جاءَتْكَcame to you خاضِعَةًsubmissive أَعناقُهاtheir necks الأُمَمُthe nations
جاءَتْكَ خاضِعَةً أَعناقُها الأُمَمُ
مُسْتَسلِمِينَsubmitting لِمَاto whatever تُمْضِيyou decree وتَحْتَكِمُand you judge
مُسْتَسلِمِينَ لِمَا تُمْضِي وتَحْتَكِمُ
The nations have come to you with their necks bowed,
The nations came to you submissively bowing their necks,
submitting to whatever you decree and judge.
Submitting to your decree and judgment.
واسْتَرْهَنَتْكَand pledged to you ملوكُthe kings of الأَرضِthe earth أَنْفُسَهاthemselves
واسْتَرْهَنَتْكَ ملوكُ الأَرضِ أَنْفُسَها
مَاthose whom استنفَدَwore down البَأْسُwarfare أَوْor مَاthose whom اسْتَدْرَكَrescued الكَرَمُgenerosity
مَا استنفَدَ البَأْسُ أَوْ مَا اسْتَدْرَكَ الكَرَمُ
And the kings of the earth have pledged themselves to you,
The kings of the earth have pledged themselves to you,
those whom warfare has worn down, or generosity has rescued.
However much valor exhausted itself or generosity amassed.
فَلْيَهْنِso may it gladden سَيْفَكَyour sword أَنَّthat الكُفْرَunbelief مُنْقَصِمٌis shattered
فَلْيَهْنِ سَيْفَكَ أَنَّ الكُفْرَ مُنْقَصِمٌ
بهبَّتَيْهِby its two onslaughts وأَنَّand that الدينَthe faith مُنتظِمُis well ordered
بهبَّتَيْهِ وأَنَّ الدينَ مُنتظِمُ
So may your sword rejoice that unbelief is shattered
Then let your sword be gentle, for unbelief is broken
by its two onslaughts, and that the faith is set in order.
By its flashes, and religion established and organized.
فهلso do تَرىyou see لِلْعِدىof the foes فِيon الأَرضِthe earth باقيَةًa remnant
فهل تَرى لِلْعِدى فِي الأَرضِ باقيَةً
إِلّاexcept حُشاشَةَa last remnant of life منone who يَبْكِيweeps ويَلْتَدِمُand beats his face
إِلّا حُشاشَةَ من يَبْكِي ويَلْتَدِمُ
Do you see any remnant of the foes on earth,
Do you see any trace of injustice left in the land
except a last spark of life in one who weeps and beats his face?
Other than the sobbing of the bereaved amidst the ruins?
هذِيthese قَوَاصِيthe distant realms of ملوكِthe kings of الشِّرْكِpolytheism مُذْعِنَةٌsubmitting
هذِي قَوَاصِي ملوكِ الشِّرْكِ مُذْعِنَةٌ
تُنْبَاare informed وتُعْلَمُand made aware أَنَّthat الشِّرْكَpolytheism يُصطَلَمُis uprooted
تُنْبَا وتُعْلَمُ أَنَّ الشِّرْكَ يُصطَلَمُ
Here are the distant realms of polytheism's kings, submitting,
These are the tips of the polytheists' spears bowing down,
being told and made aware that polytheism is being uprooted.
Admitting and knowing that polytheism is condemned.
وراسياتُand the firmly rooted جِبالِmountains of الكفْرِunbelief يُخْبِرُناtells us
وراسياتُ جِبالِ الكفْرِ يُخْبِرُنا
هُوِيُّهاtheir fall أَنَّthat ذَاكَthat الطودَmighty mountain مُنْهَدِمُhas collapsed
هُوِيُّها أَنَّ ذَاكَ الطودَ مُنْهَدِمُ
And the firmly rooted mountains of unbelief—we are told
The mountain peaks inform us, as their thrones collapse,
by their fall that that mighty mountain has collapsed.
That the mighty cliff is demolished.
