لَعمريby my life لقدindeed أَنْصَفْتُI acted fairly والنَّصْفُand fairness عَادَتيmy habit
لَعمري لقد أَنْصَفْتُ والنَّصْفُ عَادَتي
وعايَنَand witnessed طَعْناًspear-thrusts فيin العَجاجِthe swirling dust المُعَايِنُthe eyewitness
وعايَنَ طَعْناً في العَجاجِ المُعَايِنُ
By my life, I have indeed dealt fairly, and fairness is my habit.
I have been just, as justice is my way,
And the eyewitness saw spear-thrusts amid the swirling dust.
And the keen critic saw in the impetuous one, blame.
ولولاand were it not for رَجائيmy hope أنْthat تَؤوبُواyou return بِنُهْزَةٍwith a gain
ولولا رَجائي أنْ تَؤوبُوا بِنُهْزَةٍ
وأنْand that تَغْسِلُواyou wash away عاراًa disgrace وَعَتْهُretained it الكنائنُthe quivers
وأنْ تَغْسِلُوا عاراً وَعَتْهُ الكنائنُ
And were it not for my hope that you would return with some gain,
Had I not hoped you would repent with a rebuke,
And wash away a disgrace the quivers have retained,
And cleanse yourselves of dishonor that clings to you,
لناديتُI would have summoned للهيَجاto battle رجالاًmen سِواكُمُother than you
لناديتُ للهيَجا رجالاً سِواكُمُ
ولكنّماbut only تحميprotect الملوكَthe kings البطائنُthe intimates
ولكنّما تحمي الملوكَ البطائنُ
I would have summoned men other than you to battle.
I would have called out against you other men,
But only intimates protect kings.
But kings are protected by their retinues.
أَتَدْرُونَdo you know مَنْwhom لاَقَيْتُمُyou faced فُلَّmay be shattered جَيْشُكُمْyour army
أَتَدْرُونَ مَنْ لاَقَيْتُمُ فُلَّ جَيْشُكُمْ
لَقِيتُمْyou met لُيوثاًlions أَصَحَرَتْهاdrove them into the open العَرَائنُthe lairs
لَقِيتُمْ لُيوثاً أَصَحَرَتْها العَرَائنُ
Do you know whom you faced? May your army be shattered!
Do you know whom you confronted and your army collapsed?
You met lions whose lairs had driven them into the open.
You confronted lions whom the deserts nurtured.
لقيتُمْyou met صَناديدَchampions العِراقِIraq ومَنْand those who بِهمْthrough them
لقيتُمْ صَناديدَ العِراقِ ومَنْ بِهمْ
إذاwhen جاشَتِsurges الهِيجاءُthe battle تُحْمَىare protected الظّعائنُthe womenfolk
إذا جاشَتِ الهِيجاءُ تُحْمَى الظّعائنُ
You met the champions of Iraq, and those through whom,
You confronted the chiefs of Iraq and those with them,
When battle surges, the womenfolk are protected.
When passions are aroused, the resolute are inflamed.
ومَاand not كانَwas مِنْكُمamong you فارِسٌa horseman دونَinferior to فارِسٍa horseman
ومَا كانَ مِنْكُم فارِسٌ دونَ فارِسٍ
ولكِنّهُbut it is ماwhat قَدّرdecreed اللهُGod كائنُwill come to pass
ولكِنّهُ ما قَدّر اللهُ كائنُ
And no horseman among you was inferior to another;
And no horseman of yours fell short of a horseman,
But what God has decreed will come to pass.
But it was not God's will, it had to be.
Sol 6.1