بِحُبwith love for بَنيthe sons of لَيلىLayla فُؤاديَmy heart عامرُfilled
بِحُب بَني لَيلى فُؤاديَ عامرُ
كَأَنيas though I فيin عَصريmy age أَبوfather of العشقpassionate love عامرُʿAmir
كَأَني في عَصري أَبو العشق عامرُ
My heart is filled with love for Layla's sons,
As though in my age I were ʿAmir, the father of love.
وَكُلand every فَتىyoung man لِلغيدfor graceful maidens يَصبوyearns فَإِنَّنيthen indeed I
وَكُل فَتى لِلغيد يَصبو فَإِنَّني
ظَهيرan ally لَهُto him فيin الحالتينboth states وَناصرand a supporter
ظَهير لَهُ في الحالتين وَناصر
And every youth who yearns for graceful maidens—indeed, I
Am his ally in both states, and his supporter.
أَكرّI charge عَلىagainst خَيلthe steeds of اللَواحيthe reproachers فَلمso did not يَعدreturn
أَكرّ عَلى خَيل اللَواحي فَلم يَعد
بفارسهwith its rider منهاfrom among them إلىto الحيthe encampment ضامرa lean steed
بفارسه منها إلى الحي ضامر
I charge against the reproachers' steeds, and no
Lean steed among them has returned with its rider to the encampment.
وليand I have نفسthe soul of حرٍّa free man لمdid not تملincline لهزيمةtoward defeat
ولي نفس حرٍّ لم تمل لهزيمة
وَلَوand even if أَنَّهاthat it دارَتturned عَلَيهاagainst it الدَوائرturns of misfortune
وَلَو أَنَّها دارَت عَلَيها الدَوائر
And mine is a free man's soul, never inclined to defeat,
Even should the turns of fortune go against it.
وَلَمand did not تستعنseek help فيin الخَطبadversity إِلّاexcept بسيدfrom a lord
وَلَم تستعن في الخَطب إِلّا بسيد
شَريفnoble أَثيلdeep-rooted in المَجدglory يَخشاهfears him هاصرa lion
شَريف أَثيل المَجد يَخشاه هاصر
And in adversity it has sought help from none but a lord,
Noble, of deep-rooted glory, whom a lion fears.
كَميّa mailed warrior إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle شاءhe desires أَبيضa gleaming sword ماضياًkeen-edged
كَميّ إِذا ما شاء أَبيض ماضياً
بِهِby it فيin سَوادthe blackness of النَقعbattle-dust تُهدىare guided عَساكرarmies
بِهِ في سَواد النَقع تُهدى عَساكر
A mailed warrior: when he desires a gleaming, keen-edged sword,
Armies are guided by it through the blackness of battle-dust.
لَهُfor him اللَهGod فيin الهَيجاءbattle مِنwhat a ذيpossessor of عَزيمةresolve
لَهُ اللَه في الهَيجاء مِن ذي عَزيمة
لَهاto it النَصرvictory بِالفَتحwith triumph المُبينmanifest مُبادرhastening
لَها النَصر بِالفَتح المُبين مُبادر
God be with him in battle—a man of such resolve
That victory hastens to it with manifest triumph.
أَماindeed هُوَhe قَدhas أَبدىdisplayed مِنof الرَأيjudgment ماthat which سَماrose high
أَما هُوَ قَد أَبدى مِن الرَأي ما سَما
بِهِthrough it مِنamong بَنيthe sons of الأَوطانthe homelands ناهٍone who forbids وَآمرand one who commands
بِهِ مِن بَني الأَوطان ناهٍ وَآمر
Indeed, he has displayed such judgment as has exalted
Those who forbid and command among the sons of the homelands.