وذي أربع كخوافي العُقَاب

وذي أربع كخوافي العُقَاب

يطيرُ بها السبق عن حلبَتِه

يطيرُ بها السبق عن حلبَتِه

And a steed with four legs like an eagle’s inner flight feathers,

With four like the claws of an eagle

On them, victory flies away from his fellow racers.

He flies, outstripping the race from its course

كأنّ الصَّبا قُيّدَتْ خَلْفَهُ

كأنّ الصَّبا قُيّدَتْ خَلْفَهُ

مُقَصّرَةً عن مدى وثبته

مُقَصّرَةً عن مدى وثبته

As though the east wind were fettered behind him,

As though the breeze were chained behind him

Falling short of the reach of his leap.

Falling short of his reach and leap

تَرى اللّيلَ يُغْمَسُ في وَجْهه

تَرى اللّيلَ يُغْمَسُ في وَجْهه

ويَبتَسِمُ الصبحُ من غُرّتِه

ويَبتَسِمُ الصبحُ من غُرّتِه

You see night plunged into his face,

You see the night immersed in his face

And dawn smiles from his white forehead-blaze.

And the dawn smiles from his excitement

يقدّمُهُ للوغى مِحْرَبٌ

يقدّمُهُ للوغى مِحْرَبٌ

كأنّ الغَضنْفَرَ في نَثْلَته

كأنّ الغَضنْفَرَ في نَثْلَته

A seasoned warrior urges him into battle,

He offers it to the fray, a warrior

As though a lion were inside his coat of mail.

As though valor were in his constitution

كأنّ المَدى منهُ في قبضَةٍ

كأنّ المَدى منهُ في قبضَةٍ

فإيّاكَ إيّاكَ من قبضته

فإيّاكَ إيّاكَ من قبضته

As though all distance lay within his grasp—

As though the horizon were in his grip

So beware, beware of his grasp!

Beware, beware his grip

بأزْرَقَ في أسمرٍ لم يَزَلْ

بأزْرَقَ في أسمرٍ لم يَزَلْ

دمُ الذِّمْرِ كالكحلِ في زرقته

دمُ الذِّمْرِ كالكحلِ في زرقته

With a blue spearhead in a brown shaft, where still

With a blueness in a brown that never fades

The brave man’s blood lies like kohl within its blue.

The blood of conflict like kohl in his blueness

وعضبٍ لأنْفُس أُسْدِ الكِفاح

وعضبٍ لأنْفُس أُسْدِ الكِفاح

معاطبُ تكمنُ في سلته

معاطبُ تكمنُ في سلته

And a keen sword—for the lives of the lions of close combat,

And a rage to the souls of the lions of struggle

Deadly perils lurk in its unsheathing.

Whose rebukes lie in his scabbard

ترى خضرَةَ الماء مشبوبَةً

ترى خضرَةَ الماء مشبوبَةً

بها حمرةُ النّار في صفحته

بها حمرةُ النّار في صفحته

You see the green of water, in which is kindled

You see the greenness of water mixed

The red of fire upon its surface.

With the redness of fire on its surface

وتحسبه وادياً مُفْعَماً

وتحسبه وادياً مُفْعَماً

سراباً تموّج في قفرته

سراباً تموّج في قفرته

And you think it a valley brimming

And you reckon it a valley brimming over

With a mirage rippling in its barren waste.

A mirage rippling in its wasteland

يَنَالُ به فُسْحَةً في العلى

يَنَالُ به فُسْحَةً في العلى

مَنِ ازدحمَ الهمُّ في هِمّته

مَنِ ازدحمَ الهمُّ في هِمّته

Through it, a spacious place in glory is won

With it he attains relief on high

By one whose ambition is crowded with cares.

Whoever is crowded by care in his resolve