إذاif ماfor emphasis هَمَمْتَyou resolve بكَشْفِto dispel الظُّلَمْthe darkness
إذا ما هَمَمْتَ بكَشْفِ الظُّلَمْ
وحِفظand guarding الثُّغورِthe frontiers وسَدِّand sealing الثُّلَمْthe breaches
وحِفظ الثُّغورِ وسَدِّ الثُّلَمْ
If ever you resolve to dispel the darkness,
If you resolve to dispel the darkness,
to guard the frontiers and seal the breaches,
and guard the frontiers and seal the breaches,
فعوِّلْthen rely علىon خَلَّتَيْنِtwo qualities اثنَتَtwo (continued next line)
فعوِّلْ على خَلَّتَيْنِ اثنَتَ
يْنِcompletion of “two” خَرْقِpiercing الحُسامِthe keen sword ورِفْقِand the gentleness of القَلَمْthe pen
يْنِ خَرْقِ الحُسامِ ورِفْقِ القَلَمْ
then rely upon two qualities:
then rely on two qualities—
the sword’s piercing force and the pen’s gentleness.
the sword’s piercing force and the pen’s gentleness.
