وَمازِلتَand you kept on يَومَon the day of الصُّغدِSogd تُرعدُtrembling واقِفاًstanding
وَمازِلتَ يَومَ الصُّغدِ تُرعدُ واقِفاً
مِنَout of الجُبنِcowardice حَتّىuntil خِفتُI feared أَنthat تَتَنَصَّراyou would become Christian
مِنَ الجُبنِ حَتّى خِفتُ أَن تَتَنَصَّرا
And still, on the day of scorching heat, you stood there trembling
You kept standing there trembling on the day of Sogd,
from cowardice, until I feared you might become a Christian.
Out of cowardice, until I feared you would turn Christian.
وَماand not كانَthere was فيin عُثمانَUthman شَيءٌanything عَلِمتُهُI knew it
وَما كانَ في عُثمانَ شَيءٌ عَلِمتُهُ
سِوىexcept نَسلِهِhis scurrying فيamong رَهطِهِhis kinsmen حينَwhen أَدبَراhe turned to flee
سِوى نَسلِهِ في رَهطِهِ حينَ أَدبَرا
And there was nothing in Uthman, so far as I knew,
And I knew no trait in Uthman
except his swift flight among his clansmen when he turned his back.
Except his scurrying among his kinsmen when he fled.
وَلَولاand were it not for بَنوthe sons of حَربٍHarb لَظَلَّتwould have remained دِماؤُكُمyour blood
وَلَولا بَنو حَربٍ لَظَلَّت دِماؤُكُم
بطونَin the bellies of العَظاياlizards مِنincluding كَسيرٍa maimed one وَأَعوَراand a one-eyed one
بطونَ العَظايا مِن كَسيرٍ وَأَعوَرا
Had it not been for the sons of Harb, your blood would have remained
And were it not for the sons of Harb, your blood would have remained
in the bellies of lizards—blood from the maimed and the one-eyed.
In the bellies of lizards, maimed and one-eyed alike.
