قِفي وَقفَةً تَعلَمي

قِفي وَقفَةً تَعلَمي

وَإِن سَلِموا فَاِسلَمي

وَإِن سَلِموا فَاِسلَمي

Pause a moment; you will learn.

Stand still for a moment to learn

And if they escape unharmed, be safe yourself.

And if they are safe then be safe

فَما قُلتُ مِن لَوعَةٍ

فَما قُلتُ مِن لَوعَةٍ

أَلِمّي بِنا يا لَمِ

أَلِمّي بِنا يا لَمِ

For I have not said, in burning longing,

For I have not said out of grief

"Call on us, O Lam!"

Hurt us, O night

وَكَيفَ صُعودي إِلى

وَكَيفَ صُعودي إِلى

الثُرَيّا بِلا سُلَمِ

الثُرَيّا بِلا سُلَمِ

And how can I ascend to

And how can I ascend

the Pleiades without a ladder?

The Pleiades without a ladder

أَيَخلُصُ هَذا الوَرى

أَيَخلُصُ هَذا الوَرى

مِنَ الحِندِسِ المُظلِمِ

مِنَ الحِندِسِ المُظلِمِ

Can these mortals escape

Will this world be saved

the black, lightless gloom?

From the gloomy darkness

وَأَيُّهُمُ لَم يَكُن

وَأَيُّهُمُ لَم يَكُن

ظَلوماً وَلَم يُظلَمِ

ظَلوماً وَلَم يُظلَمِ

And which of them has not been

And which of them was not

deeply unjust, nor been wronged?

Unjust or wronged

وَلا بُدَّ لِلحادِثا

وَلا بُدَّ لِلحادِثا

تِ مِن وَقعَةِ صَيلَمِ

تِ مِن وَقعَةِ صَيلَمِ

And calamities must inevitably bring

And events must have

an annihilating onslaught

A fateful calamity

تُبيدُ أَعادِيَهُم

تُبيدُ أَعادِيَهُم

مَعَ التُركِ وَالدَيلَمِ

مَعَ التُركِ وَالدَيلَمِ

that destroys their enemies

That destroys their enemies

along with the Turks and the Daylamites,

With the Turks and tatars

وَتَثنيكَ في راحَةٍ

وَتَثنيكَ في راحَةٍ

كَأَنَّكَ لَم تُؤلَمِ

كَأَنَّكَ لَم تُؤلَمِ

and returns you to repose,

And relaxes you

as though you had never been hurt.

As if you were not hurt

وَلَم يُبقِ صِرفُ الرَدى

وَلَم يُبقِ صِرفُ الرَدى

عَلى بَطَلٍ مُعلَمِ

عَلى بَطَلٍ مُعلَمِ

Nor have death's ravages spared

And the turning of fate

a champion bearing insignia,

Spares no marked hero

يُخَضِّبُ هامَ العِدى

يُخَضِّبُ هامَ العِدى

بِنَحوٍ مِنَ العِظلِمِ

بِنَحوٍ مِنَ العِظلِمِ

who dyes the heads of foes

Who stains the zeal of enemies

with something like indigo.

With some dreadful blows

وَكَم بَذَّ مِن قُرَحٍ

وَكَم بَذَّ مِن قُرَحٍ

مَدى الجَذَعِ الأَزلَمِ

مَدى الجَذَعِ الأَزلَمِ

And how many mature steeds have been outstripped by

And how many wounds he inflicted

the course of ever-young, inexorable Time!

On the stubborn trunk

وَلَستَ مِنَ الرَكبِ إِذ

وَلَستَ مِنَ الرَكبِ إِذ

يَعوجونَ في المَعلَمِ

يَعوجونَ في المَعلَمِ

And you are not of the caravan when

And you are not of those

they turn aside at the landmark.

Who waver on the road

إِذا طَمِعوا فَاِقتَنِع

إِذا طَمِعوا فَاِقتَنِع

وَإِن جَهِلوا فَاِحلَمِ

وَإِن جَهِلوا فَاِحلَمِ

If they grow greedy, be content;

If they covet then be content

and if they act foolishly, be forbearing.

And if they are ignorant then be forbearing

وَلا يَدنونَنَّ الفَتى

وَلا يَدنونَنَّ الفَتى

لِعِرسٍ وَلا يولِمِ

لِعِرسٍ وَلا يولِمِ

And let no young man ever draw near

And let them not approach a young man

to a wife, nor give a wedding feast.

For a wedding or to blame

فَإِن ظَهَرَت زَلَتي

فَإِن ظَهَرَت زَلَتي

فَقُل لِرَفيقي لُمِ

فَقُل لِرَفيقي لُمِ

So if my fault becomes apparent,

And if my slip appeared

then tell my companion: "Blame me."

Say to my friend, “Forbear”