إِذا عَنَّ مَجدٌ أَو تَعَرَّضَ سُؤدُدٌ

إِذا عَنَّ مَجدٌ أَو تَعَرَّضَ سُؤدُدٌ

تَسامى لَهُ ضَخمُ الهُمومِ هُمامُ

تَسامى لَهُ ضَخمُ الهُمومِ هُمامُ

When glory appears or eminence presents itself,

When glory is denied or misfortune strikes

a valiant man of mighty ambitions rises to meet it.

The lofty spirit rises to meet it.

إِذا اِهتَزَّ لِلهَيجاءِ فَهوَ مُهَنَّدٌ

إِذا اِهتَزَّ لِلهَيجاءِ فَهوَ مُهَنَّدٌ

أَوِ اِهتَزَّ لِلإِفضالِ فَهُوَ غَمامُ

أَوِ اِهتَزَّ لِلإِفضالِ فَهُوَ غَمامُ

When he stirs for battle, he is an Indian-steel sword;

When shaken with passion it is ardent;

or stirs to give generously, he is a rain cloud.

When stirred to generosity it is a cloud.

تَواضَعَ وَهوَ النَجمُ عِزّاً وَرِفعَةً

تَواضَعَ وَهوَ النَجمُ عِزّاً وَرِفعَةً

وَخَفَّ عَلى الأَرواحِ وَهُوَ شَمامُ

وَخَفَّ عَلى الأَرواحِ وَهُوَ شَمامُ

He humbles himself, though a star in honor and height,

It is humble yet a star in honor and ascent,

and weighs lightly upon souls, though he is Mount Shamam.

Light over souls yet towering aloft.

أُرَجّيهِ يَوماً أَو أُلاقيهِ ساعَةً

أُرَجّيهِ يَوماً أَو أُلاقيهِ ساعَةً

فَيَخصُبُ لي عامٌ وَيَمرَأُ عامُ

فَيَخصُبُ لي عامٌ وَيَمرَأُ عامُ

I set my hopes on him for a day, or meet him for an hour,

I hope one day we meet though but an hour,

and a year grows fruitful for me, and a year grows sweet.

To fructify a year or give a year joy.

يُريدونَ مِنهُ أَن يَضِنَّ وَإِنَّما

يُريدونَ مِنهُ أَن يَضِنَّ وَإِنَّما

أَرادوا جُمودَ الغَيمِ وَهُوَ رُكامُ

أَرادوا جُمودَ الغَيمِ وَهُوَ رُكامُ

They want him to be miserly, yet all

They wish it niggardly but it is their aim

they seek is a massed cloud holding back its rain.

To see a cloud stand stock-still, not a pour.

وَلا عَيبَ فيهِ غَيرَ أَنَّ ذَوي النَدى

وَلا عَيبَ فيهِ غَيرَ أَنَّ ذَوي النَدى

خِساسٌ إِذا قيسوا بِهِ وَلِئامُ

خِساسٌ إِذا قيسوا بِهِ وَلِئامُ

There is no fault in him, except that the generous

No fault in it save those of slender means,

are lowly and ignoble when measured against him.

Measured by it are base and vile and poor.

بَلَغتَ مِنَ العَلياءِ ما فاتَهُم مَعاً

بَلَغتَ مِنَ العَلياءِ ما فاتَهُم مَعاً

كَأَن لَم يَروموا ما بَلَغتَ وَراموا

كَأَن لَم يَروموا ما بَلَغتَ وَراموا

You have reached heights that eluded them all,

You reached the heights which they together missed,

as though they never sought what you attained—yet they did seek it.

As though they never sought what you have gained.

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي الأَكارِمَ أَنَّهُم

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي الأَكارِمَ أَنَّهُم

إِذا اِستَيقَظوا لِلمَكرُماتِ نِيامُ

إِذا اِستَيقَظوا لِلمَكرُماتِ نِيامُ

Who, then, will tell the noble on my behalf that they,

Who tells the generous that those of mean estate,

when they awaken to noble deeds, are asleep?

If roused are slumberers, and will but snore?