لَم أَرَ كَالرَهطِ الَّذينَ تَتابَعوا

لَم أَرَ كَالرَهطِ الَّذينَ تَتابَعوا

عَلى الجِذعِ وَالحُرّاسُ غَيرُ نِيامِ

عَلى الجِذعِ وَالحُرّاسُ غَيرُ نِيامِ

I have seen none like the band who followed one another

I have not seen the likes of the group who followed one another

onto the tree trunk, while the guards were not asleep.

To the trunk with no sleepy guards around

مَضَوا وَهُمُ مُستَيقِنونَ بِأَنَّهُم

مَضَوا وَهُمُ مُستَيقِنونَ بِأَنَّهُم

إِلى قَدَرٍ آجالُهُم وَحِمامِ

إِلى قَدَرٍ آجالُهُم وَحِمامِ

They went forth, certain that they

They passed away certain that to a predetermined fate their lives were bound

were bound for their destined end and death.

Not one of them that did not lower his brows

وَما مِنهُمُ إِلّا يُخَفِّضُ جَأشَهُ

وَما مِنهُمُ إِلّا يُخَفِّضُ جَأشَهُ

إِلَيهِ بِقَلبٍ صارِمٍ وَحُسامِ

إِلَيهِ بِقَلبٍ صارِمٍ وَحُسامِ

And none of them but steadied his heart

Toward it with a solemn heart and sharp sword

as he faced it, with a resolute heart and a sharp sword.

And when they met they did not meet with an old man

وَلَمّا اِلتَقَوا لَم يَلتَقوا بِمُنَفَّهٍ

وَلَمّا اِلتَقَوا لَم يَلتَقوا بِمُنَفَّهٍ

كَبيرٍ وَلا رَخصِ العِظامِ غُلامِ

كَبيرٍ وَلا رَخصِ العِظامِ غُلامِ

And when they met, they met no enfeebled

Of feeble bones nor a beardless youth

old man, nor any soft-boned youth,

Like his father when the prime of his strength had passed

بِمِثلِ أَبيهِ حينَ مَرَّت لِداتُهُ

بِمِثلِ أَبيهِ حينَ مَرَّت لِداتُهُ

لِخَمسينَ قُل في جُرأَةٍ وَتَمامِ

لِخَمسينَ قُل في جُرأَةٍ وَتَمامِ

but one like his father, when his age-mates had reached

Fifty, say, in boldness and perfection

fifty—say—in boldness and full maturity.