1. أُحُدٌ سبيلُ الله سيناءُ النبيِّ

    الهاشميِّ ومصرع الأَوثان

    Uhud is God's path, the Sinai of the Prophet,

    the Hashemite, and the downfall of idols.

  2. أَلواحه هبطت سطورًا من دمٍ

    لما تناضلَ عندَهُ الحزبان

    Its tablets descended as lines of blood,

    when the two factions fought beside it.

  3. يمشي برايةِ «أحمدٍ» حزبُ الهدى

    والشرك يُزجيهِ أبو سفيانِ

    The party of guidance marches under Ahmad's banner,

    and Abu Sufyan drives polytheism onward.

  4. فَعَلا فحيح المشركينَ كأن في

    تلك الصدورِ جهنَّمَ الأضغان

    So the idolaters' hissing rose, as though within

    those breasts lay a hell of rancor.

  5. والنيقُ ساهمةٌ تخبُّ هوادرًا

    يحدو الحنينُ بها إلى الأَعطان

    And the gaunt she-camels trot, roaring,

    longing urging them toward the watering grounds.

  6. والصاهلاتُ تلوك ألجمةَ الوغى

    وتشبُّ عند الكفِّ كالثعبان

    And the neighing horses champ the bridles of battle,

    and rear when checked, like a serpent.

  7. يمشونَ، والرمضاءُ ترقصُ في الفلا

    رقصَ السرابِ على بساطِ جمان

    They march, while the sun-scorched ground dances in the desert,

    as a mirage dances over a carpet of pearls.

  8. هزَجٌ هو الرعدُ الأجشُ، وزحفة

    كالموجِ فوق نواهدِ الكثبان

    A chant that is hoarse thunder, and an advance

    like waves over the swelling breasts of the dunes.

  9. قد غضَّنت أحقادهم جَبَهاتهم

    فجباهُهم ودروعهم سيَّانِ

    Their hatreds have furrowed their foreheads,

    so their foreheads and their armor are alike.

  10. نار الضغائن قد أَطَلَّتْ من كوى

    دعجِ العيون، ذكية اللهبان

    The fire of rancor has peered through the windows

    of jet-black eyes, its blaze burning fiercely.

  11. فكأنما في كلِّ عين فحمةٌ

    دكناءُ صابرة على النيران

    So it is as though in every eye there were a coal,

    dusky, patiently enduring the fires.

  12. تلكم قريش جمَّعت أَحلافها

    واستنجدتْ، للعارِ، بالحبشان

    That is Quraysh: it gathered its allies,

    and, to its shame, sought help from the Abyssinians,

  13. من كل موشومٍ قليلِ تسربلٍ

    رحبِ الرداء، مشمِّر الأردان

    from every tattooed man, scantily clad,

    with a broad cloak and rolled-up sleeves,

  14. بلحى مهدَّبةِ الحواشي أُطْلِقتْ

    مخضوبة السبلات بالحنَّان

    with beards fringed at the edges, left to grow,

    their moustaches dyed with henna,

  15. وذوائب معقوصة ملتفة

    مثل الأفاعي حولَ كلِّ جران

    and tresses knotted and coiled,

    like vipers around every neck;

  16. متذامرين إلى اللقاء قوافلًا

    من كل ذي هلبٍ له خفان

    goading one another toward battle, in caravans,

    of every bristly fellow with two padded feet.

  17. يتنفَّشون قنافذًا مذعورة

    وإِذا عدوا عُصُبًا فكالذؤبان

    They bristle like frightened hedgehogs,

    and when they run in bands, they are like wolves.

  18. ونساؤهم بين الصفوف عوارمًا

    بدفوفهنَّ، وزغرداتِ هجان

    And their women, wild amid the ranks,

    with their tambourines and coarse ululations,

  19. سقنَ الرجال إلى الضلالِ فهملجوا

    ويح الرجال تقادُ بالنسوان

    drove the men into error, and they ambled along.

    Woe to men who are driven by women!

  20. هدَّدنهم بتفارقٍ إن ينثنوا

    فاستقتلوا وهم ذوو نَزَوان

    They threatened them with separation if they turned back,

    so they fought desperately, full of lust.

  21. عربٌ إِذا ما الجاهلية نفَّختْ

    أوداجها كرُّوا خيولَ رهان

    Arabs—whenever pagan ignorance puffs out

    its jugular veins, they charge like racehorses.

  22. يتسابقون إلى حياض الموت كالأ

    طيارِ نافرةً إلى الغدران

    They race one another toward death's pools, like the

    birds darting toward the ponds.

  23. دهموا الرسول فما ألانَ جناحَهُ

    للكاثرين وقامَ كالصفوان

    They assailed the Messenger, but he did not soften his wing

    to those greater in number, and stood like smooth stone.

  24. متماسكٌ إيمانه، مستوثقٌ

    وجدانه، من ربِّه الحنَّان

    His faith is steadfast; firmly assured

    is his heart through his compassionate Lord.

  25. سر يا محمدُ لا تخف غمراتِها

    فستنجلي عن قدرة الربَّان

    Go forward, Muhammad; do not fear its surging depths,

    for they will clear, revealing the captain's power.

  26. وأمامك الميناءُ بسَّام اللمى

    فاضربْ بجؤجؤها العباب القاني

    And before you lies the harbor, smiling with dusky lips;

    so strike the crimson surge with her prow.

  27. «والريح» بين يديك يُرسلها الذي

    يطوي الوجودَ بأمرهِ الملَوَان

    And the wind before you is sent by Him

    at whose command night and day fold up existence.