فيin كُنْهِthe depths of قَدْرِكُyour worth للعقولِfor minds تَحَيّرُbewilderment
في كُنْهِ قَدْرِكُ للعقولِ تَحَيّرُ
فَلِذاكَand therefore عنهof it النَيّرَاتُthe luminaries تُقَصّرُfall short
فَلِذاكَ عنه النَيّرَاتُ تُقَصّرُ
In the depths of your worth, minds are bewildered;
Your destiny baffles minds,
and thus the luminaries fall short of it.
Thus praises fall short to describe it.
والوَاصِفونَand those describing عُلاكَyour eminence مِنّاamong us قَرِّبواhave approximated
والوَاصِفونَ عُلاكَ مِنّا قَرِّبوا
ماwhat تَرجَمواthey interpreted لِلنَّاسِfor people عَنهُabout it وعَبَّرواand expressed
ما تَرجَموا لِلنَّاسِ عَنهُ وعَبَّروا
Those among us who describe your eminence have approximated
Those who tried to detail your loftiness,
what they have interpreted and expressed of it to people.
Could not convey it fully to people.
أَلقَيتَyou cast عَزمَكَyour resolve بَينَbetween عَيْنَيْthe two eyes of ضَيْغَمٍa lion
أَلقَيتَ عَزمَكَ بَينَ عَيْنَيْ ضَيْغَمٍ
وأباتَand made spend the night طَيْفُكَyour apparition كُلَّevery شَيءٍthing يُذْعَرُis terrified
وأباتَ طَيْفُكَ كُلَّ شَيءٍ يُذْعَرُ
You cast your resolve between a lion's eyes,
You set your resolve between the eyes of adversity,
and your apparition made everything spend the night in terror.
And your spirit overwhelmed all that quivered.
وَرَحلتَand you marched فيin جَوْنِthe blackness of القَتامِbattle-dust عَرمرَمٍa vast host
وَرَحلتَ في جَوْنِ القَتامِ عَرمرَمٍ
وَكَأنَّهُand as though it were لَيلٌa night بِوَجهِكَby your face مُقمِرُmoonlit
وَكَأنَّهُ لَيلٌ بِوَجهِكَ مُقمِرُ
And you marched within a vast host, dark with battle-dust,
You journeyed in the darkness of night gallantly,
as though it were a night moonlit by your face.
As if it were a night lit by your moon-like face.
وَلَئِنand if indeed قَدِمْتَyou came وفيand within اعتِقادِكَyour intention عَوْدَةٌa return
وَلَئِن قَدِمْتَ وفي اعتِقادِكَ عَوْدَةٌ
فَالبَحرُthen the sea منfrom عظمٍgreatness يَمُدُّrises with the tide ويَجزُرُand ebbs
فَالبَحرُ من عظمٍ يَمُدُّ ويَجزُرُ
And if you have come with a return in mind,
If you return, though return be your intent,
the sea, in its greatness, rises and ebbs.
The sea swells and ebbs with your enormity.
والفتحُand conquest منfrom فَضْلِthe grace of الإلهGod ويومُهُand its day
والفتحُ من فَضْلِ الإله ويومُهُ
مُتَقدّمٌcoming early بِالنَّصرِwith victory أوor مُتأخِّرُcoming late
مُتَقدّمٌ بِالنَّصرِ أو مُتأخِّرُ
And conquest comes from God's grace, and its day
Victory comes from God’s grace on His day,
comes early with victory, or late.
Brought forward or delayed as He desires.
لَولاwere it not for اقتِرابُthe approach of الوَقتِthe time عَنby قدَرٍdestiny لَماit would not have
لَولا اقتِرابُ الوَقتِ عَن قدَرٍ لَما
فُتِحَتْbeen conquered علىunder حالٍany circumstance لأَحمَدfor Ahmad خَيبَرُKhaybar
فُتِحَتْ على حالٍ لأَحمَد خَيبَرُ
Had the time not drawn near by destiny,
Had the time not drawn near its ordained hour,
Khaybar would never, under any circumstances, have been conquered for Ahmad.
Khyber would not have opened for Ahmad thus.
وفَوارِسٍand horsemen يَحْمَرُّturns red مِنْfrom ضربِstriking الطِّلاnecks
وفَوارِسٍ يَحْمَرُّ مِنْ ضربِ الطِّلا
بِأَكُفِّهمin their palms وَرَقُthe leaves of الحَديدِiron الأَخضَرُgreen
بِأَكُفِّهم وَرَقُ الحَديدِ الأَخضَرُ
And horsemen whose blows upon necks redden
And cavaliers whose hands make green iron red
the green leaves of iron within their palms.
