وَنَحنُ مَنَعنا يَومَ أولٍ نِساءَنا

وَنَحنُ مَنَعنا يَومَ أولٍ نِساءَنا

وَيَومَ أُفَيٍّ وَالأَسِنَّةُ تَرعُفُ

وَيَومَ أُفَيٍّ وَالأَسِنَّةُ تَرعُفُ

And we defended our women on the day of Awal,

We protected our women on the first day,

And on the day of Ufayy, while the spearheads bled,

On the day of Auf and when tongues were lisping,

وَيَومَ رَكايا ذي الجَداةِ وَوَقعَةٍ

وَيَومَ رَكايا ذي الجَداةِ وَوَقعَةٍ

بِبَنيانَ كانَت بَعضَ ما قَد تَسَلَّفوا

بِبَنيانَ كانَت بَعضَ ما قَد تَسَلَّفوا

And on the day at the wells of Dhu al-Jadah, and in a battle

And on the day of battles with spears at Baniyan,

At Banyan, which repaid part of what they had taken in advance.

Some of what they had paid in advance,

يُحِبُّ الغَواني البيضُ ظِلَّ لِواءَنا

يُحِبُّ الغَواني البيضُ ظِلَّ لِواءَنا

إِذا ما أَتانا الصارِخُ المُتَلَهِّفُ

إِذا ما أَتانا الصارِخُ المُتَلَهِّفُ

Fair-skinned beauties love the shade of our banner

The young girls love the shadow of our flags,

Whenever the anguished caller for help comes to us.

When the screaming herald comes panting to us,

نَسيرُ أَمامَ الناسِ وَالناسُ خَلفَنا

نَسيرُ أَمامَ الناسِ وَالناسُ خَلفَنا

فَإِن نَحنُ أَومَأنا إِلى الناسِ وَقَّفوا

فَإِن نَحنُ أَومَأنا إِلى الناسِ وَقَّفوا

We march ahead of the people, and the people are behind us;

We walk ahead of the people and the people behind us,

Then if we signal to the people, they halt.

If we gesture to the people they stop,

فَأَيُّ مَعَدٍّ كانَ فَيءَ رِماحِهِم

فَأَيُّ مَعَدٍّ كانَ فَيءَ رِماحِهِم

كَما قَد أَفَأنا وَالمُفاخِرُ يُنصِفُ

كَما قَد أَفَأنا وَالمُفاخِرُ يُنصِفُ

Then which tribe of Ma'add had spoils won by its spears

So which aggressor's spears did we drive away

Like those we have won, if the rival boaster judges fairly?

As we have driven them away and the boasters do us justice,

وَكُنّا إِذا ما مَعشَرٌ نَصَبوا لَنا

وَكُنّا إِذا ما مَعشَرٌ نَصَبوا لَنا

وَمَرَّت جَواري طَيرِهِم وَتَعَيَّفوا

وَمَرَّت جَواري طَيرِهِم وَتَعَيَّفوا

And we would, whenever a people arrayed themselves against us,

Whenever a group set up camp against us

And their flying birds passed by and they read the omens,

And their slave girls passed by and were abashed,

وَضَعنا لَهُم صاعَ القِصاصِ رَهينَةً

وَضَعنا لَهُم صاعَ القِصاصِ رَهينَةً

وَنَحنُ نُوَفّيها إِذا الناسُ طَفَّفوا

وَنَحنُ نُوَفّيها إِذا الناسُ طَفَّفوا

Lay down for them a measure of retribution as a pledge;

We set for them a measure of retribution as a hostage,

And we pay it in full when others give short measure.

And we fulfill it when people are cheating,

إِذا اِستَبَقَ الأَقوامُ مَجداً وَجَدتَنا

إِذا اِستَبَقَ الأَقوامُ مَجداً وَجَدتَنا

لَنا مِغرَفا مَجدٍ وَلِلناسِ مِغرَفُ

لَنا مِغرَفا مَجدٍ وَلِلناسِ مِغرَفُ

When peoples race for glory, you find us

If the tribes compete for glory you will find us,

With two ladlefuls of glory, while others have one.

With a cup of glory for us and a cup for the people,

بَرَزنا وَأَصحَرنا لِكُلِّ قَبيلَةٍ

بَرَزنا وَأَصحَرنا لِكُلِّ قَبيلَةٍ

بِأَسيافِنا إِذ يُؤكَلُ المُتَضَعَّفُ

بِأَسيافِنا إِذ يُؤكَلُ المُتَضَعَّفُ

We came forth and took to the open to face every tribe

We came forth and reddened our swords for every tribe,

With our swords, when the one deemed weak is devoured.

With our swords when the weak are being devoured,

وَنَحنُ حَمينا يَومَ مَكَّةَ بِالقَنا

وَنَحنُ حَمينا يَومَ مَكَّةَ بِالقَنا

قُصَيّاً وَأَطرافُ القَنا تَتَقَصَّفُ

قُصَيّاً وَأَطرافُ القَنا تَتَقَصَّفُ

And on the day of Mecca we defended with our lances

It was us who protected Mecca with spears one day,

Qusayy, while the lance-tips splintered.

Qusayy and the tips of spears all crumbling,

فَحُطنا بِها أَكنافَ مَكَّةَ بَعدَما

فَحُطنا بِها أَكنافَ مَكَّةَ بَعدَما

أَرادَت بِها ما قَد أَبى اللَهُ خِندِفُ

أَرادَت بِها ما قَد أَبى اللَهُ خِندِفُ

So with them we guarded the outskirts of Mecca, after

We circled its environs after Mecca

Khindif had intended for it what God had refused.

Intended what Allah had refused should surround it.