إِذاwhen ماfor emphasis غَزَوناwe raid أَرضthe land of آلthe clan of عَنيزةٍʿAnīzah
إِذا ما غَزَونا أَرض آل عَنيزةٍ
غَزتgo raiding مَعناًwith us (apparent typo) عُقبانهاits eagles وَنُسورَهاand its vultures
غَزت مَعناً عُقبانها وَنُسورَها
Whenever we raid the land of the clan of ʿAnīzah,
When we raid the land of the Bani 'Anizah
its eagles and vultures go raiding with us.
Their eagles and vultures raid with us
وَإِنand if نَحنُwe نازَلناengage in combat الكَتائبthe battalions أَدبَرتthey retreat
وَإِن نَحنُ نازَلنا الكَتائب أَدبَرت
وَطارَتand fly مياميناas good omens عَلَيناabove us طُيورَهاtheir birds
وَطارَت ميامينا عَلَينا طُيورَها
And if we engage the battalions, they retreat,
And if we attack the battalions they retreat
and their birds fly above us as good omens.
And their birds fly back upon us
تَقاسمهمdivide them أَسيافناour swords شرthe worst قَسمةٍdivision
تَقاسمهم أَسيافنا شر قَسمةٍ
فَفيناso to us غَواشيهمtheir outer coverings وَفيهاand to them صُدورَهاtheir breasts
فَفينا غَواشيهم وَفيها صُدورَها
Our swords divide them in the cruelest division:
Our swords divide them in the worst division
their outer coverings fall to us, their breasts to our blades.
So their innards are in us and their breasts are in them
فمناfor among us أَسودٌlions ضارِياتravening عَوابسscowling
فمنا أَسودٌ ضارِيات عَوابس
قُرومchieftains كِرامgenerous الراحيتنof both hands (apparent typo) فحولstallions
قُروم كِرام الراحيتن فحول
For among us are ravening, scowling lions,
Among us are fierce lions, angry
chieftains, generous with both hands, mighty stallions.
Heroes whose resting indicates their boldness
إِذاwhen نَحنُwe رَويناwe quench الصَوارمthe keen swords مِنwith دَمblood
إِذا نَحنُ رَوينا الصَوارم مِن دَم
فَتلكthen that دِماءٌblood ماno لَهنfor them ذُحولclaims for blood vengeance
فَتلك دِماءٌ ما لَهن ذُحول
When we quench our keen swords with blood,
When we water the swords with blood
that is blood for which no vengeance is owed.
That is blood which has no weakness
وَلَسناand we do not نهابُfear الجَمعthe host عِندَupon لِقائهmeeting it
وَلَسنا نهابُ الجَمع عِندَ لِقائه
سواءalike كَثيرmany عِندَناto us وَقَليلand few
سواء كَثير عِندَنا وَقَليل
We do not fear the host when we meet it:
And we do not fear the army when meeting it
many or few, to us they are alike.
Few and many are equal to us
وَأَسيافُناand our swords تَندىare wet وَماthough not كُلevery ساعةhour
وَأَسيافُنا تَندى وَما كُل ساعة
عَلَيهاover them النُفوسthe lifeblood الجامِداتcongealed تَسيلflows
عَلَيها النُفوس الجامِدات تَسيل
Our swords are wet, though not at every hour
And our swords drip but not every hour
does congealed lifeblood flow over them.
Do rigid souls flow upon them
مُعَودةًaccustomed أَنto لاnot تَسيلflow; probably intended: be drawn نصالهاtheir blades
مُعَودةً أَن لا تَسيل نصالها
فَتَعمدَthen aim; probably intended: be sheathed حَتّىuntil تُستَباحis laid waste قَبيلa tribe
فَتَعمدَ حَتّى تُستَباح قَبيل
Accustomed never to have their blades drawn
Accustomed not to drip their blades
and sheathed again until a tribe is laid waste.
Intending not to violate a tribe
إِذاwhen قَصرتgrow short فيin الحَربbattle بِالباسلfor the brave warrior الخُطاthe steps
إِذا قَصرت في الحَرب بِالباسل الخُطا
فَإِنthen indeed خُطاناour steps فيin الحُروبwars تَطولgrow long
فَإِن خُطانا في الحُروب تَطول
When a brave warrior's steps grow short in battle,
If the valiant fall short in war
our strides in war grow long.
Our lines in wars are long