تعزَّوا يابني حرب بصبر

تعزَّوا يابني حرب بصبر

فمن هذا الذي يرجوا الخلودا

فمن هذا الذي يرجوا الخلودا

Console yourselves, O sons of Harb, with patience.

Be patient, O sons of war with fortitude

For who is there who hopes for immortality?

For who is this who hopes for immortality

لعمرو مناخهنَّ ببطن جمع

لعمرو مناخهنَّ ببطن جمع

لقد جهَّزتم ميتا فقيدا

لقد جهَّزتم ميتا فقيدا

By the life of their halting-place in the hollow of Jamʿ,

The days have made their homes in the belly of evil

indeed, you have prepared for burial a dead man sorely missed.

You have prepared a dead man, a loss

لقد وارى قليبكم بياناً

لقد وارى قليبكم بياناً

وحلماً لا كفاء له وجودا

وحلماً لا كفاء له وجودا

Indeed, your grave-pit has concealed eloquence,

Your hearts have been filled with eloquence

and forbearance beyond compare, and generosity.

And dreams no equal existence can match

وجدناه بغيضاَ في الأعادي

وجدناه بغيضاَ في الأعادي

حبيباً في رعيَّته حميدا

حبيباً في رعيَّته حميدا

We found him hated among his enemies,

We found him hateful to the enemies

beloved among his subjects, worthy of praise.

Beloved to his people, praiseworthy

أميناً مؤمناً لم يقض أمراً

أميناً مؤمناً لم يقض أمراً

فيوجد غبُّه إِلا رشيدا

فيوجد غبُّه إِلا رشيدا

Trustworthy, a believer, he never decided a matter

A trustee, a true believer, he did not decide a matter

whose outcome proved anything but sound.

Except his absence was only wise

إماماً لا يجور كأنَّ فينا

إماماً لا يجور كأنَّ فينا

به الصديقَ أوعمر الشهيدا

به الصديقَ أوعمر الشهيدا

An imam who never acted unjustly, as though among us

An imam who does not oppress, as if among us

stood, in his person, al-Siddiq or Umar the martyr.

Was As-Siddiq or Umar the martyr

يجود لهم بماملكت يداه

يجود لهم بماملكت يداه

ويغفر ذنبهم إلا الحدودا

ويغفر ذنبهم إلا الحدودا

He gives them generously whatever his hands possess,

He gives them generously what his hands possess

and forgives their sins, except those carrying prescribed penalties.

And forgives their sins except the penal codes

يجود لهم بما ملكت يداه

يجود لهم بما ملكت يداه

ويغفر ذنبهم إلا الحدودا

ويغفر ذنبهم إلا الحدودا

He gives them generously whatever his hands possess,

He gives them generously what his hands possess

and forgives their sins, except those carrying prescribed penalties.

And forgives their sins except the penal codes

فقد أضحى العدو رخيَّ بال

فقد أضحى العدو رخيَّ بال

وقد أمسى التقيُّ بها عميدا

وقد أمسى التقيُّ بها عميدا

For the enemy now rests easy,

So the enemy has become submissive

while the pious man is now grief-stricken because of it.

And the righteous through him became a pillar

فعاض الله أهل الدين منكم

فعاض الله أهل الدين منكم

وردَّ لنا خلافتكم جديدا

وردَّ لنا خلافتكم جديدا

So may God grant the people of faith a replacement from among you,

So may Allah make the people of religion among you prevail

and restore your caliphate to us anew,

And restore your caliphate to be new

مجانبة المحاق وكلَّ نحسٍ

مجانبة المحاق وكلَّ نحسٍ

مقارنة الأيامن والسعودا

مقارنة الأيامن والسعودا

keeping clear of waning and every ill omen,

Keep company with good omens and prosperity

joined to auspicious signs and good fortune.

And avoid bad omens and ill fate

خلافة ربكم حاموا عليها

خلافة ربكم حاموا عليها

إذا غمزت خُنَابسة أسودا

إذا غمزت خُنَابسة أسودا

Your Lord's caliphate—stand guard over it,

Protect the caliphate of your Lord

when fierce lions challenge lions.

When the evildoers plot against the blessed

تعلّمها الكهول المردَ حتّى

تعلّمها الكهول المردَ حتّى

تَذِلَّ به الأكفُّ وتستقيدا

تَذِلَّ به الأكفُّ وتستقيدا

The elders teach it to the beardless youths, until

Teach it to the elders and the youth alike

the hands grow docile through it and submit.

So that the weak and the strong may adhere to it

إذا ما قام ذو ثقةٍ تلقَّت

إذا ما قام ذو ثقةٍ تلقَّت

أخا ثقةٍ بها صَنَعاً مجيدا

أخا ثقةٍ بها صَنَعاً مجيدا

Whenever a trustworthy man arose, it welcomed

If one with confidence arises, he will be met

a man of trust, skilled and accomplished in it.

By a brother with confidence, performing glorious deeds

تلقَّفها يزيد عن أبيه

تلقَّفها يزيد عن أبيه

وخذها يا معاوي عن يزيدا

وخذها يا معاوي عن يزيدا

Yazid caught it from his father,

Taken by Yazid from his father

and take it, O Muawiya, from Yazid.

And take it, O Mu'awiya, from Yazid

فإن عرفت لكم فتلقفوها

فإن عرفت لكم فتلقفوها

ولا ترموا بها الغرض البعيدا

ولا ترموا بها الغرض البعيدا

If it is recognized as yours, then catch it,

So if you recognize it for yourselves, then take it

and do not throw it at a distant target.

And do not cast the purpose far away

فإنَّ دنياكم بكم استقرَّت

فإنَّ دنياكم بكم استقرَّت

فأولوا أهلها خلقاً سديدا

فأولوا أهلها خلقاً سديدا

For your world has found stability through you,

For your world through you has settled

so show its people upright conduct.

Then treat its people with guidance

وإن ضجرت عليكم فاعصبوها

وإن ضجرت عليكم فاعصبوها

عصاباً تُستَدَر به شديدا

عصاباً تُستَدَر به شديدا

And if it grows restive against you, bind it

And if it wearies you, then gather it

with a tight binding by which it is made to yield milk.

With a bond that can control the severe