تَصاريفُ دَهرٍ أَعرَبَت لِمَن اِهتَدى

تَصاريفُ دَهرٍ أَعرَبَت لِمَن اِهتَدى

وَبَسطَةُ أَمرٍ أَغرَبَت مَن تَمَرَّدا

وَبَسطَةُ أَمرٍ أَغرَبَت مَن تَمَرَّدا

Time's vicissitudes spoke plainly to those who found guidance,

The turns of fate have affirmed those who are rightly guided,

and the expansion of power astonished those who rebelled.

And the easiness of the matter has confused those who rebel.

لِسُرعَةِ فَتحِ القُدسِ سِرٌّ مَغيبُ

لِسُرعَةِ فَتحِ القُدسِ سِرٌّ مَغيبُ

وَفي صَرعَةِ الإِفرِنجِ مُعتَبِرٌ بَدا

وَفي صَرعَةِ الإِفرِنجِ مُعتَبِرٌ بَدا

A hidden secret lies behind Jerusalem's swift conquest,

The secret of the quick conquest of Jerusalem is hidden,

and a lesson appeared in the Franks' overthrow.

While the defeat of the Franks is a lesson that appeared.

أَتَو كَحِبالٍ أُبرِمَت لِإِسارِنا

أَتَو كَحِبالٍ أُبرِمَت لِإِسارِنا

فَسُقناهُم فيها قَطيناً مُجَدَّدا

فَسُقناهُم فيها قَطيناً مُجَدَّدا

They came like ropes twisted tight to bind us,

They came like ropes all braided to bind us,

so we drove them in those bonds as newly made slaves.

So we drove them away bunched up and renewed.

وَساموا تِجاراً تَشتَرينا غَوالِياً

وَساموا تِجاراً تَشتَرينا غَوالِياً

فَبِعناهُم فيها قَطيناً مُجَدَّدا

فَبِعناهُم فيها قَطيناً مُجَدَّدا

They solicited merchants who would buy us dearly,

And they came as merchants to buy our weakness,

so we sold them there as newly made slaves.

Yet we sold them bundled up and renewed.

وَجَرّوا جُيوشاً كَالسُيولِ عَلى الصَوا

وَجَرّوا جُيوشاً كَالسُيولِ عَلى الصَوا

فَآضَت غِثاءً في البِطاحِ مُمَدَّدا

فَآضَت غِثاءً في البِطاحِ مُمَدَّدا

They dragged armies like torrents over the rocky heights,

And they dragged armies like floods over the plains,

but these became flotsam spread across the valley flats.

So they poured as drizzles on the lowlands scattered about.

وَقالوا مُلوكُ الأَرضِ طَوعُ قِيادِنا

وَقالوا مُلوكُ الأَرضِ طَوعُ قِيادِنا

إِذا الكُلُّ مِنهُم في القُيودِ مُعَبَّدا

إِذا الكُلُّ مِنهُم في القُيودِ مُعَبَّدا

They said, 'The kings of the earth obey our reins';

The kings of earth said they’re under our leadership,

yet there they all were, enslaved in fetters.

When all of them were bound in shackles.

وَقَد أَقطَعُ الكِندُ العِراقَ مُوَقَّعاً

وَقَد أَقطَعُ الكِندُ العِراقَ مُوَقَّعاً

فَأَودَعَ سِجناً وَسطَ جَلَّقٍ مُؤصَدا

فَأَودَعَ سِجناً وَسطَ جَلَّقٍ مُؤصَدا

The count had already granted Iraq by signed decree,

The King of Georgia annexed Iraq with a treaty,

then was confined in a locked prison in the heart of Jilliq.

Then imprisoned it amidst walled-up enclosures.

وَأَقسَمَ أَن يَسقي بِدِجلَةَ خَيلَهُ

وَأَقسَمَ أَن يَسقي بِدِجلَةَ خَيلَهُ

فَما وَرَد الأَردُنَ إِلّا مُصَفَّدا

فَما وَرَد الأَردُنَ إِلّا مُصَفَّدا

He swore to water his horses at the Tigris,

He swore to water his horses in the Tigris,

but he reached the Jordan only shackled.

But the Euphrates only arrived while fettered.

