لِأَيِّfor which of صَنائِعِهِhis favors أَشكُرُshall I give thanks
لِأَيِّ صَنائِعِهِ أَشكُرُ
وَفيand upon أَيِّwhich of أَخلاقِهِhis virtues أَنظُرُshall I reflect
وَفي أَيِّ أَخلاقِهِ أَنظُرُ
For which of his favors shall I give thanks?
And upon which of his virtues shall I reflect?
فَتىًa youth طانَبَpitched its tent المَجدُglory فيin بَيتِهِhis house
فَتىً طانَبَ المَجدُ في بَيتِهِ
هُوَhe السَيفُthe sword وَالعارِضُand the cloud المُمطِرُpouring rain
هُوَ السَيفُ وَالعارِضُ المُمطِرُ
A youth in whose house glory has pitched its tent;
He is the sword and the cloud that pours rain.
فَتىًa youth كَالحُسامِlike the keen sword وَصوبِand the downpour of الغَمامِthe clouds
فَتىً كَالحُسامِ وَصوبِ الغَمامِ
ذاthis one يَستَهِلُّgleams وَذاand that one يُمطِرُrains
ذا يَستَهِلُّ وَذا يُمطِرُ
A youth like the keen sword and the clouds’ downpour:
This one gleams, and that one rains.
إِذاwhen اِزدَحَمَتcrowded together فيهِupon him أَلحاظُناour gazes
إِذا اِزدَحَمَت فيهِ أَلحاظُنا
وَقَدand already ضَمَّenclosed أَعطافَهُhis sides المَحضَرُthe gathering
وَقَد ضَمَّ أَعطافَهُ المَحضَرُ
When our gazes crowd upon him,
And the gathering has enclosed his frame,
تَرىyou see أَنَّthat جِلبابَهُhis robe لامَةٌa suit of armor
تَرى أَنَّ جِلبابَهُ لامَةٌ
مِنَof البَأسِvalor أَوor تاجَهُhis crown مِغفَرُa helmet
مِنَ البَأسِ أَو تاجَهُ مِغفَرُ
You see that his robe is armor
Of valor, or his crown a helmet.
وَأَجرَيتُand I set racing شُكريmy thanks إِلىtoward شَأوِهِhis reach
وَأَجرَيتُ شُكري إِلى شَأوِهِ
فَجاءَso it arrived وَأَنفاسُهُand its breaths تَزفِرُheave
فَجاءَ وَأَنفاسُهُ تَزفِرُ
And I sent my thanks racing to match his reach;
So it arrived, gasping for breath.