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The sea surged and its army roared

تلاطم بحر جيشه وماجا

1. The sea surged and its army roared
No passion stirred up evil and raged

١. تلاطم بحر جيشه وماجا
لا هوى هيجت شراً فهاجا

2. And a deaf sedition flared up
Raging through it, the earth quaked

٢. وثارت فتنة صماء مادت
بها وارتّجت الأَرض ارتجاجا

3. Arrows poured forth misfortune and calamity
Its clouds over the world clamored

٣. وسح النبل وبلاً واستجاشت
سحائبُه على الدنيا عجاجا

4. And souls therein were struck
By blows making smooth paths rugged

٤. وقد سلكت إِلى الأَرواح فيه
من الضرب الظُبا سبلاً فجاجا

5. And every fierce lion recoiled
To attack again after withdrawing

٥. وأَحجم كلَّ ليثِ وغىً تدانى
ليفزع بعد إِيغال وعاجا

6. And death cups circled around
Serving the intensely bitter drink

٦. ودارت عند ذلك للمنايا
كئوس تنفع المرَّ الأُجاجا

7. When the swords' eating intensified in them
And the edges of its blades healed nothing

٧. فملا اشتد أَكلُ السيفِ فيهم
وأَعيا خضطبُ حدّيه عِلاجا

8. You rose when the battlefields merged
The people's hands intertwined and meshed

٨. طلعت وقد تلاحمت المواضي
بأيدي القوم وامتزجوا امتزاجا

9. You burst through them as if they were darkness
And lamps rose up on its edges

٩. فطرت به كأَنهم ظلامٌ
طلعت على جوانبه سراجا

10. They turned, knowing in the blink of an eye
That there is no stability or refuge

١٠. وولوا قبل لمح الطرف عِلماً
بأن لا مستقرَّ وَلاَ معاجا

11. And each of them says, I will be rewarded
Good news below them, and I will be surprised

١١. وكلهُمُ يقولَ أَنا المجازى
بشر دونهم وأَنا المفاجا

12. Fearing to see, so for him there is escape
From looking, equal and curved

١٢. يحاذر أَن يرى فله لواذٌ
عن النظر استواء واعوجاجا

13. Had your hands not been paralyzed we would have seen
The lion of evil, and you would have turned docile

١٣. فلا شلت يداك لقد رأينا
بها أسد الشرى وانقلبت نعاجا

14. And had they not empowered you, I realize
They would have increased in their misguided ways

١٤. ولولا أَنهم بسطاك أَدرى
لزادوا في غوايتهم لجاجا

15. And were it not for war's blaze in its kindlers
The roar of its burning would have been threads

١٥. ولولا الحرب تطمع مضرميها
لكان زئير ضيغمها ثواجا

16. The ignorant tempt you though you are a towering mountain
So you clash with them like glass clashing mountains

١٦. يغر بك الجهول وأَنت طود
فتصدم منه بالطود الزجاجا

17. Had they known you, they would not have raised swords
Nor sharpened tongues and pumice stones

١٧. ولو عرفوك ما حملوا سيوفاً
ولا شحذوا الأَسنة والرجاجا

18. You are wronged regarding kings, and they are obstinate
So your absence increases litigation

١٨. تحيف على الملوك وهم عناة
فتكثر منك في الغيب الحجاجا

19. When the resentful know their incapacity
No anger manifests in them

١٩. إِذا علم المغيظ العجز فيه
فما يبدى له الغيض انزعاجا

20. Your white Indian smile on the day you gain victory
Over the enemies, rejoicing with joy

٢٠. تبسم بيض هندك يوم تنضى
على الأَعدا وتبتهج ابتهاجا

21. And you fill the land with graves of those you exterminate
And the faces of those who remain, scratched

٢١. وتملاَ أَرض من أَمت قبورا
وأَوجه من بقى منهم شجاجا

22. And they knew that goodness is a door
You opened, and did not know its hinges

٢٢. وقد علموا بأَن الخير بابٌ
فتحتَ وما عرفت به رتاجا

23. And when you get angry, you do not relent
And when you are happy, you do not reject

٢٣. وإِنك حين تغضب لا تقاوى
وإِنك حين ترضى لا تداجا

24.
Ahmad bin Ismail has dignity

٢٤. لأَحمد بن إسماعيل عِرضٌ
سما قدر الثناءِ به وراجا

25. That soared as high as praise would take it
Generous patron who every day

٢٥. كريم الخيم يشهدُ كلَّ يومٍ
بساحته لمكرُمةِ نتاجا

26. His court witnesses to the offspring of generosity
His sublime deeds have enriched his family

٢٦. فقد أَغنت عواليه المعالي
وما أَبقت سطاه لهن حاجا

27. And did not leave his table lacking
He whispers to himself about generosity while frank

٢٧. يناجي في المكارم وهو طلق
وأَما في سواها لا يناجا

28. And as for other than it, he does not whisper
When the noose tightens none are hoped for

٢٨. إِذا ضاق الخناق فما يرجى
فتى بسواه للضيق انفراجا

29. Except for him, to loosen the tightness
So may God maintain for the people

٢٩. فأَبقى الله منه للبرايا
فتى يهب المدائن والخراجا