يا شَدَّةً ما شَدَدنا غَيرَ كاذِبَةٍ

عَلى سَخينَةَ لَولا اللَيلُ وَالحَرَمُ

Oh what misery we’ve endured except falsehood

Against the hot-tempered, were it not for night and the sanctuary

إِذ يَتَّقينا هِشامٌ بِالوَليدِ وَلَو

أَنّا ثَقِفنا هِشاماً شالَتِ الخَدَمُ

When Hisham took cover behind Al-Walid, and had

We come upon Hisham, the servants would have fled

بَينَ الأَراكِ وَبَينَ المَرجِ تَبطَحُهُم

زُرقُ الأَسِنَّةِ في أَطرافِها السُهُمُ

Between Al-Arak and Al-Marj we laid them down

The tips of spears plunging into their sides like arrows

فَإِن سَمِعتُم بِجَيشٍ سالِكٍ سَرِفاً

أَو بَطنَ مَرٍّ فَأَخفوا الجَرسَ وَاِكتَتَموا

So if you hear of an army marching boastfully

Or the belly of a snake, then muffle the bells and keep silent

ثُمَّ اِرجِعوا فَأَكِبّوا في بُيوتِكُمُ

كَما أَكَبَّ عَلى ذي بَطنِهِ الهَرِمُ

Then return and huddle in your homes

As the elderly huddle over their bellies

لَمّا رَأَوا خَيلَنا تُزجى أَوائِلُها

آسادُ غيلٍ حَمى أَشبالَها الأَجَمُ

When they saw our horses lined up, their first ranks

Lions protecting their cubs with ferocity

وَاِستَقبِلوا بِضِرابٍ لا كِفاءَ لَهُ

يُبدي مِنَ العُزَّلِ الأَكفالَ ما كَتَموا

And they came out to meet us with blows beyond compare

Revealing from their sleeves hands that were once hidden

وَلَّوا شِلالا وَعُظمُ الخَيلِ لاحِقَةٌ

كَما تَخُبُّ إِلى أَوطانِها النِعَمُ

They fled torrentially while the horses pursued

As cattle return to their settlements

وَلَّت بِهِم كُلُّ مِحضارٍ مُلَملَمَةٌ

كَأَنَّها لِقوَةٌ يَحتَثُّها ضَرَمُ

Every armed man wavered and swayed

As if a power was stirring him from slumber