وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ صَفّارٍ تَصَدّى

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ صَفّارٍ تَصَدّى

كَما صَدئَ الصَقيلُ مِنَ السُيوفِ

كَما صَدئَ الصَقيلُ مِنَ السُيوفِ

And I have never seen the like of a coppersmith who grew tarnished,

I have not seen the like of anvil that withstands

as a polished sword grows rusty.

As the polished sword wears down from striking

غَدا يَعطو بِأَنملَتَي حَديدٍ

غَدا يَعطو بِأَنملَتَي حَديدٍ

عُيونَ القِطرِ كَالذَهَبِ المَشوفِ

عُيونَ القِطرِ كَالذَهَبِ المَشوفِ

He began to take up, with two iron fingertips,

Tomorrow it will give with two iron fingers

the eyes of molten copper, like burnished gold.

Eyes of droplets like uncovered gold

إِذا ما النارُ مَجَّتها إِلَيهِ

إِذا ما النارُ مَجَّتها إِلَيهِ

كَمِثلِ الجَمرِ رائِعَةَ الخفوفِ

كَمِثلِ الجَمرِ رائِعَةَ الخفوفِ

Whenever the fire spat them out to him,

Whenever fire is brought near to it

like embers, startling in their swift movement,

Like glowing embers nimble and slight

تَلَألَأَ نورُهُ فَخَبا سَناها

تَلَألَأَ نورُهُ فَخَبا سَناها

كَما ظَهرَ القَوِيُّ عَلى الضَعيفِ

كَما ظَهرَ القَوِيُّ عَلى الضَعيفِ

his light sparkled, so their radiance dimmed,

Its light shines and dims its blade

as the strong prevails over the weak.

As the strong prevails over the weak

وَإِلّا ما لَها تَربدُّ سَودا

وَإِلّا ما لَها تَربدُّ سَودا

كَأَنَّ شموسَها قِطَعُ الكُسوفِ

كَأَنَّ شموسَها قِطَعُ الكُسوفِ

Otherwise, why do they turn dusky black,

Otherwise it would not cool to blackness

as though their suns were fragments of eclipse?

As if its suns suffered an eclipse