أَبَعدَ بُشرٍ أَسيراً في بُيوتهم

أَبَعدَ بُشرٍ أَسيراً في بُيوتهم

يَرجو الخَفارَةَ مِنّي آلُ ظَلّامِ

يَرجو الخَفارَةَ مِنّي آلُ ظَلّامِ

After Bushr was held captive in their houses,

A captive beyond hope in their dwellings,

does the clan of Ẓallām hope for protection from me?

Seeking mercy from me, O tribes of darkness!

فَلَن أُصالِحهُم ما دُمتُ ذا فَرَسٍ

فَلَن أُصالِحهُم ما دُمتُ ذا فَرَسٍ

وَاشتَدَ قَبضاً عَلى السَيلانِ إِبهامي

وَاشتَدَ قَبضاً عَلى السَيلانِ إِبهامي

So I will not make peace with them while I have a horse,

Never shall I make peace with them while I have a horse,

and my thumb keeps a firm grip on the sword’s tang.

And a firm grip clasps the hilt of my blade.

فَإِنَّما الناسُ ياللَهِ أُمُهُمُ

فَإِنَّما الناسُ ياللَهِ أُمُهُمُ

أَكائِلُ الطَير أَو حَشوٌ لِأَرجامِ

أَكائِلُ الطَير أَو حَشوٌ لِأَرجامِ

For people—God bless their mother!—are only

People are but flocks, O Lord, led to slaughter,

food for birds or filling for burial cairns.

Carrion for wild beasts or stuffing for arrows.

هُم يَهلَكونَ وَيَبقى بَعدُ ما صَنَعوا

هُم يَهلَكونَ وَيَبقى بَعدُ ما صَنَعوا

كَأَنَّ آثارَهُم خُطَّت بِأَقلامِ

كَأَنَّ آثارَهُم خُطَّت بِأَقلامِ

They perish, and what they have done remains afterward,

They perish while their deeds remain

as though their traces were inscribed with pens.

As though traced by pens on parchment.

تَعدو الذِئابُ عَلى من لا كِلابَ لَهُ

تَعدو الذِئابُ عَلى من لا كِلابَ لَهُ

وَتَتَقي مَربَضَ المُستَنفِرِ الحامِيِ

وَتَتَقي مَربَضَ المُستَنفِرِ الحامِيِ

Wolves attack whoever has no dogs,

Wolves prey on him who is without dogs,

and avoid the lair of the defender who drives them off.

And shun the lair of the watchful protector.