أرى المجدَ في حدِّ الحسام المصممِ

أرى المجدَ في حدِّ الحسام المصممِ

وسيرَ العُلا إثرَ الخميسِ العَرمرَمِ

وسيرَ العُلا إثرَ الخميسِ العَرمرَمِ

I see glory in the edge of the all-cleaving sword,

I see glory in the keenness of resolute swords,

And high honor marching in the wake of the mighty host.

And the path of excellence after the dust-covered army.

ومن جعل التدبير في الحربِ هَمّهُ

ومن جعل التدبير في الحربِ هَمّهُ

أذلت إليه كل دهياءَ صَيلَمِ

أذلت إليه كل دهياءَ صَيلَمِ

And whoever makes strategy in war his concern—

And whoever makes war his main concern,

Every devastating calamity yields to him.

Every cunning fox is subdued by him.

طغت أُمَمُ السودانِ طوعَ غُرورِها

طغت أُمَمُ السودانِ طوعَ غُرورِها

فَمِن مُنجدٍ في الغي منها ومُتهِم

فَمِن مُنجدٍ في الغي منها ومُتهِم

The peoples of Sudan overstepped all bounds, obeying their own conceit;

The nations of Sudan were haughty,

So some among them climbed error's highlands, and others descended to its lowlands.

So who could defend them in distress and who could blame them?

وأعيا على بأس الرجال انقيادُها

وأعيا على بأس الرجال انقيادُها

وعاشَ زماناً سَيفُها لم يُثَلَّمِ

وعاشَ زماناً سَيفُها لم يُثَلَّمِ

And bringing them to submission proved beyond the might of men,

The obedience of men to heroism had waned,

And for a time their sword lived on, unnotched.

And their swords had rusted from long disuse.

فلما دَهَاها بأسُ كُتشِنَرٍ عَنَت

فلما دَهَاها بأسُ كُتشِنَرٍ عَنَت

إِليه وأضحت مثلَ نهبٍ مُقَسّم

إِليه وأضحت مثلَ نهبٍ مُقَسّم

Then, when Kitchener's might overwhelmed them, they bowed

But when Kitchener's might humbled them,

To him, and became like plunder divided up.

They surrendered to him and became like divided booty.

تُطالعُه شُمُّ الجِبالِ فيرتَقِى

تُطالعُه شُمُّ الجِبالِ فيرتَقِى

ذُراها وأجوازَ الفلاةِ فَيَرتمي

ذُراها وأجوازَ الفلاةِ فَيَرتمي

The lofty mountains confront him, and he climbs

He surveys the peaks of mountains and scales them,

Their summits, then plunges into the desert's inner reaches.

And dives into the wilds and vast deserts.

فأعمَل تلك البيضَ في السّودِ فاكتسَوا

فأعمَل تلك البيضَ في السّودِ فاكتسَوا

جميعاً بُرُوداً قانِياتٍ من الدّم

جميعاً بُرُوداً قانِياتٍ من الدّم

Then he wielded those white blades against the Black people, and they were clad—

So make those whites bloody among the blacks,

One and all—in mantles deep crimson with blood.

And they will all don ruddy armor stained with blood.