وأبيَضٍand a gleaming sword منof غيرِother than طبعِthe forging of الهندِIndia
وأبيَضٍ من غيرِ طبعِ الهندِ
يجولُit ranges بينbetween حَدِّهits edge والحدِّand the limit
يجولُ بين حَدِّه والحدِّ
And many a gleaming blade, though not of India’s forging,
And a gleaming sword, not of India's forging,
courses between its two edges—and, by the cutting edge!
It ranges between its edge and the utmost limit,
أشبهُmore similar بالماءِto water منthan الفِرِندِdamascened steel
أشبهُ بالماءِ من الفِرِندِ
أقدمُolder منthan رامٍRam ويَزدجردِand Yazdegerd
أقدمُ من رامٍ ويَزدجردِ
It is more like water than watered steel;
More like water than damascened steel,
older than Rām and Yazdegerd,
Older than Ram and Yazdegerd,
تُراثُthe inheritance of يحيَىYahya عنfrom أبٍa father وجَدِّand a grandfather
تُراثُ يحيَى عن أبٍ وجَدِّ
منfrom بعدafter ماthat قَطَّعَit had cut through ألفَa thousand غِمدِscabbards
من بعد ما قَطَّعَ ألفَ غِمدِ
Yahya’s heirloom, passed down from father and forefather,
Yahya's inheritance from father and grandfather.
after it had cut through a thousand scabbards.
After it had cut through a thousand scabbards,
جَرَّدَهُhe unsheathed it بينَbetween يَدَيْthe two hands of مَعَدِّMa'add
جَرَّدَهُ بينَ يَدَيْ مَعَدِّ
قدmay يُنصَرُbe granted victory المولىthe master بسيفby the sword of العبدِthe slave
قد يُنصَرُ المولى بسيف العبدِ
Draw it before Maʿadd:
He unsheathed it before Ma'add:
the master may be granted victory by the servant’s sword.
The master may be granted victory by the slave's sword.
