خَزَاعَةُ أَبشِري بالعهدِ سَمْحا

خَزَاعَةُ أَبشِري بالعهدِ سَمْحا

وَزِيدِي دَولَةَ الإسلامِ فَتْحا

وَزِيدِي دَولَةَ الإسلامِ فَتْحا

Khuzaʿah, rejoice in the generous covenant,

Khuza'ah, rejoice at the covenant, gentle one,

and add victory to the realm of Islam.

And increase the rule of Islam with victory.

كَفَى بذمامِ أوفى النّاسِ عهداً

كَفَى بذمامِ أوفى النّاسِ عهداً

لكلِّ مُعاهدٍ غُنْما ورِبْحا

لكلِّ مُعاهدٍ غُنْما ورِبْحا

The pledge of the most faithful of men suffices

The tie of the most faithful of people is enough,

as gain and profit for every treaty partner.

For every ally, spoils and profit.

ألحَّ على بني بكرٍ شَقَاءٌ

ألحَّ على بني بكرٍ شَقَاءٌ

تَزِلُّ له العُقُولُ إذا ألَحَّا

تَزِلُّ له العُقُولُ إذا ألَحَّا

Misery pressed hard upon Banu Bakr,

Misery insisted upon Bani Bakr

before which minds stumble when it persists.

Minds slip when they insist.

هُمُ اتَّبعُوا الأُلى انقلبوا بِقَرْحٍ

هُمُ اتَّبعُوا الأُلى انقلبوا بِقَرْحٍ

فزادوهم بما اقترفوهُ قَرْحا

فزادوهم بما اقترفوهُ قَرْحا

They followed those who returned with a wound,

They followed ruin and returned wounded,

so added to their wounds through what they perpetrated.

So what they committed increased their wound.

حُوَيْطِبُ ما يَغيظُكَ من رجالٍ

حُوَيْطِبُ ما يَغيظُكَ من رجالٍ

هموا ضربوا عن الغاوينَ صَفْحا

هموا ضربوا عن الغاوينَ صَفْحا

Huwaytib, what angers you about men

Be gentle with those men who anger you,

who have turned away from the wayward?

They resolved and forgave the misguided.

أُتِيحَ لِقَدْحِهم فَوزٌ مُبينٌ

أُتِيحَ لِقَدْحِهم فَوزٌ مُبينٌ

وخُيِّبَ مَن أَحبَّ ذويكَ قِدْحَا

وخُيِّبَ مَن أَحبَّ ذويكَ قِدْحَا

A clear victory was granted to their lot-arrow,

Their criticism was facilitated, an evident gain,

while whoever loved your kin saw his lot-arrow fail.

And those who loved your people were disappointed.

رُويدَكَ إنَّ أخوالَ ابنِ عمروٍ

رُويدَكَ إنَّ أخوالَ ابنِ عمروٍ

لأَرفعُ قُبَّةً وأعزُّ صَرْحا

لأَرفعُ قُبَّةً وأعزُّ صَرْحا

Take your time: the maternal uncles of Ibn ʿAmr

Restrain yourself, the in-laws of Ibn ‘Amr

surely have a loftier dome and a mightier edifice.

Are the highest dome and most honorable palace.

ولولا ما برأيِكَ من ضَلالٍ

ولولا ما برأيِكَ من ضَلالٍ

لجانبتَ الملامَ وقُلتَ مَرْحَى

لجانبتَ الملامَ وقُلتَ مَرْحَى

And were it not for the error in your judgment,

If not for the misguidance in your opinion,

you would have avoided reproach and said, 'Hurrah!'

You would have avoided blame and said farewell.

أَمَنْ عَرَفَ الرّشادَ فطابَ نَفساً

أَمَنْ عَرَفَ الرّشادَ فطابَ نَفساً

وأقبلَ يبتغِيهِ كَمَنْ تَنَحَّى

وأقبلَ يبتغِيهِ كَمَنْ تَنَحَّى

Is one who recognized right guidance and was glad at heart

Does one who knows guidance and is content

and came seeking it like one who turned aside?

And seeks it, equal one who turns away?

