قَعَدَ الراضونَ بِالذُلِّ فَقُم

قَعَدَ الراضونَ بِالذُلِّ فَقُم

إِنَّما الماضي إِذا هَمَّ عَزَم

إِنَّما الماضي إِذا هَمَّ عَزَم

Those content with humiliation have sat down; so rise.

The contented sat in humiliation, so arise!

The truly resolute man commits himself once he intends.

Only the resolute doer accomplishes when he intends.

ما مُقامي غَيرُ مُمضي نِيَّةٍ

ما مُقامي غَيرُ مُمضي نِيَّةٍ

دائِباً أَهدُرُ كَالفَحلِ السَدِم

دائِباً أَهدُرُ كَالفَحلِ السَدِم

Why do I linger, putting no purpose into effect,

My place is naught but going forth with resolve;

ceaselessly bellowing like a thwarted camel-stallion?

I constantly roar like a ragged old lion.

أَعرِضُ الآمالَ مَشفوفاً بِها

أَعرِضُ الآمالَ مَشفوفاً بِها

ثُمَّ أَنساها إِذا الخَطبُ أَلَمّ

ثُمَّ أَنساها إِذا الخَطبُ أَلَمّ

I parade my hopes, consumed by them,

I turn my hopes aside, obsessed with them,

then forget them when calamity strikes.

Then forget them when adversity pains.

طالَ لَبثي سادِراً في غُمَّةٍ

طالَ لَبثي سادِراً في غُمَّةٍ

وَقَديماً كُنتُ فَرّاجَ الغُمَم

وَقَديماً كُنتُ فَرّاجَ الغُمَم

Long have I lingered, heedless in distress,

Long has my stay been, wandering in gloom,

though once I was a dispeller of troubles.

Yet long ago I was the lamp lighter of glooms.

لا أَلومُ الهَمَّ إِن لازَمَني

لا أَلومُ الهَمَّ إِن لازَمَني

فَهُمومُ المَرءِ يَبعَثنَ الهِمَم

فَهُمومُ المَرءِ يَبعَثنَ الهِمَم

I do not blame worry if it keeps me company,

I do not blame care if it clings to me,

for a man's cares rouse his ambitions.

For a man's worries rouse his strength and zeal.

لَستُ بِالواني وَلَكِنّي فَتىً

لَستُ بِالواني وَلَكِنّي فَتىً

ظَلَمَتهُ نائِباتٌ فَاِنظَلَم

ظَلَمَتهُ نائِباتٌ فَاِنظَلَم

I am not slack, but a young man

I am not weak, but a man whom

whom calamities wronged, and who endured their injustice.

Misfortunes have wronged, so he is wronged.

وَزَمانٌ شُرَّعٌ أَنيابُهُ

وَزَمانٌ شُرَّعٌ أَنيابُهُ

أَبَداً يَعرُقُنا عَرقَ السَلَم

أَبَداً يَعرُقُنا عَرقَ السَلَم

And an age with its fangs bared

And Time has bared its fangs,

forever strips us bare as salam acacias are stripped.

Perennially making us sweat blood.

المَعازيلُ كِرامٌ عِندَهُ

المَعازيلُ كِرامٌ عِندَهُ

وَالمَناجيبُ كَمَلفوظِ العَجَم

وَالمَناجيبُ كَمَلفوظِ العَجَم

The weaponless are esteemed in its eyes,

Sinful revels are honorable to it,

while the nobly bred are like date stones spat out.

And admonitions like gibberish.

خَضَعَ الدَهرُ لَنا ثُمَّ نَبا

خَضَعَ الدَهرُ لَنا ثُمَّ نَبا

وَكَذا الدَهرُ إِذا سافَ عَذَم

وَكَذا الدَهرُ إِذا سافَ عَذَم

Time bowed to us, then turned away;

Fate humbled itself before us, then rebelled,

and such is Time: when it sniffs, it bites.

Thus is the wont of fate, should it grow harsh.

