وَخَفّاقَةِ الراياتِ في جوْفِ نقْعِها

وَخَفّاقَةِ الراياتِ في جوْفِ نقْعِها

ترى الجُرْدَ فيها بالكماة تَكَدّسُ

ترى الجُرْدَ فيها بالكماة تَكَدّسُ

And banners flutter in the heart of its dust-cloud;

And a battle with fluttering banners—in the depths of its dust-cloud,

you see the sleek steeds there, massed with armored warriors.

you see sleek horses there, massing with armored warriors.

زَبونٌ رَبَا سَمّ بأطرافِ سُمْرِها

زَبونٌ رَبَا سَمّ بأطرافِ سُمْرِها

كأنّ ثعابِيناً بها تَتَنفّسُ

كأنّ ثعابِيناً بها تَتَنفّسُ

Fierce—its venom swells at the tips of its tawny lances,

Fierce, with venom swelling at the tips of its brown spears,

as though serpents were breathing through them.

as though serpents were breathing through them.

تروقُكَ كالحسناءِ يضحك سِنّها

تروقُكَ كالحسناءِ يضحك سِنّها

وترتاعُ منها وهي كالغولِ تَعْبسُ

وترتاعُ منها وهي كالغولِ تَعْبسُ

It charms you like a beauty whose teeth laugh,

It charms you like a beauty whose teeth show in a smile,

and you recoil from it when it scowls like a ghoul.

yet you recoil from it as it scowls like a ghoul.

وتقلعُ أَرواحَ العداةِ أَسِنَّةٌ

وتقلعُ أَرواحَ العداةِ أَسِنَّةٌ

تراهنّ منهمْ في الحيازيم تُغْرَسُ

تراهنّ منهمْ في الحيازيم تُغْرَسُ

Spearheads wrench the foemen’s souls away,

And spearheads wrench out the enemies’ souls;

and you see them planted in their upper chests.

you see them planted in their chests.

فَكَم طَعنَةٍ نَجلاءَ تَحسبها فماً

فَكَم طَعنَةٍ نَجلاءَ تَحسبها فماً

له هَرَتٌ في الذمر بالدمِ تَقْلِسُ

له هَرَتٌ في الذمر بالدمِ تَقْلِسُ

How many a gaping thrust you would take for a mouth,

And how many a gaping spear-wound you take for a mouth,

with wide-open jaws among the warriors, spewing blood!

with a wide gape in a valiant warrior, spewing blood.

صَبَبنا عَلَيها ضَرْبَنا من صَوارمٍ

صَبَبنا عَلَيها ضَرْبَنا من صَوارمٍ

فغاصت بها من أسْرِها القلبَ أنفُسُ

فغاصت بها من أسْرِها القلبَ أنفُسُ

We poured our blows upon it from sharp swords,

We poured upon it our blows from keen-edged swords,

and souls plunged into it, for it had taken the heart captive.

so souls plunged into it, for it had taken the heart captive.

ونَحنُ بَني الثغرِ الَّذينَ نُفوسُهُمْ

ونَحنُ بَني الثغرِ الَّذينَ نُفوسُهُمْ

ذُكورٌ بِأَبكارِ المنايا تُعّرِسُ

ذُكورٌ بِأَبكارِ المنايا تُعّرِسُ

We are the sons of the frontier, whose souls

And we, sons of the frontier, whose souls

are males that wed death’s virgin maidens.

are males who take death’s virgins as brides.

فمن عزْمنا هنديّةُ الضّرْبِ تُنتَضى

فمن عزْمنا هنديّةُ الضّرْبِ تُنتَضى

ومن زَنْدنا ناريّةُ البأس تُقْبَسُ

ومن زَنْدنا ناريّةُ البأس تُقْبَسُ

From our resolve an Indian blade, keen in the stroke, is drawn;

So from our resolve the Indian blade of battle is unsheathed,

from our firestick the fire of valor is kindled.

and from our firestick the flame of valor is kindled.