بَكَت عَينُ مَحزونٍ فَطالَ اِنسِجامُها

بَكَت عَينُ مَحزونٍ فَطالَ اِنسِجامُها

وَطالَت لَيالي حادِثٍ لا يَنامُها

وَطالَت لَيالي حادِثٍ لا يَنامُها

The eye of a grieving man wept; long streamed its tears.

The tearful eye of a sorrowful one wept long, extending its flow.

Long grew the nights of a calamity he does not sleep through.

And the nights of misfortune lengthened, not allowing it to sleep.

حَوادِثُ مِن لَيلِ المَنينِ أَصَبنَني

حَوادِثُ مِن لَيلِ المَنينِ أَصَبنَني

فَصارَ عَلى الأَخيارِ مِنّا سِهامُها

فَصارَ عَلى الأَخيارِ مِنّا سِهامُها

Calamities out of Fate's night have struck me,

Misfortunes from the night of afflictions hit me,

and their arrows have fallen upon the best among us.

So their arrows struck the best of us.

كَأَنَّ المَنايا يَطَّلِبنَ نُفوسَنا

كَأَنَّ المَنايا يَطَّلِبنَ نُفوسَنا

بِذَحلٍ إِذا ما حُمَّ يَوماً حِمامُها

بِذَحلٍ إِذا ما حُمَّ يَوماً حِمامُها

As though the fates were hunting our souls

It was as though death sought our souls

for vengeance, when their appointed death is one day decreed.

With resolute determination, once its ardour kindled.

فَإِن نَبكِ لا نَبكِ المُصيباتِ إِذ أَتى

فَإِن نَبكِ لا نَبكِ المُصيباتِ إِذ أَتى

بِها الدَهرُ وَالأَيّامُ جَمٌّ خِصامُها

بِها الدَهرُ وَالأَيّامُ جَمٌّ خِصامُها

If we weep, we weep not for calamities when brought

If we weep, we do not weep for the misfortunes when they came -

by Time; the days are full of strife.

Time and days brought them fiercely arguing.

وَلَكِنَّنا نَبكي تَنَهُّكَ خالِدٍ

وَلَكِنَّنا نَبكي تَنَهُّكَ خالِدٍ

مَحارِمَ مِنّا لا يَحِلُّ حَرامُها

مَحارِمَ مِنّا لا يَحِلُّ حَرامُها

But we weep for Khalid's violation of

But we weep for your violation of sacred laws regarding Khalid -

our sanctities, whose violation can never be lawful.

Sanctities of ours that are forbidden to violate.

فَقُل لِبَني مَروانَ ما بالُ ذِمَّةً

فَقُل لِبَني مَروانَ ما بالُ ذِمَّةً

وَحُرمَةَ حِلٍّ لَيسَ يُرعى ذِمامُها

وَحُرمَةَ حِلٍّ لَيسَ يُرعى ذِمامُها

So tell the sons of Marwan: What has become of a covenant

So tell the Banu Marwan: What's wrong with a covenant

and a sanctity deemed violable, its pledge unguarded?

And the sanctity of a permitted thing they do not respect?

أَلا في سَبيلِ اللَهِ سَفكُ دِمائِنا

أَلا في سَبيلِ اللَهِ سَفكُ دِمائِنا

بِلا جُرمَةٍ مِنّا يَبينُ اِجتِرامُها

بِلا جُرمَةٍ مِنّا يَبينُ اِجتِرامُها

Lo, in God's path is the shedding of our blood,

Indeed shedding our blood in God's cause

without any crime of ours whose commission can be shown.

Is no sin on our part - its legitimacy is evident.

مَدَدنا بِثَديٍ ما جُزينا بِدَرِّهِ

مَدَدنا بِثَديٍ ما جُزينا بِدَرِّهِ

وَأَيدٍ بِنا اِستَعلَت وَتَمَّ تَمامُها

وَأَيدٍ بِنا اِستَعلَت وَتَمَّ تَمامُها

We held out a breast, yet were not repaid for its milk,

We extended a breast whose gift we were not reciprocated,

and hands that rose high through us, their fullness made complete.

