الأَزدُ سِيَفي عَلى الأَعداءِ كُلِّهِمُ

الأَزدُ سِيَفي عَلى الأَعداءِ كُلِّهِمُ

وَسيفُ أَحمَدَ مَن دانَت لَهُ العَرَبُ

وَسيفُ أَحمَدَ مَن دانَت لَهُ العَرَبُ

The Azd are my sword against all enemies,

The tribe of Azd, their swords are upon all their enemies,

The Azd are my sword against every foe, and the sword of Ahmad, to whom the Arabs bowed.

And the sword of Ahmad, to whom the Arabs submitted.

And the sword of Ahmed, to whom the Arabs submitted,

A people who perform brilliantly when they strike by surprise, and who never recoil nor know the meaning of flight.

قَومٌ إِذا فاجَأوا أَبلوا وَإِن غُلِبوا

قَومٌ إِذا فاجَأوا أَبلوا وَإِن غُلِبوا

لا يُحجِمونَ وَلا يَدرونَ ما الهَرَبُ

لا يُحجِمونَ وَلا يَدرونَ ما الهَرَبُ

A people who, when they attack by surprise, prove their valor; and even if defeated,

A people who, when suddenly confronted, prove their mettle, and if defeated,

Their raiment in every fray consists of fine white blades and ample coats of mail.

They do not recoil, nor do they know what flight is.

Do not falter, nor do they know flight,

Sharp blades flash above heads shielded by leather helms, while their fingers grasp brown lances and polished swords.

قَومٌ لُبوسُهُمُ في كُلِّ مُعتَرَكٍ

قَومٌ لُبوسُهُمُ في كُلِّ مُعتَرَكٍ

بيضٌ رِقاقٌ وَداودِيَةٌ سُلُبُ

بيضٌ رِقاقٌ وَداودِيَةٌ سُلُبُ

A people whose armor in every clash

A people whose attire in every battlefield,

The swords laugh while destinies weep; the spears drip blood while souls are plundered.

Is thin, bright helmets and long coats of Davidic mail.

Is white, smooth, and plunder of David,

On what day do they not perform deeds so great that even wonders pale beside them?

البيضُ فَوقَ رُؤوسٍ تَحتَها اليَلَبُ

البيضُ فَوقَ رُؤوسٍ تَحتَها اليَلَبُ

وَفي الأَنامِلِ سُمرُ الخَطِّ وَالقَضَبُ

وَفي الأَنامِلِ سُمرُ الخَطِّ وَالقَضَبُ

The helmets above heads, with leather armor beneath them,

The white upon heads beneath which is prowess,

The Azd are the most distinctive in virtue of all who walk on earth, and of highest rank when mounted for war.

And in their fingers, brown spears of al-Khatt and keen swords.

And upon the robes, the dark complexion and might,

O people of Azd, you are a proud and noble folk who never weaken when times grow harsh.

البيضُ تَضحَكُ وَالآجالُ تَنتَحِبُ

البيضُ تَضحَكُ وَالآجالُ تَنتَحِبُ

وَالسُمرُ تَرعِفُ وَالأَرواحُ تُنتَهَبُ

وَالسُمرُ تَرعِفُ وَالأَرواحُ تُنتَهَبُ

The bright swords laugh while the hours of death lament,

The white laughs while deaths wail,

You have kept faith, for loyalty is your nature; never has falsehood tainted your ancient truth.

And the brown spears bleed while souls are plundered.

And the dark complexion trembles while souls are seized,

When you are angered, all creation dreads your assault, yet the anger of others matters little to you.

وَأَيُّ يَومٍ مِنَ الأَيّامِ لَيسَ لَهُم

وَأَيُّ يَومٍ مِنَ الأَيّامِ لَيسَ لَهُم

فيهِ مِنَ الفِعلِ ما مِن دُونِهِ العَجَبُ

فيهِ مِنَ الفِعلِ ما مِن دُونِهِ العَجَبُ

And what day among all days passes without their having

And which day of the days is there not for them,

O people of Azd, I am well pleased with you all, for you are the heads of affairs, never the tails.

Deeds therein that surpass wonder itself?

An act in it that is beyond wonder?

The Azd shall never despair of divine solace and forgiveness, for God protects them wherever they go.

