أعدِّي النَّملَ خَيْبَرُ والذبابا
أعدَّتْ يَثربُ الأُسْدَ الغضابا
Ants, Khaibar is your army, and flies too,
While Yathrib readies the angry lions.
وَمُدِّي من حُصونِكِ كلَّ عالٍ
لِيرفعَ في السماواتِ القِبابا
And extend from your strongholds every high ground
To raise the domes to the heavens,
سَيَنزَعُ بأسُهُم حِصناً فَحِصناً
وَيَفْتَحُ عَزمُهُم باباً فبابا
Their might will wrest fortress after fortress
And their resolve open gate after gate.
أتاكِ الفاتحُ المِقدامُ يُزجِي
مع الجيشِ الدُّعاءَ المُستجابا
The bold conqueror has come to you, sending along with the army prayers that are sure to be answered.
They come to you proclaiming God's greatness, so do not flee anywhere but to confusion and chaos.
أتوكِ مُكبّرينَ فلا تلوذي
بغير الذُّعرِ واضطربي اضطرابا
By those remembering God alone,
They have shaken mountain passes and ravines.
أما والذاكرينَ اللَّهَ فرداً
لقد هَزُّوا المخارِمَ والشِّعابا
Answer: where are your troops, and ask them
Who gathered arms and where they disappeared?
أجيبي أين جُندكِ وَاسْأليهِ
لِمَنْ جَمَعَ السِّلاحَ وكيف غابا
They hid in fortresses and were deceived by hopes
That seemed like dreams or mirages to them.
تَوارَوْا في الحُصُونِ وخادَعتهم
ظُنُونٌ كنَّ حُلْماً أو سَرَابا
Had they made the clouds their dwellings,
The army would storm and penetrate the clouds.
ولو جَعلوا السَّحابَ لهم مَحَلّاً
لَطَارَ الجيشُ يَقتحِمُ السَّحابا
Muhammad's soldiers are like death, advancing
Upward and downward by divine decree.
جُنودُ مُحمّدٍ كالموتِ يَمضِي
على قَدَرٍ صُعوداً وانصبابا
In wars, when chaos grows thick, they are not
Like those ignorant of affairs or skeptical.
وليسوا في الحروبِ إذا تلظَّت
كمن جَهِلَ الأُمورَ أَوِ استرابا
In the fort of Natah is a truthful tongue
Teaching all who knew not love.
وفي حِصْنِ النّطاةِ لسانُ صدقٍ
يُعَلِّمُ كلَّ مَن جَهِلَ الحُبَابا
It saw the view whose bitterness the Jews
Tasted, and it brought them torment.
رَأَى الرأيَ الذي ذاقت يَهودٌ
مَرارَتَهُ فكان لَهم عذابا
The despair of defeat overcame them when
The army drew back, seeking the right course.
أصابتهم حُمَيَّا اليأسِ لمّا
تنحَّى الجيشُ يَلتمِسُ الصَّوابا
Ask the seasoned hero if he would answer:
Which villainy assailed him?
سَلِ البطلَ المُجَرَّبَ لو أجابا
أَيعلمُ أيَّ داهيةٍ أصابا
Fate cast Amr against him, ready
To destroy the brains when he shoots the skulls.
رَماهُ بعامرٍ قَدَرٌ إذا ما
رَمَى المهجاتِ غادرها خرابا
But death delayed him
So he could complete his scripture.
ولكنّ المنيّةَ أخَّرتْهُ
لِيبلغَ في غوايَتِهِ الكتابا
The sword betrayed its owner, killing
Its happy lord, whose death was sweet.
وخانَ السّيفُ صاحِبَهُ فأودى
شَهِيداً برَّ مَصْرَعُهُ وطابا
Congratulations Amr, God's good pleasure upon you
He granted you abundant reward and grace
هنيئاً عامرٌ رضوان رَبٍّ
حَباكَ الأجرَ جَمّاً والثّوابا
With your sword an honorable man died
Fearing blame or insult.
بِسيفِكَ مِتَّ مَوْتَ فَتىً كريمٍ
يُحاذِرُ أن يُعيَّرَ أو يُعابا
You emerged at the battleground a formidable hero
Refusing to be feared or intimidated.
بَرزتَ لِمرْحَبٍ بَطلاً مَهيباً
أبى أن يُتَّقَى أو أن يُهابا
Had it not been for the prophesying of the sword
It would have slain him at its stroke.
ولولا نَبوْةٌ للسّيفِ طَاشَتْ
بمضربِهِ لأورده التَّبابا
The march continued and souls blazed
Passing by in God in streams.
