عجل فقد نوديت يا عجلان

لا عز منها تترك الأوطان

Hasten, for you have been summoned, O Ajlan.

No glory comes from it; you leave the homelands.

برزت مراسيم المليك بمخرج

تدعو له اخوانها الاخوان

The king's decrees have appeared, calling for departure.

The brethren summon its brethren to it.

ما أنتم يا آل أحور غيرنا

نحن الجميع لأحمد غلمان

You, O house of Ahwar, are no different from us.

We are all Ahmad's servants.

عزم المليك وكيف تقعد دونه

ورقابنا أطواقها الإِحسان

The king is resolved; how can you hold back from him,

While benevolence forms the collars around our necks?

فانفر بخيلك واعتضد برجالها

يوم النزال فقومك الفرسان

So march forth with your cavalry, and draw strength from its men

On the day of combat, for your people are horsemen.

صح آل يحى وادع في خلفائها

فهم إذا اشتجر القنا الشجعان

Cry out to the house of Yahya, and sound your summons among its successors.

For when the lances clash, they are the brave ones.

وأكثر جموعك واستجد فرسانها

فبقومه يتكثر الإِنسان

And swell your forces, and select their finest horsemen,

For through his people a man becomes a multitude.

حتى يراك وأنت بين جيوشه

تروي فيروي رمحك العطشان

Until he sees you among his armies,

Giving drink, so your thirsty spear drinks its fill.

إن أبن إسمعيل نقاد يرى

بالطعن إن ألحي إليه طعان

Indeed, the son of Isma'il shows himself a discerning judge

Through spear-thrusts, if spear-combat is urged upon him.

فلذاك يغمد في المعارك سيفه

إن أدبرت بظهورها الأقران

For that reason he sheathes his sword in battle

If his opponents turn their backs.

يأبى ويأنف أن ينال بسيفه

في الحرب نكس أو ينال جبان

He refuses and disdains that his sword should strike

A weakling in war, or that a coward should be struck.

ملك إذا نزل الوفود بسوحه

رحلوا وكل مفرغ ملان

A king: when delegations alight in his courtyards,

They leave, and each who came empty is filled.

فإنزل بساحته ونل من فضله

ما لا ينال القاعد الكسلان

So alight in his courtyard, and obtain from his bounty

What the lazy man who stays behind cannot obtain.

وافخر بقربك منه واشكر أنعماً

أسدى إليك صنيعها السلطان

And take pride in your nearness to him, and give thanks for blessings

Whose favors the sultan has bestowed upon you.

وإذا ركبت السيف في مرضاته

فاعلم بأنك ذلك الإنسان

And when you ride the sword to win his pleasure,

Then know that you are that man.