عَسى وَطَنٌ يَدنو بِهِم وَلَعَلَّما

وَأَن تُعتِبَ الأَيّامُ فيهِم فَرُبَّما

Perhaps a homeland will come closer through them, and perhaps

The days will blame them, but most likely

لَهُم مَنزِلٌ قَد كانَ بِالبيضِ كَالمَها

فَصيحُ المَغاني ثُمَّ أَصبَحَ أَعجَما

For them is a dwelling that was like a full moon in Al-Bayda’

The melody of songs, then it became incomprehensible

وَرَدَّ عُيونَ الناظِرينَ مُهانَةً

وَقَد كانَ مِمّا يَرجِعُ الطَرفُ مُكرَما

And the eyes of onlookers were cast down in humiliation

When it had been such that gazes were honored

تَبَدَّلَ غاشيهِ بِريمٍ مُسَلِّمٍ

تَرَدّى رِداءَ الحُسنِ طَيفاً مُسَلِّما

Its overwhelming flood changed into a surrendered trickle

The cloak of beauty fell away as a surrendered phantom

وَمِن وَشيِ خَدٍّ لَم يُنَمنَم فِرِندُهُ

مَعالِمَ يُذكِرنَ الكِتابَ المُنَمنَما

And from the roses of a cheek whose basil never withered

Were features that reminded one of an inscribed manuscript

وَبِالحُليِّ إِن قامَت تَرَنَّمَ فَوقَها

حَماماً إِذا لاقى حَماماً تَرَنَّما

With jewelry, if she stood, doves would coo above her

Like a dove, when meeting a dove, coos

وَبِالخَدلَةِ الساقِ المُخَدَّمَةِ الشَوى

قَلائِصَ يَتبَعنَ العَبَنّى المُخَدَّما

And legs the color of amber tinged with black at the ankles

Bracelets follow the wrists adorned with black

سَوارٍ إِذا قاتَلنَ مُمتَنِعَ الفَلا

جَعَلنَ الشِعارَينِ الجَديلَ وَشَدقَما

When fighting against unyielding heroes

They make the two armlets - jeweled and studded - clash

إِلى حائِطِ الثَغرِ الَّذي يورِدُ القَنا

مِنَ الثُغرَةِ الرَيّا القَليبَ المُهَدَّما

Against the wall of the fort which pours forth the spears

From the thin, fine, demolished embrasures

بِسابِغِ مَعروفِ الأَميرِ مُحَمَّدٍ

حَدا هَجَماتِ المالِ مَن كانَ مُصرِما

With the perfect favors of the Prince Muhammad

He blocked the onslaughts of money from whoever was preventing it

وَحَطَّ النَدى في الصامِتِيّينَ رَحلَهُ

وَكانَ زَماناً في عَدِيِّ بنِ أَخزَما

And alighted among the silent ones, folding up his tent

Though it had been an age since, in 'Adiyy son of Akhzam

يَرى العَلقَمَ المَأدومَ بِالعِزِّ أَريَةً

يَمانِيَةً وَالأَريَ بِالضَيمِ عَلقَما

He saw the thoroughbred made arrogant through might as a she-camel

And the she-camel through injustice as a thoroughbred

إِذا فَرَشوهُ النَصفَ ماتَت شَذاتُهُ

وَإِن رَتَعوا في ظُلمِهِ كانَ أَظلَما

When they extend to him half the nose-rein he dies

And if they pasture in his darkness, it becomes darker

لَقَد أَصبَحَ الثَغرانِ في الدينِ بَعدَما

رَأَوا سَرعانَ الذُلِّ فَذّاً وَتَوءَما

The two forts have indeed, after they

Saw abasement hastening have both become desolate

وَكُنتَ لِناشيهِم أَباً وَلِكَهلِهِم

أَخاً وَلِذي التَقويسِ وَالكَبرَةِ اِبنَما

You were like a father to their horsemen, and like