تَوالَى الزّحفُ واستعَرَتْ نفوسٌ
مَضَتْ تَنسابُ في اللهِ انسيابا
If they waded into death's swirl thirstily
They knew its bitter drinking places.
لئن خاضت غِمارَ الموتِ ظَمْأَى
لقد عَرفتْ مَشاربَهُ العِذابا
The arrows of warriors met arrows
Whose cowardice almost feared dust.
سِهامُ بَواسِلٍ لاقتْ سِهاماً
يكادُ جَبانُها يخشى التُرابا
They tell of the fears of those who shot them
In a way that amazes and astonishes.
تُحدِّثُ عن مَخاوفِ باعِثيها
حَديثاً يَبعثُ العَجَبَ العُجابا
The wide battlefields called them to war
And the arrows directed speech at them.
دعتهم للوغَى بِيضُ المواضِي
وصَيَّرتِ السِّهامَ لهم خطابا
Had their hearing obeyed, their minds would have fled
Before they lost their skulls and necks.
ولو ملكَتْ مَسامِعَهُم فَلَبَّوا
لمَا مَلكوا الجماجمَ والرقابا
If only the fortress had been granted what it wished
It would have collapsed in ruins.
لَوَ اَنَّ الحصنَ أُوتِيَ ما تمنَّى
أبى إلا هُوِيّاً وانقلابا
Muhammad besieged it, persisting
Until it almost said, "enough punishment!"
رَماهُ مُحمّدٌ فألحَّ حتّى
لأوشكَ أن يقولَ كفى عِقابا
The fleeing rider carried from it loads
Greater than mountains in their heaviness.
يَظلُّ الظّرْبُ يحملَ منه طوداً
طوَى الأطوادَ وانتظمَ الهضابا
He held this world, so it remained
Not fearing decline or passing away.
وأمْسَكَ هذه الدنيا فأمستْ
وما تخشَى الزَّوالَ ولا الذَّهابا
The banner of victory in his hand is hostage
To its owner who surpassed all companions.
لواءُ الفتحِ في يدهِ رَهِينٌ
بصاحِبه الذي فاقَ الصّحابا
It points to him, hidden in an attribute
That almost pierces the veil.
يُشيرُ إليهِ مُحتجباً بوصفٍ
يكادُ سَناهُ يَخترقُ الحِجابا
It recalls him, and al-Farooq is keen
That none be chosen over him.
ويذكره وبالفاروقِ حِرصٌ
على أن ليس يَعدوه انتخابا
Ali is for vengeance, and what is Ali
But the champion who protects the vulnerable.
عليٌّ للعُقابِ وما عليٌّ
سِوى البطلِ الذي يحمي العُقابا
Blazing battle, no wonder, but
I marveled that Farqad led the blaze.
شِهابُ الحربِ لا عَجَبٌ ولكن
عَجِبْتُ لِفَرْقَدٍ قادَ الشّهابا
A messenger came with deliverance
And the light that lifted the fog.
رسولٌ جاءَ بالفَرَجِ المُرَجَّى
وبالنُّور الذي كشفَ الضَّبابا
Advance O Ali, God protect you
Medicine of Muhammad cured you of what,
تقدَّمْ يا علِيُّ رَعاكَ ربٌّ
كَفَى عَينيكَ دَاءَكَ والعِصابا
Had medicine wished it, would have defeated its seekers.
It healed the inflammation that once hurt you
بِطبِّ مُحمَّدٍ أدركتَ ما لو
أراد الطِّبُّ أعجزه طِلابا
And was close to your determined past.
Take the sword he gave you and strike
شَفَى الرَّمَدَ الذي آذاكَ حِيناً
وكان لِعزمِكَ الماضي قِرابا
With your might these deaf rocks.
Fortresses, the more they are called
خُذِ السَّيفَ الذي أعطاكَ واصْدَعْ
ببأسِكَ هذهِ الصُمَّ الصّلابا
To surrender, the more they resist.
They love grandeur, accepting none but it
حُصُونٌ كلما زِيدَتْ دُعاءً
إلى البيضاء زادتها اجتنابا
In their natures and characters.
Advance, your prey will not settle
تُحِبُّ الكبرَ لا ترضَى سِواهُ
على آفاتِه خُلُقاً ودابا
If you do not give it victory or defeat.
Take the damned wolf and leave it not
تقدّمْ ما لصيدِكَ من قرارٍ
إذا لم تُؤْتهِ ظُفراً ونابا
To scorn the lion's pursuits.