فَكَم واثِقٍ خَجلانَ قَهقَهُ خَصمَهُ

فَكَم واثِقٍ خَجلانَ قَهقَهُ خَصمَهُ

وَكَم سائِقٌ عَجلانَ قَهقَرَ مَقعَدا

وَكَم سائِقٌ عَجلانَ قَهقَرَ مَقعَدا

So many a confident man was ashamed, his foe laughing aloud;

So how many confident ones were abased by their opponent’s laughter,

and many a hasty driver retreated, crippled.

And how many hasty ones slipped from their seats!

أَتى الكِندُ مِن إِسبانَ يَحمي قُمامَةً

أَتى الكِندُ مِن إِسبانَ يَحمي قُمامَةً

فَكانَ تَفَضّي مُلكِهِ قَبلُ يُبتَدى

فَكانَ تَفَضّي مُلكِهِ قَبلُ يُبتَدى

The count came from Spain to defend Qumamah,

The King came from Spain carrying a worthless thing,

but his kingdom's dissolution had already begun.

So his kingdom dissipated before it even started.

فَما عَقَدَ الراياتِ إِلّا مُحَلِّلاً

فَما عَقَدَ الراياتِ إِلّا مُحَلِّلاً

وَلا حَلَّلَ الراياتِ إِلّا مُعَقِّدا

وَلا حَلَّلَ الراياتِ إِلّا مُعَقِّدا

He tied the banners only to untie them,

For no sooner did he raise the banners but to fold them,

and untied the banners only to knot them.

Nor did he fold the banners except to hoist them.

وَوَقعَةَ يَومَ التَلِّ إِذا قَبَضَت بِهِ

وَوَقعَةَ يَومَ التَلِّ إِذا قَبَضَت بِهِ

جَبابِرَةُ الإِفرِنجِ حَيرى وَشُرَّدا

جَبابِرَةُ الإِفرِنجِ حَيرى وَشُرَّدا

And the battle on the Day of the Hill, when it seized there

And the battle of Hattin, when it seized

the Franks' tyrants, bewildered and scattered!

The grandees of the Franks confused and scattered.

عَلَيهِم مِنَ البَلوى سُردِقَ ذِلَّةٍ

عَلَيهِم مِنَ البَلوى سُردِقَ ذِلَّةٍ

وَمَن ذَلَّ ماتَت نَفسُهُ فَتَقَيَّدا

وَمَن ذَلَّ ماتَت نَفسُهُ فَتَقَيَّدا

Over them, affliction spread a pavilion of abasement;

Upon them descended canopies of disgrace,

and whoever is abased, his soul dies and he is bound.

And whoever is disgraced, his soul is shackled.

تَرى المَنسِرَ الديوي يُلقي سِلاحَهُ

تَرى المَنسِرَ الديوي يُلقي سِلاحَهُ

وَيَنساقُ ما بَينَ السَبايا مُلَهَّدا

وَيَنساقُ ما بَينَ السَبايا مُلَهَّدا

You see the Templar troop throwing down its weapons,

You see the armored Frank throwing down his weapon

and being driven, roughly handled, among the captives.

And being led away captive and submissive among the prisoners.

يُباعونَ أَسراباً شَرائِحَ أَحبُلٍ

يُباعونَ أَسراباً شَرائِحَ أَحبُلٍ

كَشَلَّةِ عُصفورٍ مِنَ الريشِ جُرِّدا

كَشَلَّةِ عُصفورٍ مِنَ الريشِ جُرِّدا

They are sold in flocks, in rope-bound lots,

They are being sold in droves like cut up ropes,

like a sparrow's body stripped of its feathers.

Plucked of their feathers like a bird stripped bare.

فَتَلَقّى نَصارى جَلَّقٍ في مَأتَمٍ

فَتَلَقّى نَصارى جَلَّقٍ في مَأتَمٍ

يُسَرّونَها إِلّا شَجىً وَتَنَهُّدا

يُسَرّونَها إِلّا شَجىً وَتَنَهُّدا

Then you find Jilliq's Christians at a mourning gathering,

The Christians of Jerusalem gather in mourning

concealing it, save for grief and sighing.

Grieving - none but agonized sighing and moaning.

أَلَم تَرَ لِلسُلطانِ صَدَّقَ نَذرَهُ

أَلَم تَرَ لِلسُلطانِ صَدَّقَ نَذرَهُ

دَمُ الغادِرِ الإِبرِنسِ فَاِقتيدَ أَربَدا

دَمُ الغادِرِ الإِبرِنسِ فَاِقتيدَ أَربَدا

Have you not seen the sultan's vow fulfilled by

Did you not see - the Sultan fulfilled his oath:

the treacherous prince's blood? He was led away, ashen-faced.

