أَلا قُل لِصِنهاجَةٍ أَجمَعين

أَلا قُل لِصِنهاجَةٍ أَجمَعين

بُدورِ النَدِيَّ وَأُسدِ العَرين

بُدورِ النَدِيَّ وَأُسدِ العَرين

Come, tell all of Sanhaja,

O say to the Chief of the Tribe altogether,

Full moons of the assembly and lions of the lair:

The possessors of tents and lions of the den,

لَقَد زَلَّ سَيِّدُكُم زَلَّةً

لَقَد زَلَّ سَيِّدُكُم زَلَّةً

تَقِرُّ بِها أَعيُنُ الشامِتين

تَقِرُّ بِها أَعيُنُ الشامِتين

Your lord has indeed made a misstep

Indeed, your master has slipped

That delights the eyes of those who gloat.

With a slip that pleases the eyes of gloaters.

تَخَيَّرَ كاتِبُهُ كافِراً

تَخَيَّرَ كاتِبُهُ كافِراً

وَلَو شاءَ كانَ مِنَ المُسلِمين

وَلَو شاءَ كانَ مِنَ المُسلِمين

He chose an unbeliever as his scribe,

His scribe chose an infidel,

Though, had he wished, his scribe could have been a Muslim.

Although if he wished he could have chosen from the Muslims.

فَعَزَّ اليَهودُ بِهِ وَاِنتَخَوا

فَعَزَّ اليَهودُ بِهِ وَاِنتَخَوا

وَتاهوا وَكانوا مِنَ الأَرذَلين

وَتاهوا وَكانوا مِنَ الأَرذَلين

Through him the Jews grew mighty and proud,

So the Jews gained power through him, and chose

And swaggered, though they had been among the lowliest.

Their own and became of the most vile.

وَنالوا مُناهُم وَجازوا المَدى

وَنالوا مُناهُم وَجازوا المَدى

فَحانَ الهَلاكُ وَما يَشعُرون

فَحانَ الهَلاكُ وَما يَشعُرون

They attained their wishes and overstepped the bounds;

And they got their purpose and crossed the line,

So the hour of destruction has come, though they are unaware.

So ruin is imminent though they are not aware.

فَكَم مُسلِمٍ فاضِلٍ قانِتٍ

فَكَم مُسلِمٍ فاضِلٍ قانِتٍ

لِأَرذَلِ قِردٍ مِنَ المُشرِكين

لِأَرذَلِ قِردٍ مِنَ المُشرِكين

So many a virtuous Muslim submits

How many virtuous, devout Muslims

To the vilest ape among the polytheists!

For the vilest ape of the polytheists!

وَما كانَ ذَلِكَ مِن سَعيِهِم

وَما كانَ ذَلِكَ مِن سَعيِهِم

وَلَكِنَّ مِنّا يَقومُ المُعين

وَلَكِنَّ مِنّا يَقومُ المُعين

This did not come about through their own striving,

This was not due to their effort,

But from among us comes their helper.

But from us the helper arises.

فَهَلّا اِقتَدى فيهُمُ بِالأُلى

فَهَلّا اِقتَدى فيهُمُ بِالأُلى

مِنَ القادَةِ الخيرَةِ المُتَّقين

مِنَ القادَةِ الخيرَةِ المُتَّقين

Why did he not, in dealing with them, follow those

Why didn’t he emulate the predecessors

Excellent, God-fearing leaders,

Among the virtuous, God-fearing leaders?

وَأَنزَلَهُم حَيثُ يَستاهِلونَ

وَأَنزَلَهُم حَيثُ يَستاهِلونَ

وَرَدَّهُم أَسفَلَ السافِلين

وَرَدَّهُم أَسفَلَ السافِلين

And put them where they deserve,

And place them where they deserve,

And return them to the lowest of the low?

And return them to the lowest of the low.

وَطافوا لَدَينا بِإِخراجِهِم

وَطافوا لَدَينا بِإِخراجِهِم

عَلَيهِم صِغارٌ وَذُلٌّ وَهَون

عَلَيهِم صِغارٌ وَذُلٌّ وَهَون

Then, driven out, they would wander among us,

They hovered around us to humiliate them -

Burdened with abasement, humiliation, and disgrace,

Upon them are disgrace, humiliation and disdain.

وَقَمَّوا المَزابِلَ عَن خِرقَةٍ

وَقَمَّوا المَزابِلَ عَن خِرقَةٍ

مُلَوَّنَةٍ لِدِثارِ الدَفين

مُلَوَّنَةٍ لِدِثارِ الدَفين

And rake the rubbish heaps for a rag,

And they yearned for colorful rags

A colored one to shroud the buried dead.

For the garments of the base.

