إذاwhen أبوAbu (father of) قاسمٍQasim جادتْgave generously لناto us يدهُhis hand
إذا أبو قاسمٍ جادتْ لنا يدهُ
لمnot يُحمَدis praised الأجودانِthe two most generous البحرthe sea والمطرُand rain
لم يُحمَد الأجودانِ البحر والمطرُ
When Abu Qasim's hand gives generously to us,
the two most generous—the sea and rain—go unpraised.
ولوand if أضاءتْshone لناfor us أنوارlights غُرّتهhis radiant brow
ولو أضاءتْ لنا أنوار غُرّته
تَضاءلwould pale النَّيرانthe two luminaries الشمسthe sun والقمرand the moon
تَضاءل النَّيران الشمس والقمر
And were the lights of his brow to shine upon us,
the two luminaries—the sun and moon—would pale.
وإنْand if مضىprevails رأيهhis judgment أوor حدُّthe sharp edge of عزمتِهِhis resolve
وإنْ مضى رأيه أو حدُّ عزمتِهِ
تأخرfall behind الماضيانthe two inexorable forces السيفthe sword والقدرand fate
تأخر الماضيان السيف والقدر
And if his judgment or his resolve's sharp edge prevails,
the two inexorable forces—the sword and fate—fall behind.
منwhoever لمnot يبتْspend the night حذِراًwary منout of خوفِfear of سطوتهhis onslaught
من لم يبتْ حذِراً من خوفِ سطوته
لمnot يدرِknow ماwhat المُزعجانthe two tormentors الخوفfear والحذرand wariness
لم يدرِ ما المُزعجان الخوف والحذر
Whoever has not spent the night wary for fear of his onslaught
does not know what the two tormentors are: fear and wariness.
كأنهas though he وزمامُand the reins of الدهرtime فيin يدهhis hand
كأنه وزمامُ الدهر في يده
يرىhe sees عواقبَthe consequences of ماwhat يأتيhe does وماand what يذرhe leaves undone
يرى عواقبَ ما يأتي وما يذر
It is as though, with the reins of time in his hand,
he sees the consequences of what he does and what he leaves undone.
Sol 6.1