أئِنْ تولّتْ جنودُ الشِّركِ مُدبرةً

خفَّ الرُّماةُ وظنّوا الأمرَ قد وجبا

When the armies of polytheism retreated in defeat

The archers grew lax thinking the matter decided

كأنّهم والرِّعانُ الشُّمُ تقذفهم

سَيْلٌ تَدفَّقَ في شُؤبوبِه صَبَبا

As if they and the shepherd boys were pebbles

Cast by a torrent bursting out in its downpour

يَخالهم من يراهم ساعةَ انطلقوا

سِهامَهم حين جاش البأسُ فالتهبا

Those who saw them when they set out thought them

Arrows loosed when battle grew fierce and caught flame

رَدُّوا على ابن جُبيْرٍ رأيه ومضوا

إلا فريقاً رأَى ما لم يروا فأبى

They rejected Ibn Jubayr's advice and went on

Except for a band who saw what others did not see and held back

أصابها خالدٌ منهم وعكرمةٌ

أُمنيّةً لم تُصِبْ من ذي هَوىً سببا

Khalid and Ikrimah found it a chance

Not to be missed by the passionate soul

فاستنفرا الخيلَ والأبطالَ وانطلقا

في هَبْوَةٍ تزدهي الأرماحَ والقُضُبا

So they summoned horse and heroes and set forth

In a whirlwind flourishing spears and staffs

هم خلَّفوا رِممَ القتلى مُطرَّحةً

وغادروا الجندَ جُندَ اللّهِ والسَّلبا

Leaving only the bags of the slain scattered behind

Abandoning the troops - God's troops - and the plunder

طاروا إلى جبلٍ راسٍ على جبلٍ

ما اهتزَّ مذ قام من ضعفٍ ولا اضطربا

They flew to a rugged hill on rugged hill

That shook not since created in weakness or turmoil

قال الرسولُ فأعطاهُ مقالَته

وما سِوَى نفسِهِ أعطى ولا وهَبا

The Messenger gave his saying and granted

Naught but his life as gift or donation

تَوزّعوه فلو أبصرتَ مَصرعَهُ

أبصرتَ في اللّهِ منه مَنظراً عجبا

They divided it so had you seen his death place

You'd have seen in God a wondrous spectacle in him

طَعنٌ وضَربٌ يعافُ البأسُ عندهما

سِلاحَ من طَعنَ الأبطالَ أو ضربا

Thrust and blow the valiance of which warriors shun

Weaponed by one who thrust at champions or smote them

سلُّوا حَشاهُ فظلّت من أسنّتهم

تَموجُ في الدم يجري حوله سَرِبا

They split his belly so their tongues in his blood

Seethed like a herd of cattle around him thronging

تَتابعَ القتلُ يجتاحُ الأُلى معه

لولا المناقبُ لم يترك لهم عقبا

Slaughter succeeded slaughter scything the bright ones

Had it not been for glory no offspring of theirs would remain

تلك الدِّماءُ التي سالت على أُحدٍ

لو أنبتَ الدمُ شيئاً أنبتت ذهبا

That blood spilt on Uhud which if blood could grow

Would have grown naught but gold

ظلمْتُها ما لشيءٍ مِثلُ رتبتِها

وإن تخطَّى المدَى أو جاوزَ الرُّتَبا

I wrong it - nothing equals its stature

Though the range be overleapt or the degrees o'erstepped

لم يبقَ سَهمٌ ولا رامٍ يُسدّده

تَغَيَّبَ الوابلُ الهطّالُ واحتجبا

No arrow remained nor archer to steady it

The downpour, the hurtling, withdrew and was hidden

وكرّتِ الخيلُ تردِي في فوارسها

بعد الفرار فأمسى الأمرُ قد حَزبا

Horses wheeled throwing their riders

After flight so the matter turned to ashes

المسلمون حَيارى كيف يأخذُهم

بأسُ العدوِّ أما رَدُّوه فانقلبا

The Muslims confused - how enemy onslaught

Could turn them or they could drive it away

حَلُّوا الصفوفَ وجالوا في مغانِمهم

ما ظنَّ عسكرهم شرّاً ولا حَسبا

They reformed ranks and picked over its booty

Thinking no evil of their camp nor reckoning

تنكَّرت صُوَرُ الهيجاءِ واتّخذَتْ

من الأعاجيبِ أثواباً لها قُشُبا

The aspect of panic was transfigured and took

On marvel's robes for it dusty tatters

خَرساءُ صمّاءُ تُعمِي عن مَعالِمها

عَينَ البصيرِ وتُعيي الحاذِقَ الدَّرِبا

Dumb, mute, blinding the discerning

From its features and tiring the guide of tracks

مُغبرّةُ الجوِّ ما زال الخفاءُ بها

حتى تَقَنّعَ فيها الموتُ وانتقبا

Wrapped in dusty air with deceit still wrapping it

Till death donned it and was donned

ترى اللُّيوثَ وإن كانوا ذوي رَحِمٍ

لا يتَّقِي بعضُهم بعضاً إذا وثبا

You see lions though kinsmen who fear not

Each other when stirred and leap up

يعدو على مُهجةِ الضرغامِ صَاحِبُهُ

ولا يُجاوِزُه إن ظُفرهُ نَشبا

One springs on his cousin's throat

Nor spares him if his thrust strikes home

هذا البلاءُ لقومٍ مال غَافلِهم

عن رأي سيّدِهم إذ يُحكِمُ الأُرَبا

This trial for folk their heedless chief

Turned from the counsel of their master who knows consequential harms

قال اثبتوا فتولّوا ما عَصى أحدٌ

مِنهم ولكن قضاءٌ واقعٌ غَلبا

He said "Stand Firm" but they disobeyed, none

Save that a decree came to pass and overcame

أمرٌ من اللّهِ مَرْجُوٌّ عَوَاقِبُه

يقضيه تبصرةً للقومِ أو أدبا

A command from God hoping for good outcome

That establishes insight for the tribe or chastens

إنّ النبيَّ لَيُمضِي الأمرَ في وَضَحٍ

من حكمةِ اللّهِ يجلو نورهُ الرِيَبا

The Prophet indeed executes the order clearly

By God's wisdom, its light piercing dubiety

مُسدّدُ الرأي ما تهفو الظنونُ به

الخيرُ ما اختارَ والمكروهُ ما اجتنبا

Sound of counsel not rumors' winds shake

The best what he chose, and evil what he avoided

للسلمِ والحربِ منه حازِمٌ يَقِظٌ

يُعيي الدُّهاةَ ويُردِي الجحفلَ اللَّجِبا

In war and peace with decisive vigilance

Frustrating plotters and ravaging the flood of mischief

إنَّ الذي زيّنَ الدنيا بطلعتهِ

حَابَى العُروبةَ فيه واصطفى العربا

He who adorned the world with his visage

Inclined unto Arabs and chose them for prophecy