مَنْwhoever صَاحَبَkept company with الْعَجْزَweakness لَمْdid not يَظْفَرْattain بِمَاwith what طَلَبَاhe sought
مَنْ صَاحَبَ الْعَجْزَ لَمْ يَظْفَرْ بِمَا طَلَبَا
فارْكَبْso mount مِنَof الْعَزْمِresolve طِرْفاًa noble steed يَسْبِقُoutstrips الشُّهُبَاthe shooting stars
فارْكَبْ مِنَ الْعَزْمِ طِرْفاً يَسْبِقُ الشُّهُبَا
Whoever keeps company with weakness never gains what he seeks.
So mount a steed of resolve that outruns the shooting stars.
لاnot يُدْرِكُattains الْمَجْدَglory إِلاَّexcept مَنْone who إِذَاwhen هَتَفَتْcalled out
لا يُدْرِكُ الْمَجْدَ إِلاَّ مَنْ إِذَا هَتَفَتْ
بِهِto him الْحَمِيَّةُardor هَزَّbrandished الرُّمْحَthe spear وَانْتَصَبَاand stood upright
بِهِ الْحَمِيَّةُ هَزَّ الرُّمْحَ وَانْتَصَبَا
None attains glory but one who, when summoned
by ardor, brandishes his spear and stands tall.
يَسْتَهِلُfinds easy الصَّعْبَhardship إِنْif هاجَتْflared حَفِيظَتُهُhis indignation
يَسْتَهِلُ الصَّعْبَ إِنْ هاجَتْ حَفِيظَتُهُ
ولاand does not يُشَاوِرُconsult غَيْرَother than السَّيْفِthe sword إِنْif غَضِبَاhe grew angry
ولا يُشَاوِرُ غَيْرَ السَّيْفِ إِنْ غَضِبَا
He finds hardship easy if his indignation flares,
And consults none but the sword if he grows angry.
يَنْهَلُّpours forth صارِمُهُhis keen sword حَتْفاًdeath وَمنْطقُهُand his speech
يَنْهَلُّ صارِمُهُ حَتْفاً وَمنْطقُهُ
سِحْراًmagic حَلالاًlawful إِذَاwhen ماemphatic particle صَالَcharged أَوْor خَطَبَاdelivered a speech
سِحْراً حَلالاً إِذَا ما صَالَ أَوْ خَطَبَا
His keen blade pours forth death, and his speech pours forth
lawful magic whenever he charges or speaks.
إِنْif حَلَّsettled in أَرْضاًa land حَمَىprotected بِالسَّيْفِwith the sword جَانِبَهَاits borders
إِنْ حَلَّ أَرْضاً حَمَى بِالسَّيْفِ جَانِبَهَا
وإِنْand if وَعَىheard نَبْأَةًa faint cry مِنْfrom صارِخٍone crying for help رَكِبَاhe mounted
وإِنْ وَعَى نَبْأَةً مِنْ صارِخٍ رَكِبَا
If he settles in a land, he guards its borders with the sword,
And if he hears a faint cry from one seeking aid, he rides out.
فَذَاكَfor such a man إِنْif يَحْيَhe lives تَحْيَlives الأَرْضُthe earth فيin رَغَدٍplenty
فَذَاكَ إِنْ يَحْيَ تَحْيَ الأَرْضُ في رَغَدٍ
وَإِنْand if يَمُتْhe dies يَنْقَلِبْturns into صِدْقُthe truth الْمُنَىof hopes كَذِبَاfalsehood
وَإِنْ يَمُتْ يَنْقَلِبْ صِدْقُ الْمُنَى كَذِبَا
For if such a man lives, the earth lives in plenty,
And if he dies, hope's truth becomes a lie.
فَاحْمِلْso charge forth بِنَفْسِكَyourself تَبْلُغْyou will attain ماwhat أَرَدْتَyou desired بِهَاfor it
فَاحْمِلْ بِنَفْسِكَ تَبْلُغْ ما أَرَدْتَ بِهَا
فَاللَّيْثُfor the lion لاnot يَرْهَبُfears الأَخْطَارَthe dangers إِنْif وَثَبَاhe leapt
فَاللَّيْثُ لا يَرْهَبُ الأَخْطَارَ إِنْ وَثَبَا
So charge forth yourself; you will attain what you desire for yourself,
For the lion fears no dangers when he leaps.
وَجُدْand give freely بِمَاof what مَلَكَتْpossessed كَفَّاكَyour two hands مِنْof نَشَبٍwealth
وَجُدْ بِمَا مَلَكَتْ كَفَّاكَ مِنْ نَشَبٍ
فَالْجُودُfor generosity كَالْبَأْسِlike valor يَحْمِيprotects الْعِرْضَhonor وَالنَّسَبَاand lineage
فَالْجُودُ كَالْبَأْسِ يَحْمِي الْعِرْضَ وَالنَّسَبَا
And give freely of whatever wealth your hands possess,
For generosity, like valor, protects honor and lineage.
لاnot يَقْعُدُholds back الْبَطَلُthe hero الصِّنْدِيدُthe dauntless عَنْfrom كَرَمٍgenerosity
لا يَقْعُدُ الْبَطَلُ الصِّنْدِيدُ عَنْ كَرَمٍ
مَنْwhoever جَادَgave freely بِالنَّفْسِof his life لَمْdid not يَبْخَلْbe stingy بِمَاwith what كَسَبَاhe earned
مَنْ جَادَ بِالنَّفْسِ لَمْ يَبْخَلْ بِمَا كَسَبَا
The dauntless hero never holds back from generosity;
Whoever gives his life does not withhold what he has earned.