أَنا مِن أَبنائِهِ في مَعشَرٍ

أَنا مِن أَبنائِهِ في مَعشَرٍ

يَتَواصونَ بِإِخفارِ الذِمَم

يَتَواصونَ بِإِخفارِ الذِمَم

I am one of its sons, among a company

I am one of its sons, among a folk

who counsel one another to violate their pledges.

Who plot to subdue lofty souls.

إِن طَواني الغَيبُ عَن أَلحاظِهِم

إِن طَواني الغَيبُ عَن أَلحاظِهِم

مَزَقّوا عِرضِيَ تَمزيقَ الأَدَم

مَزَقّوا عِرضِيَ تَمزيقَ الأَدَم

If absence hides me from their eyes,

If absence has veiled me from their eyes,

they shred my honor as hides are shredded.

They shred my honor like shreds of skin.

لا يُلاقونِيَ إِلّا خائِضاً

لا يُلاقونِيَ إِلّا خائِضاً

أَخطُمُ الأَقوالَ مِنهُم وَأَزُمّ

أَخطُمُ الأَقوالَ مِنهُم وَأَزُمّ

They never encounter me except in the fray;

They meet me only argumentative,

I bridle their words and rein them in.

Mouthing insults, and I am muzzled.

إِن تَراني مُطرِقاً عَن سَورَةٍ

إِن تَراني مُطرِقاً عَن سَورَةٍ

كَقُبوعِ الصِلِّ أُغضي وَأُرِمّ

كَقُبوعِ الصِلِّ أُغضي وَأُرِمّ

If you see me bow my head, holding back my fury,

If you see me silent and aloof,

like a viper lying low, I lower my eyes and keep silent.

Like cooling embers, I smolder and glow.

فَهُمومي ساعِياتٌ جُهدَها

فَهُمومي ساعِياتٌ جُهدَها

لَيسَ كُلُّ السَعيِ يَوماً بِالقَدَم

لَيسَ كُلُّ السَعيِ يَوماً بِالقَدَم

For my cares strive with all their strength;

My cares are ever active, their effort

not all striving is done on foot.

Not every day a forward step.

قَد يُجيبُ العِزُّ مَن أَقعَدَهُ

قَد يُجيبُ العِزُّ مَن أَقعَدَهُ

عَن طِلابِ العِزِّ خَوفٌ وَعَدَم

عَن طِلابِ العِزِّ خَوفٌ وَعَدَم

Honor may answer one whom

Glory may answer one it has laid low,

fear and poverty have kept from seeking honor.

Fear and lack bar seekers of glory.

وَيُجيبُ الطالِبَ المُثري وَقَد

وَيُجيبُ الطالِبَ المُثري وَقَد

يُدرِكُ الشَأوَ أَخو العَجزِ الهَرِم

يُدرِكُ الشَأوَ أَخو العَجزِ الهَرِم

It answers the wealthy seeker too; and sometimes

Yet the insistent seeker may attain it,

the feeble old man reaches the goal.

Or one whose vigor rivals the elderly's.

أَبقَتِ الأَيّامُ مِنّي صَعدَةً

أَبقَتِ الأَيّامُ مِنّي صَعدَةً

تَزبُنُ العاجِمَ عَنها إِن عَجَم

تَزبُنُ العاجِمَ عَنها إِن عَجَم

The days have left of me a straight spear-shaft

Time has left in me a mettle

that repels its tester if he tests it.

That turns back the un-Arabic speaker if he's un-Arabic.

وَإِذا زَعزَعَها الدَهرُ سَمَت

وَإِذا زَعزَعَها الدَهرُ سَمَت

لَدنَةً تَنمي عَلى طولِ القِدَم

لَدنَةً تَنمي عَلى طولِ القِدَم

And when Time shakes it, it rises,

And if Fate shakes it, it will grow

supple, still growing despite its long age.

Supple, lengthening with the stretches of Time.

