ماwhat الكيدُthe plotting ماwhat الغدرُthe treachery ماwhat هذيthese الأباطيلُthe falsehoods
ما الكيدُ ما الغدرُ ما هذي الأباطيلُ
الجيشُthe army مُحتشِدٌmassed والسَّيفand the sword مَسلولُunsheathed
الجيشُ مُحتشِدٌ والسَّيف مَسلولُ
What is this plotting, this treachery, these falsehoods?
What mischief, what treachery, what lies are these,
The army is massed, and the sword is unsheathed.
The army gathers and the swords are unsheathed,
بَنِيsons of النَّضيرِal-Nadir وماand what تُغنِيavail مَعاقِلُكمyour strongholds
بَنِي النَّضيرِ وما تُغنِي مَعاقِلُكم
كُفُّواcease الأذىthe harm ودعواand abandon العُدوانthe aggression أوor زولواdepart
كُفُّوا الأذى ودعوا العُدوان أو زولوا
Banu al-Nadir, what can your strongholds avail you?
O Bani Nadir, your fortresses will not avail you,
Cease your harm, abandon aggression, or depart.
Cease your harm and abandon aggression or be gone,
إنّindeed القتيلَthe slain man لمنsurely he who غرّتهdeceived him صَخرتُهhis rock
إنّ القتيلَ لمن غرّته صَخرتُه
فَظنَّso he thought أنّthat رسولَthe Messenger of اللهِGod مقتولslain
فَظنَّ أنّ رسولَ اللهِ مقتول
Indeed, the slain man is he whom his rock deceived,
Indeed the slain one was deluded by his rocks,
so he thought God's Messenger would be slain.
Thinking the Messenger of God was killed,
جاءcame البريدُthe dispatch بهاwith it حرَّانَburning hot يحملهُbearing it
جاء البريدُ بها حرَّانَ يحملهُ
منfrom رحمةِthe mercy of المَلِكَthe King القُدُّوسِthe Holy One جبريلGabriel
من رحمةِ المَلِكَ القُدُّوسِ جبريل
The dispatch came with word of it, burning hot, borne
The courier came with the news racing,
by Gabriel, through the mercy of the King, the Holy One.
Carried by the mercy of the Holy King Gabriel,
ماhow أكذبَuntruthful ابنَthe son of أُبيٍّUbayy إذwhen يقولُhe says لكمto you
ما أكذبَ ابنَ أُبيٍّ إذ يقولُ لكم
لاdo not تتّقواfear القومَthe people إنّindeed النصرَthe victory مكفولassured
لا تتّقوا القومَ إنّ النصرَ مكفول
How false is Ibn Ubayy when he tells you,
How untruthful is the son of Ubayy when he says to you,
“Do not fear the people; victory is assured.”
Fear not the people, victory is guaranteed,
أولاكمُgave you النَّصحَcounsel سلّامٌSallam وأرشدكمand guided you
أولاكمُ النَّصحَ سلّامٌ وأرشدكم
لوif only أنّthat نُصحَthe counsel of ذوِيpossessors of الألبابunderstanding مقبولُaccepted
لو أنّ نُصحَ ذوِي الألباب مقبولُ
Sallam offered you counsel and guided you,
That advice of yours was ill-omened Salam, you misguided them,
if only the counsel of discerning men were accepted.
Had the counsel of the wise been accepted,
مَهلاًhold حُيَيُّHuyayy أماdoes not تنهاكrestrain you ناهيةٌa warning
مَهلاً حُيَيُّ أما تنهاك ناهيةٌ
عمّاfrom what أردتَyou intended ولاnor يهدِيكَguide you مَعقولُreason
عمّا أردتَ ولا يهدِيكَ مَعقولُ
Hold, Huyayy! Does no warning restrain you
Hold back, O Huyayy, does not a warner restrain you,
from what you intend, nor reason guide you?
From what you intended, no reasoning guides you,
لاnot الحلفُthe alliance حقٌّgenuine ولاnor الأنصارُthe helpers إنif صدقواthey are sincere
لا الحلفُ حقٌّ ولا الأنصارُ إن صدقوا
يغنونavail عنكمyou وأنَّىand how يصدقُprove true القِيلُthe spoken word
يغنون عنكم وأنَّى يصدقُ القِيلُ
The alliance is not real; nor can your helpers, even if sincere,
Neither oaths are true nor, if the allies spoke truth,
avail you—and how could their word prove true?