فَلٌّa routed remnant لسَيْفِكَby your sword فِيin أَقصىthe farthest of بلادِهِمُtheir lands
فَلٌّ لسَيْفِكَ فِي أَقصى بلادِهِمُ
بكَin you استعاذُواthey sought refuge ومنand from كَرَّاتِكَyour repeated charges انْهَزَمُواthey fled in defeat
بكَ استعاذُوا ومن كَرَّاتِكَ انْهَزَمُوا
A remnant routed by your sword in their farthest lands—
May your sword be sharp in the furthest reaches of their lands!
they sought refuge in you, and fled before your repeated charges.
By you they sought refuge and from your troops they fled defeated,
فَشَلَّهُمْso drove them on طارِدُthe pursuer الذُّعْرِterror المُطِيفُencircling بِهِمْaround them
فَشَلَّهُمْ طارِدُ الذُّعْرِ المُطِيفُ بِهِمْ
حَتَّىuntil أَجارَهُمُgave them refuge فِيin ظِلِّكَyour shade الحَرَمُthe sanctuary
حَتَّى أَجارَهُمُ فِي ظِلِّكَ الحَرَمُ
So the pursuing terror that encircled them drove them on,
So the swift pursuer with dread dispersed them,
until the sanctuary in your shade gave them refuge.
Until the Sanctuary gave them protection in your shade.
مُعْتَسِفِينَtraversing without a path سُهوبَplains of الأَرضِthe earth قَدْalready جَهِلُواthey failed to recognize
مُعْتَسِفِينَ سُهوبَ الأَرضِ قَدْ جَهِلُوا
منof كلِّevery آنِسَةِfamiliar الأَقطارِthe regions مَاwhat عَلمُواthey had known
من كلِّ آنِسَةِ الأَقطارِ مَا عَلمُوا
Traversing the earth's plains without a path, they no longer recognized
Roaming the plain of the earth, they remained ignorant
what they had once known of every familiar region.
Of any settled territory of all the regions.
معاهِدٌabodes قُدْتَyou led فِيهَاin them الخيلَthe horses فانْقَلَبَتْand so they became
معاهِدٌ قُدْتَ فِيهَا الخيلَ فانْقَلَبَتْ
مثلَlike الرُّبوعِdwellings مَحاerased آثارَهاtheir traces القِدَمُage
مثلَ الرُّبوعِ مَحا آثارَها القِدَمُ
Abodes where you led the horses have become
Wherever you halted the horses, they turned back
like dwellings whose traces age has erased.
Like the winds, erasing their traces.
عَفَتْerased معالِمهاtheir landmarks منfrom بعْدِهِمْafter them سُحُبٌclouds
عَفَتْ معالِمها من بعْدِهِمْ سُحُبٌ
صوبُa downpour of الصَّوارِمِkeen swords مِنهاfrom them والقَناand spears دِيَمُsteady rains
صوبُ الصَّوارِمِ مِنها والقَنا دِيَمُ
After they were gone, clouds erased their landmarks,
Their landmarks vanished after them into drifting clouds
with keen swords for their downpour and spears for steady rains.
Facing the keen swords and the levelled spearheads.
لاnot يسأَلُونَthey ask لَهَاof those places رَسْماًa ruined trace بقاطِنِهِabout its inhabitant
لا يسأَلُونَ لَهَا رَسْماً بقاطِنِهِ
إِلّاbut أَجابَتْهُمُanswered them الأَشلاءُsevered limbs والرِّمَمُand decayed bones
إِلّا أَجابَتْهُمُ الأَشلاءُ والرِّمَمُ
They never ask a ruined trace there about its inhabitant
They ask those ruins no favour but
but severed limbs and decayed bones answer them.
The dismembered corpses and rubble reply to them.
ولاnor تَخُبُّtrot مطاياهُمْtheir mounts عَلَىacross بَلَدٍa land
ولا تَخُبُّ مطاياهُمْ عَلَى بَلَدٍ
إِلّاwithout استُنيرَتْwere brought to light بأَدنىby the slightest وَخْدِهاtheir quick stride اللِّمَمُlocks of hair
إِلّا استُنيرَتْ بأَدنى وَخْدِها اللِّمَمُ
Nor do their mounts trot across any land
Nor do their steeds tread upon any land
without locks of hair being brought to light by their slightest stride.
