فَإنْ تَكُ جَارَيْتَ الظِّلالَ فَرُبَّما

فَإنْ تَكُ جَارَيْتَ الظِّلالَ فَرُبَّما

سُبِقْتَ ويَوْمُ القِرْنِ عُرْيان أَسْنَعُ

سُبِقْتَ ويَوْمُ القِرْنِ عُرْيان أَسْنَعُ

So if you have raced the shadows, perhaps

If you choose to befriend the shadows, you may be outrun

you were outstripped—and the day of facing a foe stands naked and towering.

And on the day of battle find yourself poorly armed

وَخَلَّيْتَ إِخْوانَ الصَّفاءِ كَأَنهَّمْ

وَخَلَّيْتَ إِخْوانَ الصَّفاءِ كَأَنهَّمْ

ذَبائِحُ عَنْزِ أَوْ فَحيِلٌ مُصَرَّعُ

ذَبائِحُ عَنْزِ أَوْ فَحيِلٌ مُصَرَّعُ

And you abandoned your loyal brothers, as though they were

You would forsake the brethren of purity as though they were

slaughtered goats, or a stud laid low.

Sacrificial lambs or a pierced necklace

تُبَكِّيهم ُشَجْوَ الحَمامَةِ بَعْدَما

تُبَكِّيهم ُشَجْوَ الحَمامَةِ بَعْدَما

أَرَحْتَ ولَمْ تُرْفَع لَهُمْ مِنْكَ إِصْبَعُ

أَرَحْتَ ولَمْ تُرْفَع لَهُمْ مِنْكَ إِصْبَعُ

You bewail them with the dove's sorrow, after

And make them weep with the cooing of a dove after

you took your ease, though not a finger of yours was raised for them.

You have rested, without raising a finger for them

فَهذِي ثَلاثٌ قدْ حَوَيْتَ نَجاتَها

فَهذِي ثَلاثٌ قدْ حَوَيْتَ نَجاتَها

وإنْ تَنْجُ أخْرىَ فَهْيَ عِندْكَ أرْبَعُ

وإنْ تَنْجُ أخْرىَ فَهْيَ عِندْكَ أرْبَعُ

So these are three times you have secured your escape;

So you have contained the salvation of these three

and if you escape another, that makes four for you.

And if you save another, for you it will be four