أَتَعجَبُ أَن مَلَكنا الأَرضَ قَسراً

أَتَعجَبُ أَن مَلَكنا الأَرضَ قَسراً

وَأَن تُمسي وَسائِدَنا الرِقابُ

وَأَن تُمسي وَسائِدَنا الرِقابُ

Do you marvel that we took possession of the earth by force,

Is it strange that we have forcibly ruled the land

and that necks become our pillows at nightfall,

And that whips have become our pillows at night

وَتُربَطُ في مَجالِسِنا المَذاكي

وَتُربَطُ في مَجالِسِنا المَذاكي

وَتَبرُكُ بَينَ أَرجُلِنا الرِكابُ

وَتَبرُكُ بَينَ أَرجُلِنا الرِكابُ

and full-grown horses are tethered in our assemblies,

And horses are tethered in our assemblies

and riding camels kneel between our feet?

And stirrups placed between our feet

فَهَذا العِزُّ أَورَثَنا العَوالي

فَهَذا العِزُّ أَورَثَنا العَوالي

وَهَذا المُلكُ مَكَّنَهُ الضِرابُ

وَهَذا المُلكُ مَكَّنَهُ الضِرابُ

For tall spears bequeathed us this glory,

For this is the glory that has given us preeminence

and sword fighting made this dominion secure.

And this is the kingdom established by the sword

وَأَمثالُ القَسِيِّ مِنَ المَطايا

وَأَمثالُ القَسِيِّ مِنَ المَطايا

يَجُبُّ غِراسَها الخَيلُ العِرابُ

يَجُبُّ غِراسَها الخَيلُ العِرابُ

And mounts resembling bows—

And the likes of the harsh mounts

purebred Arabian horses cut down their plantings.

Must be bred by Arabian steeds

فَقَصراً إِنَّ حالاً مَلَّكَتنا

فَقَصراً إِنَّ حالاً مَلَّكَتنا

لَحالٌ لا تُذَمُّ وَلا تُعابُ

لَحالٌ لا تُذَمُّ وَلا تُعابُ

So desist! Indeed, a condition that made us rulers

For if a palace has made us kings for a while

is surely one neither condemned nor faulted.

It is a state that cannot be blamed or resented