أَبدِ سَنا وَجهِكَ مِن حِجابِهِ

أَبدِ سَنا وَجهِكَ مِن حِجابِهِ

فَالسَيفُ لا يَقطَعُ في قِرابِهِ

فَالسَيفُ لا يَقطَعُ في قِرابِهِ

Reveal your face's radiance from its veil.

Reveal your face from behind its veil,

For the sword does not cut within its sheath.

For no sword can cut when sheathed in its scabbard,

وَاللَيثُ لا يُرهَبُ مِن زَئيرِهِ

وَاللَيثُ لا يُرهَبُ مِن زَئيرِهِ

إِذا اِغتَدى مُحتَجِباً بِغابِهِ

إِذا اِغتَدى مُحتَجِباً بِغابِهِ

And the lion is not feared for its roar

And no lion is dreaded for its roar

When it remains concealed within its thicket.

When hidden away in the jungle.

وَالنَجمُ لا يَهدي السَبيلَ سارِياً

وَالنَجمُ لا يَهدي السَبيلَ سارِياً

إِلّا إِذا أَسفَرَ مِن حِجابِهِ

إِلّا إِذا أَسفَرَ مِن حِجابِهِ

And the star does not show a night traveler the way

The star gives no guidance on the path

Unless it emerges shining from its veil.

Unless it emerges from behind its veil.

وَالشَهدُ لَولا أَن يُذاّقَ طَعمُهُ

وَالشَهدُ لَولا أَن يُذاّقَ طَعمُهُ

لَما غَدا مُمَيَّزاً عَن صابِهِ

لَما غَدا مُمَيَّزاً عَن صابِهِ

And honey, were its flavor never tasted,

And honey would have no distinct taste

Would not be distinguished from its bitter counterpart, aloe.

If not sampled apart from its wax.

إِذا بَدا نُورُكَ لا يَصُدُّهُ

إِذا بَدا نُورُكَ لا يَصُدُّهُ

تَزاحُمُ المَوكِبِ في اِرتِكابِهِ

تَزاحُمُ المَوكِبِ في اِرتِكابِهِ

When your light appears, it is not blocked

When your light appears, nothing can stop

By the jostling of the procession as you ride amid it.

The throngs that flock to bask in its glow.

وَلا يَضُرُّ البَدرَ وَهوَ مُشرِقٌ

وَلا يَضُرُّ البَدرَ وَهوَ مُشرِقٌ

أَنَّ رَقيقَ الغَيمِ مِن نِقابِهِ

أَنَّ رَقيقَ الغَيمِ مِن نِقابِهِ

Nor does it harm the full moon, while shining,

The full moon minds not the thin clouds

That thin cloud forms part of its veil.

That dim its brilliance as on it goes.

قُم غَيرَ مَأمورٍ وَلَكِن مِثلَما

قُم غَيرَ مَأمورٍ وَلَكِن مِثلَما

هُزَّ الحُسامُ ساعَةَ اِجتِذابِهِ

هُزَّ الحُسامُ ساعَةَ اِجتِذابِهِ

Rise—not at a command, but just as

Rise up unbidden, as the blade leaps forth

The keen sword is brandished as it is drawn.

When the swordsman draws it from its sheath.

فَالعُميُ لا تَعلَمُ إِرزامَ الحَيا

فَالعُميُ لا تَعلَمُ إِرزامَ الحَيا

حَتّى يَكونَ الرَعدُ في سَحابِهِ

حَتّى يَكونَ الرَعدُ في سَحابِهِ

For the blind do not perceive the rumbling of rain

The blind know not the lightning’s charge

Until thunder sounds within its cloud.

Till thunder claps from within the clouds.

كَم مُدرِكٍ في يَومِهِ بِعَزمِهِ

كَم مُدرِكٍ في يَومِهِ بِعَزمِهِ

ما لَم يَكُن بِالأَمسِ في حِسابِهِ

ما لَم يَكُن بِالأَمسِ في حِسابِهِ

How many a man, by his resolve, attains in his day

How often in a day, with resolve, one gains

What yesterday was not in his reckoning.

