مُتَوَقِّدٌ مُتَرَقْرِقٌ عَجَباً لَهُ

مُتَوَقِّدٌ مُتَرَقْرِقٌ عَجَباً لَهُ

نارٌ وماءٌ كَيْفَ يَجْتَمِعانِ

نارٌ وماءٌ كَيْفَ يَجْتَمِعانِ

Blazing, shimmering—what a marvel it is!

Sparkling, flickering, how strange is he!

Fire and water—how can the two unite?

Fire and water - how can they combine?

وكَأَنَّما أَبواهُ صَرْفا دَهْرِنا

وكَأَنَّما أَبواهُ صَرْفا دَهْرِنا

أَوْ كَانَ يَرْضَعُ دِرَّةَ الحَدَثانِ

أَوْ كَانَ يَرْضَعُ دِرَّةَ الحَدَثانِ

And as though its parents were the two vicissitudes of our time,

As if both his parents throughout our time

Or it had suckled the milk of time’s calamities.

Fed him pure pearl tears and new honey.

تَجْري مَضَارِبَهُ دَماً يَوْمَ الوَغى

تَجْري مَضَارِبَهُ دَماً يَوْمَ الوَغى

فَكَأَنَّما حَدّاهُ مُفْتَصِدانِ

فَكَأَنَّما حَدّاهُ مُفْتَصِدانِ

Its striking edges run with blood on the day of battle,

His spear-shafts flow blood on battle day,

So it is as though its two edges were being bled.

As if two Indian swords had forged the iron.