لَمّاwhen رَأَيتَyou saw جُنودَarmies الجَهلِignorance غالِبَةًprevailing
لَمّا رَأَيتَ جُنودَ الجَهلِ غالِبَةً
وَالناسَand the people فيin مِثلِthe likeness of شَدقِthe jaws of الضَيغَمِthe lion الضاريravening
وَالناسَ في مِثلِ شَدقِ الضَيغَمِ الضاري
When you saw the armies of ignorance prevailing,
and the people as though in the jaws of a ravening lion,
نَهَضتَyou rose تَكتُمُyou conceal فيin بُردَيكَyour two cloaks سابِغَةًa full-length coat of mail
نَهَضتَ تَكتُمُ في بُردَيكَ سابِغَةً
لِفَيلَقٍto face an army كَنُجومِlike the stars of اللَيلِthe night جَرّارِvast
لِفَيلَقٍ كَنُجومِ اللَيلِ جَرّارِ
you rose, hiding a full-length coat of mail beneath your two cloaks,
to face a vast army like the stars of night.
وَالحُرُّand the noble man تُنهِضُهُrouses him إِمّاeither شَجاعَتُهُhis courage
وَالحُرُّ تُنهِضُهُ إِمّا شَجاعَتُهُ
إِلىto المُلِمِّcalamity وَإِمّاor خَشيَةُfear of العارِdisgrace
إِلى المُلِمِّ وَإِمّا خَشيَةُ العارِ
And a noble man is roused either by his courage
to meet calamity, or by fear of disgrace.
Sol 6.1