منwhoever فرَّfled مِنْكَfrom you فماthen not يُلامُis blamed
من فرَّ مِنْكَ فما يُلامُ
وطريدُand one driven away بأْسِكَyour might مَاnot ينَامُsleeps
وطريدُ بأْسِكَ مَا ينَامُ
Whoever flees from you is not to blame.
And one hunted by your might does not sleep.
وجنابُand the precinct of عِزِّكyour glory لاnot يُراis frightened (first part)
وجنابُ عِزِّك لا يُرا
عُ(completes 'is frightened') منby الخطوبِcalamities ولاnor يُرامُis assailed
عُ من الخطوبِ ولا يُرامُ
The precinct of your glory is not frightened
by calamities, nor can it be assailed.
فرَّتfled لخوفِكَfor fear of you غِلمةٌyoung lads
فرَّت لخوفِكَ غِلمةٌ
ولطَالماand many a time فَرَّfled الْغُلامُthe lad
ولطَالما فَرَّ الْغُلامُ
A band of lads fled for fear of you;
and many a time a lad has fled.
خافُواthey feared مَقَامَكyour presence ذاthis العظيـmighty (first part)
خافُوا مَقَامَك ذا العظيـ
ـمَ(completes 'mighty') فلمso not يكُنthere was لهمُfor them مُقَامُa place to stand
ـمَ فلم يكُن لهمُ مُقَامُ
They feared this mighty presence of yours,
and so they found no place to stand.
وشديدُand the fierceness of بأْسِكyour might لاnot يُقـcan one stand firm (first part)
وشديدُ بأْسِك لا يُقـ
ـر(completes 'can one stand firm') علىunder سُطاهُits assaults ولاnor يُقَامُcan it be withstood
ـر على سُطاهُ ولا يُقَامُ
Before your fierce might none can hold firm
beneath its assaults, nor stand against it.
وهمُand they الأُسودُthe lions فماso what لَهُمْails them
وهمُ الأُسودُ فما لَهُمْ
طارواthey flew كماjust as طارflew الحمامdoves
طاروا كما طار الحمام
They are lions—what has come over them?
They flew away as doves fly.
ونعمand yes لهمthey have نعمfavors فلمthen why
ونعم لهم نعم فلم
شرَدُواthey scattered كماjust as شَرَدَscattered النَّعامُostriches
شرَدُوا كما شَرَدَ النَّعامُ
And yes, they enjoy favors—why, then,
did they scatter as ostriches scatter?
سَخِرَتْscoffed بهمat them أَوْهَامُهمtheir delusions
سَخِرَتْ بهم أَوْهَامُهم
هُزْءاًin derision وبالأَوهامand with delusions هَامُواthey were enamored
هُزْءاً وبالأَوهام هَامُوا
Their delusions mocked them
in derision; they were enamored of delusions.
ومضَوْاand they departed وماwhile not سُلَّwas drawn الحساthe sword (first part)
ومضَوْا وما سُلَّ الحسا
مُ(completes 'the sword') فكيفَthen how لوif سُلَّwere drawn الحُسامُthe sword
مُ فكيفَ لو سُلَّ الحُسامُ
They departed though the sword was not drawn;
what, then, if the sword were drawn?
لاnot ينفعونَthey bring benefit ولنand will not يَضُرُّharm (first part)
لا ينفعونَ ولن يَضُرُّ
واthey (verb ending) إِنْif مَضَوْاthey depart أَوor إِنif أَقَامُواthey stay
وا إِنْ مَضَوْا أَو إِن أَقَامُوا
They bring no benefit and will do no harm,
whether they depart or whether they stay.
ولوand had اهتدَوْاthey found guidance بَعْدَafter الضَّلاgoing astray (first part)
ولو اهتدَوْا بَعْدَ الضَّلا
لَةِ(completes 'going astray') لاستقالُواthey would have sought pardon واسْتَقَامُواand walked upright
لَةِ لاستقالُوا واسْتَقَامُوا
Had they found guidance after going astray,
they would have sought pardon and walked upright.
ولئِنand if indeed عفوتَyou pardon فإِنَّماthen only
ولئِن عفوتَ فإِنَّما
يعفُوforgive عنfor الذَّنْبِthe fault الكِرامُthe noble
يعفُو عن الذَّنْبِ الكِرامُ
And should you pardon, it is only
the noble who forgive a fault.
