سَليask الرِماحَthe spears العَواليthe lofty عَنabout مَعاليناour glories
سَلي الرِماحَ العَوالي عَن مَعالينا
وَاِستَشهِديand call as witnesses البيضَthe white swords هَلdid خابَfail الرَجاhope فيناin us
وَاِستَشهِدي البيضَ هَل خابَ الرَجا فينا
Ask the lofty spears about our glories,
Ask the tall spears about our glories
and call the white swords to witness: did hope in us ever fail?
And question the swords, did hope in us disappoint?
وَسائِليand ask العُربَthe Arabs وَالأَتراكَand the Turks ماwhat فَعَلَتdid
وَسائِلي العُربَ وَالأَتراكَ ما فَعَلَت
فيin أَرضِthe land of قَبرِthe tomb of عُبَيدِUbayd اللَهِAllah أَيديناour hands
في أَرضِ قَبرِ عُبَيدِ اللَهِ أَيدينا
And ask the Arabs and the Turks what was wrought
And ask the Arabs and Turks what our hands did
by our hands in the land of Ubayd Allah's tomb.
In the land of Al-Ubayd's grave, they will tell you.
لَمّاwhen سَعَيناwe strove فَماso not رَقَّتweakened عَزائِمُناour resolves
لَمّا سَعَينا فَما رَقَّت عَزائِمُنا
عَمّاfrom what نَرومُwe seek وَلاnor خابَتfailed مَساعيناour endeavors
عَمّا نَرومُ وَلا خابَت مَساعينا
When we strove, our resolves never weakened
When we strove, our resolves did not weaken
in pursuing what we sought, nor did our endeavors fail.
From what we aspire, nor did our efforts fail.
ياO يَومَday وَقعَةِthe battle of زَوراءِZawra العِراقِof Iraq وَقَدand already
يا يَومَ وَقعَةِ زَوراءِ العِراقِ وَقَد
دِنّاwe requited الأَعاديthe enemies كَماas كانواthey used to يَدينوناrequite us
دِنّا الأَعادي كَما كانوا يَدينونا
O day of the battle at Zawra of Iraq, when
O day of the battle of Zuwarra in Iraq when
we requited our enemies as they had requited us.
Our enemies submitted to us as they made us submit before.
بِضُمَّرٍwith lean steeds ماnot رَبَطناهاwe tethered them مُسَوَّمَةًmarked
بِضُمَّرٍ ما رَبَطناها مُسَوَّمَةً
إِلّاexcept لِنَغزوso that we raid بِهاwith them مَنwhoever باتَkept يَغزوناraiding us
إِلّا لِنَغزو بِها مَن باتَ يَغزونا
With lean, marked steeds we had tethered for no purpose
With unsheathed swords we girded,
but to raid with them those who kept raiding us.
Only to raid those who raided us by night.
وَفِتيَةٍand youths إِنif نَقُلwe speak أَصغَواthey incline مَسامِعَهُمtheir ears
وَفِتيَةٍ إِن نَقُل أَصغَوا مَسامِعَهُم
لِقَولِناto our words أَوor دَعَوناهُمwe called them أَجابوناthey answered us
لِقَولِنا أَو دَعَوناهُم أَجابونا
And youths who, if we speak, incline their ears
Youths who if we spoke lowered their ears
to our words, or, if we call them, answer us.
To hear us or if called, responded immediately.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen اِستُخصِمواthey were drawn into conflict كانواthey were فَراعِنَةًpharaohs
قَومٌ إِذا اِستُخصِموا كانوا فَراعِنَةً
يَوماًfor a day وَإِنand if حُكِّمواthey were appointed judges كانواthey were مَوازيناscales
يَوماً وَإِن حُكِّموا كانوا مَوازينا
A people who, when drawn into conflict, were pharaohs
A people, if challenged, become furious lions
for a day, but, when appointed judges, were scales.
And if judged, they are just scales.
تَدَرَّعواthey armored themselves العَقلَreason جِلباباًas a cloak فَإِنbut if حَمِيَتgrew hot
تَدَرَّعوا العَقلَ جِلباباً فَإِن حَمِيَت
نارُthe fire الوَغىof battle خِلتَهُمyou would think them فيهاin it مَجانيناmadmen
نارُ الوَغى خِلتَهُم فيها مَجانينا
They donned reason as a cloak; but if there blazed
They armored themselves with reason a coat
the fire of battle, you would think them madmen within it.
But if the fire of turmoil blazed, it made them insane.
