إنif يخدمserves القلمَthe pen السيفُthe sword الذيwhich خضعتْbowed
إن يخدم القلمَ السيفُ الذي خضعتْ
لهto it الرقابُthe necks ودانتand submitted خوفهfor fear of it الأممُthe nations
له الرقابُ ودانت خوفه الأممُ
If the sword serves the pen, the sword to which
If the pen serves the sword that made
necks have bowed and nations submitted for fear of it,
The necks bow down, and struck fear in nations,
فالموتُthen death والموتُand death لاno شيءٌthing يغالبُهُovercomes it
فالموتُ والموتُ لا شيءٌ يغالبُهُ
ماnot زالceased يتبعfollows ماwhat يجريflows بهwith it القلمُthe pen
ما زال يتبع ما يجري به القلمُ
then death—and nothing can overcome death—
Then death, only death, can overcome it,
has always followed what the pen writes.
As it follows the course set by the pen.
كذاthus قضىdecreed اللهGod للأقامِfor the pens (likely للأقلام) مذsince بُريتْwere trimmed
كذا قضى الله للأقامِ مذ بُريتْ
أنthat السيوفَthe swords لهاfor them مذsince أُرهفَتْwere sharpened خدمُservants
أن السيوفَ لها مذ أُرهفَتْ خدمُ
Thus God decreed for the pens ever since they were trimmed:
Thus did God ordain, since time began,
that swords, ever since they were sharpened, should be their servants.
That swords are but servants of the pen.
Sol 6.1