When they strike, no trace of fear in them.
لاno غُشَّadulteration of جُبْنٍcowardice فيهمُin them فَكأنَّهمso as though they were
لا غُشَّ جُبْنٍ فيهمُ فَكأنَّهم
سُبكواwere cast بِنِيرانِin the fires of الحُروبِwars وسُجِّرواand set ablaze
سُبكوا بِنِيرانِ الحُروبِ وسُجِّروا
No taint of cowardice is in them, as though they
As if fused by the fires of war and emboldened,
were cast in the fires of war and set ablaze.
Some meek, others bold, some swords feminine, others masculine.
وَمِنَand among الرِّجالِmen مُرَوَّعٌa frightened man ومُشَجَّعand an emboldened man
وَمِنَ الرِّجالِ مُرَوَّعٌ ومُشَجَّع
ومنَand among السُّيوفِswords مُؤنّثٌa feminine sword ومُذَكَّرُand a masculine sword
ومنَ السُّيوفِ مُؤنّثٌ ومُذَكَّرُ
And among men are the frightened and the emboldened,
Their hearts have grown accustomed to submitting to their Lord,
and among swords are the feminine and the masculine.
And glory resides in their ever-victorious swords.
ألِفَتْgrew accustomed to قلوبُهُمُtheir hearts الخضوعَsubmission لِرَبِّهِمto their Lord
ألِفَتْ قلوبُهُمُ الخضوعَ لِرَبِّهِم
والبَأسُand might فيin أَسيافِهِمtheir swords مُتَكَبِّرُis proud
والبَأسُ في أَسيافِهِم مُتَكَبِّرُ
Their hearts have grown accustomed to submission to their Lord,
They hurl their souls at certain death undaunted,
while the might in their swords is proud.
Their faces mocking the eyes that see them.
يَرْمُونَthey aim at أغراضَtargets of الحتوفِdeaths بأنفسٍwith souls
يَرْمُونَ أغراضَ الحتوفِ بأنفسٍ
وَوُجوهُهاand their faces لِعُيونِهِمbefore their eyes تَتَنَمَّرُturn tiger-fierce
وَوُجوهُها لِعُيونِهِم تَتَنَمَّرُ
They hurl their lives at death's targets,
Brooks gush forth from their sheathed swords
while death's faces turn tiger-fierce before their eyes.
To irrigate the thickets of their foes.
وَتَغورُand plunge فيinto هامِthe heads of العُلوجِforeign warriors جَداوِلٌstreams
وَتَغورُ في هامِ العُلوجِ جَداوِلٌ
لِلضَّربِto strike مِنfrom أَغمادِهِمtheir scabbards تَتفَجَّرُburst forth
لِلضَّربِ مِن أَغمادِهِم تَتفَجَّرُ
And streams plunge into the foreign warriors' skulls,
Each brute-natured as a slumbering lion
bursting from their scabbards to strike.
Between the staffs of spears.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery وَحشِيِّsavage الطِّباعِtemperament كَأَنَّهُas though he were
مِن كُلِّ وَحشِيِّ الطِّباعِ كَأَنَّهُ
بَينَamong القَناspears الخَطِّيِّKhatti لَيثٌa lion مُخْدَرُin its lair
بَينَ القَنا الخَطِّيِّ لَيثٌ مُخْدَرُ
From every warrior of savage temper, as though he
Foremost in patience, his veil on the day of battle
were a lion in its lair amid Khatti spears.
His breastplate and forgiveness.
مُتَقَدِّمٌadvancing مِنthrough صَبرِهِhis steadfastness ولِثامُهُand his face-veil
مُتَقَدِّمٌ مِن صَبرِهِ ولِثامُهُ
يَومَon the day of القراعِclashing combat أضاتُهُhis pool (gleaming mail) والمِغفَرُand the helmet
يَومَ القراعِ أضاتُهُ والمِغفَرُ
He advances through his steadfastness; his face-veil
Their armies, O what armies accompanied them!
on the day of combat is his pool-like mail and his helmet.
As if oceans burst forth over oceans.
صًحِبَتaccompanied جُيوشُهُمُtheir armies جيوشاًarmies ياoh لهاfor them
صًحِبَت جُيوشُهُمُ جيوشاً يا لها
مِنof أبْحُرٍseas زَخَرَتْsurged عَلَيهاover them أَبحُرُseas
مِن أبْحُرٍ زَخَرَتْ عَلَيها أَبحُرُ
Their armies joined armies—oh, what
Woe to the fortress of Labeet on a day
seas, over which other seas surged!
