1. Your caravan deserves to shake the Nile,
And your era longs for bliss and progeny.
١. مِن حَقِّ رَكبِكَ أَن يَهُزَّ النيلا
وَيَشوقَ عَصرِكَ بَهجَةً وَالجيلا
2. You were only pleased with processions for your eyes,
And you were only content with hearts as your path.
٢. أَرَضيتَ إِلّا بِالعُيونِ رَكائِباً
وَقَنِعتَ إِلّا بِالقُلوبِ سَبيلا
3. The Nile's delegations came to you, honored,
Wearing the splendor of magnificent kings.
٣. حَيَّت وُفودُ النيلِ مِنكَ مُوَقَّراً
يُزري بِأُبَّهَةِ المُلوكِ جَليلا
4. When he walked between processions, he left
No throne for a crowned head, no wreath.
٤. لَمّا مَشى بَينَ المَواكِبِ لَم يَدَع
لِمُتَوَّجٍ عَرشاً وَلا إِكليلا
5. The masses walk to the imam of his guidance,
And the venerable sheikh of his hopes.
٥. تَمشي الجُموعُ إِلى إِمامِ هُداتِها
وَتَؤُمُّ شَيخَ حُماتِها المَأمولا
6. Tell pride, your grandfather is very proud, look
Do you see other than your drawn sword?
٦. قُل لِلكِنانَةِ جَدَّ جِدُّكِ فَاِنظُري
أَتَرَينَ إِلّا سَيفَكِ المَسلولا
7. Venture into the unknown, we see for it
Secrets that illuminate the world and its expanses.
٧. خوضي الغِمارَ إِلى الفُتوحِ نَرى لَها
غُرَراً تُضيءُ بِها الدُنى وَحُجولا
8. The knights raced in your banners delighted,
And went off in droves to the fray in droves.
٨. دَلَفَ الفَوارِسُ في لِوائِكِ حُسَّراً
وَمَضوا رَعيلاً لِلوَغى فَرعيلا
9. They compete over martyrdom, which of them
Will spend evening in heavens, hosted.
٩. يَتَقارَعونَ عَلى الشَهادَةِ أَيُّهُم
يُمسي لِطَهَ في الجِنانِ نَزيلا
10. Have you reconsidered returning to the homelands after leaving them?
Have you intended anything but separation and departure?
١٠. أَمُعاوِدَ الأَوطانِ بَعدَ فِراقِها
أَنَوَيتَ إِلّا فُرقَةً وَرَحيلا
11. You remained an exile of years and gazelles,
So when do you want return from jihad?
١١. مازِلتَ مُغتَرِبَ الأَسِنَّةِ وَالظُبى
فَمَتى تُريدُ مِنَ الجِهادِ قُفولا
12. After settling down, travel with your people, guiding,
And urge the steed gradually, gently toward it.
١٢. بَعُدَ القَرارُ فَسِر بِقَومِكَ هادِياً
وَاِطوِ المَدى ميلاً إِلَيهِ فَميلا
13. Its distance shortened, but those consumed with passion did not stop,
They rode caprice until the road lengthened.
١٣. قَصُرَت مَسافَتُهُ فَما بَرَحَ الأُلى
رَكِبوا الهَوى حَتّى تَباعَدَ طولا
14. They carried protection, so the countries are frightened,
And the people look upon their carried bier.
١٤. حَمَلوا الحِمايَةَ فَالبِلادُ مَروعَةٌ
وَالشَعبُ يَنظُرُ نَعشَهُ المَحمولا
15. Had you witnessed them the morning they walked with it
And the valley's edges surged with drums.
١٥. لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَهُم غَداةَ مَشَوا بِها
وَجَوانِبُ الوادي تَموجُ طُبولا
16. You would be certain that of the peoples are demons,
And you would know that of the lands are tyrants.
١٦. أَيقَنتَ أَنَّ مِنَ الشُعوبِ أَجِنَّةً
وَعَلِمتَ أَنَّ مِنَ البِلادِ طُلولا
17. Whoever was absent from them of the people of this world,
Never knew the Messiah or saw Gabriel.
١٧. مَن غابَ عَنهُم مِن بَني الدُنيا فَما
عَرَفَ المَسيخَ وَلا رَأى عِزريلا
18. They severed the cohesion of all and tore apart
What the persistent fate had joined seamlessly.
١٨. هُم فَرَّقوا الشَملَ الجَميعَ وَمَزَّقوا
ما أَلَّفَ الصيدُ الأُباةُ فُلولا
19. Had you been in the clouds' shadows, settled,
You would have seen a party or met a tribe.
