أَبلِغ أُبَيّاً عَلَى نَأيِهِ

أَبلِغ أُبَيّاً عَلَى نَأيِهِ

وهَل يَنفَعُ الَمرءَ ما قَد عَلِم

وهَل يَنفَعُ الَمرءَ ما قَد عَلِم

Take word to Ubayy, though he is far away:

Tell Ubayy, far away though he is—

but can what a man knows avail him?

and does what a man already knows avail him?—

بأَنَّ أَخاكَ شَقيقَ الفُؤا

بأَنَّ أَخاكَ شَقيقَ الفُؤا

دِ كُنتَ بِه واثِقاً ما سَلِم

دِ كُنتَ بِه واثِقاً ما سَلِم

Your brother, the brother of your very heart,

that your brother, your heart’s own twin,

whom you trusted while he remained safe,

whom you trusted so long as he was safe,

لَدَى مَلِكٍ مُوثَقٍ في الَحدي

لَدَى مَلِكٍ مُوثَقٍ في الَحدي

دِ إمَّا بِحَقٍّ وإماَّ ظُلِم

دِ إمَّا بِحَقٍّ وإماَّ ظُلِم

is held by a king, bound fast

is in a king’s custody, bound in iron,

in irons—whether justly or wrongfully.

whether justly or unjustly.

فلا أَعِرفَنكَ كَدَأبِ الغُلا

فلا أَعِرفَنكَ كَدَأبِ الغُلا

مِ ما لَم يَجِد عارِماً يَعتَرمِ

مِ ما لَم يَجِد عارِماً يَعتَرمِ

Do not let me find you acting like a boy

So let me not find you behaving like a boy

who, meeting no fierce opponent, runs wild.

who runs wild until he meets a fierce man.

فأَرضَكَ أَرضَكَ إن تَأتِنا

فأَرضَكَ أَرضَكَ إن تَأتِنا

نَنَم لَيلَةً لَيسَ فيها حُلُم

نَنَم لَيلَةً لَيسَ فيها حُلُم

Stay in your land, stay in your land! If you come to us,

So keep to your land, your land! If you come to us,

we shall sleep a night in which there are no dreams.

we shall sleep a night with no dream in it.