Will they avail you, how can idle talk be believed,
بنوsons of قريظةَQurayza هدّshattered الخوفُthe fear جانبَهمtheir strength
بنو قريظةَ هدّ الخوفُ جانبَهم
والقومُand the people منfrom غَطفانٍGhatafan غالهمovercame them غُولa ghoul
والقومُ من غَطفانٍ غالهم غُول
Fear has shattered the strength of Banu Qurayza,
The fear misled Bani Quraidha,
and a ghoul has overcome the men of Ghatafan.
And the people of Ghatafan wronged them out of greed,
إنّindeed الأُلَىthose whom جمعgathered الليثُthe lion الهصورُcrushing لكمagainst you
إنّ الأُلَى جمع الليثُ الهصورُ لكم
لَهْمُsurely they الحُماةُthe defenders إذاwhen ماemphatic particle استصرخَcried for help الغيلthe thicket
لَهْمُ الحُماةُ إذا ما استصرخَ الغيل
Indeed, those whom the crushing lion has gathered against you
The packs have gathered the hissing lions against you,
are surely the defenders when the thicket cries for help.
They are ferocious when the war drums beat,
أتطلبونdo you seek دمَthe blood of الإسلامِIslam لاno حَكَمٌjudge
أتطلبون دمَ الإسلامِ لا حَكَمٌ
إلاexcept السُّيوفthe swords ويقضِيand settles الأمرَthe matter عزريلAzrael
إلا السُّيوف ويقضِي الأمرَ عزريل
Do you seek Islam's blood? There is no judge
Do you seek the blood of Islam? No judge but the swords
but swords, and Azrael settles the matter.
And the matter will be decided by Azrael,
هلquestion particle يَنفعُbenefit القومَthe people إنif أزرىabased بهمthem قِصَرٌsmallness
هل يَنفعُ القومَ إن أزرى بهم قِصَرٌ
عنshort of مركبthe mount of البأسِvalor آطامٌfortress towers بهاin them طولheight
عن مركب البأسِ آطامٌ بها طول
Can a people be helped, if their smallness has abased them—
Will towers avail the people if fear touches them
keeping them from valor's mount—by towers that stand tall?
From the abode of might, with lofty pillars?
ملُّواthey wearied of الحياةَlife وملّتهمand wearied of them معاقلُهمtheir strongholds
ملُّوا الحياةَ وملّتهم معاقلُهم
كلٌّeach بغيضٌhateful وكلٌّand each بعدُmoreover مملولtiresome
كلٌّ بغيضٌ وكلٌّ بعدُ مملول
They wearied of life, and their strongholds wearied of them;
They lingered in life and their dwellings wearied them,
each is hateful, and each, moreover, tiresome.
All are hateful and after a time become tiresome,
يدعوcalls out كنانةُKinana محزوناًsorrowfully وصاحبهand his companion
يدعو كنانةُ محزوناً وصاحبه
زالvanished الخفاءُthe concealment وبعضُand some القولِspeech تضليلdeception
زال الخفاءُ وبعضُ القولِ تضليل
Kinana and his companion call out sorrowfully:
Kinanah calls his companion in sorrow,
“Concealment has vanished; some words are deception.
Deception has faded and some words were misleading,
ياO قومناour people أرأيتمhave you seen كيفhow يُخلفكمlets you down
يا قومنا أرأيتم كيف يُخلفكم
منfrom كلّevery ذيpossessor of مِقَةٍaffection وعدٌa promise ومأمولand hoped-for help
من كلّ ذي مِقَةٍ وعدٌ ومأمول
O our people, have you seen how you are let down
O our people have you seen how those fail you
by every loving friend's promise and the help you hoped for?
Who made every promise and hope?
دَعُواleave الحصونَthe fortresses وزولواand depart عنfrom مساكنِكمyour dwellings
دَعُوا الحصونَ وزولوا عن مساكنِكم
حُمَّwas decreed القضاءُthe judgment وأمرُand the command of اللَّهِGod مفعولfulfilled
حُمَّ القضاءُ وأمرُ اللَّهِ مفعول
Leave the fortresses and depart your dwellings;
Leave the fortresses and depart from your dwellings
the decree is fixed, and God's command will be fulfilled.”
