أَبْلِغْ قُرَيشاً وخَيْرُ القولِ أصْدَقُهُ

أَبْلِغْ قُرَيشاً وخَيْرُ القولِ أصْدَقُهُ

والصّدْقُ عندَ ذَوي الألْبَابِ مَقْبُولُ

والصّدْقُ عندَ ذَوي الألْبَابِ مَقْبُولُ

Tell Quraysh—and the best speech is the truest,

Deliver to Quraysh and the best word is the most truthful

And truth is accepted by those of understanding—

And truthfulness is accepted by those of reason

أنْ قَدْ قَتَلْنَا بقَتْلاَنَا سَرَاتَكُمُ

أنْ قَدْ قَتَلْنَا بقَتْلاَنَا سَرَاتَكُمُ

أهلَ اللواءِ فَفيمَ يكثرُ القِيلُ

أهلَ اللواءِ فَفيمَ يكثرُ القِيلُ

That we have slain your chiefs in return for our slain,

That we have killed your elite with our killing

The bearers of the banner; why, then, so much talk?

So why is there so much talk?

ويومَ بَدْرٍ لَقِينَاكُمْ لَنَا مَدَدٌ

ويومَ بَدْرٍ لَقِينَاكُمْ لَنَا مَدَدٌ

فيهِ مَعَ النّصْرِ مِيكَالٌ وجِبْرِيلُ

فيهِ مَعَ النّصْرِ مِيكَالٌ وجِبْرِيلُ

And on the day of Badr we met you; we had reinforcements,

And on the day of Badr we met you, we had support

There, along with victory: Mikal and Jibril.

With victory, Michael and Gabriel were with us

إِنْ تَقْتُلُونَا فَدِينُ الحقِّ فِطْرَتُنَا

إِنْ تَقْتُلُونَا فَدِينُ الحقِّ فِطْرَتُنَا

والقَتْلُ في الحقِّ عِنْدَ اللهِ تفضيلُ

والقَتْلُ في الحقِّ عِنْدَ اللهِ تفضيلُ

If you kill us, the faith of truth is our innate nature,

If you kill us, our religion is our true nature

And being slain for truth is a distinction in God's sight.

And being killed for truth, with God is virtue

وإِن تَرَوا أمرَنا في رَأيكُمْ سَفَهاً

وإِن تَرَوا أمرَنا في رَأيكُمْ سَفَهاً

فَرَأيُ مَنْ خَالَفَ الإسْلاَمَ تَضليلُ

فَرَأيُ مَنْ خَالَفَ الإسْلاَمَ تَضليلُ

And if, in your opinion, you deem our cause foolishness,

And if you see our matter as foolishness in your view

Then the judgment of whoever opposes Islam leads astray.

Then the view of those against Islam is misguidance

فلا تَمنُّوا لِقَاحَ الحَرْبِ واقتَعِدُوا

فلا تَمنُّوا لِقَاحَ الحَرْبِ واقتَعِدُوا

إنَّ أَخَا الحَرْبِ أصْدَى اللّونِ مَشْعُولُ

إنَّ أَخَا الحَرْبِ أصْدَى اللّونِ مَشْعُولُ

So do not wish for war's conception, and sit back.

So do not wish for the meeting of war, and refrain

For war's brother is rust-dark in hue and disheveled.

For war's brother's complexion is fiery and somber

إنَّ لَكُمْ عِنْدَنا ضَرْباً تَرَاحُ لها

إنَّ لَكُمْ عِنْدَنا ضَرْباً تَرَاحُ لها

عُرْجُ الضِّبَاعِ لَهُ خَذْمٌ رَعَابِيلُ

عُرْجُ الضِّبَاعِ لَهُ خَذْمٌ رَعَابِيلُ

We have blows in store for you that delight

With us for you is a strike the hyenas quiver from

The limping hyenas, leaving severed scraps and tatters.

The hump of the camels has an owner, a herder

إنّا بَنُو الحَرْبِ نُمْرِيها وَنُنْتِجُهَا

إنّا بَنُو الحَرْبِ نُمْرِيها وَنُنْتِجُهَا

وعِنْدَنا لِذَوي الأضْغَانِ تَنْكيلُ

وعِنْدَنا لِذَوي الأضْغَانِ تَنْكيلُ

We are war's sons: we milk her and deliver her offspring.

We are the people of war, we initiate it and produce it

And for those who bear grudges, we have exemplary punishment.

