ما إِن رَأَيتُ وَلا سَمِعتُ بِمِثلِهِ

ما إِن رَأَيتُ وَلا سَمِعتُ بِمِثلِهِ

حامي الظَعينَةِ فارِساً لَم يُقتَلِ

حامي الظَعينَةِ فارِساً لَم يُقتَلِ

Never have I seen or heard of his like:

The likes of him I've never seen or heard,

a protector of the woman in her litter, a horseman who was not slain.

A horseman guarding the helpless one unhurt.

أَردى فَوارِسَ لَم يَكونوا نُهزَةً

أَردى فَوارِسَ لَم يَكونوا نُهزَةً

ثُمَّ اِستَمَرَّ كَأَنَّهُ لَم يَفعَلِ

ثُمَّ اِستَمَرَّ كَأَنَّهُ لَم يَفعَلِ

He slew horsemen who were no easy prey,

He felled the knights, no trivial task achieved,

then went on as though he had done nothing.

Then nonchalant, as if he'd done no feat.

مُتَهَلِّلاً تَبدوا أَسِرَّةُ وَجهِهِ

مُتَهَلِّلاً تَبدوا أَسِرَّةُ وَجهِهِ

مِثلَ الحُسامِ جَلَتهُ كَفُّ الصَيقَلِ

مِثلَ الحُسامِ جَلَتهُ كَفُّ الصَيقَلِ

Beaming, with the lines of his face shining,

His smiling face gleamed like a sword kept bright,

like a keen sword polished by the burnisher's hand.

Polished to shine, made smooth by hand and sleight.

يُزجي ظَعينَتَهُ وَيَسحَب ذَيلَهُ

يُزجي ظَعينَتَهُ وَيَسحَب ذَيلَهُ

مُتَوَجِّهاً يُمناهُ نَحوَ المَنزِلِ

مُتَوَجِّهاً يُمناهُ نَحوَ المَنزِلِ

He urges his lady in her litter onward and trails his robe's hem,

He drove his steed and pulled the reins aside,

turning to his right toward the dwelling.

Toward his house his right hand let them glide.

وَتَرى الفَوارِسَ مِن مَخافَةِ رُمحِهِ

وَتَرى الفَوارِسَ مِن مَخافَةِ رُمحِهِ

مِثلَ البُغاثِ خَشَينَ وَقعَ الأَجدَلِ

مِثلَ البُغاثِ خَشَينَ وَقعَ الأَجدَلِ

And you see the horsemen, in fear of his spear,

Seeing his spear the horsemen shrank with fright,

like small, weak birds fearing the falcon's strike.

Like insects when the staff falls in their sight.

يا لَيتَ شِعري مَن أَبوهُ وَأُمُّهُ

يا لَيتَ شِعري مَن أَبوهُ وَأُمُّهُ

يا صاحِ مَن يَكُ مِثلَهُ لا يُجهَلِ

يا صاحِ مَن يَكُ مِثلَهُ لا يُجهَلِ

Oh, would that I knew who his father and mother are!

Oh, if I knew his sire and dam declared,

O friend, one like him does not go unrecognized.

None else could be his equal, of renown rare!