لَيتَ مُبَلِّغاً يأتي بِقولٍ

لَيتَ مُبَلِّغاً يأتي بِقولٍ

لِقاءَ أَبي المُثَلَّمُ لا يَريثُ

لِقاءَ أَبي المُثَلَّمُ لا يَريثُ

If only a messenger would come with a message,

Would that a messenger came with tidings

to meet Abu al-Muthallam without delay,

To meet my father, the blemished, he does not delay

فَيُخبِرَهُ بِأَنَّ العَقلَ عِندي

فَيُخبِرَهُ بِأَنَّ العَقلَ عِندي

جُرازٌ لا أَفَلُّ لا أَفَلُّ وَلا أَنيثُ

جُرازٌ لا أَفَلُّ لا أَفَلُّ وَلا أَنيثُ

and tell him that, for me, blood money

To tell him that my mind is with me

is a keen sword—not blunted, not blunted, nor soft.

A sturdy fortress, it does not weaken or bend, neither female nor male

بِهِ أَقِمُ الشُجاعَ لَهُ خُصاصٌ

بِهِ أَقِمُ الشُجاعَ لَهُ خُصاصٌ

مِنَ القَطِمين إِذ فَرَّ اللُيوثُ

مِنَ القَطِمين إِذ فَرَّ اللُيوثُ

With it I subdue the brave one, his mouth agape

With it I stand firm and courageous, it has traits

between his two jaws, when the lions flee.

Of the two swords when the lions fled

سَمِتعُ وَقَد هَبَطنا مِن نُمارٍ

سَمِتعُ وَقَد هَبَطنا مِن نُمارٍ

دَعاءَ أَبي المُثَلَّمِ يَستَغيثُ

دَعاءَ أَبي المُثَلَّمِ يَستَغيثُ

I heard, when we had descended from Numar,

I remain steadfast though we descended from Numar

Abu al-Muthallam’s cry as he called for help,

At the plea of my blemished father crying for help

يُحَرِّضُ قَومَهُ كَي يَقتُلوني

يُحَرِّضُ قَومَهُ كَي يَقتُلوني

عَلى المُزَنّي إِذ كَثُرَ الوُعوثُ

عَلى المُزَنّي إِذ كَثُرَ الوُعوثُ

urging his people to kill me

He provokes his people to kill me

in vengeance for al-Muzanni, when weaklings grew numerous.

For Al-Muzani when the insects became many

وَكُنتُ إِذا سَمِعتُ دُعاءَ داعٍ

وَكُنتُ إِذا سَمِعتُ دُعاءَ داعٍ

أُجيبَ فَلا أَلَفُّ وَلا مَكيثُ

أُجيبَ فَلا أَلَفُّ وَلا مَكيثُ

And whenever I heard a caller’s cry,

And whenever I heard a caller's plea

I would answer, neither faltering nor slow.

I respond, I neither refuse nor hesitate