يا بَني تَغلِبَ لَقَد فَجَعَتكُم

من يَزيد سُيوفه بِالوَليدِ

O sons of Taghlib, you have indeed been bereaved

by Yazid—by his swords—of al-Walid.

لَو سُيوف سِوى سُيوفِ يَزيد

قارَعَتهُ لاقَت خِلافَ السُعودِ

Had swords other than Yazid’s swords

fought him, they would have met the opposite of good fortune.

وائِل بَعضُها يقتلُ بَعضا

لا يَفِلُّ الحَديدَ غَيرُ الحَديدِ

Wāʾil—some of its own kill others.

Nothing but iron can notch iron.

لَو تَلَقّى الوَليد غَير يَزيدٍ

لَغَدا ظاهِراً عَلَيهِ الوَليدُ

Had al-Walid met anyone other than Yazid,

al-Walid would have emerged victorious over him.