لَئِن كانَ أَحسَنَ في وَصفِها

لَئِن كانَ أَحسَنَ في وَصفِها

لَقَد تَرَكَ الحُسنَ في الوَصفِ لَك

لَقَد تَرَكَ الحُسنَ في الوَصفِ لَك

If indeed he excelled in describing it,

Though he showed great skill in describing the view,

He has surely left the beauty of description for you.

He has conceded the beauty of description to you.

لِأَنَّكَ بَحرٌ وَإِنَّ البِحارَ

لِأَنَّكَ بَحرٌ وَإِنَّ البِحارَ

لَتَأنَفَ مِن مَدحِ هَذي البِرَك

لَتَأنَفَ مِن مَدحِ هَذي البِرَك

For you are an ocean, and the oceans

For you are an ocean, and the high seas themselves

Surely disdain the praise of these pools.

Would disdain to be praised by the measure of pools.

كَأَنَّكَ سَيفُكَ لا ما مَلَكتَ

كَأَنَّكَ سَيفُكَ لا ما مَلَكتَ

يَبقى لَدَيكَ وَلا ما مَلَك

يَبقى لَدَيكَ وَلا ما مَلَك

It is as though you were your sword: neither what you possess

You are like your sword: neither that which you owned

Remains with you, nor what it possesses.

Remains in your hand, nor that which it seized.

فَأَكثَرُ مِن جَريِها ما وَهَبتَ

فَأَكثَرُ مِن جَريِها ما وَهَبتَ

وَأَكثَرُ مِن مائِها ما سَفَك

وَأَكثَرُ مِن مائِها ما سَفَك

For more than its flow is what you have given,

For more than their currents is the flow of your gifts,

And more than its water is what your sword has shed.

And more than their waters is the blood you have shed.

أَسَأتَ وَأَحسَنتَ عَن قُدرَةٍ

أَسَأتَ وَأَحسَنتَ عَن قُدرَةٍ

وَدُرتَ عَلى الناسِ دَورَ الفَلَك

وَدُرتَ عَلى الناسِ دَورَ الفَلَك

You have done harm and good from a position of power,

You harm and you heal with the power you wield,

And revolved over mankind as the celestial sphere revolves.

And revolve over men like the celestial sphere.