إِنّا إِذا اِشتَدَّ الزَمان

إِنّا إِذا اِشتَدَّ الزَمان

نُوَنابَ خَطبٌ وَاِدلَهَم

نُوَنابَ خَطبٌ وَاِدلَهَم

Indeed, when time grows harsh upon us

When times are hard

and a calamity strikes and grows dark,

Troubles throng and sorrows swarm

أَلفَيتَ حَولَ بُيوتِنا

أَلفَيتَ حَولَ بُيوتِنا

عَدَدَ الشَجاعَةِ وَالكَرَم

عَدَدَ الشَجاعَةِ وَالكَرَم

you find around our homes

You'll find around our homes

the means of valor and generosity:

The valiant and the generous swarm

لِلِقا العِدى بيضُ السُيو

لِلِقا العِدى بيضُ السُيو

فِ وَلِلنَدى حُمرُ النَعَم

فِ وَلِلنَدى حُمرُ النَعَم

for facing foes, white swords;

The enemies come all in white

and for generosity, red camels.

While friends in red array

هَذا وَهَذا دَأبُنا

هَذا وَهَذا دَأبُنا

يودى دَمٌ وَيُراقُ دَم

يودى دَمٌ وَيُراقُ دَم

Both are our constant practice:

This is our way

blood is paid for, and blood is shed.

Blood flows and blood will pay

قُل لِاِبنِ وَرقا جَعفَرٍ

قُل لِاِبنِ وَرقا جَعفَرٍ

حَتّى يَقولَ بِما عَلِم

حَتّى يَقولَ بِما عَلِم

Say to Jaʿfar, son of Warqā,

Say to Ibn Warqa, Ja'far's son

so that he may speak of what he knows:

What you know must be done

إِنّي وَإِن شَطَّ المَزا

إِنّي وَإِن شَطَّ المَزا

رُ وَلَم تَكُن داري أَمَم

رُ وَلَم تَكُن داري أَمَم

Indeed I, though the place of visitation is far away

Though fate's tempest may run high

and my home is not near,

And my house no more stands calm

أَصبو إِلى تِلكَ الخِلا

أَصبو إِلى تِلكَ الخِلا

لِ وَأَصتَفي تِلكَ الشِيَم

لِ وَأَصتَفي تِلكَ الشِيَم

yearn for those virtues

I aim for that high moral ground

and choose those traits.

And hold to standards true

وَأَلومُ عادِيَةَ الفِرا

وَأَلومُ عادِيَةَ الفِرا

قِ وَبَينَ أَحشائي أَلَم

قِ وَبَينَ أَحشائي أَلَم

And I blame the assault of separation,

I blame she who would confound

and pain lies within my entrails.

Enmity, though pain wells anew

وَلَعَلَّ دَهراً يَنثَني

وَلَعَلَّ دَهراً يَنثَني

وَلَعَلَّ شَعباً يَلتَئِم

وَلَعَلَّ شَعباً يَلتَئِم

And perhaps time will turn,

Perhaps time will bring us around

and perhaps a rift will heal.

And unity flowers fresh on the scene

هَل أَنتَ يَوماً مُنصِفي

هَل أَنتَ يَوماً مُنصِفي

مِن ظُلمِ عَمِّكَ يا اِبنَ عَم

مِن ظُلمِ عَمِّكَ يا اِبنَ عَم

Will you one day secure me justice

Will you one day make right, my cousin

against your uncle's injustice, O cousin?

Your uncle's injustice obscene?

أَبلِغهُ عَنّي ما أَقو

أَبلِغهُ عَنّي ما أَقو

لُ فَأَنتَ مَن لايُتَّهَم

لُ فَأَنتَ مَن لايُتَّهَم

Convey to him on my behalf what I say,

Give him my message, spare not one word

for you are one beyond suspicion.

For you are above all blame

إِنّي رَضيتُ وَإِن كَرِه

إِنّي رَضيتُ وَإِن كَرِه

تُ أَبا مُحَمَّدٍ الحَكَم

تُ أَبا مُحَمَّدٍ الحَكَم

Indeed, I have accepted, though unwilling,

I accept though my heart is stirred

Abū Muḥammad as arbiter.

Father of Muhammad, and rightly reign