أَمُطَّلِبٌ دَع دَعاوى الكُماةِ

أَمُطَّلِبٌ دَع دَعاوى الكُماةِ

فَتِلكَ نَحيزَةُ لا رُتبَه

فَتِلكَ نَحيزَةُ لا رُتبَه

O Muttalib, abandon your claims to be a warrior;

Amuttalib, leave off your empty boasts

for that is an inborn trait, not a rank.

For that is the habit of the ignorant

فَكَيفَ رَأَيتَ سُيوفَ الحَريشِ

فَكَيفَ رَأَيتَ سُيوفَ الحَريشِ

وَوَقعَةَ مَولى بَني ضَبَّه

وَوَقعَةَ مَولى بَني ضَبَّه

So how did you find the swords of al-Harish

How did you see the swords of Bani Hareth

and the onslaught of the client of Banu Dabba?

And the battle of the protector of Bani Dhabbah

أَحَجَّتكَ أَسيافُهُم كارِهاً

أَحَجَّتكَ أَسيافُهُم كارِهاً

وَما لَكَ في الحَجِّ مِن رَغبَه

وَما لَكَ في الحَجِّ مِن رَغبَه

Their swords made you go on pilgrimage against your will,

You seek evidence through their swords, unwillingly

though you had no desire for pilgrimage.

And you have no desire for pilgrimage

وَما المالُ جاءَكَ مِن مَغنَمٍ

وَما المالُ جاءَكَ مِن مَغنَمٍ

وَلا مِن ذَكاءٍ وَلا كِسبَه

وَلا مِن ذَكاءٍ وَلا كِسبَه

Nor did wealth come to you from spoils,

You did not acquire wealth from war booty

nor from cleverness, nor from earnings.

Nor from intelligence or work

عَطاياكَ تَغدو عَلى سابِحٍ

عَطاياكَ تَغدو عَلى سابِحٍ

وَطَوراً عَلى بَغلَةٍ نَدبَه

وَطَوراً عَلى بَغلَةٍ نَدبَه

Your gifts come in the morning on a galloping steed,

Your gifts come in the morning on a swimmer

and sometimes on a nimble mule.

And at times on a hired camel

وَلَو يُرزَقُ الناسُ مِن حيلَةٍ

وَلَو يُرزَقُ الناسُ مِن حيلَةٍ

لَما نِلتَ كَفّاً مِنَ التُربَه

لَما نِلتَ كَفّاً مِنَ التُربَه

And if people received their livelihood through ingenuity,

If people were sustained by cunning

you would not gain a handful of earth.

You would not get a handful of sand

وَلَو يَشرَبُ الماءَ أَهلُ العَفافِ

وَلَو يَشرَبُ الماءَ أَهلُ العَفافِ

لَما نِلتَ مِن مائِهِم شَربَه

لَما نِلتَ مِن مائِهِم شَربَه

And if only the chaste drank water,

If the virtuous drank water

you would not gain a sip of their water.

You would not attain a sip from them

وَلَو خَصَّ بِالرِزقِ نَجلُ الكِرامِ

وَلَو خَصَّ بِالرِزقِ نَجلُ الكِرامِ

لَما نِلتَ خَيطاً وَلا هُدبَه

لَما نِلتَ خَيطاً وَلا هُدبَه

And if provision were reserved for the offspring of the noble,

If sustenance were exclusive to the generous

you would not gain a thread or a tassel.

You would get no thread or fibers

وَلَكِنَّهُ رِزقُ مَن رِزقُهُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ رِزقُ مَن رِزقُهُ

يَعُمُّ بِهِ الكَلبَ وَالكَلبَه

يَعُمُّ بِهِ الكَلبَ وَالكَلبَه

But it is the bounty of One whose bounty

But it is the sustenance of Him who grants it

He extends to dog and bitch alike.

It comes to dogs and bitches alike