And an arm that rose up and completed its work.

وَثارَ بِقَتلِ اِبنِ المُهَلَّبِ خالِدٌ

وَثارَ بِقَتلِ اِبنِ المُهَلَّبِ خالِدٌ

وَفينا بَقِيّاتُ الهُدى وَإِمامُها

وَفينا بَقِيّاتُ الهُدى وَإِمامُها

Khalid took vengeance for the killing of Ibn al-Muhallab,

And Khalid rose up to avenge Ibn al-Muhallab's murder -

while among us remain guidance's remnants and their imam.

The remnants of right guidance and its imam still in us.

أَرى مُضَرَ المِصرَينِ قَد ذَلَّ نَصرُها

أَرى مُضَرَ المِصرَينِ قَد ذَلَّ نَصرُها

وَلَكِنَّ قَيساً لا يُذَلُّ شَآمُها

وَلَكِنَّ قَيساً لا يُذَلُّ شَآمُها

I see Mudar of the two cities, its support brought low,

I see the helpers of Egypt, their victory is humbled,

but Qays's Syria cannot be humbled.

But Qays - Syria's protection - will not be disgraced.

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ بِالشامِ قَيساً وَخِندِفاً

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ بِالشامِ قَيساً وَخِندِفاً

أَحاديثَ ما يُشفى بِبُرءٍ سَقامُها

أَحاديثَ ما يُشفى بِبُرءٍ سَقامُها

Who, then, will convey to Qays and Khindif in Syria

So who will convey to Qays and Khindif in Syria

tidings whose sickness no healing can cure?

News that cannot be remedied unless treated?

أَحاديثَ مِنّا نَشتَكيها إِلَيهِمُ

أَحاديثَ مِنّا نَشتَكيها إِلَيهِمُ

وَمُظلِمَةً يَغشى الوُجوهَ ظَلامُها

وَمُظلِمَةً يَغشى الوُجوهَ ظَلامُها

Tidings of ours that we bring to them in complaint,

News we complain of to them,

and an injustice whose darkness overspreads faces.

And injustice that covers faces in darkness.

فَإِن مَن بِها مَن يُنكِرَ الضَيمَ مِنهُمُ

فَإِن مَن بِها مَن يُنكِرَ الضَيمَ مِنهُمُ

فَيَغضَبَ مِنها كَهلُها وَغُلامُها

فَيَغضَبَ مِنها كَهلُها وَغُلامُها

If among those there is one of them who rejects oppression,

For if one who rejects injustice is among them,

so that its mature men and youths grow angry at it,

He will be angered by it, both their elder and youth.

يَعُد مِثلُها مِن مِثلِهِم فَيُنَكِّلوا

يَعُد مِثلُها مِن مِثلِهِم فَيُنَكِّلوا

فَيَعلَمَ أَهلُ الجَورِ كَيفَ اِنتِقامُها

فَيَعلَمَ أَهلُ الجَورِ كَيفَ اِنتِقامُها

let a like response come from their peers, and let them punish,

The likes of it, he promises the likes of them, so they break

so that the unjust learn the nature of its revenge,

And the people of injustice know how vengeance is taken -

بِغَلباءَ مِن جُمهورِها مُضَرِيَّةٍ

بِغَلباءَ مِن جُمهورِها مُضَرِيَّةٍ

تُزايِلُ فيها أَذرُعَ القَومِ لامُها

تُزايِلُ فيها أَذرُعَ القَومِ لامُها

with a mighty Mudarite host drawn from its main body,

By the stalwarts among their Mudari multitudes

where its armor parts from the warriors' arms,

Whose arms in it offset the tribes completely.