وإِنand if انْتَقَمتَyou take revenge فإِنَّthen indeed أَيْـthe least (first part)
وإِن انْتَقَمتَ فإِنَّ أَيْـ
ـسَرَ(completes 'the least') ماof what استحقُّواthey deserve الانتقامُvengeance
ـسَرَ ما استحقُّوا الانتقامُ
And if you take revenge, the least
that they deserve is vengeance.
ماnot دارهُمtheir dwelling حَرمٌa sacred sanctuary ولاnor
ما دارهُم حَرمٌ ولا
فيin الشَّامal-Sham صيدُهُمhunting them حَرامُforbidden
في الشَّام صيدُهُم حَرامُ
Their dwelling is no sacred sanctuary, nor
is hunting them forbidden in al-Sham.
يتنادمُونthey drink together ومنand from نَدَاremorse (first part)
يتنادمُون ومن نَدَا
مَتِهم(completes 'their remorse') يُقالُit is said لهمto them نُدامُboon companions
مَتِهم يُقالُ لهم نُدامُ
They drink together, and from their remorse
they are called boon companions.
وهمُand they بهwith it سكْرَىdrunk وليـand there is not (first part)
وهمُ به سكْرَى وليـ
ـسَ(completes 'and there is not') سوىother than الهُمومِsorrows لهمfor them مُدَامُwine
ـسَ سوى الهُمومِ لهم مُدَامُ
They are drunk with it, yet
they have no wine but sorrows.
وَلَوْand even if أَنَّهُمْthey were تحتbeneath الرَّجَاstone heaps (first part)
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ تحت الرَّجَا
مِ(completes 'stone heaps') لماwould not أَجنَّهمُconceal them الرِّجامُthe stones
مِ لما أَجنَّهمُ الرِّجامُ
Even if they were beneath heaps of stone,
the stones would not conceal them.
أَوْor فيin الغمامِthe clouds لكانthen would يُمْـrain down (first part)
أَوْ في الغمامِ لكان يُمْـ
ـطِرُهُمْ(completes 'rain them down') بساحَتِكَin your courtyard الغمامُthe clouds
ـطِرُهُمْ بساحَتِكَ الغمامُ
Or in the clouds, the clouds would
rain them down in your courtyard.
سَتسُوقُهُمْyou will drive them بِيَدِwith the hand of الزَّماTime (first part)
سَتسُوقُهُمْ بِيَدِ الزَّما
نِ(completes 'Time') وفيand in أَنَامِلكِyour fingertips الزَّمامُthe rein
نِ وفي أَنَامِلكِ الزَّمامُ
You will drive them with the hand of Time,
while the rein lies between your fingertips.
وتُقيِّدand you will shackle الأَجسامَbodies إِنif
وتُقيِّد الأَجسامَ إِن
كُفِرتare ungratefully denied لكto you النَّعمُfavors الجِسامُmighty
كُفِرت لك النَّعمُ الجِسامُ
And you will shackle bodies if
your mighty favors are met with ingratitude.
قُمْrise فاملِكْand possess الدنياthe world جَمِيـentirely (first part)
قُمْ فاملِكْ الدنيا جَمِيـ
ـعاً(completes 'entirely') فلقدfor indeed آنit is time for القيامُrising
ـعاً فلقد آن القيامُ
Rise and possess the whole world;
the time to rise has surely come.
وَرُمِand aspire to السماءِthe sky تنلْyou will attain كَوَاstars (first part)
وَرُمِ السماءِ تنلْ كَوَا
كِبَهَا(completes 'its stars') فماfor not يُعْييbaffles you المَرامُthe goal
كِبَهَا فما يُعْيي المَرامُ
Aspire to the sky: you will reach its stars;
no goal is beyond your power.
وشِمِand unsheathe الحسامَthe sword فماfor not يَشَاis drawn forth (first part)
وشِمِ الحسامَ فما يَشَا
مُ(completes 'is drawn forth') الذلُّhumiliation إِنif شِيَمis unsheathed الحُسامُthe sword
مُ الذلُّ إِن شِيَم الحُسامُ
Draw the sword: no disgrace appears
when the sword is drawn.
واحْسِمْand excise بهwith it داءَthe disease of النِّقَاhypocrisy (uncertain reading; first part)
واحْسِمْ به داءَ النِّقَا
قِ(completes 'hypocrisy') فإِنَّهfor it is الدَّاءُthe disease العُقَامُincurable
قِ فإِنَّه الدَّاءُ العُقَامُ
And with it excise the disease of hypocrisy;
for it is the incurable disease.
