لَقَد فَرَّ الرَعيل وَمَن يَقودُ

لَقَد فَرَّ الرَعيل وَمَن يَقودُ

وَما نَفَع الدلاص وَلا الحَديدُ

وَما نَفَع الدلاص وَلا الحَديدُ

Indeed, the vanguard has fled, along with its leader.

The allies have fled, and their leader too,

And neither polished mail nor iron availed them.

Of no use were their coats of mail or their swords.

وَخابَ رَجاؤُهُم فيما اِبتَغوه

وَخابَ رَجاؤُهُم فيما اِبتَغوه

وَأَصلَح شَأَنكَ الرَأي السَديد

وَأَصلَح شَأَنكَ الرَأي السَديد

And their hope for what they sought was dashed.

Their hopes for what they sought have failed,

And sound judgment set your affairs right.

While your wise judgement has set things right.

فَلا يُغررك زَحفَهُم عَلَينا

فَلا يُغررك زَحفَهُم عَلَينا

فَكَهلهم سَواءٌ وَالوَليد

فَكَهلهم سَواءٌ وَالوَليد

So do not let their advance against us deceive you:

Let not their advance upon us deceive you -

Their grown men and newborns are alike.

Old and young are equal to them.

كِبارٌ في العُيون صِغار حَزم

كِبارٌ في العُيون صِغار حَزم

سُروجَهُم لَدى الهَيجا مُهود

سُروجَهُم لَدى الهَيجا مُهود

Large to the eye, but small in resolve;

Grown men with childish resolve,

Their saddles in battle are cradles.

Their saddles lie discarded in the fray.

يُظنون المُنون لَها جَناح

يُظنون المُنون لَها جَناح

تَطير بِهِ إِذا خَفق البُنود

تَطير بِهِ إِذا خَفق البُنود

They think that death has a wing,

They think death has wings

With which it flies when the banners flutter.

That will lift her when the banners shake.

وَما سَمَعوا صَليل ظِباك إِلّا

وَما سَمَعوا صَليل ظِباك إِلّا

تَصافَحَت النَواصي وَالصَعيد

تَصافَحَت النَواصي وَالصَعيد

And no sooner did they hear the ring of your blades

But they never heard the clash of your swords,

Than their forelocks shook hands with the ground.

Except when the hilltops and ground met.

سَرَيت تَظلك العُقبان فيهُم

سَرَيت تَظلك العُقبان فيهُم

وَتَحتَ رَكابِكَ إِزدَحَم الأُسود

وَتَحتَ رَكابِكَ إِزدَحَم الأُسود

You marched among them by night, eagles shading you,

You crept upon them as vultures do,

And beneath your stirrup the lions thronged.

And under your feet the lions swarmed.

وَكُلُ شاكِرٍ صُنع الأَيادي

وَكُلُ شاكِرٍ صُنع الأَيادي

وَما فَعل الصَوارم وَالجُنود

وَما فَعل الصَوارم وَالجُنود

And all are grateful for the work of hands,

Every thankful being extols what hands have made,

And for what the keen swords and troops have done.

Not what swords and soldiers have done.

فَرِفقاً أَيُّها المَولى قَليلاً

فَرِفقاً أَيُّها المَولى قَليلاً

فَإِن القَوم كُلَهُم عَبيدُ

فَإِن القَوم كُلَهُم عَبيدُ

So show a little gentleness, O master,

So go gently, my lord, just a little,

For those people are all slaves.

For these people are all your slaves.

وَنَزه مِن دِمائَهُم سُيوفاً

وَنَزه مِن دِمائَهُم سُيوفاً

بِهامات المُلوك لَها غُمود

بِهامات المُلوك لَها غُمود

And keep swords unsullied by their blood,

Keep your blades unsullied by their blood,

Whose sheaths lie in the heads of kings.

Their hilts are fit for kings' palms.

كَفى تَقطيب وَجهك مِن مُبيد

كَفى تَقطيب وَجهك مِن مُبيد

يَذوب مَهابة مِنهُ الجَليد

يَذوب مَهابة مِنهُ الجَليد

The frown upon your face is destroyer enough;

Your scowling face is enough to melt them,

Ice melts in awe of it.

And the frozen flee in terror from it.

بَني ذَهل رَجَعتُم بَعدَ عزّ

بَني ذَهل رَجَعتُم بَعدَ عزّ

وَعَيشكَم المَذَلة وَالخُمود

وَعَيشكَم المَذَلة وَالخُمود

O sons of Dhahl, you have returned after glory,

O clan of Dhahal, after glory you have returned degraded,

And your life is abasement and obscurity.

Accustomed to disgrace and submission.

فَلا زِلتُم كَما شاءَ المَواضي

فَلا زِلتُم كَما شاءَ المَواضي

وَلا زالَ الأَمير كَما بَريد

وَلا زالَ الأَمير كَما بَريد

So may you ever remain as the keen blades have willed,

You remain as the fates desired,

And may the prince ever remain as he wishes.

While the prince remains resolute.