وَكائِن يُرى مِن عاجِزٍ مُتَضَعَّفٍ

وَكائِن يُرى مِن عاجِزٍ مُتَضَعَّفٍ

جَنى الحَربَ يَوماً ثُمَّ لَم يُغنِ ما يَجني

جَنى الحَربَ يَوماً ثُمَّ لَم يُغنِ ما يَجني

And how many a helpless man, deemed weak, is seen

A weak and helpless creature, as sometimes seen,

who one day stirred up war, then could not cope with what he wrought.

Reaped war's harvest one day, but it did not avail.

أَلَم يَعلَمِ المُهدي الوَعيدَ بِأَنَّني

أَلَم يَعلَمِ المُهدي الوَعيدَ بِأَنَّني

سَريعٌ إِلى ما لا يُسَرُّ لَهُ قِرني

سَريعٌ إِلى ما لا يُسَرُّ لَهُ قِرني

Does the sender of threats not know that I am

Does not the Mahdi know my threat, that I

swift to what brings my opponent no joy,

Am swift to do what irks his peers?

وَأَنَّ مَكاني لِلمُريدينَ بارِزٌ

وَأَنَّ مَكاني لِلمُريدينَ بارِزٌ

وَإِن بَرَّزوني ذو كَؤودٍ وَذو حُضنِ

وَإِن بَرَّزوني ذو كَؤودٍ وَذو حُضنِ

and that my place is conspicuous to those who seek me,

My place is with the brave when they come forth;

even if Dhu Ka'ud and Dhu Hudn rise above me?

And if the timid and poltroons drag me out,

إِذا الحَربُ حَلَّت ساحَةَ القَومِ أَخرَجَت

إِذا الحَربُ حَلَّت ساحَةَ القَومِ أَخرَجَت

عُيوبَ رِجالٍ يُعجِبونَكَ في الأَمنِ

عُيوبَ رِجالٍ يُعجِبونَكَ في الأَمنِ

When war descends upon a people's courtyard, it exposes

When war descends on a tribe, it reveals

the flaws of men who impress you in peacetime.

The faults of men you thought fine in peace.

وَلِلحَربِ أَقوامٌ يُحامونَ دونَها

وَلِلحَربِ أَقوامٌ يُحامونَ دونَها

وَكَم قَد تَرى مِن ذي رُواءٍ وَلا يُغني

وَكَم قَد تَرى مِن ذي رُواءٍ وَلا يُغني

And war has men who fight in its defense;

And war has men who shield it,

and how many a man of fine appearance you may see who is of no use.

Yet how many of repute do you see whom it avails naught!