أَقفَرَتِ الرَقَّتانِ فَالقَلَسُ

فَهوَ كَأَن لَم يَكُن بِهِ أَنَسُ

The two plains became desolate, so it is as if it had no intimacy

Thus the monastery is stronger for the ruins, as the prayer niches of a nation strengthened, whose people perished

فَالدَيرُ أَقوى إِلى البَليخِ كَما

أَقوَت مَحاريبُ أُمَّةٍ دَرَسوا

The enemy spent the night in its outskirts, and at the top of its highest fortresses is a guard

We could not attain it except with an assailant, naked of armor, while under him is a horse

أَمسى بِحَوماتِها العَدوُّ وَفي

أَعلى أَعالي حُصونِها حَرَسُ

Seekers of the lute string as if its form is the crescent of a full moon shining or ember

And youths like swords, settled on horses and corpses, while the night is dark

لَم نَستَطِعها إِلّا بِمُستَلِمٍ

عاري الظَنابيبِ تَحتَهُ فَرَسُ

Seeking prey in Thul-Kala and in an old dog, while the prey is sought

The lute string may be sought with bloodshed, and revenge may be attained and filth washed away

طَلّابُ وِترٍ كَأَنَّ صورَتَهُ

هِلالُ بَدرٍ أَضاءَ أَو قَبَسُ

So they spent the night alive, their women howling at their crime, like how a bell howled

وَفِتيَةٍ كَالسُيوفِ مُقتَعِدي ال

خَيلِ وَجيفاً وَاللَيلُ مُدلَمِسُ

يَطلُبُ ذَحلاً في ذي الكَلاعِ وَفي

كَلبٍ قَديماً وَالذَحلُ مُلتَمَسُ

قَد يُطلَبُ الوِترُ بِالدِماءِ وَقَد

يُدرَكُ ثَأرٌ وَيُغسَلُ الدَنَسُ

فَباتَ حَيٌّ يَعوي نِساؤُهُمُ

بِجُرمِهِم مِثلَ ما عَوى جَرَسُ