فَإِن يَقدِر عَلَيَّ أَبو قُبَيسٍ

فَإِن يَقدِر عَلَيَّ أَبو قُبَيسٍ

تَجِدني عِندَهُ حَسَنَ المَكانِ

تَجِدني عِندَهُ حَسَنَ المَكانِ

So if Abu Qubays gains power over me,

If Abu Qubays can overcome me,

you will find me in good standing with him.

You will find me with him, in good standing,

تَجِدني كُنتُ خَيراً مِنكَ غَيباً

تَجِدني كُنتُ خَيراً مِنكَ غَيباً

وَأَمضى بِاللِسانِ وَبِالسِنانِ

وَأَمضى بِاللِسانِ وَبِالسِنانِ

You will find I was better than you when absent,

You will find me; absent I was better than you,

and sharper with tongue and spearpoint.

More eloquent in speech and sharp of tooth.

وَأَيُّ الناسِ أَغدَرُ مِن شَآمٍ

وَأَيُّ الناسِ أَغدَرُ مِن شَآمٍ

لَهُ صُرَدانِ مُنطَلِقِ اللِسانِ

لَهُ صُرَدانِ مُنطَلِقِ اللِسانِ

And who among men is more treacherous than a Syrian

And what people are more treacherous than Sham,

who has two veins beneath his tongue, his tongue unrestrained?

With his unsheathed tongue ever ready.

فَإِنَّ الغَدرَ قَد عَلِمَت مَعَدٌّ

فَإِنَّ الغَدرَ قَد عَلِمَت مَعَدٌّ

بَناهُ في بَني ذُبيانَ باني

بَناهُ في بَني ذُبيانَ باني

For Maʿadd knows full well that treachery

For the treachery of Ma‘add is well-known,

was built among the sons of Dhubyan by a builder.

He built it among the tribes of Dhubyan.

وَإِنَّ الفَحلَ تُنزَعُ خُصيَتاهُ

وَإِنَّ الفَحلَ تُنزَعُ خُصيَتاهُ

فَيُصبِحُ جافِراً قَرِحَ العِجانِ

فَيُصبِحُ جافِراً قَرِحَ العِجانِ

And indeed, when a stallion's two testicles are torn out,

And indeed the stallion is gelded,

he then becomes impotent, his perineum sore.

And becomes lackluster, scraped of virility.