وَتَدَرَّعُوا فَوقَ الدُّروعِ قُلُوبَهُمْ

وَتَدَرَّعُوا فَوقَ الدُّروعِ قُلُوبَهُمْ

والسُّمْرُ شُهْبٌ في النُّحِورِ تَغُورُ

والسُّمْرُ شُهْبٌ في النُّحِورِ تَغُورُ

And they wore their hearts as armor over their mail;

And over their armor they armored their hearts,

And the tawny spears are meteors, plunging deep into throats.

And the dark night is shooting stars boring through chests,

وَمُثقّفٍ شَرِبَ الدِّماءَ وَهَزَّ من

وَمُثقّفٍ شَرِبَ الدِّماءَ وَهَزَّ من

أَعطافهِ فَكأَنَّهُ مخمُورُ

أَعطافهِ فَكأَنَّهُ مخمُورُ

And many a straightened spear drank blood and shook

And a literate man who drank blood and shook off

its flanks, as though it were drunk.

From his sides, as though he were drunk.