لِبشرِfor Bishr بنِson of مَروانِMarwan علىupon الناسِthe people نِعمَةٌa blessing
لِبشرِ بنِ مَروانِ على الناسِ نِعمَةٌ
تَروحُgoes forth in the evening وَتَغدوand goes forth in the morning لاnot يُطاقُis within one's power ثَوابُهاits recompense
تَروحُ وَتَغدو لا يُطاقُ ثَوابُها
Bishr son of Marwan has bestowed a blessing on the people,
Bishr son of Marwan is a blessing upon the people,
which goes forth evening and morning, beyond anyone's power to repay.
Coming and going, his reward cannot be matched.
بِهِthrough him أَمَّنَmade safe اللَهُGod النُفوسَthe souls مِنfrom الرَدىdeath
بِهِ أَمَّنَ اللَهُ النُفوسَ مِن الرَدى
وَكانَتand they had been بِحالٍin a state لاnot يَقَرُّsettles ذُبابُهاtheir flies
وَكانَت بِحالٍ لا يَقَرُّ ذُبابُها
Through him God made souls safe from death,
Through him Allah gave souls safety from evil,
though they had been in such turmoil that no fly could settle.
When they were in a state no flies could rest upon.
دفعتَyou drove back ذَويbearers of الأَضغانِthe grudges ياO بِشرُBishr عَنوَةًby force
دفعتَ ذَوي الأَضغانِ يا بِشرُ عَنوَةً
بِسَيفِكَwith your sword حَتّىuntil ذَلَّyielded مِنهاamong them صِعابُهاtheir unruly ones
بِسَيفِكَ حَتّى ذَلَّ مِنها صِعابُها
You drove back the bearers of grudges, O Bishr, by force,
You repelled the spiteful by force, O Bishr,
with your sword, until their unruly ones yielded.
With your sword until their firmness failed from it.
وَكُنتَand you were لَناfor us كَهفاًa refuge وَحِصناًand a fortress وَمَعقِلاًand a stronghold
وَكُنتَ لَنا كَهفاً وَحِصناً وَمَعقِلاً
إِذاwhen الفِتنَةُthe strife الصَمّاءُdeaf طارَتtook flight عُقابُهاits eagle
إِذا الفِتنَةُ الصَمّاءُ طارَت عُقابُها
And you were for us a refuge, a fortress, and a stronghold,
You were a cave, fortress and stronghold for us
when deaf strife's eagle took flight.
When the deaf strife fluttered its wings.
وَكَمand how many لَكَfor you ياO بِشرَBishr بنَson of مَروانَMarwan مِنof يَدٍa hand of kindness
وَكَم لَكَ يا بِشرَ بنَ مَروانَ مِن يَدٍ
مُهَذَّبَةٍpure بَيضاءَwhite راسٍfirmly rooted ظِرابُهاits rocky hillocks
مُهَذَّبَةٍ بَيضاءَ راسٍ ظِرابُها
And how many a hand of kindness is yours, O Bishr son of Marwan,
And you have so many refined white hands, O Bishr son of Marwan,
pure and white, its rocky hillocks firmly rooted!
Whose swords’ brightness have been sharpened.
وَطَدتَyou made firm لَناfor us دينَthe faith النَبيِّthe Prophet مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
وَطَدتَ لَنا دينَ النَبيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ
بحلمِكَthrough your forbearance إِذwhen هَرَّتsnarled سِفاهاًin folly كِلابُهاits dogs
بحلمِكَ إِذ هَرَّت سِفاهاً كِلابُها
You made firm for us the faith of the Prophet Muhammad,
You secured for us the religion of Prophet Muhammad,
through your forbearance, when its dogs snarled in folly.
With your forbearance when its ignorant dogs barked nonsense.
وَسُدتَand you were lord of ابنَson of مَروانٍMarwan قُرَيشاًQuraysh وَغيرَهاand others besides them
وَسُدتَ ابنَ مَروانٍ قُرَيشاً وَغيرَها
إِذاwhen السنةُthe year الشَهباءُash-gray قَلَّwere scarce سَحابُهاits clouds
إِذا السنةُ الشَهباءُ قَلَّ سَحابُها
And you were lord of Quraysh and others, son of Marwan,
And you defended Ibn Marwan and the rest of Quraysh,
when the ash-gray year had few clouds.
When the hoary tradition lessened its rain.
رَأَيتَyou saw ثآناour broken state واِصطنعتَand you bestowed أَيادياًfavors
رَأَيتَ ثآنا واِصطنعتَ أَيادياً
إِلَيناto us وَنارُand the fire الحَربِwar ذاكthen شِهابُهاits blaze
إِلَينا وَنارُ الحَربِ ذاك شِهابُها
You saw our broken state and bestowed favors
You saw ruin and made efforts to help us,
on us, while the fire of war was then ablaze.
While the fire of war burned - that was its flames.