ماwhat غَرَّdeceived مَنthe one who تَسريcreep by night عَقارِبُهُhis scorpions
ما غَرَّ مَن تَسري عَقارِبُهُ
مِنfrom أُسدِlions غيلٍa thicket تَرقُبُwatch for الفُرَصاthe opportunities
مِن أُسدِ غيلٍ تَرقُبُ الفُرَصا
What has made him, whose scorpions creep by night, feel safe
The passage of their hours does not perturb
from lions of the thicket watching for their chance,
The lions that lie waiting to pounce and curb
وَكَتيبَةٍand a battalion دَفّاءَdensely massed مِنwith أَسَلٍspears
وَكَتيبَةٍ دَفّاءَ مِن أَسَلٍ
قَدindeed أَلبَسوهاthey clothed it مِنof دَمٍblood قُمُصاshirts
قَد أَلبَسوها مِن دَمٍ قُمُصا
and a battalion thick with spears,
A fervent band of heroes with ready blades
which they have clothed in shirts of blood?
Whose shirts are dyed in blood that evil curbs
صَبرٌsteadfast لِرَيبِagainst the vicissitudes of زَمانِهِمtheir time صَمَتِsilent الthe
صَبرٌ لِرَيبِ زَمانِهِم صَمَتِ ال
شَكوىcomplaint إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) عَضَّit bit أَوor قَرَصاit stung
شَكوى إِذا ما عَضَّ أَو قَرَصا
Patient with the vicissitudes of their time, voicing no
Patience for the woes of their time, and mute
complaint whenever it bites or stings;
When bitten or stung, no cries disturb
وَالهاجِعينَand those sleeping عَلىupon سُروجِهِمُtheir saddles
وَالهاجِعينَ عَلى سُروجِهِمُ
خَفَقاًin brief dozes يُذيقُهُمُmakes them taste الكَرىslumber نُغَصاdistresses
خَفَقاً يُذيقُهُمُ الكَرى نُغَصا
and those who sleep upon their saddles,
Returning to their saddles, throats awash
in brief dozes, slumber making them taste distress;
In bitterness, but no groans disturb
مُتَوَقِّدينَablaze مِنَwith الحَديدِthe iron إِذاwhen
مُتَوَقِّدينَ مِنَ الحَديدِ إِذا
ماever (emphatic) صَرَمواthey severed بَأسَthe might of العِدىthe enemies نَكَصاit recoiled
ما صَرَموا بَأسَ العِدى نَكَصا
ablaze with iron, whenever
Brandishing iron, charging the foe afresh
they cut down the enemy's might, it recoils.
Should it draw back, no qualms disturb