تَخالُهُم أَسوارَ جَيشٍ أَبلَخا

تَخالُهُم أَسوارَ جَيشٍ أَبلَخا

أَو مَعَهُم جودٌ يَزينُ وَسَخا

أَو مَعَهُم جودٌ يَزينُ وَسَخا

You would take them for the ramparts of a proud and mighty army,

You would take them for the ramparts of a mighty army.

or think that with them was a downpour beautifying filth.

Or with them is generosity that makes filth beautiful.

تَمَّت بِهِم حالٌ لَهُم مِثلُ الرَخا

تَمَّت بِهِم حالٌ لَهُم مِثلُ الرَخا

أَخافَ طَيرَ أَرضِهِ وَدَوَّخا

أَخافَ طَيرَ أَرضِهِ وَدَوَّخا

Through them, a state like ease and prosperity was perfected for them.

Through them, a state akin to ease was perfected for them.

He terrified the birds of his land and broke them to his will,

He frightened the birds of his land and overwhelmed them.

يُعجِلُها في مائِها إِن رَسَخا

يُعجِلُها في مائِها إِن رَسَخا

حَكَّمَ فيها مِنسَراً مُضَمَّخا

حَكَّمَ فيها مِنسَراً مُضَمَّخا

driving them in haste through its waters whenever he planted himself firmly.

He hurries them in their water if they linger.

There he gave free rein to a blood-drenched beak,

He gave a smeared beak dominion over them,

وَمِخلَباً بِدَمِها مُلَطَّخا

وَمِخلَباً بِدَمِها مُلَطَّخا

عَوائِذاً مِن خَطفِهِ وَصُرَّخا

عَوائِذاً مِن خَطفِهِ وَصُرَّخا

and to a talon smeared with their blood,

And a talon stained with their blood.

while the birds sought refuge from his snatching, shrieking aloud.

Seeking refuge from his snatching, and crying out.

كَأَنَّهُ لَمّا قَطَعنا فَرسَخا

كَأَنَّهُ لَمّا قَطَعنا فَرسَخا

مُصحَفُ وَرّاقٍ أُدِقُّ نُسَخا

مُصحَفُ وَرّاقٍ أُدِقُّ نُسَخا

As though, once we had traveled a parasang, it were

As though, when we had covered a parasang, he were

a copyist’s Qur’an, in the finest, most minute script.

A copyist’s Qur’an, most finely transcribed.