ظُهُورَ العَوَالِي إنْ أرَدْتَ المَعَاليَا

ظُهُورَ العَوَالِي إنْ أرَدْتَ المَعَاليَا

وَسُمْرَ العَوَالِي إنْ أرَدْتَ المَعَالِيَا

وَسُمْرَ العَوَالِي إنْ أرَدْتَ المَعَالِيَا

Take to the backs of lofty mounts if you desire high honors,

The summits, if glory you wish to gain

And to the brown-shafted lances if you desire high honors.

And the heights, if nobility is your aim

وَإنْ أردت ترشيش حظ من النهى

وَإنْ أردت ترشيش حظ من النهى

فَمَا النَّجْمُ مفقودٌ وَلاَ الصُّبْحُ خَافِيَا

فَمَا النَّجْمُ مفقودٌ وَلاَ الصُّبْحُ خَافِيَا

And if you desire a sprinkling of a share of wisdom,

And if part of fortune unlawful you yearn

The star is not missing, nor is the dawn concealed.

Neither is the star lost, nor the dawn obscure

وَمَا كُنْتُ مِمَّنْ يَرْتَضِي الذُّلَّ شِيمَةً

وَمَا كُنْتُ مِمَّنْ يَرْتَضِي الذُّلَّ شِيمَةً

إذَا لَمْ يَنَلْ بِالعِزّ أقْصَى المَرَامِيَا

إذَا لَمْ يَنَلْ بِالعِزّ أقْصَى المَرَامِيَا

I was never among those who accept humiliation as their way,

I was never one to accept humiliation

When they fail to reach the furthest goals with honor.

If the utmost of hopes I failed to attain

أبَتْ هِمَّتِي إلاَّ ارْتِقَاءً إلَى العُلَى

أبَتْ هِمَّتِي إلاَّ ارْتِقَاءً إلَى العُلَى

وَهَلْ يَرْتَضِي بِالْخَسْفِ مَنْ كَانَ عاليَا

وَهَلْ يَرْتَضِي بِالْخَسْفِ مَنْ كَانَ عاليَا

My resolve refused anything but ascent to the heights;

My spirit aspired to nothing but ascend

And would one who stood high consent to abasement?

Would one content with baseness aspire so high?

فَمَا كُلُّ وَجْهٍ بِالبَشَاشَةِ مُشْرِقٌ

فَمَا كُلُّ وَجْهٍ بِالبَشَاشَةِ مُشْرِقٌ

وَلاَ كُلُّ جِيدٍ بِالْمَكَارِمِ حَالِيَا

وَلاَ كُلُّ جِيدٍ بِالْمَكَارِمِ حَالِيَا

For not every face shines with cheerfulness,

Not every face beams with joy

Nor is every neck adorned with noble deeds.

Nor every forehead shines with nobility