What yesterday he counted not in his sums.

مَن كانَتِ السُمرُ اللَدانُ رُسلَهُ

مَن كانَتِ السُمرُ اللَدانُ رُسلَهُ

كانَ بُلوغُ النَصرِ مِن جَوابِهِ

كانَ بُلوغُ النَصرِ مِن جَوابِهِ

He whose messengers are supple brown spears

When the knight’s steed is his messenger,

Has the attainment of victory among his answers.

Victory is his, of that there are no doubts.

لا تُبقِ أَحزابَ العُداةِ وَاِعتَمِد

لا تُبقِ أَحزابَ العُداةِ وَاِعتَمِد

ما اِعتَمَدَ النَبِيُّ في أَحزابِهِ

ما اِعتَمَدَ النَبِيُّ في أَحزابِهِ

Spare no enemy factions, and adopt

Do not let the enemy bands remain,

What the Prophet adopted against the factions opposing him.

Rely on what the Prophet relied on against their mobs.

وَلا تَقُل إِنَّ الصَغيرَ عاجِزٌ

وَلا تَقُل إِنَّ الصَغيرَ عاجِزٌ

هَل يَجرَحُ اللَيثَ سِوى ذُبابِهِ

هَل يَجرَحُ اللَيثَ سِوى ذُبابِهِ

And do not say that the small are powerless:

Say not the youth is too weak,

What wounds the lion but the fly that besets it?

Can any but flies wound the lion cub?

فَاِرمِ ذُرى قَلعَتِهِم بِقَلعَةٍ

فَاِرمِ ذُرى قَلعَتِهِم بِقَلعَةٍ

تَقلَعُ أُسَّ الطودِ مِن تُرابِهِ

تَقلَعُ أُسَّ الطودِ مِن تُرابِهِ

So hurl at the heights of their fortress a boulder

Storm their fortress with one

That uproots the mountain's foundation from its soil.

That would tear down mountains from their roots.

فَإِنَّها إِذا رَأَتكَ مُقبِلاً

فَإِنَّها إِذا رَأَتكَ مُقبِلاً

مادَت وَخَرَّ السورُ لِاِضطِرابِهِ

مادَت وَخَرَّ السورُ لِاِضطِرابِهِ

For when it sees you advancing,

For when it sees you advance,

It sways, and the wall falls from its shaking.

Its walls will quake and trembling, fall.

إِن لَم تُحاكِ الدَهرَ في دَوامِهِ

إِن لَم تُحاكِ الدَهرَ في دَوامِهِ

فَإِنَّها تَحكيهِ في اِنقِلابِهِ

فَإِنَّها تَحكيهِ في اِنقِلابِهِ

If it does not match time in its permanence,

If you do not teach time a lesson in constancy,

It does resemble it in its reversals.

It will school you in the ways of change.

وَاِجِلُ لَهُم عَزماً إِذا جَلَوتَهُ

وَاِجِلُ لَهُم عَزماً إِذا جَلَوتَهُ

في اللَيلِ أَغنى اللَيلَ عَن شِهابِهِ

في اللَيلِ أَغنى اللَيلَ عَن شِهابِهِ

And display to them a resolve which, when you unveil it

Defer to them a resolute decision,

At night, makes night need no meteor.

One that makes the night glow like day.

عَزمُ مَليكٍ يَخضَعُ الدَهرُ لَهُ

عَزمُ مَليكٍ يَخضَعُ الدَهرُ لَهُ

وَتَسجُدُ المُلوكُ في أَعتابِهِ

وَتَسجُدُ المُلوكُ في أَعتابِهِ

The resolve of a king to whom time bows,

A king’s resolve before which time bows

And kings prostrate themselves at his thresholds.

And kings prostrate themselves at his door.

تُحاذِرُ الأَحداثُ مِن حَديثِهِ

تُحاذِرُ الأَحداثُ مِن حَديثِهِ

وَتَجزَعُ الخُطوبُ مِن خِطابِهِ

وَتَجزَعُ الخُطوبُ مِن خِطابِهِ

Events dread his discourse,

Events quake in fear of his intent

And calamities tremble at his address.

