ماwhy مَقاميmy remaining عَلىin الهَوانِhumiliation وَعِنديwhile I have
ما مَقامي عَلى الهَوانِ وَعِندي
مِقوَلٌa tongue صارِمٌcutting وَأَنفٌand pride (literally, a nose) حَمِيُّfiercely protective of honor
مِقوَلٌ صارِمٌ وَأَنفٌ حَمِيُّ
Why should I remain in humiliation, when I have
What is my standing with disgrace while I have
a cutting tongue and fierce, unyielding pride,
A sharp saying and a haughty nose,
وَإِباءٌand defiance مُحَلِّقٌsoaring بيwith me عَنِaway from الضَيoppression (continued next line)
وَإِباءٌ مُحَلِّقٌ بي عَنِ الضَي
مِcompletes 'oppression' كَماas راغَdarted away طائِرٌa bird وَحشِيُّwild
مِ كَما راغَ طائِرٌ وَحشِيُّ
and defiance that lifts me above oppression,
And lofty refusal from the abjectness
as a wild bird darts away?
Like a wild bird that took wing and flew away.
أَيُّwhat عُذرٍexcuse لَهُfor him إِلىbefore المَجدِglory إِنif ذُلis abased (continued next line)
أَيُّ عُذرٍ لَهُ إِلى المَجدِ إِن ذُل
لَcompletes 'is abased' غُلامٌa youth فيin غِمدِهِhis scabbard المَشرَفِيُّthe Mashrafi sword
لَ غُلامٌ في غِمدِهِ المَشرَفِيُّ
What excuse has he before glory, if he is brought low—
What excuse to glory has he if he yields
a youth whose scabbard holds a Mashrafi sword?
While yet a blade in its flashing sheath.
أَلبَسُI wear الذُلَّhumiliation فيin دِيارِlands الأَعاديthe enemies
أَلبَسُ الذُلَّ في دِيارِ الأَعادي
وَبِمِصرَwhile in Egypt الخَليفَةُthe caliph العَلَوِيُّAlid
وَبِمِصرَ الخَليفَةُ العَلَوِيُّ
Shall I wear humiliation in the lands of foes,
Shall I don the garb of disgrace in the lands of foes
while in Egypt is the Alid caliph,
While in Egypt rules the descendant of the Exalted?
مَنone whose أَبوهُhis father أَبيmy father وَمَولاهُand his lord مَولاlord (continued next line)
مَن أَبوهُ أَبي وَمَولاهُ مَولا
يَmy (completes 'my lord') إِذاwhen ضامَنيwrongs me البَعيدُthe distant one القَصِيُّfar removed
يَ إِذا ضامَني البَعيدُ القَصِيُّ
whose father is my father, and whose lord is mine,
Whoever is my father, my father is his sire
when the far-off stranger wrongs me?
When the distant kinsman undertakes my cause.
لَفَّentwined عِرقيmy bloodline بِعِرقِهِwith his bloodline سَيِّداthe two lords الناhumankind (continued next line)
لَفَّ عِرقي بِعِرقِهِ سَيِّدا النا
سِcompletes 'humankind' جَميعاًall مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad وَعَلِيُّand Ali
سِ جَميعاً مُحَمَّدٌ وَعَلِيُّ
My bloodline was entwined with his by the two lords
My forefather linked his origin with the origin
of all humankind—Muhammad and Ali.
Of all the human race, Muhammad and Ali.
إِنَّindeed ذُلّيmy abasement بِذَلِكَin that الجَوِّclime عِزٌّhonor
إِنَّ ذُلّي بِذَلِكَ الجَوِّ عِزٌّ
وَأُواميand my burning thirst بِذَلِكَamid that النَقعِdust رَيُّquenched thirst
وَأُوامي بِذَلِكَ النَقعِ رَيُّ
Indeed, my abasement in that clime is honor,
My abasement with such pride is glory indeed,
and my burning thirst amid that dust is refreshment.
And my place with such outcasts is but eminence.
قَدmay يُذَلُّbe abased العَزيزُthe mighty ماso long as لَمnot يُشَمِّرhe girds himself
قَد يُذَلُّ العَزيزُ ما لَم يُشَمِّر
لِاِنطِلاقٍto set out وَقَدand may يُضامُbe wronged الأَبِيُّthe unyielding
لِاِنطِلاقٍ وَقَد يُضامُ الأَبِيُّ
The mighty may be abased unless he girds himself
The noble may be abased when he does not gird
to set out, and the unyielding may be wronged.
Himself for effort, and the ignoble exalted.
إِنَّindeed شَرّاًa bane عَلَيَّto me إِسراعُthe hastening of عَزميmy resolve
إِنَّ شَرّاً عَلَيَّ إِسراعُ عَزمي
فيin طِلابِseeking العُلىgreatness وَحَظّيwhile my fortune بَطِيُّslow
في طِلابِ العُلى وَحَظّي بَطِيُّ
Indeed, it is a bane to me that my resolve hastens
It is the greatest evil if my will's endeavor
in pursuit of greatness, while my fortune is slow.
Seeks the heights while my lot holds me back.
أَرتَضيI am content بِالأَذىwith injury وَلَمand not يَقِفِhalt العَزresolve (continued next line)
أَرتَضي بِالأَذى وَلَم يَقِفِ العَز
مُcompletes 'resolve' قُصوراًthrough weakness وَلَمand not تَعِزُّgrow scarce المَطِيُّthe mounts
مُ قُصوراً وَلَم تَعِزُّ المَطِيُّ
Shall I be content with injury—though my resolve has not faltered
I am patient with injury and my glory rests
through weakness, nor have mounts grown scarce—
Not on palace and mansion but on resolution.
كَالَّذيlike one who يَخبِطُgropes through الظَلامَthe darkness وَقَدwhile already أَقshone brightly (continued next line)
كَالَّذي يَخبِطُ الظَلامَ وَقَد أَق
مَرَcompletes 'shone brightly' مِنfrom خَلفِهِbehind him النَهارُthe day المُضِيُّradiant
مَرَ مِن خَلفِهِ النَهارُ المُضِيُّ
like one groping through darkness, though already
Like him who gropes the dark while dawn spreads
the radiant day shines from behind him?
Its light behind him and the day is clear.
Sol 6.1