أَنتُم فَرَرتُم يَومَ عَدوَةِ مازِنٍ

أَنتُم فَرَرتُم يَومَ عَدوَةِ مازِنٍ

وَقَد هَشَموا أَنفَ الحُتاةِ عَلى عَمدِ

وَقَد هَشَموا أَنفَ الحُتاةِ عَلى عَمدِ

You fled on the day of Mazin’s assault,

You fled the day of the battle of Mazin

when they had deliberately smashed al-Hutah’s nose.

When they broke the noses of the cowards deliberately

هُمُ مَهَّدوهُ رَجعَهُ بَعدَ رَثمِهِ

هُمُ مَهَّدوهُ رَجعَهُ بَعدَ رَثمِهِ

وَأَنتُم شُهودٌ مُعصِمونَ عَلى حَردِ

وَأَنتُم شُهودٌ مُعصِمونَ عَلى حَردِ

They smoothed it, restoring it after breaking it,

They paved the way for his return after his weakness

while you stood watching, clinging to your anger.

While you are witnesses, protected for no reason

تَمَنَّونَ دَولاتِ الزَمانِ وَصَرفَهُ

تَمَنَّونَ دَولاتِ الزَمانِ وَصَرفَهُ

إِذا ضاقَ مِنكُم مَطلَعُ الوِردِ بِالوِردِ

إِذا ضاقَ مِنكُم مَطلَعُ الوِردِ بِالوِردِ

You long for time’s changes and its reversals,

You wish for the fortunes of time and its twists and turns

when the approach to water is choked by your throng of water-seekers.

When the rose's horizon is too narrow for the rose

وَتَدعونَ ماروكاً أَبا العَمِّ ناصِراً

وَتَدعونَ ماروكاً أَبا العَمِّ ناصِراً

عَلَيهِم إِذا ما أَعصَمَ الوَغدُ بِالوَغدِ

عَلَيهِم إِذا ما أَعصَمَ الوَغدُ بِالوَغدِ

And you call on Maruk, Abu al-ʿAmm, for aid

And you call on Marouk Abu Al-Amm as a supporter

against them, whenever one scoundrel clings to another.

Against them when the morrow protects the morrow

فَلَم تُدرِكوا بِالعَمِّ ثَأراً وَلَم يَكُن

فَلَم تُدرِكوا بِالعَمِّ ثَأراً وَلَم يَكُن

لِيُدرَكَ ثَأرٌ بِالتَنابِلَةِ القُفدِ

لِيُدرَكَ ثَأرٌ بِالتَنابِلَةِ القُفدِ

So you gained no vengeance through the uncle, nor was

But you did not attain vengeance through the uncle

vengeance to be gained through squat, crooked-footed men.

Nor can vengeance be attained with tricks and wiles