اذا سلَّ سيف الرأي من غمد حزمه

اذا سلَّ سيف الرأي من غمد حزمه

غدا حاسديهِ ذابلٌ وحُسامُ

غدا حاسديهِ ذابلٌ وحُسامُ

When he draws the sword of judgment from the sheath of his resolve,

If the sword of opinion is unsheathed from the scabbard of his determination

a slender spear and a keen sword become his two enviers.

His enviers become faded and swords become blunt

فيُسرفُ قتلاً والمُهنَّدُ مُغْمدٌ

فيُسرفُ قتلاً والمُهنَّدُ مُغْمدٌ

ويوسعُ طرداً والجوادُ جَمامُ

ويوسعُ طرداً والجوادُ جَمامُ

So he kills beyond measure while the Indian-made sword is sheathed,

It kills excessively while the polished remains sheathed

and gives ample chase while the steed rests.

And it exiled abundantly while the generous remains restrained

ويُحرز من أقلامه ورماحهِ

ويُحرز من أقلامه ورماحهِ

عُلاهُ كلامٌ ناصِعٌ وكِلامُ

عُلاهُ كلامٌ ناصِعٌ وكِلامُ

And through his pens and his spears he secures

And it earns, from its pens and spears

his eminence, with lucid speech and wounds.

Sublime words, lucid and explicit

وللنظم من فوق الصحائف أسطرٌ

وللنظم من فوق الصحائف أسطرٌ

وللنَّثْر من فوق التَّنائف هامُ

وللنَّثْر من فوق التَّنائف هامُ

And for verse, lines upon the pages;

And prose, from atop pages, has lines

and for prose, scattered heads upon the desert wastes.

And poetry, from atop collections, has zeal

غمامٌ رعودٌ صادق الشيم حافلٌ

غمامٌ رعودٌ صادق الشيم حافلٌ

ولكنَّهُ عند الوعيد جَهامُ

ولكنَّهُ عند الوعيد جَهامُ

A thunderous cloud, true to its promise of rain, brimming,

A truthful-natured, glorious cloud, bursting with thunder

yet, when he threatens, a rainless cloud.

Yet with threats, fierce

يُصرِّفه الطفل الوليدُ لَطافةَ

يُصرِّفه الطفل الوليدُ لَطافةَ

ويعجزُ عنه الجيشُ وهو لُهامُ

ويعجزُ عنه الجيشُ وهو لُهامُ

A newborn child sways him, so gentle is he;

The newborn child can wield it gently

yet an army is powerless against him, though vast.

Yet the army is helpless against it, though brave

فتى الخير يبني عنده الودَّ سالماً

فتى الخير يبني عنده الودَّ سالماً

من النَّقصِ الِمامٌ به وسَلامُ

من النَّقصِ الِمامٌ به وسَلامُ

A youth of goodness, with whom affection is built, safe

The virtuous man builds, by it, peacefully

from decline, by a visit to him and a greeting.

Despite the faults embedded in it, intact

وذو عَبقٍ ما زالَ ينطقُ عِطْفه

وذو عَبقٍ ما زالَ ينطقُ عِطْفه

بادراك أقصى المجد وهو غُلامُ

بادراك أقصى المجد وهو غُلامُ

And fragrant is he: his frame has never ceased to speak

One of lingering fragrance, his kindness still speaks

of attaining the utmost glory, though still a boy.

In realizing the peak of glory, though a boy

كما لاحَ برقٌ في مُتون غمامةٍ

كما لاحَ برقٌ في مُتون غمامةٍ

فأصبحَ يُرجى صوبهُ ويُشامُ

فأصبحَ يُرجى صوبهُ ويُشامُ

Just as lightning gleams within the expanses of a cloud,

As lightning flashed from the depths of a cloud

so its downpour is hoped for, and it is watched for rain.

Becoming hoped for, in its direction, and sensed

وريَّانُ من فصْلٍ ولكن بنفسهِ

وريَّانُ من فصْلٍ ولكن بنفسهِ

اليه واِنْ طال الورود هُيامُ

اليه واِنْ طال الورود هُيامُ

And sated with discernment, yet within his soul

And two meadows, though of one season

burns a thirst for it, however long the drinking lasts.

To it, even if flowers last logs

بليغٌ اذا ما سَلَّ صارمَ حًجَّةٍ

بليغٌ اذا ما سَلَّ صارمَ حًجَّةٍ

وقد دام اِشكالٌ وطالَ خِصامُ

وقد دام اِشكالٌ وطالَ خِصامُ

Eloquent: when he draws the keen sword of an argument,

Eloquent, if a sharp argument is unsheathed

while uncertainty has lingered and dispute dragged on,

And a quarrel lingered and dispute prolonged

فدرعُ الذي يلقاهُ مُهلهل

فدرعُ الذي يلقاهُ مُهلهل

وصارمهُ وهو الجُرازُ كهامُ

وصارمهُ وهو الجُرازُ كهامُ

then the armor of whoever faces him is flimsy,

The coat of mail of whom faces it is pierced

and his sword, though keen-edged, is blunt.

And his blade, though a digits, is blunt

فلا برحتْ تاج الملوكِ سَعادةٌ

فلا برحتْ تاج الملوكِ سَعادةٌ

لها في ذراه موطنٌ ومَقامُ

لها في ذراه موطنٌ ومَقامُ

So may good fortune never forsake the Crown of Kings;

So the crown of kings, Sa’da’s glory

it has a home and dwelling upon his heights.

In its branches, remains no home nor station