نحنُ قومٌ منْ تميم بنِ مُرٍّ

نحنُ قومٌ منْ تميم بنِ مُرٍّ

نُمْطِرُ العافِينَ والعامُ مَحْلُ

نُمْطِرُ العافِينَ والعامُ مَحْلُ

We are a people of Tamim ibn Murr.

We are a people from Tameem, son of Murr

We rain bounty on petitioners when the year is drought-stricken.

We rain on the safe and the year is fruitful

نُفْصِحُ الخُطبةَ والقوْمُ لُكْنٌ

نُفْصِحُ الخُطبةَ والقوْمُ لُكْنٌ

ونَرُدُّ الجيش والخيلُ قُبْلُ

ونَرُدُّ الجيش والخيلُ قُبْلُ

We deliver the oration eloquently while others are inarticulate.

We eloquently deliver sermons while the people are silent

And we repel the army while the horses face us head-on.

And we repel the army and the horses before

حُلَماءٌ لا يَحِلُّ حُبانا

حُلَماءٌ لا يَحِلُّ حُبانا

عند طيش الخطب طيشٌ وجَهْلُ

عند طيش الخطب طيشٌ وجَهْلُ

Forbearing, our knee-binding wraps are not loosened

Wise, it is not proper for our love

by rashness or folly when calamity runs wild.

To be impulsive during sermons, that would be folly

أوْجُهٌ غُرٌّ وأيْدٍ بِساطٌ

أوْجُهٌ غُرٌّ وأيْدٍ بِساطٌ

وندىً غَمْرٌ ومُلْفىَ وظِلُّ

وندىً غَمْرٌ ومُلْفىَ وظِلُّ

Radiant faces and hands outstretched in giving,

Bright faces, generous hands

and abundant bounty, a refuge and shade.

And fresh dew, shelter, and shade

أنْجُمُ المُلْكِ ورُبَّ إِيابٍ

أنْجُمُ المُلْكِ ورُبَّ إِيابٍ

مثلما حُطَّ عن الظَّهْرِ رحْلُ

مثلما حُطَّ عن الظَّهْرِ رحْلُ

Stars of kingship—and many a return,

The stars of kingship and oft returning

like a camel-saddle taken off a back.

Just as saddles are removed from backs

وشكا الوُرَّادُ والوِرْدُ حيناً

وشكا الوُرَّادُ والوِرْدُ حيناً

سَلْسَلٌ عند الورودِ ومُهْلُ

سَلْسَلٌ عند الورودِ ومُهْلُ

And the water-seekers complained; the water was at times

The roses complained one day

sweet and smooth when reached, at others molten metal.

Chains upon the roses and respite

فَسَنَّنا الصَّبْرَ والبأسَ حتى

فَسَنَّنا الصَّبْرَ والبأسَ حتى

حَسَدَ الفخريْنِ طوْدٌ ونصْلُ

حَسَدَ الفخريْنِ طوْدٌ ونصْلُ

So it schooled us in patience and valor, until

So we exemplified patience and courage until

a mountain and a blade envied those twin glories.

The proud envied our towering heights and sharp swords

كيف تخشى أزْمَةٌ منْ زَمانٍ

كيف تخشى أزْمَةٌ منْ زَمانٍ

ويمينُ الدينِ جَدْواهُ وَبْلُ

ويمينُ الدينِ جَدْواهُ وَبْلُ

How can hardship brought by time be feared,

How can you fear a crisis of time

when Yamin al-Din's bounty is a downpour?

When the religion’s right hand is its preservation and quadrature

ساكِبُ المعْروفِ والمُزْنُ مُكْدٍ

ساكِبُ المعْروفِ والمُزْنُ مُكْدٍ

وهُمامُ الرَّوْعِ والذِّمرُ فَسْلُ

وهُمامُ الرَّوْعِ والذِّمرُ فَسْلُ

He pours out kindness while the rain-clouds withhold,

The pourer of virtues and the meaning of glory

and is a hero amid terror when the valiant man is feeble.

And the zeal of loftiness and the sword of hardness

وخميسٍ ضاربٍ بِجرانٍ

وخميسٍ ضاربٍ بِجرانٍ

مُجْلِبٍ سوْرَتُهُ ما تَقِلُّ

مُجْلِبٍ سوْرَتُهُ ما تَقِلُّ

And many an army, firmly settled, its neck laid low,

And a Khamis striking with spears

clamorous, its fury never abating,

Bringing spoils that do not diminish

فَلَّ مَنْظُومَ الشَّناخيبِ ركْضاً

فَلَّ مَنْظُومَ الشَّناخيبِ ركْضاً

وعَوادي بأسِهِ ما تُفَلُّ

وعَوادي بأسِهِ ما تُفَلُّ

shattered the chain of lofty peaks in its gallop,

So the composed she-camels fled

while the onslaughts of its might could not be broken.

And his harm did not subside

نَسفَ البَيْداءَ حتى اطمأنَّتْ

نَسفَ البَيْداءَ حتى اطمأنَّتْ

بفَضاءِ الجوِّ أرضٌ تُحَلُّ

بفَضاءِ الجوِّ أرضٌ تُحَلُّ

It scattered the desert, until there settled

He sacked the desert until it settled

in the expanse of the air a land one could inhabit.

In the expanse of air a conquerable land

وأديمُ الأرضِ خافٍ فما يُدْ

وأديمُ الأرضِ خافٍ فما يُدْ

رَكُ إِلاَّ حافِرٌ وأظَلُّ

رَكُ إِلاَّ حافِرٌ وأظَلُّ

The earth's surface was hidden; nothing could be

And the earth’s surface shuddered so it did not

seen but a hoof and a camel's foot-pad.

Move except by a hoof and shadow

صُلْتَ فيهم بيَراعٍ ورأيٍ

صُلْتَ فيهم بيَراعٍ ورأيٍ

فانْجَلى نَقْعٌ وأدْرِكَ تَبْلُ

فانْجَلى نَقْعٌ وأدْرِكَ تَبْلُ

You charged against them with a reed pen and judgment,

You attained amongst them insightful governance and opinion

so the battle-dust cleared and vengeance was attained.

So confusion cleared and comprehension took hold

قَلَمٌ يَقْطُرُ سَمّاً وشَهْداً

قَلَمٌ يَقْطُرُ سَمّاً وشَهْداً

فهو في الحالينِ نَحْلٌ وصِلُّ

فهو في الحالينِ نَحْلٌ وصِلُّ

A pen that drips poison and honey:

A pen dripping poison and honey

so in its two states it is a bee and a viper.

Thus in both states it is a bee and connection