A brother to their elders, and to the archers and lancers, a son

وَمَن كانَ بِالبيضِ الكَواعِبِ مُغرَماً

فَمازِلتَ بِالبيضِ القَواضِبِ مُغرَما

Whoever was enamored with the white, roe-like women

You have remained enamored with the white, wild cows

وَمَن تَيَّمَت سُمرُ الحِسانِ وَأُدمُها

فَمازِلتَ بِالسُمرِ العَوالي مُتَيَّما

And whoever desired the red-lipped and dark-complexioned ones

You have remained desiring the red-lipped and dark-complexioned

جَدَعتَ لَهُم أَنفَ الضَلالِ بِوَقعَةٍ

تَخَرَّمتَ في غَمّائِها مَن تَخَرَّما

You have severed the fingers of unbelief from them with a blow

At Ma'ymaz, then pursued them at ar-Rūm, palms and wrists

لَئِن كانَ أَمسى في عَقَرقُسَ أَجدَعا

لَمِن قَبلُ ما أَمسى بِمَيمَذَ أَخرَما

How many mountains in al-Baṭṭ you have threatened against them

And many a faint-hearted coward you have made bold, even if he is cowardly

ثَلِمتَهُم بِالمَشرَفِيِّ وَقَلَّما

تَثَلَّمَ عِزُّ القَومِ إِلّا تَهَدَّما

And many a bold one whose head your swords made limp

Even if they had not struck, he would have been most timid

قَطَعتَ بَنانَ الكُفرِ مِنهُم بِمَيمَذٍ

وَأَتبَعتَها بِالرومِ كَفّاً وَمِعصَما

So when its rulings were refused by old-age, your spear points undertook them

When the old man had squandered his wisdom

وَكَم جَبَلٍ بِالبَذِّ مِنهُم هَدَدتَهُ

وَغاوٍ غَوى حَلَّمتَهُ لَو تَحَلَّما

If you straighten the extremely twisted

Then redden his two twisted, stiff shoulders

وَمُقتَبَلٍ حَلَّت سُيوفُكَ رَأسَهُ

ثَغاماً وَلَولا وَقعُها كانَ عِظلِما

And when the two camps met, our camp gave their camp

A pool from the cistern of patience, filled up

فَلَمّا أَبَت أَحكامَهُ الشَيبَةُ اِغتَدى

قَناكَ لَمّا قَد ضَيَّعَ الشَيبُ مُحكَما

And horsemen aided him in the darkness of night

You would think them, in the gloom of night, stars

إِذا كُنتَ لِلأَلوى الأَصَمِّ مُقَوِّماً

فَأَورِد وَريدَيهِ الأَصَمَّ المُقَوَّما

And though alarm had initially scattered them, then they stared

At it - just as you had composed a strung necklace

وَلَمّا اِلتَقى البِشرانِ أَنقَعَ بِشرُنا

لِبِشرِهِم حَوضاً مِنَ الصَبرِ مُفعَما

With the early-morning youths of the dawn, and so they forced

The craven Romans' chests until they were crushed

وَساعَدَهُ تَحتَ البَياتِ فَوارِسٌ

تَخالُهُمُ في فَحمَةِ اللَيلِ أَنجُما

He is the piercing battle cry - Muhammad -

Whenever catastrophes moan and intensify

وَقَد نَثَرَتهُم رَوعَةٌ ثُمَّ أَحدَقوا

بِهِ مِثلَما أَلَّفتَ عِقداً مُنَظَّما

He launched the youths of morning, and so they hated

To meet the Romans' serried ranks, until they were broken

بِسافِرِ حُرِّ الوَجهِ لَو رامَ سَوءَةً

لَكانَ بِجِلبابِ الدُجى مُتَلَثِّما

He is two edges of time, which in its beginning

We were heedless of, but which has now become distinguished

مَثَلتَ لَهُ تَحتَ الظَلامِ بِصورَةٍ

عَلى البُعدِ أَقنَتهُ الحَياءَ فَصَمَّما

