كانت قريشٌ تحملُ الخمرَ مرةً

كانت قريشٌ تحملُ الخمرَ مرةً

تِجاراً فَأَضحت تحملُ السُّمَّ مُنقَعَا

تِجاراً فَأَضحت تحملُ السُّمَّ مُنقَعَا

Quraysh once used to carry wine

Quraysh once carried wine

As merchants; now it carries steeped poison.

As merchants, but now carry poison steeped

أَيُوعِدُني سَعدٌ وفي الكفِّ صارمٌ

أَيُوعِدُني سَعدٌ وفي الكفِّ صارمٌ

سَيَمنَعُ منّي أَن أَذِلَّ وَأَخضَعَا

سَيَمنَعُ منّي أَن أَذِلَّ وَأَخضَعَا

Does Saʿd threaten me, while in my hand is a keen sword

Does Sa'd promise me while wielding a sword?

That will keep me from being humbled and submitting?

He will prevent me from being humiliated and subjugated

فواللَهِ لولا اللَهُ لا شيءَ غيرُهُ

فواللَهِ لولا اللَهُ لا شيءَ غيرُهُ

لجَلَّلتُهُ الصَمصامَ أَو يَتَقَطَّعا

لجَلَّلتُهُ الصَمصامَ أَو يَتَقَطَّعا

So, by God, were it not for God—and nothing besides Him—

By Allah, were it not for Allah, naught else

I would have struck him with al-Ṣamṣām until it broke apart.

I would have clad him in chainmail or he'd be severed