رَأَيْتُI saw اللِّواءَthe banner لِوَاءَbanner of العُقَابِthe Eagle
رَأَيْتُ اللِّواءَ لِوَاءَ العُقَابِ
يُقَحِّمُهُhe thrusts it forward الشَّانِيءُthe foe الأخْزَرُthe narrow-eyed one
يُقَحِّمُهُ الشَّانِيءُ الأخْزَرُ
I saw the banner, the banner of the Eagle,
I saw the banner, banner of punishment,
Driven forward by the narrow-eyed foe,
Thrust down by the slender green warrior,
كَلَيْثِlike a lion of العَرِينِthe lair خِلالَamid العَجَاجِthe dust clouds
كَلَيْثِ العَرِينِ خِلالَ العَجَاجِ
وأقْبَلَand advanced فِيamong خَيْلِهِhis cavalry الأبْتَرُthe tailless one
وأقْبَلَ فِي خَيْلِهِ الأبْتَرُ
Like a lion of the lair amid the dust clouds;
Like a lion bursting out from its den
And the tailless one advanced among his cavalry.
And his maimed cavalry attacked.
دَعَوْنَاwe summoned لَهَاfor it الكبْشَthe ram كَبْشَram of العِرَاقِIraq
دَعَوْنَا لَهَا الكبْشَ كَبْشَ العِرَاقِ
وَقَدْand already خَالَطَmingled with الْعَسْكَرَthe army العَسْكَرُthe army
وَقَدْ خَالَطَ الْعَسْكَرَ العَسْكَرُ
We summoned for it the ram, the ram of Iraq,
We called on it the Ram, the Ram of Iraq,
When army had already mingled with army.
And the army intermingled with the army.
فَرَدَّso he drove back اللَّواءَthe banner عَلىupon عَقْبِهits heel
فَرَدَّ اللَّواءَ عَلى عَقْبِه
وفَازَand won بِحَظْوَتِهَاwith its favor الأشْتَرُal-Ashtar
وفَازَ بِحَظْوَتِهَا الأشْتَرُ
So he drove the banner back upon its heel,
So it repelled the banner on its heels,
And al-Ashtar won its favor,
And the Stallion won its prize.
كَمَاas كَأنَhe used to يَفْعَلُdo فِيin مِثلِهَاits like
كَمَا كَأنَ يَفْعَلُ فِي مِثلِهَا
إذاwhenever نَابَbefell مُعْصَوَصِبٌa grievous ordeal مُنْكَرُdreadful
إذا نَابَ مُعْصَوَصِبٌ مُنْكَرُ
As he used to do in encounters like it,
As if he would do the like in its situation,
Whenever a grievous, dreadful ordeal befell.
When an ignoble slanderer assumes authority.
فإنْso if يَدْفَعِwards off اللهُGod عَنْfrom نَفْسِهِhis life
فإنْ يَدْفَعِ اللهُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ
فَحَظُّthen the share of الْعِراقIraq بهاin it الأوْفَرُthe greatest
فَحَظُّ الْعِراق بها الأوْفَرُ
So if God protects his life,
If God shields him from harming himself,
Then Iraq's share in that life is the greatest.
The lot of Iraq with it will be greater.
إذَاwhen الأشْتَرُal-Ashtar الخَيْرُthe good خَلَّىleaves العِرَاقIraq
إذَا الأشْتَرُ الخَيْرُ خَلَّى العِرَاق
فَقَدْthen indeed ذَهَبَhas departed الْعُرفُgood والمُنكَرُand evil
فَقَدْ ذَهَبَ الْعُرفُ والمُنكَرُ
When good al-Ashtar leaves Iraq,
When the Stallion, the excellent one, evacs Iraq,
Then good and evil alike have departed.
Custom and villainy will be gone.
وَتِلْكَand that العِرَاقُIraq وَمَنْand those whom قَدْalready عَرَفْتَyou have known
وَتِلْكَ العِرَاقُ وَمَنْ قَدْ عَرَفْتَ
كَفَقْعٍlike a truffle ذَهَبَhas departed الْعُرفُgood والمُنكَرُand evil
كَفَقْعٍ ذَهَبَ الْعُرفُ والمُنكَرُ
And that Iraq, and those you have known,
And that is Iraq, and you know who
Are like a truffle—good and evil have departed.
Like a bubble, custom and villainy are gone.
وَتِلْكَand that العِرَاقُIraq وَمَنْand those whom قَدْalready عَرَفْتَyou have known
وَتِلْكَ العِرَاقُ وَمَنْ قَدْ عَرَفْتَ
كَفَقْعٍَlike a truffle تَنَبَّتَهُhas grown it الْقَرْقَرُthe level plain
كَفَقْعٍَ تَنَبَّتَهُ الْقَرْقَرُ
And that Iraq, and those you have known,
And that is Iraq, and you know who
Are like a truffle brought forth by the level plain.
Like a bubble burst forth by hail.