معاويَO Muawiya أَنَّناthat we are بَشَرٌhuman beings فَأَسجِحso be lenient
معاويَ أَنَّنا بَشَرٌ فَأَسجِح
فَلَسناfor we are not بالجِبالِmountains وَلاnor الحَديدiron
فَلَسنا بالجِبالِ وَلا الحَديد
O Muawiya, we are human, so be lenient.
Mu'awiya, we are but humans, so forgive
For we are neither mountains nor iron.
We are not mountains nor iron
فَهَبناso suppose us to be أُمَةًa people ذهبتgone ضَياعاًto ruin
فَهَبنا أُمَةً ذهبت ضَياعاً
يَزيدُYazid أَميرُهاits ruler وَأَبوand the father of يَزيدِYazid
يَزيدُ أَميرُها وَأَبو يَزيدِ
So suppose us a people gone to ruin,
Grant us a nation that went astray
whose rulers are Yazid and Yazid’s father.
With Yazid as its prince, and father of Yazid
أَكَلتُمyou devoured أَرضَناour land فَجَردتُموهاthen you stripped it bare
أَكَلتُم أَرضَنا فَجَردتُموها
فَهَلthen is there مِنany قائِمٍstanding crop أَوor مِنany حَصيدِharvested crop
فَهَل مِن قائِمٍ أَو مِن حَصيدِ
You devoured our land and stripped it bare.
You have eaten our land and stripped it bare
Is there any standing crop left, or any harvested crop?
Is there one who will stand or harvest?
أَتَطمَعُdo you hope فيfor الخُلودِimmortality إِذاif هَلكناwe perish
أَتَطمَعُ في الخُلودِ إِذا هَلكنا
وَلَيسَand there is not لَناfor us وَلاnor لَكَfor you مِنany خُلودِimmortality
وَلَيسَ لَنا وَلا لَكَ مِن خُلودِ
Do you hope for immortality if we perish?
Do you hope for immortality if we die?
And there is no immortality for us or for you.
Neither we nor you have immortality
ذَرواabandon خَونَbetrayal of الخِلافَةِthe caliphate واستَقيمواand act uprightly
ذَروا خَونَ الخِلافَةِ واستَقيموا
وَتأميرَand appointing as rulers الأراذِلِthe base وَالعَبيدِand slaves
وَتأميرَ الأراذِلِ وَالعَبيدِ
Abandon betrayal of the caliphate—and act uprightly—
Leave the treachery of the Caliphate and walk straight
and the appointment of the base and slaves as rulers.
And the rule of scoundrels and slaves
وأعطوناand give us السَويَّةَequal treatment لاlest تَزركُمvisit you
وأعطونا السَويَّةَ لا تَزركُم
جُنودٌarmies مردَفاتٌfollowed بالجُنودِby armies
جُنودٌ مردَفاتٌ بالجُنودِ
And give us equal treatment, lest you be visited
And grant us equality, troops will not avail you
by armies followed by armies.
With troops followed by troops