أَما وَمَضارِبِ البيضِ الرقاقِ

أَما وَمَضارِبِ البيضِ الرقاقِ

تُضِيءُ النَّقْعَ لِلجُرْدِ العِتاقِ

تُضِيءُ النَّقْعَ لِلجُرْدِ العِتاقِ

Indeed—by the strokes of slender, gleaming blades

Indeed, by the cutting edges of slender, gleaming swords,

that light the dust-clouds for the noble, unshod steeds!

That light the battle-dust for sleek, noble steeds:

لقد غَرَّ الهُنَيْدُ بني جُذَامٍ

لقد غَرَّ الهُنَيْدُ بني جُذَامٍ

فما للقومِ مِمّا جَرَّ واقِ

فما للقومِ مِمّا جَرَّ واقِ

Hunayd indeed deluded the sons of Judham,

Al-Hunayd has indeed deceived Banu Judham,

and none can shield his people from what he has brought upon them.

So the people have no protector against what he brought about.

دَعَا سُفهاءَهُم فَمشُوا إليه

دَعَا سُفهاءَهُم فَمشُوا إليه

وما التفَّتْ لهم ساقٌ بساقِ

وما التفَّتْ لهم ساقٌ بساقِ

He summoned their fools, and they marched to him,

He summoned their fools, and they walked to him,

with leg never joining leg in a gathered host.

And no shin of theirs had yet entwined with another.

لصوصٌ ما يُبالونَ الدنَايا

لصوصٌ ما يُبالونَ الدنَايا

إذا عَقَدوا العزائمَ لاِنْطِلاَقِ

إذا عَقَدوا العزائمَ لاِنْطِلاَقِ

Thieves who care nothing for disgrace

Thieves who think nothing of base deeds,

when they resolve to set forth.

When they fix their resolve on setting out.

أحاطَ بِدحيةٍ مِنهم أُناسٌ

أحاطَ بِدحيةٍ مِنهم أُناسٌ

تَعُدُّهُم الذّئابُ مِن الرِّفاقِ

تَعُدُّهُم الذّئابُ مِن الرِّفاقِ

Some men among them surrounded Dihya—

Some men among them surrounded Dihyah,

men whom wolves would reckon as companions.

Whom the wolves count among their companions.

مَضوا بِحبَاءِ قَيْصَرَ وَهْوَ جَمٌّ

مَضوا بِحبَاءِ قَيْصَرَ وَهْوَ جَمٌّ

فما منه لَدَى الكلبيِّ باقِ

فما منه لَدَى الكلبيِّ باقِ

They made off with Caesar’s gifts, though they were abundant,

They made off with Caesar's bounty, abundant as it was,

and nothing of them remained with al-Kalbi.

So none of it remained with al-Kalbi.

أَتى مُستَصرِخاً فأصابَ مَوْلىً

أَتى مُستَصرِخاً فأصابَ مَوْلىً

يُغيثُ صَريخَهُ ممّا يُلاقي

يُغيثُ صَريخَهُ ممّا يُلاقي

He came crying out for aid and found a protector

He came crying for help and found a protector

who would answer his cry against all he suffered.

Who rescues his suppliant from what he faces.

وما لمحمدٍ كُفْؤٌ إذا ما

وما لمحمدٍ كُفْؤٌ إذا ما

سَقَى الأبطالَ كأسَ الموتِ ساقِ

سَقَى الأبطالَ كأسَ الموتِ ساقِ

No one is a match for Muhammad when

And Muhammad has no equal whenever

he gives heroes the cup of death to drink.

A cupbearer serves the heroes the cup of death.

دَعَا زَيْداً فأقبلَ في جُنودٍ

دَعَا زَيْداً فأقبلَ في جُنودٍ

تَبيتُ إلى الملاحمِ في اشْتِيَاقِ

تَبيتُ إلى الملاحمِ في اشْتِيَاقِ

He summoned Zayd, who advanced with troops

He summoned Zayd, who came amid troops

that spend their nights longing for battle,

Who spend the night in longing for great battles.

إلى حِسْمَى فما للداءِ حَسْمٌ

إلى حِسْمَى فما للداءِ حَسْمٌ

إذا لم تَرْقِهِ بدمٍ مُراقِ

إذا لم تَرْقِهِ بدمٍ مُراقِ

toward Hisma—for no disease can be decisively cured

To Hisma—for the disease cannot be rooted out

unless you charm it with blood outpoured.