وَبيضٍ عَلاهُنَّ الدِجالُ كَأَنَّها

وَبيضٍ عَلاهُنَّ الدِجالُ كَأَنَّها

كَواكِبَ يَجلوها لِسارٍ ظَلامُها

كَواكِبَ يَجلوها لِسارٍ ظَلامُها

and bright swords overlaid with gilding, as though they were

And whites whom the deluder made as if

stars whose darkness reveals them to a traveler by night.

They were stars unveiled by a departing darkness.

دَمُ اِبنِ يَزيدٍ كانَ حِلّاً لِخالِدٍ

دَمُ اِبنِ يَزيدٍ كانَ حِلّاً لِخالِدٍ

أَلَهفي لِنَفسٍ لَيسَ يُشفى حُيامُها

أَلَهفي لِنَفسٍ لَيسَ يُشفى حُيامُها

Ibn Yazid's blood was lawful for Khalid to shed—

Ibn Yazid's blood was made permissible for Khalid.

ah, my grief for a soul whose burning thirst cannot be cured!

Does an ardent soul not appease its thirst?

فَغَيَّر أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ فَإِنَّها

فَغَيَّر أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ فَإِنَّها

يَمانِيَةٌ حَمقاءُ أَنتَ هِشامُها

يَمانِيَةٌ حَمقاءُ أَنتَ هِشامُها

So make a change, Commander of the Faithful, for she is

So change the Commander of the Faithful, for it

a foolish Yemeni woman, and you are her Hisham.

Is a Yemeni imbecile - Hisham is its protector.

أَبِاِبنِ يَزيدٍ وَاِبنِ زَحرٍ تَحَلَّلَت

أَبِاِبنِ يَزيدٍ وَاِبنِ زَحرٍ تَحَلَّلَت

دِماءُ تَميمٍ وَاِستُبيحَ سَوامُها

دِماءُ تَميمٍ وَاِستُبيحَ سَوامُها

Is it for Ibn Yazid and Ibn Zahr that blood became lawful—

By Ibn Yazid and Ibn Zahr's blood, Tamim's

Tamim's blood—and its grazing herds were made fair game?

Sanctities were violated and its people slain.

أَنُقتَلُ فيكُم إِذ قَتَلنا عَدُوَّكُم

أَنُقتَلُ فيكُم إِذ قَتَلنا عَدُوَّكُم

عَلى دينِكُم وَالحَربُ بادٍ قَتامُها

عَلى دينِكُم وَالحَربُ بادٍ قَتامُها

Are we to be killed on your account, when we killed your enemy

Am I to be killed among you when I killed your enemy

for your faith, while war's dust was plainly visible?

For your religion while war clothed all in darkness?

وَغَبراءَ عَنكُم قَد جَلَونا كَما جَلا

وَغَبراءَ عَنكُم قَد جَلَونا كَما جَلا

صَدى حِليَةِ المَأثورِ عَنهُ تِلامُها

صَدى حِليَةِ المَأثورِ عَنهُ تِلامُها

And dust-dark battle we cleared from you, as is cleared

And remote from you, we faced it as the echo faces

rust from a patterned sword's fittings by its smiths.

Clear words, though it garbles their articulation.

لَقَد كانَ فينا لَو شَكَرتُم بَلاءَنا

لَقَد كانَ فينا لَو شَكَرتُم بَلاءَنا

وَأَيّامَنا الَّتي تُعَدُّ جِسامُها

وَأَيّامَنا الَّتي تُعَدُّ جِسامُها

There was surely merit in us, had you been grateful for our service

Indeed, if you appreciated our affliction

and our battle-days, whose greatest are counted.

And our days that count among grave calamities,

لَنا فيكُمُ أَيدٍ وَأَسبابُ نِعمَةٍ

لَنا فيكُمُ أَيدٍ وَأَسبابُ نِعمَةٍ

إِذا الفِتنَةُ العَشواءُ شُبَّ اِحتِدامُها

إِذا الفِتنَةُ العَشواءُ شُبَّ اِحتِدامُها

We have done you favors and been sources of blessing,

We would have among you support and means of bounty

whenever blind strife's raging blaze was kindled.

