Modaffar of Abiward

“ Can they endure such shame, the leaders in fight of the Arabs?
Can they keep silence in such dishonour, the heroes of the Persians?
17. Ah! if they will not out of zeal defend their Faith,
Yet out of jealousy should they guard what is to them precious and holy. [2]
18. And if they dread, on naked fields without shelter, the raging of the fight,
Should they not yet engage in the fight for very lust of spoil? ”

“ Abulfeda has given only the better and more intelligible distichs (1, 2, 4–7, 16, 17) , which does credit to his judgment.
It would appear, from the reference made to the poem in the body of the work, that it was written soon after the taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, which assigns its date about the year A. D. 1100.
1. We have mingled our blood with streaming tears,
Therefore is there nothing of us now left for the stroke of the foe.
2. Oh! ill weapons of the man are tears, which he sheds
In the time when the fire of war is kindled by the glittering swords. ”