لقدindeed عَلِمَknew القبائلُthe tribes منof مَعَدٍّMaʿadd
لقد عَلِمَ القبائلُ من مَعَدٍّ
مقامthe standing of بنيthe sons of تميمٍTamim فيin المَعاليthe heights of glory
مقام بني تميمٍ في المَعالي
Surely the tribes of Maʿadd know
The tribes have known the rank of Banu Tamim
Banu Tamim's standing in the heights of glory.
In glory, when the dust of battle stirs,
إذاwhen غبرتْgrew dusty فجاجُthe broad paths of الأرضthe earth سحَّواthey poured down
إذا غبرتْ فجاجُ الأرض سحَّوا
نوالهمtheir bounty غنياًindependent عنof سؤالِasking
نوالهم غنياً عن سؤالِ
When the earth's broad paths grow dusty, they rain down
They take the bounty without asking
Their bounty, with no need for anyone to ask.
And when spears thirst, they slake them with the blood of men.
وإنْand if ظمئَthirsted القناthe lances نقعواthey quenched صَداهُits thirst
وإنْ ظمئَ القنا نقعوا صَداهُ
بيومon the day of الرَّوعterror منfrom مُهجِthe lifeblood of الرجالِmen
بيوم الرَّوع من مُهجِ الرجالِ
And if the lances thirst, they quench their thirst
Indeed the brilliance of their faith, from them,
On the day of terror with men's lifeblood.
Is like a star amid the stalks in darkened nights,
وإنَّand indeed عُلاthe eminence of بهاءBaha (splendor) الدينal-Din (of the faith) منهُمْamong them
وإنَّ عُلا بهاء الدين منهُمْ
مكانthe position of الزُّرْقthe blue spearheads فيin قصبthe shafts of العَواليthe long lances
مكان الزُّرْق في قصب العَوالي
And indeed Baha al-Din's eminence among them
Unveiling its glow to illuminate
Is that of blue spearheads in the shafts of long lances.
The gloom of trials through the blackest nights.
يميطُhe draws aside لثامهُhis face-veil عنfrom مُستنيرٍa radiant face
يميطُ لثامهُ عن مُستنيرٍ
يضيءُilluminates دُجىthe darkness of المطالبpursuits واللَّياليand the nights
يضيءُ دُجى المطالب واللَّيالي
He draws his veil aside from a radiant face
A brother to the lofty when pleased or wroth
That lights the gloom of pursuits and nights.
To one in straits or at the feast and rite,
أخوpossessor of سَيْلينِtwo torrents عندin times of رضاًpleasure وسُخْطٍand wrath
أخو سَيْلينِ عند رضاً وسُخْطٍ
لمُعتبرٍfor one who reflects نجيعٍblood أوْor نَوالِbounty
لمُعتبرٍ نجيعٍ أوْ نَوالِ
He has two torrents, in pleasure and wrath—
And when perfection was complete in him
For the discerning: blood or bounty.
They called him in the deserts the most perfect knight,
ولماand when تَمَّhe was complete فيat الميلادِbirth فَضْلاًin excellence
ولما تَمَّ في الميلادِ فَضْلاً
دعوهُthey called him فيat المباديthe beginnings بالكمالِby 'al-Kamal' (Perfection)
دعوهُ في المبادي بالكمالِ
And when he was complete in excellence at birth,
He came like an Indian sword, victorious,
They called him 'al-Kamal'—'Perfection'—from the outset.
To him return triumphant every fight,
فجاءso he came كنصلِlike the blade of سيفٍa sword هِنْدوانٍIndian-made
فجاء كنصلِ سيفٍ هِنْدوانٍ
يفيءُreturns إليهto him مُنتصرٌa seeker of victory وحالِand a seeker of bounty
يفيءُ إليه مُنتصرٌ وحالِ
So he came like the blade of an Indian sword;
And loyalty congratulates him from a tribe
To him turn those seeking victory and those seeking bounty.
Valiant in battle and in argument.
وتهْنيهand congratulates him المودَّةُaffection منْfrom عَشيرٍa close companion
وتهْنيه المودَّةُ منْ عَشيرٍ
جريءٍbold فيin المعاركbattles والجِدالِand debate
جريءٍ في المعارك والجِدالِ
And affection from a companion congratulates him—
One bold in battles and debate.
Partial English translation: 16 of 18 Arabic lines translated.