Unless you charm it with blood poured out.

إليهِ يا ابنَ حارثةٍ إليه

إليهِ يا ابنَ حارثةٍ إليه

فَثَمَّ البغيُ مُمتَدُّ الرُواقِ

فَثَمَّ البغيُ مُمتَدُّ الرُواقِ

Onward to him, son of Haritha—onward!

Thither, son of Harithah, thither!

For there oppression spreads its vast pavilion.

For there oppression's canopy stretches wide.

لِدحيةَ حَقُّهُ والسّيفُ ماضٍ

لِدحيةَ حَقُّهُ والسّيفُ ماضٍ

وما لِبَنِي جُذَامٍ من إباقِ

وما لِبَنِي جُذَامٍ من إباقِ

Dihya shall have his due, and the sword is keen;

Dihyah shall have his due, and the sword is keen,

the sons of Judham have no means of escape.

And Banu Judham have no escape.

عَبيدُ الشِّركِ أَوْثَقَهُمْ فَقَرُّوا

عَبيدُ الشِّركِ أَوْثَقَهُمْ فَقَرُّوا

بِدارِ الهُونِ يا لَكَ من وَثاقِ

بِدارِ الهُونِ يا لَكَ من وَثاقِ

Slaves of idolatry—it bound them fast, and they settled

Slaves of idolatry—he bound them, and they remained

in the abode of humiliation: what fetters indeed!

In the abode of humiliation—what bondage!

ألا إنّ الهُنَيْدَ أُديلَ منه

ألا إنّ الهُنَيْدَ أُديلَ منه

فهل وَجَدَ الرَّدَى عَذْبَ المذاقِ

فهل وَجَدَ الرَّدَى عَذْبَ المذاقِ

Behold, the tables were turned on Hunayd;

Lo, al-Hunayd has been vanquished;

did he find destruction sweet to taste?

Did he then find death sweet to the taste?

وهل نَظَرَ ابْنَهُ لمّا تَرَدَّى

وهل نَظَرَ ابْنَهُ لمّا تَرَدَّى

وَعَايَنَ روعةَ الموتِ الذُّعاقِ

وَعَايَنَ روعةَ الموتِ الذُّعاقِ

And did he look upon his son when he fell

And did he see his son when he fell

and behold the terror of death, bitter as poison?

And witnessed the terror of bitter death?

تَوالى القومُ في الهيجاءِ صَرْعَى

تَوالى القومُ في الهيجاءِ صَرْعَى

كأن سِرَاعَهُمْ خَيْلُ السّباقِ

كأن سِرَاعَهُمْ خَيْلُ السّباقِ

One after another the people fell slain in the melee,

One after another, the men fell slain in battle,

as though their swift-falling men were racehorses.

As though their swift ones were horses in a race.

فأهلاً بالشَّوِيِّ تُساقُ نَهْباً

فأهلاً بالشَّوِيِّ تُساقُ نَهْباً

وأهلاً بالجِمالِ وبالنِّياقِ

وأهلاً بالجِمالِ وبالنِّياقِ

So welcome the sheep, driven off as plunder,

So welcome to the sheep, driven off as plunder,

and welcome the camels, both males and females!

And welcome to the male camels and the she-camels!

ويا ويحَ الحلائلِ والذَّرارِي

ويا ويحَ الحلائلِ والذَّرارِي

تُعانِي البَرْحَ من أَلَمِ الفِراقِ

تُعانِي البَرْحَ من أَلَمِ الفِراقِ

But alas for the wives and children,

And alas for the wives and children,

suffering grievously from the pain of parting.

Who suffer torment from the pain of parting.

أتى النفرُ الأماجدُ من ضَبِيبٍ

أتى النفرُ الأماجدُ من ضَبِيبٍ

وقد شدَّ البلاءُ عُرَى الخِناقِ

وقد شدَّ البلاءُ عُرَى الخِناقِ

The noble delegation came from Dabib

The noble band from Dabib came,

when affliction had drawn the noose tight.

And affliction had tightened the loops of the noose.

