أَتَينا الزُبَيرَ فَدانى الكَلامَ

أَتَينا الزُبَيرَ فَدانى الكَلامَ

وَطَلحَةُ كَالنَجمِ أَو أَبعَدُ

وَطَلحَةُ كَالنَجمِ أَو أَبعَدُ

We came to al-Zubayr, and he softened his speech;

We came to az-Zubair and he approached the speech

And Talha was as distant as a star, or farther.

And Talhah is like a star or farther

وَأَحسَنُ قَولَيهِما فادِحٌ

وَأَحسَنُ قَولَيهِما فادِحٌ

يَضيقُ بِهِ الخَطبُ مُستَنكَدُ

يَضيقُ بِهِ الخَطبُ مُستَنكَدُ

The better of their two speeches was crushing,

And the best of their two sayings is shocking

Making the plight more desperate—a bitter utterance.

It is constrained by which the discourse is depressed

وَقَد أَوعَدونا بِجهدِ الوَعيدِ

وَقَد أَوعَدونا بِجهدِ الوَعيدِ

فَأَهوِن عَلَينا بِما أَوعَدوا

فَأَهوِن عَلَينا بِما أَوعَدوا

And they threatened us with the fiercest threats;

And they promised us with the threat of warning

Yet how little their threats weigh upon us!

So it was easier for us, what they promised

فَقُلنا رَكَضتُم وَلَم تُرمِلوا

فَقُلنا رَكَضتُم وَلَم تُرمِلوا

وَأَصدَرتُمُ قَبلَ أَن تُورِدوا

وَأَصدَرتُمُ قَبلَ أَن تُورِدوا

So we said: You galloped without even trotting,

So we said you galloped but did not walk

And drove them from water before bringing them to it.

And you issued before you introduced

فَإِن تَلقَحوا الحَربَ بَينَ الرِجالِ

فَإِن تَلقَحوا الحَربَ بَينَ الرِجالِ

فَمُلقِحُها جَدُّهُ الأَنكَدُ

فَمُلقِحُها جَدُّهُ الأَنكَدُ

If you set war breeding among men,

So if you initiate war between the men

Then its breeder has the most wretched fortune.

Then its initiator, his granddad is the most depressed

وَإِنَّ عَليّاً لَكُم مُصحِرٌ

وَإِنَّ عَليّاً لَكُم مُصحِرٌ

أَلا إِنَّهُ الأَسَدُ الأَسوَدُ

أَلا إِنَّهُ الأَسَدُ الأَسوَدُ

And Ali stands in the open to face you;

And indeed, Ali to you is bewitching

Behold, he is the black lion!

Behold, he is the black lion

أَما إِنَّهُ ثالِثُ العابِدينَ

أَما إِنَّهُ ثالِثُ العابِدينَ

بِمَكَةَ واللَهُ لا يُعبَدُ

بِمَكَةَ واللَهُ لا يُعبَدُ

Indeed, he was the third of the worshippers

Verily, he is the third of the worshippers

In Mecca, when God was not worshipped.

In Mecca, and Allah is not worshipped

فَرَخّوا الخِناقَ وَلا تَعجَلوا

فَرَخّوا الخِناقَ وَلا تَعجَلوا

فَإِنَّ غَداً لَكُمُ مَوعِدُ

فَإِنَّ غَداً لَكُمُ مَوعِدُ

So loosen the noose, and do not be hasty;

So loosen the noose and do not hurry

For tomorrow is your appointed time.

For tomorrow for you is an appointment