وَلَم يَستَخِفّوا بِأَعلامِنا

وَلَم يَستَخِفّوا بِأَعلامِنا

وَلَم يَستَطيلوا عَلى الصالِحين

وَلَم يَستَطيلوا عَلى الصالِحين

They would not make light of our notables,

Nor did they scorn our flags

Nor act arrogantly toward the righteous,

Nor tyrannize the righteous.

وَلا جالَسوهُم وَهُم هُجنَةٌ

وَلا جالَسوهُم وَهُم هُجنَةٌ

وَلا واكَبوهُم مَعَ الأَقرَبين

وَلا واكَبوهُم مَعَ الأَقرَبين

Nor sit with them, being themselves a disgrace,

Nor did they sit with them while they were defiant

Nor accompany them among their intimates.

Nor accompany them along with the relatives.

أَباديسُ أَنتَ اِمرِؤٌ حاذِقٌ

أَباديسُ أَنتَ اِمرِؤٌ حاذِقٌ

تُصيبُ بِظَنِّكَ نَفسَ اليَقين

تُصيبُ بِظَنِّكَ نَفسَ اليَقين

O Badis, you are a discerning man;

Abidis, you are a wise man,

Your judgment strikes certainty itself.

Your guess hits the mark of certainty.

فَكَيفَ اِختَفَت عَنكَ أَعيانُهُم

فَكَيفَ اِختَفَت عَنكَ أَعيانُهُم

وَفي الأَرضِ تُضرَبُ مِنها القُرون

وَفي الأَرضِ تُضرَبُ مِنها القُرون

How, then, have their notables escaped your notice,

So how did their chiefs escape you

When their horns are beaten into the earth?

While generations are struck down on earth?

وَكَيفَ تُحِبُّ فِراخَ الزِنا

وَكَيفَ تُحِبُّ فِراخَ الزِنا

وَهُم بَغَّضوكَ إِلى العالَمين

وَهُم بَغَّضوكَ إِلى العالَمين

How can you love the offspring of fornication,

And how can you love the chicks of fornication

When they have made you hateful to all the world?

When they hate you among both worlds?

وَكَيفَ يَتِمُّ لَكَ المُرتَقى

وَكَيفَ يَتِمُّ لَكَ المُرتَقى

إِذا كُنتَ تَبني وَهُم يَهدِمون

إِذا كُنتَ تَبني وَهُم يَهدِمون

How can your ascent be completed

And how can ascent be fulfilled for you

When you build and they demolish?

When you build and they demolish?

وَكَيفَ اِستَنَمتَ إِلى فاسِقٍ

وَكَيفَ اِستَنَمتَ إِلى فاسِقٍ

وَقارَنتَهُ وَهُوَ بِيسَ القَرين

وَقارَنتَهُ وَهُوَ بِيسَ القَرين

How could you put your trust in an evildoer

And how can you rely on a sinner

And join yourself to him—an evil companion?

And match him when he is despicable?

وَقَد أَنزَلَ اللَهُ في وَحيِهِ

وَقَد أَنزَلَ اللَهُ في وَحيِهِ

يُحَذِّرُ عَن صُحبَةِ الفاسِقين

يُحَذِّرُ عَن صُحبَةِ الفاسِقين

God has indeed sent down in His revelation

God has revealed in His revelation

A warning against the company of evildoers.

Warning against the company of sinners.

فَلا تَتَّخِذ مِنهُمُ خادِماً

فَلا تَتَّخِذ مِنهُمُ خادِماً

وَذَرهُم إِلى لَعنَةِ اللاعِنين

وَذَرهُم إِلى لَعنَةِ اللاعِنين

So take no servant from among them,

So do not take any of them as a servant

And leave them to the curse of those who curse.

And leave them to the curse of the cursers.

فَقَد ضَجَّتِ الأَرضُ مِن فِسقِهِم

فَقَد ضَجَّتِ الأَرضُ مِن فِسقِهِم

وَكادَت تَميدُ بِنا أَجمَعين

وَكادَت تَميدُ بِنا أَجمَعين

The earth has cried out against their wickedness,

For the earth is deafened by their corruption

And almost reeled with us all.

And almost swayed with all of us.

تَأَمَّل بِعَينَيكَ أَقطارَها

تَأَمَّل بِعَينَيكَ أَقطارَها

تَجِدهُم كِلاباً بِها خاسِئين

تَجِدهُم كِلاباً بِها خاسِئين

Survey its regions with your own eyes:

Observe its regions with your eyes

You will find them there as despised dogs.

You find them like dogs, disgraced in it.

وَكَيفَ اِنفَرَدتَ بِتَقريبِهِم

وَكَيفَ اِنفَرَدتَ بِتَقريبِهِم

وَهُم في البِلادِ مِنَ المُبعَدين

وَهُم في البِلادِ مِنَ المُبعَدين

How have you alone drawn them near,

And how can you single out their proximity

When elsewhere in the lands they are cast out?