إِذاif اِدَّعَواthey made claims جاءَتِcame الدُنياthe world مُصَدِّقَةًconfirming
إِذا اِدَّعَوا جاءَتِ الدُنيا مُصَدِّقَةً
وَإِنand if دَعَواthey prayed قالَتِsaid الأَيّامُthe days آميناamen
وَإِن دَعَوا قالَتِ الأَيّامُ آمينا
If they made a claim, the world came to confirm it;
If they claimed, the world came testifying
and if they prayed, the days said Amen.
And if prayed, the days said "Amen."
إِنَّindeed الزَرازيرَthe starlings لَمّاwhen قامَrose قائِمُهاtheir leader
إِنَّ الزَرازيرَ لَمّا قامَ قائِمُها
تَوَهَّمَتthey imagined أَنَّهاthat they صارَتbecame شَواهيناperegrine falcons
تَوَهَّمَت أَنَّها صارَت شَواهينا
Indeed, the starlings, when their leader rose,
Verily the chicks, when their protector rose
imagined they had become peregrine falcons.
Thought they had become our equals.
ظَنَّتthey thought تَأَنّيthe deliberation البُزاةِof the hawks الشُهبِthe gray عَنfrom جَزَعٍfear
ظَنَّت تَأَنّي البُزاةِ الشُهبِ عَن جَزَعٍ
وَماand not دَرَتthey knew أَنَهُthat it قَدindeed كانَwas تَهويناdisdain
وَما دَرَت أَنَهُ قَد كانَ تَهوينا
They thought the gray hawks' deliberation sprang from fear,
They fancied stopping the gallantry of the graying heroes
and did not know it had been disdain.
Unaware it was but our appeasement.
بَيادِقٌpawns ظَفِرَتgained hold أَيديthe hands الرِخاخِof the rooks بِهاof them
بَيادِقٌ ظَفِرَت أَيدي الرِخاخِ بِها
وَلَوand had تَرَكناهُمُwe left them صادواthey captured فَرازيناour viziers (chess pieces)
وَلَو تَرَكناهُمُ صادوا فَرازينا
Pawns that the hands of rooks had captured;
Citadels the hands of archers took
and had we left them alone, they would have captured our viziers.
When had we left them, they would have taken our keeps.
ذَلّواthey were abased بِأَسيافِناby our swords طولَthroughout الزَمانِthe ages فَمُذbut once
ذَلّوا بِأَسيافِنا طولَ الزَمانِ فَمُذ
تَحَكَّمواthey took control أَظهَرواthey revealed أَحقادَهُمtheir grudges فيناagainst us
تَحَكَّموا أَظهَروا أَحقادَهُم فينا
They were abased by our swords throughout the ages; but once
They were subdued by our swords for ages but when
they gained control, they revealed their grudges against us.
They took power, they revealed their hatred of us.
لَمdid not يُغنِهِمsuffice them مالُناour wealth عَنinstead of نَهبِplundering أَنفُسِناour lives
لَم يُغنِهِم مالُنا عَن نَهبِ أَنفُسِنا
كَأَنَّهُمas though they فيin أَمانٍsafety مِنfrom تَقاضيناour reckoning
كَأَنَّهُم في أَمانٍ مِن تَقاضينا
Our wealth was not enough to keep them from plundering our lives,
Their wealth did not prevent them from pillaging our souls
as though they were safe from our reckoning.
As if they had immunity from our prosecution.
أَخلواthey emptied المَساجِدَthe mosques مِنof أَشياخِناour elders وَبَغَواand they transgressed
أَخلوا المَساجِدَ مِن أَشياخِنا وَبَغَوا
حَتّىuntil حَمَلناwe charged فَأَخلَيناand so we emptied الدَواويناthe administrative offices
حَتّى حَمَلنا فَأَخلَينا الدَواوينا
They emptied the mosques of our elders and transgressed,
They emptied the mosques of our elders and sought
until we charged and emptied the administrative offices.
Until we revolted and vacated their bureaus.
ثُمَّthen اِنثَنَيناwe turned back وَقَدand already ظَلَتremained صَوارِمُناour keen swords
ثُمَّ اِنثَنَينا وَقَد ظَلَت صَوارِمُنا
تَميسُsway عُجباًin pride وَيَهتَزُّand quiver القَناthe spears ليناsoftly
تَميسُ عُجباً وَيَهتَزُّ القَنا لينا
Then we turned back, while our keen swords kept
Then we withdrew with our swords still
swaying proudly, and the spears quivered softly.
Gleaming strangely and our spears shaking.
وَلِلدِماءِand for the blood عَلىon أَثوابِناour garments عَلَقٌclots
وَلِلدِماءِ عَلى أَثوابِنا عَلَقٌ
بِنَشرِهِwith its scent عَنin place of عَبيرِthe perfume المِسكِof musk يُغنيناit suffices us
بِنَشرِهِ عَن عَبيرِ المِسكِ يُغنينا
And clots of blood clung to our garments,
And the blood stains on our clothes
whose scent sufficed us in place of musk's perfume.