Except that their slightest touch ignites the embers within it.
غادَرْتَهاyou left them مُوحِشاتٍdesolate بعدَafter آنِسِهاtheir familiar company
غادَرْتَها مُوحِشاتٍ بعدَ آنِسِها
والأَرضُand the earth خاوِيَةٌempty منهمof them بماbecause of what ظَلَمُواthey did wrong
والأَرضُ خاوِيَةٌ منهم بما ظَلَمُوا
You left them desolate after their familiar company was gone,
You left them desolate after making them settled,
and the earth is empty of them for their wrongdoing.
While the earth lies empty of them due to their injustice.
لئِنْeven if تناهىreached its limit بِهِمْwith them أُفْقٌa horizon فَشَطَّand went far away بِهِمْwith them
لئِنْ تناهى بِهِمْ أُفْقٌ فَشَطَّ بِهِمْ
لَشَدَّhow powerfully مَاemphasis حَمَلَتْهُمْcarried them نحوَكَtoward you الهِمَمُaspirations
لَشَدَّ مَا حَمَلَتْهُمْ نحوَكَ الهِمَمُ
Though a horizon bore them to its edge and carried them far away,
If the horizon stretches away with them until they weary of it,
how powerfully their resolve carried them toward you!
Their zeal will impel them back towards you.
حَتَّىuntil رَمَواthey cast بعصاaside the staff of التَّسيارِtravel فامْتَسكواand so grasped
حَتَّى رَمَوا بعصا التَّسيارِ فامْتَسكوا
حبلاًa rope منfrom الملِكِthe king المنصورِal-Mansur (the victorious) واعتصمواand held fast for safety
حبلاً من الملِكِ المنصورِ واعتصموا
Until they cast aside the staff of travel and grasped
Until they cast away the staff of travel and clung
a rope from King al-Mansur, and held fast to it.
To a covenant of protection from the victorious King.
أَلقَوْاthey held out إِلَيْكَto you بأَيدِيwith hands of الذُّلِّabasement فاعتقدواand so concluded
أَلقَوْا إِلَيْكَ بأَيدِي الذُّلِّ فاعتقدوا
عهداًa pact منof الأَمنِsafety مَحفوظاًsafeguarded لَهُfor which الذِّمَمُthe guarantees
عهداً من الأَمنِ مَحفوظاً لَهُ الذِّمَمُ
They held out to you hands of abasement, and concluded
They surrendered themselves with hands of humiliation and believed
a pact of safety whose guarantees are honored.
A treaty inviolable to them has been made binding.
وجاهدُواand strove for عفوَهُhis pardon عنfor أَنْفُسٍlives عَلِمَتْknew
وجاهدُوا عفوَهُ عن أَنْفُسٍ عَلِمَتْ
أَنَّthat الحياةَlife لَهَاfor them منamong بعضِsome of مَاwhat غَنِمُواthey won as spoils
أَنَّ الحياةَ لَهَا من بعضِ مَا غَنِمُوا
And they strove to win his pardon for lives that knew
They begged for his pardon for souls that knew
that life for them was part of the spoils they had won.
Life for them was possible through some of what they gained.