فقال إمامُهُم إنّا جميعاً

فقال إمامُهُم إنّا جميعاً

مِنَ الدينِ القويمِ على وِفَاقِ

مِنَ الدينِ القويمِ على وِفَاقِ

Their leader said, “All of us

Then their leader said, “Indeed, we are all

stand together in accord upon the upright faith.

In accord concerning the upright faith.

هُوَ الإسلامُ يَجمعُنا فَلَسْنَا

هُوَ الإسلامُ يَجمعُنا فَلَسْنَا

بحمدِ اللهِ من أهلِ الشِّقاقِ

بحمدِ اللهِ من أهلِ الشِّقاقِ

Islam is what unites us, and

It is Islam that unites us, so we are not,

praise be to God, we are not people of division.

Praise be to God, among the people of discord.

ألا اكْشِفْ ما بنا يا زيدُ عَنَّا

ألا اكْشِفْ ما بنا يا زيدُ عَنَّا

فليسَ بِمُستطاعٍ أو مُطاقِ

فليسَ بِمُستطاعٍ أو مُطاقِ

Relieve us, Zayd, of what has befallen us;

Pray lift from us what afflicts us, O Zayd,

for it can neither be endured nor borne.”

For it is neither manageable nor bearable.”

وجاء من الكتابِ ببيِّناتٍ

وجاء من الكتابِ ببيِّناتٍ

فما يُرمَى بكفرٍ أو نِفاقِ

فما يُرمَى بكفرٍ أو نِفاقِ

He brought clear proofs from the Book,

And he came with clear proofs from the document,

so he could not be accused of unbelief or hypocrisy.

So he could not be accused of unbelief or hypocrisy.

وسارَ إلى رسولِ اللهِ منهم

وسارَ إلى رسولِ اللهِ منهم

بُغاةُ الخيرِ والكَرَمِ الدُّفَاقِ

بُغاةُ الخيرِ والكَرَمِ الدُّفَاقِ

And from among them there journeyed to God’s Messenger

And some of them went to the Messenger of God,

seekers of goodness and unstinting generosity.

Seekers of goodness and overflowing generosity.

فقال إلى السريّةِ يا ابنَ عَمّي

فقال إلى السريّةِ يا ابنَ عَمّي

فأنْ تَلحقْ فَنِعْمَ أخو اللِّحاقِ

فأنْ تَلحقْ فَنِعْمَ أخو اللِّحاقِ

Then he said, “Go to the detachment, cousin;

Then he said, “To the detachment, my cousin!

if you catch up with it, what a fine brother-in-arms you will be!

If you catch up, what a fine pursuer you are!

وذَا سَيْفِي فَخُذْهُ دَليلَ صدقٍ

وذَا سَيْفِي فَخُذْهُ دَليلَ صدقٍ

فيا لكَ من دليلٍ ذي ائتلاقِ

فيا لكَ من دليلٍ ذي ائتلاقِ

Here is my sword—take it as proof of my truthfulness.”

And this is my sword; take it as a token of truth.

What a radiant proof it was!

What a brightly gleaming token!”

مَضَى أَمرُ النبيِّ فيا لخطبٍ

مَضَى أَمرُ النبيِّ فيا لخطبٍ

تَكشَّفَ ليلُهُ بعد اطّراقِ

تَكشَّفَ ليلُهُ بعد اطّراقِ

The Prophet’s command went forth—what a grave affair

The Prophet's command was carried out—oh, what an ordeal

whose night cleared after brooding darkness!

Whose night cleared after heads had bowed in silence!

أَيُنْصَرُ كلُّ لصٍ من جُذَامٍ

أَيُنْصَرُ كلُّ لصٍ من جُذَامٍ

وَيُقْهَرُ رافعُ السَّبعِ الطِّباقِ

وَيُقْهَرُ رافعُ السَّبعِ الطِّباقِ

Shall every thief of Judham be given victory,

Is every thief of Judham to be aided,

while the Raiser of the seven heavens is vanquished?

While the Raiser of the seven layered heavens is overpowered?

تَعالَى اللهُ لا يَرْقَى إليهِ

تَعالَى اللهُ لا يَرْقَى إليهِ

من العالِينَ فَوْقَ الأرضِ رَاقِ

من العالِينَ فَوْقَ الأرضِ رَاقِ

Exalted is God: no one can ascend to Him—

Exalted is God! None can ascend to Him—

no climber, however lofty upon the earth.

No climber among those high above the earth.