بَنو العَمِّ أَدنى الناسِ مِنّا قَرابَةً

بَنو العَمِّ أَدنى الناسِ مِنّا قَرابَةً

وَأَعظَمُ حَيٍّ في بَني مالِكٍ رِفدا

وَأَعظَمُ حَيٍّ في بَني مالِكٍ رِفدا

Our cousins are the people nearest to us in kinship,

The sons of my paternal uncle are the closest of people to me in kinship

And the greatest clan among the sons of Malik in giving aid.

And the greatest tribe alive among the children of Maalik in leadership

أَرى العِزَّ وَالأَحلامَ صارَت إِلَيهِمُ

أَرى العِزَّ وَالأَحلامَ صارَت إِلَيهِمُ

وَإِن ثَوَّبَ الداعي رَأَيتَهُمُ حُشدا

وَإِن ثَوَّبَ الداعي رَأَيتَهُمُ حُشدا

I see that glory and sound judgment have passed to them;

I see glory and dreams have turned to them

And if the caller repeats his summons, you see them massed.

And if the caller stirs, you see them as a host

أَجابوا ضِراراً إِذ دَعاهُم بِقُرَّحٍ

أَجابوا ضِراراً إِذ دَعاهُم بِقُرَّحٍ

وَمَصقولَةٍ كانَت لِآبائِهِم تُلدا

وَمَصقولَةٍ كانَت لِآبائِهِم تُلدا

They answered Dirar when he summoned them, with full-grown steeds,

They answered the call of Dhirar when he called them at Qurraḥ

And polished blades that their fathers held as heirlooms.

With burnished swords that were inherited from their fathers

وَكَرّوا حِفاظاً يَومَ شُعبَةَ بِالقَنا

وَكَرّوا حِفاظاً يَومَ شُعبَةَ بِالقَنا

فَكانَت لَهُم ما كانَ آخِرُهُم مَجدا

فَكانَت لَهُم ما كانَ آخِرُهُم مَجدا

And they charged with spears to defend their honor on the day of Shu'ba,

And they turned back watchfully on the day of Shu‘bah at al-Qanā

So it became their glory, enduring to the last of their line.

So their latecomer had the glory that he had

وَيَومَ وَكيعٍ إِذ دَعا يا لَمالِكٍ

وَيَومَ وَكيعٍ إِذ دَعا يا لَمالِكٍ

أَجابوا وَقَد خافَت كَتائِبُهُ الوِردا

أَجابوا وَقَد خافَت كَتائِبُهُ الوِردا

And on the day of Waki', when he cried, 'To the rescue, men of Malik!'

And the day of Wakī‘ when he called “O Maalik!”

They answered, though his battalions had feared entering the fray.

They answered while his battalions feared the roses

وَسَورَةُ قَد جادوا لَهُ بِدِمائِهِم

وَسَورَةُ قَد جادوا لَهُ بِدِمائِهِم

عَشِيَّةَ يَغشونَ الأَسِنَّةَ وَالصَعدا

عَشِيَّةَ يَغشونَ الأَسِنَّةَ وَالصَعدا

And for Sawra they indeed gave their blood freely,

And Sūrat whose blood they shed for him

That evening, as they faced spearheads and straight spears.

In the evening they cover hilltops and meadows

وَكَيفَ يَلومُ الناسُ أَن يَغضَبوا لَنا

وَكَيفَ يَلومُ الناسُ أَن يَغضَبوا لَنا

بَني العَمَّ وَالأَحلامَ قَد تَعطِفُ الوِدّا

بَني العَمَّ وَالأَحلامَ قَد تَعطِفُ الوِدّا

And how can people blame them for growing angry on our behalf—

How can people blame us for being angry for them

Our cousins—when sound judgment can foster affection?

The sons of my paternal uncle to whom friendliness inclines

وَأَصلُهُمُ أَصلي وَفِرعي إِلَيهِمُ

وَأَصلُهُمُ أَصلي وَفِرعي إِلَيهِمُ

وَقُدَّت سُيوري مِن أَديمِهِمُ قَدّا

وَقُدَّت سُيوري مِن أَديمِهِمُ قَدّا

And their root is my root, and my branch leads to them;

Their origin is my origin and my branches are to them

And my straps were cut lengthwise from their hide.

My sword-belts were braided from their leather