And tribulations cower from his address.

قَد صَرَفَ الحِجابَ عَن حَضرَتِهِ

قَد صَرَفَ الحِجابَ عَن حَضرَتِهِ

وَصَيَّرَ الهَيبَةَ مِن حِجابِهِ

وَصَيَّرَ الهَيبَةَ مِن حِجابِهِ

He has removed the veil from his presence,

He has lifted the veil from his noble presence,

And made awe part of his screen.

And made awe itself his veil.

إِذا رَأى الأَمرَ بِعَينِ فِكرِهِ

إِذا رَأى الأَمرَ بِعَينِ فِكرِهِ

رَأى خَطاءَ الرَأيِ مِن صَوابِهِ

رَأى خَطاءَ الرَأيِ مِن صَوابِهِ

When he examines a matter with the eye of his thought,

When he examines a matter with wisdom’s eye,

He distinguishes faulty judgment from sound.

He sees the faults and flaws within decisions.

وَإِن أَجالَ رَأيَهُ في مُشكِلٍ

وَإِن أَجالَ رَأيَهُ في مُشكِلٍ

أَعانَهُ الحَقُّ عَلا طِلابِهِ

أَعانَهُ الحَقُّ عَلا طِلابِهِ

And if he turns his judgment upon a difficulty,

If he deliberates over a complex issue,

Truth helps him in his quest.

Truth aids him above all seeking answers.

تَنقادُ مَعَ أَرائِهِ أَيّامُهُ

تَنقادُ مَعَ أَرائِهِ أَيّامُهُ

مِثلَ اِنقِيادِ اللَفظِ مَع إِعرابِهِ

مِثلَ اِنقِيادِ اللَفظِ مَع إِعرابِهِ

His days obey his opinions,

His days fall in line with his judgment,

As a word obeys its grammatical inflection.

As words comply with grammatical rules.

لا يَزجُرُ البارِحَ في اِعتِراضِهِ

لا يَزجُرُ البارِحَ في اِعتِراضِهِ

وَلا غُرابَ البَينِ في تَنعابِهِ

وَلا غُرابَ البَينِ في تَنعابِهِ

He takes no omen from the beast crossing his path,

He is not deterred by the warnings of fate

Nor from the crow of separation as it caws.

Nor troubled by separation’s crow.

وَلا يَرى حُكمَ النُجومِ مانِعاً

وَلا يَرى حُكمَ النُجومِ مانِعاً

يُرَدِّدُ الحَزمَ عَلى أَعقابِهِ

يُرَدِّدُ الحَزمَ عَلى أَعقابِهِ

Nor does he deem the stars' decree an obstacle

He sees not in the stars a barrier

That turns resolve back upon its heels.

To steady resolve or steps reversed mid-stride.

يُقرَأُ مِن عُنوانِ سِرِّ رَأيِهِ

يُقرَأُ مِن عُنوانِ سِرِّ رَأيِهِ

ما سَطَّرَ القَضاءُ في كِتابِهِ

ما سَطَّرَ القَضاءُ في كِتابِهِ

In the heading of his secret counsel can be read

One can read in his prudent mind

What fate has inscribed in its book.

What the divine pen has writ.

قَد أَشرَقَت بِنورِهِ أَيّامُهُ

قَد أَشرَقَت بِنورِهِ أَيّامُهُ

كَأَنَّما تَبسِمُ عَن أَحسابِهِ

كَأَنَّما تَبسِمُ عَن أَحسابِهِ

His days have shone with his light,

His days shine with his light

As though smiling to reveal his ancestral honors.

As though smiling free of all concerns.

يَكادُ أَن تُلهيهِ عَن طالِبِهِ

يَكادُ أَن تُلهيهِ عَن طالِبِهِ

مَطالِبُ الحَمدِ وَعَن شَرابِهِ

مَطالِبُ الحَمدِ وَعَن شَرابِهِ

He is almost diverted from his petitioner

Seekers of praise and drink divert him

By the demands of praise, and from his drink.

