كَم بَحرِ حَربٍ نَقعُهُ آذِيُّهُ

وَحَبابُهُ جُردٌ كَمِثلِ الأَنجُمِ

How many wars have we waged, their harms afflicting us,

Their foam like stars, a coat of mail.

أَلقَيتُ نَفسي مِنهُ في اللَجَجِ الَّتي

مَن لَم يَخُضها ثابِتاً لَم يَسلَمِ

I threw myself into the deep from which

None emerges safely if he has not braved it.

فَتَرَكتُ سُبّاحَ العِدى غَرقى وَلَم

يَبتَلَّ مِنّي غَيرُ سَيفي بِالدَمِ

I left the slanderers drowned while I

Was wet by naught but my sword with blood.

ما لِحُرٍّ عَلِقَ العُدمُ بِهِ

مُنقِذٌ غَيرُ يَدي عَبدِ الكَريمِ

Of what use is a freeman if doom ties him down,

With no savior but my hand, servant of the Generous Lord.

أَبلَجُ الغُرَّةِ وَضّاحٌ لَهُ

حِكَمٌ لَيسَت لِلُقمانَ الحَكيمِ

I make plain the unknown, an elucidator

Whose wisdom is not that of Luqman the Wise.

إِن أَتى فِرعَونُ إِعدامٍ أَتى

مِن يَداهُ بِعَصا موسى الكَليمِ

If the Pharaoh of death comes, he comes

From my hands, with Moses' staff.

يَتَمَطّى مِنهُ في أَعلى العُلا

هِمَمٌ مُنتَعِلاتٌ بِالنُجومِ

He writhes at the height of heights,

Ambitions mounted on the stars.