أَبَني السُّرَى والبيدِ لا

أَبَني السُّرَى والبيدِ لا

أغْرَى الزّمانُ بكم عُرامَهْ

أغْرَى الزّمانُ بكم عُرامَهْ

O sons of night travel and the deserts, may

O children of the noble tribe, no

Time never unleash its fury upon you.

Time has tempted you to disgrace

هل فيكُمُ مِنْ مُبلِغٍ

هل فيكُمُ مِنْ مُبلِغٍ

عنّي السّلاَمَ أبَا سلامَهْ

عنّي السّلاَمَ أبَا سلامَهْ

Is there among you anyone to convey

Is there among you a messenger

my greeting of peace to Abu Salama,

To convey my greetings to Abu Salamah

وتحيّةً كَشذا فتي

وتحيّةً كَشذا فتي

قِ المِسكِ صُفّقَ بالمُدامَهْ

قِ المِسكِ صُفّقَ بالمُدامَهْ

and a salutation like the fragrance of unsealed

And a warm welcome to the youth

musk blended with wine,

Who clapped to the wine with musk's scent

تُهدَى يضوعُ نسيمُها

تُهدَى يضوعُ نسيمُها

لأغرَّ عَصّاءٍ مَلاَمَهْ

لأغرَّ عَصّاءٍ مَلاَمَهْ

offered—its breeze wafting fragrance—

Her allure is presented by the breeze

to a radiant man defiant of reproach?

To the most stubborn, blameworthy one

من جَامِحِ العَزَماتِ لا

من جَامِحِ العَزَماتِ لا

يَرضَى على هُونٍ مُقَامَهْ

يَرضَى على هُونٍ مُقَامَهْ

A man of unbridled resolve, who will not

Of unbreakable determination, who

accept remaining in humiliation.

Does not accept a life of disgrace

وقَّعنَ غَارِبَه الخُطو

وقَّعنَ غَارِبَه الخُطو

بُ ولم يزل يأبَى الظُّلاَمَهْ

بُ ولم يزل يأبَى الظُّلاَمَهْ

Misfortunes have scarred his withers,

He signed his sunset with footsteps

yet he has never ceased to reject injustice.

And always refused the darkness

يا بن الخَضارِمَةِ الكِرا

يا بن الخَضارِمَةِ الكِرا

مِ أولي المكارِم والكَرامَهْ

مِ أولي المكارِم والكَرامَهْ

O son of bountiful, noble lords,

O son of glorious honor

possessors of noble deeds and honor,

And generosity, the highest moral traits

من كلّ بسّامٍ تَسحُ

من كلّ بسّامٍ تَسحُ

حُ يداهُ للعافِينَ سَامَهْ

حُ يداهُ للعافِينَ سَامَهْ

each an ever-smiling man whose

All those with a sword would lower their hands

hands rain his gold upon those seeking bounty,

In greeting to the virtuous and safe

خَضِلِ الجنَابِ إذا تَردْ

خَضِلِ الجنَابِ إذا تَردْ

دَى الجوُّ من مَحلٍ قَتَامَهْ

دَى الجوُّ من مَحلٍ قَتَامَهْ

his precinct lush and moist, when

Pull the tent closer when the air

the sky dons its dusty pall of drought.

Turns cold from a dark place

أأُسأمُ خَسفاً ثمّ لا

أأُسأمُ خَسفاً ثمّ لا

آبَى فلستُ إذاً أُسَامَهْ

آبَى فلستُ إذاً أُسَامَهْ

Shall I be subjected to abasement, and then not

Should I be asked to bow, I would never

refuse? Then I am not Usama.

For I am no subservient weakling

هيهاتَ لا ترضَى المعا

هيهاتَ لا ترضَى المعا

لِي صاحِباً يرضَى اُهتضَامَهْ

لِي صاحِباً يرضَى اُهتضَامَهْ

Far from it! The heights of honor will not accept

Alas! The high-minded will never

a companion content to be wronged.

Accept a partner who bows in humility

وعلامَ يخشَى النّاسَ مَن

وعلامَ يخشَى النّاسَ مَن

لم يخشَ في حالٍ حِمامَهْ

لم يخشَ في حالٍ حِمامَهْ

And why should he fear people—one who

And why would people fear someone

has never feared his death in any circumstance?

Who never feared battle's adversity

مَن لا تَراهُ إثرَ شي

مَن لا تَراهُ إثرَ شي

ءٍ فائِتٍ يُبدي النّدامَهْ

ءٍ فائِتٍ يُبدي النّدامَهْ

One whom you never see, over anything

One who you do not see regretting

lost, displaying regret;

Past deeds, expressing his remorse

وإذا حوَى الرغباتِ أمْ

وإذا حوَى الرغباتِ أمْ

ضَى للعلا فيها احتكَامَهْ

ضَى للعلا فيها احتكَامَهْ

and when he gains the things he desires, he carries out

And when ambitions burn, he lets

his judgment over them for the sake of lofty honor.

Reason rule them and agrees to its authority

لو أنكرَتْ أجفانُه

لو أنكرَتْ أجفانُه

طيفَ الخيالِ جَفَا مَنَامَهْ

طيفَ الخيالِ جَفَا مَنَامَهْ

If his eyelids failed to recognize

If his eyelids denied the image

the phantom vision, he would forsake his sleep.

Of dreams, dreams would lose their charm