ياO دهرُTime هلْhave ...? عاديتَyou opposed فيمنْamong those who ساداattained lordship
يا دهرُ هلْ عاديتَ فيمنْ سادا
مِثليone like me وهلْand have ...? جاورتَyou dwelt beside فيمنْamong those who جادَاgave generously
مِثلي وهلْ جاورتَ فيمنْ جادَا
O Time, have you opposed, among those who ruled,
one like me? And among the generous, have you dwelt beside my like?
إنّاindeed we أُناسٌa people نَرحَمُwe pity الأمْجاداthe noble
إنّا أُناسٌ نَرحَمُ الأمْجادا
أكثرَmore منthan رحمتِناour pity for الحُسّاداthe envious
أكثرَ من رحمتِنا الحُسّادا
We are a people who pity the noble
more than we pity the envious.
فلْيأتِنيso let him come to me وليجْمَعand let him gather العُبّاداthe worshippers
فلْيأتِني وليجْمَع العُبّادا
وليَمْلأand let him fill الآكامَthe hills والوِهاداand the valleys
وليَمْلأ الآكامَ والوِهادا
So let him come to me and muster the worshippers,
and fill the hills and valleys
الرّجْلَthe foot soldiers والفُرسانَand the horsemen والجِياداand the fine steeds
الرّجْلَ والفُرسانَ والجِيادا
والسمرَand the tawny spears والصوارمَand the cleaving swords الحِداداthe sharp
والسمرَ والصوارمَ الحِدادا
with foot soldiers, horsemen, and fine steeds,
and tawny spears and sharp, cleaving swords
تَمنعُprotect منيfrom me السبعةَthe seven الشِّداداthe mighty
تَمنعُ مني السبعةَ الشِّدادا
ليعلمَso that ... may know العالمُthe world منwho أفاداhas gained
ليعلمَ العالمُ من أفادا
that shield the seven mighty heavens from me,
so the world may know who has gained,
وأيناand which of us لأيِّناagainst which of us أباداannihilated
وأينا لأيِّنا أبادا
ومنand who غدتْbecame صروفُهُhis turns of fortune تُقاداled captive
ومن غدتْ صروفُهُ تُقادا
and which of us has annihilated the other,
and whose turns of fortune have come to be led captive,
قدalready لبِستْhave donned منfrom بَعدِهِafter him حِداداmourning dress
قد لبِستْ من بَعدِهِ حِدادا
إنّindeed سِنانيmy spearhead يَعرِفُknows الفُؤاداthe heart
إنّ سِناني يَعرِفُ الفُؤادا
having already donned mourning after him.
My spearhead indeed knows the heart
أَجودُbetter منthan عِرفانِهِits knowledge of الصِّعاداthe spear-shafts
أَجودُ من عِرفانِهِ الصِّعادا
كماjust as لسانيmy tongue يُحسنِmasters الجِلاداcombat
كما لساني يُحسنِ الجِلادا
better than it knows the spear-shafts,
just as my tongue masters combat
أحسنُbetter منthan إحْسانِهِits mastery of الإنْشاداreciting verse
أحسنُ من إحْسانِهِ الإنْشادا
لوif كانَit were سيفاًa sword أكملَwould finish off الأغْماداthe scabbards
لو كانَ سيفاً أكملَ الأغْمادا
better than it masters reciting verse.
Were it a sword, it would finish off the scabbards;
فكيفَso how عافَhas it spurned الشَّفتينthe two lips زَادَاas food
فكيفَ عافَ الشَّفتين زَادَا
how, then, has it spurned the two lips as food?