جند من الأحزاب قد نزلوا على

مدن لهم أسوارهن رقاق

Troops from the factions have descended upon

Cities of theirs, whose walls are thin.

فارتاع منهم أهلها فتحصنوا

منهم بهنّ وأحكم الإغلاق

So their inhabitants took fright at them and barricaded themselves

Against them within the cities, which were sealed tight.

والجند خارجها تحاصر أهلها

قد ضاق منها بالحصار خناقُ

And the troops outside them besiege their inhabitants;

The siege has drawn a tight noose around them.

يرمون داخلها بنفط أبيض

فيه لمن ناواهم إحراقُ

They hurl white naphtha into them;

In it lies burning for whoever opposes them.

حتى إذا طال الحصار عليهمُ

واشتد منه الخوف والإشفاقُ

Until, when the siege dragged on against them

And fear and dread of it grew intense,

فتحت وقتّل أهلها وتهدمت

والنار تضرم والنفوس تساق

The cities were breached, their inhabitants slaughtered, and they crumbled,

As fire blazed and souls were driven along.

وغدت حجارتها تذوب وأرضها

فيها أصابيغ الدماء تراقُ

And their stones began to melt, and their soil—

Upon it the dyes of blood were spilled.

والملك أفرحُ مايكون بنصرة

تمت هيأها له الخلاقُ

And the king was at his happiest with a victory

Now complete, prepared for him by the Creator.