ما الذي تبتغيه منك العداة

ومن الأسد في حماك حماة

What is it that your foes seek from you,

when lions stand guard within your domain?

طمعوا منك بالمحال فخابوا

وقصارى المطامع الهلكات

They coveted the impossible from you, but were disappointed;

and the end of their ambitions was destruction.

أقبلوا والرجاء طلق المحيا

ووجوه المنى لهم باسمات

They advanced, with hope bright of countenance,

and the faces of their wishes smiling upon them.

وانثنوا عنك والفناء ينادي

فيهم أين يا جناة النجاة

And they turned back from you, while annihilation cried

among them: "Where is escape, O wrongdoers?"

ريثما بدل الرجاء ببأس

في قلوب طلاعها حسرات

Soon hope was exchanged for anguish

in hearts brimming with regrets.

واستطالوا ليجتنوا ثمر الفتح

فمرت عليهم الثمرات

And they reached high to gather the fruit of conquest,

but the fruits turned bitter for them.

بأساطيل خالها من رآها

انها حين تشرف الهضبات

With fleets that anyone seeing them imagined

to be hills when they loomed into view.

يتمشين في ثياب جمال

هن فيه الكواعب الرافلات

They walked in robes of beauty;

therein, they were full-breasted maidens in trailing robes.

من حديد ضفت دروع عليها

تتراءى كأنها حبرات

Ample coats of iron armor draped over them,

appearing like striped robes.

قبحت مخبرا على حسن مرأى

رب حسن حفت به آفات

Hideous within, though fair to behold—

many a beauty is beset by perils!

فهي يوم الهياج نار جحيم

وهي في يوم سلمها جنات

In battle's fury, they are the fire of hell;

yet in their days of peace, they are gardens of paradise.

سكنت جوفها ثعابين رمل

بسهام الردى لها نفثات

Sand serpents dwelt within their bellies,

spitting arrows of death.

إذ تجول المدرعات الذواكي

كالمذاكي تبثها الحلبات

As the blazing ironclads range about,

like seasoned steeds released by the racecourses,

تسبق العاديات وهي جوار

غير ان الفرسان منها مشاة

they outstrip galloping steeds, though they are ships;

except that the horsemen aboard them are on foot.

تتلظى كانما في حشاها

قبسات الغرام والزفرات

They blaze, as though within their innards

were flames of passion and sighs.

وقفوا موقف النضال وصفت

سفن الحرب واستمر الرماة

They took their stand for combat, and into line were drawn

the warships, while the gunners kept firing.

لم تزل ترتمي صوالجها النار

كرات في اثرهن كرات

Their fiery maces were hurled unceasingly—

balls, with balls following in their wake.

وبأقواس نارها ما أصابت

غرضاً بل اصيبت الراميات

Yet with their bows of fire they failed to hit

a target; instead, the firing ships themselves were struck.

تتقي الرمي بالدروع ولكن

ملوقتها دورعها السابغات

They warded off shots with armor, but

their ample coats of armor [did not protect them].

بعثت صيحة العذاب عليهم

حين صاحت قلاعنا المحكمات

A cry of torment was unleashed upon them

when our firmly built fortresses roared.

اطلقوا نارهم فلم تغن شيئاً

وارتمت نارنا فكان الشتات

They unleashed their fire, but it availed them nothing;

and our fire flew forth, and they scattered.

ذهبوا بين هارب وجريح

وغريق أودت به الغمرات

They departed, some fleeing and some wounded,

and some drowned, slain by the engulfing waters.

سفن اربع بخامس مارت

غرقت والرجال فيها مئات

Four ships, on the fifth of March,

sank, with hundreds of men aboard.

لم يطيقوا الثبات في البحر لكن

بقرار الخضم كان الثبات

They could not stand firm at sea, but

on the ocean floor they stood firm.

سكنوا من قرارة اليم داراً

فهنيئاً لأهلها الغرفات

They took a dwelling in the depths of the sea;

so may its chambers delight their inhabitants!

لك يا اكثر الكرام ضيوفاً

كرم قد روته عنك الرواة

You, O generous host with the most guests,

have a bounty that narrators have recounted of you.

كل حيتانها عليك عيال

من لحوم العدا لها أقوات

All its fish are dependents upon you;

from the flesh of foes comes their food.

ولقد زودت بخفي حنين

بعد شهر فخابت المسعاة

And indeed, they were sent off with Hunayn's two boots,

after a month; their endeavor failed.

هدرت كالفنيق هدراً وعادت

والفتاة العذراء تلك الفتاة

They bellowed like a prized stallion-camel, then returned,

while the virgin maiden remained that same maiden.

تلك بكر على الفحول تسامت

وحمت خدرها المنيع الكماة

That virgin rose high above the stallions,

and armored warriors guarded her impregnable bower.

فهي ليلي بنت المهلهل عزا

وذووها الاراقم الحياة

In glory she is Layla, daughter of al-Muhalhil,

and her kin are al-Araqim, the serpents.

لو سما خاطب لها بأبان

ضرجت منه أنفه الضربات

Had a suitor aspired to her at Aban,

blows would have bloodied his nose.

ان يمت منهم الرجاء انقطاعاً

فلك العيش بعدها والحياة

If hope dies among them, utterly cut off,

then yours are life and living thereafter.

لك تاريخ مفخر يتجلى

ما تجلت نجومها النيران

Yours is a proud history, shining forth

as long as its fiery stars shine.

خلد الذكر والثنا فهنيئاً

لك تلك المآثر الخالدات

Remembrance and praise endure forever; so congratulations

to you on those immortal deeds of glory.