نَزورُ دِياراً ما نُحِبُّ لَها مَغنى

نَزورُ دِياراً ما نُحِبُّ لَها مَغنى

وَنَسأَلُ فيها غَيرَ ساكِنِها الإِذنا

وَنَسأَلُ فيها غَيرَ ساكِنِها الإِذنا

We visit lands in which we love no dwelling,

We visit lands where we wish no home to stand,

and there seek permission from someone other than their inhabitants.

And seek entrance from those other than their lords.

نَقودُ إِلَيها الآخِذاتِ لَنا المَدى

نَقودُ إِلَيها الآخِذاتِ لَنا المَدى

عَلَيها الكُماةُ المُحسِنونَ بِها الظَنّا

عَلَيها الكُماةُ المُحسِنونَ بِها الظَنّا

We lead to them the steeds that reach the goal for us;

We drive toward them steeds that devour the vast expanse,

upon them ride armored warriors who trust them.

Bearing armored knights who place in them their trust.

وَنُصفي الَّذي يُكنى أَبا الحَسَنِ الهَوى

وَنُصفي الَّذي يُكنى أَبا الحَسَنِ الهَوى

وَنُرضي الَّذي يُسمى الإِلَهَ وَلا يُكنى

وَنُرضي الَّذي يُسمى الإِلَهَ وَلا يُكنى

And we give pure love to him styled Abu al-Hasan,

To him named Abu al-Hasan, we pledge our purest love,

and please Him named God, who bears no such epithet.

And please the One named God, Whom no earthly title binds.

وَقَد عَلِمَ الرومُ الشَقِيّونَ أَنَّنا

وَقَد عَلِمَ الرومُ الشَقِيّونَ أَنَّنا

إِذا ما تَرَكنا أَرضَهُم خَلفَنا عُدنا

إِذا ما تَرَكنا أَرضَهُم خَلفَنا عُدنا

And the wretched Byzantines have learned that we,

The wretched Byzantines have surely come to know,

whenever we leave their land behind us, return;

That should we leave their lands behind, we shall return again.

وَأَنّا إِذا ما المَوتُ صَرَّحَ في الوَغى

وَأَنّا إِذا ما المَوتُ صَرَّحَ في الوَغى

لَبِسنا إِلى حاجاتِنا الضَربَ وَالطَعنا

لَبِسنا إِلى حاجاتِنا الضَربَ وَالطَعنا

and that, when death shows itself openly in battle,

And when Death reveals its naked face amidst the fray,

we don blows and spear-thrusts to reach our aims.

We clothe ourselves in strikes and thrusts to reach our goal.

قَصَدنا لَهُ قَصدَ الحَبيبِ لِقاؤُهُ

قَصَدنا لَهُ قَصدَ الحَبيبِ لِقاؤُهُ

إِلَينا وَقُلنا لِلسُيوفِ هَلُمِّنّا

إِلَينا وَقُلنا لِلسُيوفِ هَلُمِّنّا

We seek it as we seek one whose meeting is dear

We sought it out as a lover seeks his rendezvous,

to us, and say to the swords: 'Come to us!'

With eager hearts, and cried unto the swords: "Come forth to us!"

وَخَيلٍ حَشَوناها الأَسِنَّةَ بَعدَما

وَخَيلٍ حَشَوناها الأَسِنَّةَ بَعدَما

تَكَدَّسنَ مِن هَنّا عَلَينا وَمِن هَنّا

تَكَدَّسنَ مِن هَنّا عَلَينا وَمِن هَنّا

And horses we filled with spearheads after

And many a steed we pierced with lance-points, after they,

they massed against us from here and from there.

Had crowded close upon us from every side and flank.

ضُرِبنَ إِلَينا بِالسِياطِ جَهالَةً

ضُرِبنَ إِلَينا بِالسِياطِ جَهالَةً

فَلَمّا تَعارَفنا ضُرِبنَ بِها عَنّا

فَلَمّا تَعارَفنا ضُرِبنَ بِها عَنّا

They were driven toward us with whips, in ignorance;

Driven toward us by the whip in sheer ignorance,

but once we recognized one another, they were whipped away from us.

