يسعى أناسُ لكيما يُدركوك ولو

يسعى أناسُ لكيما يُدركوك ولو

خاضوا بحارَك أو ضحضاحها غرقوا

خاضوا بحارَك أو ضحضاحها غرقوا

Some men strive to overtake you, though even if

People strive to match you, yet even if

they waded into your seas—or their shallows—they would drown.

they waded into your seas or their shallows, they would drown.

وأنت في الحربِ لا رثُّ القُوى بَرِمٌ

وأنت في الحربِ لا رثُّ القُوى بَرِمٌ

عند اللقاءِ ولا رعديدةٌ فرِق

عند اللقاءِ ولا رعديدةٌ فرِق

In war, you are neither weak in strength nor weary

And in war you are neither feeble in strength nor fretful

at the encounter, nor a trembling, fearful coward.

at the encounter, nor a trembling, fearful coward.

كلُّ الخلال التي يسعى الكرامُ لها

كلُّ الخلال التي يسعى الكرامُ لها

إن يمدحوك بها يوماً فقد صَدقوا

إن يمدحوك بها يوماً فقد صَدقوا

Every virtue for which noble men strive—

All the virtues for which the noble strive—

if one day they praise you for it, they have spoken truly.

if they praise you for them one day, they have spoken truly.

سادَ العراقَ فحالُ الناسِ صالحةٌ

سادَ العراقَ فحالُ الناسِ صالحةٌ

وسادَهم وزمانُ الناس مُنخرِق

وسادَهم وزمانُ الناس مُنخرِق

He ruled Iraq, and the people’s condition prospered;

He held sway over Iraq, and so the people's condition was sound;

he ruled them when the age of men was torn asunder.

and held sway over them while their times were torn apart.

لا خارجيُّ ولا مستحدث شرفاً

لا خارجيُّ ولا مستحدث شرفاً

بل مجد آل شهابٍ كان مُذ خُلِقوا

بل مجد آل شهابٍ كان مُذ خُلِقوا

His honor is neither alien nor newly acquired;

He is no upstart, nor newly risen to honor;

rather, the glory of the house of Shihab has endured since they were created.

rather, the glory of the house of Shihab has existed since they were created.