بأبىwith my father as ransom وإنeven though كانwas أبىmy father سميذَعاa noble lord
بأبى وإن كان أبى سميذَعا
خُلِقتwere created يداهُhis two hands للشجاعةِfor courage والنَدىand generosity
خُلِقت يداهُ للشجاعةِ والنَدى
May he be ransomed with my father, though my father was a mighty chief.
I would ransom him with my father, though my father was a noble lord.
His hands were fashioned for courage and largesse.
His hands were created for courage and generosity.
راجَعتُهI turned to him فيin أزمةٍa crisis فكأنّماand as though
راجَعتُه في أزمةٍ فكأنّما
جرَّدتُI unsheathed منهfrom him علىagainst الزمانTime مُهنّداan Indian-forged sword
جرَّدتُ منه على الزمان مُهنّدا
I turned to him in my hour of crisis, and it was as though
I turned to him in a crisis, and it was as though
I had drawn from him an Indian blade against Time.
I had drawn from him an Indian-forged sword against Time.
ملكٌa king كريمٌgenerous كالنسيمlike the breeze لطافةًin gentleness
ملكٌ كريمٌ كالنسيم لطافةً
فإذاyet when دَجاgrew dark خَطبٌa calamity قساhe grew stern وتمرّداand became defiant
فإذا دَجا خَطبٌ قسا وتمرّدا
A noble king, as gentle as the breeze—
A generous king, as gentle as the breeze,
but when calamity darkens, he turns steely and defiant.
Yet when calamity darkens, he grows stern and defiant.
أمواجُwaves إحسانٍof kindness أسِرَّةُthe lines وجهِهof his face
أمواجُ إحسانٍ أسِرَّةُ وجهِه
لصَديقهfor his friend وسيوفُand swords بأسٍof might للعِداfor his foes
لصَديقه وسيوفُ بأسٍ للعِدا
The bright lines of his face are waves of beneficence
The lines of his face are waves of kindness
to his friend, and swords of might against his foes.
For his friend, and swords of might for his foes.
كالبحرlike the sea يُنعِمُhe bestows بالجواهرwith jewels ساكناًwhile calm
كالبحر يُنعِمُ بالجواهر ساكناً
كرَماًout of generosity ويأتيand comes بالعجائبwith marvels مُزبداfoaming
كرَماً ويأتي بالعجائب مُزبدا
Like the sea, he bestows jewels when calm,
Like the sea, he bestows jewels when calm,
out of generosity, and brings forth wonders when foaming.
Out of generosity, and brings marvels when foaming.
يُفنىhe consumes منfrom الأعمارlifespans إنif غشىَhe assails الورىmankind
يُفنى من الأعمار إن غشىَ الورى
مالوwhat, if حَوىhe possessed أفنىhe would exhaust الزمانَTime وخُلّداand be made immortal
مالو حَوى أفنى الزمانَ وخُلّدا
Whole lifetimes would be spent, should mankind be engulfed by
If he assails mankind, he consumes such spans of life
the wealth he amassed; it outlived Time and was made immortal.
That, were he to possess them, he would exhaust Time and be made immortal.
والهامُand heads تسجدُprostrate themselves خشيةًin fear منof سيفِهhis sword
والهامُ تسجدُ خشيةً من سيفِه
لمّاwhen أبَتrefused أربابُهاtheir owners أنto تسجُداprostrate themselves
لمّا أبَت أربابُها أن تسجُدا
Heads prostrate themselves for fear of his sword
And heads prostrate themselves in dread of his sword,
when their owners have refused to bow.
When their owners refused to prostrate themselves.
لاdo not تعجَبواmarvel إنif لمdid not يَسِلflow منهمfrom them دمٌblood
لا تعجَبوا إن لم يَسِل منهم دمٌ
فالخوفُfor fear قدalready أفنىhas destroyed النفوسَthe souls وجمَّداand congealed
فالخوفُ قد أفنى النفوسَ وجمَّدا
Do not marvel if no blood flows from them:
Do not marvel if no blood has flowed from them:
fear has already slain their souls and frozen their blood.
For fear has already destroyed their souls and congealed their blood.
