ليَطلُبَ الثَأرَ أَمثالُ اِبنِ ذي يَزَنٍ

ليَطلُبَ الثَأرَ أَمثالُ اِبنِ ذي يَزَنٍ

في البَحرِ خَيَّمَ لِلأَعداءِ أَحوالا

في البَحرِ خَيَّمَ لِلأَعداءِ أَحوالا

Let men like Ibn Dhi Yazan seek vengeance;

To take revenge are the likes of the son of Dhi Yazan

At sea he camped against the enemies for years.

He made the sea a dwelling for the enemies in diverse situations

أَتى هِرَقلَ وَقَد شالَت نَعامَتُهُ

أَتى هِرَقلَ وَقَد شالَت نَعامَتُهُ

فَلَم يَجِد عِندَهُ بَعضَ الَذي سالا

فَلَم يَجِد عِندَهُ بَعضَ الَذي سالا

He came to Heraclius, his ostrich fled—his power gone;

He came to Heraclius though his ostrich had lifted him high

But found with him not even part of what he sought.

But did not find with him some of what he had asked

ثُمَّ اِنتَحى نَحوَ كِسرى بَعدَ عاشِرَةَ

ثُمَّ اِنتَحى نَحوَ كِسرى بَعدَ عاشِرَةَ

مِنَ السِنينِ لَقَد أَبعَدَت إيغالا

مِنَ السِنينِ لَقَد أَبعَدَت إيغالا

Then he turned toward Kisra after ten

Then he headed toward Kisra after the tenth

Years—far indeed was the distance traveled.

Of years, distance had prolonged his return

حَتى أَتَى بِبَني الأَحرارَ يَقدُمُهُم

حَتى أَتَى بِبَني الأَحرارَ يَقدُمُهُم

تَخالُهُم فَوقَ مَتنِ الأَرضِ أَجيالا

تَخالُهُم فَوقَ مَتنِ الأَرضِ أَجيالا

Until he came with the sons of freemen, leading them;

Until he came with the free men leading them

You would think them whole nations upon the earth's back.

Their persons above the horizons generations

مَن مِثلَ كِسرى شَهنشاهِ المُلوكِ لَهُ

مَن مِثلَ كِسرى شَهنشاهِ المُلوكِ لَهُ

أَو مِثلَ وَهرَزَ يومَ الجَيشِ إِذ صالا

أَو مِثلَ وَهرَزَ يومَ الجَيشِ إِذ صالا

Who has the like of Kisra, the kings' Shahanshah,

Who is like Kisra the king of kings for him

Or of Wahraz on the day of battle, when he charged?

Or like Wahraz on the day of the army when they were rallied

لِلَّهِ دَرُّهُمُ مِن عُصبَةٍ خَرَجوا

لِلَّهِ دَرُّهُمُ مِن عُصبَةٍ خَرَجوا

ما أَن تَرى لَهُمُ في الناسِ أَمثالا

ما أَن تَرى لَهُمُ في الناسِ أَمثالا

God bless them, that band who marched forth!

God bless them, a group who emerged

You see no equals for them among men.

You do not see the likes of them among the people

غُرٌّ جَحاجِحَةٌ بيضٌ مَرازِبَةٌ

غُرٌّ جَحاجِحَةٌ بيضٌ مَرازِبَةٌ

أُسدٌ تُرَبِّبُ في الغُيضاتِ أَشبالا

أُسدٌ تُرَبِّبُ في الغُيضاتِ أَشبالا

Radiant, mighty chiefs, white-skinned Persian lords,

Stallions neighing, white purebreds

Lions rearing cubs in the thickets.

A lion roaring among the valleys with cubs

لا يَضجَرونَ وَإِن حُرَّت مَغافِرُهُم

لا يَضجَرونَ وَإِن حُرَّت مَغافِرُهُم

وَلا تَرى مِنهُم الطَعنَ مَيّالا

وَلا تَرى مِنهُم الطَعنَ مَيّالا

They never grow weary, even when their mail helmets grow hot,

They do not weary even if their forbearance is tried

Nor do you see their spear-thrusts veer aside.

Nor are they seen turning from the thrust

يَرمونَ عَن شُدُفٍ كَأَنَها غُبُطٌ

يَرمونَ عَن شُدُفٍ كَأَنَها غُبُطٌ

في زَمجَرٍ يُجِلُ المَرميَّ إِعجالا

في زَمجَرٍ يُجِلُ المَرميَّ إِعجالا

They shoot from bows resembling camel-litters,

They throw from a quiver as if it were good fortune

Amid a roar that drives the target away in haste.

With a roar that alarms the one thrown in haste

أَرسَلتُ أُسداً عَلى سودِ الكِلابِ فَقَد

أَرسَلتُ أُسداً عَلى سودِ الكِلابِ فَقَد

أَضحى شَريدُهُم في الأَرضِ فُلاّلا

أَضحى شَريدُهُم في الأَرضِ فُلاّلا

I sent lions against the black dogs, and indeed

I sent a lion at the black dogs so he

Their fugitives are now scattered remnants across the earth.

Became lost fleeing across the land scattered

فَاِشرَب هَنيئاً عَلَيكَ التاجُ مُرتَفِعاً

فَاِشرَب هَنيئاً عَلَيكَ التاجُ مُرتَفِعاً

في رَأسِ غُمدانَ دَاراً مِنكَ مُحلاّلا

في رَأسِ غُمدانَ دَاراً مِنكَ مُحلاّلا

So drink with pleasure, the crown raised high upon you,

Drink happily the crown lifted high

Atop Ghumdan, an abode you often inhabit.

On the head of the climax in your abode dissolved

وَاِطل بِالمِسكِ إِذ شالَت نَعامَتُهُم

وَاِطل بِالمِسكِ إِذ شالَت نَعامَتُهُم

وَأَسبِلِ اليَومَ في بُردَيكَ إِسبالا

وَأَسبِلِ اليَومَ في بُردَيكَ إِسبالا

And anoint yourself with musk: their ostrich has fled—their power gone;

And scent with musk when their ostriches lifted them

And today let your two cloaks hang long and trailing.

Drape yourself today in your cloak fully lowered

تِلكَ المَكارِمُ لا قِعبانِ مِن لَبَنٍ

تِلكَ المَكارِمُ لا قِعبانِ مِن لَبَنٍ

شِيبا بِماءٍ فَعادا بَعدُ أَبوالا

شِيبا بِماءٍ فَعادا بَعدُ أَبوالا

Those are noble deeds, not two bowls of milk

Those virtues not clots of milk

Diluted with water, then turned afterward into urine.

Mingled with water, later becoming urine