كانَ الفَرَنجُ لَهُم نونٌ وَقَد حُذِفَت

كانَ الفَرَنجُ لَهُم نونٌ وَقَد حُذِفَت

وَجاءَنا فَرَجٌ ما كانَ يُذدَكَرُ

وَجاءَنا فَرَجٌ ما كانَ يُذدَكَرُ

The Franks (faranj) had an n, and it has been erased;

The Franks had a noon for them, and it was erased

And relief (faraj) has come to us, never spoken of before.

And relief came to us that was not expected

يا حُسنَ ما اِختُصِرَت قاماتُ قَومِهِم

يا حُسنَ ما اِختُصِرَت قاماتُ قَومِهِم

كَذاكَ سَيفُكَ لِلقاماتِ يَختَصِرُ

كَذاكَ سَيفُكَ لِلقاماتِ يَختَصِرُ

How splendidly the statures of their people have been cut short!

Oh, how excellent were the tall frames of their people shortened!

Thus your sword cuts statures short.

Thus does your sword shorten the frames

أَمّا سُيوفُكَ لِلمَعنى فَتَفهَمُهُ

أَمّا سُيوفُكَ لِلمَعنى فَتَفهَمُهُ

وَما عَلَيكَ إِذا لَم تَفهَمِ البَقَرُ

وَما عَلَيكَ إِذا لَم تَفهَمِ البَقَرُ

As for your swords, they understand the meaning;

As for your swords in meaning, understand it

And what does it matter to you if the cattle do not understand?

And it does not matter if the cows do not understand

أَصلابُ أَظهُرِهِم تَحكي صَليبَهُمُ

أَصلابُ أَظهُرِهِم تَحكي صَليبَهُمُ

كَلاهُما بِاللِقا وَالرُعبِ مُنكَسِرُ

كَلاهُما بِاللِقا وَالرُعبِ مُنكَسِرُ

The spines of their backs resemble their cross;

The firmness of their most apparent spoiled their cross

Both are broken by battle and terror.

Both were equally submissive and terrified

سَعادَةٌ قابَلَت وَالرُمحُ مُضطَجِعٌ

سَعادَةٌ قابَلَت وَالرُمحُ مُضطَجِعٌ

وَعَزمُةٌ بَرَزَت وَالسَيفُ مُدَّثِرُ

وَعَزمُةٌ بَرَزَت وَالسَيفُ مُدَّثِرُ

Good fortune presented itself while the spear lay reclining;

Good fortune met as the spear lies down

And resolve stepped forth while the sword was cloaked.

And determination appeared as the sword awoke

وَلَيلَةٍ لَو سِوَاهُ كانَ كاشِفَها

وَلَيلَةٍ لَو سِوَاهُ كانَ كاشِفَها

ما ذابَ في دَمعِها نَجمٌ وَلا قَمَرُ

ما ذابَ في دَمعِها نَجمٌ وَلا قَمَرُ

And a night—had anyone but him been the one to dispel it,

And a night, if not for it, would have revealed

No star or moon would have melted in its tears.

Neither a star melted in its tears, nor a moon