أَيا عَجَباً لِأَمرِ بَني قُشَيرٍ

أَيا عَجَباً لِأَمرِ بَني قُشَيرٍ

أَراعونا وَقالوا القَومُ قُلُّ

أَراعونا وَقالوا القَومُ قُلُّ

Oh, how astonishing is the affair of Banu Qushayr!

Oh, how strange are the affairs of the people of Qushayr!

They frightened us and said, 'The men are few.'

They alarmed us and said the people are few,

وَكانوا الكُثرَ يَومَئِذٍ وَلَكِن

وَكانوا الكُثرَ يَومَئِذٍ وَلَكِن

كَثُرنا إِذ تَعارَكنا وَقَلّوا

كَثُرنا إِذ تَعارَكنا وَقَلّوا

They were the more numerous that day, but

Though they were many that day, but

we became the many when we clashed, and they the few.

We became numerous when we clashed and they shrank.

وَقالَ الهامُ لِلأَجسادِ هَذا

وَقالَ الهامُ لِلأَجسادِ هَذا

يُفَرِّقُ بَينَنا إِن لَم تُوَلّوا

يُفَرِّقُ بَينَنا إِن لَم تُوَلّوا

And the heads said to the bodies, 'This

The leader said to the bodies, “This

will part us if you do not flee.'

Will separate between us if you do not return.”

فَوَلَّوا لِلقَنا وَالبيضِ فيهِم

فَوَلَّوا لِلقَنا وَالبيضِ فيهِم

وَفي جيرانِهِم نَهلٌ وَعَلُّ

وَفي جيرانِهِم نَهلٌ وَعَلُّ

So they fled; the spears and gleaming swords drank from them

So they returned to the spear and the white blades among them

and from their neighbors—a first draught and a second.

And among their neighbors pools and loftiness.

وَرُحنا بِالقَلائِعِ كُلُّ نَهدٍ

وَرُحنا بِالقَلائِعِ كُلُّ نَهدٍ

مُطِلٍّ فَوقَهُ نَهدٌ مُطِلُّ

مُطِلٍّ فَوقَهُ نَهدٌ مُطِلُّ

And we departed with the captured horses—each mighty steed

And we went out with the skulls, every hanging

towering, with a mighty warrior towering above it.

Breast overlooking above it a hanging breast.