جَزَى اللَه عَنّا رَهطَ قُرَّةَ نُصرَةً

جَزَى اللَه عَنّا رَهطَ قُرَّةَ نُصرَةً

وَقُرَّةَ إِذ بَعضُ الفِعالِ مُزلَّجُ

وَقُرَّةَ إِذ بَعضُ الفِعالِ مُزلَّجُ

May God reward Qurra's clan, on our behalf, with aid,

May Allah reward the tribe of Qurrah with triumph

and Qurra, when some deeds fall short.

And Qurrah when some heroes slipped

جَلا الخِزيَ عَن جُلِّ الوُجُوهِ فأَسفَرَت

جَلا الخِزيَ عَن جُلِّ الوُجُوهِ فأَسفَرَت

وَكانَت عَلَيها هَبوَةٌ ما تَبَلَّجُ

وَكانَت عَلَيها هَبوَةٌ ما تَبَلَّجُ

He swept shame from most faces, and they shone,

Shame departed from all faces so they shone

though a dust-haze had veiled them and they had not shone.

Though previously it clung there unremovable

هُمُ اليومَ إِذ بادَ المُلُوكُ مُلُوكُنا

هُمُ اليومَ إِذ بادَ المُلُوكُ مُلُوكُنا

فَعالاً وَمَجداً غَيرَ أَن لَم يُتَوَّجوا

فَعالاً وَمَجداً غَيرَ أَن لَم يُتَوَّجوا

Today, now that the kings have perished, they are our kings,

Today they are kings though kings have vanished

in deeds and glory, save that they have not been crowned.

In deed and glory though uncrowned

تَدارَكَ عِمرانَ بِنَ مُرَّةَ رَكَضُهُم

تَدارَكَ عِمرانَ بِنَ مُرَّةَ رَكَضُهُم

بِقارَةِ أَهوَى وَالخَوالجُ تَخِلجُ

بِقارَةِ أَهوَى وَالخَوالجُ تَخِلجُ

Their galloping caught up with Imran ibn Murra

‘Imran ibn Murrah's onrush retrieved their loss

at the hill of Ahwa, while distracting cares exerted their pull,

At Qarah, beloved place where war flames burned

بِأَرعَنَ مِثلِ الطَودِ تَحسَبُ أَنَّهُم

بِأَرعَنَ مِثلِ الطَودِ تَحسَبُ أَنَّهُم

وُقوفٌ لِحاجٍ وَالرِكابُ تُهَمِلجُ

وُقوفٌ لِحاجٍ وَالرِكابُ تُهَمِلجُ

with a vast army like a mountain—you would think them

Like towering mountains you'd think them halted

standing still for some need, though their mounts move swiftly and smoothly.

While the litters swayed and the mounts shifted restlessly

تَبِيتُ إِذا جاءَ الصَباحُ نِساؤُهُم

تَبِيتُ إِذا جاءَ الصَباحُ نِساؤُهُم

تُشَدِّدُ خَلاَّتِ الدُروعِ وَتُشرِجُ

تُشَدِّدُ خَلاَّتِ الدُروعِ وَتُشرِجُ

When morning comes, their women are still

When dawn came their women tightened the links

tightening the fastenings of mail and lacing it shut.

Of the mail coats and busied themselves

عَلى نارِ حيًّ يَصطَلُونَ كأَنَّهُم

عَلى نارِ حيًّ يَصطَلُونَ كأَنَّهُم

جِمالٌ طَلاها بِالعَنِيَّةِ مُهرِجُ

جِمالٌ طَلاها بِالعَنِيَّةِ مُهرِجُ

They warm themselves at a clan's fire, as though they were

By a live fire they warmed themselves as though they were

camels a salve-applier has daubed with mange ointment.

Herds the herdsman had stoked to a blaze