تيقظ والأيام في غير نعسة

تيقظ والأيام في غير نعسة

فمنه على عين الزمان عيون

فمنه على عين الزمان عيون

He keeps vigil, while the days know no drowsiness;

He awoke, while the days were still drowsy,

so he has eyes upon the eye of Time.

With eyes over the eye of time.

ففي كل غور من مشاكل دهره

ففي كل غور من مشاكل دهره

له مرصد من رأيه وكمين

له مرصد من رأيه وكمين

For in every depth among the troubles of his time,

In every abyss of its troubles,

he has a watchpost and an ambush devised by his judgment.

He has an observatory of his opinion and an ambush.

وفي كل أمر تقتضيه شؤونه

وفي كل أمر تقتضيه شؤونه

ظهور بحسب المقتضى وبطون

ظهور بحسب المقتضى وبطون

And in every matter his affairs require,

And in every matter required by its affairs,

he emerges and withdraws as need dictates.

An appearance according to what is required, and essence.

تسابق فعل الجد أفعال رأيه

تسابق فعل الجد أفعال رأيه

فتحكم فيما كان أو سيكون

فتحكم فيما كان أو سيكون

His judgment's deeds race against the workings of fortune,

The actions of his determination race ahead of his opinion's actions,

and so pass judgment on what has been or will be.

Judging what was or will be.

تراه غضيض الطرف وهو مراقب

تراه غضيض الطرف وهو مراقب

ويرجف منه الدهر وهو سكون

ويرجف منه الدهر وهو سكون

You see him with lowered gaze, yet he keeps watch;

You see him narrow-eyed while he is watchful,

and Time trembles at him, while he is stillness itself.

And time trembles while he is still.

له بصر في ملبس الأمر نافذ

له بصر في ملبس الأمر نافذ

فيدرك كنه الأمر وهو مصون

فيدرك كنه الأمر وهو مصون

He has sight that pierces a matter's obscurity,

He has insight into the garb of matters,

so he grasps its essence, though it is kept hidden.

Grasping the essence of things while secure.

وتوحي له الحق المبين أصالة

وتوحي له الحق المبين أصالة

من الرأي فيما لا يكاد يبين

من الرأي فيما لا يكاد يبين

And the manifest truth is revealed to him by soundness

The clear truth whispers to him innately

of judgment, in what can scarcely be discerned.

Opinions on what can barely be seen.

يوافيه قبل الفكر حكم وحكمة

يوافيه قبل الفكر حكم وحكمة

إذا شاجرته في الشؤون شؤون

إذا شاجرته في الشؤون شؤون

Judgment and wisdom come to him before thought,

Wisdom and judgment come to him before thought

when, amid his affairs, matters contend with him.

When affairs clash with his affairs.

تكهنت الأفكار في فهم رأيه

تكهنت الأفكار في فهم رأيه

وأحكامها فيما استكن ظنون

وأحكامها فيما استكن ظنون

Thoughts resort to divination to fathom his judgment,

Ideas speculate on grasping his opinion,

and their judgments on what lies hidden are conjectures.

And their judgments on what suspicions harbored.

بظاهر بين الحزم والرأي جيشه

بظاهر بين الحزم والرأي جيشه

يشن له الغارات وهو قطين

يشن له الغارات وهو قطين

On open ground between resolve and judgment, his army

With the appearance of determination and opinion his army wages raids,

launches raids for him while he remains at home.

While he remains serene.

كأن غمار الدهر من حول حزمه

كأن غمار الدهر من حول حزمه

شكوك تجلى بينهن يقين

شكوك تجلى بينهن يقين

As though the depths of Time, all around his resolve,

It is as if the clouds of time around his determination

were doubts amid which certainty shone forth.

Are doubts, certainty shining between them.