١٩. لَو كُنتَ مِن ظُلَلِ الغَمامِ بِمَنزِلٍ
لَرَأَيتَ حِزباً أَو لَقيتَ قَبيلا
20. They struck kinship with children and severed
What had been connected of their wombs.
٢٠. ضَرَبوا الأُبُوَّةَ بِالبَنينِ وَقَطَّعوا
ما كانَ مِن أَرحامِهِم مَوصولا
21. Evil storms and enemies rejoice
As the Nile shouts at the villages to disappear.
٢١. الشَرُّ يَعصِفُ وَالعَدُوُّ بِغَبطَةٍ
وَالنيلُ يَهتِفُ بِالقُرى لِتَزولا
22. And the robed preachers aimed their darkness,
So they went off as arrows to the enemy, raiding.
٢٢. وَمُدَجَّجينَ رَمى الدُعاةُ سَوادَهُم
فَمَضوا سِهاماً لِلعِدى وَنُصولا
23. They sought the sons of their uncles, as if
They sought loot they possessed or preserve.
٢٣. طَلَبوا بَني أَعمامِهِم فَكَأَنَّما
طَلَبوا تِراتٍ عندَهم وَذُحولا
24. A people who quenched the enemy's wrath and a policy
That left none of them a conflict or authority.
٢٤. قُومٌ شَفوا غَيظَ العِدى وَسِياسَةٌ
لَم تُبقِ مِنهُم مَأرِباً أَو سولا
25. They took the Nile's path and met
A people who sway with the winds, humble.
٢٥. أَخَذوا عَلى النيلِ السَبيلَ وَصادَفوا
شَعباً يَميلُ مَعَ الرِياحِ ذَلولا
26. They carried to it savagery in their independence,
So ask the processions how they marched carrying beasts.
٢٦. حَمَلوا إِلَيهِ الغولَ في اِستِقلالِهِم
فَسَلِ المَواكِبَ كَيفَ زَفّوا الغولا
27. It relaxes its fangs, as if
The gazelles' eyes of the Kinana have become beasts.
٢٧. تَفَتَرُّ عَن أَنيابِها وَكَأَنَّما
أَمسَت عُيونُ بَني الكِنانَةِ حولا
28. Had it not been for the protection, they would have driven away its affliction,
You would have seen its rule desired.
٢٨. لَولا المَدارِهُ يَدفَعونَ بَلاءَها
لَرَأَيتَ حُكمَ جُناتِها مَقبولا
29. Remind us of the invading people and its awakened folk,
A people who excelled the peoples, noble.
٢٩. اذكُر لَنا القَومَ الغُزاةَ وَحَيِّهِ
شَعباً أَبَرَّ عَلى الشُعوبِ نَبيلا
30. The wolves returned, so it awoke from its slumber,
Snatching its garment and protecting the herd.
٣٠. عَدَتِ الذِئابُ فَهَبَّ مِن غَفَواتِهِ
يَبتَزُّ لِبدَتَهُ وَيَحمي الغيلا
31. It never fell asleep for the usurpers and never wanted
To ever submit to the rule of the unjust.
٣١. لَم يَستَنِم لِلغاصِبينَ وَلم يُرِد
يَوماً عَلى حُكمِ الجُفاةِ نُزولا
32. And if the usurpers dominated a nation,
It was distorted and its creation altered.
٣٢. وَإِذا اِستَبَدَّ الغاصِبونَ بِأُمَّةٍ
مُسِخَت وَبُدِّلَ خَلقُها تَبديلا
33. The remnants did not cease to be the spoils of its swords
Until it regained its dismembered, devoured parts.
٣٣. ما اِنفَكَّتِ الأَشلاءُ نَهبَ سُيوفِهِ
حَتّى تَدارَكَ شِلوَهُ المَأكولا
34. Misfortunes of fate cowered before its tyranny,
And the course of events turned, tremendous.
٣٤. فَزِعَت خُطوبُ الدَهرِ مِن سَطَواتِهِ
وَاِرتَدَّ صَرفُ الحادِثاتِ مَهولا
35. And the earth's peoples saw in its rising
Minds filled with astonishment, amazed.
٣٥. وَرَأَت شُعوبُ الأَرضِ مِن نَهضاتِهِ
مِلءَ العُقولِ الواعِياتِ ذُهولا
36. Arise, my dear ones, accompany the young men to the ships,
And fulfill the swords' needs, even as they age.
