أأخافُshould I fear? منof ريبِthe misfortunes of الزمانtime وصرفهِand its reversals
أأخافُ من ريبِ الزمان وصرفهِ
ومُناصرِىwhile my champion سيفٌSaif فتىson of سلطانِSultan
ومُناصرِى سيفٌ فتى سلطانِ
Should I fear fortune’s uncertainties and its vicissitudes,
Should I fear time's misfortunes and reversals,
while my champion is my sword, and a gallant youth my sovereign?
when my champion is Saif, Sultan's son?
ملكُa king تخرُّfall down لهbefore him الجحافلُthe armies سُجَّداprostrate
ملكُ تخرُّ له الجحافلُ سُجَّدا
وملوكُand the kings of أهلthe peoples of الرضthe earth (apparently intended) للأُذقانِupon their chins
وملوكُ أهل الرض للأُذقانِ
A king before whom the Caliphate falls prostrate,
A king before whom armies fall prostrate,
and the kings of all earth’s peoples fall upon their chins.
and the kings of earth's peoples fall upon their chins.
قدindeed عمَّhas encompassed آفاقَthe horizons of البلادِthe land بعدلهِwith his justice
قد عمَّ آفاقَ البلادِ بعدلهِ
شرفاًhonor (apparently 'eastward' intended) وغرباًand westward مالهhe has no مِنْany (emphatic) ثانيequal
شرفاً وغرباً ماله مِنْ ثاني
He has encompassed the horizons of the lands with his justice,
He has indeed filled the land's horizons with his justice,
East and West—and he has no equal.
eastward and westward; he has no equal.
أيصيبنِيcan it afflict me? ظَمأٌthirst وسيبُwhile the outpouring of نوالِهِhis bounty
أيصيبنِي ظَمأٌ وسيبُ نوالِهِ
متتابعٌunceasing كالوابلِlike a downpour الهتّانِpouring steadily
متتابعٌ كالوابلِ الهتّانِ
Can thirst keep me company while the torrent of his bounty
Can thirst afflict me, while the stream of his bounty
comes unceasing, like a cloudburst pouring without end?
flows unceasingly like a steady downpour?
لوif كانَwere فيin شِدْقthe maw of الأسودِthe lions طلابهُwhat he seeks
لو كانَ في شِدْق الأسودِ طلابهُ
ظفرتwould gain possession يداهhis two hands بهof it بغيرِwithout تَوانِdelay
ظفرت يداه به بغيرِ تَوانِ
Were what he sought in the maw of lions,
If what he sought lay in the lions' maw,
his two hands would seize it without a moment’s hesitation.
his hands would seize it without delay.
حاشاهُfar be it from him أنto يدعَlet الزمانtime يمسُّنىtouch me
حاشاهُ أن يدعَ الزمان يمسُّنى
بأسّىwith sorrow ويسلمُنيand hand me over إلىto الحِدْثَانِthe calamities of time
بأسّى ويسلمُني إلى الحِدْثَانِ
Far be it from him to let fortune touch me
Far be it from him to let time touch me
with sorrow, or surrender me to its calamities.
with sorrow, and hand me over to time's calamities.
وهوand he is الخضمthe vast ocean الزاخرُbrimming الفطنthe discerning one الفتىthe gallant youth
وهو الخضم الزاخرُ الفطن الفتى
الجبلthe mountain الأشمlofty الأبعَدُfar removed المتدانيclose at hand
الجبل الأشم الأبعَدُ المتداني
He is the vast, surging sea—the discerning, noble youth;
And he is the brimming ocean, the discerning, gallant youth,
the lofty mountain—remote, yet drawing near;
the lofty mountain, far removed yet close at hand,
الواهبُthe giver البطلُthe hero الشجاعthe brave one الماجدthe noble one
الواهبُ البطلُ الشجاع الماجد
العَلَمُthe eminent one الرضىthe worthy one كَهْفُrefuge of الأسيرِthe captive العانيthe suffering one
العَلَمُ الرضى كَهْفُ الأسيرِ العاني
the generous giver, the champion, the courageous, the glorious;
the giver, the hero, the brave, the noble,
the renowned, well-beloved refuge of the suffering captive.
the eminent, worthy one, refuge of the suffering captive.
لمdid not أنسَI forget فضلَthe favor of أبيهhis father مُذْsince أناI يافعٌa youth
لم أنسَ فضلَ أبيه مُذْ أنا يافعٌ
يُسدْىhe bestows علىَّupon me مواهبgifts of الإحْسَانِkindness
يُسدْى علىَّ مواهب الإحْسَانِ
I have not forgotten his father’s favor since I was a youth,
I have not forgotten his father's favor; since I was a youth,
lavishing upon me the gifts of benevolence.
he has bestowed upon me gifts of kindness.
Sol 6.1