وَيَوم أَغَصّ أَتساعَ الفَضا

ءِ جَيشٌ لِمَن أَمَّهُ مهولُ

And a day when the vastness of space was choked

by an army—dreadful to whoever advanced toward it.

يخيلُ أَن ما لَهُ آخِر

إِذا ما تَراءى لَهُ أَوَّلُ

It seems to have no end

whenever its beginning comes into view.

وَيَغصبُ شَمسَ الضُحي نورَها

مِنَ الخَيلِ ما تَبعَثُ الأَرجُلُ

And the forenoon sun is robbed of its light

by what the horses’ hooves send billowing up.

دُجى أَنتَ بَدرٌ بِهِ وَالنُجو

مُ زَرقُكَ وَالظُلمَةُ القَسطَلُ

A night in which you are the full moon, and the stars

are your blue-steeled lances, while the darkness is battle-dust.