تَقيَّلَ أخْلاقَ أشْياخِهِ

تَقيَّلَ أخْلاقَ أشْياخِهِ

بني المجدِ والشَّرفِ المُشْتَهِرْ

بني المجدِ والشَّرفِ المُشْتَهِرْ

He modeled himself on the virtues of his forebears—

He emulated the virtues of his elders,

scions of glory and far-famed honor:

sons of glory and renowned nobility,

ليوثُ النِّزال غيوثُ النَّوالِ

ليوثُ النِّزال غيوثُ النَّوالِ

اذا طَرقَ الحيِّ رَوْعٌ وضُرْ

اذا طَرقَ الحيِّ رَوْعٌ وضُرْ

lions in battle, rainclouds of bounty,

lions in battle, rains of bounty,

when terror and affliction fell upon the tribe.

when terror and hardship visit the clan by night.

فأدرَكَ ما أدركوا يافِعاً

فأدرَكَ ما أدركوا يافِعاً

ولم يرضَ ذلك حتى أبَرْ

ولم يرضَ ذلك حتى أبَرْ

Still a youth, he attained all that they attained,

Thus, still a youth, he attained what they had attained,

and would not rest content until he outdid

and was not content with that until he surpassed them.

من العاقرينَ صَفايا العِشارِ

من العاقرينَ صَفايا العِشارِ

اذا أخْمدَ النارَ جَدْبٌ وقُرْ

اذا أخْمدَ النارَ جَدْبٌ وقُرْ

those who slaughter the choicest ten-month she-camels

Among those who slaughter the choicest she-camels in their tenth month of pregnancy,

when drought and cold have quenched the fire.

when drought and bitter cold extinguish the fire.

أغَرُّ اذا دَجَتِ الحادثاتُ

أغَرُّ اذا دَجَتِ الحادثاتُ

جَلا ليلهُنَّ برأيٍ أغَرْ

جَلا ليلهُنَّ برأيٍ أغَرْ

Radiant, when calamities deepened into darkness,

Radiant—when calamities grow dark,

he dispelled their night with radiant judgment.

he dispels their night with radiant counsel.

يُشمَّرُ للمجدِ عن ساقِهِ

يُشمَّرُ للمجدِ عن ساقِهِ

ويسحبُ في الحلم فضْلَ الأُزُرْ

ويسحبُ في الحلم فضْلَ الأُزُرْ

For glory he bares his leg and girds himself,

For glory, his shin is laid bare,

yet in forbearance lets his robe’s ample hem trail.

and in forbearance he trails the long hems of his waistcloths.

ويمضي اذا أحْجَمَ الدَّارعونَ

ويمضي اذا أحْجَمَ الدَّارعونَ

واِنْ طاشَ عِطفُ حليمٍ وقَرْ

واِنْ طاشَ عِطفُ حليمٍ وقَرْ

He advances when armored warriors draw back,

He advances when the armored warriors hold back,

and though a forbearing man’s composure fail, he remains steadfast.

and even if a forbearing man's frame reels, he remains composed.

ولا يمْنحُ العُذرَ ضيفانَهُ

ولا يمْنحُ العُذرَ ضيفانَهُ

ولكنْ اذا هو جادَ اعتْذرْ

ولكنْ اذا هو جادَ اعتْذرْ

He offers his guests no excuses;

Nor does he offer his guests excuses,

but when he has given freely, he still apologizes.

but when he gives generously, he apologizes.

فلا أعْثَرَ الدهرُ جَدَّ الوزيرِ

فلا أعْثَرَ الدهرُ جَدَّ الوزيرِ

فنِعْمَ المَلاذُ ونِعْمَ الوَزَرْ

فنِعْمَ المَلاذُ ونِعْمَ الوَزَرْ

May Time never cause the vizier’s fortune to stumble—

So may Time never cause the vizier's fortune to stumble,

how excellent a refuge, how excellent a bulwark!

for what a fine haven he is, and what a fine refuge!