أَنتَ الَّذي عَنّا بِلالُ دَفَعتَهُ

أَنتَ الَّذي عَنّا بِلالُ دَفَعتَهُ

وَنَحنُ نَخافُ مُهلِكاتِ المَتالِفِ

وَنَحنُ نَخافُ مُهلِكاتِ المَتالِفِ

You are the one, Bilal, who warded it off from us,

You are the one who drove away our adversity,

while we feared the deadly perils of ruin.

While we fear the destructive events of time.

أَخَذنا بِحَبلٍ ما نَخافُ اِنقِطاعَهُ

أَخَذنا بِحَبلٍ ما نَخافُ اِنقِطاعَهُ

إِلى مُشرِفٍ أَركانُهُ مُتَقاذِفِ

إِلى مُشرِفٍ أَركانُهُ مُتَقاذِفِ

We grasped a rope whose breaking we do not fear,

We have held onto a rope whose end we do not fear,

leading to a lofty height whose pillars stand far apart.

To a noble one whose pillars are lofty.

وَلَم تَرَ مِثلَ الأَشعَرِيِّ إِذا رَمى

وَلَم تَرَ مِثلَ الأَشعَرِيِّ إِذا رَمى

بِحَبلٍ إِلى الكَفَّينِ جاراً لِخائِفِ

بِحَبلٍ إِلى الكَفَّينِ جاراً لِخائِفِ

And never have you seen al-Ash'ari's equal when he casts

You have not seen the likes of Al-Ash`ari when he shoots

a rope toward both hands—a protector for one afraid.

A rope towards two palms to a frightened one.

هُوَ المانِعُ الجيرانِ وَالمُعجِلُ القِرى

هُوَ المانِعُ الجيرانِ وَالمُعجِلُ القِرى

وَيَحفَظُ لِلإِسلامِ ما في المَصاحِفِ

وَيَحفَظُ لِلإِسلامِ ما في المَصاحِفِ

He protects his neighbors and hastens the guests' meal,

He prevents harm from the neighbors and hastens aid to others,

and safeguards for Islam what the copies of the Qur'an contain.

And he protects what is in the scriptures for Islam.

أَرى إِبِلي مِمّا تَحِنُّ خِيارُها

أَرى إِبِلي مِمّا تَحِنُّ خِيارُها

إِذا عَلِقَت أَقرانُها بِالسَوالِفِ

إِذا عَلِقَت أَقرانُها بِالسَوالِفِ

I see my camels among those whose finest moan

I see my camels - the best of them yearn

when their tethers are fastened about their necks.

When their strings are tied to the tent poles.

بِها يُحقَنُ التامورُ إِن كانَ واجِباً

بِها يُحقَنُ التامورُ إِن كانَ واجِباً

وَيَرقَأُ تَوكافُ العُيونِ الذَوارِفِ

وَيَرقَأُ تَوكافُ العُيونِ الذَوارِفِ

Through them lifeblood is spared, even if its shedding is due,

With them lethal blows are warded if it is necessary

and the streaming of tearful eyes is stilled.

And the deep pools of eyes that shed many tears are cooled.

وَإِنّا دَعَونا اللَهَ إِذ نَزَلَت بِنا

وَإِنّا دَعَونا اللَهَ إِذ نَزَلَت بِنا

مُجَلِّلَةً إِحدى اللَيالي الخَوائِفِ

مُجَلِّلَةً إِحدى اللَيالي الخَوائِفِ

And indeed we called upon God when there descended upon us

We prayed to God when there descended upon us

one of those fearsome, all-enveloping nights.

A night of covered darkness.

فَسَلَّ بِلالٌ دونَنا السَيفَ لِلقِرى

فَسَلَّ بِلالٌ دونَنا السَيفَ لِلقِرى

عَلى عُبُطِ الكومِ الجِلادِ العَلايِفِ

عَلى عُبُطِ الكومِ الجِلادِ العَلايِفِ

Then Bilal drew the sword on our behalf, to feed the guests,

So Bilal unsheathed his sword for the enemy,

upon healthy, high-humped she-camels, sturdy and fodder-fed.

Against the stupidity of the mound, the smooth-faced executioner.

رَأَيتُ بِلالاً يَشتَري بِتِلادِهِ

رَأَيتُ بِلالاً يَشتَري بِتِلادِهِ

وَبِالسَيفِ خَلّاتِ الكِرامِ الغَطارِفِ

وَبِالسَيفِ خَلّاتِ الكِرامِ الغَطارِفِ

I saw Bilal purchasing with his long-held wealth

I saw Bilal buying with his charges,

and with the sword the virtues of generous, noble lords.

And with the sword the best of the generous and quick to help.

ثَنَت مُضمِراتٌ مِن بِلالٍ قُلوبَنا

ثَنَت مُضمِراتٌ مِن بِلالٍ قُلوبَنا

إِلى مُنكَرِ النَكراءِ لِلحَقِّ عارِفِ

إِلى مُنكَرِ النَكراءِ لِلحَقِّ عارِفِ

Trained steeds from Bilal turned our hearts

From Bilal actions that secretly twisted our hearts

toward one who rejects evil and knows what is right.

To the denier of favors - knowledgeable of the truth.