When the red torrent flows by its sides!
ويلٌwoe لِحصنِto the fortress of لَبَيطَLabayt منfrom يومٍa day علىupon
ويلٌ لِحصنِ لَبَيطَ من يومٍ على
جَنَبَاتهِits flanks يجريflows النجيعُgore الأحمرُred
جَنَبَاتهِ يجري النجيعُ الأحمرُ
Woe to Labayt's fortress for a day when, upon
Fear weighs down its hours but lightens
its flanks, red gore flows.
With the heroes in it, the cowards.
والرَّوعُand terror تَثْقُلُgrow heavy بالرَّدىwith death ساعاتُهُits hours
والرَّوعُ تَثْقُلُ بالرَّدى ساعاتُهُ
وَتَخِفُّand move lightly بِالأَبطالِwith champions فيهِwithin it الضُّمَّرُlean steeds
وَتَخِفُّ بِالأَبطالِ فيهِ الضُّمَّرُ
And terror's hours grow heavy with death,
The day folds back on itself therein
while lean steeds move lightly there with champions.
As if the sun coils and turns in on itself.
يُثْنَىis turned back النَّهارُthe day بِهِin it علىupon أَعْقابِهِits heels
يُثْنَى النَّهارُ بِهِ على أَعْقابِهِ
حَتَّىuntil كَأنَّas though الشَّمسَthe sun فيهwithin it تُكَوَّرُis rolled up
حَتَّى كَأنَّ الشَّمسَ فيه تُكَوَّرُ
Day is turned back there upon its heels,
The gloom therein is endless night without morn,
until the sun within it seems rolled up.
And dawn but borrowed flashes that cannot spread.
والنّقْعُand battle-dust فيهwithin it دُجُنّةٌdarkness لاnot تَنجليclears
والنّقْعُ فيه دُجُنّةٌ لا تَنجلي
والصُّبحُand dawn مِنهُbecause of it مَلاءةٌa sheet لاnot تُنشَرُis unfolded
والصُّبحُ مِنهُ مَلاءةٌ لا تُنشَرُ
And the dust within it is darkness that never clears,
Indeed you tightened the noose around their heights’ necks,
and dawn, because of it, is a sheet never unfolded.
As one who sees clearly turned his judgment on them.
وَلَقَدand indeed شَدَدتَyou tightened علىupon خِناقِthe throats of علوجِهِمtheir foreign warriors
وَلَقَد شَدَدتَ على خِناقِ علوجِهِم
وَأَدارَand applied رأيَكَyour strategy فيهِمُagainst them مُستَبصِرُa discerning man
وَأَدارَ رأيَكَ فيهِمُ مُستَبصِرُ
You indeed tightened your grip on their foreign warriors' throats,
They sought refuge in the heights, as if it were
and a discerning man brought your strategy to bear upon them.
An impregnable refuge reinforced with leaden walls.
واستَعصَمواand they sought refuge بِذُرىon the summits of أَشَمَّa lofty peak كَأَنَّهُمas though they were
واستَعصَموا بِذُرى أَشَمَّ كَأَنَّهُم
عُصْمٌibex أُتيحَwas destined لَهاfor them هِزَبرٌa lion قَسْوَرُfierce
عُصْمٌ أُتيحَ لَها هِزَبرٌ قَسْوَرُ
They sought refuge on a lofty peak's summits, as though they
You diminished their numbers, yet it was as if
were ibex for whom a fierce lion had been destined.
Time let them be there only to increase.
قَلّواthey were few لَدَيْكَin your eyes غنيمةًas booty فكأنّماso as though
قَلّوا لَدَيْكَ غنيمةً فكأنّما
أَبقتهُمُhad kept them الأَيّامُthe days فيهthere لِيَكثُرواso they might multiply
أَبقتهُمُ الأَيّامُ فيه لِيَكثُروا
They seemed few to you as booty, as though
Scarcely would their ashes remain when
the days had kept them there so they might multiply.
A hissing wind scatters them in the air.
وَلَقَلَّمَاand scarcely يبقىremains رمادُهُمُtheir ash إذاwhen
وَلَقَلَّمَا يبقى رمادُهُمُ إذا
طارَتْflew بِهِwith it فيthrough الجَوِّthe air ريحٌa wind صَرْصَرُfierce and howling
طارَتْ بِهِ في الجَوِّ ريحٌ صَرْصَرُ
And scarcely does their ash remain when
The guide rose, no liar he, and said
a howling wind carries it through the air.
The Christians are forsaken and you supported.