Sufficient is al-Harith the deluded as a lesson
خُذِ الذِّئبَ اللعينَ ولا تَدَعْهُ
صُدُودَ اللّيثِ يَحتقِرُ الذئابا
For who was granted ignorance and turned away.
You deprived him of his life, and from it
كفى بالحارثِ المغرورِ عِلماً
لِمن رُزِقَ الغَبَاءَ ومَنْ تَغابى
Deprived disbelief of an outspoken ally.
You made the land's surface red when
أرقتَ حَياتَهُ فأرقتَ منها
صَرِيحَ الكُفْرِ يأبى أن يُشابا
You dyed it with his blood.
Merhab fancied what was not true
وَرُعْتَ به أَدِيمَ الأرضِ لمّا
جَعلتَ عليه من دَمِه خِضابا
And hopes tricked him with false wishes.
He walked proudly forward and met
تَخَيَّلَ مرْحَبٌ ما ليس حَقّاً
وَمنَّتْهُ الظُّنونُ مُنىً كِذابا
The judgment of God creeping up on him.
White Mashrafi gave him the drink of death
مشى يَختالُ مُرتجزاً فَلاقَى
قضاءَ اللَّهِ ينسربُ انسرابا
That melts death and makes it a draught.
Woe to you, misguided king
سَقاهُ الموتَ أبيضُ مَشْرَفيٌّ
يُذيبُ الموتَ يجعله شرابا
Whose kingdom collapsed and melted away.
The Jews prepared him for every misfortune
لَكَ الويلاتُ من مَلِكٍ غَوِيٍّ
أحيطَ بِمُلكهِ فهوى وذابا
So their hopes in him failed and came to nothing.
Why did they not see him seized with might
أعدَّتْهُ اليهودُ لكلِّ خَطبٍ
فَضَلَّ رَجاؤُهم فيهِ وخابا
That seizes might and wrests it away?
For every opponent there is Ali
أما نَظروه مأخوذاً ببأسٍ
يَهُدُّ البأسَ أخْذاً واستلابا
On the morrow of war taking him captive.
Yasir leapt up but was caught
وكلُّ مُغالبٍ فَلَهُ عليٌّ
غَداةَ الكَرِّ يأخُذه غِلابا
In the claws of a seasoned lion.
Did you not hear him, Khaibar, when he roars,
تَوثَّبَ ياسِرٌ فَتَلَقَّفَتْهُ
مَخالِبُ فاتكٍ ألِفَ الوِثابا
Repulsing him with rebukes?
If only you could take modesty
أما سمعَتْهُ خيبرُ حين يَهذِي
فَصَدَّتْ عنه تُوجِعه عتابا
From white transparent veils as a veil!
An owl brings you tidings of ill fortune
ولو تَسْطِيعُ لاتَّخذَتْ حَياءً
من البيضِ الرقاقِ لها نِقابا
So what an owl she birthed!
A youth complaining of lack of arms - yet no arms
غُرَابُ الشُّؤْمِ يَفزِعُها نَعيباً
فيا لكِ بُومةً وَلَدتْ غُرابا
For one who seeks death's approach!
Beware, al-Zubayr is tested
فتىً شاكي السِّلاحِ ولا سلاحٌ
لِمَنْ يَبغِي مِنَ الموتِ اقترابا
And Safiyya fears he may be struck.
The messenger's disciple becomes with him
ألا إنّ الزُّبيرَ لذو بلاءٍ
وإن خَشِيَتْ صَفِيَّةُ أن يُصابا
As he wishes, with patience and acceptance.
The sheen of hoped-for victory appeared
حَوَارِيُّ الرسُولِ يَكونُ منه
بِحيثُ يُريدُ صَبراً واحتسابا
And the eagle dispelled the flies.
You wailed, Natah, for the loss of a fortress
تجلَّتْ غُرّةُ الفتحِ المُرَجَّى
وأمْسَى النَّسْرُ قد طَرَد الذُّبابا
Enveloping the Jews in grief and lament.
It is devastating might, O Ali,
وأعولتِ النّطاةُ لِفَقْدِ حِصنٍ
يَعُمُّ يَهودَ شَجْواً وانتحابا
So leave its lofty pillars as ruins.
The mighty fortress surrendered after arrogance
هو البأسُ المُدَمِّرُ يا عَلِيٌّ
فَدَعْ آطامَها العُليا يَبابا
And declared its surrender.
It fulfilled what the people had prepared in it
وحِصْنُ الصَّعْبِ أذعنَ بعد كبرٍ
وأعلنَ بعد غِلظتِهِ المَتابا
So it became plunder before their eyes.