With their fragrance were better than musk's scent.
فَياso, oh لَهاfor it دَعوَةًa call فيin الأَرضِthe earth سائِرَةًtraveling
فَيا لَها دَعوَةً في الأَرضِ سائِرَةً
قَدalready أَصبَحَتhas become فيin فَمِthe mouth الأَيّامِof the days تَلقيناa lesson
قَد أَصبَحَت في فَمِ الأَيّامِ تَلقينا
So, what a call it is, traveling across the earth,
So excellent is the call through the land, traveling,
now become a lesson on the lips of the days!
Which in the mouth of days repeats our name.
إِنّاindeed we لَقَومٌtruly a people أَبَتrefused أَخلاقُناour character شَرَفاًout of honor
إِنّا لَقَومٌ أَبَت أَخلاقُنا شَرَفاً
أَنthat نَبتَديwe begin بِالأَذىwith harm مَنwhoever لَيسَdoes not يُؤذيناharm us
أَن نَبتَدي بِالأَذى مَن لَيسَ يُؤذينا
We are indeed a people whose noble character refuses
We are a people whose morals refused nobility
to be first to harm those who do not harm us.
To initiate harm on those who did no wrong.
بيضٌwhite صَنائِعُناour benefactions سودٌblack وَقائِعُناour battles
بيضٌ صَنائِعُنا سودٌ وَقائِعُنا
خُضرٌgreen مَرابِعُناour spring encampments حُمرٌred مَواضيناour keen blades
خُضرٌ مَرابِعُنا حُمرٌ مَواضينا
White are our benefactions, black our battles;
White are our deeds, black are our events,
green our spring encampments, red our keen blades.
Green are our dwellings, red are our pastures.
لاnot يَظهَرُappears العَجزُweakness مِنّاfrom us دونَshort of نَيلِattaining مُنىًwishes
لا يَظهَرُ العَجزُ مِنّا دونَ نَيلِ مُنىً
وَلَوand even if رَأَيناwe saw المَناياdeaths فيin أَمانيناour desires
وَلَو رَأَينا المَنايا في أَمانينا
No weakness shows in us before our wishes are won,
Weakness does not show through us without fulfilling hopes
even if we see death within our desires.
Even if we see death in our wishes.
ماnever أَعوَزَتناwere lacking to us فَرامينٌdecrees نَصولُwe wield might بِهاwith them
ما أَعوَزَتنا فَرامينٌ نَصولُ بِها
إِلاexcept that جَعَلناwe made مَواضيناour keen blades فَراميناdecrees
إِلا جَعَلنا مَواضينا فَرامينا
Never did we lack decrees with which to wield our might
No lack of archers leaping did we have
without making our keen blades into decrees.
Except we made our plains archers.
إِذاwhen جَرَيناwe raced إِلىtoward سَبقِprecedence العُلىlofty honor طَلَقاًat full stretch
إِذا جَرَينا إِلى سَبقِ العُلى طَلَقاً
إِنif لَمnot نَكُنwe were سُبَّقاًfront-runners كُنّاwe were مُصَلّيناsecond-place runners
إِن لَم نَكُن سُبَّقاً كُنّا مُصَلّينا
When we raced full-tilt to lead in glory,
When we sped to excel swiftly,
if we were not first, we came in second.
Even if not preceded, we were first.
تُدافِعُwards off القَدَرَfate المَحتومَthe ordained هِمَّتُناour resolve
تُدافِعُ القَدَرَ المَحتومَ هِمَّتُنا
عَنّاfrom us وَنَخصِمُand we defeat صَرفَthe vicissitudes الدَهرِof time لَوif شيناwe wished
عَنّا وَنَخصِمُ صَرفَ الدَهرِ لَو شينا
Our resolve wards off ordained fate
Our zeal wards off destined fate
from us, and we defeat Time's vicissitudes if we wish.
From us and we dispute the course of time, if we wish.
نَغشىwe confront الخُطوبَcalamities بِأَيديناwith our hands فَنَدفَعُهاand so we repel them
نَغشى الخُطوبَ بِأَيدينا فَنَدفَعُها
وَإِنand if دَهَتناthey assail us دَفَعناهاwe repel them بِأَيديناwith our hands
وَإِن دَهَتنا دَفَعناها بِأَيدينا
We confront calamities with our hands and repel them;
We confront disasters with our hands and repel them
and if they assail us, we repel them with our hands.
And if they overwhelm us, we repel them with our hands.