Destiny has judged and God's command is executed,
قَضَىruled النبيُّthe Prophet فماand no منfrom دونِapart from مطلبهِhis demand
قَضَى النبيُّ فما من دونِ مطلبهِ
وسُولهِand his desire مَطلبٌa demand للقومِfor the people أوسُولor a desire
وسُولهِ مَطلبٌ للقومِ أوسُول
The Prophet has ruled; other than his demand
The Prophet has judged so there is no other desire
and his desire, the people have no demand or desire.
Or request for the people except what he desires,
وليسand there is no للأمرِfor the decree إذwhen يُقضَىit is settled علىby يدهِhis hand
وليس للأمرِ إذ يُقضَى على يدهِ
بالحقِّin truth منfrom ربّهِhis Lord ردٌّreversal وتحويلand alteration
بالحقِّ من ربّهِ ردٌّ وتحويل
And no decree, when settled by his hand
When the judgment is made by his hand
in truth from his Lord, can be reversed or changed.
In truth from his Lord, there is no repeal or change,
تلفتواthey turned ينظرونlooking at الدورَthe houses شاهقةًtowering
تلفتوا ينظرون الدورَ شاهقةً
منfrom حولهاaround them النخلُthe date palms تحنيهاbend them العثاكيلthe date clusters
من حولها النخلُ تحنيها العثاكيل
They turned to look at the towering houses,
They looked around at the towering homes
with date palms around them, bowed by their clusters.
With palm trees surrounding and doves moaning,
والماءُand the water ينسابُflows والأظلالُand the shades وارفةٌspreading wide
والماءُ ينسابُ والأظلالُ وارفةٌ
والزرعُand the crops فيon شطئهِits bank بالزرعِto other crops موصولjoined
والزرعُ في شطئهِ بالزرعِ موصول
And water flows, and shade spreads wide,
Water flows and ample shade,
and crops along its bank are joined field to field.
Crops linked to crops in its banks,
قالواthey said أيذهبُwill it pass هذاthis كلُّهall of it سَلَباًas booty
قالوا أيذهبُ هذا كلُّه سَلَباً
للقومِto the people منfrom بعدناafter us تلكthose العقابيلthe dire consequences
للقومِ من بعدنا تلك العقابيل
They said, “Will all this pass as booty
They said: "Will all this go as plunder
to the people after us? Such are the bitter consequences!”
To others after us?" Those are superstitions,
وأقبلواand they set about يهدمونdemolishing الدُّورَthe houses فاختلفتْand moved to and fro
وأقبلوا يهدمون الدُّورَ فاختلفتْ
فيهاwithin them المعاولُthe pickaxes شتَّىof various kinds والأزاميلand the chisels
فيها المعاولُ شتَّى والأزاميل
They set about demolishing the houses; back and forth moved
And they set about demolishing the homes, differing
pickaxes of every kind and chisels within them.
In them were pickaxes, spades and chisels,
لهاfor them علىdespite الكُرهِthe unwillingness فيin أرجائِهاtheir corners لغةٌa language
لها على الكُرهِ في أرجائِها لغةٌ
كماas تردَّدَreverberated فيin الأسماعِthe ears ترتيلa measured chant
كما تردَّدَ في الأسماعِ ترتيل
Against their will, a language rang through the houses' corners,
In its corners it cried out as recitals
like a measured chant reverberating in the ears.
Echo in ears,
الرُّوحُthe Spirit يهتفُcalls out والإسلامُand Islam مُبتهَجٌrejoicing
الرُّوحُ يهتفُ والإسلامُ مُبتهَجٌ
والكفرُand unbelief فيin صَعقاتِthe thunderbolts of الهولِterror مخبولderanged
والكفرُ في صَعقاتِ الهولِ مخبول
The Spirit calls out, and Islam rejoices,
The soul exclaims and Islam rejoices
and unbelief is maddened by terror's thunderbolts.
While disbelief is confounded with awe,
ياalas للركائبِfor the riding camels إذwhen تمشيthey walk مُذَمَّمةًdisgraced
يا للركائبِ إذ تمشي مُذَمَّمةً
والقومُand the people منfrom فوقهاatop them سُودٌblack-faced معازيلunarmed
والقومُ من فوقها سُودٌ معازيل
Alas for the riding camels as they walk disgraced,
What a sight were the litters walking adorned
and the people upon them, black-faced and unarmed.