وأَهِبْand call out تَجِئْكthere will come to you منfrom العِدىthe foes
وأَهِبْ تَجِئْك من العِدى
أَيدِhands ولَبَّاتٌand throats وهَامُand heads
أَيدِ ولَبَّاتٌ وهَامُ
And call out: from your foes will come
hands, throats, and heads.
أَنتyou العظيمُthe mighty ولَيْسَand not تَمْـfill (first part)
أَنت العظيمُ ولَيْسَ تَمْـ
ـلأُ(completes 'fill') صدْرَكyour breast النُّوَبُcalamities العِظامُmighty
ـلأُ صدْرَك النُّوَبُ العِظامُ
You are mighty; they cannot fill
your breast, those mighty calamities.
ولأَنْتَand you indeed وحْدَكalone ليسnot يُنْـsaves (first part)
ولأَنْتَ وحْدَك ليس يُنْـ
ـجِي(completes 'saves') منكfrom you إِلاexcept الانْهزَامُflight
ـجِي منك إِلا الانْهزَامُ
You alone—nothing can save
from you except flight.
أَسمىloftiest of الملوكِkings فلاso not يُساcan be rivaled in loftiness (first part)
أَسمى الملوكِ فلا يُسا
مى(completes 'can be rivaled in loftiness') المجدُglory منكfrom you ولاnor يُسَامُcan be bargained for
مى المجدُ منك ولا يُسَامُ
Loftiest of kings, no one can rival
your glory, nor put a price on it.
تُغْنيyou suffice عنin place of الجيشthe army اللَّهاvast (first part)
تُغْني عن الجيش اللَّها
مِ(completes 'vast') لأَنكbecause you are البَدرُthe full moon التَّمَامُat its fullness
مِ لأَنك البَدرُ التَّمَامُ
You suffice in place of a mighty army,
for you are the moon at its full.
لولاكَbut for you تَنْظِمstringing عِقدَthe necklace of هـthis (first part)
لولاكَ تَنْظِم عِقدَ هـ
ـذَا(completes 'this') الدَّهرِage لاsurely (part of لانحلّ) نَحلَّwould unravel النِّظَامُthe order
ـذَا الدَّهرِ لا نَحلَّ النِّظَامُ
Without you to string the necklace of this
age, its order would unravel.
ولَمَاand not بداwould appear لَوْلاَكَbut for you فيon
ولَمَا بدا لَوْلاَكَ في
ثَغْرِthe lips of الزَّمانِTime الإِبتسامa smile
ثَغْرِ الزَّمانِ الإِبتسام
And but for you, no smile would appear
upon the lips of Time.
حُمِدَis praised الزمَانُTime وقدnow that ملكـreigned (first part)
حُمِدَ الزمَانُ وقد ملكـ
ـتَyou (verb ending) فلاso not يُذَمُّis blamed ولاnor يُذَامُis reproached
ـتَ فلا يُذَمُّ ولا يُذَامُ
Time is praised, now that you reign,
and is neither blamed nor reproached.
ونَهَضْتَand you rose إِذْwhen قَعَدَsat still الملُوkings (first part)
ونَهَضْتَ إِذْ قَعَدَ الملُو
كُ(completes 'kings') وقُمْتَand you stood إِذْwhen نَامَslept الأَنامُhumankind
كُ وقُمْتَ إِذْ نَامَ الأَنامُ
You rose when kings sat still,
and stood when humankind slept.
صَلَّتoffered prayers عَلْيكَfor you وخلفَكand behind you الـthe
صَلَّت عَلْيكَ وخلفَك الـ
ـأَملاكُangels إِذْfor أَنْتَyou الإِمامُthe imam
ـأَملاكُ إِذْ أَنْتَ الإِمامُ
Prayers were offered for you and behind you
by the angels, for you are the imam.
يأَيهاO البَحْرُsea الَّذيthat
يأَيها البَحْرُ الَّذي
أَرْوَىquenched thirst وبيwhile in me وَحْديalone أُوامُburning thirst
أَرْوَى وبي وَحْدي أُوامُ
O sea that has quenched thirst,
while I alone burn with thirst!
