هَل أَلهَمَت يَثرِبٌ يَوماً مَثَرَّبَها

هَل أَلهَمَت يَثرِبٌ يَوماً مَثَرَّبَها

أَن لَيسَ يَخلَدُ مِن آطامِها أُطُمُ

أَن لَيسَ يَخلَدُ مِن آطامِها أُطُمُ

Did Yathrib ever inspire her reproacher

Did Yathrib one day inspire her ruinous state,

To see that none of her fortresses endures forever?

That glory does not last from her relics and remains?

كانَت تَضُمُّ رِجالاً تَحتَ أَعيُنِهِم

كانَت تَضُمُّ رِجالاً تَحتَ أَعيُنِهِم

مَعاطِسٌ لَم تُذَلَّل عِزَّها الخُطُمُ

مَعاطِسٌ لَم تُذَلَّل عِزَّها الخُطُمُ

She once sheltered men beneath whose eyes

She embraced men whose eyes

Were noses whose pride no halters had humbled;

Were lofty, unyielding to humiliation.

أَيدٍ إِذا بَسَطوها لِلعُلا وَصَلوا

أَيدٍ إِذا بَسَطوها لِلعُلا وَصَلوا

وَأَوجُهٌ لا تُغادي مِثلَها اللُطَمُ

وَأَوجُهٌ لا تُغادي مِثلَها اللُطَمُ

Hands—when they stretched them toward glory, they attained it;

Hands that, when extended in aid or to attack,

And faces whose like no slaps would greet at dawn.

Were hands whose like would not caress gentle things.

وَأَرضَعَ المَجدُ أَطفالاً وَأَمَّلَهُم

وَأَرضَعَ المَجدُ أَطفالاً وَأَمَّلَهُم

دَهرٌ فَماتوا أُلي شَيبٍ وَما فُطِموا

دَهرٌ فَماتوا أُلي شَيبٍ وَما فُطِموا

And Glory suckled children, and they were given hope

And glory nursed children, yet fate caused them to die

By Time; then they died gray-haired, yet had never been weaned.

Before their temples turned white or they were weaned.

ضَراغِمٌ كَالقُطامِيّاتِ لَيسَ لَها

ضَراغِمٌ كَالقُطامِيّاتِ لَيسَ لَها

إِلى أَكيلٍ سِوى أَعدائِها قَطِمُ

إِلى أَكيلٍ سِوى أَعدائِها قَطِمُ

Lions like female falcons, with no

They were violent like preying beasts, whose only food

Craving for any prey but their enemies.

Were their enemies, whom they eagerly sought to rend.

وَالناسُ مِثلُ سَوامٍ لا حُلومَ لَهُم

وَالناسُ مِثلُ سَوامٍ لا حُلومَ لَهُم

يَسوقُهُ لِلمَنايا سائِقٌ حُطَمُ

يَسوقُهُ لِلمَنايا سائِقٌ حُطَمُ

And people are like grazing livestock, with no understanding;

Men are like cattle driven to death by a driver,

A ruthless drover drives them to their deaths.

With no will of their own, helpless and condemned.