إِنَّindeed النَوائِحَthe mourning women لاnot يَعدونَgo beyond فيconcerning عُمَرٍUmar
إِنَّ النَوائِحَ لا يَعدونَ في عُمَرٍ
ماwhat كانَwas فيهِin him وَلاnor المَولىthe client إِذاwhen اِفتَخَراhe boasts
ما كانَ فيهِ وَلا المَولى إِذا اِفتَخَرا
Indeed, the mourning women do not go beyond, in speaking of Umar,
The wailers do not count in a lifetime
what was in him—nor does his client when he boasts—
What was in it, nor the Master if he boasts
إِذاwhen عَدَدنَthey enumerate فَعالاًnoble deeds أَوor لَهُfor him حَسَباًancestral honor
إِذا عَدَدنَ فَعالاً أَو لَهُ حَسَباً
أَوor يَومَa day of هَيجاءَbattle يُعشيdims بَأسُهُhis might البَصَراthe sight
أَو يَومَ هَيجاءَ يُعشي بَأسُهُ البَصَرا
when they recount noble deeds or his ancestral honor,
When he counts deeds or if he has lineage
or a day of battle when his might dims the sight:
Or a day of battle when his might dazzles eyesight
القائِلَthe speaker الفاعِلَthe doer الحاميthe defender of حَقيقَتَهُhis honor
القائِلَ الفاعِلَ الحامي حَقيقَتَهُ
وَالواهِبَand the giver of المِئَةَthe hundred camels المِعكاءَclosely packed وَالغُرَراand fair-skinned slaves
وَالواهِبَ المِئَةَ المِعكاءَ وَالغُرَرا
the speaker, the doer, the defender of his honor,
The Sayer, the Doer, the Guardian of his truth
and the giver of a close-packed hundred camels and fair-skinned slaves.
The Giver, the refuge, the misleading mirages
لاlet ... not يُلقِيَنsurrender (emphatic) بِيَدَيهِwith his two hands الدَهرَever ذيpossessing حَسَبٍancestral honor
لا يُلقِيَن بِيَدَيهِ الدَهرَ ذي حَسَبٍ
يَرجوhe hopes for الفِداءَransom إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle رُمحُهُhis spear اِنكَسَراhas broken
يَرجو الفِداءَ إِذا ما رُمحُهُ اِنكَسَرا
Let no man of noble ancestry ever surrender,
One of lineage must not cast his hands to fate
hoping for ransom when his spear has broken.
Seeking ransom when his spear is broken