الأَزدُ أَزيَدُ مَن يَمشي عَلى قَدَمٍ

الأَزدُ أَزيَدُ مَن يَمشي عَلى قَدَمٍ

فَضلاً وَأَعلاهُمُ قَدراً إِذا رَكِبوا

فَضلاً وَأَعلاهُمُ قَدراً إِذا رَكِبوا

The Azd surpass all who walk on foot

The Azd are most charitable when walking on foot,

You are noble in these times just as your ancestors were of old; grapes are not gathered from branches of thorns.

In merit, and are highest in rank when they ride.

And highest ranking when mounted,

The Azd are a noble root: if challenged in a race, they win; if challenged in glory, they triumph; if fought, they conquer.

يا مَعشَرَ الأَزدِ أَنتُم مَعشَرٌ أُنُفٌ

يا مَعشَرَ الأَزدِ أَنتُم مَعشَرٌ أُنُفٌ

لا يَضعُفونَ إِذا ما اِشتَدَّتِ الحُقُبُ

لا يَضعُفونَ إِذا ما اِشتَدَّتِ الحُقُبُ

O people of the Azd, you are a proud people,

O tribe of Azd, you are a high-minded tribe,

If overwhelmed by numbers, they suffice; if tested in patience, they endure; if challenged by lot, they prevail; if raided, they despoil the raider.

Who do not weaken when times grow harsh.

Who do not weaken when times get tough,

They were pure of heart, so the Creator granted them His pure guardianship; neither frivolity nor play has tainted their clarity.

وَفَيتُمُ وَوَفاءُ العَهدِ شيمَتَكُم

وَفَيتُمُ وَوَفاءُ العَهدِ شيمَتَكُم

وَلَم يُخالِط قَديماً صِدقَكُم كَذِبُ

وَلَم يُخالِط قَديماً صِدقَكُم كَذِبُ

You have kept faith, and keeping the covenant is your nature,

You have kept your word and loyalty is your trait,

Their gatherings are pleasant due to their fine character; neither ignorance nor clamor mars their assemblies.

And of old no falsehood mingled with your truthfulness.

And never has falsehood mixed with your honesty,

Even the rainclouds fall short of their generosity, yet lions fear them on the day of their wrath.

إِذا غَضِبتُم يَهابُ الخَلقُ سَطوَتَكُم

إِذا غَضِبتُم يَهابُ الخَلقُ سَطوَتَكُم

وَقَد يَهونُ عَلَيكُم مِنهُمُ الغَضَبُ

وَقَد يَهونُ عَلَيكُم مِنهُمُ الغَضَبُ

When you grow angry, people dread your onslaught,

When you get angry, people fear your might,

They have the most generous hands when asked for aid, and the most steadfast hearts when called to war.

Yet anger from them may count for little with you.

And easing it on them becomes difficult for you,

What vast army is not scattered by them when the clans of Ghassan and their champions draw near?

يا مَعشَرَ الأَزذِ إِنّي مِن جَميعِكُمُ

يا مَعشَرَ الأَزذِ إِنّي مِن جَميعِكُمُ

راضٍ وَأَنتُم رُؤوسُ الأَمرَ لا الذَنَبُ

راضٍ وَأَنتُم رُؤوسُ الأَمرَ لا الذَنَبُ

O people of the Azd, with all of you I am

O tribe of Azd, I am pleased with all of you,

May God reward them for what they have done, for their support of the Messenger, and for the good deeds they have earned.

Pleased; you are the heads of affairs, not the tail.

You are the chiefs, not the riffraff,

لَن يَيئَسِ الأَزذُ مِن روحٍ وَمَغفِرَةٍ

لَن يَيئَسِ الأَزذُ مِن روحٍ وَمَغفِرَةٍ

وَاللَهُ يَكلَؤُهُم مِن حَيثُ ما ذَهَبوا

وَاللَهُ يَكلَؤُهُم مِن حَيثُ ما ذَهَبوا

The Azd will not despair of relief and forgiveness,

Azd will not despair of life and forgiveness,

And God guards them wherever they go.

And God looks after them wherever they go,

طِبتُم حَديثاً كَما قَد طابَ أَوَّلُكُم

طِبتُم حَديثاً كَما قَد طابَ أَوَّلُكُم

وَالشَوكُ لا يُجتَنى مِن فَرعِهِ العِنَبُ

وَالشَوكُ لا يُجتَنى مِن فَرعِهِ العِنَبُ

You are noble now, as your forebears were noble,

You are good people recently, as your first were,

And grapes are not gathered from a thornbush’s branch.

