أَلَستَ وَأَنتَ سَيفُ بَني تَميمٍ

أَلَستَ وَأَنتَ سَيفُ بَني تَميمٍ

لِجاري إِن أَجَرتُ تَكونُ جارا

لِجاري إِن أَجَرتُ تَكونُ جارا

Are you not, you who are the sword of Banu Tamim,

Are you not the sword of Banu Tamim

a protector to my charge if I grant him refuge?

To defend whoever seeks refuge, becoming their protector?

بَلى فَوَفى وَأَطلَقَ لي طَليقاً

بَلى فَوَفى وَأَطلَقَ لي طَليقاً

وَعَبدَ اللَهِ إِذ خَشِيا الإِسارا

وَعَبدَ اللَهِ إِذ خَشِيا الإِسارا

Yes—so he kept his pledge and released Taliq for me

Yes indeed, he fulfilled his promise and granted me freedom

and Abd Allah, when both feared captivity.

And worshipped Allah, fearing enslavement

وَقامَ مَقامَ أَروَعَ مازِنِيٍّ

وَقامَ مَقامَ أَروَعَ مازِنِيٍّ

فَأَمَّنَ مَن أَجَرتُ وَمَن أَجارا

فَأَمَّنَ مَن أَجَرتُ وَمَن أَجارا

And he stood in the place of a gallant man of Mazin,

And took a stance like the most honorable Ma’zini

so he made safe the one I sheltered and the one who gave shelter.

Securing those who sought refuge and those who gave refuge

وَما زِلتُم بَني حَكَمٍ كُفاةً

وَما زِلتُم بَني حَكَمٍ كُفاةً

لِقَومِكُمُ المُلِمّاتِ الكِبارا

لِقَومِكُمُ المُلِمّاتِ الكِبارا

And you, Banu Hakam, have always been capable protectors

And you Banu Hakim have never failed

of your people against great calamities.

To protect your people through troubles and trials

تُحَمِّلُكُم فَوادِحُها تَميمٌ

تُحَمِّلُكُم فَوادِحُها تَميمٌ

وَتورِدُكُم مَخاوِفُها الغِمارا

وَتورِدُكُم مَخاوِفُها الغِمارا

Tamim makes you bear her crushing burdens,

Tamim’s calamities weigh heavily upon you

and her perils plunge you into deep waters.

And its terrors rain down like clouds

وَتَعصِبُ أَمرَها بِكُمُ إِذا ما

وَتَعصِبُ أَمرَها بِكُمُ إِذا ما

شَرارُ الحَربِ هُيِّجَ فَاِستَطارا

شَرارُ الحَربِ هُيِّجَ فَاِستَطارا

And she binds her cause to you whenever

And you take responsibility for its affairs when

the sparks of war are stirred and fly far and wide.

The evils of war are stirred up and rage