.

رَهَنتُ بَني السيدِ الأَشائِمِ موفِياً

بِمَقتولِهِم عِندَ المُفاداةِ غالِيا

I pledged my lord's ill-omened sons in surety

For their slain, when ransomed, a precious prize.

وَقُلتُ أَشِطّوا يا بَني السيدِ حُكمَكُم

عَلَيَّ فَإِنّي لا يَضيقُ ذِراعِيا

I said, "Judge me, o sons of my lord,

For my arms are not too narrow for your rule."

إِذا خُيِّرَ السيدِيُّ بَينَ غَوايَةٍ

وَرُشدٍ أَتى السيدِيُّ ما كانَ غاوِيا

When the noble must choose between sin and righteousness,

He will come to what had been sinful.

وَلَو أَنَّني أَعطَيتُ ما ضَمَّ واسِطٌ

أَبى قَدَرُ اللَهِ الَّذي كانَ ماضِيا

Had I given what Waṣiṭ embraced,

God's ordained fate which had passed would have refused.

وَلَمّا دَعاني وَهوَ يَرسُفُ لَم أَكُن

بَطيئاً عَنِ الداعي وَلا مُتَوانِيا

When he called me as he sped,

I was neither slow to respond, nor hesitant.

شَدَدتُ عَلى نِصفَي إِزاري وَرُبَّما

شَدَدتُ لِأَحداثِ الأُمورِ إِزارِيا

I girded up my waistcloth, and sometimes

I girded it up for the gravity of events.

دَعاني وَحَدُّ السَيفِ قَد كانَ فَوقَهُ

فَأَعطَيتُ مِنهُ اِبنَي جَميعاً وَمالِيا

He called me while the blade of the sword was over him,

So I gave him my son and all my money.

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلي إِذ يُنادى اِبنُ غالِبٍ

مُجيباً وَلا مِثلَ المُنادي مُنادِيا

I saw none like me called, "Son of Ghalib,"

Responding, nor any caller calling like him.

فَما كانَ ذَنبي في المَنِيَّةِ إِن عَصَت

وَلَم أَتَّرِك شَيئاً عَزيزاً وَرائِيا

So what was my crime against death if it disobeyed,

When I left nothing precious behind me?