لَستَ لِلزَهراءِ إِن لَم تَرَها

لَستَ لِلزَهراءِ إِن لَم تَرَها

كَوُعولِ الهَضبِ يَعجُمنَ اللُجُم

كَوُعولِ الهَضبِ يَعجُمنَ اللُجُم

You are not of al-Zahra unless you see them

You are no man for the blossoms if you have not seen them

like ibex on the heights, biting their bridles.

Like the roar of plateau winds confusing the thickets.

تُستَجَنُّ البيدُ مِن فُرسانِها

تُستَجَنُّ البيدُ مِن فُرسانِها

بَينَ بَغدادٍ إِلى أَرضِ الحَرَم

بَينَ بَغدادٍ إِلى أَرضِ الحَرَم

The deserts are veiled by their horsemen,

The land is emptied of its horsemen,

from Baghdad to the land of the Sanctuary,

From Baghdad to the sacred precincts.

بِعَجاجٍ يَملَأُ الأُفقَ دُجىً

بِعَجاجٍ يَملَأُ الأُفقَ دُجىً

وَطِعانٍ يَخضُبُ الأَرضَ بِدَم

وَطِعانٍ يَخضُبُ الأَرضَ بِدَم

with dust that fills the horizon with darkness,

With neighs filling the horizon with darkness

and lance-thrusts that dye the earth with blood.

And spear-thrusts dyeing the earth with blood.

شُرَّعاً تَفتَرُّ عَن أَعناقِها

شُرَّعاً تَفتَرُّ عَن أَعناقِها

قُلَلُ القورِ وَغيطانُ الأَكَم

قُلَلُ القورِ وَغيطانُ الأَكَم

With necks thrust forward, they are revealed as

With heads tossing off the summits,

the summits of mesas and the hollows of hillocks part.

And flanks shaking off the robe's hem.

كَالرَدى أَقدَمَ وَالغَيثُ هَمى

كَالرَدى أَقدَمَ وَالغَيثُ هَمى

وَالدُجى طَبَّقَ وَالسَيلُ هَجَم

وَالدُجى طَبَّقَ وَالسَيلُ هَجَم

Like death advancing and rain pouring down,

They came like calamity, and the rain poured down,

and darkness enveloping all, and a torrent rushing in,

The darkness gathered, and the torrents rushed.

حامِلاتٍ كُلَّ غَضبانٍ بِهِ

حامِلاتٍ كُلَّ غَضبانٍ بِهِ

مِن لِمامِ الغَيظِ مَسٌّ وَلَمَم

مِن لِمامِ الغَيظِ مَسٌّ وَلَمَم

bearing every wrathful man who has in him

Bearing every enraged man

a touch of rage's frenzy and a fit of madness.

With a burning glance and twisted lips.

كَالصُقورِ الغُلبِ أَلحاظُهُمُ

كَالصُقورِ الغُلبِ أَلحاظُهُمُ

كَالجُذى يَلمَعنَ مِن خَلفِ اللُثَم

كَالجُذى يَلمَعنَ مِن خَلفِ اللُثَم

Like thick-necked falcons, their glances

Their glances like hungry falcons -

flash like firebrands from behind their face-veils.

Gleaming behind the visors.

بَدَّدوا ما جَمَعَ البَأسُ لَهُم

بَدَّدوا ما جَمَعَ البَأسُ لَهُم

بِأَنابيبِ العَوالي في الكَرَم

بِأَنابيبِ العَوالي في الكَرَم

They scattered what valor had gathered for them

They demolished what the valiant horde had built

with the shafts of long spears, in generosity.

With lofty pillars and generosity.

لَستُ بِالعاذِرِ جَدّي إِن هَوى

لَستُ بِالعاذِرِ جَدّي إِن هَوى

وَجُدودي في العُلى أَعلى الأُمَم

وَجُدودي في العُلى أَعلى الأُمَم

I will not excuse my fortune if it falls,

I will not offer excuses, ardently in love,

while my forefathers are highest among peoples in glory.

