تَبَدَّلَ قَومي شيمَةً وَتَبَدَّلوا

تَبَدَّلَ قَومي شيمَةً وَتَبَدَّلوا

فَقُلتُ لَهُم لا يُبعِدُ اللَهُ عامِرا

فَقُلتُ لَهُم لا يُبعِدُ اللَهُ عامِرا

My people changed their character—and changed themselves.

My people changed their character, and they themselves changed.

So I said to them, “May God never cast ʿĀmir far away,”

So I said to them: May God not banish Amir,

بِما قَد أَراهُم لا تَخِفُّ حُلومُهُم

بِما قَد أَراهُم لا تَخِفُّ حُلومُهُم

وَلا يَنطِقونَ المُندِياتِ العَوائِرا

وَلا يَنطِقونَ المُندِياتِ العَوائِرا

for, from what I see of them, their minds are not frivolous,

For I see that their judgment is not frivolous,

nor do they utter shameful, disgrace-bringing things.

Nor do they utter shameful, hurtful words.

وَإِنَّ كِلاباً لا كِلابَ لِأَهلِها

وَإِنَّ كِلاباً لا كِلابَ لِأَهلِها

وَقَد جَعَلَت كَعبٌ تَكونُ يَحابِرا

وَقَد جَعَلَت كَعبٌ تَكونُ يَحابِرا

Indeed, Kilāb is no Kilāb to its own people,

And Kilab are no true Kilab to their own people,

and Kaʿb has begun to become Yaḥābir.

And Ka'b have begun to become Yahabir.

تَمارَيتُمُ في العِزِّ حَتّى هَلَكتُمُ

تَمارَيتُمُ في العِزِّ حَتّى هَلَكتُمُ

كَما أَهلَكَ الغارُ النِساءَ الضَرائِرا

كَما أَهلَكَ الغارُ النِساءَ الضَرائِرا

You contended for supremacy until you perished,

You disputed over glory until you perished,

just as the cave destroyed the women—the rival wives.

As jealousy destroyed women who were co-wives.

فَإِن يَكُ فيكُم عِزَّةٌ وَهيَ فيكُمُ

فَإِن يَكُ فيكُم عِزَّةٌ وَهيَ فيكُمُ

فَإِنَّ لَنا عِزّاً عَزيزاً وَناصِرا

فَإِنَّ لَنا عِزّاً عَزيزاً وَناصِرا

If there is strength among you—and strength is indeed among you—

So if there is might among you—and there is—

then ours is a power, powerful indeed, and a champion:

Then we have formidable might and a champion:

حُماةٌ يَشُبّونَ الحُروبَ وَسادَةٌ

حُماةٌ يَشُبّونَ الحُروبَ وَسادَةٌ

يَجُرُّ عَلَيهِم آخَرونَ الجَرائِرا

يَجُرُّ عَلَيهِم آخَرونَ الجَرائِرا

protectors who kindle wars, and chiefs

Protectors who kindle wars, and chieftains

upon whom others cast the burdens of their transgressions.

Upon whom others bring the consequences of their offenses.