طالَت أَناتُكَ في القَومِ الأُلى جَهَلوا

وَزادَ حِلمَكَ ما قالوا وَما فَعَلوا

Your moans lasted long among the hostile people, who were ignorant,

And your patience increased from what they said and what they did,

أَنَمتَ سَيفَكَ عَن آجالِهِم فَعَتَوا

وَأَيقَظوا الشَرَّ لا يَعتاقُهُم وَجَلُ

You sheathed your sword and gave them respite, so they transgressed,

And they awakened evil that will not spare them when times get tough,

ما طَيَّرَ البَرقُ عَنهُم حادِثاً جَلَلاً

نَخشاهُ إِلّا تَلاهُ حادِثٌ جَلَلُ

No disaster from them made us worry, unless followed by one far worse,

Unleash it, stained with blood, upon the frowning enemy in anger,

جَرِّدهُ أَشطَبَ ضَحّاكاً عَلى حَنَقٍ

يَجِدُّ في غَمَراتِ المَوتِ إِن هَزَلوا

They will find themselves sunk in the darkness of death if they jest,

For your sword and hopes are deceptive, like certain death,

وَإِنَّ سَيفَكَ وَالآمالُ خادِعَةٌ

لَكالمَنِيَّةِ يُطوى عِندَها الأَمَلُ

Where all hope folds,

If they ask for other than what you wish, they have shown ignorance,

إِن يَسأَلوا غَيرَ ما تَرضى فَقَد جَهِلوا

أَنَّ اِعتِناقَ المَنايا دونَ ما سَأَلَوا

For embracing death is better than what they asked for,

Or they wake up still blinded by their blindness,

أَو يُصبِحوا قَد أَظَلَّتهُم عَمايَتُهُم

فَسَوفَ تَنجابُ عَنهُم هَذِهِ الظُلَلُ

And these shadows will loom over them,

The cavalry is not like torrents, no flood covers,

ما لِلفَيالِقِ كَالدَأماءِ لا غَرَقٌ

يَغشى قَطيعَ العِدى مِنها وَلا بَلَلُ

The flock of enemies, no downpour,

If you wish, their steeds would charge forth,

وَلَو تَشاءُ إِذَن جاشَت غَوارِبُها

بِالمَوتِ لا زَوَرٌ عَنها وَلا حِوَلُ

With death, no impotence or incapacity,

They yearn for battle, stoking and pouring it,

حَنَّت إِلى الحَربِ تُذكيها وَتُمطِرُها

دَماً يَزيدُ لَظاها حينَ تَشتَعِلُ

With blood that intensifies its flames when ignited,

Surging with desire towards it while it is dormant,

تَموجُ شَوقاً إِلَيها وَهيَ ساكِنَةٌ

حَتّى تَكادُ لِطولِ الشَوقِ تَقتَتِلُ

Almost killing each other from prolonged yearning,

They glare at the enemy with eyes full of hatred,

تَرمي العِدى بِعُيونٍ حَشوُها ضَغَنٌ

تُبدي خَفايا قُلوبٍ مِلؤُها دَخَلُ

Revealing hearts full of villainy and baseness,

Take them by surprise, the earth quakes in fear,

خُذهُم بِحَولٍ تَميدُ الأَرضُ خَشيَتَهُ

فَالحَولُ يَبلُغُ ما لا تَبلُغُ الحِيَلُ

And surprise achieves what cunning fails to accomplish.