From fulfilling hopes and sipping cups.

ما سارَ لِلناسِ ثَناءٌ سائِرٌ

ما سارَ لِلناسِ ثَناءٌ سائِرٌ

إِلّا وَحَطَّ رَحلَهُ بِبابِهِ

إِلّا وَحَطَّ رَحلَهُ بِبابِهِ

No roaming praise has ever traveled among men

What fame has journeyed, spreading,

Without setting down its saddle at his door.

Except to pitch its tent at his door?

إِذا اِستَجارَ مالُهُ بِكَفِّهِ

إِذا اِستَجارَ مالُهُ بِكَفِّهِ

أَدانَهُ الجودَ عَلى ذَهابِهِ

أَدانَهُ الجودَ عَلى ذَهابِهِ

When his wealth seeks refuge in his palm,

When his wealth takes refuge in his palm,

He lends it to generosity, to be dispersed.

Generosity brings it to him, though it escapes his grasp.

وَإِن كَسا الدَهرُ الأَنامَ مَفخَراً

وَإِن كَسا الدَهرُ الأَنامَ مَفخَراً

ظَنَنتَهُ يَخلَعُ مِن ثِيابِهِ

ظَنَنتَهُ يَخلَعُ مِن ثِيابِهِ

And if time clothes mankind in a distinction,

And if time makes all vaunt themselves,

You would think it was bestowing one of his robes.

You would think it divests itself of its robes for him.

يامَلِكاً يَرى العَدُوَّ قُربَهُ

يامَلِكاً يَرى العَدُوَّ قُربَهُ

كَالأَجَلِ المَحتومِ في اِقتِرابِهِ

كَالأَجَلِ المَحتومِ في اِقتِرابِهِ

O king, whose nearness the enemy regards

O king! Who sees his foe draw near

As inevitable death drawing near:

Like an appointed time in its approach.

لا تَبذُلِ الحِلَ لِغَيرِ شاكِرٍ

لا تَبذُلِ الحِلَ لِغَيرِ شاكِرٍ

فَإِنَّهُ يُفضي إِلى إِعجابِهِ

فَإِنَّهُ يُفضي إِلى إِعجابِهِ

Do not lavish clemency on one who is ungrateful,

Do not give freely to the ungrateful,

For it leads to his self-conceit.

For it leads only to his arrogance.

فَالغَيثُ يُستَسقى مَعَ اِعتِبابِهِ

فَالغَيثُ يُستَسقى مَعَ اِعتِبابِهِ

وَإِنَّما يُسأَمُ في اِنسِكابِهِ

وَإِنَّما يُسأَمُ في اِنسِكابِهِ

For rain is prayed for while it is withheld,

Yet rain is pleaded for despite its fury

And only becomes wearisome as it pours.

And only disliked when pouring down unrestrained.

فَاِغزُ العِدى بِعَزمَةٍ مِن شَأنِها

فَاِغزُ العِدى بِعَزمَةٍ مِن شَأنِها

إِتيانُ حَزمِ الرَأيِ مِن أَبوابِهِ

إِتيانُ حَزمِ الرَأيِ مِن أَبوابِهِ

So attack the foes with a resolve whose nature is

So march with resolve fitting your stature,

To approach firmness of judgment through its doors.

The kind that combines wisdom’s perspectives.

تُسلِمُ أَرواحَ العِدى إِلى الرَدى

تُسلِمُ أَرواحَ العِدى إِلى الرَدى

وَتُرجِعُ الأَمرَ إِلى أَربابِهِ

وَتُرجِعُ الأَمرَ إِلى أَربابِهِ

It delivers the foes' souls to destruction

It hands over the souls of the foe to ruin

And restores authority to its masters.

And restores matters to their rightful lords.

حَتّى يَقولَ كُلُّ رَبِّ رُتبَةٍ

حَتّى يَقولَ كُلُّ رَبِّ رُتبَةٍ

قَد رَجَعَ الحَقُّ إِلى نِصابِهِ

قَد رَجَعَ الحَقُّ إِلى نِصابِهِ

Until every holder of rank says,

Until each lord of estate proclaims:

Right has returned to its proper place.

