نَزورُ دِياراً ما نُحِبُّ لَها مَغنى

وَنَسأَلُ فيها غَيرَ ساكِنِها الإِذنا

We visit lands where we wish no home to stand,

And seek entrance from those other than their lords.

نَقودُ إِلَيها الآخِذاتِ لَنا المَدى

عَلَيها الكُماةُ المُحسِنونَ بِها الظَنّا

We drive toward them steeds that devour the vast expanse,

Bearing armored knights who place in them their trust.

وَنُصفي الَّذي يُكنى أَبا الحَسَنِ الهَوى

وَنُرضي الَّذي يُسمى الإِلَهَ وَلا يُكنى

To him named Abu al-Hasan, we pledge our purest love,

And please the One named God, Whom no earthly title binds.

وَقَد عَلِمَ الرومُ الشَقِيّونَ أَنَّنا

إِذا ما تَرَكنا أَرضَهُم خَلفَنا عُدنا

The wretched Byzantines have surely come to know,

That should we leave their lands behind, we shall return again.

وَأَنّا إِذا ما المَوتُ صَرَّحَ في الوَغى

لَبِسنا إِلى حاجاتِنا الضَربَ وَالطَعنا

And when Death reveals its naked face amidst the fray,

We clothe ourselves in strikes and thrusts to reach our goal.

قَصَدنا لَهُ قَصدَ الحَبيبِ لِقاؤُهُ

إِلَينا وَقُلنا لِلسُيوفِ هَلُمِّنّا

We sought it out as a lover seeks his rendezvous,

With eager hearts, and cried unto the swords: "Come forth to us!"

وَخَيلٍ حَشَوناها الأَسِنَّةَ بَعدَما

تَكَدَّسنَ مِن هَنّا عَلَينا وَمِن هَنّا

And many a steed we pierced with lance-points, after they,

Had crowded close upon us from every side and flank.

ضُرِبنَ إِلَينا بِالسِياطِ جَهالَةً

فَلَمّا تَعارَفنا ضُرِبنَ بِها عَنّا

Driven toward us by the whip in sheer ignorance,

But once we met, those whips were used to drive them back.

تَعَدَّ القُرى وَالمُس بِنا الجَيشَ لَمسَةً

نُبارِ إِلى ما تَشتَهي يَدُكَ اليُمنى

Bypass the villages, and cast us ‘gainst the army’s heart,

That we may race to grasp what your right hand desires.

فَقَد بَرَدَت فَوقَ اللُقانِ دِماؤُهُم

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ نُتبِعُ البارِدَ السُخنا

For their blood has grown cold upon the fields of Luqan,

And we are men who chase the cold blood with the hot.

وَإِن كُنتَ سَيفَ الدَولَةِ العَضبَ فيهِمِ

فَدَعنا نَكُن قَبلَ الضِرابِ القَنا اللُدنا

If you are indeed the State’s sharp Sword against the foe,

Then let us serve as supple lances ere the blow is struck.

فَنَحنُ الأُلى لا نَأتَلي لَكَ نُصرَةً

وَأَنتَ الَّذي لَو أَنَّهُ وَحدَهُ أَغنى

For we are those who spare no effort in your aid,

While you are he who, standing all alone, would yet suffice.

يَقيكَ الرَدى مَن يَبتَغي عِندَكَ العُلا

وَمَن قالَ لا أَرضى مِنَ العَيشِ بِالأَدنى

He shields you from destruction who seeks glory at your side,

And he who vows: "I shall not settle for the lesser life."

فَلَولاكَ لَم تَجرِ الدِماءُ وَلا اللُها

وَلَم يَكُ لِلدُنيا وَلا أَهلِها مَعنى

Were it not for you, neither blood nor bounty would flow,

And the world and all its kin would hold no meaning.

وَما الخَوفُ إِلّا ما تَخَوَّفَهُ الفَتى

وَلا الأَمنُ إِلّا ما رَآهُ الفَتى أَمنا

For fear is nothing but the dread a warrior feels,

And safety lies only in what his courage deems secure.