٣٦. قومي الأُلى صَحِبوا الصَوافِنَ فِتيَةً
وَقَضوا لُباناتِ السُيوفِ كُهولا
37. The example of life for every stalwart people
Who neither cowers nor wants to submit.
٣٧. مَثَلُ الحَياةِ لِكُلِّ شَعبٍ باسِلٍ
لا يَستَكينُ وَلا يُريدُ نُكولا
38. May God bless the loyal ones who
Supported the Prophet and aided revelation.
٣٨. صَلّى الإِلَهُ عَلى المَيامينِ الأُلى
نَصَروا النَبِيَّ وَأَيَّدوا التَنزيلا
39. Relay the news and narrate some of their tales,
A people who excel the times however long.
٣٩. أَدِرِ الحَديثَ وَرَوِّ مِن أَنبائِهِم
شَعباً يَزيدُ عَلى الزَمانِ غَليلا
40. Explain to it the meaning of steadfastness, for it is not
In the nature of the mujahid to be apathetic.
٤٠. بَيِّن لَهُ مَعنى الثَباتِ فَلَيسَ مِن
خُلُقِ المُجاهِدِ أَن يَكونَ مُلولا
41. And if you look at the kingdoms, you will not find
Anything like steadfastness in life as evidence.
٤١. وَإِذا نَظَرتَ إِلى المَمالِكِ لَم تَجِد
مِثلَ الثَباتِ عَلى الحَياةِ دَليلا
42. And you have seen the risers, so do you see
Anything but gracious natures and intellects?
٤٢. وَلَقَد رَأَيتَ الناهِضينَ فَهَل تَرى
إِلّا خَلائِقَ سَمحَةٍ وَعُقولا
43. We do recall the Kinana's right,
And we see much loyalty as little.
٤٣. إِنّا لَنَذكُرُ لِلكِنانَةِ حَقَّها
وَنَرى الكَثيرَ مِنَ الوَفاءِ قَليلا
44. We refuse doom until we aid it
And return its usurper vanquished.
٤٤. نَأبى الكَرى حَتّى نَقومَ بِنَصرِها
وَنَرُدَّ غاصِبَ حَقِّها مَخذولا
45. A promise kept, regardful of the youth and dignified
In the shade of old age, so its resting place is good.
٤٥. عَهدٌ رَعى وَرَقَ الشَبيبَةِ وَاِنتَحى
ظِلَّ المَشيبِ فَطابَ مِنهُ مَقيلا
46. We are not like one who is ignorant of life's tale
That wearies minds with scenes and chapters.
٤٦. لَسنا كَمَن جَهِلَ الحَياةَ رِوايَةً
تُعيي العُقولَ مَناظِراً وَفُصولا
47. Forms whose number disturbs you and playthings
That cast pretense's veils upon you.
٤٧. صُوَرٌ يَروعُكَ عَدُّها وَمَلاعِبٌ
تُلقي عَلَيكَ مِنَ الرِياءِ سُدولا
48. I seek refuge in my position and chivalry
From being the misguided poet.
٤٨. إِنّي أَعوذُ بِمَنصِبي وَمُروءَتي
مِن أَن أَكونَ الشاعِرَ الضَلِّيلا
49. The free have morals that incline themselves
From changing their promise and turning.
٤٩. لِلحُرِّ أَخلاقٌ تَميلُ بِنَفسِهِ
عَن أَن يُغَيِّر عَهدَهُ وَيَحولا
50. It is God's coloring, and you do not see what
He who created souls colored transgressions.
٥٠. هِيَ صِبغَةُ الباري وَلَستَ تَرى لِما
صَبَغَ الَّذي بَرَأَ النُفوسَ نُصولا
51. And I have seen the virtuous and not built
For the perished of past generations,
٥١. وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الفاضِلينَ وَما بَنَوا
لِلغابِرينَ مِنَ القُرونِ الأُولى
52. So I knew that of men are treasures,
And I knew that of men are excesses.
٥٢. فَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ مِنَ الرِجالِ ذَخائِراً
وَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ مِنَ الرِجالِ فُضولا
53. And I saw some words as guiding faith,
Brought by the wise man, a messenger.
٥٣. وَرَأَيتُ بَعضَ القَولِ دينَ هِدايَةٍ
يَأتي بِهِ الرَجُلُ الحَكيمُ رَسولا
54. Boasting is not beneficial to brilliance
Unless it is an evangel for one of piety.
٥٤. لَيسَ القَريضُ عَلى النُبوغِ بِنافِعٍ
حَتّى يَكونَ لِذي النُهى إِنجيلا