While the people atop were black slaves,
العزُّglory فيin عَرَصاتِthe courtyards of الدّورِthe houses مطَّرَحٌcast aside
العزُّ في عَرَصاتِ الدّورِ مطَّرَحٌ
والمالand the wealth والْحَليand the jewelry فيin الأكوارِthe camel saddles محمولcarried
والمال والْحَلي في الأكوارِ محمول
Glory lies cast aside in the houses' courtyards,
Honor cast in the sands of homes
while wealth and jewelry are carried in the camel saddles.
And riches and jewels carried in baskets
قالواthey said الرحيلdeparture فماand no أصغتgave ear مُثَقَّفةٌa straightened spear
قالوا الرحيل فما أصغت مُثَقَّفةٌ
ولاnor استجابَanswered طريرُsharp الحَدِّthe edge مصقولpolished
ولا استجابَ طريرُ الحَدِّ مصقول
They said, “Departure!” No straightened spear gave ear,
They said: "Departure!" but no learned woman listened
nor did a sharp-edged, polished sword answer.
Nor did the melody of poetry carved and polished,
نادَىcalled out المُوكَّلُthe one entrusted بالأدنىwith baser things يُعلِّلُهمfeeding them hopes
نادَى المُوكَّلُ بالأدنى يُعلِّلُهم
وفيand in الأباطيلِfalsehoods للجُهّالِfor fools تعليلconsolation
وفي الأباطيلِ للجُهّالِ تعليل
The one entrusted with baser things called out, feeding them hopes,
The overseer called out, justifying to them
and in falsehoods there is solace for fools.
With superstitions that fool the ignorant,
هذاthis الذيthat which يَرفعُraises الدنياthe world ويَخفِضُهاand lowers it
هذا الذي يَرفعُ الدنيا ويَخفِضُها
هيهاتَfar from it ذلكthat إرجافٌalarmist rumor وتهويلand exaggeration
هيهاتَ ذلك إرجافٌ وتهويل
“This is what raises the world and lowers it!”
"This one who raises and lowers the world
Far from it! That is alarmist rumor and exaggeration.
Never! That is shocking and frightening,"
مَواكبُprocessions of العارِshame لاnot وسمُthe brand of الهوانِhumiliation بهاon them
مَواكبُ العارِ لا وسمُ الهوانِ بها
خافٍhidden ولاnor أَثرُthe trace of الخذلانِabandonment مجهولunknown
خافٍ ولا أَثرُ الخذلانِ مجهول
Processions of shame: neither humiliation's brand upon them
Processions of shame, not shy reservedness in them
is hidden, nor is the mark of their abandonment unknown.
Nor traces of betrayal unknown,
ماnothing فيin الهوادجِthe howdahs والديباجُand the brocade يملؤهاfills them
ما في الهوادجِ والديباجُ يملؤها
للِخزيِfor the shame ملءَfilling وجوهِthe faces of القومِthe people تبديلalteration
للِخزيِ ملءَ وجوهِ القومِ تبديل
Nothing in the howdahs, though brocade fills them,
No use are the litters filled with brocade
can change the shame filling the people's faces.
That change the faces of the people with humiliation,
وماand not الأساوِرُthe bracelets والأقراطُand the earrings نافعةٌof use
وما الأساوِرُ والأقراطُ نافعةٌ
ولاnor العقودُthe necklaces الغواليthe precious ones والخلاخيلand the anklets
ولا العقودُ الغوالي والخلاخيل
Bracelets and earrings are of no avail,
No benefit in bracelets, earrings,
nor precious necklaces and anklets.
Necklaces, anklets and trinkets,
تشدوsing القِيَانُthe singing slave girls بأيديهاin their hands مَعازِفُهاtheir instruments
تشدو القِيَانُ بأيديها مَعازِفُها
وماand no عليهاon them غَداةَon the morning of الجِدِّearnest struggle تعويلُreliance
وما عليها غَداةَ الجِدِّ تعويلُ
The singing slave girls sing, their instruments in their hands,
The singing girls tie up their instruments
but no reliance is placed on them on the morning of earnest struggle.
On the morrow of battle there is no reliance,
تجلَّدواthey steeled themselves يتّقونguarding against الشامِتينَthose gloating بهمover them
تجلَّدوا يتّقون الشامِتينَ بهم
لبئسماwretched indeed is what زَعَمَclaimed القومُthe people المهازيلthe feeble ones
لبئسما زَعَمَ القومُ المهازيل
They steeled themselves, guarding against those who gloated over them;
They pretended, fearing the reproach upon them,
how wretched the claims of those feeble people!