But once we met, those whips were used to drive them back.

تَعَدَّ القُرى وَالمُس بِنا الجَيشَ لَمسَةً

تَعَدَّ القُرى وَالمُس بِنا الجَيشَ لَمسَةً

نُبارِ إِلى ما تَشتَهي يَدُكَ اليُمنى

نُبارِ إِلى ما تَشتَهي يَدُكَ اليُمنى

Pass beyond the villages, and with us touch the army once;

Bypass the villages, and cast us ‘gainst the army’s heart,

we shall race toward whatever your right hand desires.

That we may race to grasp what your right hand desires.

فَقَد بَرَدَت فَوقَ اللُقانِ دِماؤُهُم

فَقَد بَرَدَت فَوقَ اللُقانِ دِماؤُهُم

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ نُتبِعُ البارِدَ السُخنا

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ نُتبِعُ البارِدَ السُخنا

For their blood has already cooled upon al-Luqan,

For their blood has grown cold upon the fields of Luqan,

and we are people who follow cold blood with hot.

And we are men who chase the cold blood with the hot.

وَإِن كُنتَ سَيفَ الدَولَةِ العَضبَ فيهِمِ

وَإِن كُنتَ سَيفَ الدَولَةِ العَضبَ فيهِمِ

فَدَعنا نَكُن قَبلَ الضِرابِ القَنا اللُدنا

فَدَعنا نَكُن قَبلَ الضِرابِ القَنا اللُدنا

And if you are Sayf al-Dawla—the State's keen sword against them—

If you are indeed the State’s sharp Sword against the foe,

then let us be the supple spears before swords clash.

Then let us serve as supple lances ere the blow is struck.

فَنَحنُ الأُلى لا نَأتَلي لَكَ نُصرَةً

فَنَحنُ الأُلى لا نَأتَلي لَكَ نُصرَةً

وَأَنتَ الَّذي لَو أَنَّهُ وَحدَهُ أَغنى

وَأَنتَ الَّذي لَو أَنَّهُ وَحدَهُ أَغنى

For we are those who spare no effort in supporting you,

For we are those who spare no effort in your aid,

and you are the one who, were he alone, would suffice.

While you are he who, standing all alone, would yet suffice.

يَقيكَ الرَدى مَن يَبتَغي عِندَكَ العُلا

يَقيكَ الرَدى مَن يَبتَغي عِندَكَ العُلا

وَمَن قالَ لا أَرضى مِنَ العَيشِ بِالأَدنى

وَمَن قالَ لا أَرضى مِنَ العَيشِ بِالأَدنى

He who seeks glory with you shields you from death,

He shields you from destruction who seeks glory at your side,

and he who says, 'I will not settle for life's lowest lot.'

And he who vows: "I shall not settle for the lesser life."

فَلَولاكَ لَم تَجرِ الدِماءُ وَلا اللُها

فَلَولاكَ لَم تَجرِ الدِماءُ وَلا اللُها

وَلَم يَكُ لِلدُنيا وَلا أَهلِها مَعنى

وَلَم يَكُ لِلدُنيا وَلا أَهلِها مَعنى

For without you neither blood nor largesse would flow,

Were it not for you, neither blood nor bounty would flow,

nor would the world or its people have any meaning.

And the world and all its kin would hold no meaning.

وَما الخَوفُ إِلّا ما تَخَوَّفَهُ الفَتى

وَما الخَوفُ إِلّا ما تَخَوَّفَهُ الفَتى

وَلا الأَمنُ إِلّا ما رَآهُ الفَتى أَمنا

وَلا الأَمنُ إِلّا ما رَآهُ الفَتى أَمنا

And fear is only what a young man fears,

For fear is nothing but the dread a warrior feels,

and safety only what a young man deems safe.

And safety lies only in what his courage deems secure.