يا سَلمُ كَم مِن جَبانٍ قَد صَبَرتَ بِهِ

تَحتَ السُيوفِ وَلَولا أَنتَ ما صَبَرا

O ladder, how many cowards have you endured

Beneath the swords, and if not for you, they would not have endured

ما زِلتَ تَضرِبُ وَالأَبطالُ كالِحَةٌ

في الحَربِ هامَةَ كَبشِ القَومِ إِذ عَكَرا

You continued to ascend while the heroes attacked furiously

In battle, plunging into the enemy throng when they clashed

وَما أَغَبَّ تَميماً فارِسٌ بَطَلٌ

مِن مازِنٍ يَرتَدي بِالنَصرِ مَن نَصَرا

No valiant knight of Tameem was ever absent

From Mazin, wearing victory like one who grants triumph

طَلّابُ ذَحلٍ سَبوقٌ لِلعَدُوِّ بِهِ

لا يُستَقادُ بِأَوتارٍ إِذا وَتَرا

Seekers of Dhahal, outstripping the enemy with it

That cannot be overtaken if the strings are cut

أَغَرُّ تَنصَدِعُ الظَلماءُ عَن قَمَرٍ

بَدرٍ إِذا ما بَدا يَستَغرِقُ القَمَرا

The darkness breaks away, astonished, from a shining

Full moon when it appears, inundating with moonlight

حَمّالُ أَلوِيَةٍ بِالنَصرِ خافِقَةٍ

يَدعو الحَبيبَينِ شَتّى المَوتَ وَالظَفَرا

Bearing the standards of victory fluttering

It calls the two beloveds—varied death and victory

أَرجو فَواضِلَ مِنهُ إِنَّ راحَتَهُ

مِثلُ الفُراتِ إِذا آذِيُّهُ زَخَرا

I hope for overflowing generosity from him; his comfort

Is like the Euphrates when annoyed, overflowing

لَو لَم تَكُن بَشَراً يا سَلمُ نَعرِفُهُ

لَكُنتَ نَوءَ سَحابٍ يَسحَلُ المَطَرا

If you were not a human, O ladder, we would recognize you

As a rain cloud, trailing rain