1. وَاَن يَعُمَّهُم حَياً مُطَبِّقُ

    بَل قَد رَأَى بِهَجَرَ المُغَيَّقُ

    And that an all-enveloping rain might cover them.

    Yet at Hajar it was indeed seen by the man led astray

  2. عَنِ الهُدَى اَبُو فُدَيكٍ فُسَقُ

    وصَحبُهُ اِذ اَرعَدُوا وَاَبرَقُوا

    From guidance—Abu Fudayk, the sinner—

    And his companions, when they thundered and flashed

  3. وَشَفتَرُوا في دِينِهِم ومَرَقُوا

    فَصَبَّحَتهُم ذاتَ رِزٍّ فَيلَقُ

    And corrupted their religion and broke away:

    Then a rumbling host assailed them at dawn,

  4. مَلمُومَة يَضِلُّ فِيها الاَبلَقُ

    بِالخَيلِ تَمضِى قُدُماً وَتَلحَقُ

    Closely massed: a piebald horse would be lost within it.

    With horses it advances straight ahead and overtakes.

  5. ما اِن يُرَى مِنهُنَّ اِلاَّ الحَدَقُ

    كَرادِس تَترَي عَلَيها الدَّرَقُ

    Nothing of them is seen except their eyes.

    Squadrons follow one another, shields upon them,

  6. وَاُسدُ غابٍ فَوقَهُنَّ الخَلَقُ

    وَالتَّركُ مِن فَوقِ الرُّؤُوسِ تَبرُقُ

    And lions of the forest, worn garments over them.

    And helmets flash above their heads,

  7. كَالهُندُ وانِىِّ عَلاهُ الرَّونَقُ

    يَعلُو عَلَيها لُمَعٌ وَسَفسَقُ

    Like an Indian blade overlaid with lustre.

    Glints and watered-steel patterns appear upon them.

  8. وَالبِيضُ فى اَيمانِهِم تَأَلَّقُ

    وَذُبّل فِيها شَباً مُذَلَّقُ

    And bright swords glitter in their right hands,

    And slender spears bear keenly sharpened points.

  9. يَطيرُ فَوقَ رُؤسِهِنَّ السَّرَقُ

    وَاللامِعاتُ فَوقَهُنَّ تَخفِقُ

    Silken cloth flies above their heads,

    And gleaming banners flutter above them.

  10. وَدُونَهُنّ عارِض مُستَبرِقُ

    وَفَوقَها قَساطِل وَصِيَقُ

    And beneath them, a cloud flashing lightning,

    And above them, dust-clouds and flying dust.

  11. يُثيرُها مِن تَحتَهِنَّ المَأزِقُ

    يَجيشُ مِنها بِالوَجِيفِ العَرَقُ

    The crush of battle stirs it up from beneath them.

    Sweat streams from them as they gallop.

  12. فَلا يَنِى مِنها جَنِين مُزلَقُ

    يَترُكنَهُ وَسطَ العَجاجِ يَشهَقُ

    Ceaselessly, miscarried foals slip from them;

    They leave each amid the swirling dust, gasping.

  13. يَفُوقُ مَرّاتٍ وَمَرّاً يَمأَقُ

    يَدَعنَ رَحبَ الاَرضِ وَهوَ ضَيِّقُ

    It hiccups at times, and at times sobs.

    They leave the broad earth narrow.

  14. مُعَضِّلاً بِها البَلاطُ الاَخوَقُ

    كُلًّ طِمَرٍّ لَحمُهُ مُمَشَّقُ

    The smooth, wide-open plain grows cramped with them:

    Every swift, long-legged steed, lean of flesh,

  15. نَهدُ القُصَيرَي هَيكَلٌ شَمقمَقُ

    لَهُ قَراً وَعُنُق عَشَنَّقُ

    Full at the short rib, large-framed and towering,

    With a back and a long, lofty neck.