خَرَجَ الغَواني يَحتَجِجـ

خَرَجَ الغَواني يَحتَجِجـ

ـنَ وَرُحتُ أَرقُبُ جَمعَهُنَّه

ـنَ وَرُحتُ أَرقُبُ جَمعَهُنَّه

The lovely women came out to protest,

The youths went out to protest

and I went to watch their gathering.

And I went out to watch their gathering

فَإِذا بِهِنَّ تَخِذنَ مِن

فَإِذا بِهِنَّ تَخِذنَ مِن

سودِ الثِيابِ شِعارَهُنَّه

سودِ الثِيابِ شِعارَهُنَّه

And lo, they had made

When there they donned black attire

black garments their emblem.

As their uniform

فَطَلَعنَ مِثلَ كَواكِبٍ

فَطَلَعنَ مِثلَ كَواكِبٍ

يَسطَعنَ في وَسَطِ الدُجُنَّه

يَسطَعنَ في وَسَطِ الدُجُنَّه

Then they appeared like stars,

Emerging like stars

shining in the midst of darkness.

Shining amidst the darkness

وَأَخَذنَ يَجتَزنَ الطَريـ

وَأَخَذنَ يَجتَزنَ الطَريـ

ـقَ وَدارُ سَعدٍ قَصدُهُنَّه

ـقَ وَدارُ سَعدٍ قَصدُهُنَّه

And they began to make their way along the road,

And marched down the road

with Saad's house their destination.

Heading towards Saad's house

يَمشينَ في كَنَفِ الوَقا

يَمشينَ في كَنَفِ الوَقا

رِ وَقَد أَبَنَّ شُعورَهُنَّه

رِ وَقَد أَبَنَّ شُعورَهُنَّه

They walked in the shelter of dignity,

Walking under moonlight

and had made their feelings plain.

Their hair uncovered

وَإِذا بِجَيشٍ مُقبِلٍ

وَإِذا بِجَيشٍ مُقبِلٍ

وَالخَيلُ مُطلَقَةُ الأَعِنَّه

وَالخَيلُ مُطلَقَةُ الأَعِنَّه

And lo, an army approached,

When an approaching army

and the horses' reins were let loose.

With horses at full gallop

وَإِذا الجُنودُ سُيوفُها

وَإِذا الجُنودُ سُيوفُها

قَد صُوِّبَت لِنُحورِهِنَّه

قَد صُوِّبَت لِنُحورِهِنَّه

And lo, the soldiers' swords

And soldiers with swords

had been aimed at the women's throats.

Aimed at their necks

وَإِذا المَدافِعُ وَالبَنا

وَإِذا المَدافِعُ وَالبَنا

دِقُ وَالصَوارِمُ وَالأَسِنَّه

دِقُ وَالصَوارِمُ وَالأَسِنَّه

And lo, cannons and rifles,

Cannons, rifles, and blades

and sharp swords and spearheads,

Surrounding them on all sides

وَالخَيلُ وَالفُرسانُ قَد

وَالخَيلُ وَالفُرسانُ قَد

ضَرَبَت نِطاقاً حَولَهُنَّه

ضَرَبَت نِطاقاً حَولَهُنَّه

and horses and horsemen had

While flowers and basil were

formed a cordon around them.

Their only weapons that day

وَالوَردُ وَالرَيحانُ في

وَالوَردُ وَالرَيحانُ في

ذاكَ النَهارِ سِلاحُهُنَّه

ذاكَ النَهارِ سِلاحُهُنَّه

And roses and basil, on

The two armies clashed for hours

that day, were their weapons.

Turning the days white with age

فَتَطاحَنَ الجَيشانِ سا

فَتَطاحَنَ الجَيشانِ سا

عاتٍ تَشيبُ لَها الأَجِنَّه

عاتٍ تَشيبُ لَها الأَجِنَّه

Then the two armies clashed for hours

The women and girls trembled

that would turn unborn children gray.

With no protector

فَتَضَعضَعَ النِسوانُ وَالـ

فَتَضَعضَعَ النِسوانُ وَالـ

ـنِسوانُ لَيسَ لَهُنَّ مُنَّه

ـنِسوانُ لَيسَ لَهُنَّ مُنَّه

Then the women faltered—and

Then scattered in defeat

the women had no strength.

Fleeing back to their homes

ثُمَّ اِنهَزَمنَ مُشَتَّتا

ثُمَّ اِنهَزَمنَ مُشَتَّتا

تِ الشَملِ نَحوَ قُصورِهِنَّه

تِ الشَملِ نَحوَ قُصورِهِنَّه

Then they fled in defeat, their ranks

Let the mighty army rejoice

scattered, toward their palaces.

In their victory and defeat of them

فَليَهنَأَ الجَيشُ الفَخو

فَليَهنَأَ الجَيشُ الفَخو

رُ بِنَصرِهِ وَبِكَسرِهِنَّه

رُ بِنَصرِهِ وَبِكَسرِهِنَّه

So let the proud army rejoice

It was as if the Germans

in its victory and their defeat.

Had donned veils among them

فَكَأَنَّما الأَلمانُ قَد

فَكَأَنَّما الأَلمانُ قَد

لَبِسوا البَراقِعَ بَينَهُنَّه

لَبِسوا البَراقِعَ بَينَهُنَّه

For it was as though the Germans had

And came with Hindenburg

donned face veils among the women,

Secretly leading them to Egypt

وَأَتَوا بِهِندِنبُرجَ مُخـ

وَأَتَوا بِهِندِنبُرجَ مُخـ

ـتَفِياً بِمِصرَ يَقودُهُنَّه

ـتَفِياً بِمِصرَ يَقودُهُنَّه

and brought Hindenburg, concealed

And so feared their might

in Egypt, to lead them.

And dreaded their cunning

فَلِذاكَ خافوا بَأسَهُـ

فَلِذاكَ خافوا بَأسَهُـ

ـنَ وَأَشفَقوا مِن كَيدِهِنَّه

ـنَ وَأَشفَقوا مِن كَيدِهِنَّه

So that was why they feared the women's might

and dreaded their stratagems.