When the dark, murky discord kindled its flames.

زِمامُ الَّتي تَخشى مَعَدٌّ وَغَيرُها

زِمامُ الَّتي تَخشى مَعَدٌّ وَغَيرُها

إِذا ما أَبى أَن يَستَقيمَ هُمامُها

إِذا ما أَبى أَن يَستَقيمَ هُمامُها

We hold the reins of what Ma'add and others fear,

The reins of those feared from Ma'add and others

when its champion refuses to go straight.

When their zeal refused to be straightened.

غَضِبنا لَكُم يا آلَ مَروانَ فَاِغضَبوا

غَضِبنا لَكُم يا آلَ مَروانَ فَاِغضَبوا

عَسى أَنَّ أَرواحاً يَسوغُ طَعامُها

عَسى أَنَّ أَرواحاً يَسوغُ طَعامُها

We were angry for you, house of Marwan; be angry now for us,

We were angry for your sake, O Banu Marwan, so be angry.

perhaps then some souls may swallow their food with ease.

Perhaps souls will be allowed to taste food.

وَلا تَقطَعوا الأَرحامَ مِنّا فَإِنَّها

وَلا تَقطَعوا الأَرحامَ مِنّا فَإِنَّها

ذُنوبٌ مِنَ الأَعمالِ يُخشى إِثامُها

ذُنوبٌ مِنَ الأَعمالِ يُخشى إِثامُها

Do not sever our ties of kinship, for such acts

And do not sever ties with us, for they

are sinful deeds whose guilt is feared.

Are sins of deeds, feared for their burden.

لَقَد عَلِمَ الأَحياءُ في كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ

لَقَد عَلِمَ الأَحياءُ في كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ

إِذا عُدَّتِ الأَحياءُ أَنّا كِرامُها

إِذا عُدَّتِ الأَحياءُ أَنّا كِرامُها

The tribes in every place have surely known,

The living in every land have known

when the tribes are counted, that we are their nobles;

That when the living are counted, we are its nobles,

وَأَنّا إِذا الحَربُ العَوانُ تَضَرَّمَت

وَأَنّا إِذا الحَربُ العَوانُ تَضَرَّمَت

نَليها إِذا ما الحَربُ شُبَّ ضِرامُها

نَليها إِذا ما الحَربُ شُبَّ ضِرامُها

and that when renewed war bursts into flame,

And that when the helpers of war don their armor,

we take charge of it when war's blaze is kindled.

We confront it when the heat of war intensifies.

قِوامُ عُرى الإِسلامُ وَالأَمرِ كُلِّهِ

قِوامُ عُرى الإِسلامُ وَالأَمرِ كُلِّهِ

وَهَل طاعَةٌ إِلّا تَميمٌ قِوامُها

وَهَل طاعَةٌ إِلّا تَميمٌ قِوامُها

We are the mainstay of Islam's bonds and of all authority;

The pillar of Islam and the command, all of it,

is there any obedience of which Tamim is not the mainstay?

And is there any obedience but by Tamim, its pillar?

وَلَكِن فَدَت نَفسي تَميماً مِنَ الَّتي

وَلَكِن فَدَت نَفسي تَميماً مِنَ الَّتي

يُخافُ الرَدى فيها وَيُرهَبُ ذامُها

يُخافُ الرَدى فيها وَيُرهَبُ ذامُها

Yet may my soul ransom Tamim from that

But my soul is ransomed for Tamim from that

in which death is feared and blame is dreaded.

Feared for anarchy and terror of its blame.

