تَعَطَّفَ في ساقي تَعطُّفَ ارقَمِ

تَعَطَّفَ في ساقي تَعطُّفَ ارقَمِ

يُساوِرُها عَضّا بِأَنيابِ ضَيغَمِ

يُساوِرُها عَضّا بِأَنيابِ ضَيغَمِ

It coiled around my leg like a speckled serpent,

She wound around my leg, writhing,

Assailing it with bites from a lion’s fangs.

Her fangs gnawing my flesh greedily.

إِلَيكَ فَلَو كانَت قُيودُكَ أَسعَرت

إِلَيكَ فَلَو كانَت قُيودُكَ أَسعَرت

تَضَرّم مِنها كُلُّ كَفٍّ وَمِعصَمِ

تَضَرّم مِنها كُلُّ كَفٍّ وَمِعصَمِ

Away with you! For had your fetters kindled fire,

If only your chains were ablaze,

Every palm and wrist would have blazed from them.

Every palm and wrist would shriek.

وَإِنّيَ مَن كانَ الرِجالُ بِسَبيهِ

وَإِنّيَ مَن كانَ الرِجالُ بِسَبيهِ

وَمَن سَيفهِ في جَنَةٍ أَو جَهَنمِ

وَمَن سَيفهِ في جَنَةٍ أَو جَهَنمِ

And I am he by whose taking of captives men were—

For I am he whose men were taken captive,

And by whose sword—in Paradise or Hell.

Whose sword is destined for paradise or hell.