جفن الحُسام بَدا أَم مَربض الأَسَد

جفن الحُسام بَدا أَم مَربض الأَسَد

سجن حَللت بِهِ يا خَير مُعتَمَد

سجن حَللت بِهِ يا خَير مُعتَمَد

Is it the sword's sheath that has appeared, or the lion's lair—

The eyelids of the swordsman appeared, or the paws of the lion

The prison where you have lodged, O best support?

A prison in which you, O best support, have been confined

أَم شَمس ذاتِكَ عَن غَير الغَباء غَدَت

أَم شَمس ذاتِكَ عَن غَير الغَباء غَدَت

مَحجوبة وَهِيَ الإِشراق لِلأَبَد

مَحجوبة وَهِيَ الإِشراق لِلأَبَد

Or has the sun of your being, with no dust haze, become

Or your own sun, safe from ignorance, has risen

Veiled, though it is radiance for all eternity?

Veiled, though it is the dawn forever

وَقَدر جاهك في الآفاق مُرتَفع

وَقَدر جاهك في الآفاق مُرتَفع

ما حَطَ يَوماً وَإِن لَم يَخل مِن حَسَد

ما حَطَ يَوماً وَإِن لَم يَخل مِن حَسَد

And your standing is lofty across the horizons;

And your eminent station in the horizons is lofty

It has never declined, though it has not been free of envy.

It has never descended, though it is not without envy