غَنائِمُهُhis spoils فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday جَماجِمُskulls
غَنائِمُهُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ جَماجِمُ
زَمائِلُهاtheir companions أَبناؤُهاtheir sons وَالحَلائِلُand the wives
زَمائِلُها أَبناؤُها وَالحَلائِلُ
His spoils each day are skulls;
Their companions are their sons and wives.
وَبيضٍand bright swords مَصوناتِpreserved الجَلاءِthe polish كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَبيضٍ مَصوناتِ الجَلاءِ كَأَنَّها
جِباهُforeheads العَذارىthe maidens قَرَّطَتهاadorned them with earrings الوَذائِلُthe silver strips
جِباهُ العَذارى قَرَّطَتها الوَذائِلُ
And bright swords, their polish preserved, as though they were
Maidens’ brows adorned with silver pendants.
إِذاwhen خَطَبَتهاsought their hand الحَربُwar كانَwere مُهورَهاtheir bride-prices
إِذا خَطَبَتها الحَربُ كانَ مُهورَها
صُبابَةُlast drops ماwhat ضَمَّcontained الطُلاthe necks وَالمَفاصِلُand the joints
صُبابَةُ ما ضَمَّ الطُلا وَالمَفاصِلُ
When war sought their hand, their bride-prices were
The last drops of what necks and joints contained.