عَلَيَّ للهِ عَهْدٌ لا يُكَدِّرُهُ

عَلَيَّ للهِ عَهْدٌ لا يُكَدِّرُهُ

صَقْرٌ وَلاَ عَاشَ مَنْ لَمْ يُوفِ بالذِّمَمِ

صَقْرٌ وَلاَ عَاشَ مَنْ لَمْ يُوفِ بالذِّمَمِ

I owe God a pledge that will not be sullied

I have a covenant with God that no falcon disturbs,

by Saqr; may whoever fails to honor his covenants never live.

Nor has anyone lived who did not fulfill their oaths.

لاَ أَضْرَعُ الدَّهْرَ لِلأَطْماعِ ما بَلَّلَتْ

لاَ أَضْرَعُ الدَّهْرَ لِلأَطْماعِ ما بَلَّلَتْ

جَدَاوِلُ الرِّزْقِ ما يَقْحَلُ مِنْ رَحِمي

جَدَاوِلُ الرِّزْقِ ما يَقْحَلُ مِنْ رَحِمي

I shall never bow to greed, so long as

I do not beg this life for greedy hopes, however much

the streams of sustenance moisten what grows parched among my kin.

The streams of sustenance trickle from my womb.

وَلاَ رَضِيتُ بِخَسْفِ الضَّيْمِ ما حَمَلَتْ

وَلاَ رَضِيتُ بِخَسْفِ الضَّيْمِ ما حَمَلَتْ

كَفِّي اليَراعَ الذِي يَخْتالُ مِنْ كَلِمي

كَفِّي اليَراعَ الذِي يَخْتالُ مِنْ كَلِمي

Nor have I accepted the abasement of oppression, so long as

Nor have I accepted the shame of oppression, however much

my hand holds the reed pen that struts proudly because of my words.

My palm carried that which my words could not conceal.

وَلاَ أَجَبْتُ إلَى إعْطَا الدَّنِيَّةِ مَا

وَلاَ أَجَبْتُ إلَى إعْطَا الدَّنِيَّةِ مَا

جَلَّتْ بأعْيانِ قَوْمِي في الوَرَى شِيَمي

جَلَّتْ بأعْيانِ قَوْمِي في الوَرَى شِيَمي

Nor have I agreed to grant a degrading concession, so long as

Nor have I responded to the call of baseness, however much

my virtues stand exalted among my people's notables in the world.

My manners distinguished my people among mankind.

وَلاَ أَقَمْتُ بِأَرْضٍ لاَ أُصَانُ بِها

وَلاَ أَقَمْتُ بِأَرْضٍ لاَ أُصَانُ بِها

مَا ساعَدَتْنِي عَلَى تَرْحالِها قَدَمِي

مَا ساعَدَتْنِي عَلَى تَرْحالِها قَدَمِي

Nor have I stayed in a land where I am not safeguarded,

Nor have I stayed in a land where I had no allies,

so long as my foot enables me to depart from it.

As soon as my feet aided me in leaving it behind.

وإنّني ذُو رَجاءٍ لا نَجَاحَ لَهُ

وإنّني ذُو رَجاءٍ لا نَجَاحَ لَهُ

بِأَنْ يَبرِّ عَلَى رَغْم العِدا قَسَمي

بِأَنْ يَبرِّ عَلَى رَغْم العِدا قَسَمي

And indeed I have a hope that finds no fulfillment:

And yet I have a hope in which there is no success,

that my oath be fulfilled despite my foes.

That despite the hostility of enemies, my oath may prevail.

فَطَالَ ما صُنْتُ عِرْضَ العِلْمِ عَنْ دَنَسٍ

فَطَالَ ما صُنْتُ عِرْضَ العِلْمِ عَنْ دَنَسٍ

إنْ شَابَهُ مَعْشَرٌ بالحِرْصِ والنَّهَمِ

إنْ شَابَهُ مَعْشَرٌ بالحِرْصِ والنَّهَمِ

For long have I guarded the honor of learning from defilement,

So long have I guarded the honor of knowledge from disgrace,

even if a band has tainted it with greed and voracity.

Even though a group surrounded it with greed and voracity.