أَلَمْhas ... not? يأتِreached أَملاكَthe kings of الطَّوائفِthe factions أَنَّهُthat it
أَلَمْ يأتِ أَملاكَ الطَّوائفِ أَنَّهُ
نَباrecoiled عنfrom طِلابِseeking المجدِglory كلُّevery مُخَاطِرِrisk-taker
نَبا عن طِلابِ المجدِ كلُّ مُخَاطِرِ
Has word not reached the kings of the factions that
Did not the angels of the Holy Places know
Every adventurer has recoiled from pursuing glory?
That every daring adventurer aspires for glory?
ولمand did not ينبrecoil صَمْصَامُthe keen sword of الخِلافةِthe Caliphate أنَّهُthat he
ولم ينب صَمْصَامُ الخِلافةِ أنَّهُ
مضىwent on راضياًcontent عنwith عزمهِhis resolve لمdid not يُشَاوِرِconsult
مضى راضياً عن عزمهِ لم يُشَاوِرِ
Yet the Sword of the Caliphate did not recoil, for he
The holder of the caliphate was not warned
Went on, content with his resolve, consulting no one.
That he went gladly, having decided, not seeking counsel,
وباتَand spent the night نَجيباًa noble mount للهمومِfor cares كأَنَّهُas though he were
وباتَ نَجيباً للهمومِ كأَنَّهُ
علىupon الجَمرةِthe ember الحَمراءِred شحمةُa lump of fat صَاهِرِa melter
على الجَمرةِ الحَمراءِ شحمةُ صَاهِرِ
He spent the night a noble mount for cares, as though he were
And spent the night anxious, as though
A melter's lump of fat upon a red-hot ember.
He were fat sizzling on glowing embers,
رأىconsidered رأيَهُhis judgment ثمthen استبدَّacted independently فلمso did not يُطِعْobey
رأى رأيَهُ ثم استبدَّ فلم يُطِعْ
نصيحاًa sincere adviser ولمand did not يَسْمَعْhear مَقَالَةَthe words of زاجِرِa restrainer
نصيحاً ولم يَسْمَعْ مَقَالَةَ زاجِرِ
He formed his judgment, then acted independently, obeying no
He had his own views, then was obstinate, obeying
Sincere adviser, nor listening to a restrainer's words.
No advice, nor hearing any warning speech,
ولمand did not يَنْهَهُdeter him عنfrom هَمِّهِhis purpose وَزماعِهِand his firm resolve
ولم يَنْهَهُ عن هَمِّهِ وَزماعِهِ
وعيدُthe threats of الأَعادىthe enemies وأعتراضُand the obstruction of المقَادِرِfate's decrees
وعيدُ الأَعادى وأعتراضُ المقَادِرِ
Nor was he turned from his purpose and firm resolve
Neither did his ambition and resolution
By enemies' threats or the obstruction of fate.
Nor the threats of enemies or protests of fate stop him.
رأَىhe saw كلَّevery ساعٍstriver فيamong الأَنامِmankind مغَرَّراًimperiled
رأَى كلَّ ساعٍ في الأَنامِ مغَرَّراً
فغَرَّرنيso imperiled me كسبُthe gaining of العُلاeminence والمآثِرِand glorious deeds
فغَرَّرني كسبُ العُلا والمآثِرِ
He saw every striver among mankind imperiled;
He saw everyone in the world deceived by gain
So winning eminence and glorious deeds put me at risk.
So the acquiring of loftiness and glorious deeds deceived me.
نظرتُI looked ولمand did not أبَصرْsee وقدand already بعدَgrew distant المَدَىthe distance
نظرتُ ولم أبَصرْ وقد بعدَ المَدَى
كجريكَlike your running فيin جَريthe running of الجيادِthe steeds المُحَاصِرِencircling
كجريكَ في جَري الجيادِ المُحَاصِرِ
I looked and saw none, though the distance stretched far,
I looked and did not see, so remote was the range,
Like your charge amid the steeds' encircling rush;
Like your racing the steeds that bear you headlong.
ولاnor مثلَthe like of أَمْرٍa task رُضْتَهyou tamed it لاdoes not يروضهُtame it
ولا مثلَ أَمْرٍ رُضْتَه لا يروضهُ
منamong الناسِpeople إلاَّexcept مُسْتَمِرُّfirmly twisted المَرائِرِthe cords of resolve
من الناسِ إلاَّ مُسْتَمِرُّ المَرائِرِ
Nor a task like one you tamed, which none can tame
And nothing resembles an aim that you approve
Among men save one whose cords of resolve are firmly twisted.
That the fickle people do not also approve.
إذاwhen همَّhe resolved كانَwas العزمُresolve أَهونَthe easiest of سَعيهِhis efforts
إذا همَّ كانَ العزمُ أَهونَ سَعيهِ
يَزيدُhe exceeds علىbeyond كيدِthe cunning of العدوِّthe enemy المكابِرِthe arrogant
يَزيدُ على كيدِ العدوِّ المكابِرِ
When he sets his purpose, resolve is the easiest of his efforts;
When he was anxious, resolution was an easier task,
He outdoes the arrogant enemy's cunning.
Excelling the enemy's plots, however stubborn.
وللهِand to God مربوطٌbound fast علىto الحربِwar جَاشُهُhis heart
وللهِ مربوطٌ على الحربِ جَاشُهُ
إذاwhen فَتَرَتْit slackens أَلفَيتَهُyou find him غيرَnot فاتِرِflagging
إذا فَتَرَتْ أَلفَيتَهُ غيرَ فاتِرِ
And, by God, his heart is bound fast to war:
To war his enthused spirit urged him
When it slackens, you find him unflagging.
When his colleagues weakened, he lost no fervor.
تقدَّمhe advanced يَغلىboils كيدهاits stratagems لِصِحَابِهِfor his companions
تقدَّم يَغلى كيدها لِصِحَابِهِ
ولاand no خيرَgood فيin مُسْتَقْدِمٍone advancing غيرِnot حَاذِرِcautious
ولا خيرَ في مُسْتَقْدِمٍ غيرِ حَاذِرِ
He advanced, its stratagems boiling for his companions;
He advanced, his trickery boiling up against his rivals -
And there is no good in one who advances without caution.
But the impetuous, unless wary, have no merit.
هوit الجَدُّearnestness حتىuntil يفرِقَfrightens المرءَthe man ظِلُّهُhis shadow
هو الجَدُّ حتى يفرِقَ المرءَ ظِلُّهُ
ويَقْصُرَand shortens منsome of الحاظهِhis glances كلevery ناطِرِwatcher
ويَقْصُرَ من الحاظهِ كل ناطِرِ
It is deadly earnest, until a man's own shadow frightens him,
He was earnest until a man's shadow parts from him
And every watcher restrains his gaze.
And all who look on fall short.
فلمso did not يَنْهَdeter عنكَfrom you الناسَthe people مثلُthe like of مْحَلِّقٍa head-shearing blow
فلم يَنْهَ عنكَ الناسَ مثلُ مْحَلِّقٍ
منof الضَّربِstriking أَوor قالٍsearing منof الطَّعْنِspearing فَائِرِseething
من الضَّربِ أَو قالٍ من الطَّعْنِ فَائِرِ
Nothing deterred men from you like a head-shearing
So, unlike you circumspect watchers,
Stroke, or a searing, seething spear-thrust.
None deterred you from blows or fierce slashing.
Sol 6.1