أَبَى الضَّيْمَ فَاسْتَلَّ الْحُسَامَ وَأَصْحَرَا

أَبَى الضَّيْمَ فَاسْتَلَّ الْحُسَامَ وَأَصْحَرَا

وَذُو الْحِلْمِ إِنْ سِيمَ الْهَوَانَ تَنَمَّرَا

وَذُو الْحِلْمِ إِنْ سِيمَ الْهَوَانَ تَنَمَّرَا

He spurned oppression, so he unsheathed his keen sword and came out into the open.

He refused humiliation, so he unsheathed his sword,

And a forbearing man, if subjected to humiliation, grows fierce as a leopard.

And the forbearing man, if branded by disgrace, becomes enraged.

وَطَارَتْ بِهِ فِي مُلْتَقَى الْخَيْلِ عَزْمَةٌ

وَطَارَتْ بِهِ فِي مُلْتَقَى الْخَيْلِ عَزْمَةٌ

أَعَادَتْ جَبِينَ الصُّبْحِ بِالنَّقْعِ أَكْدَرَا

أَعَادَتْ جَبِينَ الصُّبْحِ بِالنَّقْعِ أَكْدَرَا

And resolve bore him aloft where the horses clashed,

In the battlefield, determination carried him,

Turning the brow of dawn murky with dust.

Restoring the radiant morning's face with blows of the spear.

فَرَدَّ ذُبَابَ الْمَشْرَفيِّ مُثَلَّماً

فَرَدَّ ذُبَابَ الْمَشْرَفيِّ مُثَلَّماً

وَغَادَرَ صَدْرَ السَّمْهَرِيِّ مُكَسَّرَا

وَغَادَرَ صَدْرَ السَّمْهَرِيِّ مُكَسَّرَا

So he brought back the Mashrafi sword's edge notched,

He repelled the flies of Mashrafiyy, all torn up,

And left the Samhari spear's forepart shattered.

And left the chest of Samhariyy shattered.

جِلادُ امْرِئٍ آلَى بِقَائِمِ سَيْفِهِ

جِلادُ امْرِئٍ آلَى بِقَائِمِ سَيْفِهِ

عَلَى الْمَجْدِ أَنْ يُولِيهِ نَصْرَاً مُؤَزَّرَا

عَلَى الْمَجْدِ أَنْ يُولِيهِ نَصْرَاً مُؤَزَّرَا

Such was the swordplay of a man who swore by his sword's hilt

The whip of a man who with his upright sword

That Glory must grant him a decisive victory.

Swore that glory would grant him a wrapped victory.

جَدِيرٌ إِذَا مَا هَمَّ أَنْ يَكْسُوَ الْقَنَا

جَدِيرٌ إِذَا مَا هَمَّ أَنْ يَكْسُوَ الْقَنَا

وَبِيضَ الظُّبَا ثَوْباً مِنَ الدَّمِ أَحْمَرَا

وَبِيضَ الظُّبَا ثَوْباً مِنَ الدَّمِ أَحْمَرَا

He is fit, whenever he resolves, to clothe the spears

Worthy, when he decided, to clothe the spears

And the white blades in a red robe of blood.

And the white horses with a garment of blood, red.

وَمَا كُلُّ مَنْ سَاسَ الأَعِنَّةَ فَارِسَاً

وَمَا كُلُّ مَنْ سَاسَ الأَعِنَّةَ فَارِسَاً

وَلا كُلُّ مَنْ نَاشَ الأَسِنَّةَ قَسْوَرَا

وَلا كُلُّ مَنْ نَاشَ الأَسِنَّةَ قَسْوَرَا

And not everyone who handles the reins is a horseman,

Not everyone who wields reins is a horseman,

Nor is everyone who wields spearheads a lion.

Nor everyone who brandishes tongues, a knight.