ونحن عَقَرنا مُهرَ قابوسَ بعدما

ونحن عَقَرنا مُهرَ قابوسَ بعدما

رأى القومُ منه الموت والخيل تُلحَبُ

رأى القومُ منه الموت والخيل تُلحَبُ

And we hamstrung Qābūs’s colt, after

And we hamstrung Qabus's colt after

the company saw death coming from him, while the horses strained.

the people had seen death from him, while the horses were being lashed.

عليه دِلاصٌ ذاتُ نسج وسيفُهُ

عليه دِلاصٌ ذاتُ نسج وسيفُهُ

جُراز من الجُنثي أبيضُ مقضب

جُراز من الجُنثي أبيضُ مقضب

Upon him was supple, closely woven mail; and his sword—

He wore smooth, woven mail, and his sword

a cleaver of al-Jawnathī make, white and keen-edged.

was a cleaving blade from the swordsmith, bright and keen-edged.

ونحن جررنا الحوفزان الى الردى

ونحن جررنا الحوفزان الى الردى

وأبحَرَ كَبلّنا وقد كادَ يَشعَب

وأبحَرَ كَبلّنا وقد كادَ يَشعَب

And we dragged al-Ḥawfazān toward death,

And we dragged al-Hawfazan to his doom,

and fettered Abḥar, though he had nearly proved unmanageable.

and Abhar we shackled, though he had almost escaped.

جرى لَهُمُ بالغَيِّ من أهلِ بارقٍ

جرى لَهُمُ بالغَيِّ من أهلِ بارقٍ

فانجحَ ذو كَيدٍ من القوم قُلَّب

فانجحَ ذو كَيدٍ من القوم قُلَّب

A man of Bāriq’s people moved for them in secret;

One of Bariq's people rushed into folly on their behalf;

but we are masters of stratagem, shrewd among the people.

so a resourceful schemer among the people succeeded.

ونحن بجوِّ إذ أُصِيبَ عميدُنا

ونحن بجوِّ إذ أُصِيبَ عميدُنا

وعَرَّدَ عنا كل نكسٍ مُركبِ

وعَرَّدَ عنا كل نكسٍ مُركبِ

And we were at Jaww when our chief was struck,

And we were at Jaww when our chief was struck down,

and every battle-seasoned weakling fled from us.

and every base-born coward fled from us.

ولستُ بجنيّ ولكنَّ مَلأكاً

ولستُ بجنيّ ولكنَّ مَلأكاً

تَنَزّلَ من جوِّ السماءِ يصوب

تَنَزّلَ من جوِّ السماءِ يصوب

I am no jinn; rather, I am an angel

And I am no jinn, but rather an angel

descending from the midst of heaven, sweeping downward.

who descended from heaven's expanse, swooping down.