السيفthe sword والحُجَّةand the argument الغراءُresplendent قدindeed شهداhave both borne witness
السيف والحُجَّة الغراءُ قد شهدا
لناصرfor Nasir الدينal-Din (the faith) بالإقدامto daring والظَّفرِand victory
لناصر الدين بالإقدام والظَّفرِ
The sword and the resplendent argument have both borne witness
The sword and eloquence, radiant witnesses
To Nasir al-Din’s daring and victory.
To Nasir al-Din's valor and triumph.
تُقطِّرُfells الفارسthe horseman المشهورrenowned فتكتُهُhis deadly assault
تُقطِّرُ الفارس المشهور فتكتُهُ
فيهupon him ويصطلمand he overwhelms الأحبارَthe scholars فيin النَّظرِdebate
فيه ويصطلم الأحبارَ في النَّظرِ
The renowned horseman is felled by his deadly assault
The renowned knight makes his swords drip
Upon him; and in debate he overwhelms the scholars.
With bloodshed, while the monks gaze askance.
مُستشعرٌinwardly imbued لتُقىwith reverence for الرحمنthe Merciful يُسهرهkeeps him awake
مُستشعرٌ لتُقى الرحمن يُسهره
كَرُّrepetition of الصلاةprayer ودرسand study of الآيthe verses والسُّورand the surahs
كَرُّ الصلاة ودرس الآي والسُّور
Imbued with reverence for the Merciful, he is kept awake
Devoted to the Piety of the Merciful, he keeps vigil;
By repeated prayer and study of the verses and surahs.
Reciting prayers, verses and surahs.
يرىhe sees الحوادثَevents والأيامَand the days سائرةًpassing
يرى الحوادثَ والأيامَ سائرةً
بعينwith the eye of يقظانa wakeful man بالتَّوحيدthrough belief in God’s oneness مُعْتبرِtaking heed
بعين يقظان بالتَّوحيد مُعْتبرِ
He watches events and days passing
He sees events and days go by
With a wakeful man’s eye, taking heed through belief in God’s oneness.
With wakeful eyes, contemplating Divine Oneness.
دليلهُhis proof فيin نفوسِthe souls of اللُّدِّstubborn disputants سُرتهُits core (literally, its navel)
دليلهُ في نفوسِ اللُّدِّ سُرتهُ
كرمحهlike his spear فيin نحورthe upper chests of الصيدthe proud chiefs والثُّغَرِand the throat-hollows
كرمحه في نحور الصيد والثُّغَرِ
The core of his proof lies in the souls of stubborn disputants,
To obstinate souls his proof is his zeal,
Like his spear in the breasts and throat-hollows of proud chiefs.
Like his spear toward the prey and the battle lines.
فخصمهُthus his opponent أبداًalways ماemphatic particle بينbetween مُنْقطعٍone silenced
فخصمهُ أبداً ما بين مُنْقطعٍ
يرىhe regards فصاحتهhis eloquence عِيّاًas inarticulacy ومُنْعَفِرِand one cast down in dust
يرى فصاحته عِيّاً ومُنْعَفِرِ
Thus his opponent is always either silenced—
His adversary remains forever disconnected,
Deeming his eloquence mere inarticulacy—or cast down in the dust.
Seeing his eloquence useless and enraged.
خشونةٌa sternness لاnot يطولُgains ascendancy الجبرؤُتُtyranny بهاthrough it
خشونةٌ لا يطولُ الجبرؤُتُ بها
ولِينةٌand a gentleness كرُمتْtoo noble عنfor رقَّةِthe softness of الخورِweakness
ولِينةٌ كرُمتْ عن رقَّةِ الخورِ
A sternness through which tyranny gains no ascendancy,
A harshness, with which arrogance cannot long persist,
And a gentleness too noble for the softness of weakness.
And a gentleness, nobler than the tenderness of youth.
وأينand where مِثْلٌan equal لمسعودٍfor Mas‘ud وهمَّتِهِand his resolve
وأين مِثْلٌ لمسعودٍ وهمَّتِهِ
فيamong العربthe Arabs والعجمand non-Arabs أوor فيamong البدوthe nomads والحضرِand settled folk
في العرب والعجم أو في البدو والحضرِ
And where is a match for Mas‘ud and his lofty resolve,
And who is equal to Saoud in resolve and ambition
Among Arabs and non-Arabs, or among nomads and settled folk?
Among Arabs or Persians, nomads or townspeople?
Sol 6.1