عَجِبتُ وَلَكِن لاتَ حينَ تَعَجّبِ

عَجِبتُ وَلَكِن لاتَ حينَ تَعَجّبِ

وَهَل عَجبٌ بَدرٌ يُهَنّا بِكَوكَبِ

وَهَل عَجبٌ بَدرٌ يُهَنّا بِكَوكَبِ

I marveled, but this is no time for marveling.

I was astonished, though not when you were astonished,

And is it any wonder that a full moon is congratulated on a star?

Is it astonishing that the full moon is eclipsed by a star?

لَقَد بَثَّ بَدرُ الدينِ أَنوارَ عَدلِهِ

لَقَد بَثَّ بَدرُ الدينِ أَنوارَ عَدلِهِ

وَإِحسانِهِ حَتّى اِنجَلا كُلُّ غَيهَبِ

وَإِحسانِهِ حَتّى اِنجَلا كُلُّ غَيهَبِ

Badr al-Din has indeed spread the lights of his justice

The full moon of the faith spread its light of justice

and his beneficence, until all deep darkness cleared away.

And kindness until it illuminated every dark night.

دِمَشقُ بِهِ مَن زارَها كُلَّما أَتى

دِمَشقُ بِهِ مَن زارَها كُلَّما أَتى

يُوافي بِها طيباً وَإِن لَم تُطَيَّبِ

يُوافي بِها طيباً وَإِن لَم تُطَيَّبِ

Thanks to him, whoever visits Damascus, whenever he comes,

Damascus, due to him, whoever visits it, whenever he comes

finds fragrance there, even if she has not been perfumed.

He finds it fragrant, even if it was not perfumed.

فَلَو زارَها قَبلُ اِمرؤُ القَيسِ لَم يَقُل

فَلَو زارَها قَبلُ اِمرؤُ القَيسِ لَم يَقُل

خَليلَيَّ مرّا بي عَلى أُمِّ جُندُبِ

خَليلَيَّ مرّا بي عَلى أُمِّ جُندُبِ

So, had Imru' al-Qays visited her before, he would not have said,

If Imru’ al-Qays had visited it before, he would not have said

"My two friends, take me past Umm Jundub."

“Stop, let us weep over the ruins of Jundub.”

مَجانيقُهُ إِن تُمسِ ضِيفانَ بَلدَةٍ

مَجانيقُهُ إِن تُمسِ ضِيفانَ بَلدَةٍ

يُصَبِّحنَ مَن فيها بِيوم عَصَبصَبِ

يُصَبِّحنَ مَن فيها بِيوم عَصَبصَبِ

If his catapults are a town's guests at nightfall,

His catapults, if they strike the guests of a land

they greet those within it at dawn with a harrowing day.

Make those in it wake up to a difficult morning.

مُفَوَّقَةً تَرمي فَتُصمي سِهامُها

مُفَوَّقَةً تَرمي فَتُصمي سِهامُها

وَهُنّ عَلى أَوتارِها لَم تَغَيَّبِ

وَهُنّ عَلى أَوتارِها لَم تَغَيَّبِ

Nocked, their arrows shoot and kill outright,

Ready to shoot, their arrows hit and make silent

while still on their bowstrings, not vanished from sight.

While they are taut on their strings, never missing.

فَلا زالَ طولَ الدَهرِ صَدراً لِمَجلِسٍ

فَلا زالَ طولَ الدَهرِ صَدراً لِمَجلِسٍ

وَنَحراً لِأَعداءٍ وَقَلباً لِمَوكِبِ

وَنَحراً لِأَعداءٍ وَقَلباً لِمَوكِبِ

So may he remain for all time the head of a council,

So it remained for ages, a breast for every council

a breast confronting enemies, and the heart of a cavalcade.

A throat for enemies, and a heart for every procession.