سُقْنا رُفَيْدَةَ حتى احتلّ أولُها

سُقْنا رُفَيْدَةَ حتى احتلّ أولُها

تَيْماءَ يُذْعرُ من سُلاّفِها حَدَدُ

تَيْماءَ يُذْعرُ من سُلاّفِها حَدَدُ

We drove Rufaydah until its foremost ranks settled

We marched on until its vanguard reached

We drove Rufaydah until their vanguard occupied Tayma, and Hadad was terrified by their forefront.

in Tayma; Hadad takes fright at its vanguard.

Tayma', while its cavalry fled from its clangor,

We marched towards them, though some among us were reluctant; yet often in the loathed thing is right guidance found.

سِرنا إليهم وفينا كارهون لنا

سِرنا إليهم وفينا كارهون لنا

وقد يصادَفُ في المكروهةِ الرَّشَدُ

وقد يصادَفُ في المكروهةِ الرَّشَدُ

We marched toward them, though some among us disliked us;

We advanced against them while they disliked us

Until we came upon Dhubyan in the forenoon; for thus, as was imagined, do we arrive.

yet sound judgment may be found in what is unwelcome.

And in that which is disliked there may chance right guidance,

حتى ورَدْنا على ذُبيانَ ضاحِيةً

حتى ورَدْنا على ذُبيانَ ضاحِيةً

إنّا كذاك على ما خيَّلتْ نَرِدُ

إنّا كذاك على ما خيَّلتْ نَرِدُ

Until we came upon Dhubyan in broad daylight;

Until we reached Dhubyan smiling openly.

indeed, thus we advance, whatever appearances may suggest.

Verily we do thus attain what we envisioned.