أَبلِغ بَني قَيسٍ إِذا لاقَيتَهُم

أَبلِغ بَني قَيسٍ إِذا لاقَيتَهُم

وَالحَيَّ ذُهلاً هَل بِكُم تَعيِيرُ

وَالحَيَّ ذُهلاً هَل بِكُم تَعيِيرُ

Tell the sons of Qays, when you meet them,

When you meet the tribe of Qais, say to them—

and the clan of Dhuhl: does reproach touch you?

While life endures, do you gloat over us?

زَعَمَت حَنيفَةُ لا تُجيرُ عَلَيهِمُ

زَعَمَت حَنيفَةُ لا تُجيرُ عَلَيهِمُ

بِدِمائِهِم وَأَظُنُّها سَتُجيرُ

بِدِمائِهِم وَأَظُنُّها سَتُجيرُ

Hanifah claimed it would grant no protection against them

Hanifa claimed she would not protect them

concerning their blood; yet I think it will.

With their blood, though I think she will protect.

كَذَبوا وَبَيتِ اللَهِ يَفعَلُ ذَلِكُم

كَذَبوا وَبَيتِ اللَهِ يَفعَلُ ذَلِكُم

حَتّى يُوازِيَ حَزرَماً كِنديرُ

حَتّى يُوازِيَ حَزرَماً كِنديرُ

They lied! By God's House, that will not be done

They lied—the House of God will make you do that

until Kindir stands level with Hazram,

Until He razes Khandaq like Hazram.

أَو أَن يَرَوا جَبّارَها وَأَشاءَها

أَو أَن يَرَوا جَبّارَها وَأَشاءَها

يَعلو دُخانٌ فَوقَها وَسَعيرُ

يَعلو دُخانٌ فَوقَها وَسَعيرُ

or until they see its tall palms and young palms

Or until they see its Tyrant and Guardians

with smoke and blazing fire rising above them.

With smoke rising above it and hellfire.

هَل كُنتُمُ إِلّا دَوارِجَ حُشوَةً

هَل كُنتُمُ إِلّا دَوارِجَ حُشوَةً

دَفَعَت كَواهِلُ عَنكُمُ وَصُدورُ

دَفَعَت كَواهِلُ عَنكُمُ وَصُدورُ

Were you anything but lowly folk, a rabble,

Were you not Kharijites stuffed with nothing,

whom shoulders and chests defended?

Whose shoulders and chests thrust you away?

أَأَثالُ إِنَّكَ إِن تُطِع في هَذِهِ

أَأَثالُ إِنَّكَ إِن تُطِع في هَذِهِ

تُصبِح وَأَنتَ مُوَطَّأٌ مَكثورُ

تُصبِح وَأَنتَ مُوَطَّأٌ مَكثورُ

O Athal, surely, if you obey in this matter,

Beware! Obey in this and you’ll wake up

you will be trampled down and overwhelmed by numbers.

Humbled and amassed, covered in shame.