أَلَم تَذكُروا يا آلَ مَروانَ نِعمَةً

أَلَم تَذكُروا يا آلَ مَروانَ نِعمَةً

لِمَروانَ عِندي مِثلُها يَحقُنُ الدَما

لِمَروانَ عِندي مِثلُها يَحقُنُ الدَما

Have you not recalled, O house of Marwan, a kindness

O clan of Marwan, do you not remember the favor

Marwan showed me, whose like keeps blood from spilling?

That Marwan did for me, similar to which blood was staunched?

بِها كانَ عَنّي رَدُّ مَروانُ إِذ دَعا

بِها كانَ عَنّي رَدُّ مَروانُ إِذ دَعا

عَلَيَّ زِياداً بَعدَما كانَ أَقسَما

عَلَيَّ زِياداً بَعدَما كانَ أَقسَما

Through it Marwan warded harm off me, when a summons brought

By it Marwan held me back when he prayed

Ziyad against me, after he had sworn

Against Ziyad after he had sworn

لِيَقتَطِعَن حَرفَي لِساني الَّذي بِهِ

لِيَقتَطِعَن حَرفَي لِساني الَّذي بِهِ

لِخِندِفَ أَرمي عَنهُمُ مَن تَكَلَّما

لِخِندِفَ أَرمي عَنهُمُ مَن تَكَلَّما

To sever both edges of my tongue, with which

To cut off my two lips, by which

For Khindif, I strike at whoever speaks against them.

I cast at Khindif those who spoke.

وَكُنتُ إِلى مَروانَ أَسعى إِذا جَنى

وَكُنتُ إِلى مَروانَ أَسعى إِذا جَنى

عَلَيَّ لِساني بَعدَما كانَ أَجرَما

عَلَيَّ لِساني بَعدَما كانَ أَجرَما

And I would hasten to Marwan whenever harm was brought

And I would run to Marwan when my tongue

Upon me by my tongue, after it had offended.

Wronged me after it had committed crimes.

وَما باتَ جارٌ عِندَ مَروانَ خائِفاً

وَما باتَ جارٌ عِندَ مَروانَ خائِفاً

وَلَو كانَ مِمَّن يَتَّقي كانَ أَظلَما

وَلَو كانَ مِمَّن يَتَّقي كانَ أَظلَما

And no guest under Marwan's protection spent the night afraid,

No neighbor spent the night in fear of Marwan

Even if he was more unjust than those he feared.

Even if he were one who feared - he would be most unjust.

يَعُدّونَ لِلجارِ التَلاءِ إِذا اِلتَوى

يَعُدّونَ لِلجارِ التَلاءِ إِذا اِلتَوى

إِلى أَيِّ أَقتارِ البَرِيَّةِ يَمَّما

إِلى أَيِّ أَقتارِ البَرِيَّةِ يَمَّما

They count their pledge to their guest binding, if he turns aside

They prepare a refuge for the neighbor if he turns

Toward whatever corner of the wilderness he sets his course.

To whichever outskirts of the open country he desires.

وَقَد عَلِموا ما كانَ مَروانُ يَنتَهي

وَقَد عَلِموا ما كانَ مَروانُ يَنتَهي

إِذا دَأَبَ الأَقوامُ حَتّى تُحَكَّما

إِذا دَأَبَ الأَقوامُ حَتّى تُحَكَّما

And they knew that Marwan would not desist

And they knew that Marwan would not overstep

When the peoples toiled, until you were given authority.

When the tribes persisted until matters were judged.

وَأَيَّ مُجيرٍ بَعدَ مَروانَ أَبتَغي

وَأَيَّ مُجيرٍ بَعدَ مَروانَ أَبتَغي

لِنَفسِيَ أَو حَبلٍ لَهُ حينَ أَجرَما

لِنَفسِيَ أَو حَبلٍ لَهُ حينَ أَجرَما

And what protector after Marwan shall I seek

And which protector after Marwan could I seek

For myself, or what rope for my tongue when it offended?

For myself or a rope for him when I sinned?

وَلَم تَرَ حَبلاً مِثلَ حَبلٍ أَخَذتُهُ

وَلَم تَرَ حَبلاً مِثلَ حَبلٍ أَخَذتُهُ

كَمَروانَ أَنجى لِلمُنادي وَأَعصَما

كَمَروانَ أَنجى لِلمُنادي وَأَعصَما

And you have never seen a rope like the one I grasped—

And you have not seen a rope like the rope I took -

Marwan—a surer rescue for the caller, a stronger safeguard.

Like Marwan - which saved the petitioner and protected.

وَلا جارَ إِلّا اللَهُ إِذ حالَ دونَهُ

وَلا جارَ إِلّا اللَهُ إِذ حالَ دونَهُ

كَمَروانَ أَوفى لِلجِوارِ وَأَكرَما

كَمَروانَ أَوفى لِلجِوارِ وَأَكرَما

Nor any protector, save God, when standing in his defense,

And no neighbor but Allah when he came between him

More faithful to sanctuary or more generous than Marwan.

And Marwan, who fulfilled the duty of a neighbor and honored.

فَلا تُسلِموني آلَ مَروانَ لِلَّتي

فَلا تُسلِموني آلَ مَروانَ لِلَّتي

أَخافُ بِها قَعرَ الرَكِيَّةِ وَالفَما

أَخافُ بِها قَعرَ الرَكِيَّةِ وَالفَما

So do not surrender me, house of Marwan, to that plight

So do not hand me over, O clan of Marwan, to her

In which I fear the well's bottom and its mouth.

Whom I fear the depth of the well and the mouth.

وَلا تورِدوني آلَ مَروانَ هُوَّةً

وَلا تورِدوني آلَ مَروانَ هُوَّةً

أَخافُ بِجاري رَحلِكُم أَن تُهَدَّما

أَخافُ بِجاري رَحلِكُم أَن تُهَدَّما

And do not lead me, house of Marwan, into an abyss

And do not lead me, O clan of Marwan, to a pit

Where I fear collapse by the two sides of your encampment.

Which I fear with my neighbor your saddles will demolish.

وَمِن أَينَ يَخشى جارُ مَروانَ بَعدَما

وَمِن أَينَ يَخشى جارُ مَروانَ بَعدَما

أَناخَ وَحَلَّ الرَحلُ لَمّا تَقَدَّما

أَناخَ وَحَلَّ الرَحلُ لَمّا تَقَدَّما

And whence should Marwan's guest fear harm, once

And how can a neighbor fear Marwan after

He has made his mount kneel and unfastened the saddle on arriving?

He has halted and the saddlebags when he went ahead?

وَمِن أَينَ يَخشى جارُكُم وَالحَصى لَكُم

وَمِن أَينَ يَخشى جارُكُم وَالحَصى لَكُم

إِذا خِندِفٌ هَزّوا الوَشيجَ المُقَوَّما

إِذا خِندِفٌ هَزّوا الوَشيجَ المُقَوَّما

And whence should your guest fear harm, with the pebbles on your side,

And how can your neighbor fear while the pebbles are yours

When Khindif brandish the straightened spear-shafts?

When Khindif you brandished the straightened stallion?