يمشونَthey walk فِيin ظُلَلِthe shadows of الرَّاياتِthe banners تُذْكِرُهُمْremind them
يمشونَ فِي ظُلَلِ الرَّاياتِ تُذْكِرُهُمْ
أَيامَdays when تغشاهُمُovershadowed them العِقْبانُeagles والرَّخَمُand vultures
أَيامَ تغشاهُمُ العِقْبانُ والرَّخَمُ
They walk in the shadows of banners that remind them
They walk in the shade of banners reminding them
of days when eagles and vultures overshadowed them:
Of days when they were shrouded by vultures and eagles,
منof كُلِّevery أَغلبَthick-necked lion محذورٍfeared بوادِرُهُits sudden lunges
من كُلِّ أَغلبَ محذورٍ بوادِرُهُ
يساوِرُassails الرِّيحَthe wind أَحياناًat times ويَلْتَهِمُand devours
يساوِرُ الرِّيحَ أَحياناً ويَلْتَهِمُ
with every thick-necked lion whose sudden lunges are feared,
Safe from every fearsome forewarning
assailing the wind at times, and devouring;
That sometimes rides the wind and devours at random,
وكلِّand every فتخاءَbroad-winged eagle ماضٍkeen حَدُّthe edge of مِنْسَرِهاits beak
وكلِّ فتخاءَ ماضٍ حَدُّ مِنْسَرِها
كَأَنَّهُas though it نحوَtoward أَكبادِthe livers of العِدىthe foes قَرِمُcraves flesh
كَأَنَّهُ نحوَ أَكبادِ العِدى قَرِمُ
and every broad-winged eagle, its beak's edge keen,
And from every vanished vanity whose extent of folly
as though it craved the livers of the foes;
Was as if towards the entrails of the foe it lunged,
وأَرقَمٍand a speckled serpent يتلَوَّىwrithes نحوtoward أَرْؤُسِهِمْtheir heads
وأَرقَمٍ يتلَوَّى نحو أَرْؤُسِهِمْ
حَتَّىuntil يكادُalmost لَهَاthem فِيin الجوthe air يَلْتَقِمُswallows
حَتَّى يكادُ لَهَا فِي الجو يَلْتَقِمُ
and a speckled serpent writhing toward their heads,
And from the writhing of tent ropes towards their heads,
until it nearly swallows them in the air.
As if about to snap them up in mid-air,
والأُسْدُand the lions تزْأَرُroar والراياتُand the banners خافِقَةٌfluttering
والأُسْدُ تزْأَرُ والراياتُ خافِقَةٌ
كَأَنَّهاas though they مُثْبَتاتٌplanted فِيin قُلُوبِهِمُtheir hearts
كَأَنَّها مُثْبَتاتٌ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ
And the lions roar, and the banners flutter,
With the lions roaring and the banners fluttering
as though planted in their hearts.
As if fixed in their hearts,
والخيلُand the horses منظومَةٌarrayed بالخيلِalongside horses لاno كتبٌnearness (uncertain reading)
والخيلُ منظومَةٌ بالخيلِ لا كتبٌ
منهاof them لغايَةِto the limit of ذِيone possessing سَعْيٍeffort ولاnor أَمَمُeasy reach
منها لغايَةِ ذِي سَعْيٍ ولا أَمَمُ
And horses are arrayed alongside horses; there is no near approach
And the horses strung together by horses, not lines
to their farthest end for anyone striving, nor any easy reach.
Of ink, for the purpose of effort, not payment of blood-money.
والأَرضُand the earth منfrom رهبةِdread of الأَبطالِthe champions مائِدَةٌswaying
والأَرضُ من رهبةِ الأَبطالِ مائِدَةٌ
والجوُّand the air منwith رَهَجِdust raised by الفرسانِthe horsemen مُزْدَحِمُcrowded
والجوُّ من رَهَجِ الفرسانِ مُزْدَحِمُ
And the earth sways in dread of the champions,
The earth is a table spread by the awe of the heroes
and the air is thick with the horsemen's dust.
And the atmosphere filled by the neighing of horsemen.
والسُّمْرُand the brown spears فِيthrough هَبَواتِswirls of النقعِdust ثاقبةٌpiercing
والسُّمْرُ فِي هَبَواتِ النقعِ ثاقبةٌ
والبِيضُand the bright swords فِيwithin قُرُبِcases of الأَغْمادِthe scabbards تضطرِمُblaze
والبِيضُ فِي قُرُبِ الأَغْمادِ تضطرِمُ
And the brown spears pierce the swirling clouds of dust,
The swords flash among the play of lances
and the bright swords blaze within their scabbard-cases.
