من ذا رأى الدهرَ طفلاً فوق منبرِهِ

من ذا رأى الدهرَ طفلاً فوق منبرِهِ

محاوراً قالتِ الأشياخُ لي قَطُّ

محاوراً قالتِ الأشياخُ لي قَطُّ

"Who, through the ages, has seen a child upon his pulpit,

Who has seen Time as a child standing atop his pulpit

Debating—ever?" the elders said to me.

Disputing, the elders told me never

سَقياً له هيكلاً قد حاز مبدؤُه

سَقياً له هيكلاً قد حاز مبدؤُه

مناظراً وحوى عُقباهُ من يسطو

مناظراً وحوى عُقباهُ من يسطو

May blessings rain upon him—a temple whose beginning held

Watering for him a temple whose origin he grasped

A disputant, and whose end held one who strikes with might.

Gazing, yet its consequences eluded his reach

لكن شتان بين العبد في شرفٍ

لكن شتان بين العبد في شرفٍ

وبين سيده والحقُّ لا يخطو

وبين سيده والحقُّ لا يخطو

But vast is the difference in honor between the servant

But vast is the difference between a slave with honor

And his master; truth does not budge.

And his master, and truth cannot err

ربٌّ بدا بين خلقٍ في ذَرا جسدٍ

ربٌّ بدا بين خلقٍ في ذَرا جسدٍ

من فوق منبر عفوٍ فاختفى السخط

من فوق منبر عفوٍ فاختفى السخط

A Lord appeared among creatures, in the shelter of a body,

A Lord appeared amidst people in a fleeting body

From atop a pulpit of pardon; so wrath vanished.

Above a pulpit of pardon, so wrath vanished

حوى سليمان منه حمةً كمُلت

حوى سليمان منه حمةً كمُلت

وفاز بالعلم من جدواه آرسطو

وفاز بالعلم من جدواه آرسطو

Solomon acquired from him [wisdom] made complete,

Solomon gained from Him an inspiration fulfilled

And Aristotle gained knowledge from his bounty.

And Aristotle attained knowledge from His sagacity