قامَstands established الدَّليلُthe proof وماand not الدَّليلُthe proof بِكاذِبٍat all false
قامَ الدَّليلُ وما الدَّليلُ بِكاذِبٍ
أَنَّthat النَّصارىthe Christians يُخْذَلونَare forsaken وتُنْصَرُand you are granted victory
أَنَّ النَّصارى يُخْذَلونَ وتُنْصَرُ
The proof stands, and the proof is not false:
You stilled the tremors in the horizons caused by them,
the Christians are forsaken, while you are granted victory.
And the pulse of being was calmed and slowed.
سكّنْتَyou stilled فيacross الآفاقِthe horizons منsome of حَرَكاتِهِمtheir movements
سكّنْتَ في الآفاقِ من حَرَكاتِهِم
والنَّبضُand the pulse منfrom خَوَرِweakness of الطَّبيعَةِconstitution يَفْتُرُgrows faint
والنَّبضُ من خَوَرِ الطَّبيعَةِ يَفْتُرُ
You checked their movements across the horizons,
Why did blasphemy not restrain its course
and the pulse grows faint from weakness of constitution.
When you shattered its firm pillars?
هلّاwhy not أطاقَwas able to الكفرُunbelief جَرَّdragging قَناتِهِits spear
هلّا أطاقَ الكفرُ جَرَّ قَناتِهِ
لَمَّاwhen تَرَكتَyou left كُعُوبَهاits joints تَتَكَسّرُbreaking apart
لَمَّا تَرَكتَ كُعُوبَها تَتَكَسّرُ
Why could unbelief not drag its spear
A day of glory and honor, while the knights
when you left its joints shattering,
Stumble over the heights, falling and failing.
يَومَon the day of العُروبَةِal-ʿAruba (Friday) والعِرَابُand purebred Arab steeds لواعِبٌgamboling
يَومَ العُروبَةِ والعِرَابُ لواعِبٌ
تَكبوstumble علىupon هامِthe heads of العُلوجِforeign warriors وَتَعثُرُand trip
تَكبو على هامِ العُلوجِ وَتَعثُرُ
on Friday, while purebred Arab steeds were gamboling,
Eyes downcast, hearts brimmed with sorrows,
stumbling and tripping over the foreign warriors' skulls?
A painful day for the chivalrous knight.
والفَنشُand al-Fansh يَحصِبُpelts ناظريهhis two eyes وقلبَهُand his heart
والفَنشُ يَحصِبُ ناظريه وقلبَهُ
بقوارعِwith the crushing blows of الأحزانِsorrows يوْمٌa day مُعْوِرُperilous
بقوارعِ الأحزانِ يوْمٌ مُعْوِرُ
And al-Fansh's eyes and heart are pelted
He mounted the steed of error, insisting on his wrong opinion,
with sorrow's crushing blows by a perilous day.
An ignorant soul crossing where none may cross.
رَكبَhe rode into الغِوايةَerror واستبَدَّand acted willfully برأيِهِby his own judgment
رَكبَ الغِوايةَ واستبَدَّ برأيِهِ
جهلاًin ignorance ليَعبُرَto cross خضرماًa vast sea لاnot يُعبَرُcan be crossed
جهلاً ليَعبُرَ خضرماً لا يُعبَرُ
He rode into error and acted solely on his own judgment,
In your resolves which you executed upon them
in ignorance, to cross a vast sea that cannot be crossed.
Take a lesson that does not change with days.
خُذpress on فيwith عَزائِمِكَyour resolves الَّتيwhich تركَتهُمُleft them
خُذ في عَزائِمِكَ الَّتي تركَتهُمُ
خَبَراًa tale مَعَwith الأيّامِthe days لاnot يَتَغَيَّرُchanges
خَبَراً مَعَ الأيّامِ لا يَتَغَيَّرُ
Press on with your resolves, which have left them
The horses are saddled in the dark around you
a tale that will not change with the days,
On each a tooth-like spear glistens.
بِالخيلِwith horses تَحتَbeneath اللَّيلِthe night يُسْرَجُis kindled حَولَهاaround them
بِالخيلِ تَحتَ اللَّيلِ يُسْرَجُ حَولَها
فيon كُلِّevery ذابِلَةٍslender spear سِنانٌa spearhead أَزهَرُgleaming
في كُلِّ ذابِلَةٍ سِنانٌ أَزهَرُ
with horses beneath the night, around which is kindled
Chewing the rations after losing their fodder,
on every slender spear a gleaming point.
Their mouths controlled by the snaffle.