My ancestors the highest of nations.

وَبَناني خُلِقَت أَطرافُها

وَبَناني خُلِقَت أَطرافُها

عَقِباً لِلرُمحِ طَوراً وَالقَلَم

عَقِباً لِلرُمحِ طَوراً وَالقَلَم

And the tips of my fingers were created

My fingers were created to flank

as sinew bindings, now for the spear, now for the pen.

The spearpoint as well as the pen.

لا يُرى مِثلِيَ إِلّا طالِباً

لا يُرى مِثلِيَ إِلّا طالِباً

ذُروَةَ المِنبَرِ أَو قَعرَ الرَجَم

ذُروَةَ المِنبَرِ أَو قَعرَ الرَجَم

One like me is seen only seeking

None are seen like me but either seeking

the pulpit's summit or the depths of a stone-marked grave,

The dais' pinnacle or the pit's depth.

طامِحَ الرَأسِ عَلى أَعوادِهِ

طامِحَ الرَأسِ عَلى أَعوادِهِ

أَو عَلى عالِيَةِ الرُمحِ الأَصَمّ

أَو عَلى عالِيَةِ الرُمحِ الأَصَمّ

his head held high upon its timbers,

Aiming at the heads atop its poles,

or upon the tip of the solid spear.

Or the tall spearshafts' points.

خُطَّةٌ إِمّا عَلاءً أَو رَدىً

خُطَّةٌ إِمّا عَلاءً أَو رَدىً

مُعجِلي أَن أَقرَعَ السِنَّ النَدَم

مُعجِلي أَن أَقرَعَ السِنَّ النَدَم

A course: either exaltation or death;

A strategy - either glorious or repelled,

tooth-gnashing remorse is what spurs me on.

My white hairs urging me to regret.

بِن مِنَ الناسِ بِعِزٍّ وَعُلىً

بِن مِنَ الناسِ بِعِزٍّ وَعُلىً

سَتُساويهِم غَداً بَينَ الرِمَم

سَتُساويهِم غَداً بَينَ الرِمَم

Stand apart from people in honor and eminence;

I was born of men with glory and eminence-

tomorrow you will be their equal among mouldering remains.

Tomorrow their equals will be rubble.

هَبنِيَ الرُمحَ بِكَفَّي فارِسٍ

هَبنِيَ الرُمحَ بِكَفَّي فارِسٍ

بَطَلٍ أَكرَهَهُ حَتّى اِنحَطَم

بَطَلٍ أَكرَهَهُ حَتّى اِنحَطَم

Imagine me as the spear in a horseman's hands,

It brought me the spear in the grip of a horseman,

a hero who strained it until it shattered.

A hero who forced me until I broke.

هَبنِيَ العَضبَ ذَليقاً حَدُّهُ

هَبنِيَ العَضبَ ذَليقاً حَدُّهُ

ثَلَّمَ البيضَ ضِراباً وَاِنثَلَم

ثَلَّمَ البيضَ ضِراباً وَاِنثَلَم

Imagine me as the keen sword, its edge sharp,

It brought me the supple blade whose edge

which notched helmets with its blows, and was itself notched.

Has slit the egg with its blows and split it open.

أَتُراني دونَ مَن رامَ العُلى

أَتُراني دونَ مَن رامَ العُلى

في اللَيالي مِنذُ عادٍ وَإِرَم

في اللَيالي مِنذُ عادٍ وَإِرَم

Do you think me beneath those who sought greatness

Can you see me, except as one who sought the heights

through the nights since 'Ad and Iram?

On nights that have passed since `Ad and Iram?

وَدَنيٌّ ضارِعٌ عَن أَمرِهِ

وَدَنيٌّ ضارِعٌ عَن أَمرِهِ

أَخَذَ العُربَ بِتيجانِ العَجَم

أَخَذَ العُربَ بِتيجانِ العَجَم

And a lowly, abject man, at his bidding,

I am near, contending for my right,

has seized the Arabs with the crowns of the Persians.

