رَحَلتُ لِأَلقى مَن يَقومُ بِحاجَتي

رَحَلتُ لِأَلقى مَن يَقومُ بِحاجَتي

فَلَم أَلقَهُ إِلّا يَزيدَ بنَ مَزيدَ

فَلَم أَلقَهُ إِلّا يَزيدَ بنَ مَزيدَ

I journeyed to meet someone who would attend to my need,

I set out to find one who could fulfill my need,

But I found no one except Yazid ibn Mazyad.

But found only Yazid son of Mazid.

فَقُل لِلَّذي يَرجو لَحاقَ اِبنِ مَزيَدٍ

فَقُل لِلَّذي يَرجو لَحاقَ اِبنِ مَزيَدٍ

وَأَيّامِهِ عَنَّيتَ نَفسَكَ فَاِقعُدِ

وَأَيّامِهِ عَنَّيتَ نَفسَكَ فَاِقعُدِ

So tell whoever hopes to catch up with Ibn Mazyad

Say to him who hopes to catch up with Ibn Mazid

And his battle-days: “You have wearied yourself—sit down.”

In his days you distracted yourself, so sit still.

مَضى شَأوُهُ قَبلَ الجِيادِ وَقُرؤُهُ

مَضى شَأوُهُ قَبلَ الجِيادِ وَقُرؤُهُ

طِرادُ الأَعادي مَشهَداً بَعدَ مَشهَدِ

طِرادُ الأَعادي مَشهَداً بَعدَ مَشهَدِ

He has raced ahead of the thoroughbreds, and his time is spent

His glory surpassed the excellent horses and his shooting

Pursuing enemies, battlefield after battlefield.

Was the persecutor of enemies from scene to scene.

يُغادي الوَغى كَاللَيثِ في حَومَةِ الوَغى

يُغادي الوَغى كَاللَيثِ في حَومَةِ الوَغى

وَفي الخَفضِ كَالبازِيِّ راحَ عَلى اليَدِ

وَفي الخَفضِ كَالبازِيِّ راحَ عَلى اليَدِ

He goes to battle at dawn like a lion in the thick of battle,

He rushes into the fray like a lion in the jungle of the fray

And in repose, like a hawk settled at evening upon the hand.

And in the lowlands like a falcon freed from the wrist.

وَلَو نازَعَتهُ الريحُ يَوماً إِزارَهُ

وَلَو نازَعَتهُ الريحُ يَوماً إِزارَهُ

لَأَرسَلَهُ جوداً وَلَم يَتَجَرَّدِ

لَأَرسَلَهُ جوداً وَلَم يَتَجَرَّدِ

And even if the wind one day wrestled him for his waist-wrap,

And if the wind were to tug his loincloth one day,

He would yield it generously, yet would not strip himself bare.

He would let it go in generosity and not strip himself bare.