Truth has returned to its proper place!

قَد رَفَعَ اللَهُ العَذابَ عَنهُمُ

قَد رَفَعَ اللَهُ العَذابَ عَنهُمُ

فَشَمَّروا الساعِدَ في طِلابِهِ

فَشَمَّروا الساعِدَ في طِلابِهِ

God has lifted punishment from them,

God has lifted affliction from them,

So they bared their forearms in pursuit of it.

So they set to work seeking it from you.

رَنوا إِلى المُلكِ بِعَينِ غادِرٍ

رَنوا إِلى المُلكِ بِعَينِ غادِرٍ

أَطمَعَهُ حِلمُكَ في اِقتِضابِهِ

أَطمَعَهُ حِلمُكَ في اِقتِضابِهِ

They gazed at kingship with a traitor's eye,

They look to your kingdom with betrayer’s eye,

Your forbearance tempting him to seize it.

Emboldened by the hopes your clemency imparts.

إِن لَم تُقَطِّعِ بِالظُبى أَوصالَهُم

إِن لَم تُقَطِّعِ بِالظُبى أَوصالَهُم

لَم تَقطَعِ الآمالَ مِن أَسبابِهِ

لَم تَقطَعِ الآمالَ مِن أَسبابِهِ

Unless you sever their limbs with sword edges,

If you do not sever their limbs with your blade,

You will not cut their hopes off from the means to it.

You will not cut off their hopes and means.

لا تَقبَلِ العُذرَ فَإِنَّ رَبَّهُ

لا تَقبَلِ العُذرَ فَإِنَّ رَبَّهُ

قَد أَضمَرَ التَصحيفَ في كِتابِهِ

قَد أَضمَرَ التَصحيفَ في كِتابِهِ

Accept no excuse, for its author

Do not accept their excuse, for their Lord

Has concealed a change of letter-dots in his writing.

Has intended misrepresentation in His Book.

فَتَوبَةُ المُقلِعِ إِثرَ ذَنبِهِ

فَتَوبَةُ المُقلِعِ إِثرَ ذَنبِهِ

وَتَوبَةُ الغادِرِ مَع عِقابِهِ

وَتَوبَةُ الغادِرِ مَع عِقابِهِ

For the repentance of one who desists follows his sin,

The repentance of one who desists after his sin,

And the traitor's repentance comes with his punishment.

And the repentance of the betrayer under punishment.

لَو أَنَّهُم خافوا كِفاءَ ذَنبِهِم

لَو أَنَّهُم خافوا كِفاءَ ذَنبِهِم

لَم يُقَدِموا يَوماً عَلى اِرتِكابِهِ

لَم يُقَدِموا يَوماً عَلى اِرتِكابِهِ

Had they feared fitting requital for their sin,

Had they feared requital befitting their sin,

They would never have ventured to commit it.

They would not have ventured to commit it.

فَاِصرِم حِبالَ عَزمِهِم بِصارِمٍ

فَاِصرِم حِبالَ عَزمِهِم بِصارِمٍ

قَد بالَغَ القُيونُ في اِنتِخابِهِ

قَد بالَغَ القُيونُ في اِنتِخابِهِ

So sever the cords of their resolve with a keen sword

So sever the cords of their resolve with a sword

Whose selection the smiths have taken utmost care over.

That has reached the pinnacle of flawless selection.

كَأَنَّما النَملُ عَلى صَفحَتِهِ

كَأَنَّما النَملُ عَلى صَفحَتِهِ

وَأَكرُعُ الذُبابِ في ذُبابِهِ

وَأَكرُعُ الذُبابِ في ذُبابِهِ

As though ants were upon its flat,

To its blade ants on a surface are

And flies' legs upon its point.

Like the humming of flies in the air.

