ياO منظراًa spectacle ماnot رأتsaw عينايmy two eyes أروعmore splendid منthan
يا منظراً ما رأت عيناي أروع من
رؤياهbeholding it حتـىuntil اعترانـيovertook me عنـدهin its presence الطربrapture
رؤياه حتـى اعترانـي عنـده الطرب
O spectacle! My eyes have seen nothing more splendid than
O what a sight my eyes have never seen,
the sight of it, until rapture overtook me there.
More beautiful than his vision, ecstasy overcame me,
فقــــامthen it began يوحيinspires إلـــىto الشـــعرpoetry آتيهI bring it forth
فقــــام يوحي إلـــى الشـــعر آتيه
بينamong الفيالقthe legions فاهتزتand so swayed بهاwithin them العصبthe bands of warriors
بين الفيالق فاهتزت بها العصب
Then it began inspiring the verse I bring forth
He stood suggesting poetry, bringing it
among the legions, and their bands swayed,
Among the brave men, so nerves tremored,
فيin موكبthe procession (العرضةthe Ardah dance الكبرىthe grand)وقدand already لعبتdanced
في موكب (العرضة الكبرى)وقد لعبت
فيهاin it الرماحthe spears وقامـتand rose ترقصdancing القضبthe swords
فيها الرماح وقامـت ترقص القضب
in the procession of the Grand Ardah, where there danced
In the parade (the supreme presentation), when
the spears, and the swords rose to dance.
Spears danced in it, and twigs hopped,
والخيـلand the horses تصهـلneigh والأعـلامand the banners خافقـةfluttering
والخيـل تصهـل والأعـلام خافقـة
والأسـدand the lions تـزأرroar والآفـاقand the horizons تصطخـبresound
والأسـد تـزأر والآفـاق تصطخـب
And horses neigh, and banners flutter,
Horses neigh and flags flutter,
and lions roar, and the horizons resound,
Lions roar and horizons rage,
والإبلand the camels ترغيbellow وأصـواتand the sounds البنادقthe rifles كالرعدlike thunder
والإبل ترغي وأصـوات البنادق كالرعد
المدمـدمrumbling تـروىrepeat رجعهـاtheir echoes السـحبthe clouds
المدمـدم تـروى رجعهـا السـحب
and camels bellow, and rifle shots are like thunder
Camels bellow and sounds of guns like thunder
rumbling—the clouds repeat their echoes.
Quenching its echo clouds,
شعارهمtheir rallying cry (كلمةthe declaration التوحيـدGod's oneness) قدalready بلغتreached
شعارهم (كلمة التوحيـد) قد بلغت
بابthe gate السمواتthe heavens فانشـقتand so parted لهاfor it الحجبthe veils
باب السموات فانشـقت لها الحجب
Their rallying cry, the declaration of God's oneness, has reached
Their motto (the word of monotheism) reached
heaven's gate, and the veils have parted for it.
The gates of heavens, so veils split,
وفـيand in وقوفـكyour standing كالفـاروقlike al-Faruq مبتسـماًsmiling
وفـي وقوفـك كالفـاروق مبتسـماً
تستعرضyou review الجيشthe army لمdid not يقعدhold back بكyou التعبfatigue
تستعرض الجيش لم يقعد بك التعب
And as you stand, smiling like al-Faruq,
And in your stance like Al-Farooq smiling,
you review the army; fatigue has not held you back.
Reviewing the army, no fatigue in you,
وكلهـمand all of them عندمـاwhen يبصـركsees you نسـمعهwe hear him
وكلهـم عندمـا يبصـرك نسـمعه
يعتـزtakes pride باللـهin God والإسـلامand Islam يحتسـبseeks divine reward
يعتـز باللـه والإسـلام يحتسـب
And when each of them sees you, we hear him
And all when see you, we hear him
taking pride in God and seeking divine reward through Islam.
Pride in God and Islam counting his deeds,
أشـدوI sing بشعريwith my verse وفيand in يمنـايmy right hand صارمةa keen sword
أشـدو بشعري وفي يمنـاي صارمة
منfrom فـوقatop ضامـرةa slender mare فيin سـبرهاher gait (text uncertain) خببa trot
من فـوق ضامـرة في سـبرها خبب
I sing my verse, with a keen sword in my right hand,
I sing with my poetry and in my right hand a sword
from atop a slender mare, moving at a trot.
Above a roaring she-camel, in its hitting wisdom,
فيمـلأand so fills الجـوthe air تغريديmy singing فيطـربand so delights منfrom
فيمـلأ الجـو تغريدي فيطـرب من
سماعهhearing it البيـتthe House والأعجـامand non-Arabs والعربand Arabs
سماعه البيـت والأعجـام والعرب
My song fills the air, delighting through
Filling space my singing, and ecstasy in
its sound the House, non-Arabs, and Arabs.
Hearing it homes, non-Arabs and Arabs,
اللهGod أكبـرgreatest هـذاthis المجـدthe glory يـقـرؤهrecites it
الله أكبـر هـذا المجـد يـقـرؤه
علـىto الخلائقall creation أسـدٌlions فـيin الوغىbattle نجبnoble
علـى الخلائق أسـدٌ فـي الوغى نجب
God is greatest! This glory is recited
God is great! This glory reads it
to all creation by lions, noble in battle:
To creatures a lion in the battle eminent,
قسـاورأشبهواmighty lions who resembled فيin البأسvalor والدهمand onslaught
قسـاورأشبهوا في البأس والدهم
ومـنand whoever يشـابهresembles أباهhis father هـلis there بـهin him عجبanything strange؟
ومـن يشـابه أباه هـل بـه عجب؟
mighty lions, resembling their father in valor and onslaught—
Brave men resembling their fathers in might and boldness,
and is it any wonder that a man resembles his father?
Who resembles his father, is that strange?
ضياغمfierce lions حسـرواuncovered عنfrom رأسهمtheir heads ومشواand marched
ضياغم حسـروا عن رأسهم ومشوا
يهللـونproclaim God's oneness علـىupon أعدائهـمtheir enemies يثبـواthey leap
يهللـون علـى أعدائهـم يثبـوا
Fierce lions who bared their heads and marched,
Foes recoiled, grumbling, heading
proclaiming God's oneness as they spring upon their enemies.
Cheering against their enemies progressing,
قدindeed اشتكتcomplained منهمof them بيضwhite الصفاحsword-blades فماyet not
قد اشتكت منهم بيض الصفاح فما
رقـواgrew tender ولاnor رحموهـاshowed them mercy وهـيwhile they تنتحـبsob
رقـوا ولا رحموهـا وهـي تنتحـب
The bright sword-blades complained of them, yet they neither
Eggs of quail complained of them, but they
softened nor showed them mercy as the blades sobbed.
Had no mercy, while it sobbing,