أَلا أَحمي وَأَذكُرُ إِرثَ قَومٍ

أَلا أَحمي وَأَذكُرُ إِرثَ قَومٍ

هُمُ حَلّوا المُرَكَّنَةَ اليَبابا

هُمُ حَلّوا المُرَكَّنَةَ اليَبابا

Lo, I defend and commemorate the legacy of a people—

It was they who settled al-Murakkana, that barren waste.

وَكانوا رَحمَةً لِلناسِ طُرّاً

وَكانوا رَحمَةً لِلناسِ طُرّاً

وَلَم يَكُ كانَ كائِنُهُم عَذابا

وَلَم يَكُ كانَ كائِنُهُم عَذابا

They were a mercy to all humankind, without exception;

their presence was never a scourge.

وَلَو وُزِنَت حُلومُهُمُ بِرَضوى

وَلَو وُزِنَت حُلومُهُمُ بِرَضوى

وَفَت مِنها وَلَو زيدَت كَسابا

وَفَت مِنها وَلَو زيدَت كَسابا

Were their wisdom and forbearance weighed against Mount Radwa,

they would outweigh it—even were Mount Kasab added.