وَليand I have لِسانٌa tongue إِذاwhen أَطلَقتُهُI unleash it عَرضاًat random
وَلي لِسانٌ إِذا أَطلَقتُهُ عَرضاً
سَعىit moves مَساعِيَthe movements of ضِرغامٍa lion وَثُعبانِand a serpent
سَعى مَساعِيَ ضِرغامٍ وَثُعبانِ
I have a tongue that, when I give it free rein,
And I have a tongue which, when I let it loose at random,
does the work of a lion and a serpent.
Moves in the manner of a lion and a serpent.
وَقَدand indeed نَمَتنِيَgave me my lineage أَمجادٌillustrious men جَحاmighty chiefs (first word fragment) جَحَةٌmighty chiefs (remaining word fragment)
وَقَد نَمَتنِيَ أَمجادٌ جَحا جَحَةٌ
مِنfrom نَجلِthe offspring of ساسانَSasan تَزهوoutshine in glory نَجلَthe offspring of ساسانِSasan
مِن نَجلِ ساسانَ تَزهو نَجلَ ساسانِ
The glories of mighty lords have raised my lineage,
And I descend from illustrious, mighty chiefs,
from Sasan’s stock—glories that make Sasan’s progeny proud.
Of Sasan's offspring, who outshine Sasan's offspring.
هُمُthey الكَواكِبُthe stars فيin أَطرافِthe reaches of داجِيَةٍa dark night
هُمُ الكَواكِبُ في أَطرافِ داجِيَةٍ
أَوِor القُنانُthe mountain peaks عَلىupon أَثباجِthe backs of أَعنانِclouds
أَوِ القُنانُ عَلى أَثباجِ أَعنانِ
They are stars in the reaches of a pitch-black night,
They are the stars in the reaches of a dark night,
or mountain peaks upon the shoulders of the clouds.
Or mountain peaks upon the backs of clouds.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَتَواthey come بِالسوءِwith evil ماnot اِعتَذَرواthey apologize
قَومٌ إِذا ما أَتَوا بِالسوءِ ما اِعتَذَروا
وَلاand not يَمُنّونَthey reproach others with their favors إِنif مَنّواthey bestow favors بِإِحسانِwith kindness
وَلا يَمُنّونَ إِن مَنّوا بِإِحسانِ
My people, when they do wrong, make no excuses,
A people who, when they commit evil, do not apologize,
nor, when they bestow kindness, do they hold the favor over anyone.
Nor do they reproach others with their favors if they bestow kindness.
