لَئِن اِنتُقِضتَ عَلى الشَكاةِ فَإِنَّما

لَئِن اِنتُقِضتَ عَلى الشَكاةِ فَإِنَّما

بِالصَقلِ يَخلُصُ ذا الحُسامِ المُرهَفُ

بِالصَقلِ يَخلُصُ ذا الحُسامِ المُرهَفُ

Though you have been weakened by illness, it is only

If you have faltered in pursuing glory, know that

through polishing that this keen sword is purified.

Only through perseverance may one wield a sharpened sword.

كانَت كُسوفاً ساعَةً ثُمَّ اِنجَلَت

كانَت كُسوفاً ساعَةً ثُمَّ اِنجَلَت

وَالبَدرُ قَبلَ تَمامِهِ لا يُكسَفُ

وَالبَدرُ قَبلَ تَمامِهِ لا يُكسَفُ

It was an eclipse for an hour, then it cleared;

It was but a fleeting eclipse, then daylight emerged again,

and the full moon is not eclipsed before attaining fullness.

The moon is never fully eclipsed before it is full.

هَبَّت بِجِسمِكَ لافِحٌ مِن عِلَّةٍ

هَبَّت بِجِسمِكَ لافِحٌ مِن عِلَّةٍ

عَصَفَت بِها لِلبُرءِ ريحٌ حَرجَفُ

عَصَفَت بِها لِلبُرءِ ريحٌ حَرجَفُ

A scorching blast of illness blew upon your body;

A sudden illness has struck your body,

a fierce, cold wind of recovery swept it away.

A raging wind that soon shall pass.

فَكَأَنَّما إِذ قُمتَ قامَ حُطَيئَةٌ

فَكَأَنَّما إِذ قُمتَ قامَ حُطَيئَةٌ

لِلشِعرِ أَو لِلحِلمِ قامَ الأَحنَفُ

لِلشِعرِ أَو لِلحِلمِ قامَ الأَحنَفُ

So, when you rose, it was as though Hutay'ah rose

So it seems that when you rose, Huteiyah

for poetry, or al-Ahnaf rose for forbearance.

Rose for poetry, or the wise Ahnaf rose.