توقَّل منْ عمرو العُلى في مُنيفةٍ

توقَّل منْ عمرو العُلى في مُنيفةٍ

من المجد لا يَسْطيها من يُطاولُ

من المجد لا يَسْطيها من يُطاولُ

From ʿAmr al-ʿUlā he climbed to a lofty height

Seek glory from Amr Al-Ula in Munyfa

of glory, which no rival in greatness can scale.

Of glory, none can attain what he aspires

بحيث الندى المكسوبُ والعام مجدب

بحيث الندى المكسوبُ والعام مجدب

وحيث الحمى المرهوبُ والدهرُ خاذل

وحيث الحمى المرهوبُ والدهرُ خاذل

Where bounty is obtained, though the year is barren,

Where dew is earned and the year barren

and where the protected domain is feared, though fortune gives no aid.

Where fever is feared and fate fails

فجاء كنصل السيف أما فِرِنْدُه

فجاء كنصل السيف أما فِرِنْدُه

فماءٌ وأما حَدُّهُ فهو قاصِلُ

فماءٌ وأما حَدُّهُ فهو قاصِلُ

Thus he came like a sword-blade: as for its patterned sheen,

He came like a sharp sword, its blade

it is water; as for its edge, it cuts clean through.

Is water, and its edge severing

عزائمهُ في النَّازلاتِ صَوارمٌ

عزائمهُ في النَّازلاتِ صَوارمٌ

وآراؤهُ في المُجْلباتِ جحافلُ

وآراؤهُ في المُجْلباتِ جحافلُ

His resolves amid calamities are keen swords,

His resolves in tribulations, swords

and his counsels amid tumultuous trials are mighty armies.

His views in contentions, battalions

كأنَّ على أعْطافهِ بابليَّةً

كأنَّ على أعْطافهِ بابليَّةً

اذا ما احتوتهُ بالنَّديِّ المسائلُ

اذا ما احتوتهُ بالنَّديِّ المسائلُ

As though Babylonian wine held sway over his shoulders,

As if on his shoulders like a Babylonian

whenever petitions surround him in the assembly.

When enveloped by flows of questions

تُعلَّقُ اشناقُ الدِّياتِ بجودهِ

تُعلَّقُ اشناقُ الدِّياتِ بجودهِ

اذا رهبتْ حمل الدِّياتِ العَواقل

اذا رهبتْ حمل الدِّياتِ العَواقل

Blood-money assessments are hung upon his generosity

The blood-debts hang on his generosity

when the liable kin shrink from bearing the blood-money.

When the judicious fear bearing blood-debts

اذا ما رنا أغْضوا مخافة بأسهِ

اذا ما رنا أغْضوا مخافة بأسهِ

فأُفحِمَ مِنْطيقٌ وأحْجم باسلُ

فأُفحِمَ مِنْطيقٌ وأحْجم باسلُ

Whenever he gazes, they lower their eyes for fear of his might,

When he neighs, they hush in fear of his might

so an eloquent speaker is silenced, and a valiant man draws back.

So a bold speaker falters, and a hero recoils