لَقَد عَلِمَ الأَقوامُ أَنَّ اِبنَ هاشِمٍ

لَقَد عَلِمَ الأَقوامُ أَنَّ اِبنَ هاشِمٍ

هُوَ الغُصنُ ذو الأَفنانِ لا الواحِدُ الوَغدُ

هُوَ الغُصنُ ذو الأَفنانِ لا الواحِدُ الوَغدُ

The tribes know full well that the son of Hashim

The peoples know full well that Hashim's son

is the bough of many branches—not the lone, ignoble one.

is the branch with many boughs, not the solitary wretch.

وَما لَكَ فيهِم مَحتِدٌ يَعرِفونَهُ

وَما لَكَ فيهِم مَحتِدٌ يَعرِفونَهُ

فَدونَكَ فَاِلصَق مِثلَ ما لَصِقَ القُردُ

فَدونَكَ فَاِلصَق مِثلَ ما لَصِقَ القُردُ

You have no lineage among them that they acknowledge;

And you have no ancestral stock among them that they recognize.

so go on—cling to them, as the ape clung.

So go on—cling as the monkey clung.

وَأَبلِغ أَبا سُفيانَ عَنّي رِسالَةً

وَأَبلِغ أَبا سُفيانَ عَنّي رِسالَةً

فَما لَكَ مِن إِصدارِ عَزمٍ وَلا وَردُ

فَما لَكَ مِن إِصدارِ عَزمٍ وَلا وَردُ

And convey to Abu Sufyan a message from me:

And convey to Abu Sufyan a message from me:

You have neither resolute courage nor any coming forward.

for you have no part in carrying a resolve through, nor in undertaking one.

وَإِنَّ سَناءَ المَجدِ مِن آلِ هاشِمٍ

وَإِنَّ سَناءَ المَجدِ مِن آلِ هاشِمٍ

بَنو بِتِ مَخزومٍ وَوالِدُكَ العَبدُ

بَنو بِتِ مَخزومٍ وَوالِدُكَ العَبدُ

Indeed, the splendor of glory in the House of Hashim

And the splendor of glory among the house of Hashim

belongs to the sons of Makhzum’s daughter—while your father is the slave.

lies with the sons of Makhzum's [daughter], while your father is the slave.

وَما وَلَدَت أَفناءُ زُهرَةَ مِنكُمُ

وَما وَلَدَت أَفناءُ زُهرَةَ مِنكُمُ

كَريماً وَلَم يَقرَب عَجائِزَكَ المَجدُ

كَريماً وَلَم يَقرَب عَجائِزَكَ المَجدُ

Nor have the branches of Zuhrah borne, from among you,

And the clans of Zuhra have not borne among you

a noble man; nor has glory drawn near your old women.

a noble man; nor has glory approached your old women.

وَلَستُ كَعَبّاسٍ وَلا كَاِبنِ أُمِّهِ

وَلَستُ كَعَبّاسٍ وَلا كَاِبنِ أُمِّهِ

وَلَكِن هُجَينٌ لَيسَ يورى لَهُ زَندُ

وَلَكِن هُجَينٌ لَيسَ يورى لَهُ زَندُ

You are neither like al-‘Abbas nor like a son of his mother,

And I am not like Abbas, nor like his mother's son,

but a mongrel for whom no fire-stick can be made to spark.

but a man of mixed birth, for whom no firestick is kindled.

وَكُنتَ دَعِيّاً نيطَ في آلِ هاشِمٍ

وَكُنتَ دَعِيّاً نيطَ في آلِ هاشِمٍ

كَما نيطَ خَلفَ الراكِبِ القَدَحُ الفَردُ

كَما نيطَ خَلفَ الراكِبِ القَدَحُ الفَردُ

You were a spurious son, attached to the House of Hashim,

And you were a spurious son, fastened to the house of Hashim,

as a lone arrow shaft is hung behind the rider.

as the solitary cup was hung behind the rider.

وَإِنَّ اِمرَأً كانَت سُمَيَّةُ أُمَّهُ

وَإِنَّ اِمرَأً كانَت سُمَيَّةُ أُمَّهُ

وَسَمراءُ مَغلوبٌ إِذا بُلِغَ الجَهدُ

وَسَمراءُ مَغلوبٌ إِذا بُلِغَ الجَهدُ

Indeed, a man whose mother was Sumayyah—

And indeed, a man whose mother was Sumayya

dark-skinned at that—is overcome when hardship is brought upon him.

and Samra—is vanquished when the utmost strain is reached.