Evil is what those censurers claimed,
فِيمَwhat for الشماتةُthe gloating هلquestion particle كانواthey were ذَويpossessors of خَطَرٍimportance
فِيمَ الشماتةُ هل كانوا ذَوي خَطَرٍ
بلrather غالَdestroyed أحلامَهمtheir judgment ظَنٌّconjecture وتخييلand illusion
بل غالَ أحلامَهم ظَنٌّ وتخييل
Why gloat? Were they men of consequence?
Why reproach? Were they people of renown?
Rather, conjecture and illusion destroyed their judgment.
Rather their dreams deceived them,
لهمfor them بِخَيْبَرَat Khaybar أقدارٌdestinies مُؤجّلةٌdeferred
لهم بِخَيْبَرَ أقدارٌ مُؤجّلةٌ
وأذرعاتٍand Adhri'at وللأقدارِand for destinies تأجيلdeferment
وأذرعاتٍ وللأقدارِ تأجيل
At Khaybar, they have destinies deferred,
For them at Khaybar are destined strokes
and at Adhri'at; destinies have their delays.
And forearms, and for destinies there is adjournment,
أدركَتَهاyou attained it ياO ابنَson of وهبِWahb نعمةًa blessing نَصرتْaided
أدركَتَها يا ابنَ وهبِ نعمةً نَصرتْ
فيamong القومthe people جدَّكyour fortune والمغرورُand the deluded one مخذولforsaken
في القوم جدَّك والمغرورُ مخذول
You attained it, O Ibn Wahb—a blessing that aided
You attained them, O son of Wahb, a gift of victory
your fortune among the people; the deluded one is forsaken.
Through your grandfather, and the arrogant was humiliated,
تلكthat الوسيلةُthe means منwhoever تعلَقْclings بهاto it يَدُهhis hand
تلك الوسيلةُ من تعلَقْ بها يَدُه
لمdid not يَعْدُهpass him by منfrom عطاءِthe bounty of اللهGod تنويلa grant
لم يَعْدُه من عطاءِ الله تنويل
That is the means: whoever's hand clings to it,
That is the means, he who takes hold of it
a grant from God's bounty will not pass him by.
Will not be denied the gifts of God,
وأنتand you ياO ابنَson of عُمَيرٍUmayr زِدتَyou gained مَرتبةًa rank
وأنت يا ابنَ عُمَيرٍ زِدتَ مَرتبةً
وللمراتبِand for ranks عندin the sight of اللَّهِGod تفضيلpreference
وللمراتبِ عند اللَّهِ تفضيل
And you, O Ibn Umayr, gained another rank,
And you, O son of Umayr, have gained rank
and some ranks are favored above others by God.
And with God ranks have preference,
أنكرتَyou condemned فِعلَةَthe deed of عمروٍAmr حينwhen همّhe intended بهاto do it
أنكرتَ فِعلَةَ عمروٍ حين همّ بها
فالنَّفسُso the soul غاضبةٌangry والمالُand the wealth مبذولfreely spent
فالنَّفسُ غاضبةٌ والمالُ مبذول
You condemned Amr's deed when he intended it;
You rejected the act of Amr when he ventured it
so your soul was angry, and your wealth freely spent.
So the soul is wrathful though the wealth is spent,
رَمَيْتَهُyou assailed him منfrom بنيthe sons of قيسٍQays بِمُقتنِصٍwith a hunter
رَمَيْتَهُ من بني قيسٍ بِمُقتنِصٍ
يمشيstalks الضِّرَاءَunder cover فأمسىso he ended up وهوwhile he was مأكولdevoured
يمشي الضِّرَاءَ فأمسى وهو مأكول
You assailed him with a hunter from Banu Qays,
You shot him dead from Bani Qays with an arrow
stalking under cover; thus his quarry ended up devoured.
That walks misfortune so he ended up slain,
أتلكis it that إذwhen صدقتyou spoke truly ياO عمروAmr أمor حَجَرٌa stone
أتلك إذ صدقت يا عمرو أم حَجَرٌ
يرمِيhurls بهwith it الصادقَthe truthful one المأمونَthe trusted one إجفيلa skittish coward
يرمِي به الصادقَ المأمونَ إجفيل
Is it that—if you speak truly, O Amr—or a stone
Was that true, O Amr, or a wild stone
hurled at the truthful, trusted one by a skittish coward?
Cast by the liar at the trusted, protected man?
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.