And the blades blaze in the thick of scabbards,
كَأَنَّماas though ملأَتْfilled رَحْبَthe breadth of الفضاءِopen space لَهُمْfor them
كَأَنَّما ملأَتْ رَحْبَ الفضاءِ لَهُمْ
غُلْبُthick-necked الضَّراغِمِlions والغاباتُand forests والأَجَمُand thickets
غُلْبُ الضَّراغِمِ والغاباتُ والأَجَمُ
As though the wide open space were filled for them
As if they had filled the vastness of space around them
with thick-necked lions, forests, and thickets.
With the gloom of phantoms, forests, and thickets.
وأَولياءُand the guardians of الهُدىguidance والدينِand the faith قَدْalready سَتَرُواhad veiled
وأَولياءُ الهُدى والدينِ قَدْ سَتَرُوا
منsome of أَوْجُهٍfaces بِسَناهاby their radiance الخطبُcalamity يَبْتَسِمُsmiles
من أَوْجُهٍ بِسَناها الخطبُ يَبْتَسِمُ
And the guardians of guidance and faith had veiled
The supporters of guidance and religion took cover
faces whose radiance makes calamity smile.
Behind faces smiling at the dignity of events.
تَعَمَّمُواthey turbaned themselves بإِياةِwith the radiance of الشمسِthe sun واشتملواand cloaked themselves
تَعَمَّمُوا بإِياةِ الشمسِ واشتملوا
رقراقَshimmering نَهْيِa pool of سرابِthe mirage of البيدِthe deserts والْتَثمُواand veiled their faces
رقراقَ نَهْيِ سرابِ البيدِ والْتَثمُوا
They turbaned themselves with sunlight and wrapped themselves
They wrapped themselves in the raiment of the sun’s protection
in the shimmering pool of the desert mirage, and veiled their faces.
And donned the fine garb of restraining vain mirage.
كَأَنَّماas though تَتلالاsparkle فِيupon رُؤُوسِهِمُtheir heads
كَأَنَّما تَتلالا فِي رُؤُوسِهِمُ
وَقَدْand already توافَوْاthey had assembled أَيادٍfavors منكَfrom you أَوْor شِيَمُnoble qualities
وَقَدْ توافَوْا أَيادٍ منكَ أَوْ شِيَمُ
As though there glittered upon their heads,
As if flashes of aid from you gleamed upon their heads,
as they assembled, favors from you or noble qualities.
Since they were united in purpose and bonds of brotherhood.
وشيعَةُand the faction of الكفرِunbelief فِيin مَثْنَىthe doubled coils of حبائِلِهِمْtheir snares
وشيعَةُ الكفرِ فِي مَثْنَى حبائِلِهِمْ
تُصَدِّقُtrusts in العيشَlife أَحياناًat times وتَتَّهِمُand doubts it
تُصَدِّقُ العيشَ أَحياناً وتَتَّهِمُ
And the faction of unbelief, in the doubled coils of their snares,
While the adherents of unbelief walk in pairs, doubting
at times trusts in life, and at times doubts it,
The livelihood, at times, and even accusing one another.
حَتَّىuntil تراءاكَit beholds you منfrom أَقصىthe farthest end of السِّماطِthe ranks وَقَدْwhile already
حَتَّى تراءاكَ من أَقصى السِّماطِ وَقَدْ
شِيمَwas sheathed الحِمامُdeath وسَيْفُand the sword of العفوِpardon مُحتكِمُholds sway
شِيمَ الحِمامُ وسَيْفُ العفوِ مُحتكِمُ
until it beholds you from the far end of the ranks, while
Until they see you from the furthest end of the plain
death has been sheathed and the sword of pardon holds sway.
Where the dove of peace has alighted and the sword of pardon rules.
مُمثَّلٌrepresented فِيin هوادِيهِمْtheir necks وأَرْؤُسِهِمْand their heads
مُمثَّلٌ فِي هوادِيهِمْ وأَرْؤُسِهِمْ
مَاwhat عُوِّدَتْwere accustomed to منهُمُfrom them المصقولَةُthe polished الخُذُمُkeen-cutting swords
مَا عُوِّدَتْ منهُمُ المصقولَةُ الخُذُمُ
Represented in their necks and heads
What their burnished blades were accustomed to
is what the polished, keen-cutting swords have grown accustomed to from them.
