غَرَّ الأعادي منهُ رونَقُ بشْرِهِ

غَرَّ الأعادي منهُ رونَقُ بشْرِهِ

وأَفادَهُمْ بَرْداً على الأكبْادِ

وأَفادَهُمْ بَرْداً على الأكبْادِ

The glow of his cheerfulness deceived his enemies,

The glow of his cheeks vexed the enemies,

And brought coolness to their livers.

And chilled their livers,

هَيهاتَ لا يَخْدعُهم إيماضُهُ

هَيهاتَ لا يَخْدعُهم إيماضُهُ

فَالغيظُ تحتَ تبسّمِ الآساد

فَالغيظُ تحتَ تبسّمِ الآساد

Far from it! His flashing gleam will not deceive them,

Alas! His glances do not fool them,

For rage lies beneath the smiling of lions.

For there is wrath beneath his smiling face.

فالبَهوُ منهُ بالبَهاءِ مُوشّحٌ

فالبَهوُ منهُ بالبَهاءِ مُوشّحٌ

والسّرحُ منهُ مُورقُ الأعوادِ

والسّرحُ منهُ مُورقُ الأعوادِ

So through him the hall is mantled in splendor,

His forehead glows with splendor,

And through him the trees bear leafy boughs.

His hair waves like tree branches.

وإذا شياطينُ الضّلال تَمرَّدوا

وإذا شياطينُ الضّلال تَمرَّدوا

خَلاّهُمُ قُرَناءَ في الأصفاد

خَلاّهُمُ قُرَناءَ في الأصفاد

And when the devils of error rebel,

And when devils of misguidance rebel,

He leaves them paired in fetters.

He chains them as companions in shackles.

شنَّ النهابَ على قوافلِ ماله

شنَّ النهابَ على قوافلِ ماله

بأنامل كمغيرةِ الأكراد

بأنامل كمغيرةِ الأكراد

He unleashed plunder upon the caravans of his wealth,

He launched raids on the caravans of his wealth

With fingertips like Kurdish raiders.

With fingers like marauding Kurds.

وحَوى مقاليدَ العُلا بصنائعٍ

وحَوى مقاليدَ العُلا بصنائعٍ

عُقدت قلائدُها على الأجياد

عُقدت قلائدُها على الأجياد

And gained the keys to greatness through benefactions,

And he controlled the reins of glory with deeds

Whose necklaces were fastened around necks.

Whose necklaces were tied on steeds.

عَدّوهُ في الأجنادِ من أَفرادها

عَدّوهُ في الأجنادِ من أَفرادها

ورأَوه في الأفراد كالأجنادِ

ورأَوه في الأفراد كالأجنادِ

They counted him among the armies as one of their men,

His foes saw him among his soldiers

And among individual men they saw him as armies.

As one soldier among soldiers.

مرحاً كما هبَّ النسيمُ مُجاذباً

مرحاً كما هبَّ النسيمُ مُجاذباً

أهدابَ خوط البانة المَيّاد

أهدابَ خوط البانة المَيّاد

Joyful, as the breeze blew, tugging at

Frolicking as the breeze stirs

The fringes of a swaying bān-tree shoot.

The tresses of the dozing palm tree.

وهُو الغَمامُ بعَينهِ فظباه لل

وهُو الغَمامُ بعَينهِ فظباه لل

إبراق والإنذارُ للارعادِ

إبراق والإنذارُ للارعادِ

And he is the very raincloud: his sword-edges serve as

He is the very cloud, terrifying the hills

Lightning, and his warning as thunder.

With lightning and thunder of clouds.

وهو الخضمّ إذا سَطا قَهرَ العدا

وهو الخضمّ إذا سَطا قَهرَ العدا

بتلاطُم الأمواجِ والأزبْاد

بتلاطُم الأمواجِ والأزبْاد

And he is the ocean: when he attacks, he overpowers his foes

He is the torrent, overwhelming the enemies

With the crashing of waves and foam.

With the onslaught of waves and floods.

وهو الصّباحُ يعطّ أَرديةَ الدُجى

وهو الصّباحُ يعطّ أَرديةَ الدُجى

والشمسُ لا تَخفى بكلِّ بلاد

والشمسُ لا تَخفى بكلِّ بلاد

And he is the dawn, rending the robes of darkness,

He is the dawn, removing the cloak of darkness

And the sun, hidden in no land;

And the sun, hidden in no land,

والسيفُ يُزهقُ نفسَ كلِّ معاندٍ

والسيفُ يُزهقُ نفسَ كلِّ معاندٍ

والفهر يدمغُ رأسَ كلِّ مُعاد

والفهر يدمغُ رأسَ كلِّ مُعاد

And the sword that takes the life of every defiant foe,

The sword that takes the soul of every opponent

And the pounding-stone that crushes every enemy’s head.

And the blade that splits the head of every foe.

إقدامُ عمرو في سماحةِ حاتمٍ

إقدامُ عمرو في سماحةِ حاتمٍ

في حلمِ أحنفَ في دهاءِ زيادِ

في حلمِ أحنفَ في دهاءِ زيادِ

ʿAmr’s daring joined with Ḥātim’s generosity,

The daring of Amr, the generosity of Hatim,

With Aḥnaf’s forbearance and Ziyād’s cunning.

The patience of Ahnaf, the guile of Ziyad.

فَنَداك مُنتجعي وبابُكَ مقصَدي

فَنَداك مُنتجعي وبابُكَ مقصَدي

وهواكَ راحلتي ومدحُك زادي

وهواكَ راحلتي ومدحُك زادي

So your bounty is my pasture, and your door my destination;

You are my place of comfort, your door I frequent

And love for you is my riding-camel, and praise of you my provisions.

Your love transports me, praising you is my provision.

ولسوفَ تعلو باعتنائك همّتي

ولسوفَ تعلو باعتنائك همّتي

حتى أنُصَّ على السماك وسادي

حتى أنُصَّ على السماك وسادي

And surely, through your care, my aspiration will rise,

And soon, with your patronage, my resolve will rise

Until I set my pillow upon al-Simāk.

Until I attain the throne and make it my seat.