يَعتَذِرُ المَوتُ إِلى شَفرَتِهِ

يَعتَذِرُ المَوتُ إِلى شَفرَتِهِ

وَتَقصُرُ الآجالُ عَن عِتابِهِ

وَتَقصُرُ الآجالُ عَن عِتابِهِ

Death apologizes to its cutting edge,

Death itself pleads excuses before it

And lifespans fall short of reproaching it.

And lives shorten despite its reproach.

شَيخٌ إِذا اِقتَضَّ النُفوسَ قُوَّضَت

شَيخٌ إِذا اِقتَضَّ النُفوسَ قُوَّضَت

وَلا تَزالُ الصيدُ مِن خُطّابِهِ

وَلا تَزالُ الصيدُ مِن خُطّابِهِ

An elder: when it deflowers souls, they are laid low,

A seasoned warrior - when souls are demanded, foundations shake

And proud nobles never cease to be its suitors.

Yet his spearing of prey continues unabated.

يُذيقُهُم في شَيبِهِ أَضعافَ ما

يُذيقُهُم في شَيبِهِ أَضعافَ ما

أَذاقَهُ القُيونُ في شَبابِهِ

أَذاقَهُ القُيونُ في شَبابِهِ

In its gray age, it makes them taste many times what

In his graying years he grants them multiples of what

The smiths made it taste in its youth.

His blade let them taste in his youth.

يا مَلِكاً يَعتَذِرُ الدَهرُ لَهُ

يا مَلِكاً يَعتَذِرُ الدَهرُ لَهُ

وَتَخدُمُ الأَيّامُ في رِكابِهِ

وَتَخدُمُ الأَيّامُ في رِكابِهِ

O king to whom time apologizes,

O king! Before whom time makes excuses

And the days serve at his stirrups.

And days attend in service at his stirrups.

لَم يَكُ تَحريضي لَكُم إِساءَةً

لَم يَكُ تَحريضي لَكُم إِساءَةً

وَلَم أَحُل في القَولِ عَن آدابِهِ

وَلَم أَحُل في القَولِ عَن آدابِهِ

My urging you was no offense,

My goading was no insult to you,

Nor did I stray in speech from its proprieties.

Nor did my words contravene etiquette.

وَلا يَعيبُ السَيفَ وَهوَ صارِمٌ

وَلا يَعيبُ السَيفَ وَهوَ صارِمٌ

هَذُّ يَدِ الجاذِبِ في اِنتِدابِهِ

هَذُّ يَدِ الجاذِبِ في اِنتِدابِهِ

Nor is a sword, keen as it is, blemished

No flaw in the sword is blamed when it's unsheathed,

By the swift cutting stroke of the hand that draws it into action.

Not even the tremor of drawing hands as it's unleashed.

ذِكرُكَ مَشهورٌ وَنَظمي سائِرٌ

ذِكرُكَ مَشهورٌ وَنَظمي سائِرٌ

كِلاهُما أَمعَنَ في اِغتِرابِهِ

كِلاهُما أَمعَنَ في اِغتِرابِهِ

Your renown is well known, and my verse travels far;

Your name is renowned and my verse circulates,

Both have ventured far abroad.

Both have wandered far in their estrangement.

ذِكرٌ جَميلٌ غَيرَ أَنَّ نَظمَهُ

ذِكرٌ جَميلٌ غَيرَ أَنَّ نَظمَهُ

يَزيدُهُ حُسناً مَعَ اِصطِحابِهِ

يَزيدُهُ حُسناً مَعَ اِصطِحابِهِ

Fair renown—yet setting it in verse

A beautiful name - only the verse adorning it

Adds to its beauty when joined with it.

Adds to its beauty when recited together.

كَالدُرِّ لا يُظهِرُ حُسنَ عِقدِهِ

كَالدُرِّ لا يُظهِرُ حُسنَ عِقدِهِ

إِلّا جَوازُ السَلكِ في أَثقابِهِ

إِلّا جَوازُ السَلكِ في أَثقابِهِ

Like pearls: nothing reveals the beauty of their necklace

Like a pearl whose beauty is not displayed

But a thread passing through their holes.

Till threaded on a string, passing through each loop.