They reminded us of the might of 'Amr and Musahhar

And of what occured with Ispandiyādh and Rustam

كَيوسُفَ لَمّا أَن رَأى أَمرَ رَبِّهِ

وَقَد هَمَّ أَن يَعرَورِيَ الذَنبَ أَحجَما

The Romans saw in the morning that they, when they saw

The two armies meet in the morning, were themselves

وَقَد قالَ إِمّا أَن أُغادَرَ بَعدَها

عَظيماً وَإِمّا أَن أُغادَرَ أَعظُما

Two decaying old men pulled tight their loincloths

And their resting place was near al-Muzaffar

وَنِعمَ الصَريخُ المُستَجاشُ مُحَمَّدٌ

إِذا حَنَّ نَوءٌ لِلمَنايا وَأَرزَما

You were given a day, had you wished for its like

It would have wearied the youths of wishes and imagining

أَشاحَ بِفِتيانِ الصَباحِ فَأَكرَهوا

صُدورَ القَنا الخَطِّيِّ حَتّى تَحَطَّما

You reached them in an hour, had you delayed

The religion of Islam would have shrieked out like an ill-omened bird

هُوَ اِفتَرَعَ الفَتحَ الَّذي سارَ مُعرِقاً

وَأَنجَدَ في عُلوِ البِلادِ وَأَتهَما

He seized the openings that marched covered in dust

And assisted in the height of the land and was rapacious

لَهُ وَقعَةٌ كانَت سَدىً فَأَنَرتَها

بِأُخرى وَخَيرُ النَصرِ ما كانَ مُلحَما

He has a battle that was futile, but you made it shine

With another, and the best victory is that which is stained with blood

هُما طَرَفا الدَهرِ الَّذي كانَ عَهدُنا

بِأَوَّلِهِ غُفلاً فَقَد صارَ مُعلَما

They are two edges of time whose period with us

In its beginning was heedless, but has now become distinguished

لَقَد أَذكَرانا بَأسَ عَمرٍو وَمُسهَرٍ

وَما كانَ مِن إِسفِندِياذَ وَرُستَما

They reminded us of the might of 'Amr and Musahhar

And of what occured with Ispandiyādh and Rustam

رَأى الرومُ صُبحاً أَنَّها هِيَ إِذ رَأَوا

غَداةَ اِلتَقى الزَحفانِ أَنَّهُما هُما

The Romans saw in the morning that they, when they saw

The two armies meet in the morning, were themselves

هِزبَرا غَريفٍ شَدَّ مِن أَبهَرَيهِما

وَمَتنَيهِما قُربُ المُزَعفَرِ مِنهُما

Two decaying old men pulled tight their loincloths

And their resting place was near al-Muzaffar

فَأُعطيتَ يَوماً لَو تَمَنَّيتَ مِثلَهُ

لَأَعجَزَ رَيعانَ المُنى وَالتَوَهُّما

You were given a day, had you wished for its like

It would have wearied the youths of wishes and imagining

لَحِقتَهُما في ساعَةٍ لَو تَأَخَّرَت

لَقَد زَجَرَ الإِسلامُ طائِرَ أَشأَما

You reached them in an hour, had you delayed

Islam would have surely shrieked out like an ill-omened bird

فَلَو صَحَّ قَولُ الجَعفَرِيَّةِ في الَّذي

تَنُصُّ مِنَ الإِلهامِ خِلناكَ مُلهَما

So if the statement of the Jafariyya regarding the one

You are inspired with divine inspiration by were valid

فَإِن يَكُ نَصرانِيّاً النَهرُ آلِسٌ

فَقَد وَجَدوا وادي عَقَرقُسَ مُسلِما

If the Nahr is Christian, then the 'Aqrab is surrendered

They were subdued at Al-Bayda' and Al-Qinnas in the Sabbath, dwelling until the Resurrection like sleepers

