لَو خُلِقَ اللُؤمُ إِنساناً يُكَلِّمُهُم

لَو خُلِقَ اللُؤمُ إِنساناً يُكَلِّمُهُم

لَكانَ خَيرَ هُذَيلٍ حينَ ياتيها

لَكانَ خَيرَ هُذَيلٍ حينَ ياتيها

If baseness were created as a man who spoke to them,

If cowardice were a man who spoke to them,

He would be the best of Hudhayl when he came to them.

He would be better than Hudhayl when he visits them.

تَرى مِنَ اللُؤمِ رَقماً بَينَ أَعيُنِهِم

تَرى مِنَ اللُؤمِ رَقماً بَينَ أَعيُنِهِم

كَما كَوى أَذرُعِ العاناتِ كاويها

كَما كَوى أَذرُعِ العاناتِ كاويها

You see a mark of baseness between their eyes,

You see brands between the cowards' eyes -

As their brander branded the forelegs of wild-ass herds.

Like the marks of hot irons branding the slave girls.

تَبكي القُبورُ إِذا ما ماتَ مَيِّتُهُم

تَبكي القُبورُ إِذا ما ماتَ مَيِّتُهُم

حَتّى يَصيحَ بِمَن في الأَرضِ داعيها

حَتّى يَصيحَ بِمَن في الأَرضِ داعيها

The graves weep whenever one of theirs dies,

The graves weep when their coward dies -

Until their caller cries out to those within the earth.

Crying out to whoever is in the earth to mourn him.

مِثلُ القَنافِذِ تَخزى أَن تُفاجِئَها

مِثلُ القَنافِذِ تَخزى أَن تُفاجِئَها

شَدَّ النَهارِ وَيُلقى اللَيلَ ساريها

شَدَّ النَهارِ وَيُلقى اللَيلَ ساريها

Like hedgehogs, they are ashamed should you surprise them

Like hedgehogs, the cowards are too timid to face

At the height of day; at night, their night-roamer is met.

The harshness of daylight or the night spreading its veil.