أُعادي صَرفَ دَهرٍ لا يُعادى

أُعادي صَرفَ دَهرٍ لا يُعادى

وَأَحتَمِلُ القَطيعَةَ وَالبِعادا

وَأَحتَمِلُ القَطيعَةَ وَالبِعادا

I defy the turns of time, which cannot be defied,

I oppose the vicissitudes of a time not to be opposed

And I endure estrangement and separation.

And I endure separation and distance

وَأُظهِرُ نُصحَ قَومٍ ضَيَّعوني

وَأُظهِرُ نُصحَ قَومٍ ضَيَّعوني

وَإِن خانَت قُلوبُهُمُ الوِدادا

وَإِن خانَت قُلوبُهُمُ الوِدادا

And I show goodwill to people who neglected me,

And I show loyalty to a people who have let me down

Even if their hearts betray affection.

Even if their hearts have betrayed affection

أُعَلِّلُ بِالمُنى قَلباً عَليلاً

أُعَلِّلُ بِالمُنى قَلباً عَليلاً

وَبِالصَبرِ الجَميلِ وَإِن تَمادى

وَبِالصَبرِ الجَميلِ وَإِن تَمادى

I soothe an ailing heart with hopes,

I justify a sick heart with wishes

And with gracious patience, even if it lingers on.

And with beautiful patience even if it persists

تُعَيِّرُني العِدا بِسَوادِ جِلدي

تُعَيِّرُني العِدا بِسَوادِ جِلدي

وَبيضُ خَصائِلي تَمحو السَوادا

وَبيضُ خَصائِلي تَمحو السَوادا

My foes taunt me for the blackness of my skin,

My enemies taunt me about the darkness of my skin

Yet the whiteness of my virtues wipes the blackness away.

But the whiteness of my traits erases the darkness

سَلي يا عَبلَ قَومَكِ عَن فَعالي

سَلي يا عَبلَ قَومَكِ عَن فَعالي

وَمَن حَضَرَ الوَقيعَةَ وَالطِرادا

وَمَن حَضَرَ الوَقيعَةَ وَالطِرادا

Ask your people, O Abla, about my deeds,

Ask, O Ablaq, your people about my actions

And those who witnessed the battle and mounted combat.

And who attended the battle and the pursuit

وَرَدتُ الحَربَ وَالأَبطالُ حَولي

وَرَدتُ الحَربَ وَالأَبطالُ حَولي

تَهُزُّ أَكُفُّها السُمرَ الصِعادا

تَهُزُّ أَكُفُّها السُمرَ الصِعادا

I entered battle with champions all around me,

I repelled war, and the heroes were around me

Their hands brandishing straight, brown spears.

Their palms shaking the well-planed arrows

وَخُضتُ بِمُهجَتي بَحرَ المَنايا

وَخُضتُ بِمُهجَتي بَحرَ المَنايا

وَنارُ الحَربِ تَتَّقِدُ اِتِّقادا

وَنارُ الحَربِ تَتَّقِدُ اِتِّقادا

And I plunged, risking my life, into the sea of death,

I plunged into the sea of death with my brain

While the fire of war blazed fiercely.

And the fire of war burning hotter and hotter

وَعُدتُ مُخَضَّباً بِدَمِ الأَعادي

وَعُدتُ مُخَضَّباً بِدَمِ الأَعادي

وَكَربُ الرَكضِ قَد خَضَبَ الجَوادا

وَكَربُ الرَكضِ قَد خَضَبَ الجَوادا

And I returned dyed with the blood of foes,

I returned drenched in the blood of enemies

And the strain of galloping had stained the steed.

And the fatigue of running dyed the steed

وَكَم خَلَّفتُ مِن بِكرٍ رَداحٍ

وَكَم خَلَّفتُ مِن بِكرٍ رَداحٍ

بِصَوتِ نُواحِها تُشجي الفُؤادا

بِصَوتِ نُواحِها تُشجي الفُؤادا

And how many a full-hipped maiden I have left behind,

How many young camels bellowing piteously

Saddening the heart with the sound of her wailing.

Did I leave behind, their voices rending hearts

وَسَيفي مُرهَفُ الحَدَّينِ ماضٍ

وَسَيفي مُرهَفُ الحَدَّينِ ماضٍ

تَقُدُّ شِفارُهُ الصَخرَ الجَمادا

تَقُدُّ شِفارُهُ الصَخرَ الجَمادا

And my sword is keen, honed on both edges;

My sword, both edges sharp, pressing on

Its cutting edges cleave solid rock.

Its blade splitting solid rock

وَرُمحي ما طَعَنتُ بِهِ طَعيناً

وَرُمحي ما طَعَنتُ بِهِ طَعيناً

فَعادَ بِعَينِهِ نَظَرَ الرَشادا

فَعادَ بِعَينِهِ نَظَرَ الرَشادا

And my spear—no man I pierced with it

When I stabbed anyone with my lance

Ever again saw aright with his own eyes.

He regained sight with his eye after loss

وَلَولا صارِمي وَسِنانُ رُمحي

وَلَولا صارِمي وَسِنانُ رُمحي

لَما رَفَعَت بَنو عَبسٍ عِمادا

لَما رَفَعَت بَنو عَبسٍ عِمادا

And were it not for my keen sword and my spear's point,

Had it not been for my sword and my lance’s blades

Banu Abs would never have raised a tent-pole.

The Bani Abs would not have raised high their banner