أَمِن حَجَرٍ فُؤادُكَ أَم حَديدُ

فَفيهِ عَلى الوَغى بَأسٌ شَديدُ

Is your heart made of stone or iron?

For in it, against injustice, there is great might,

وَأَطوادٌ حُلومُكَ أَم جِباكٌ

تَميدُ الراسِياتُ وَلا تَميدُ

Yet your patience - is it docile camels?

The resolute tremble, but you do not tremble.

لِأَنَّكَ كُلَّما حاولَتَ أَمراً

يُصَوِّبُ فَعلَكَ الرَأيُ السَديدُ

For whenever you attempt something,

Your wise opinion makes your deed right.

طَلَعتَ عَلى العُداةِ وَأَنتَ شَمسٌ

فَذابَ بِحَرِّ مَوقِعِها الجَليدُ

You rose against the enemies like a sun,

So the ice melted in the heat of its position.

أَغَرتَ عَلى حِماهِم غَيرَ عادٍ

وَلاقوا مِنكَ ما لاقَت ثَمودُ

You attacked their sanctuary, unlike others,

And they met from you what Thamud met.

بِجَيشٍ تَرجُفُ الراياتُ فيهِ

وَتَخفِقُ دونَ مَقدَمِهِ البُنودُ

With an army in which flags tremble

And standards flutter before its vanguard.

وَتَهتَزُّ الذَوابِلُ فيهِ عُجباً

كَما اِهتَزَّت مِنَ المَرَحِ القُدودُ

In which the banners shake in wonder,

As they shook from flags held by hands.

عَجِلتَ إِلى قِراعِهِمُ بِعَزمٍ

بِهِ يَدنو لَكَ الأَمَلُ البَعيدُ

You hurried to fight them with resolve,

By which distant hope comes near to you.

وَكَم وانٍ يَعُدُّ العَجزَ حِلماً

فَيَندَمُ وَالنَدامَةُ لا تُفيدُ

How often does one who counts cowardice as wisdom,

Regret it, though regret does not benefit.

وَمَن يَرَ ما يُريدُ وَكَفِّ جُبناً

رَأى مِن بَعدِهِ ما لا يُريدُ

And whoever sees what he wants and curbs cowardice,

Will see after it what he does not want.