قَنا آلِ فِهرٍ لا قَنا غَطَفانِ

قَنا آلِ فِهرٍ لا قَنا غَطَفانِ

حَمَت أَهلَها مِن طارِقِ الحَدَثانِ

حَمَت أَهلَها مِن طارِقِ الحَدَثانِ

The spears of Fihr's clan, not Ghatafan's spears,

The valley of Al Fihrs, not the valley of Ghutayfan,

shielded their people from calamity's night visitor.

Protected its people from the raiders of Hadithan.

بَني عامِرٍ ما لي وَلِلدَهرِ بَعدَما

بَني عامِرٍ ما لي وَلِلدَهرِ بَعدَما

يُشَتَّتُ بي عَن صَعدَتي وَحِصاني

يُشَتَّتُ بي عَن صَعدَتي وَحِصاني

Sons of Amir, what have I to do with fate, now that

O Bani Amir! What is left for me and time

I am driven far from my lance and my stallion?

After it has scattered me from my peaks and steed.

وَقَد كُنتُ لا أُصغي إِلى السِلمِ ساعَةً

وَقَد كُنتُ لا أُصغي إِلى السِلمِ ساعَةً

وَأَتبَعُ داعي الحَربِ أَينَ دَعاني

وَأَتبَعُ داعي الحَربِ أَينَ دَعاني

And I once would not heed peace for even an hour,

I did not listen to peace for a moment,

and followed the caller to war wherever he called me.

And pursued the caller of war wherever he called me.

دَعوا صَهَواتِ الخَيلِ تَدمى وَفَرِّقوا

دَعوا صَهَواتِ الخَيلِ تَدمى وَفَرِّقوا

رِجالاً عَنِ البَغضاءِ وَالشَنَآنِ

رِجالاً عَنِ البَغضاءِ وَالشَنَآنِ

Let the horses' backs bleed, and separate

They left the neighing of horses bloody and separated

men from hatred and rancor.

Men from hatred and enmity.

فَكَم صاحِبٍ تَدمى عَلَيَّ بَنانُهُ

فَكَم صاحِبٍ تَدمى عَلَيَّ بَنانُهُ

وَيُظهِرُ أَنَّ العِزِّ لَثمُ بَناني

وَيُظهِرُ أَنَّ العِزِّ لَثمُ بَناني

For many a companion's fingertips bleed in rage at me,

So many dear ones have bled over me,

yet he professes that honor lies in kissing my fingertips.

And pretend that honor is in bleeding over me.

يَضُمُّ حَشى البَغضاءِ عِندَ تَغَيُّبي

يَضُمُّ حَشى البَغضاءِ عِندَ تَغَيُّبي

وَيَجلو جَبينَ الوُدِّ حينَ يَراني

وَيَجلو جَبينَ الوُدِّ حينَ يَراني

He embraces hatred's heart when I am absent,

He hides the lining of hatred when I’m absent,

and polishes affection's brow when he sees me.

And reveals the forehead of affection when he sees me.

مَسَحتُ بِحِلمي ضِغنَهُ عَن جَنانِهِ

مَسَحتُ بِحِلمي ضِغنَهُ عَن جَنانِهِ

فَلَمّا أَبى مَسَّحتُهُ بِسِناني

فَلَمّا أَبى مَسَّحتُهُ بِسِناني

With my forbearance I wiped his rancor from his heart;

I wiped his rancor with my patience from his soul,

but when he refused, I wiped him with my spearpoint.

But when he refused, I wiped him with my sword.

سَبَقتُ بِرَميي قَلبَهُ فَأَصَبتُهُ

سَبَقتُ بِرَميي قَلبَهُ فَأَصَبتُهُ

وَلَو لَم أُصِبهُ عاجِلاً لَرَماني

وَلَو لَم أُصِبهُ عاجِلاً لَرَماني

I shot first at his heart and struck him;

My throw preceded his heart so I reached it,

and had I not struck him at once, he would have shot at me.

And had I not struck him soon, he would have thrown at me.