وَخَيْلٍ كَالذِّئابِ على مَطاها

وَخَيْلٍ كَالذِّئابِ على مَطاها

أُسُودٌ خَاضَتِ الغَمَراتِ شُوسُ

أُسُودٌ خَاضَتِ الغَمَراتِ شُوسُ

Steeds like wolves—upon their backs

And steeds like wolves, upon whose backs

fierce lions who have plunged through battle’s engulfing perils—

Are fierce-eyed lions who have plunged into battle's depths,

بِيَوْمٍ قَاتِمِ الطَّرَفَيْنِ فيهِ

بِيَوْمٍ قَاتِمِ الطَّرَفَيْنِ فيهِ

يَشُوبُ طَلاقَةَ الوَجْهِ العُبوسُ

يَشُوبُ طَلاقَةَ الوَجْهِ العُبوسُ

on a day dark at either end, in which

On a day dark at both ends, when

a scowl clouds the face’s open cheer.

Frowning mars the face's cheerfulness.

وَنَحْنُ نُلاعِبُ الأَسَلاتِ حَتّى

وَنَحْنُ نُلاعِبُ الأَسَلاتِ حَتّى

تَجيشَ إِلى تَراقِيها النُّفوسُ

تَجيشَ إِلى تَراقِيها النُّفوسُ

And we sport with spearpoints until

And we play with spearpoints until

souls surge up to the collarbones;

Souls surge up to their collarbones.

وَنَتْرُكُ في النَّجيعِ الوِرْدَ صَرعَى

وَنَتْرُكُ في النَّجيعِ الوِرْدَ صَرعَى

كَشَرْبِ الخَمْرِ غَالَهُمُ الكُؤوسُ

كَشَرْبِ الخَمْرِ غَالَهُمُ الكُؤوسُ

and leave the red ones felled in flowing gore,

And we leave the thirsty throng fallen in gore,

like drinkers of wine whom the cups have overcome.

Like wine-drinkers whom the cups have laid low.

فَسالَ بِهمْ على العَلَمَيْنِ وادٍ

فَسالَ بِهمْ على العَلَمَيْنِ وادٍ

فَواقِعُهُ إِذا زَخَرَ الرُّؤوسُ

فَواقِعُهُ إِذا زَخَرَ الرُّؤوسُ

Then, bearing them, a valley flooded over all mankind,

Then a torrent flowed with them over the two heights;

and when it swelled, its bed was heads.

Its bubbles, when it surged, were heads.