ركنتَ إلى السباع خمارويهِ

ركنتَ إلى السباع خمارويهِ

ولم تركن الى أحد سواها

ولم تركن الى أحد سواها

You placed your trust in beasts, Khumarawayh,

You sought refuge with the beasts, my friend

and trusted no one but them.

And did not seek refuge with anyone else

تحوطك نائماً وتبيت تخشى

تحوطك نائماً وتبيت تخشى

قلوب الناس أن يطغى أذاها

قلوب الناس أن يطغى أذاها

They guard you as you sleep, while you spend the night fearing

They protect you while you sleep, fearing

human hearts, lest their malice run rampant.

The hearts of men may let cruelty loose

أليس من العجائب أن ليثاً

أليس من العجائب أن ليثاً

يذود رعية عمن رعاها

يذود رعية عمن رعاها

Is it not a wonder that a lion

Is it not strange that a lion

wards subjects off from the one who tended them,

Should protect the flock from its own kind?

وأن يحمي ابن آدم من أخيه

وأن يحمي ابن آدم من أخيه

سباعٌ جلَّ أن يدعى اخاها

سباعٌ جلَّ أن يدعى اخاها

and that the son of Adam is shielded from his brother

And that man should be protected by beasts

by beasts, though he is too exalted to be called their brother?

Though called their brother in mankind

وثقت بذي حفاظٍ ليس يُرشى

وثقت بذي حفاظٍ ليس يُرشى

ولا ينسى الحقوق لمن حباها

ولا ينسى الحقوق لمن حباها

You trusted a faithful one who cannot be bribed,

You trusted those who cannot be bribed

nor forgets the rights owed to the one who bestowed them.

And never forget what they are owed

وهم قتلوك حين وثقت منهم

وهم قتلوك حين وثقت منهم

وكم حفظ العهود فما اعتداها

وكم حفظ العهود فما اعتداها

Yet they killed you when you trusted them.

Yet they killed you when you trusted them

And how often he kept his pledges, never breaking them!

Though pacts of honor they loudly crowed

ولو شهد اغتيالك في دمشق

ولو شهد اغتيالك في دمشق

لضرج بالجناية من جناها

لضرج بالجناية من جناها

And had he witnessed your assassination in Damascus,

Had he witnessed your murder in Damascus

he would have drenched its perpetrator in blood for the crime.

He’d have stained with guilt those who slew