إِذَا جِئتَ تُدمِيرَ لاَ جئتَهَا

إِذَا جِئتَ تُدمِيرَ لاَ جئتَهَا

لأَمرٍ تُؤَمِّلُ فِيهِ النَّجَاح

لأَمرٍ تُؤَمِّلُ فِيهِ النَّجَاح

If you come to Tudmir—may you never come there—

If you come to Tudmir—may you never come there—

on some venture in which you hope to succeed,

For a purpose in which you hope for success,

فَجِئهَا فُدِيتَ بِرُمحٍ طَويلٍ

فَجِئهَا فُدِيتَ بِرُمحٍ طَويلٍ

غَلِيظٍ شَدِيدٍ ليَومِ الكِفَاح

غَلِيظٍ شَدِيدٍ ليَومِ الكِفَاح

then come to it—may you be ransomed—with a long spear,

Then come there—may you be ransomed—with a long spear,

thick and sturdy, for the day of combat;

Thick and strong, for the day of combat.

فَإِنَّ الأَميرَ بِهَا أَعزَلٌ

فَإِنَّ الأَميرَ بِهَا أَعزَلٌ

وَيَلقَى حَرُوناً جِماحَ الرِّمَاح

وَيَلقَى حَرُوناً جِماحَ الرِّمَاح

for its emir is unarmed,

For the emir there is unarmed,

and, stubbornly defiant, faces the spears’ headlong charge.

And, obstinate, he meets the wild charge of spears.