يا أخي غابت المروءةُ عنَّا

يا أخي غابت المروءةُ عنَّا

هَدَّ بنيانها رحيلُ الكِرامِ

هَدَّ بنيانها رحيلُ الكِرامِ

O my brother, nobility of character has vanished from among us;

O my brother, chivalry has gone from us

the departure of the noble has demolished its edifice.

Its edifice destroyed by the departure of the noble ones

قُلْ لمَنْ يشتري المَهانةَ دِرْعاً

قُلْ لمَنْ يشتري المَهانةَ دِرْعاً

كي تقي جِسْمَهُ سيوفَ اللِّئامِ

كي تقي جِسْمَهُ سيوفَ اللِّئامِ

Tell whoever buys humiliation as a shield

Say to whoever would buy dishonor as a shield

to protect his body from the swords of the ignoble:

To protect his body from the swords of villains

ليْسَ في الخوفِ للذَّليلِ حياةٌ

ليْسَ في الخوفِ للذَّليلِ حياةٌ

أنتَ ميْتٌ وإنْ تَعِشْ ألفَ عامِ

أنتَ ميْتٌ وإنْ تَعِشْ ألفَ عامِ

There is no life in fear for the abject;

For the craven there is no life in fear

you are dead, even if you live a thousand years.

You are dead even if you live a thousand years

خَدَعَتْنا زخارفُ القَوْلِ حتَّى

خَدَعَتْنا زخارفُ القَوْلِ حتَّى

لَمْ تَفُزْ مُقْلَةٌ بِطيبِ المَنامِ

لَمْ تَفُزْ مُقْلَةٌ بِطيبِ المَنامِ

The embellishments of speech have deceived us to the point

Sweet words have deceived us until

that not an eye has enjoyed the sweetness of sleep.

No eyelid is moistened with the balm of dreams