أسيرُ وقلبي في ذُراك أسيرُ

أسيرُ وقلبي في ذُراك أسيرُ

وحادي ركابي لوعةٌ وزفيرُ

وحادي ركابي لوعةٌ وزفيرُ

I travel, while my heart is captive in your shelter.

I wander, while my heart wanders in your valleys

And the driver of my camels is anguish and sighing.

My mount's guide is agony and sighs

ولي أدمُعٌ غُزرٌ تفيضُ كأنَّها

ولي أدمُعٌ غُزرٌ تفيضُ كأنَّها

جدىً فاض في العافين منك غزير

جدىً فاض في العافين منك غزير

And I have copious tears that overflow, as though they were

And I have plenty of tears that pour as if

abundant bounty from you, poured out among petitioners.

A torrent flooding the faithful from you

وطَرفٌ طريفٌ بالسهاد كأنّه

وطَرفٌ طريفٌ بالسهاد كأنّه

نداكَ وجيشُ الجودِ فيه يُغيرُ

نداكَ وجيشُ الجودِ فيه يُغيرُ

And an eye wounded by sleeplessness, as though it were

And an elegant eyelid with wakefulness as if

your bounty, with generosity’s army raiding within it.

It's your voice and the army of generosity in it revolts

أبا احمدٍ إنّ المكارمَ منهَلٌ

أبا احمدٍ إنّ المكارمَ منهَلٌ

لكم أوّلٌ من وِردِهِ وأخيرُ

لكم أوّلٌ من وِردِهِ وأخيرُ

Abu Ahmad, noble deeds are indeed a watering place;

Father of Ahmed, feats are a fountain

yours are the first and last draughts from it.

For you all, first of its roses and last

سَماحٌ كمُزن الجودِ في تَسَجُّمٌ

سَماحٌ كمُزن الجودِ في تَسَجُّمٌ

وغابٌ لأسدِ الموتِ فيه زئيرُ

وغابٌ لأسدِ الموتِ فيه زئيرُ

Generous men, like rainclouds of bounty in a downpour,

Generosity like the brilliance of generosity in harmony

and a forest where the lions of death roar.

And a forest for the lion of death in it with a roar

شَبابُ بني شيبان شِيبٌ اذا انتَدَوا

شَبابُ بني شيبان شِيبٌ اذا انتَدَوا

وَقُلُّهُمُ يومَ اللقاءِ كثيرُ

وَقُلُّهُمُ يومَ اللقاءِ كثيرُ

The young men of Banu Shayban are gray-haired elders when they gather in council;

The youth of the Bani Shayban are gray-haired when they scent

and their few are many on the day of battle.

And their few on the day of meeting are many

وجوهٌ كأكبادِ المُحِبِّينَ رقّةً

وجوهٌ كأكبادِ المُحِبِّينَ رقّةً

على انّها يومَ اللقاءِ صخورُ

على انّها يومَ اللقاءِ صخورُ

Faces as tender as lovers’ livers,

Faces like the livers of lovers in gentleness

though on the day of battle they are rocks.

Though on the day of meeting they are rocks