وَتَلوكُand they chew منfrom فَقْدِlack of القَضيمِgrain شَكائِماًbits
وَتَلوكُ من فَقْدِ القَضيمِ شَكائِماً
تُنْهَىare restrained بهاwith them أفْواهُهُنَّtheir mouths وَتُؤمَرُand are commanded
تُنْهَى بها أفْواهُهُنَّ وَتُؤمَرُ
And for lack of grain they chew the bits
The ground tore beneath their hooves
by which their mouths are checked and commanded.
As the boulders of the land yielded to their trampling.
عَرَكَتْrubbed أَديمthe skin of الأَرضِthe earth تَحتَbeneath حَوافرٍhooves
عَرَكَتْ أَديم الأَرضِ تَحتَ حَوافرٍ
صَخْرُthe rock of البلادِthe lands بِوَطئِهِنَّby their tread مُسَخَّرُis subdued
صَخْرُ البلادِ بِوَطئِهِنَّ مُسَخَّرُ
They have scoured the earth's skin beneath hooves
As your hunting dogs sing to protect them from harm
by whose tread the land's rock is subdued.
Melodies and serve them brimming cups.
حَتَّىuntil تُغَنّيهِمْsing to them ظُبَاكَyour sword-edges مِنَfrom الرَّدىdeath
حَتَّى تُغَنّيهِمْ ظُبَاكَ مِنَ الرَّدى
نَغَماًa melody وتسقيهمand give them drink كؤوساًcups تُسْكِرُthat intoxicate
نَغَماً وتسقيهم كؤوساً تُسْكِرُ
until your sword-edges sing them a death-born
You strove in God as His striving warrants,
melody, and give them cups that intoxicate.
While kings raced as you raced and fell short.
جاهَدتَyou strove فيfor الرَّحمَنِthe All-Merciful حَقَّthe full measure of جِهادِهِstriving for Him
جاهَدتَ في الرَّحمَنِ حَقَّ جِهادِهِ
وجَرَىand raced المُلوكُthe kings كماas جَرَيتَyou raced فقصَّرواbut fell short
وجَرَى المُلوكُ كما جَرَيتَ فقصَّروا
You strove for the All-Merciful with the striving He deserves,
So teak and sissoo are around them at night,
and kings raced as you raced, but fell short.
While lions and leopards are around you.
فَيَبيتُso spends the night ناجودٌa wine jar وعودٌand a lute حَولَهمaround them
فَيَبيتُ ناجودٌ وعودٌ حَولَهم
ويَبيتُand spends the night حَولَكَaround you شزَّبٌlean steeds وَسَنَوّرُand armor
ويَبيتُ حَولَكَ شزَّبٌ وَسَنَوّرُ
So a wine jar and a lute spend the night around them,
The pungent smell of them and their tickling
while lean steeds and armor spend the night around you.
Are bloodstains on your mantle and braids.
وتَفوحُand wafts غالِيَةٌmusk-based perfume بِهِمabout them وَذَريرَةٌand fragrant powder
وتَفوحُ غالِيَةٌ بِهِم وَذَريرَةٌ
وَهُماand those two دمٌblood فيon بُردَتَيكَyour two cloaks وَعِثْيَرُand dust
وَهُما دمٌ في بُردَتَيكَ وَعِثْيَرُ
Musk perfume and fragrant powder waft about them,
A garden thirsted for the spring rain of your praise
but on your two cloaks, those two are blood and dust.
Yet rarely can it be watered to satiety.
أَعطَتكَgave you رَيحانَthe fragrant basil of الثَّناءِpraise حَديقَةٌa garden
أَعطَتكَ رَيحانَ الثَّناءِ حَديقَةٌ
ظَمِئَتْhas thirsted وَلَكِنand yet قَلَّماseldom تَستَمطِرُasks for rain
ظَمِئَتْ وَلَكِن قَلَّما تَستَمطِرُ
A garden has given you the fragrant basil of praise;
I know your height encompasses all,
it has thirsted, yet seldom asks for rain.
Your hand is generous, your munificence abundant.
وَأَناand I العَليمُone who knows well بِأَنَّthat طَوْلَكَyour bounty شاملٌall-embracing
وَأَنا العَليمُ بِأَنَّ طَوْلَكَ شاملٌ
وَذُراكَand your shelter رَحراحٌspacious وَجُودُكَand your generosity كَوْثَرُKawthar; abundant bounty
وَذُراكَ رَحراحٌ وَجُودُكَ كَوْثَرُ
And I know well that your bounty embraces all,
and your shelter is spacious, and your generosity is Kawthar.
Partial English translation: 78 of 80 Arabic lines translated.