تُحاوِلُ أن تثيرَ الحَرْبَ حَتّى

تُحاوِلُ أن تثيرَ الحَرْبَ حَتّى

تراها تَلفحُ الأبطالَ لَفْحا

تراها تَلفحُ الأبطالَ لَفْحا

You seek to stir up war until

You try to ignite war until

you see it scorch the champions with its blast.

You see it scorch the heroes with burning.

لقد مَضَتِ المقالةُ من لبيبٍ

لقد مَضَتِ المقالةُ من لبيبٍ

يقولُ الحقَّ لا يألوكَ نُصْحا

يقولُ الحقَّ لا يألوكَ نُصْحا

The saying has indeed gone forth from a discerning man,

The words of an intelligent one have passed,

who speaks the truth and spares no effort to counsel you:

Who says the truth, not ceasing to advise you.

أَتَقدَحُ يا حُويطبُ زَنْدَ سُوءٍ

أَتَقدَحُ يا حُويطبُ زَنْدَ سُوءٍ

دَعِ الرأيَ الرشيدَ وَزِدْهُ قَدْحا

دَعِ الرأيَ الرشيدَ وَزِدْهُ قَدْحا

Do you strike an evil fire-stick, Huwaytib?

O Huwyyatib, do you strike an evil spark?

Abandon sound judgment and strike it still more!

Leave the wise opinion and kindle it more.

لعلَّكَ إن رأيتَ له لهيباً

لعلَّكَ إن رأيتَ له لهيباً

تكونُ أشدَّ مَن يصلاَهُ بَرْحا

تكونُ أشدَّ مَن يصلاَهُ بَرْحا

Perhaps, if you see its flame,

Perhaps if you see it has flame,

you will be the worst tormented of those who burn in it.

You will be firmer in extinguishing it quickly.

وَرَاءَكَ يا حُوَيْطِبُ كُلُّ عَضْبٍ

وَرَاءَكَ يا حُوَيْطِبُ كُلُّ عَضْبٍ

يَسُحُّ الموتُ من حَدَّيْهِ سَحّا

يَسُحُّ الموتُ من حَدَّيْهِ سَحّا

Behind you, Huwaytib, is every keen sword,

Behind you, O Huwyyatib, is every anger

from whose two edges death pours in torrents.

That death wipes with its edges smoothly.

يُجَرِّدُهُ لِنَصرِ اللَّهِ قَرْمٌ

يُجَرِّدُهُ لِنَصرِ اللَّهِ قَرْمٌ

يَصولُ فَيَمْسَحُ الأعناقَ مَسْحا

يَصولُ فَيَمْسَحُ الأعناقَ مَسْحا

A champion unsheathes it to aid God.

A group prepares for God's victory,

He charges and sweeps across necks with a stroke.

Charging and wiping the necks smoothly.

سَخِيُّ النَّفسِ والهيجاءُ تَغلِي

سَخِيُّ النَّفسِ والهيجاءُ تَغلِي

فتملأ أَنْفُسَ الشُّجعانِ شُحّا

فتملأ أَنْفُسَ الشُّجعانِ شُحّا

Generous with his life while battle boils,

Generous of soul and stir crazy,

filling the souls of the brave with miserliness.

Filling the souls of the brave with courage.

بني بكرٍ أما أُبْتُمْ حَزَانَى

بني بكرٍ أما أُبْتُمْ حَزَانَى

كما آبَتْ خزَاعَةُ وَهْيَ فَرْحَى

كما آبَتْ خزَاعَةُ وَهْيَ فَرْحَى

Banu Bakr, have you not returned sorrowful,

O Bani Bakr, have you not grieved me

as Khuzaʿah returned rejoicing?

As Khuza'ah and Wuhayb did and were glad?

هو الجدُّ الشَّقِيُّ عَلاهُ جَدٌّ

هو الجدُّ الشَّقِيُّ عَلاهُ جَدٌّ

تَلَقَّى نِعمةً وأصابَ نُجْحا

تَلَقَّى نِعمةً وأصابَ نُجْحا

It is ill-starred fortune, surpassed by a fortune

It is misery, high upon misery,

that received a blessing and attained success.

That met favor and attained success.