وَماand not كانَhe was وَقّافاًprone to hang back إِذاwhen الخَيلُthe horses أَحجَمَتrecoiled
وَما كانَ وَقّافاً إِذا الخَيلُ أَحجَمَت
وَماand not كانَhe was مِبطاناًpotbellied إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَجَرَّداhe stripped bare
وَما كانَ مِبطاناً إِذا ما تَجَرَّدا
And he never hung back when the horses recoiled,
He did not stop when horses reared in fear,
Nor was he potbellied when he stripped bare.
Nor flinch when swords were bared,
كَثيرُabundant رَمادِashes القِدرِthe cooking pot غَيرُnot مُلَعَّنٍcursed
كَثيرُ رَمادِ القِدرِ غَيرُ مُلَعَّنٍ
وَلاand not مُؤيِسٍcausing despair مِنهاof it إِذاwhen هُوَhe أَخمَداput out the fire
وَلا مُؤيِسٍ مِنها إِذا هُوَ أَخمَدا
Abundant were the ashes of his cooking pot; he was never cursed,
Much smoke may come from an empty pot,
Nor did he make anyone despair of it when he put out the fire.
Which makes it no less once flames have fled.