نحنُ الذينَ إذا تخموا عُصبةٌ

نحنُ الذينَ إذا تخموا عُصبةٌ

من معشَر كنّا لها أنكالا

من معشَر كنّا لها أنكالا

We are those who, whenever we border on a band

We are those who, when a band grew surfeited [wording unclear],

of any people, become fetters upon it.

From among a people, were shackles for it.

ونرى القُرومَ مخالة لقرُومِنا

ونرى القُرومَ مخالة لقرُومِنا

فيكَ اللقاءُ تقطرُ الأبوالا

فيكَ اللقاءُ تقطرُ الأبوالا

We see mighty chiefs swaggering before our chiefs;

And we see the chieftains in fellowship with our chieftains [wording uncertain],

when they encounter you in battle, they drip urine.

In you is the encounter [wording unclear]; they drip urine.

نردُ المنيةَ لا نخافُ ورودَها

نردُ المنيةَ لا نخافُ ورودَها

تحت العجاجةِ والعيونُ تلالا

تحت العجاجةِ والعيونُ تلالا

We advance upon death, unafraid to approach it,

We approach death, unafraid to encounter it,

beneath the battle’s dust-cloud, while eyes flash.

Beneath the dust cloud, while eyes gleam.

نُعطي الجزيل فلا نمُنُّ عطاؤنا

نُعطي الجزيل فلا نمُنُّ عطاؤنا

قبل السؤالِ ونحمل الأثقالا

قبل السؤالِ ونحمل الأثقالا

We give unstinting bounty, never holding our gifts over others,

We give abundantly without vaunting our favors; our giving

before we are asked; and we shoulder heavy burdens.

Comes before the asking, and we bear heavy burdens.

وإذا البلادُ على الأنامِ تزلزلَت

وإذا البلادُ على الأنامِ تزلزلَت

كُنّا لِزَلزَلةِ البلادِ جبالا

كُنّا لِزَلزَلةِ البلادِ جبالا

And when the lands convulse beneath humankind,

And when the lands quaked beneath humankind,

we stand as mountains against the lands’ upheaval.

We were mountains against the lands’ upheaval.