أَيَا سَبُعَ الْميدَانِ غَيْرَ مُدَافعٍ

أَيَا سَبُعَ الْميدَانِ غَيْرَ مُدَافعٍ

إِذَا بَرَقَتْ تَحْتَ الْعَجَاجِ الْمَنَاصِل

إِذَا بَرَقَتْ تَحْتَ الْعَجَاجِ الْمَنَاصِل

O lion of the battlefield, unchallenged,

O lion of the battlefield, unrelenting,

when the sword blades flash beneath the dust cloud.

When swords flash beneath armor,

وَمَنْ شَأْنُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَرْفَعُ شَأْنَهُ

وَمَنْ شَأْنُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَرْفَعُ شَأْنَهُ

عَفَافٌ وَإِقْدَامٌ وَحَزْمٌ وَنَائِلُ

عَفَافٌ وَإِقْدَامٌ وَحَزْمٌ وَنَائِلُ

And you whose character—may God exalt your standing—

He whose affair is raised by Allah,

is integrity, courage, resolve, and bounty.

Chastity, valor, wisdom, and attainment.

أُهنِّيكَ أَمْ تُهْنَى الْوَزَارَةُ إِنَّهَا

أُهنِّيكَ أَمْ تُهْنَى الْوَزَارَةُ إِنَّهَا

أَنَافَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْكَ كَافٍ وَكَافٍلُ

أَنَافَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْكَ كَافٍ وَكَافٍلُ

Should I congratulate you, or should the vizierate be congratulated? Indeed,

I congratulate you, or is the ministry made fortunate?

in you, a capable steward and guardian has risen above it.

It is ennobled by you, abundantly sufficient.

لَئِنْ صَغَّرُوا مِنْكَ السُّبَيْعَ فَإِنَّهُ

لَئِنْ صَغَّرُوا مِنْكَ السُّبَيْعَ فَإِنَّهُ

لَتَصْغِيرُ تَعْظِيمٍ بِهِ الْفَخرُ حَاصِلُ

لَتَصْغِيرُ تَعْظِيمٍ بِهِ الْفَخرُ حَاصِلُ

If they have used al-Subayʿ—“the little lion”—as your diminutive, it is indeed

If they belittled you as meager, yet it

a diminutive of exaltation, through which glory is attained,

Is belittlement of esteem, pride its result.

كَمَا فَعَلُوا فِي الْمَوْتِ وَالْخَطْبُ خَطْبُهُ

كَمَا فَعَلُوا فِي الْمَوْتِ وَالْخَطْبُ خَطْبُهُ

دُوَيْهِيَّةٌ تَصْفرُّ مِنْهَا الأَنَامِلُ

دُوَيْهِيَّةٌ تَصْفرُّ مِنْهَا الأَنَامِلُ

as they did with death, that calamity of calamities:

As they did with death, though its affair

“a little calamity” that turns the fingertips yellow.

Is momentous, from it hands tremble.