لا تهجُ يشكر يا زياد ولا تكُن

لا تهجُ يشكر يا زياد ولا تكُن

غَرَضاً وأنتَ عن الأذى في مَعزلِ

غَرَضاً وأنتَ عن الأذى في مَعزلِ

Do not satirize Yashkur, Ziyad, nor become

Do not lampoon Yashkur, O Ziyad, and do not become

a target, while you remain safely beyond harm's reach.

A target while you are beyond harm’s reach.

وأعلم بأنهم إذا ما حصّلوا

وأعلم بأنهم إذا ما حصّلوا

خيرٌ وأكرمُ من أبيك الأعزل

خيرٌ وأكرمُ من أبيك الأعزل

Know that, when their true worth is weighed,

And know that, when assessed, they are

they are better and nobler than your defenseless father.

Better and nobler than your unarmed father.

لولا زعيمُ بني المعلّى لم نَبُت

لولا زعيمُ بني المعلّى لم نَبُت

حتى نُصبِّحكم بجيشٍ جحفل

حتى نُصبِّحكم بجيشٍ جحفل

But for the chief of the sons of al-Mu‘alla, we would not have let the night pass

Were it not for the chief of Banu al-Muʿallā, we would not rest

before assailing you at dawn with a vast army—

Until we attacked you at dawn with a vast army.

تمشي الضراءَ رجالهم وكأنهم

تمشي الضراءَ رجالهم وكأنهم

أسدُ العرين بكلّ عَضب مُنصَل

أسدُ العرين بكلّ عَضب مُنصَل

their men striding through the thickets as though they were

Their men walk through the thickets, as though they were

lions of the lair, each bearing a keen, unsheathed sword.

Lions of the lair, each bearing a sharp, unsheathed sword.

فأحذر زيادُ ولا تكُن ذا تُدراءٍ

فأحذر زيادُ ولا تكُن ذا تُدراءٍ

عند الرجالِ ونُهزةً للخُتَّل

عند الرجالِ ونُهزةً للخُتَّل

So beware, Ziyad; do not be rash and quarrelsome

So beware, Ziyad, and do not be contentious

among men, nor easy prey for the treacherous.

Among men, or prey for deceivers.