When they are exiled in the lands?

عَلَى أَنَّكَ المَلِكُ المُرتَضى

عَلَى أَنَّكَ المَلِكُ المُرتَضى

سَليلُ المُلوكِ مِنَ الماجِدين

سَليلُ المُلوكِ مِنَ الماجِدين

Though you are the esteemed king,

When you are the chosen King,

A scion of illustrious kings,

Descendant of kings, of the glorious.

وَأَنَّ لَكَ السَبقَ بَينَ الوَرى

وَأَنَّ لَكَ السَبقَ بَينَ الوَرى

كَما أَنتَ مِن جِلَّةِ السابِقين

كَما أَنتَ مِن جِلَّةِ السابِقين

And yours is precedence among mankind,

And you have precedence among mankind

As you are among the greatest of the foremost.

As you are of the foremost.

وَإِنّي اِحتَلَلتُ بِغَرناطَةٍ

وَإِنّي اِحتَلَلتُ بِغَرناطَةٍ

فَكُنتُ أَراهُم بِها عابِثين

فَكُنتُ أَراهُم بِها عابِثين

I settled in Granada,

I occupied Granada,

And used to see them there making mischief.

I saw them being reckless in it.

وَقَد قَسَّموها وَأَعمالَها

وَقَد قَسَّموها وَأَعمالَها

فَمِنهُم بِكلِّ مَكانٍ لَعين

فَمِنهُم بِكلِّ مَكانٍ لَعين

They had divided it and its districts among themselves,

They divided it and its dependencies -

With an accursed man of theirs in every place.

In every place are eyes from them.

وَهُم يَقبِضونَ جِباياتِها

وَهُم يَقبِضونَ جِباياتِها

وَهُم يَخضِمون وَهُم يَقضِمون

وَهُم يَخضِمون وَهُم يَقضِمون

They collect its taxes,

They collect its taxes,

They devour, and they gnaw.

Gobbling and gnawing.

وَهُم يَلبِسونَ رَفيعَ الكُسا

وَهُم يَلبِسونَ رَفيعَ الكُسا

وَأَنتُم لِأَوضَعِها لابِسون

وَأَنتُم لِأَوضَعِها لابِسون

They wear the finest garments,

They wear elegant clothes,

While you wear the meanest.

While you wear the lowest.

وَهُم أُمَناكُم عَلى سِرِّكُم

وَهُم أُمَناكُم عَلى سِرِّكُم

وَكَيفَ يَكونُ خَؤونٌ أَمين

وَكَيفَ يَكونُ خَؤونٌ أَمين

They are your trusted keepers of your secrets;

They are privy to your secrets -

But how can a traitor be trustworthy?

How can a traitor be trusted?

وَيَأكُلُ غَيرُهُم دِرهَماً

وَيَأكُلُ غَيرُهُم دِرهَماً

فَيُقصى وَيُدنَونَ إِذ يَأكُلون

فَيُقصى وَيُدنَونَ إِذ يَأكُلون

Someone else eats up a dirham,

And others eat a dirham,

And is banished, while they are brought near as they eat.

Then are expelled, while they feast.

وَقَد ناهَضوكُم إِلى رَبِّكُم

وَقَد ناهَضوكُم إِلى رَبِّكُم

فَما تَمنَعونَ وَلا تَنكِرون

فَما تَمنَعونَ وَلا تَنكِرون

They have challenged you even concerning your Lord,

They confronted you to your Lord,

Yet you neither restrain them nor protest.

Yet you do not forbid nor deny.

وَقد لابَسوكُم بِأَسحارِهِم

وَقد لابَسوكُم بِأَسحارِهِم

فَما تَسمَعونَ وَلا تُبصِرون

فَما تَسمَعونَ وَلا تُبصِرون

They have enmeshed you in their sorceries,

They have clothed you in their magic,

So you neither hear nor see.

So you do not hear nor see.

وَهُم يَذبَحونَ بِأَسواقِها

وَهُم يَذبَحونَ بِأَسواقِها

وَأَنتُم لِأَطرافِها آكِلون

وَأَنتُم لِأَطرافِها آكِلون

They slaughter in its markets,

And they slaughter in its markets,

While you eat the offcuts.

While you are eating its scraps.

وَرَخَّمَ قِردُهُم دارَهُ

وَرَخَّمَ قِردُهُم دارَهُ

وَأَجرى إِلَيها نَميرَ العُيون

وَأَجرى إِلَيها نَميرَ العُيون

Their ape has lined his house with marble,

Their ape widened his house,

And channeled into it the sweet water of springs.

And drew to it the pansy eyes.

