لَقَد عَلِمَ الأَقوامُ أَن قَد فَرَرتُمُ

لَقَد عَلِمَ الأَقوامُ أَن قَد فَرَرتُمُ

وَلَم تَبتَدوها لِلمَعاشِرِ أَوَّلا

وَلَم تَبتَدوها لِلمَعاشِرِ أَوَّلا

The peoples know full well that you have fled,

The people have known that you fled,

And you were not the first among the clans to do so.

And did not initiate it for the companions first.

فَكونوا كَداعٍ كَرَّةً بَعدَ فَرَّةٍ

فَكونوا كَداعٍ كَرَّةً بَعدَ فَرَّةٍ

أَلا رُبَّ مَرءٍ فّرَّ ثُمَّتَ أَقبَلا

أَلا رُبَّ مَرءٍ فّرَّ ثُمَّتَ أَقبَلا

So be like one calling for a charge after a retreat;

So be like a frequent caller, after fleeing,

Lo, many a man has fled, then advanced again.

Beware, many a man flees then returns.

فَإِن أَنتُمُ لَم تَفعَلوا فَتَبَدَّلوا

فَإِن أَنتُمُ لَم تَفعَلوا فَتَبَدَّلوا

بِكُلِّ سِنانٍ مَعشَرَ الغَوثِ مِغزَلا

بِكُلِّ سِنانٍ مَعشَرَ الغَوثِ مِغزَلا

But if you do not do so, then exchange

If you do not do so, then change,

Each spearhead, O clan of al-Ghawth, for a spindle,

With every spear, company of help, spindle.

وَبِالدِرعِ ذاتِ السَرد دَرجاً وَعَيبَةً

وَبِالدِرعِ ذاتِ السَرد دَرجاً وَعَيبَةً

وَبِالسَيفِ مِرآةً وَبِالقَوسِ مَكحَلا

وَبِالسَيفِ مِرآةً وَبِالقَوسِ مَكحَلا

And the coat of linked mail for a small box and a clothes chest,

And with the coat of mail interlinked, steps and shame,

And the sword for a mirror, and the bow for a kohl stick.

And with the sword a mirror, and with the bow kohl.

وَأَعطوهُمُ حُكمَ الصَبِيِّ بِأَهلِهِ

وَأَعطوهُمُ حُكمَ الصَبِيِّ بِأَهلِهِ

وَإِنّي أَرجو أَن يَقولوا بِأَنَّ لا

وَإِنّي أَرجو أَن يَقولوا بِأَنَّ لا

And grant them a child's authority over his family;

And give them the judgement of a boy among his family,

And I hope that they will say, 'No.'

And I hope they will say that no.