1. O rider of the letter Alif,
The most faithful companion,

2. It has sailed to fold therein
License to fold the ink's merchant.

3. Yet how noble was he when free
On holiday freely,

4. If I come to the house of the free
From the sides of Basra

5. Then convey the family of glory,
And honor them as captives.

6. Men in the cause of God
Who waded through the torrent.

7. May God reward the defenders
Who took the initiative at difficulty

8. They answered God's call
And stood at the time of hardship.

9. For good is coupled
From the soul with what it dislikes.

10. My loved ones in Qurna
And Ahvaz and Basra

11. Your covenant quenched thirst
Though you resembled a drop.

12. I spend the night remembering,
Yearning and regretting,

13. While my heart holds from passion
Embers that get heated.

14. How my heart longs for you
With origin and dawn,

15. And my ribs held no love
But held the embers.

16. You went out and we stayed behind
So yours was the trace.

17. Not equal is the relaxed in Al-Hillah
To the relaxed in scattering.

18. Nor the yearner for ambergris
Like the yearner for dust.

19. And you struggled over the frontier
While the frontier was enabled.

20. Still you are more severe
On few and many.

21. You opened while upon you
God sent down victory.

22. Greetings of contentment
To those bright faces.

23. You reaped the fruits of war
Sweet though bitter.

24. You poured to meet the maidens
Not the comfort of a wound.

25. So who enjoys but he who tasted
The enemies' blood, not wine?

26. And who smiles but the radiant
Of prosperous cheek?

27. Good fortune meets death
With delight and glad tidings.

28. The sword's kiss gives comfort
Like the kiss of a soft cheek.

29. As if rifles upon him
Scatter pearls.

30. Congratulations on the glory
That immortalized your mention.

31. Congratulations on the day
You excelled over us in pride.

32. So say to the British:
No use in the stumbling.

33. You erred when you exposed
The suburbs of slaughter to blades.

34. The clergy walked to Basra
With victory.

35. The jurists of Islamic law stood up
Of sheikhs and notables.

36. With their pens Al-Qurna became
In their authority its matter.

37. So it became through them Al-Hayja'
Abode of knowledge and emigration.

38. Wherein the art of war is studied
A lesson from the experts.

39. The sword's call is a cooing
To the people of deceit and betrayal.

40. It does not yield to the opponent
But with insistence and breaking.

41. And it does not number but striking
The skull and neck.