تُريدونَ أَن أَخشى وَأَخضَعَ لِلأَذى

تُريدونَ أَن أَخشى وَأَخضَعَ لِلأَذى

وَجارُ اِبنِ عيسى كَيفَ يَخشى وَيَخضَعُ

وَجارُ اِبنِ عيسى كَيفَ يَخشى وَيَخضَعُ

You want me to fear and submit to affliction—

You want me to fear and submit to harm.

yet how could one under Ibn ʿĪsā’s protection fear or submit?

And how can one under Ibn Isa’s protection fear and submit?

فَتىً بَأسُهُ كَالدَهرِ مَأمَنَ مَلجَأَ

فَتىً بَأسُهُ كَالدَهرِ مَأمَنَ مَلجَأَ

وَلا فيهِ إِقصارٌ وَلا عَنهُ مَرجِعُ

وَلا فيهِ إِقصارٌ وَلا عَنهُ مَرجِعُ

A young noble whose might is like Fate itself—a haven, a refuge;

A young man whose might is like Time—a safe haven, a refuge;

in him there is no faltering, nor any turning away from him.

And there is no abatement in it, nor any turning back from it.

أَغَرَّ شَهيرٌ في البِلادِ كَأَنَّما

أَغَرَّ شَهيرٌ في البِلادِ كَأَنَّما

بِهِ البَدرُ يَعلو أَو سَنا الصُبحُ يَسطُعُ

بِهِ البَدرُ يَعلو أَو سَنا الصُبحُ يَسطُعُ

Radiant and renowned throughout the lands, as though

Radiant, renowned throughout the lands, as though

through him the full moon rose, or dawn’s splendor shone.

In him the full moon rises, or dawn’s radiance shines forth.