حَتّىuntil مَتىwhen نَحنُwe عَلىin فَترَةٍinaction
حَتّى مَتى نَحنُ عَلى فَترَةٍ
ياO هاشِمٌHashim وَالقومُand the people فيin جَحفَلِa great army
يا هاشِمٌ وَالقومُ في جَحفَلِ
How long shall we remain in inaction,
How long shall we remain inactive,
O Hashim, while the people are gathered in a great host?
O Hashim, while the people are in turmoil,
يَدعونَthey summon بِالخَيلِfor the cavalry لَدىin رَقبَةٍapprehension
يَدعونَ بِالخَيلِ لَدى رَقبَةٍ
مِنّاof us لَدىin الخَوفِfear وَفيand in مَعزلِa secluded place
مِنّا لَدى الخَوفِ وَفي مَعزلِ
They summon the cavalry, in apprehension
Calling for horses by the neck,
Of us, in fear and in a place apart;
While we remain fearful and isolated?
كَالرِجلَةِlike a locust-swarm السَوداءِblack تَغلوspeeds onward بِهاwith it
كَالرِجلَةِ السَوداءِ تَغلو بِها
سَرعانُهاits swiftest ones فيin سَبسَبٍa vast plain مَجهَلِtrackless
سَرعانُها في سَبسَبٍ مَجهَلِ
Like a black locust-swarm, sped onward
Like a black camel that wanders blindly
By its swiftest across a vast, trackless plain.
And soon gets lost in confusing terrain,
عَلَيهِمُupon them التَركُthe helmets عَلىin رَعلَةٍa cavalry troop
عَلَيهِمُ التَركُ عَلى رَعلَةٍ
مِثلَlike القَطاthe sandgrouse القارِبِmaking for water لِلمَنهَلِfor the watering place
مِثلَ القَطا القارِبِ لِلمَنهَلِ
Helmets upon them, riding in a cavalry troop,
The Turks attack in raging madness
Like sandgrouse making for the watering place.
Like a wild cat approaching a watering hole,
ياO قَومُmy people ذودواdefend عَنagainst threats to جَماهيرِكُمyour multitudes
يا قَومُ ذودوا عَن جَماهيرِكُم
بِكُلِّwith every مِقصالٍcleaving sword عَلىupon مُسبِلِa long-tailed steed
بِكُلِّ مِقصالٍ عَلى مُسبِلِ
O my people, defend your multitudes
O people, defend your community
With every cleaving sword, astride a long-tailed steed:
With every sharp blade on its sheath,
حَديدِkeen-edged خَمسٍfive لَهزٌa piercing thrust حَدُّهُits edge
حَديدِ خَمسٍ لَهزٌ حَدُّهُ
مَآرِثُheirlooms الأَفضَلِof the noblest لِلأَفضَلِto the noblest
مَآرِثُ الأَفضَلِ لِلأَفضَلِ
Keen-edged, measuring five [units], its edge a piercing thrust—
Five span swords that slice as they strike,
Heirlooms of the noblest, passed to the noblest.
Inheritance of the finest from the finest,
عَريضِbroad سِتٍّsix لَهَبٌa flame حُضرُهُits gallop
عَريضِ سِتٍّ لَهَبٌ حُضرُهُ
يُصانُis maintained بِالتَذليقِthrough conditioning فيin مجدَلِa fortress
يُصانُ بِالتَذليقِ في مجدَلِ
Broad, measuring six [units], its gallop a flame,
Six span wide swords that blaze as they slash,
Kept fit through conditioning within a fortress.
Honed to a polish in the whetstone,
فَكَمfor how often شَهِدتُI was present at الحَربَwar فيamong فِتيَةٍyoung men
فَكَم شَهِدتُ الحَربَ في فِتيَةٍ
عِندَamid الوَغىbattle's din فيin عِثيَرِstirred-up dust القَسطَلِthe dust-cloud
عِندَ الوَغى في عِثيَرِ القَسطَلِ
For how often I have been at war among young men,
How many wars have I seen among noble youth
Amid battle's din, in the swirling dust-cloud,
In the chaos and dust of the battlefield,
وَلاand not مُتَنَحينَdrawing aside إِذاwhen جِئتَهُمyou came to them
وَلا مُتَنَحينَ إِذا جِئتَهُم
وَفيand in هِياجِthe tumult الحَربِof war كَالأَشبُلِlike young lions
وَفي هِياجِ الحَربِ كَالأَشبُلِ
Who never drew aside when you came to them,
Never flinching when you meet them,
And in war's tumult were like young lions.
And in the fury of war like lion cubs.
Sol 6.1