سَمعاً أُصَيحابي رأيتُ دُجىً

طَيفَ الكَرَى واللَّيلُ قد صَرَّا

My friends, I saw darkness fall

The specter of fate and night enveloped us

في شَكلِ نَسطُورٍ وَهَيئَتِهِ

مُتَمَثِّلاً لي قالَ مٌذ خَرَّا

In the form of Nestor, his appearance

Manifested, and he said after descending:

لِم يا ابنَ أَترَا القَرمَ تَهجُعَ ما

ذَا شأنُ مولىً يَملِكُ الأَمرا

Why, son of Atreus, do you slumber unaware

Of your duty as commander of men?

مَن قد توَلَّى أَمرَ أُمتهِ

أَنَّى ينامُ الليلةَ الحَرَّى

He who has assumed leadership of his people

How can he sleep on such a critical night?

فاحفَظ كَلامي زَفسُ بي لكَ مِن

قاصي أَعالِيهِ لَقَد أَسرَى

Remember my words, I hasten to you from

The furthest heights, I have flown here.

مالت إلى الإِغرِيقِ رأفَتُهُ

فأَرَادَ أَن تَستَدفِعَالضُّرَّا

My compassion inclined toward the Greeks

I wished to ward off harm from them.

في كُلِّ مَن وَالاكَ تَزحَفُ إِذ

قَد حَانَ فَتحُ البَلدَةِ الكُبرَى

In all those loyal to you, march forth

For the destined conquest of the great city.

أربابُنا طُرًّا قدِ اتَّفَقُوا

وَلِقَولِ هيرا أَذعَنُوا طُرَّا

Our lords have agreed and plotted

And acquiesced to Hera's word completely.

وَعلى بَني الطُّروَادِ زَفسُ قَضَى

بالوَيلِ فاخبُر أَمرَهُ خُبرا

And against the sons of Troy, Zeus has decreed

Misfortune, so inform them of his command.

من ثَمَّ عَنِّي غَابَ مُحتَجِباً

لَكِنَّني أُهبِبتُ مُضطَراَّ

Then from me he disappeared, concealing himself

Though I was compelled and distraught,

أَوَ كَيفَ نُغرِي الجُندض في عَجَلٍ

حَتَّى يَكُرُّوا لِلِّقَا كَرَّا

How can we spur the soldiers urgently

To prepare for battle and attack?

فأَنا سأَبلُوهُم وَأَدفَعُهُم

بالقَول فَوقَ سَفِينِهِم فَرَّا

I will rouse them and drive them

With my words atop their ship speedily.

وَعَلَيكُمُ أَنتُم بِجَهدِكُمُ

تَستَنهِضُون العَزمَ وَالصَّبرا

And you must with all your strength

Summon your resolve and patience.