وَلَقَد عَجِبتُ لِفِعلَةِ المُستَنصِرِ

وَلَقَد عَجِبتُ لِفِعلَةِ المُستَنصِرِ

إِذ أَكثَفَ الجَيشَ اللُّهامَ لِجَعفَرِ

إِذ أَكثَفَ الجَيشَ اللُّهامَ لِجَعفَرِ

And indeed I marveled at al-Mustansir’s deed,

I wondered at Al-Mustansir's deed

When he massed the vast army for Jaʿfar.

When he massed the army for Ja'far

وَلَو ان مَن أَهواهُ يُبرِزُ وَجهه

وَلَو ان مَن أَهواهُ يُبرِزُ وَجهه

قَامَت لَواحِظُهُ مَقامَ العَسكَرِ

قَامَت لَواحِظُهُ مَقامَ العَسكَرِ

And if the one I love were to reveal his face,

And if the one he loved showed his face

His glances would take the army’s place.

His glances would take the place of the army