مُلكٌa kingdom إِذاwhen فُوِّقَتare nocked نَبلُthe arrows العَدُوِّof the enemy لَناagainst us
مُلكٌ إِذا فُوِّقَت نَبلُ العَدُوِّ لَنا
رَمَتshot at عَزائِمَهُits resolves مَنwhoever باتَkept يَرميناshooting at us
رَمَت عَزائِمَهُ مَن باتَ يَرمينا
A realm: when the enemy's arrows are nocked against us,
A dominion, when the arrows of the enemy overwhelm us,
its resolves shoot at those who keep shooting at us.
Its resolves cast whoever shoots arrows at us.
عَزائِمٌresolves كَالنُجومِlike the stars الشُهبِthe blazing ثاقِبَةًpiercing
عَزائِمٌ كَالنُجومِ الشُهبِ ثاقِبَةً
ماnot زالَceased يُحرِقُit burns مِنهُنَّfrom them الشَياطيناthe devils
ما زالَ يُحرِقُ مِنهُنَّ الشَياطينا
Resolves, piercing as the blazing stars,
Resolves like shooting stars, piercing,
with which it has never ceased to burn the devils.
Continually burning our devils.
أَعطىit gave فَلاso neither جودُهُits generosity قَدindeed كانَwas عَنfrom غَلَطٍa mistake
أَعطى فَلا جودُهُ قَد كانَ عَن غَلَطٍ
مِنهُon its part وَلاnor أَجرُهُits reward قَدindeed كانَwas مَمنوناcut off
مِنهُ وَلا أَجرُهُ قَد كانَ مَمنونا
It gave: neither was its generosity a mistake
He gave so his generosity was not mistaken
on its part, nor was its reward ever cut off.
Nor his reward ever deficient.
كَمhow many مِنof عَدُوٍّan enemy لَناof ours أَمسىhas become بِسَطوَتِهِthrough its might
كَم مِن عَدُوٍّ لَنا أَمسى بِسَطوَتِهِ
يُبديhe displays الخُضوعَsubmission لَناto us خَتلاًdeceitfully وَتَسكيناand appeasement
يُبدي الخُضوعَ لَنا خَتلاً وَتَسكينا
How many an enemy of ours has, through its might,
How many enemies of ours have by their tyranny
come to show us submission, in guile and appeasement.
Been humbling themselves to us in submission and appeasement.
كَالصِلِّlike an asp يُظهِرُit shows ليناًsoftness عِندَat مَلمَسِهِits touch
كَالصِلِّ يُظهِرُ ليناً عِندَ مَلمَسِهِ
حَتّىuntil يُصادِفَit finds فيin الأَعضاءِthe limbs تَمكيناa firm hold
حَتّى يُصادِفَ في الأَعضاءِ تَمكينا
Like an asp, showing softness to the touch,
Like smooth silk feigning softness at its touch
until it finds a firm hold within the limbs.
Until it takes hold in the limbs.
يَطويhe hides لَناagainst us الغَدرَtreachery فيin نُصحٍcounsel يُشيرُhe recommends بِهِwith it
يَطوي لَنا الغَدرَ في نُصحٍ يُشيرُ بِهِ
وَيَمزُجُand he mixes السُمَّpoison فيinto شَهدٍhoney وَيَسقيناand he gives us to drink
وَيَمزُجُ السُمَّ في شَهدٍ وَيَسقينا
He hides treachery against us in the counsel he offers,
He wraps betrayal for us in advice he alludes to
and mixes poison into honey and gives it to us to drink.
And mixes poison in honey and makes us drink.
وَقَدand sometimes نَغُضُّwe lower our gaze وَنُغضيand we overlook عَنto قَبائِحِهِhis ugly deeds
وَقَد نَغُضُّ وَنُغضي عَن قَبائِحِهِ
وَلَمand not يَكُنwas عَجَزاًhelplessness عَنهُagainst him تَغاضيناour overlooking
وَلَم يَكُن عَجَزاً عَنهُ تَغاضينا
And we sometimes lower our gaze and overlook his ugly deeds,
We have turned a blind eye and been heedless of his evils
and our overlooking was not helplessness against him.
And it was not inability that made us overlook.
لَكِنbut تَرَكناهُwe left him إِذsince بِتناwe remained عَلىin ثِقَةٍcertainty
لَكِن تَرَكناهُ إِذ بِتنا عَلى ثِقَةٍ
إِنَّindeed الأَميرَthe emir يُكافيهِhe requites him فَيَكفيناand so he spares us
إِنَّ الأَميرَ يُكافيهِ فَيَكفينا
But we left him, since we were certain
But we left him be, as we were confident
that the emir would requite him and spare us the task.
The Prince would repay him, so it sufficed us.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.