And with us for people of grudges there is vengeance

إن يُنْجُ منها ابنُ حَرْبٍ بَعْدَمَا بَلَغَتْ

إن يُنْجُ منها ابنُ حَرْبٍ بَعْدَمَا بَلَغَتْ

مِنْهُ التّراقي وأمرُ اللهِ مَفْعُولُ

مِنْهُ التّراقي وأمرُ اللهِ مَفْعُولُ

If Ibn Harb escapes her after she has reached

If the son of war survives after what has transpired

His collarbones—and God's command is fulfilled—

Of skirmishing, by God's command fulfilled

فَقَدْ أفَادَتْ لَهُ حِلْماً وَمَوْعِظَةً

فَقَدْ أفَادَتْ لَهُ حِلْماً وَمَوْعِظَةً

لِمَنْ يَكُونُ لَهُ لُبٌّ ومَعْقُولُ

لِمَنْ يَكُونُ لَهُ لُبٌّ ومَعْقُولُ

Then she has given him prudence, and an admonition

Then it has given him wisdom and advice

For anyone possessed of intellect and understanding.

For one who has a heart and intellect

وَلَو هَبَطْتُمْ بِبَطْنِ السّيلِ كَافَحَكُمْ

وَلَو هَبَطْتُمْ بِبَطْنِ السّيلِ كَافَحَكُمْ

ضَرْبٌ بِشَاكِلَةِ البَطْحَاءِ تَرْعِيلُ

ضَرْبٌ بِشَاكِلَةِ البَطْحَاءِ تَرْعِيلُ

And if you descended into the torrent-bed, you would be met head-on

And if you descended to the valley's flooding depths

By rending blows along the gravel plain's flank.

A strike with the staffs of Al-Baṭḥā’ would herd you

تَلْقَاكُمُ عُصَبٌ حَوْلَ النّبيّ لَهُمْ

تَلْقَاكُمُ عُصَبٌ حَوْلَ النّبيّ لَهُمْ

مِمّا يعدُّونَ للهَيْجَا سَرَابيلُ

مِمّا يعدُّونَ للهَيْجَا سَرَابيلُ

Bands around the Prophet meet you; they have

A band around the Prophet would meet you

Coats of mail among what they prepare for battle.

With what they prepare for fighting, attires

مِنْ جِذْمِ غَسَّانَ مُسْتَرخٍ حَمَائِلُهُمْ

مِنْ جِذْمِ غَسَّانَ مُسْتَرخٍ حَمَائِلُهُمْ

لا جُبَنَاءُ وَلاَ مِيلٍ مَعَازِيلُ

لا جُبَنَاءُ وَلاَ مِيلٍ مَعَازِيلُ

Of Ghassan's stock, their sword-straps hanging loose,

From the army of Ghassan relaxed, their protectors

Neither cowards, nor unsteady, unarmed men.

Neither cowards nor wavering weaklings

يَمْشُونَ نَحْوَ عمايَاتِ القِتَالِ كَمَا

يَمْشُونَ نَحْوَ عمايَاتِ القِتَالِ كَمَا

تَمْشِي المَصَاعِبَةُ الأدْمُ المراسيلُ

تَمْشِي المَصَاعِبَةُ الأدْمُ المراسيلُ

They march toward the blind confusion of battle, as

They walk towards the darkness of battle

The unbroken white bull camels stride freely.

As the surefooted walk, untied camels

أو مثلَ مَشْيِ أُسُودِ الظّلِّ ألثَقَها

أو مثلَ مَشْيِ أُسُودِ الظّلِّ ألثَقَها

يَوْمُ زَذَاذٍ منَ الجَوْزَاءِ مَشْمُولُ

يَوْمُ زَذَاذٍ منَ الجَوْزَاءِ مَشْمُولُ

Or like the gait of lions of the shade, drenched

Or like the gait of dark lions whose manes

By a drizzly day from al-Jawzaʾ, swept by the north wind.

Were ruffled one day at Al-Jawzā’, clumped

في كُلِّ سَابِغَةٍ كالنّهيِّ مُحْكَمَةٍ

في كُلِّ سَابِغَةٍ كالنّهيِّ مُحْكَمَةٍ

قِيَامُها فَلَجٌ كالسَّيْفِ بُهلُولُ

قِيَامُها فَلَجٌ كالسَّيْفِ بُهلُولُ

In each well-wrought, ample coat of mail, like a still pool,

In every hardened coat of mail like an edict

Stands a broad-built, sword-like, noble champion.

