تَخالُهُم أَسوارَ جَيشٍ أَبلَخا

تَخالُهُم أَسوارَ جَيشٍ أَبلَخا

أَو مَعَهُم جودٌ يَزينُ وَسَخا

أَو مَعَهُم جودٌ يَزينُ وَسَخا

You would take them for the ramparts of a proud and mighty army,

or think that with them was a downpour beautifying filth.

تَمَّت بِهِم حالٌ لَهُم مِثلُ الرَخا

تَمَّت بِهِم حالٌ لَهُم مِثلُ الرَخا

أَخافَ طَيرَ أَرضِهِ وَدَوَّخا

أَخافَ طَيرَ أَرضِهِ وَدَوَّخا

Through them, a state like ease and prosperity was perfected for them.

He terrified the birds of his land and broke them to his will,

يُعجِلُها في مائِها إِن رَسَخا

يُعجِلُها في مائِها إِن رَسَخا

حَكَّمَ فيها مِنسَراً مُضَمَّخا

حَكَّمَ فيها مِنسَراً مُضَمَّخا

driving them in haste through its waters whenever he planted himself firmly.

There he gave free rein to a blood-drenched beak,

وَمِخلَباً بِدَمِها مُلَطَّخا

وَمِخلَباً بِدَمِها مُلَطَّخا

عَوائِذاً مِن خَطفِهِ وَصُرَّخا

عَوائِذاً مِن خَطفِهِ وَصُرَّخا

and to a talon smeared with their blood,

while the birds sought refuge from his snatching, shrieking aloud.

كَأَنَّهُ لَمّا قَطَعنا فَرسَخا

كَأَنَّهُ لَمّا قَطَعنا فَرسَخا

مُصحَفُ وَرّاقٍ أُدِقُّ نُسَخا

مُصحَفُ وَرّاقٍ أُدِقُّ نُسَخا

As though, once we had traveled a parasang, it were

a copyist’s Qur’an, in the finest, most minute script.