فِيin اسْمِthe name of الهِلالِيِّal-Hilali رَمْزa symbol
فِي اسْمِ الهِلالِيِّ رَمْز
لاnot يُخْطِيءُmisses اللُّبُّthe discerning mind كَشْفَهْuncovering it
لا يُخْطِيءُ اللُّبُّ كَشْفَهْ
In al-Hilali's name lies a symbol
In the name of the crescent, a symbol
the discerning mind cannot fail to uncover.
The heart cannot misinterpret its revelation
أَمَاdoes not ...? الهِلالُthe crescent يُوَارِيconceals
أَمَا الهِلالُ يُوَارِي
بَدْراًa full moon وَيُبْرِزُand reveals حَرْفَهْits edge
بَدْراً وَيُبْرِزُ حَرْفَهْ
Does not the crescent conceal
Though the crescent conceals
a full moon and reveal its edge?
A full moon and only shows a letter
مَاno يَسْتَكِنُّlies hidden ضَمِيرٌan inner thought
مَا يَسْتَكِنُّ ضَمِيرٌ
فِيin الغيْبِthe unseen إِلاَّexcept that اسْتَشَفَّهْhe discerns it
فِي الغيْبِ إِلاَّ اسْتَشَفَّهْ
No inner thought lies hidden
No secret lurks in the unseen
in the unseen without his discerning it.
That deep insight cannot uncover
فَتىًa young man عَلَىdespite الحِلْمِthe forbearance فِيهِin him
فَتىً عَلَى الحِلْمِ فِيهِ
لاnot تَعْصِفُrages الرِّيحُthe wind عَصْفَهْhis raging
لا تَعْصِفُ الرِّيحُ عَصْفَهْ
A young man who, for all his forbearance,
A noble youth of wisdom
rages more fiercely than the wind.
Whom the winds cannot blow astray
مَاnever أُلزِمَwas made to join الصَّفَّthe rank يَوماًon any day
مَا أُلزِمَ الصَّفَّ يَوماً
إِلاَّexcept that تَقَدَّمَhe went ahead of صَفَّهْhis rank
إِلاَّ تَقَدَّمَ صَفَّهْ
Never once was he made to join a rank
He was never pushed to the back of a line
without stepping ahead of his rank.
Except to lead its march ahead
فرْدٌa single man عَلَىdespite أَنَّهُthat he is وَزِيراtwo ministers (continued)
فرْدٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ وَزِيرا
نِdual ending (completes 'two ministers') يَعْدِلُmatches الإِلفُthe companion إِلْفَهْhis companion
نِ يَعْدِلُ الإِلفُ إِلْفَهْ
One man, though he is two ministers,
A peerless minister whose worth
one companion matching his fellow.
Equals the letter alif in its elegance
كَأَنَّمَاas though مَنْصِبَاهُhis two posts
كَأَنَّمَا مَنْصِبَاهُ
عِبْءٌa burden عَلَيْهِupon him مُرَفَّهْmade easy
عِبْءٌ عَلَيْهِ مُرَفَّهْ
As though his two posts
As if his position weighs on him
were a burden that sits lightly upon him.
A heavy burden beyond his strength
وَقَبْلَهُand before him نَاءَstaggered under the burden ذُوa possessor of الأَيْدِstrength
وَقَبْلَهُ نَاءَ ذُو الأَيْدِ
وَهْوَwhile he يَحْمِلُcarries نِصْفَهْhalf of it
وَهْوَ يَحْمِلُ نِصْفَهْ
And before him, a man of might had staggered,
With the aid of the Almighty before him
while bearing half of it.
Who carries half his load
قَوِيُّstrong in عَزْمٍresolve وَلَكِنْand yet
قَوِيُّ عَزْمٍ وَلَكِنْ
تَدْرِيknow المَكَارِمُthe noble virtues ضَعْفَهْhis weakness
تَدْرِي المَكَارِمُ ضَعْفَهْ
Strong in resolve, and yet
Firm of purpose yet gentle at heart
the noble virtues know his weakness.
For virtues know well his frailty
Sol 6.1