وَلَمّا دَعاني الخَبيري أَجَبتُهُ

وَلَمّا دَعاني الخَبيري أَجَبتُهُ

بِأَبيَضَ مِن ماءِ الحَديدِ صَقيلِ

بِأَبيَضَ مِن ماءِ الحَديدِ صَقيلِ

And when al-Khabiri called me, I answered him

When the expert swordsman challenged me,

With a bright, polished sword of iron’s pure essence.

I answered him with a sword bright as steel polished in water.

وَما كُنتُ ما اِشتَدَّت عَلى السَيفِ قَبضَتي

وَما كُنتُ ما اِشتَدَّت عَلى السَيفِ قَبضَتي

لِأَسلَمَ مِن حُبِّ الحَياةِ أَكيلِ

لِأَسلَمَ مِن حُبِّ الحَياةِ أَكيلِ

Nor would I, so long as my grip held firm upon the sword,

My grip on the hilt was never slack

Surrender my table companion out of love for life.

Though no man clings to life more than I.