يَسُرُّ زماني أن أنَاطَ بأهله

يَسُرُّ زماني أن أنَاطَ بأهله

وآنفُ أن أُعزى إليه لجهِله

وآنفُ أن أُعزى إليه لجهِله

It pleases my age that I am linked to its people;

My time delights that it entrusted itself to its people

yet I disdain to be ascribed to it because of its ignorance.

And I’m too noble to seek solace from it for its ignorance

ويُعجبُني أن أخرتني صروفه

ويُعجبُني أن أخرتني صروفه

فتأخيرُها الإنسان برهانُ فضلِه

فتأخيرُها الإنسان برهانُ فضلِه

And it pleases me that its vicissitudes have held me back;

And I’m amazed that its turns have delayed me

for their holding a person back is proof of his merit.

For delaying them is proof of man’s merit

فإنا رَأَينَا قائمَ السيف كلما

فإنا رَأَينَا قائمَ السيف كلما

تقلَّده الأبطالُ قُدَّامَ نَصلِه

تقلَّده الأبطالُ قُدَّامَ نَصلِه

For we have seen the sword’s hilt, whenever

For we have seen the standing sword whenever

heroes gird it on, ahead of its blade.

The heroes have worn it before its blade