Is portrayed among their valleys and hilltops.
لماwhen انتضَيْتَyou unsheathed سناهاtheir radiance فِيat مفارِقِهِمْtheir hair-partings
لما انتضَيْتَ سناها فِي مفارِقِهِمْ
خرَّتْfell سُجُوداًin prostration لَكَbefore you الأَعناقُthe necks والقِمَمُand crowns of heads
خرَّتْ سُجُوداً لَكَ الأَعناقُ والقِمَمُ
When you unsheathed their radiance at the partings of their hair,
When you bared it in parting from them,
the necks and crowns fell prostrate before you.
The necks and the summit bowed down prostrate before you.
وأَوْجُهٌand faces عفَّروهاthey rubbed them in التُّرْبَthe dust خاضِعَةًsubmissive
وأَوْجُهٌ عفَّروها التُّرْبَ خاضِعَةً
كَأَنَّas though كلَّeach جبينٍforehead منهُمُof theirs قَدَمُa foot
كَأَنَّ كلَّ جبينٍ منهُمُ قَدَمُ
And they rubbed their faces submissively in the dust,
With faces humbled in the dust submissively,
as though each forehead of theirs were a foot.
As if each brow of theirs was a footstool.
فإِنْso if يَفِضْoverflows بحرُكَyour sea المُحْيِيlife-giving لَهُمْfor them فلقدthen indeed
فإِنْ يَفِضْ بحرُكَ المُحْيِي لَهُمْ فلقد
جازُواthey crossed الصُّفوفَthe ranks وموجُwhile the waves of الذُّعْرِterror يَلْتَطِمُclash together
جازُوا الصُّفوفَ وموجُ الذُّعْرِ يَلْتَطِمُ
So if your life-giving sea overflows for them, then indeed
If your life-giving sea surges into flood for them,
they have crossed the ranks while terror's waves crashed together;
They breach the ranks, and the waves of panic break apart.
أَوْor عايَنُواthey beheld البدرَthe full moon فِيin أَعلىthe highest of منازِلِهِits stations
أَوْ عايَنُوا البدرَ فِي أَعلى منازِلِهِ
فقدthen indeed أَحاطَتْsurrounded بِهِمْthem منfrom دونِهِshort of it ظُلَمُdarkness
فقد أَحاطَتْ بِهِمْ من دونِهِ ظُلَمُ
or if they beheld the full moon in its highest station,
Or if they behold the full moon in its highest station,
then darkness had already surrounded them before they reached it.
Beyond it, shadows envelop them all around.
فإِنْso if عفوتَyou pardon ففيthen in الرَّحمنِthe All-Merciful مؤتَلَفٌconcord
فإِنْ عفوتَ ففي الرَّحمنِ مؤتَلَفٌ
وإِنْand if سَطَوْتَyou strike ففيthen in الرحمنِthe All-Merciful مُنْتَقَمُvengeance
وإِنْ سَطَوْتَ ففي الرحمنِ مُنْتَقَمُ
So if you pardon, in the All-Merciful there is concord;
If you pardon, the All-Merciful is reconciled,
and if you strike, in the All-Merciful there is vengeance.
If you punish, the All-Merciful takes vengeance.
واسْلَمْand remain safe ولاand may not بَرِحَتْcease فيهمْagainst them لَنَاfor us نِقَمٌacts of vengeance
واسْلَمْ ولا بَرِحَتْ فيهمْ لَنَا نِقَمٌ
تَتْرىcome in succession بِهِمْupon them ولكَand yours are الآلاءُblessings والنِّعَمُand bounties
تَتْرى بِهِمْ ولكَ الآلاءُ والنِّعَمُ
And remain safe; may vengeance for us against them never cease,
Make peace! No vengeance remains with us against them.
falling on them in succession, while yours are blessings and bounties.
It oscillates among them while bounty and blessing are yours.