The blood of the traitorous Prince was shed restrained.

وَباشَرَهُ بِالقَتلِ وَسطِ جَنابِهِ

وَباشَرَهُ بِالقَتلِ وَسطِ جَنابِهِ

وَعايَنَهُ الكِندُ المَليكُ فَأَرعَدا

وَعايَنَهُ الكِندُ المَليكُ فَأَرعَدا

And he personally killed him amid his court;

And he killed him with his sword amid his belly

the count, the king, watched him and trembled.

As the King of Georgia looked on and trembled.

وَضاقَت بِنَفسِ القُمصِ الأَرضِ مَهرَباً

وَضاقَت بِنَفسِ القُمصِ الأَرضِ مَهرَباً

فَأَدرَكَهُ المَوتُ المُفاجِئُ مُكَمَّدا

فَأَدرَكَهُ المَوتُ المُفاجِئُ مُكَمَّدا

The earth grew too narrow for the count's soul to find escape,

And the earth became too narrow with fright for the Prince,

so sudden death overtook him, consumed by grief.

So sudden death seized him bundled up.

وَما طَرَقَ الأَسماعَ مِن عَهدِ آدَمَ

وَما طَرَقَ الأَسماعَ مِن عَهدِ آدَمَ

كَمَلحَمَةِ التَلِّ الَّتي تَلَتِ العِدا

كَمَلحَمَةِ التَلِّ الَّتي تَلَتِ العِدا

Nothing has reached the ears since Adam's time

And never since the time of Adam was heard of

like the great battle of the Hill that laid the foes low.

A battle like Hattin's which followed the feuds.

أَتَوا وادِياً ما زالَ يَنفي خَبائِثاً

أَتَوا وادِياً ما زالَ يَنفي خَبائِثاً

وَيَصفى بَعَبِقي الدارَ طائِفَةَ الهُدى

وَيَصفى بَعَبِقي الدارَ طائِفَةَ الهُدى

They came to a valley that never ceased to expel impurities,

They came to a valley ever dispelling wickedness

and, with my fragrance, purifies the dwelling for the people of guidance.

And being perfumed by the dwellers of guidance.

بِهِ جُثِمَت أَصحابُ ليكَةَ وَهيَ في

بِهِ جُثِمَت أَصحابُ ليكَةَ وَهيَ في

ذُراهُ وَذا فيهِ شُعَيبٌ تَأَيَّدا

ذُراهُ وَذا فيهِ شُعَيبٌ تَأَيَّدا

There the people of Laykah lay stricken, and it lay amid

In it the companions of the church of Lydda camped,

its heights; and this is where Shuʿayb was strengthened.

It and they supported by Shuaib.

أَرى اللَهَ فيهِ مَعجِزُ النَصرِ مُخلِصاً

أَرى اللَهَ فيهِ مَعجِزُ النَصرِ مُخلِصاً

لِأَمرِ صَلاحِ الدينِ في الناسِ مُخَلَّدا

لِأَمرِ صَلاحِ الدينِ في الناسِ مُخَلَّدا

God displayed there the miracle of victory, devoted

I see God performing a miracle of victory therein,

to Salah al-Din's cause, made everlasting among people.

Securing the matter of Saladin among the people forever.

وَأَعدى جُنودَ الرُعبِ يَردي عِداتُهُ

وَأَعدى جُنودَ الرُعبِ يَردي عِداتُهُ

وَسَلَّمَ جَميعَ المُسلِمينَ مُجَنَّدا

وَسَلَّمَ جَميعَ المُسلِمينَ مُجَنَّدا

He sent terror's armies charging to lay his foes low,

And calling out the soldiers of awe - his troops -

and safeguarded all the Muslims, mustered as an army.

And surrendering all the Muslims rallied.

وَمَن عَجِبَ خَمسونَ أَلفَ مُقاتِلٍ

وَمَن عَجِبَ خَمسونَ أَلفَ مُقاتِلٍ

سَبَتهُم جُيوشٌ لَيسَ فيها مَن اِرتَدى

سَبَتهُم جُيوشٌ لَيسَ فيها مَن اِرتَدى

And among the marvels: fifty thousand fighting men

Who would be astonished that fifty thousand fighters

were captured by armies in which not a man perished.

Were captured by armies in which none defected!