لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُI saw الأَمرَthe matter أَمراًa matter جِدّاserious
لَمّا رَأَيتُ الأَمرَ أَمراً جِدّا
وَلَمand did not أَجِدfind مِنَfrom القِيامِtaking a stand بُدّاan escape
وَلَم أَجِد مِنَ القِيامِ بُدّا
When I saw that the matter was serious,
When I saw the matter was serious indeed,
And found no escape from taking a stand,
And found no way to avoid what I must do,
لَبِستُI donned جِلدَa hide نَمِرٍa leopard مُعتَدّاprepared
لَبِستُ جِلدَ نَمِرٍ مُعتَدّا
وَجِلدَand a hide ضِرغامٍa lion يَقُدُّrends قَدّاa rending
وَجِلدَ ضِرغامٍ يَقُدُّ قَدّا
I donned a leopard's hide, fully prepared,
I donned the skin of a fierce tiger in its greed,
And the hide of a lion that rends asunder.
And the hide of a wild rhino leading the crew.
جَمَعتُI mustered جَمعَa host العَرَبِof the Arabs الأَشِدّاthe mightiest
جَمَعتُ جَمعَ العَرَبِ الأَشِدّا
جَمعاًa host يُلِدُّovercomes in contention الظالِمَthe oppressor الأَشَدّاthe mightiest
جَمعاً يُلِدُّ الظالِمَ الأَشَدّا
I mustered the mightiest host of the Arabs,
I gathered the fiercest of all Arab breeds,
A host that overcomes the mightiest oppressor,
An army to smite the cruel and subdue,
يَهُدُّshatters أَركانَthe foundations of الجِبالِthe mountains هَدّاa shattering
يَهُدُّ أَركانَ الجِبالِ هَدّا
كانَwas تَميمٌTamim لِأَبيناto our father عَبداa slave
كانَ تَميمٌ لِأَبينا عَبدا
That utterly shatters the mountains' foundations.
To shake the pillars of mountains as it proceeds,
Tamim was a slave to our father,
Tamim were slaves serving our father true,
أَسوَدَblack نَضّاحَprofusely sweating المَقَدِّthe nape جَعداcurly-haired
أَسوَدَ نَضّاحَ المَقَدِّ جَعدا
وَنَحنُand we كُنّاwere لِلنَبِيِّfor the Prophet جُنداtroops
وَنَحنُ كُنّا لِلنَبِيِّ جُندا
Black, his nape dripping sweat, his hair tightly curled.
Dark warriors with curled and tangled hair,
And we were the Prophet's troops,
While we were soldiers for the Prophet too,
يَومَon the day of بُزاخاتٍBuzakhat وَرَدنَthey came to water وِرداa throng coming to water
يَومَ بُزاخاتٍ وَرَدنَ وِردا
وَعُدَّand count ليfor me بَدراًBadr وَعُدَّand count أُحداUhud
وَعُدَّ لي بَدراً وَعُدَّ أُحدا
On the day of Buzakhat, they came in a throng to water.
On the day of Buzaakha we met them there,
And count Badr to my credit, and count Uhud.
And Badr was promised me as was Ohad too,
وَطَيِّىءٌand Tayy قَدindeed أَلبَسَتنيclothed me بُرداa mantle
وَطَيِّىءٌ قَد أَلبَسَتني بُردا
حَتّىuntil فَخَرتُthen I boasted فَهَزَمتُthen I defeated العَبداthe slave
حَتّى فَخَرتُ فَهَزَمتُ العَبدا
And Tayy has clothed me in a mantle,
Tayy wrapped me in a coat of mail I wear,
Until I boasted and then defeated the slave.
Until I charged and defeated the slave anew.