إِلى اللَهِ تَشكو عِزَّنا الأَرضُ فَوقَها

إِلى اللَهِ تَشكو عِزَّنا الأَرضُ فَوقَها

وَتَعلَمُ أَنّا ثِقلُها وَغَرامُها

وَتَعلَمُ أَنّا ثِقلُها وَغَرامُها

The earth complains to God of our might upon it,

Our might - the land above complains of it to God,

and knows that we are its burden and its affliction.

And knows we are its heaviness and burden.

شَكَتنا إِلى اللَهِ العَزيزِ فَأَسمَعَت

شَكَتنا إِلى اللَهِ العَزيزِ فَأَسمَعَت

قَريباً وَأَعيا مَن سِواهُ كَلامُها

قَريباً وَأَعيا مَن سِواهُ كَلامُها

It complained of us to God the Mighty, making itself heard

It complained of us to mighty God, so it heard -

by One who is near; its words left all besides Him helpless.

Soon and clearly - none but Him listens to its words.

نَصولُ بِحَولِ اللَهِ في الأَمرِ كُلِّهِ

نَصولُ بِحَولِ اللَهِ في الأَمرِ كُلِّهِ

إِذا خيفَ مِن مَصدوعَةٍ ما اِلتِئامُها

إِذا خيفَ مِن مَصدوعَةٍ ما اِلتِئامُها

We charge with God's power in every affair,

We ferociously advance, God willing, in every matter

when fear arises from a fracture—what can mend it?

When a split is feared whose mending cannot be hoped.

أَلَم يَكُ في الإِسلامِ مِنّا وَمِنكُمُ

أَلَم يَكُ في الإِسلامِ مِنّا وَمِنكُمُ

حَواجِزُ أَركانٍ عَزيزٍ مَرامُها

حَواجِزُ أَركانٍ عَزيزٍ مَرامُها

Were there not within Islam, from us and from you,

Was there not in Islam, both us and you,

barriers with pillars hard to assail?

Barriers of a mighty pillar, revered in station?

فَتَرعى قُرَيشٌ مِن تَميمٍ قَرابَةً

فَتَرعى قُرَيشٌ مِن تَميمٍ قَرابَةً

وَتَجزِيَ أَيّاماً كَريماً مَقامُها

وَتَجزِيَ أَيّاماً كَريماً مَقامُها

So let Quraysh honor its kinship with Tamim,

So let Quraysh observe kinship with Tamim

and reward battle-days marked by a noble stand.

And reciprocate days of a noble abode.

وَقَد عَلِمَت أَبناءُ خِندِفَ أَنَّنا

وَقَد عَلِمَت أَبناءُ خِندِفَ أَنَّنا

ذُراها وَأَنّا عِزُّها وَسَنامُها

ذُراها وَأَنّا عِزُّها وَسَنامُها

The sons of Khindif have indeed known that we

The sons of Khindif knew we are their household,

are its summits, and that we are its might and its hump.

Their might and protection, their lofty sign.

وَأَنتُم وُلاةُ اللَهِ وَلّاكُمُ الَّتي

وَأَنتُم وُلاةُ اللَهِ وَلّاكُمُ الَّتي

بِهِ قُوِّمَت حَتّى اِستَقامَ نِظامُها

بِهِ قُوِّمَت حَتّى اِستَقامَ نِظامُها

You are God's governors; He entrusted you with that

While you are God's governors, and that which to you

which through Him was set right, until its order stood firm.

He entrusted, by which uprightness was established.

صِلوا مِن تَميمٍ ما تَميمٍ تَجِدُّهُ

صِلوا مِن تَميمٍ ما تَميمٍ تَجِدُّهُ

إِذا ما حِبالُ الدينِ رَثَّت رِمامُها

إِذا ما حِبالُ الدينِ رَثَّت رِمامُها

Maintain the ties of Tamim that Tamim renews,

So keep good ties with Tamim of what Tamim you find

whenever the old strands of religion's ropes grow frayed.

When the ropes of religion fray and unravel.