قالوا إلى الترك نمشي

قالوا إلى الترك نمشي

فنهدمنّ حصونه

فنهدمنّ حصونه

They said: We march toward the Turks,

They said we would march against the Turks

and we shall surely demolish their fortresses.

And destroy their fortresses

قل حبّذا الكور منهم

قل حبّذا الكور منهم

إذ كان بالماكرونه

إذ كان بالماكرونه

Say: How fine their cannonballs are,

Say it is better from them

since they were made of macaroni!

If it was with diplomacy