ألا يا ابن هند إنني غير غافلِ

ألا يا ابن هند إنني غير غافلِ

وإنك ما تسعى له غير نائلِ

وإنك ما تسعى له غير نائلِ

Behold, O son of Hind, I am not heedless.

O son of India, I am not unaware,

And you will not attain what you strive for.

And you will not attain what you pursue,

لأن الذي اجتبت إلى الحرب نابها

لأن الذي اجتبت إلى الحرب نابها

عليك وألقت بركها بالكلاكل

عليك وألقت بركها بالكلاكل

For the one you chose for war is her fang,

For He whom I have chosen for war has turned away from it,

Against you; she has laid her breast upon the chests.

And cast off its burden with slippers.

فأصبح أهل الشام ضربين خيرة

فأصبح أهل الشام ضربين خيرة

وفقعة قاع أو شحيمة آكل

وفقعة قاع أو شحيمة آكل

So Syria's people became two sorts: the choice few,

So the people of Syria have become the elect of the choice,

And a truffle of the plain, or a morsel of fat for an eater.

And the dregs of the dregs or hungry wolves.

وأيقنت أنا أهل حق وإنما

وأيقنت أنا أهل حق وإنما

دعوت لأمر كان أبطل باطل

دعوت لأمر كان أبطل باطل

And you know for certain that we are in the right; you merely

And I was sure that I am the people of truth, and I

Called for a cause that was the falsest of falsehoods.

Only invited to a matter that invalidated the invalid.

دعوت ابن عباس إلى السلم خدعة

دعوت ابن عباس إلى السلم خدعة

وليس لها حتى تدين بقابل

وليس لها حتى تدين بقابل

You invited Ibn Abbas to peace as a trick,

I invited Ibn Abbas to peace deceitfully,

And he will not accept it until you submit.

And it has no equality even if you were to accept.

فلا سلم حتى تشجر الخيل بالقنا

فلا سلم حتى تشجر الخيل بالقنا

وتُضرب هامات الرجال الأماثل

وتُضرب هامات الرجال الأماثل

So there is no peace until the horses are pierced with lances,

So no peace until the horses neigh in Qana,

And the heads of the noblest men are struck.

And the foreheads of upright men are struck.

وآليت لا أهدي إليك رسالة

وآليت لا أهدي إليك رسالة

إلى أن يحول الحول من رأس قابل

إلى أن يحول الحول من رأس قابل

And you swore: ‘I shall send you no letter

And I have resolved not to send a message to you

Until the year comes round, at the beginning of the next.’

Until the year turns from the head of its course.

أردت به قطع الجواب وإنما

أردت به قطع الجواب وإنما

رماك فلم يخطىء بنات المقاتل

رماك فلم يخطىء بنات المقاتل

You intended thereby to cut off the reply, but in fact

I meant by it to cut off the answer, but he

He shot at you and did not miss the vital spots.

Shot at you and did not miss the daughters of the warrior.

وقلت له لو بايعوك تبعتهم

وقلت له لو بايعوك تبعتهم

فهذا عليّ خير حافٍ وناعل

فهذا عليّ خير حافٍ وناعل

And you told him: ‘Had they pledged allegiance to you, I would have followed them.’

And I said to him, "If they pledged allegiance to you, you would follow them,"

Then here is Ali, the best of the barefoot and the shod,

So this is Ali, best shield and sandal.

وصي رسول الله من دون أهله

وصي رسول الله من دون أهله

وفارسه إن قيل هل من منازل

وفارسه إن قيل هل من منازل

God's Messenger's legatee, in preference to his other kin,

The messenger of Allah's successor, apart from his family,

And his horseman when it is asked: ‘Is there a challenger?’

And his knight, if it is said, "Are there any homes?"

فدونكه إن كنت تبغي مهاجراً

فدونكه إن كنت تبغي مهاجراً

اشم كنصل السيف عير حلاحل

اشم كنصل السيف عير حلاحل

Then face him, if you seek an Emigrant,

So, you - if you want to migrate -

High-nosed as a sword's blade, a stalwart chief.

Scent like the blade of a sword, not soft.