ما الفتكُ إلاَّ لفتىً لا بد
مُنخرَطِ الشِّدَّةِ مُسْتأسِدِ
No raider except a hero whose mind is set,
Resolute, lying in wait.
يسامح الضِغنَ إلى أنْ يَرى
فُرصةَ يومِ الثَّائرِ الحَاقِدِ
He tolerates despite until he sees
The chance for the day of the vengeful rebel.
يرغب عن جِدَّةِ أَثوابِهِ
كالسَّيفِ لا يَرضى يَد الغَامِدِ
He is averse to the stiffness of his clothes
Like a sword dissatisfied with the hand of the scabbard.
يا عضدَ الدَّوْلَةِ لا واحدٌ
غيرَكَ بعدَ الصمدِ الواحِدِ
O pillar of the state, none but you
After the Eternal, the One.
تركتَ أخبارَ قُرونٍ خَلوا
حوادثاً بادتْ معَ البائِدِ
You have left the events of past generations,
Incidents faded with the faded one.
في كلِّ يومٍ غارةٌ تنطوي
على لذيذِ المغنمِ البَارِدِ
In every day a raid folds
Upon the sweetest of cold booty.
ينسى لها الذاكرُ في يَوْمِهِ
أَعجبَ ما في أَمْسِهِ النافِدِ
The memorizer forgets it in his day
More amazing than his expired yesterday.
ومعجزاتٌ لكَ آياتُها
يَسنِدُهَا الراوي عنِ الحَاسِدِ
And miracles are signs for you
Supported by the narrator against the envious one.
كالشَّمسِ في الأعينِ تُغنيهم
عن طلبِ الحُجَّةِ والشَّاهِدِ
Like the sun in the eyes, satisfying them
From seeking evidence and witness.
من منهم يفتحُ أَقفالَهُ
بمُبْرمٍ عن كيدكَ الكائِدِ
Who of them dares unlock his padlocks
Against your deceitful traps?
ورغبةٌ تُغْمَدُ في رَهْبَةٍ
تُذيبُ قلبَ الحَجَرِ الجامِدِ
And a desire sheathed in awe
That melts the heart of solid rock.
يَبيت عنها الجيشُ في مَعْزلٍ
وأَنتَ مِثلُ الحَيَّةِ الراصِدِ
The army spends the night in seclusion from it
While you are like the lurking snake.
تَسهر للنائمِ حاجاتُه
ويكدحُ القائمُ للقاعِدِ
You stay up for the needs of the sleeping one
While the standing one toils for the seated one.
لم يدرِ من في آملٍ وأَنَّهُ
بينَ خُطاهُ شَرَكُ الصائِدِ
He who is hopeful does not know that
Between his steps is the hunter’s trap.
يفرحُ بالصحةِ في جسْمهِ
وسقمُه في رأيهِ الفاسِدِ
He rejoices in the health of his body
While his mind’s illness is corrupt.
ويل طِلابِ المجدِ لو نالَهُ
كلُّ طويلِ الباعِ والسَّاعِدِ
Woe to the seekers of glory if it was attained
By every long-armed and broad-shouldered one.
يَنْظُرُ في هِزَّةِ أَعْطَافِهِ
بمثلِ طَرْفِ الأسدِ الحارِدِ
He looks with the glance of a snarling lion
At the shuddering of shoulders.
لا أَجحدُ المجدَ يَداً طَوَّقَتْ
عُنقي وغَلَّتْهُ إلى سَاعِدِي
I do not deny the glory my hand adorned
My neck with and tied to my forearm.
وَنِعْمَة لم يَرضَهاَ شَاكِرٌ
فَصَادفتني نيقةُ الرائِدِ
And a blessing no thankful one was pleased with
I was fortunate to attain from the pioneering one.
لا لِنوالٍ منك مستبطئاً
ولا لِنَعْمَائِكَ بالجَاحِدِ
Neither belated in gaining from you
Nor ungrateful for your favors.
اِنْ أَكُ فيما قُلتُهُ عاجِزاً
عن وَصْفِ تَاجِ الملةِ الماجِدِ
If I fall short in describing the crown
Of the glorious religion.
فالعَجْزُ شيءٌ ما تعمدتُهُ
في مَدْحِهِ والذنبُ للعَامِدِ
It is no sin I intended
In praising it, the blame is on the supporter.
