في فِتنَةٍ أَخلاقُهُم وَفِعالُهُم

في فِتنَةٍ أَخلاقُهُم وَفِعالُهُم

عِرسٌ تَكامَلَ حُسنُها وَعَرائِسُ

عِرسٌ تَكامَلَ حُسنُها وَعَرائِسُ

Their character and deeds are an enchantment—

In their enchanting charm, their character and their deeds

a wedding-feast perfect in beauty, and brides.

are a bride whose beauty is complete, and brides.

حَلَّ السُرورُ حُباهُمُ في مَجلِسٍ

حَلَّ السُرورُ حُباهُمُ في مَجلِسٍ

لِلمَجدِ وَالعَلياءِ فيهِ مَجالِسِ

لِلمَجدِ وَالعَلياءِ فيهِ مَجالِسِ

Joy has come to rest amid their seated circle, in an assembly

Joy loosened their knee-wraps in a gathering

where glory and high honor themselves have seats.

where glory and eminence have their seats.

فَهُمُ إِذا نَظَروا الصَديقَ كَواكِبٌ

فَهُمُ إِذا نَظَروا الصَديقَ كَواكِبٌ

زُهرٌ وَإِن نَظَروا العَدُوَّ حَنادِسُ

زُهرٌ وَإِن نَظَروا العَدُوَّ حَنادِسُ

When they behold a friend, they are radiant stars;

So when they look upon a friend, they are stars,

but when they behold the enemy, they are depths of darkness.

shining; but if they look upon an enemy, they are pitch-dark nights.

أَو قيلَ تَلتَفُّ الجِيادُ بِمِثلِها

أَو قيلَ تَلتَفُّ الجِيادُ بِمِثلِها

فَهُمُ ضَراغِمُ وَالعُداةُ فَرائِسُ

فَهُمُ ضَراغِمُ وَالعُداةُ فَرائِسُ

Or when the cry goes up, “The steeds close with their equals,”

Or if it is said that steeds clash with their like,

they are lions, and their foes are prey.

then they are lions, and the foes are prey.

فَاللَيلُ مِنهُم شامِسٌ وَالصُبحُ مِن

فَاللَيلُ مِنهُم شامِسٌ وَالصُبحُ مِن

هُم دامِسٌ وَالدَهرُ مِنهُم وارِسُ

هُم دامِسٌ وَالدَهرُ مِنهُم وارِسُ

Thus night, through them, is sun-bright, while morning, because

So night, through them, is sunlit, and dawn, through

of them, is pitch-dark; and time itself is richly dyed by them.

them, is dark; and time, through them, is yellow-hued.