أَعَدَدتُ لِلحَدَثانِ مُطَّرِداً

أَعَدَدتُ لِلحَدَثانِ مُطَّرِداً

لَدنَ المَهَزَّةِ غيرَ ذي وَصمِ

لَدنَ المَهَزَّةِ غيرَ ذي وَصمِ

I have readied a straight spear for time's misfortunes,

I have prepared for the events a steady flow,

Supple at the grip, free of any flaw,

gentle, free from blemish,

وُمُفاضَةً كالنَّهيِ مُحكَمَةً

وُمُفاضَةً كالنَّهيِ مُحكَمَةً

مِن صُنعِ داوُدِ أَبي سَلمِ

مِن صُنعِ داوُدِ أَبي سَلمِ

And an ample, well-wrought coat of mail, like a pool,

and an outpouring as decisive as prohibition,

From the handiwork of Dawud, father of Salm.

the workmanship of David, father of Solomon.

قُل للحُصَينِ إِذا مررتَ به

قُل للحُصَينِ إِذا مررتَ به

أَبصِر إِذا رامَيتَ مَن ترمي

أَبصِر إِذا رامَيتَ مَن ترمي

Tell al-Huṣayn, when you pass by him:

Say to Al-Husayn, if you pass by him,

Look whom you aim at when you exchange shots.

“See whom you are shooting at when you take aim.”

تُهدي الوعيدَ لنا وَتَشتُمُنا

تُهدي الوعيدَ لنا وَتَشتُمُنا

كمُعَرِّضٍ بِيديهِ للدُّهمِ

كمُعَرِّضٍ بِيديهِ للدُّهمِ

You offer us threats and insult us,

You threaten us and insult us

Like one exposing his two hands to black serpents.

like one exposing his hands to blows.

أَرأيتَ إِن سَبَقَت إِليك يدي

أَرأيتَ إِن سَبَقَت إِليك يدي

بِمُهنَّدٍ يَهتزُّ في العَظمِ

بِمُهنَّدٍ يَهتزُّ في العَظمِ

Tell me: if my hand reaches you first,

Tell me, if my hands should reach you

With an Indian-steel sword quivering in the bone,

with a polished blade trembling in the bone,

هل يَمنعنَّكَ إِن هَمَمتُ به

هل يَمنعنَّكَ إِن هَمَمتُ به

عبداكَ من نَهدٍ ومِن جَرمِ

عبداكَ من نَهدٍ ومِن جَرمِ

Will they truly protect you, if I resolve upon it—

would your slave be able to stop me,

Your two slaves from Nahd and from Jarm?

if I am intent upon it, from a breast and a body?