وَلي لِسانٌ إِذا أَطلَقتُهُ عَرضاً

وَلي لِسانٌ إِذا أَطلَقتُهُ عَرضاً

سَعى مَساعِيَ ضِرغامٍ وَثُعبانِ

سَعى مَساعِيَ ضِرغامٍ وَثُعبانِ

And I have a tongue that, when I let it loose at random,

I have a tongue that roams freely

Does the deeds of a lion and a serpent.

Seeking out the paths of snakes and scorpions

وَقَد نَمَتنِيَ أَمجادٌ جَحا جَحَةٌ

وَقَد نَمَتنِيَ أَمجادٌ جَحا جَحَةٌ

مِن نَجلِ ساسانَ تَزهو نَجلَ ساسانِ

مِن نَجلِ ساسانَ تَزهو نَجلَ ساسانِ

And indeed I descend from illustrious, mighty chiefs,

Great glories have raised me up

Of Sasan’s line, who bring glory to Sasan’s line.

From the progeny of Sasan, the glorious progeny of Sasan

هُمُ الكَواكِبُ في أَطرافِ داجِيَةٍ

هُمُ الكَواكِبُ في أَطرافِ داجِيَةٍ

أَوِ القُنانُ عَلى أَثباجِ أَعنانِ

أَوِ القُنانُ عَلى أَثباجِ أَعنانِ

They are the stars in the reaches of a dark night,

They are stars on the edges of darkness

Or mountain peaks upon the backs of clouds.

Or lances on the pommels of reins

قَومٌ إِذا ما أَتَوا بِالسوءِ ما اِعتَذَروا

قَومٌ إِذا ما أَتَوا بِالسوءِ ما اِعتَذَروا

وَلا يَمُنّونَ إِن مَنّوا بِإِحسانِ

وَلا يَمُنّونَ إِن مَنّوا بِإِحسانِ

A people who, when they do evil, offer no apology,

A people who, if they come with evil, do not apologize

Nor, if they bestow kindness, hold it over others.

And do not count it a favor if they do good