مَنا اللَهُ أَن أَلقى حُمَيدَ بنَ بَحدَلٍ

مَنا اللَهُ أَن أَلقى حُمَيدَ بنَ بَحدَلٍ

بِمَنزِلَةٍ فيها إِلى النِصفِ مُعلَما

بِمَنزِلَةٍ فيها إِلى النِصفِ مُعلَما

May God ordain that I meet Humayd ibn Bahdal

God granted that I would meet Humaid bin Bahdal

at a place for a fair encounter, bearing battle insignia,

In a position wherein halfway I found guidance

لَكيما نُعاطيهِ وَنَبلُوَ بَينَنا

لَكيما نُعاطيهِ وَنَبلُوَ بَينَنا

سُريجِيَّةً يُعجِمنَ في الهامِ مُعجَما

سُريجِيَّةً يُعجِمنَ في الهامِ مُعجَما

so that we may exchange blows with him and test between us

So we may give him and test between us

Surayji blades that put skulls to a biting test.

A lantern that lights up confused understandings

أَلا لَيتَ أَنّي صادَفَتني مَنِيَّتي

أَلا لَيتَ أَنّي صادَفَتني مَنِيَّتي

وَلَم أَرَ قَتلى العامِ يا أُمَّ أَسلَما

وَلَم أَرَ قَتلى العامِ يا أُمَّ أَسلَما

Ah, would that my death had overtaken me,

Oh, would that my wish had met me

and I had not seen this year's slain, O Umm Aslam,

And I did not see the dead of the year, O mother of Islam

وَلَم أَرَ قَتلى لَم تَدَع لي بَعدَها

وَلَم أَرَ قَتلى لَم تَدَع لي بَعدَها

يَدَينِ فَما أَرجو مِنَ العَيشِ أَجذَما

يَدَينِ فَما أَرجو مِنَ العَيشِ أَجذَما

nor seen slain men who left me, after their passing, without

And I did not see the dead that left me after them

my two hands—what can I hope for from life, maimed?

Two hands, so I do not hope for a maimed life

وَأُقسِمُ ما لَيثٌ بِخُفّانَ خادِرٌ

وَأُقسِمُ ما لَيثٌ بِخُفّانَ خادِرٌ

بِاِشجَعَ مِن جَعدٍ جَناناً وَمُقدَما

بِاِشجَعَ مِن جَعدٍ جَناناً وَمُقدَما

And I swear: no lion in Khuffan, lurking in its lair,

And I swear, no coward with ankle chains

is braver than Jaʿd in heart and in attack.

Is braver than Ja’ad, liberal and valiant