لَقَد وَجَدنا زَبيداً غَيرَ صابِرَةٍ

لَقَد وَجَدنا زَبيداً غَيرَ صابِرَةٍ

يَومَ اِلتَقَينا وَخَيلُ المَوتِ تَستَبِقُ

يَومَ اِلتَقَينا وَخَيلُ المَوتِ تَستَبِقُ

Indeed, we found Zubayd not standing firm

Zubayda we found was not forbearing

the day we met, while death's horses raced one another.

The day we met, and death's horses raced ahead

إِذ أَدبَروا فَعَمِلنا في ظُهورِهِمُ

إِذ أَدبَروا فَعَمِلنا في ظُهورِهِمُ

ما تَعمَلُ النارُ في الحَلفا فَتَحتَرِقُ

ما تَعمَلُ النارُ في الحَلفا فَتَحتَرِقُ

When they fled, we did to their backs

When they retreated, we wrought their backs

what fire does to halfa grass, setting it ablaze.

As fire does the dry timber till it cracks

وَخالِدٌ قَد تَرَكتُ الطَيرَ عاكِفَةً

وَخالِدٌ قَد تَرَكتُ الطَيرَ عاكِفَةً

عَلى دِماهُ وَما في جِسمِهِ رَمَقُ

عَلى دِماهُ وَما في جِسمِهِ رَمَقُ

And as for Khalid, I have left the birds lingering

And Khalid left the birds hovering

over his blood, with no trace of life in his body.

O'er his blood, though no life in him remained

خُلِقتُ لِلحَربِ أُحميها إِذا بَرَدَت

خُلِقتُ لِلحَربِ أُحميها إِذا بَرَدَت

وَأَصطَلي بِلَظاها حَيثُ أَحتَرِقُ

وَأَصطَلي بِلَظاها حَيثُ أَحتَرِقُ

I was made for war; I heat it when it grows cold,

I'm made for war, guard it when cold winds blow

and warm myself at its blaze, where I burn.

And warm myself in its blaze as I glow

وَأَلتَقي الطَعنَ تَحتَ النَقعِ مُبتَسِماً

وَأَلتَقي الطَعنَ تَحتَ النَقعِ مُبتَسِماً

وَالخَيلُ عابِسَةٌ قَد بَلَّها العَرَقُ

وَالخَيلُ عابِسَةٌ قَد بَلَّها العَرَقُ

And I meet spear-thrusts beneath the dust, smiling,

I meet the thrust under armor smiling

while the horses scowl, already drenched in sweat.

While the sweat-drenched horses frown beguiling

لَو سابَقَتني المَنايا وَهيَ طالِبَةٌ

لَو سابَقَتني المَنايا وَهيَ طالِبَةٌ

قَبضَ النُفوسِ أَتاني قَبلَها السَبَقُ

قَبضَ النُفوسِ أَتاني قَبلَها السَبَقُ

Were the fates of death to race me, seeking

If death had raced me while seeking men's souls

to seize souls, victory would reach me before them.

I'd have outsped it ere it reached its goals

وَلي جَوادٌ لَدى الهَيجاءِ ذو شَغَبٍ

وَلي جَوادٌ لَدى الهَيجاءِ ذو شَغَبٍ

يُسابِقُ الطَيرَ حَتّى لَيسَ يُلتَحَقُ

يُسابِقُ الطَيرَ حَتّى لَيسَ يُلتَحَقُ

And I have a steed, full of fight amid battle,

I've a steed by fraying tempers riled

that races the birds until it cannot be overtaken.

Outpacing birds, none can match his stride

وَلي حُسامٌ إِذا ما سُلَّ في رَهَجٍ

وَلي حُسامٌ إِذا ما سُلَّ في رَهَجٍ

يَشُقُّ هامَ الأَعادي حينَ يُمتَشَقُ

يَشُقُّ هامَ الأَعادي حينَ يُمتَشَقُ

And I have a keen sword; whenever it is drawn amid dust,

I wield a sword that once unsheathed in rage

it cleaves the enemies' heads when unsheathed.

Cleaves the enemy's skull, their bones disengaged

أَنا الهِزَبرُ إِذا خَيلُ العِدا طَلَعَت

أَنا الهِزَبرُ إِذا خَيلُ العِدا طَلَعَت

يَومَ الوَغى وَدِماءُ الشوسِ تَندَفِقُ

يَومَ الوَغى وَدِماءُ الشوسِ تَندَفِقُ

I am the lion when the enemy's horses appear

I'm the warrior, when hostile horses arise

on the day of battle, while the blood of fierce warriors pours forth.

On days of battle and blood freely flies

ما عَبَّسَت حَومَةُ الهَيجاءِ وَجهَ فَتىً

ما عَبَّسَت حَومَةُ الهَيجاءِ وَجهَ فَتىً

إِلّا وَوَجهي إِلَيها باسِمٌ طَلِقُ

إِلّا وَوَجهي إِلَيها باسِمٌ طَلِقُ

Never has the thick of battle made a young man frown

No champion's face scowled in the fray's heat

without my face smiling cheerfully toward it.

Whose face I did not greet with smile replete

ما سابَقَ الناسُ يَومَ الفَضلِ مَكرُمَةً

ما سابَقَ الناسُ يَومَ الفَضلِ مَكرُمَةً

إِلّا بَدَرتُ إِلَيها حَيثُ تُستَبِقُ

إِلّا بَدَرتُ إِلَيها حَيثُ تُستَبِقُ

Never have people raced for a noble deed on the day of excellence

None raced men for honors on days of repute

without my hastening toward it wherever it is contested.

Unless I sped to them before anyone could