Seizing the Arabs' diadems for myself.

كَم أَبٍ لي جَدَّ في إِحرازِها

كَم أَبٍ لي جَدَّ في إِحرازِها

يَحرُقُ النابَ عَليها وَاِبنِ عَمّ

يَحرُقُ النابَ عَليها وَاِبنِ عَمّ

How many a forefather of mine strove to secure it,

How many fathers have I, ancestors who burned

gnashing his fang for it—and how many a cousin!

To win it, their sons and nephews!

طَلَبوها فَهَوى بَعضُهُمُ

طَلَبوها فَهَوى بَعضُهُمُ

وَرَمى بَعضٌ إِلَيها فَغَنِم

وَرَمى بَعضٌ إِلَيها فَغَنِم

They sought it: some of them fell,

Some craved it and were abased,

and some aimed for it, and so won.

Some aspired to it and triumphed.

صَبَروا فيها عَلى كُلِّ أَذى

صَبَروا فيها عَلى كُلِّ أَذى

وَلَقوا مِن دونِها كُلَّ أَلَم

وَلَقوا مِن دونِها كُلَّ أَلَم

For it they endured every hurt,

They were patient under every harm because of it,

and met every pain before reaching it.

And met all agony apart from it.

إِن يَكُن مُلكٌ فَمِثلي نالَهُ

إِن يَكُن مُلكٌ فَمِثلي نالَهُ

أَو يَكُن حَتفٌ فَإِنّي لَم أُلَم

أَو يَكُن حَتفٌ فَإِنّي لَم أُلَم

If it is kingship, one like me has attained it;

If it be a kingdom, then one like me has gained it;

or if it is death, I am free of blame.

If it be death, then I have not felt pain.

إِنَّما يَهلِكُ مِنّي ماجِدٌ

إِنَّما يَهلِكُ مِنّي ماجِدٌ

يولِغُ السَيفَ عَراقيبَ النَعَم

يولِغُ السَيفَ عَراقيبَ النَعَم

It is a noble man who perishes in me,

Only a death in glory destroys me -

who makes the sword lap at camels' hocks,

One who reddens the swords' blades with delight.

ناقِصُ الأَموالِ في بَذلِ النَدى

ناقِصُ الأَموالِ في بَذلِ النَدى

زائِدُ الخَطوِ إِلى ضَربِ القِمَم

زائِدُ الخَطوِ إِلى ضَربِ القِمَم

diminishing his wealth in the giving of bounty,

Lavish, expending generosities,

lengthening his stride toward striking heads.

Ever rising to the summits' ridge.

نَحنُ قَومٌ قَسَمَ اللَهُ لَنا

نَحنُ قَومٌ قَسَمَ اللَهُ لَنا

بِالرَزايا وَرَضينا بِالقَسَم

بِالرَزايا وَرَضينا بِالقَسَم

We are a people to whom God allotted

We are a people whom God allotted

calamities, and we were content with our lot.

Humiliations, and we consented to the decree.

إِنَّما قَصَّرَ مِن آجالِنا

إِنَّما قَصَّرَ مِن آجالِنا

أَنَّنا نَأنَفُ مِن مَوتِ الهَرَم

أَنَّنا نَأنَفُ مِن مَوتِ الهَرَم

What shortened our lifespans was only

Only our lifespans fell short

our disdain for dying of old age.

Because we disdain to die of old age.

نِصفُ عَيشِ المَرءِ حُلمٌ وَالَّذي

نِصفُ عَيشِ المَرءِ حُلمٌ وَالَّذي

يَعقِلُ العاقِلُ مِنهُ كَالحُلُم

يَعقِلُ العاقِلُ مِنهُ كَالحُلُم

Half a man's life is a dream; and what

Half a person's life is dream, and the

the wise man understands of it is like a dream.

Reasonable man realizes it's like a dream.