قَسَمَhe apportioned الزَّمانَtime عَلىamong البِلادِthe lands وَلَمand did not يَقُمstand
قَسَمَ الزَّمانَ عَلى البِلادِ وَلَم يَقُم
للوَقتfor the time يَرصُدُهُwatching it وَيَحسُبُand counting بِاليَدِby hand
للوَقت يَرصُدُهُ وَيَحسُبُ بِاليَدِ
He apportioned time among the lands, and did not stand
Time divided the countries and did not stand
watching for the hour and counting on his fingers.
To watch it and count it with the hand
لماwhen حَوىenveloped الرُّومَthe Romans الشِّتاءُwinter رَمىhe hurled بِهاwith them
لما حَوى الرُّومَ الشِّتاءُ رَمى بِها
عرضَacross the breadth of الفِجاجِthe passes إِلىtoward المغارِthe raiding ground الأَبعَدِthe farthest
عرضَ الفِجاجِ إِلى المغارِ الأَبعَدِ
When winter enveloped the Romans, he sent them forth
When winter took Rome, it threw it
across the broad passes toward the farthest raiding ground.
To the breadth of the crevices, to the farthest cave
يَأويhe takes shelter إِلىat قُطْبِthe pole of الجَنُوبِthe south إِذاwhen شَتاhe winters
يَأوي إِلى قُطْبِ الجَنُوبِ إِذا شَتا
وَيَصيفُand he summers حينَwhen يَصيفُhe summers تَحتَbeneath الفَرقَدِal-Farqad, a northern star
وَيَصيفُ حينَ يَصيفُ تَحتَ الفَرقَدِ
He takes shelter at the southern pole in winter,
It takes refuge in the south pole when it wishes
and when he summers, he summers beneath al-Farqad.
And spends summer when summer is under the quilt
نِعمَexcellent is الخَليفَةُthe caliph لِلرَّعِيَّةِfor the subjects مَنone who إِذاwhen
نِعمَ الخَليفَةُ لِلرَّعِيَّةِ مَن إِذا
رَقَدَتthey slept وَطابَand became sweet لَهاto them الكَرىslumber لَمdid not يَرقُدِsleep
رَقَدَت وَطابَ لَها الكَرى لَم يَرقُدِ
An excellent caliph for his subjects is one who, when
How good the caliph is to the flock, who when
they sleep and slumber is sweet to them, does not sleep.
They fell asleep and rest came to them, he did not sleep
Sol 6.1