إِذا غامَرتَ في شَرَفٍ مَرومٍ

إِذا غامَرتَ في شَرَفٍ مَرومٍ

فَلا تَقنَع بِما دونَ النُجومِ

فَلا تَقنَع بِما دونَ النُجومِ

If you venture in pursuit of coveted honor,

If you venture forth in pursuit of high honor,

then do not settle for anything below the stars.

Do not be content with what lies beneath the stars.

فَطَعمُ المَوتِ في أَمرٍ صَغيرٍ

فَطَعمُ المَوتِ في أَمرٍ صَغيرٍ

كَطَعمِ المَوتِ في أَمرٍ عَظيمِ

كَطَعمِ المَوتِ في أَمرٍ عَظيمِ

For the taste of death in a small undertaking

For the taste of death in a trivial matter

is like the taste of death in a great one.

Is as the taste of death in a magnificent deed.

سَتَبكي شَجوَها فَرَسي وَمُهري

سَتَبكي شَجوَها فَرَسي وَمُهري

صَفائِحُ دَمعُها ماءُ الجُسومِ

صَفائِحُ دَمعُها ماءُ الجُسومِ

They will weep for my horse and my colt in their grief—

My mare and my foal will weep out their grief,

sword blades whose tears are the water of bodies.

And swords whose teardrops are the blood of the slain.

قَرَبنَ النارَ ثُمَّ نَشَأنَ فيها

قَرَبنَ النارَ ثُمَّ نَشَأنَ فيها

كَما نَشَأَ العَذارى في النَعيمِ

كَما نَشَأَ العَذارى في النَعيمِ

They approached the fire, then grew up within it,

They drew near the fire, and within it were raised,

as maidens grow up in luxury.

Just as maidens grow up in the gardens of bliss.

وَفارَقنَ الصَياقِلَ مُخلَصاتٍ

وَفارَقنَ الصَياقِلَ مُخلَصاتٍ

وَأَيديها كَثيراتُ الكُلومِ

وَأَيديها كَثيراتُ الكُلومِ

And they came away from the sword-polishers unblemished,

They parted from the polishers, spotless and pure,

while the polishers’ hands bore many wounds.

Though the hands of their makers were riddled with scars.

يَرى الجُبَناءُ أَنَّ العَجزَ عَقلٌ

يَرى الجُبَناءُ أَنَّ العَجزَ عَقلٌ

وَتِلكَ خَديعَةُ الطَبعِ اللَئيمِ

وَتِلكَ خَديعَةُ الطَبعِ اللَئيمِ

Cowards think that weakness is good sense,

The coward regards his impotence as prudence,

and that is the deceit of a base nature.

But that is the ruse of a treacherous soul.

وَكُلُّ شَجاعَةٍ في المَرءِ تُغني

وَكُلُّ شَجاعَةٍ في المَرءِ تُغني

وَلا مِثلَ الشَجاعَةِ في الحَكيمِ

وَلا مِثلَ الشَجاعَةِ في الحَكيمِ

And every form of courage in a person is of use,

While every bravery in a man has its worth,

yet none equals courage in a wise person.

No bravery equals the courage of the wise.

وَكَم مِن عائِبٍ قَولاً صَحيحاً

وَكَم مِن عائِبٍ قَولاً صَحيحاً

وَآفَتُهُ مِنَ الفَهمِ السَقيمِ

وَآفَتُهُ مِنَ الفَهمِ السَقيمِ

And many a person finds fault with a sound saying,

And how many find fault with a word that is true,

while his affliction stems from diseased understanding.

When the bane springs solely from their sickly minds.

وَلَكِن تَأخُذُ الآذانُ مِنهُ

وَلَكِن تَأخُذُ الآذانُ مِنهُ

عَلى قَدرِ القَرائِحِ وَالعُلومِ

عَلى قَدرِ القَرائِحِ وَالعُلومِ

And yet ears take from it

For ears can only receive from a voice

according to the measure of innate gifts and learning.

According to the measure of instinct and lore.