وَمُعْتَرَكٍ تَهُزُّ بهِ المَنايا

ذُكورَ الهِنْدِ في أيْدي ذُكورِ

In a fierce battle where death shakes its wings,

The swords of Indian men in the hands of swordsmen,

لوامِعُ يُبْصِرُ الأعْمَى سَناها

وَيَعْمَى دُونَها طَرْفُ البَصيرِ

Flashing blades that would make the blind see their gleam,

Yet the sighted's eyes are blinded before them,

وخافِقَةِ الذَّوائِبِ قَدْ أَنافتْ

عَلى حَمْراءَ ذاتِ شباً طَريرِ

With thrashing ponytails that toss with pride

Above a rosy cheek of smooth complexion,

تحومُ حَوْلَها عُقبانُ مَوْتٍ

تَخَطَّفَتِ القُلوبَ منَ الصُّدُورِ

Circling them are ravens of death

That snatched hearts from chests,

بيومٍ راحَ في سِرْبالِ ليلٍ

فَما عُرفَ الأصيلُ منَ البُكورِ

On a day that passed in the gown of night,

So the noble was not known from the commoner,

وَعَيْنُ الشَّمْس تَرْنُو في قَتامٍ

رُنُوَّ البِكرِ ما بَينَ السُّتورِ

And the eye of the sun peers into darkness

Like the glance of an innocent virgin behind her veil,

فَكم قصَّرْتَ منْ عُمْرٍ طويلٍ

بهِ وأطلْتَ مِنْ عُمرٍ قَصيرِ

So you shortened from a long lifetime with it

And lengthened from a short lifetime because of it.