تَرَنَّحَ معطف الزَّوراءِ لَمّا

تَرَنَّحَ معطف الزَّوراءِ لَمّا

دعاك لزَوْر سِنْجَار لمامُ

دعاك لزَوْر سِنْجَار لمامُ

Al-Zawra’s flank swayed when

The cloak of deception whined when

A fleeting encounter called you to visit Sinjar.

You called it to visit Sinjar's shrine

وَزَلزَلت الصّعيدَ وراءَ مصرٍ

وَزَلزَلت الصّعيدَ وراءَ مصرٍ

غَداةَ عَلَتْكَ في قَطَنَا الخيامُ

غَداةَ عَلَتْكَ في قَطَنَا الخيامُ

And you shook Upper Egypt beyond Misr

And you shook the ground behind Egypt

On the morning the tents rose over you in Qatana.

The next morning when you erected your tents

رجاءٌ هَزَّ تِيك وتلك خوفٌ

رجاءٌ هَزَّ تِيك وتلك خوفٌ

وَلَو قَد شِئت ضمّهما قرامُ

وَلَو قَد شِئت ضمّهما قرامُ

Hope shook the one, and fear the other;

Hope shook you, and so did fear

And had you but wished, a thin curtain would have enfolded them both.

Had you willed, you could have united both

بِعَيشِك يا مُبيدَ الخيلِ رَكضاً

بِعَيشِك يا مُبيدَ الخيلِ رَكضاً

حَمَامٌ هُنَّ تحتك أم حِمَامُ

حَمَامٌ هُنَّ تحتك أم حِمَامُ

By your life, O destroyer of horses through galloping,

With your life, O horseman, galloping

Are they doves beneath you, or death?

Are those doves underneath you or rocks