قَصَدتُ العُلى وَالمَكرُماتُ سَبيلُ

قَصَدتُ العُلى وَالمَكرُماتُ سَبيلُ

وَطُلّابُها لَولا الكِرامُ قَليلُ

وَطُلّابُها لَولا الكِرامُ قَليلُ

I sought eminence, and noble deeds are the path.

I aspired to greatness and noble deeds though

And but for the noble, its seekers would be few.

The seekers of them are few, were it not for the generous.

وَكُلُّ فَتىً لا يَطلُبُ المَجدَ أَعزَلٌ

وَكُلُّ فَتىً لا يَطلُبُ المَجدَ أَعزَلٌ

وَكُلُّ عَزيزٍ لا يَجودُ ذَليلُ

وَكُلُّ عَزيزٍ لا يَجودُ ذَليلُ

And every young man who does not seek glory is unarmed.

Every young man without ambition is ineffective,

And every mighty man who is not generous is lowly.

And every noble man who does not give is lowly.

صَبَغتُ الأَماني بِالمَعالي فَلَم تَحُل

صَبَغتُ الأَماني بِالمَعالي فَلَم تَحُل

عَلى أَنَّ أَلوانَ الظُنونِ تَحولُ

عَلى أَنَّ أَلوانَ الظُنونِ تَحولُ

I dyed my hopes with lofty deeds, and they did not fade,

I dyed my hopes with glory but they did not come true,

Although the colors of conjecture change.

For dreams and fancies shift color and wander.

فَأَينَ كَموسى وَالرِماحُ شَوارِعٌ

فَأَينَ كَموسى وَالرِماحُ شَوارِعٌ

إِلى الطَعنِ وَالبيضُ الرِقاقُ تَجولُ

إِلى الطَعنِ وَالبيضُ الرِقاقُ تَجولُ

Where, then, is one like Musa, when the spears are leveled

Where is one like Moses when spears fill the streets

For thrusting, and the slender white blades sweep about?

And unsheathed swords roam around?

إِذا جَرَّ أَذيالَ العَوالي لِمَعرَكٍ

إِذا جَرَّ أَذيالَ العَوالي لِمَعرَكٍ

فَإِنَّ جَلابيبَ التُرابِ ذُيولُ

فَإِنَّ جَلابيبَ التُرابِ ذُيولُ

When he trails the skirts of long spears into battle,

When the hems of glory are dragged into battle,

Then cloaks of dust are their trailing hems.

The dusty robes of earth become its train.

أَخو عَزَماتٍ لا يُكَفكِفُ عَزمَهُ

أَخو عَزَماتٍ لا يُكَفكِفُ عَزمَهُ

حِذارُ الأَعادي وَالدِماءُ تَسيلُ

حِذارُ الأَعادي وَالدِماءُ تَسيلُ

A man of firm resolves, whose resolve is not checked

A brother of resolves whose determination never wavers,

By fear of foes, while blood flows.

Wary of enemies while blood flows.

وَلا يَستَكِنُّ الرَوعُ في طَيِّ قَلبِهِ

وَلا يَستَكِنُّ الرَوعُ في طَيِّ قَلبِهِ

وَلا يَصحَبُ الصَمصامَ وَهوَ كَليلُ

وَلا يَصحَبُ الصَمصامَ وَهوَ كَليلُ

Nor does terror lurk in the folds of his heart,

Neither fear dwells in his brave heart,

Nor does he bear the keen sword while he is weary.

Nor does he befriend the sword while weak.

فَكُلُّ فَلاةٍ مِن نَوالِكَ لِجَّةٌ

فَكُلُّ فَلاةٍ مِن نَوالِكَ لِجَّةٌ

وَكُلُّ مَكانٍ مِن رِماحِكَ غيلُ

وَكُلُّ مَكانٍ مِن رِماحِكَ غيلُ

So every desert, through your bounty, is a deep sea,

Every desolate place your hand reaches is a refuge,

And every place, through your spears, is a thicket.

And wherever your spears strike is home.