1. وَآلُ الزُبَيرِ بَنو حُرَّةٍ

    مَرَوا بِالسُيوفِ صُدوراً خِنافا

    And the house of al-Zubayr are sons of a freeborn woman;

    They struck haughty breasts with swords.

  2. سَلِ الجُردَ عَنهُم وَأَيّامَها

    إِذا اِمتَعَطوا المُرهَفاتِ الخِفافا

    Ask the sleek steeds and their battle-days about them,

    When they drew the keen, light blades.

  3. يَموتونَ وَالقَتلُ داءٌ لَهُم

    وَيَصلونَ يَومَ السِيافِ السِيافا

    They die, and being slain is their malady;

    And on the day of swordplay, they brave its fire.

  4. إِذا فَرَّجَ القَتلُ عَن عيصهم

    أَبى ذلِكَ العيصُ إِلّا اِلتِفافا

    Whenever slaughter opens gaps in their thicket,

    That thicket refuses to be anything but tightly entwined.

  5. مَطاعيمُ تُحمَد أَبياتُهُم

    إِذا قُنِّع الشاهقاتُ الطخافا

    Generous hosts, whose tents are praised

    When the lofty peaks are cloaked in clouds.

  6. وَأَجبَنُ من صافِرٍ كلبُهُم

    إِذا قَرَعتُهُ حَصاةٌ أَضافا

    And their dog is more timid than a whistling bird:

    When a pebble strikes it, it shies away.