قالوا السعيد تعاطى بغله نزقاً

قالوا السعيد تعاطى بغله نزقاً

فزل عنه وأهل ذاك للزلل

فزل عنه وأهل ذاك للزلل

They said: al-Sa‘id rashly mounted his mule;

They said the fortunate one slipped from his mule

Then he slipped off it—and that man deserves to stumble.

So he dismounted while that was prone to missteps

فقل له لا أقال الله عثرته

فقل له لا أقال الله عثرته

ولا سقته بنات العارض الهطل

ولا سقته بنات العارض الهطل

So tell him: may God not lift him from his fall,

Say to him may God not lessen his stumbling

Nor may the daughters of the pouring rain-cloud give him drink.

Nor quench it with rain from passing clouds

أبغضت بالطبع أم المؤمنين ولم

أبغضت بالطبع أم المؤمنين ولم

تحبب أباها فجاءت وقعة الجمل

تحبب أباها فجاءت وقعة الجمل

You naturally hated the Mother of the Believers, and did not

By nature you hated the Mother of the Faithful and did not

Love her father—so came the Battle of the Camel.

Love her father, so came the Battle of the Camel