بِهِ سُبِتوا في السَبتِ بِالبيضِ وَالقَنا

سُباتاً ثَوَوا مِنهُ إِلى الحَشرِ نُوَّما

If he had not fallen short in Arabism, he would have remained

For us, the life of the days a feast and celebration

فَلَو لَم يُقَصِّر بِالعَروبَةِ لَم يَزَل

لَنا عُمُرَ الأَيّامِ عيداً وَمَوسِما

And time has not been reminded that it

Has a son like the day of Sabbath, except by smiling

وَما ذَكَرَ الدَهرُ العَبوسُ بِأَنَّهُ

لَهُ اِبنٌ كَيَومِ السَبتِ إِلّا تَبَسَّما

And there did not remain in the land of the Bald a single bird

Or beast except that it passed the night whimpering

وَلَم يَبقَ في أَرضِ البَقَلّارَ طائِرٌ

وَلا سَبعٌ إِلّا وَقَد باتَ مولِما

And on that day they did not raise a single banner

Or stone except that they saw blood beneath it

وَلا رَفَعوا في ذَلِكَ اليَومِ إِثلِباً

وَلا حَجَراً إِلّا وَرَأَوا تَحتَهُ دَما

They threw Ibn Ḥarb’s son at them – he let his swords loose among them

So for us it was a wedding, and for polytheism, a funeral

رُموا بِاِبنِ حَربٍ سَلَّ فيهِم سُيوفَهُ

فَكانَت لَنا عُرساً وَلِلشِركِ مَأتَما

Most ruthless of heart towards them

Of all the sons of women, whose heart did not soften except to show mercy

أَفَظُّ بَني حَوّاءَ قَلباً عَلَيهِمُ

وَلَم يَقسُ مِنهُ القَلبُ إِلّا لِيُرحَما

Whenever they sinned, he would redden the valleys with their blood

And if he did not find a sin upon them, he would blame

إِذا أَجرَموا قَنّا القَنا مِن دِمائِهِم

وَإِن لَم يَجِد جُرماً عَلَيهِم تَجَرَّما

He is the lion, lion of the forest, ferocious and helping

Though showing them a kind face and honoring

هُوَ اللَيثُ لَيثُ الغابِ بَأساً وَنَجدَةً

وَإِن كانَ أَحيا مِنهُ وَجهاً وَأَكرَما

Most forceful in his advance between two coats of mail

And most handsome of face between two coats of pilgrim sanctity

أَشَدُّ اِزدِلافاً بَينَ دِرعَينِ مُقبِلاً

وَأَحسَنُ وَجهاً بَينَ بُردَينِ مُحرِما

Worthy – if discourse is prolonged and his

Endurance is not won – to make the sword a ladder

جَديرٌ إِذا ما الخَطبُ طالَ فَلَم تُنَل

ذُؤابَتُهُ أَن يَجعَلَ السَيفَ سُلَّما

Generous, when we visit him, he does not limit himself

To inborn or acquired generosity

كَريمٌ إِذا زُرناهُ لَم يَقتَصِر بِنا

عَلى الكَرَمِ المَولودِ أَو يَتَكَرَّما

He took upon himself the bearing of disasters, but rarely

Were the breasts of glory borne except by undertaking difficulties

تَجَشَّمَ حَملَ الفادِحاتِ وَقَلَّما

أُقيمَت صُدورُ المَجدِ إِلّا تَجَشُّما

I was the brother of devastation – we were not for some weakness –

So after annihilation, how often have you made me wealthy

وَكُنتُ أَخا الإِعدامِ لَسنا لِعِلَّةٍ

فَكَم بِكَ بَعدَ العُدمِ أَغنَيتُ مُعدِما

Since I am obligated to you and favorably endowed

I used to be in need of your green kindnesses, a granter of favor

وَإِذ أَنا مَمنونٌ عَلَيَّ وَمُنعَمٌ

فَأَصبَحتُ مِن خَضراءِ نُعماكَ مُنعِما

Whoever serves the people hoping for their attainment

I did not serve you except to be served

وَمَن خَدَمَ الأَقوامَ يَرجو نَوالَهُم

فَإِنّي لَم أَخدِمكَ إِلّا لِأُخدَما