بَنيO sons of عَمَّناour paternal uncle لاdo not تَبعَثواstir up الحَربَwar بَينَناbetween us
بَني عَمَّنا لا تَبعَثوا الحَربَ بَينَنا
كَرَدِّlike driving back رَجيعِa worn-out camel الرَفضِthe scattered herd وَاِرمواand aim إِلىtoward السِلمِpeace
كَرَدِّ رَجيعِ الرَفضِ وَاِرموا إِلى السِلمِ
Sons of our uncle, do not stir up war between us,
O sons of our uncle, do not unleash war amongst us
Like driving back the scattered herd’s worn-out camel; and aim for peace.
Like the returning echo of rejection and refuse
وَكونواand be كَماas كُنّاwe used to نَكونُwe are وَحافِظواand protect
وَكونوا كَما كُنّا نَكونُ وَحافِظوا
عَلَيناover us كَماas كُنّاwe used to نُحافِظُwe defend عَنon behalf of رُهمِRuhm
عَلَينا كَما كُنّا نُحافِظُ عَن رُهمِ
And be as we used to be, and protect
Be as we used to be and safeguard
Us, as we used to defend Ruhm—
Us as we safeguarded the protection of your sanctity
نِساءِthe women of مَواليناour allies البَواكيthe weeping ones وَأَنتُمُand you
نِساءِ مَوالينا البَواكي وَأَنتُمُ
مَدَدتُمyou reinforced بِأَيديناwith our hands حِلافَthe allies of بَنيthe sons of غَنمِGhanm
مَدَدتُم بِأَيدينا حِلافَ بَني غَنمِ
Our allies’ weeping women—while you
The wailing women of our loyalists while you
Reinforced the allies of the sons of Ghanm with our hands.
Stretched out your hands for the protection of the sons of sheep
فَلاso do not تَكسِرواbreak أَرماحَهُمtheir spears فيin صُدورِكُمyour chests
فَلا تَكسِروا أَرماحَهُم في صُدورِكُم
فَتَغشِمَكُمlest they strike you ruthlessly إِنَّindeed الرِماحَspears مِنَof الغَشمِblind violence
فَتَغشِمَكُم إِنَّ الرِماحَ مِنَ الغَشمِ
So do not break their spears in your chests,
So break not their spears in your chests
Lest they strike you ruthlessly; indeed, spears are instruments of blind violence.
Lest you be overpowered, for spears come from overpowering