يا مَن لَهُ رايَةُ العَلياءِ قَد رُفِعَت

يا مَن لَهُ رايَةُ العَلياءِ قَد رُفِعَت

إِنَّ العُداةَ بِنا لَمّا نَأَيتَ سَعَت

إِنَّ العُداةَ بِنا لَمّا نَأَيتَ سَعَت

O you for whom the banner of exalted glory has been raised!

O you whose banner of glory has been raised

Indeed, the enemies schemed against us when you went far away.

The enemies against us widened when you departed

وَقَد أَداروا لَنا بِالسوءِ دائِرَةً

وَقَد أَداروا لَنا بِالسوءِ دائِرَةً

مِنَ النَكالِ وَإِن لَم تَرفُها اِتَّسَعَت

مِنَ النَكالِ وَإِن لَم تَرفُها اِتَّسَعَت

And they have turned a baleful circle against us,

And they set against us a circle of evil

of punishment; unless you mend it, it will widen.

Of torment, and if you do not push it back, it will widen

أَراقِمٌ لينُها عَن غَيرِ مَقدِرَةٍ

أَراقِمٌ لينُها عَن غَيرِ مَقدِرَةٍ

لِذاكَ إِن أَمكَنَتها فُرصَةٌ لَسَعَت

لِذاكَ إِن أَمكَنَتها فُرصَةٌ لَسَعَت

Speckled serpents whose gentleness comes from lack of power—

Weak ones, pliant save for lack of ability

thus, if opportunity enables them, they sting.

Thus if an opportunity is allowed them, they widen

إِنَّ الصُدورَ الَّتي بِالغِلِّ مُشحَنَةٌ

إِنَّ الصُدورَ الَّتي بِالغِلِّ مُشحَنَةٌ

لَو قُطِّعَت بِلَهيبِ النارِ ما رَجَعَت

لَو قُطِّعَت بِلَهيبِ النارِ ما رَجَعَت

Indeed, the breasts that are filled with rancor,

Verily the hearts filled with malice

even if cut to pieces by the blaze of fire, would not relent.

If cut by the flames of fire would not go back

وَكَيفَ تَهواكَ أَطفالاً عَلى ظَمَإٍ

وَكَيفَ تَهواكَ أَطفالاً عَلى ظَمَإٍ

رُمتَ الفِطامَ لَها مِن بَعدِ ما رَضَعَت

رُمتَ الفِطامَ لَها مِن بَعدِ ما رَضَعَت

And how could they love you, children still athirst,

And how can you let infants thirst

whom you sought to wean after they had suckled?

Weaned from suckling after they had suckled

تَبَسَّمَت لَكَ وَالأَخلاقُ عابِسَةٌ

تَبَسَّمَت لَكَ وَالأَخلاقُ عابِسَةٌ

إِنَّ القُلوبِ عَلى البَغضاءِ قَد طُبِعَت

إِنَّ القُلوبِ عَلى البَغضاءِ قَد طُبِعَت

They smiled at you, though their natures frowned;

They smiled at you while morals frowned

indeed, their hearts have been stamped with hatred.

Verily hearts were imprinted with hatred

تَفَرَّقَت فِرَقاً مِن خَوفِ بِأَسِكُمُ

تَفَرَّقَت فِرَقاً مِن خَوفِ بِأَسِكُمُ

حَتّى إِذا أَمِنَت مِن كَيدِكَ اِجتَمَعَت

حَتّى إِذا أَمِنَت مِن كَيدِكَ اِجتَمَعَت

They scattered into factions for fear of your might,

They separated in bands from fear of your might

until, once safe from your stratagem, they gathered.

Until when they felt safe from your plots they gathered

وَحاذَرَت سَطَواتٍ مِنكَ عاجِلَةً

وَحاذَرَت سَطَواتٍ مِنكَ عاجِلَةً

عِندَ القُدومِ فَمُذ أَمهَلتَها طَمِعَت

عِندَ القُدومِ فَمُذ أَمهَلتَها طَمِعَت

And they feared swift blows from you

And they feared violence from you, imminent

upon your arrival; once you gave them respite, they grew greedy.

When you arrived, but since you gave them respite, they coveted

وَطالَعَت بِأُمورٍ لَيسَ تَعرِفُها

وَطالَعَت بِأُمورٍ لَيسَ تَعرِفُها

وَلا أَحاطَت بِها خُبراً وَلا اِطَّلَعَت

وَلا أَحاطَت بِها خُبراً وَلا اِطَّلَعَت

And they reported matters they did not know,

And they undertook matters they do not understand

nor had they comprehended them or gained insight into them.

Having neither comprehension nor knowledge of them

فَكَيفَ لَو عايَنَت أَمراً تُحاذِرُهُ

فَكَيفَ لَو عايَنَت أَمراً تُحاذِرُهُ

إِن كانَ فَعلٌ لَها عَن بَعضِ ما سَمِعَت

إِن كانَ فَعلٌ لَها عَن بَعضِ ما سَمِعَت

So how would it be if they saw something they dread,

How then if they witnessed something to beware

if an act of theirs arose from some of what they heard?

If they have any power over some of what they heard