And grapes are not picked from the thorn,

وَالأَزدُ جُرثومَةٌ إِن سُوبِقوا سَبَقوا

وَالأَزدُ جُرثومَةٌ إِن سُوبِقوا سَبَقوا

أَو فُوخِروا فَخَروا أَو غُولِبوا غَلَبوا

أَو فُوخِروا فَخَروا أَو غُولِبوا غَلَبوا

The Azd are a rootstock: if challenged to race, they outpace;

And Azd is an origin, if competed with, they excel,

Or if challenged in glory, they excel; or in strength, they prevail;

Or contended with, they prevail, or if oppressed, they overcome,

أَو كُوثِروا كَثُروا أَو صُوبِروا صَبروا

أَو كُوثِروا كَثُروا أَو صُوبِروا صَبروا

أَو سوهِموا سَهَموا أَو سُولِبوا سَلَبوا

أَو سوهِموا سَهَموا أَو سُولِبوا سَلَبوا

Or if challenged in numbers, they outnumber; or in endurance, they endure;

Or if found many, they multiply, or if shown patience, they endure,

Or if challenged in casting lots, they win; or in plunder, they seize the spoils.

Or if accused falsely, they forbear, or if robbed, they recover,

صَفَوا فَأَصفاهُم الباري وِلايَتَهُ

صَفَوا فَأَصفاهُم الباري وِلايَتَهُ

فَلَم يَشِب صَفوَهُم لَهوٌ وَلا لَعِبُ

فَلَم يَشِب صَفوَهُم لَهوٌ وَلا لَعِبُ

They were pure, so the Creator singled them out for His patronage;

They were chosen, so the Creator made them successors,

So neither idle amusement nor play tainted their purity.

No vanity or frivolity tainted their chosen ones,

مِن حُسنِ أَخلاقِهِم طابَت مَجالِسُهُم

مِن حُسنِ أَخلاقِهِم طابَت مَجالِسُهُم

لا الجَهلُ يَهروهُم فيها وَلا الصَخَبُ

لا الجَهلُ يَهروهُم فيها وَلا الصَخَبُ

Through their fine character, their gatherings are pleasant:

Due to their good manners, their gatherings are pleasant,

Neither ignorance nor clamour assails them there.

Neither ignorance dishonors them, nor nonsense,

الغَيتَ ما رَوِّضوا مِن دونِ نائِلِهِم

الغَيتَ ما رَوِّضوا مِن دونِ نائِلِهِم

وَالأُسدُ تَرهَبُهُم يَوماً إِذا غَضِبوا

وَالأُسدُ تَرهَبُهُم يَوماً إِذا غَضِبوا

Rain—[wording unclear]—falls short of their bounty,

They do not exaggerate what they discipline besides their seeker,

And lions fear them on a day when they grow angry.

And the lion fears them when they get angry,

أَندى الأَنامِ أَكُفّاً حينَ تَسأَلُهُم

أَندى الأَنامِ أَكُفّاً حينَ تَسأَلُهُم

وَأَربَطُ الناسِ جَأشاً إِن هُمُ نُدِبوا

وَأَربَطُ الناسِ جَأشاً إِن هُمُ نُدِبوا

They are the most openhanded of all people when you ask them,

The gentlest handed of people when asked,

And the most steadfast of heart among people when summoned.

And most resolute hearted when called upon,

وَأَيُّ جَمعٍ كَثيرٍ لا تُفَرِّقُهُ

وَأَيُّ جَمعٍ كَثيرٍ لا تُفَرِّقُهُ

إِذا تَدانَت لَهُم غَسّانُ وَالنُدبُ

إِذا تَدانَت لَهُم غَسّانُ وَالنُدبُ

And what great host do they not scatter,

And which large army's unity cannot be broken,

When Ghassan and the valiant warriors draw near to them?

When Ghassan and Nudb submit to them,

فَاللَهُ يَجزيهِم عَمّا أَتَوا وَحَبَوا

فَاللَهُ يَجزيهِم عَمّا أَتَوا وَحَبَوا

بِهِ الرَسولَ وَما مِن صالِحٍ كَسَبوا

بِهِ الرَسولَ وَما مِن صالِحٍ كَسَبوا

So may God reward them for what they did and bestowed

So may God reward them for what they came and loved,

Upon the Messenger, and for whatever good they earned.

The Messenger and every good they earned.