حدّث عَن العُرب حتىّ تطربَ العَجَمُ

حدّث عَن العُرب حتىّ تطربَ العَجَمُ

سَمعاً وَيسمعَ مَن في اذنهِ صممُ

سَمعاً وَيسمعَ مَن في اذنهِ صممُ

Speak of the Arabs until the non-Arabs delight

Speak of the Arabs until the non-Arabs are enraptured

In listening, and even one whose ear is deaf hears.

Listening, even those deaf hear of their valor

مَهما تكرَّر لهم ذكراً يَزِد طَرَباً

مَهما تكرَّر لهم ذكراً يَزِد طَرَباً

كَما تَزيد اذا كرَّرتها الكَلِمُ

كَما تَزيد اذا كرَّرتها الكَلِمُ

Whenever you repeat mention of them, delight grows,

However much their mention is repeated, it increases their zeal

Just as words increase when you repeat them.

As words gain power when reiterated as diction

ما مثلهُم في الوغى الّا سيوفُهُم

ما مثلهُم في الوغى الّا سيوفُهُم

كَلّا ولا مثلها الّا أَكفُّهُمُ

كَلّا ولا مثلها الّا أَكفُّهُمُ

None are their equals in battle except their swords;

None can match them in the fray but their blades

Nay—and nothing equals those swords but their hands.

Nay, none equal their skill but their hands

راموا العَلآءَ فَنالوا فوق ما طلبوا

راموا العَلآءَ فَنالوا فوق ما طلبوا

وَطالَما قصَّرت بالطالب الهممُ

وَطالَما قصَّرت بالطالب الهممُ

They sought eminence and attained more than they sought,

They sought greatness and gained more than they asked

And how often aspirations have failed the seeker!

While those with lesser ambitions always fall short

فَمَن يخافُ أَذاهم لا يُقاربهُم

فَمَن يخافُ أَذاهم لا يُقاربهُم

وَمَن يُداني حماهم لا يَخافُهُمُ

وَمَن يُداني حماهم لا يَخافُهُمُ

So whoever fears their harm does not approach them,

Whoever fears their wrath avoids their company

And whoever draws near their sanctuary does not fear them.

Whoever enjoys their protection has nought to dread

فالمَجدُ صار حَقيراً بعد مجدهمِ

فالمَجدُ صار حَقيراً بعد مجدهمِ

وَالسيف وَالرمح وَالقرطاسُ وَالقَلَمُ

وَالسيف وَالرمح وَالقرطاسُ وَالقَلَمُ

For glory became paltry after their glory,

Glory itself seems paltry after their glory

And the sword, the spear, the paper, and the pen.

Sword, spear, pen and paper their instruments be

يا حبَّذا حسن ايامٍ لهم سلفت

يا حبَّذا حسن ايامٍ لهم سلفت

وَحَبَذا تلكُمُ الاطلالُ والخيَمُ

وَحَبَذا تلكُمُ الاطلالُ والخيَمُ

Ah, how delightful the beauty of their bygone days,

How blessed were the days of their past that went by

And how delightful those ruins and tents!

How splendid their ruins and tents that still lie

كَمِ اِشتَهينا لَو أَنّا بينهم قِدَماً

كَمِ اِشتَهينا لَو أَنّا بينهم قِدَماً

حَتىّ أُعيد الينا ذلك القِدَمُ

حَتىّ أُعيد الينا ذلك القِدَمُ

How often we longed to have been among them long ago,

How we yearn to tread where once they had been

Until that ancient past was restored to us—

And follow in the steps where their feet walked in

روايةٌ شخِّصوا فيها فَلوا حضروا

روايةٌ شخِّصوا فيها فَلوا حضروا

توهَّموا أَنَّ مرآةً امامَهمُ

توهَّموا أَنَّ مرآةً امامَهمُ

A play in which they were portrayed: had they attended,

In legends of them they come alive once more

They would have thought a mirror stood before them.

Were they present today, they'd find their likeness galore

فاهَت بِمَدحتها الاقلام ناطقةً

فاهَت بِمَدحتها الاقلام ناطقةً

كَفى بأَن مدَحتها الالسُن البكُمُ

كَفى بأَن مدَحتها الالسُن البكُمُ

The pens spoke, voicing its praise;

Pens tire in their praise though they speak without pause

It is enough that even mute tongues praised it.

Their glory sung by even the tongues of the mute