إِنَّ الَّذي سَمَكَ السَماءَ بَنى لَنا
بَيتاً دَعائِمُهُ أَعَزُّ وَأَطوَلُ
He who set the sky with stars built for us
A house whose pillars are the strongest and tallest
بَيتاً بَناهُ لَنا المَليكُ وَما بَنى
حَكَمُ السَماءُ فَإِنَّهُ لا يُنقَلُ
A house the King built for us that will not
Be moved, for heaven's Ruler decreed it be unshakeable
بَيتاً زُرارَةُ مُحتَبٍ بِفِنائِهِ
وَمُجاشِعٌ وَأَبو الفَوارِسِ نَهشَلُ
A house with courtyards where the valiant assemble
And where the horsemen and their steeds mill about
يَلِجونَ بَيتَ مُجاشِعٍ وَإِذا اِحتَبوا
بَرَزوا كَأَنَّهُمُ الجِبالُ المُثَّلُ
They gather in the house of assemblies, and when called to arms
They sally forth like mountains piled high
لا يَحتَبي بِفِناءِ بَيتِكَ مِثلُهُم
أَبَداً إِذا عُدَّ الفَعالُ الأَفضَلُ
None equal them when they assemble in your house’s courtyard
If the most virtuous are enumerated
مِن عِزِّهِم جَحَرَت كُلَيبٌ بَيتَها
زَرباً كَأَنَّهُمُ لَدَيهِ القُمَّلُ
From their valor the she-wolf dug her burrow
As if they were her cubs there to suckle
ضَرَبَت عَلَيكَ العَنكَبوتَ بِنَسجِها
وَقَضى عَلَيكَ بِهِ الكِتابُ المُنزَلُ
The spider wove her web over you
And the scripture sent down decreed your ruin
أَينَ الَّذينَ بِهِم تُسامي دارِماً
أَم مَن إِلى سَلَفي طُهَيَّةَ تَجعَلُ
Where are those by whom our house was exalted
Or do I reckon you among departed ancestors?
يَمشونَ في حَلَقِ الحَديدِ كَما مَشَت
جُربُ الجِمالِ بِها الكُحَيلُ المُشعَلُ
They walked through rings of iron as gently
As branded camels walk over embers
وَالمانِعونَ إِذا النِساءُ تَرادَفَت
حَذَرَ السِباءِ جِمالُها لا تُرحَلُ
The protectors when women are taken captive
Lest their beauty be despoiled and dishonored
يَحمي إِذا اِختُرِطَ السُيوفُ نِساءَنا
ضَربٌ تَخِرُّ لَهُ السَواعِدُ أَرعَلُ
Who guard our women when swords are rattling
Whose arms in battle flow like water from a skin
وَمُعَصَّبٍ بِالتاجِ يَخفِقُ فَوقَهُ
خِرَقُ المُلوكِ لَهُ خَميسٌ جَحفَلُ
And the crowned king above whom flutters
The cloak of kings - for him the fifth is discord
مَلِكٌ تَسوقُ لَهُ الرِماحَ أَكُفُّنا
مِنهُ نَعُلُّ صُدورَهُنَّ وَنُنهِلُ
A king whose realm is marched by our shoulders
From him we draw pride and gain sustenance
قَد ماتَ في أَسلاتِنا أَو عَضَّهُ
عَضَبٌ بِرَونَقِهِ المُلوكَ تُقَتَّلُ
He died among our ribs or was bitten
By a viper whose bite kills kings