Their stance cleaves like the sword blades polished

تَرُدُّ حَدَّ قِرَانِ النّبْلِ خَاسِئةً

تَرُدُّ حَدَّ قِرَانِ النّبْلِ خَاسِئةً

وَيرْجعُ السّيفُ عنها وهو مَفْلُولُ

وَيرْجعُ السّيفُ عنها وهو مَفْلُولُ

It repels the points of paired arrows, driving them back,

Repelling the blows of spears blunted

And the sword recoils from it, its edge chipped.

And the sword bounces back from them bent

وَلَوْ قَذَفْتُمْ بِسَلْعٍ عَنْ ظهورِكُمُ

وَلَوْ قَذَفْتُمْ بِسَلْعٍ عَنْ ظهورِكُمُ

وللحَيَاةِ وَدَفْعِ المَوْتِ تَأْجِيلُ

وللحَيَاةِ وَدَفْعِ المَوْتِ تَأْجِيلُ

And even if you cast Salʿ behind your backs,

And if you tossed away your goods from your backs

And life and the warding off of death have a respite,

For life, and deferring death there is hope

ما زَالَ في القَوْمِ وَتْرٌ مِنْكُمُ أبداً

ما زَالَ في القَوْمِ وَتْرٌ مِنْكُمُ أبداً

تَعْفُو السِّلامُ عليهِ وَهْوَ مَطْلُولُ

تَعْفُو السِّلامُ عليهِ وَهْوَ مَطْلُولُ

There would always remain among the people a slain man of yours,

There would always remain among the people a bond from you

With stones effacing his traces, his blood unavenged.

Peace unto it though it be despoiled

عبدٌ وَحُرٌّ كَرِيمٌ مُوثِقٌ قَنَصاً

عبدٌ وَحُرٌّ كَرِيمٌ مُوثِقٌ قَنَصاً

شَطْرَ المَدِينَةِ مَأْسُورٌ وَمَقْتُولُ

شَطْرَ المَدِينَةِ مَأْسُورٌ وَمَقْتُولُ

Slave and noble freeman, bound as hunted prey,

A slave and freeman, dignified, pledged

Toward Medina—captives and slain.

Half the city captive and slain

كُنّا نُؤَمّلُ أُخْرَاكُمْ فأعجَلَكُمْ

كُنّا نُؤَمّلُ أُخْرَاكُمْ فأعجَلَكُمْ

مِنَّا فَوَارِسُ لا عُزْلٌ ولا مِيلُ

مِنَّا فَوَارِسُ لا عُزْلٌ ولا مِيلُ

We had hoped for your rear ranks; then you were hurried away

We hoped for your remnants but you hurried

By horsemen from among us, neither unarmed nor unsteady in the saddle.

Against us so horsemen without retreat or sway

إذا جَنَى فِيهمُ الجَاني فَقَدْ عَلِمُوا

إذا جَنَى فِيهمُ الجَاني فَقَدْ عَلِمُوا

حَقّاً بأنَّ الذي قد جَرَّ مَحْمُولُ

حَقّاً بأنَّ الذي قد جَرَّ مَحْمُولُ

When an offender among them commits a wrong, they know

When the transgressor attacks them, they know truly

For certain that what he has incurred will be borne.

That the one who crossed was destined to be carried

ما يَجْنِ لا يجْنِ من إثْمٍ مُجَاهَرَةً

ما يَجْنِ لا يجْنِ من إثْمٍ مُجَاهَرَةً

ولا مَلُومٌ ولا في الغُرْمِ مَخْذُولُ

ولا مَلُومٌ ولا في الغُرْمِ مَخْذُولُ

Whatever he commits, he does not commit sin openly,

What is crossed cannot be crossed openly sinning

Nor is he blamed, nor abandoned in paying the damages,

Nor blamed nor in debt neglected

يوماً تَظَلُّ حِدَابُ الأَرْضِ تَرْفَعُهَا

يوماً تَظَلُّ حِدَابُ الأَرْضِ تَرْفَعُهَا

مِنَ اللَّوامِعِ تَخْلِيطٌ وتَزْيِيلُ

مِنَ اللَّوامِعِ تَخْلِيطٌ وتَزْيِيلُ

On a day when the earth's ridges are continually lifted

A day the ridges of earth loom over it

By the mingling and sundering of shimmering mirages.

With gleaming unsheathed swords mixed and scattered