لَحا اللَهُ لِحياناً فَلَيسَت دِمائُهُم

لَحا اللَهُ لِحياناً فَلَيسَت دِمائُهُم

لَنا مِن قَتيلي غَدرَةٍ بِوَفاءِ

لَنا مِن قَتيلي غَدرَةٍ بِوَفاءِ

May God curse Lihyan, for their blood is not

Lihyan were emboldened by God, but their blood

Full recompense to us for two men slain by treachery.

Does not atone for our slain, betrayed treacherously.

هُمُ قَتَلوا يَومَ الرَجيعِ اِبنَ حُرَّةٍ

هُمُ قَتَلوا يَومَ الرَجيعِ اِبنَ حُرَّةٍ

أَخا ثِقَةٍ في وُدِّهِ وَصَفاءِ

أَخا ثِقَةٍ في وُدِّهِ وَصَفاءِ

They killed, on the day of al-Raji', the son of a free woman,

They killed Ibn Hurra on the Day of Raji‘,

A man of trust and sincerity in his affection.

A brother of trust and pure loyalty.

فَلَو قُتِلوا يَومَ الرَجيعِ بِأَسرِهِم

فَلَو قُتِلوا يَومَ الرَجيعِ بِأَسرِهِم

بِذي الدَبرِ ما كانوا لَهُ بِكَفاءِ

بِذي الدَبرِ ما كانوا لَهُ بِكَفاءِ

So had they all been slain on the day of al-Raji',

Had they all been killed on the Day of Raji‘

In requital for the man of the bees, they would not have equaled him.

By Dhu l-Dibri they'd not equal him in worth.

قَتيلٌ حَمَتهُ الدَبرُ حَولَ بُيوتِهِم

قَتيلٌ حَمَتهُ الدَبرُ حَولَ بُيوتِهِم

لَدى أَهلِ كُفرٍ ظاهِرٍ وَخَفاءِ

لَدى أَهلِ كُفرٍ ظاهِرٍ وَخَفاءِ

A slain man whom the bees protected around their dwellings,

A slain man whose death Dhu l-Dibri avenged

Among people of open and hidden unbelief.

At the homes of the faithless, overt and covert.

فَقَد قَتَلَت لِحيانُ أَكرَمَ مِنهُمُ

فَقَد قَتَلَت لِحيانُ أَكرَمَ مِنهُمُ

وَباعوا خُبَيباً بَعدَهُ بِلَفاءِ

وَباعوا خُبَيباً بَعدَهُ بِلَفاءِ

For Lihyan has indeed killed one nobler than themselves,

Lihyan killed one nobler than themselves

And afterward they sold Khubayb for a pittance.

And sold Khubyab after him for a pittance.

فَأُفٍّ لِلِحيانٍ عَلى كُلِّ حالَةٍ

فَأُفٍّ لِلِحيانٍ عَلى كُلِّ حالَةٍ

فَذِكرُهُمُ في الذِكرِ شَرُّ ثَناءِ

فَذِكرُهُمُ في الذِكرِ شَرُّ ثَناءِ

So fie on Lihyan in every circumstance!

Curse Lihyan in any circumstance!

For whenever they are mentioned, theirs is the worst repute.

To name them is worst praise in any mention.

قُبَيِّلَةٌ بِالغَدرِ وَاللُؤمِ تَعتَزي

قُبَيِّلَةٌ بِالغَدرِ وَاللُؤمِ تَعتَزي

فَلَم تُمسِ يَخفى لُؤمُهُم بِخَفاءِ

فَلَم تُمسِ يَخفى لُؤمُهُم بِخَفاءِ

A petty tribe that boasts of treachery and baseness,

A tribe arrogating treachery and baseness

So their baseness never became hidden by any concealment.

Whose baseness stealth does not conceal.

وَإِن قُتِلوا لَم توفِ مِنهُم دِمائُهُم

وَإِن قُتِلوا لَم توفِ مِنهُم دِمائُهُم

بَلى إِنَّ قَتلَ القاتِلينَ شِفائي

بَلى إِنَّ قَتلَ القاتِلينَ شِفائي

And even if they were killed, their blood would not make full amends.

If they are killed, their blood will not

Yes—killing the killers is indeed my cure.

Avenge us. No, slaying the killers cures me.

فَإِن لا أَمُت أَذعَر هُذَيلاً بِغارَةٍ

فَإِن لا أَمُت أَذعَر هُذَيلاً بِغارَةٍ

كَغادي الجِهامِ المُغتَدي بِإِفاءِ

كَغادي الجِهامِ المُغتَدي بِإِفاءِ

So if I do not die, I will terrify Hudhayl with a raid,

If I do not raid Hudhayl with a daring raid,

Like rainless clouds moving at dawn over Ifa'.

Like a warrior plunging with courage into the fray,

بِأَمرِ رَسولِ اللَهِ وَالأَمرُ أَمرُهُ

بِأَمرِ رَسولِ اللَهِ وَالأَمرُ أَمرُهُ

يُهيبُ لِلِحيانَ الخَنا بِفَناءِ

يُهيبُ لِلِحيانَ الخَنا بِفَناءِ

At the command of God's Messenger—and the command is his—

By the Messenger of God's command—his command

He calls for the annihilation of vile Lihyan.

Makes coward Lihyan tremble with destruction,

فَيُصبِحُ قَومٌ بِالرَجيعِ كَأَنَّهُم

فَيُصبِحُ قَومٌ بِالرَجيعِ كَأَنَّهُم

جِداءُ تُيوسٍ هُنَّ غَيرُ دِفاءِ

جِداءُ تُيوسٍ هُنَّ غَيرُ دِفاءِ

Then at dawn a people at al-Raji' will be as though they were

They will face the Day of Raji‘ as though they are

Kids of billy goats—they have no long, curved horns.

Fox skins with no fur, devoid of any warmth.