أَنّى تُطاوِلُني وَدوني بَسطَتا

أَنّى تُطاوِلُني وَدوني بَسطَتا

جَدٍّ يُساعِدُني وَجَدٍّ يُسعِدُ

جَدٍّ يُساعِدُني وَجَدٍّ يُسعِدُ

How can you rival me, when before me lie the two broad reaches

How dare you defy me when my power lies open before me

of diligence that aids me and fortune that brings me joy?

With resolve to aid me and joy to please me

ها قَد حَلَلتُ وَلِلتَقَلقُلِ غايَةٌ

ها قَد حَلَلتُ وَلِلتَقَلقُلِ غايَةٌ

في حَيثُ يُشرِقُ ثُمَّ يُشرِفُ مَقعَدُ

في حَيثُ يُشرِقُ ثُمَّ يُشرِفُ مَقعَدُ

Look, I have settled—restless wandering has an end—

Behold, I am free to be calmly capricious

where a seat shines, then stands high.

Where the sun rises then nobly takes seat

طُلتُ السَماءَ فَهَل سَمِعتَ بِحيلَةٍ

طُلتُ السَماءَ فَهَل سَمِعتَ بِحيلَةٍ

تَرقى بِها نَحوَ السَماءِ وَتَصعَدُ

تَرقى بِها نَحوَ السَماءِ وَتَصعَدُ

I have overtopped the sky; have you heard of a means

I gazed at the sky, did you hear of a trick

by which you rise toward the sky and ascend?

To scale the high heavens and mount in ascent?

إِلزِم ثَراكَ وَغُضَّ طَرفَكَ ذِلَّةً

إِلزِم ثَراكَ وَغُضَّ طَرفَكَ ذِلَّةً

فَمَكانَتي أَنأى عَلَيكَ وَأَبعَدُ

فَمَكانَتي أَنأى عَلَيكَ وَأَبعَدُ

Keep to your dust, and lower your gaze in abasement;

Keep to your soil and cast down your eyes in meekness

for my station is too remote for you, too far away.

For my station is far too high up for your ken

وَلَئِن طَرِبتُ وَقَد عَرَتني وَعكَةٌ

وَلَئِن طَرِبتُ وَقَد عَرَتني وَعكَةٌ

فَاللَيثُ يَبرُدُ وَالمُهَنَّدُ يُرعَدُ

فَاللَيثُ يَبرُدُ وَالمُهَنَّدُ يُرعَدُ

And even if I quivered when a bout of illness seized me,

If I’m troubled, though storms may assail me

for the lion gets chills, and the Indian-steel sword is made to tremble.

The lion lies cooling, the sharp blade lies rusting