أَشكوI complain of جَفَاءًcoldness منكfrom you حَتَّىto the point that
أَشكو جَفَاءً منك حَتَّى
لاneither السلامُgreeting ولاnor الكلامُspeech
لا السلامُ ولا الكلامُ
I lament your coldness, so complete that
there is neither greeting nor speech.
فعلامَso why أَظمأُdo I thirst ثُمَّand yet لاnot
فعلامَ أَظمأُ ثُمَّ لا
أُسْقَىam I given drink وقدthough already سُقِيَhas been given drink الأَنامُhumankind
أُسْقَى وقد سُقِيَ الأَنامُ
Why, then, do I thirst and receive no
drink, though all mankind has been given drink?
وأَرىand I see الزمانُTime ووجْهُهُwith its face
وأَرى الزمانُ ووجْهُهُ
جَهْمٌgrim وعارضُهand its raincloud جَهَامُrainless
جَهْمٌ وعارضُه جَهَامُ
And I see Time, its face
grim, its cloud rainless.
صَحَّrecovered الزمانَTime منfrom السَقَّاsickness (first part)
صَحَّ الزمانَ من السَقَّا
مِ(completes 'sickness') وصَحَّand became certain ليfor me مِنْهfrom it السَّقامُsickness
مِ وصَحَّ لي مِنْه السَّقامُ
Time has recovered from sickness,
yet sickness from it is assured for me.
وَنَعَمْand yes سِوايَsomeone other than me لهfor him الوِصَاunion (first part)
وَنَعَمْ سِوايَ له الوِصَا
لُ(completes 'union') كماas أَرَىI see وليwhile for me الغَرَامُlove's torment
لُ كما أَرَى ولي الغَرَامُ
And yes, another enjoys union,
as I see, while mine is love's torment.
إِنِّيindeed I بِعُرْوتِكَto your handhold اعْتَصَمْـheld fast (first part)
إِنِّي بِعُرْوتِكَ اعْتَصَمْـ
ـتُI (verb ending) وماand not لعُرْوَتِكَfor your handhold انفِصَامُany breaking
ـتُ وما لعُرْوَتِكَ انفِصَامُ
I have held fast to your handhold,
and your handhold never breaks.
وبكand in you اعْتَصَمْتُI sought refuge وليسand not يُخـis forsaken (first part)
وبك اعْتَصَمْتُ وليس يُخـ
ـذَلُ(completes 'is forsaken') منwhoever لهhas مِنْكَfrom you اعْتِصَامُprotection
ـذَلُ من له مِنْكَ اعْتِصَامُ
I have sought refuge in you; none is forsaken
whose protection is from you.
فَمتَىso when أَرىshall I see ماwhat تَرْتَجِيـthey long for
فَمتَى أَرى ما تَرْتَجِيـ
ـهit وترْتَوِيand drink their fill هِمَميmy ambitions الحُيامthirsting
ـه وترْتَوِي هِمَمي الحُيام
When shall I see what my ambitions long for,
and those thirsty ambitions drink their fill?
ومتىand when أَرانيshall I see myself قدalready وَصَلْـhave reached (first part)
ومتى أَراني قد وَصَلْـ
ـتُI (verb ending) إِليكto you وانفرجَand has parted الزِّحَامُthe throng
ـتُ إِليك وانفرجَ الزِّحَامُ
And when shall I see that I have reached
you, and that the crowd has parted?
وماand still زالَendures ملكُكَyour reign لاnever يزوpasses away (first part)
وما زالَ ملكُكَ لا يزو
لُ(completes 'passes away') ولاnor يُضَارُis harmed ولاnor يُضَامُis wronged
لُ ولا يُضَارُ ولا يُضَامُ
May your reign ever endure, never passing away,
neither harmed nor wronged.
يبقىit remains مُوَفيًّundiminished لاno انْصِراdeparture (first part)
يبقى مُوَفيًّ لا انْصِرا
فٌ(completes 'departure') يَتَّقيهit fears ولاَnor انْصِرَامُending
فٌ يَتَّقيه ولاَ انْصِرَامُ
May it remain undiminished, with no departure
to fear, nor any end.
ونزيلُand the guest of راحتِكyour palm النَّدىbounty
ونزيلُ راحتِك النَّدى
وحليفُand the ally of دوليتِكyour reign الدَّوَامُpermanence
وحليفُ دوليتِك الدَّوَامُ
And bounty is the guest of your palm,
and permanence the ally of your reign.