سَليلَ النَصارى سُدتَ عِجلاً وَلَم تَكُن

سَليلَ النَصارى سُدتَ عِجلاً وَلَم تَكُن

لِذَلِكَ أَهلاً أَن تَسودَ بَني عِجلِ

لِذَلِكَ أَهلاً أَن تَسودَ بَني عِجلِ

O scion of the Christians, you became lord of Ijl, though you were not

O scion of the Christians, you ruled ʿIjl, though you were not

O progeny of Christians, you soon gained power

fit for that—to rule the sons of Ijl.

fit for that—for ruling the sons of ʿIjl.

Yet you were unfit to rule the sons of Egil.

وَلَكِنَّهُم كانوا لِئاماً فَسدتَهم

وَلَكِنَّهُم كانوا لِئاماً فَسدتَهم

وَمِثلُكَ مَن سادَ اللِئامَ بِلا عَقلِ

وَمِثلُكَ مَن سادَ اللِئامَ بِلا عَقلِ

But they were ignoble, and so you ruled them;

But they were base, so you ruled them;

But they were good-for-nothings so you seized power over them -

a man like you is just the one to rule the ignoble, without sense.

and whoever rules the base without sense is like you.

The likes of you who rule fools lack all reason.

وَكَيفَ بِعِجلٍ إِن دَنا الفِصحُ واعتدَت

وَكَيفَ بِعِجلٍ إِن دَنا الفِصحُ واعتدَت

عَلَيكَ بَنو عِجلٍ وَمِرجَلُكُم يَغلي

عَلَيكَ بَنو عِجلٍ وَمِرجَلُكُم يَغلي

And what will become of Ijl if Easter draws near and there comes in assault

And what of ʿIjl, if Easter draws near and an assault is made

What will Egil do if the eloquent come close

upon you the sons of Ijl, while your cauldron boils,

upon you by the sons of ʿIjl, while your cauldron boils?

And the sons of Egil attack you and your cauldron boils?

وَعِندَكَ قِسّيسُ النَصارى وَصُلبُها

وَعِندَكَ قِسّيسُ النَصارى وَصُلبُها

وَعانيَةٌ صَهباءُ مِثلُ جَنى النَحلِ

وَعانيَةٌ صَهباءُ مِثلُ جَنى النَحلِ

and at your side are the Christians’ priest and their crosses,

And with you are the Christians’ priest and their crosses,

With you are the priests of Christians and their crosses

and long-confined tawny wine, like the bees’ harvest?

and tawny wine from ʿĀna, like the harvest of bees.

And a gray-haired church like a swarm of bees.