إِذا كانَ رُعبي يورِثُ الأَمنَ فَهوَ لي

إِذا كانَ رُعبي يورِثُ الأَمنَ فَهوَ لي

أَسَرُّ مِنَ الأَمنِ الَّذي يورِثُ الرُعبا

أَسَرُّ مِنَ الأَمنِ الَّذي يورِثُ الرُعبا

If my fear brings safety, then to me it is

If my fear brings security, it is dearer to me

more welcome than safety that brings fear.

Than security that brings fear.

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الهاشِمِيِّينَ بُلِّغوا

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الهاشِمِيِّينَ بُلِّغوا

عِظامَ المَساعي بَعدَما سَكَنوا الشِعبا

عِظامَ المَساعي بَعدَما سَكَنوا الشِعبا

Have you not seen that the Hashemites were enabled to attain

Have you not seen that the Hashimites were told

great achievements after they dwelt in the ravine?

Of the fruits of their efforts after they had calmed the people?

وَكانَ الفَتى كَعبٌ تَخَيَّرَ لِلسُرى

وَكانَ الفَتى كَعبٌ تَخَيَّرَ لِلسُرى

أَخا النِمرِ فَاِستَدنى إِلى أَجَلٍ كَعبا

أَخا النِمرِ فَاِستَدنى إِلى أَجَلٍ كَعبا

And the young man Kaʿb had chosen for night travel

And the young man Ka'b chose imprisonment

a kinsman of al-Nimr, who then brought Kaʿb close to death.

As a brother to the tiger, hastening to death like Ka'b.

وَإِنّي رَأَيتُ الصَعبَ يَركَبُ دائِماً

وَإِنّي رَأَيتُ الصَعبَ يَركَبُ دائِماً

مِنَ الناسِ مَن لَم يَركَبِ الغَرَضَ الصَعبا

مِنَ الناسِ مَن لَم يَركَبِ الغَرَضَ الصَعبا

And indeed I have seen hardship always ride

And I have seen hardship always ridden

those among men who have not ridden toward a difficult goal.

By those who never rode a difficult goal.