فَصارَت حَوائِجُنا عِندَهُ

فَصارَت حَوائِجُنا عِندَهُ

وَنَحنُ عَلى بابِهِ قائِمون

وَنَحنُ عَلى بابِهِ قائِمون

Our needs are now in his hands,

So our needs became through him,

And we stand at his door.

While we stand at his door.

وَيَضحَكُ مِنّا وَمِن دينِنا

وَيَضحَكُ مِنّا وَمِن دينِنا

فَإِنّا إِلى رَبِّنا راجِعون

فَإِنّا إِلى رَبِّنا راجِعون

He laughs at us and at our religion;

He ridicules us and our religion -

For to our Lord we are returning.

To our Lord we shall return.

وَلَو قُلتَ في مالِهِ إِنَّهُ

وَلَو قُلتَ في مالِهِ إِنَّهُ

كَمالِكَ كُنتَ مِنَ الصادِقين

كَمالِكَ كُنتَ مِنَ الصادِقين

Had you said of his wealth that it

If you said his money was yours,

Was like your own, you would have spoken the truth.

You would be of the truthful.

فَبادِر إِلى ذَبحِهِ قُربَةً

فَبادِر إِلى ذَبحِهِ قُربَةً

وَضَحِّ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَبشٌ سَمين

وَضَحِّ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَبشٌ سَمين

So hasten to slaughter him as an offering,

So hurry to slaughter him as an offering,

And sacrifice him, for he is a fat ram.

And sacrifice him, for he is a fat lamb.

وَلا تَرفَعِ الضَغطَ عَن رَهطِهِ

وَلا تَرفَعِ الضَغطَ عَن رَهطِهِ

فَقَد كَنَزوا كُلَّ عِلقٍ ثَمين

فَقَد كَنَزوا كُلَّ عِلقٍ ثَمين

Do not lift the pressure from his clan,

Do not lift the pressure off his ilk,

For they have hoarded every precious treasure.

For they hoard every precious possession.

وَفَرِّق عِداهُم وَخُذ مالَهُم

وَفَرِّق عِداهُم وَخُذ مالَهُم

فَأَنتَ أَحَقُّ بِما يَجمَعون

فَأَنتَ أَحَقُّ بِما يَجمَعون

Scatter their enemies and take their wealth,

Disperse their company and take their money,

For you have a greater right to what they gather.

For you have the greatest right to what they gather.

وَلا تَحسِبَن قَتلَهُم غَدرَةً

وَلا تَحسِبَن قَتلَهُم غَدرَةً

بَل الغَدرُ في تَركِهِم يَعبَثون

بَل الغَدرُ في تَركِهِم يَعبَثون

Do not think killing them an act of treachery;

Do not think killing them is betrayal,

Rather, treachery lies in leaving them to make mischief.

Rather betrayal is leaving them to wreak havoc.

وَقَد نَكَثوا عَهدَنا عِندَهُم

وَقَد نَكَثوا عَهدَنا عِندَهُم

فَكَيفَ تُلامُ عَلى الناكِثين

فَكَيفَ تُلامُ عَلى الناكِثين

They have broken our covenant in their keeping;

They broke their covenant with us,

How, then, could you be blamed over oath-breakers?

So why would you be blamed for the breakers?

وَكَيفَ تَكونُ لَهُم ذِمَّةٌ

وَكَيفَ تَكونُ لَهُم ذِمَّةٌ

وَنَحنُ خُمولٌ وَهُم ظاهِرون

وَنَحنُ خُمولٌ وَهُم ظاهِرون

How can they have a covenant of protection,

And how can they have a pact

When we are obscure and they are prominent?

When we are submissive and they dominant?

وَنَحنُ الأَذِلَّةُ مِن بَينِهِم

وَنَحنُ الأَذِلَّةُ مِن بَينِهِم

كَأَنّا أَسَأنا وَهُم مُحسِنون

كَأَنّا أَسَأنا وَهُم مُحسِنون

We are the abased in their midst,

We are the humiliated among them,

As though we had done wrong and they had done good.

As if we did wrong and they did good!

فَلا تَرضَ فينا بِأَفعالِهِم

فَلا تَرضَ فينا بِأَفعالِهِم

فَأَنتَ رَهينٌ بِما يَفعَلون

فَأَنتَ رَهينٌ بِما يَفعَلون

So do not tolerate what they do to us,

So do not accept their actions regarding us,

For you are answerable for what they do.

For you are hostage to what they do.

وَراقِب إِلَهَكَ في حِزبِهِ

وَراقِب إِلَهَكَ في حِزبِهِ

فَحِزبُ الإِلَهِ هُمُ الغالِبون

فَحِزبُ الإِلَهِ هُمُ الغالِبون

And be mindful of your God concerning His party,

And watch your God regarding His party,

For God's party—they are the victors.

For the party of God - they are the victorious!