نُفوسٌ أَصابَتها المَنايا فَلا تَكُن

نُفوسٌ أَصابَتها المَنايا فَلا تَكُن

يَؤوساً لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَوماً يُؤوسُها

يَؤوساً لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَوماً يُؤوسُها

Souls have been struck by death, so do not be

Souls struck by death, do not despair,

despairing; perhaps God will one day recompense them.

Perhaps one day God will bring them hope.

وَما بَرِحَت أَجسادُها تَطلُبُ العُلا

وَما بَرِحَت أَجسادُها تَطلُبُ العُلا

مِنَ الدَهرِ حَتّى زايَلَتها رُؤوسُها

مِنَ الدَهرِ حَتّى زايَلَتها رُؤوسُها

And their bodies never ceased to seek eminence

Their bodies did not stop seeking glory

from Time, until their heads parted from them.

From fate, until their heads were gone.

بَنَت بِالظُبى أَبياتَ عِزٍّ فَأَودَعَت

بَنَت بِالظُبى أَبياتَ عِزٍّ فَأَودَعَت

بُيوتَ حَفيرٍ أَحكَمَتها فُؤوسُها

بُيوتَ حَفيرٍ أَحكَمَتها فُؤوسُها

With sword-edges they built houses of glory, then were laid

They built lofty homes with sticks and twigs

in dug-out dwellings that their axes had made firm.

And sturdy houses with their tools.

وَكانوا كَآسادِ الشَرى لَيسَ فيهِمُ

وَكانوا كَآسادِ الشَرى لَيسَ فيهِمُ

كُؤوسٌ فَدارَت لِلمَنايا كُؤوسُها

كُؤوسٌ فَدارَت لِلمَنايا كُؤوسُها

And they were like the lions of al-Sharā; among them was no

They were like lions of battle, within them

coward—then death's cups went round.

Were no cowards, so they fell to death with bravery.