The Muslims left in prosperity
وأَدَّى ما أعَدَّ القومُ فيهِ
فأمسَى بين أعْيُنِهمْ نِهابا
And had it not been for God they would not have survived difficulty.
He provided them relief in hardship
ورَاحَ المسلمونَ بخيرِ حالٍ
ولولا اللَّهُ ما برحوا سِغابا
So ease followed hardship.
Spoils of the people's goods are diverse
أتاح لهم على الضَّرَّاءِ رِزقاً
فأمسى اليُسْرُ بعد العُسْرِ ثابا
Exceeding count when reckoned.
Patience suffices the people as succor
مَغانِمُ من عَتَادِ القومِ شَتَّى
تُجاوِزُ حين تُحصِيها الحِسابا
When an affair goes awry.
The Jews' command leads not to harmony
كفى بالصّبرِ للأقوامِ عَوْناً
إذا حَدَثٌ من الأحْداثِ نابا
If the summoner to turmoil wanders.
Their love walked, dragging an army
وما أمرُ اليهودِ إلى صلاحٍ
إذا الدّاعي إلى الهيجا أهابا
Of fierce might, burning hot.
It shook their fortress until they wished
مَشَى لهمُ الحُبابُ يَجُرُّ جيشاً
شَدِيدَ البأسِ يلتهبُ التهابا
It had kinship with birds!
Had it possessed wings, it would have flown,
فَزلزَلَ حِصنَهم حتّى لَوَدُّوا
لوَ اَنّ لهُ إلى الطيرِ انتسابا
Traversing the layers of air in alarm and confusion.
They called for battle, so the swords of God struck them,
ولو مَلَكَ الجنَاحَ لطار يَطوي
طِباقَ الجوِّ ذُعْراً وَارْتِعَابا
Tearing violently like lightning.
No survival remains for Joshua's people
تَنَادَوْا للقتالِ فبادَرْتهُم
سُيوفُ اللَّهِ شَيِّقَةً طِرابا
Once they taste the stab or the strike.
The throngs of death rule both their flanks
وليس لقومِ يُوشَعَ من بَقاءٍ
إذا طعموا الطعانَ أو الضّرابا
So excellent are the people if they rule throngs!
The conquests succeeded in tearing down
عُبابُ الموتِ يَملكُ جَانِبَيْهِمْ
فَنِعمَ القومُ إن مَلكوا العُبابا
Adding to the Jews sorrow and melancholy.
They were struck by battering quakes
تَتابعتِ الفتوحُ مُحَجَّلاتٍ
تَزيدُ يَهودَ حُزناً واكتئابا
That shake their elders and youth.
Thus their fortresses became empty
أُصيبوا بالقوارِعِ راجفاتٍ
تَهُدُّ الشِّيبَ منهم والشَّبابا
As if never inhabited.
They staggered humiliated openly
فَتِلكَ حُصونُهم أمْسَتْ خَلاءً
كأنْ لم يَعمروا منها جَنابا
While their tyrants wished for absurdity.
They discarded their weapons and the wealth
تَساقَوْا بالعَرَاءِ الذُّلَّ مُرّاً
يَوَدُّ طُغاتُهم لو كانَ صَابا
They had collected and earned.
In destitution, kindness reached them
وألْقَوْا بالسِّلاحِ وما أصابوا
من الأموالِ جَمعاً واكتسابا
With sentiments encompassing vastness.
From God's messenger they got a protector
وضَاقُوا بالجلاءِ فأدركتْهُمْ
عَواطِفُ مُحْسِنٍ تَسَعُ الرُحابا
Who forgives the sinner when he repents.
He ruled for them, with no sidestepping
أصابوا من رسولِ اللهِ مَوْلىً
يَتوبُ على المُسيءِ إذا أنابا
After settlement, no estrangement or shunning.
They lodged in the land as its workers
قَضَى لهم القضاءَ فلا انتزاحاً
لَقُوا بعد المُقَامِ ولا اغترابا
Paying the head tax and property tax.
For Islam, they are partners in agriculture
ثَوَوْا في الأرضِ عُمَّالاً عليها
يُؤَدُّونَ الإتاوةَ والنِّصابا
With no injustice or favoritism.
The people's guides guided them to a path
وُلاةُ الزَّرْعِ للإسلامِ منهم
شَرِيكٌ ليس يُظلمُ أو يُحابى
And the best of them when they turned to settle.
هُداةُ النَّاسِ أرشدُهُمْ سَبيلاً
وأحْسَنُهمْ إذا انقلبوا مآبا
