إِنّي وَإِن كُنتُ اِبنَ سَيِّدِ عامِرٍ

إِنّي وَإِن كُنتُ اِبنَ سَيِّدِ عامِرٍ

وَفارِسَها المَندوبَ في كُلِّ مَوكِبِ

وَفارِسَها المَندوبَ في كُلِّ مَوكِبِ

Indeed, though I am the son of ʿĀmir’s chief,

Though I am the son of Aamir's chieftain

and her horseman, called upon in every cavalcade,

And his knight in every caravan

فَما سَوَّدَتني عامِرٌ عَن قَرابَةٍ

فَما سَوَّدَتني عامِرٌ عَن قَرابَةٍ

أَبى اللَهُ أَن أَسمو بِأُمٍّ وَلا أَبِ

أَبى اللَهُ أَن أَسمو بِأُمٍّ وَلا أَبِ

yet ʿĀmir did not make me chief on account of kinship.

Aamir has not darkened me from kinship

God would not have me rise through mother or father.

Allah refused that I be named for a mother or father

وَلَكِنَّني أَحمي حِماها وَأَتَّقي

وَلَكِنَّني أَحمي حِماها وَأَتَّقي

أَذاها وَأَرمي مَن رَماها بِمَنكِبِ

أَذاها وَأَرمي مَن رَماها بِمَنكِبِ

But I protect her domain and ward off

But I protect her sanctuary and beware

harm to her, and strike with my shoulder whoever assails her.

Her harm and I strike with a shoulder whoever casts at her