وبالكوفةِand in Kufa الفيحاءthe spacious فارسُa knight of بُهْمَةٍfierce battle
وبالكوفةِ الفيحاء فارسُ بُهْمَةٍ
يكرُّhe charges اذاwhen ماan emphatic particle الخيلُthe horses حادتْswerved aside وولَّتand turned away
يكرُّ اذا ما الخيلُ حادتْ وولَّت
And in spacious Kufa is a knight of fierce battle,
Who charges when the horses swerve and turn away.
تُخبِّرُtell ضيِفانُthe guests of الشتاءِwinter بجودهِof his generosity
تُخبِّرُ ضيِفانُ الشتاءِ بجودهِ
اذاwhen الجرنgrain stores منfrom عصفthe blasting of الشمالthe north wind اضمحلَّتdwindled away
اذا الجرن من عصف الشمال اضمحلَّت
Winter's guests tell of his generosity,
When grain stores dwindle beneath the north wind's blasts.
أبوAbu (father of) الفارسal-Faris (the horseman) الحاميthe defender of حقيقةَthe honor of حَرْبهhis battle
أبو الفارس الحامي حقيقةَ حَرْبه
اذاwhen ماan emphatic particle المناياdeaths أدركتْovertook وأظلَّتِand loomed overhead
اذا ما المنايا أدركتْ وأظلَّتِ
Abu al-Faris, who safeguards his honor in battle,
When death overtakes and looms overhead.
تُبكِّيmake weep نجيعاًgore منfrom دمِthe blood of العامِthe year بيضهُhis white blades
تُبكِّي نجيعاً من دمِ العامِ بيضهُ
وقدand already ضحكتthey laughed عُجباًin admiration بهof him حينwhen سُلَّتِthey were unsheathed
وقد ضحكت عُجباً به حين سُلَّتِ
His white blades wring tears of gore from the year's blood,
Though they had laughed in admiration of him when unsheathed.
كأنَّas though حسامHusam (sword) الدينal-Din (the faith) وسْميُّthe early autumn rain of ديمةٍa gentle, steadily raining cloud
كأنَّ حسام الدين وسْميُّ ديمةٍ
تُفيدُbestows ربيعthe springtime of العامِthe year حيثwherever استهلَّتِit began pouring
تُفيدُ ربيع العامِ حيث استهلَّتِ
As though Husam al-Din were autumn rain from a gently raining cloud,
Bringing the year's spring wherever it pours.
فتىًa noble youth لاdoes not يحلُّundo الدهرtime عقدَthe bond of ودادهhis affection
فتىً لا يحلُّ الدهر عقدَ وداده
إذاwhen أنفسُthe souls of الخلصانclosest friends خانتbetrayed وملَّتِand grew weary
إذا أنفسُ الخلصان خانت وملَّتِ
A youth whose bond of affection time cannot undo,
When the souls of closest friends betray and grow weary.