نارُfire الشُموعِof the candles تَوَقَّدَتblazed up
نارُ الشُموعِ تَوَقَّدَت
فيin اللَيلِthe night أَمor نورُthe light الشَموسِof the suns
في اللَيلِ أَم نورُ الشَموسِ
Is it the candles' fire that has flared
in the night, or the light of suns?
شُهُبٌshooting stars تُبَشِّرُbring glad tidings بِالسُعوof good fortune (first part)
شُهُبٌ تُبَشِّرُ بِالسُعو
دِcompletion of 'good fortune' وَلَيسَand do not تَقضيdecree بِالنُحوسِwith ill fortune
دِ وَلَيسَ تَقضي بِالنُحوسِ
Shooting stars that herald good fortune
and do not decree ill luck.
شِبهُlike الذَوابِلِslender spears قُوِّمَتwere straightened
شِبهُ الذَوابِلِ قُوِّمَت
لِلطَعنِfor thrusting فيinto صَدرِthe breast الخَميسِof the army
لِلطَعنِ في صَدرِ الخَميسِ
Like slender spears set straight
to thrust into the army's breast.
شوسُfierce النَواظِرِof gaze وَهيَwhile they فيin
شوسُ النَواظِرِ وَهيَ في
غَيرِother than الدُجُنَّةِthe darkness غَيرُnot شوسِfierce-eyed
غَيرِ الدُجُنَّةِ غَيرُ شوسِ
Fierce-eyed, though when
outside the darkness, they are not fierce-eyed.
إِنif طالَgrows long فَضلُthe excess لِسانِهاof their tongue
إِن طالَ فَضلُ لِسانِها
فَجَزاؤُهاthen their reward قَطعُsevering الرُؤوسِthe heads
فَجَزاؤُها قَطعُ الرُؤوسِ
If their tongues grow overlong,
their reward is the severing of heads.
وَإِذاand when تَجَلَّتthey shine forth لِلنَواto the eyes (first part)
وَإِذا تَجَلَّت لِلنَوا
ظِرِcompletion of 'eyes' رَجَّحَتlend weight to رَأيَthe belief المَجوسِof the Magians
ظِرِ رَجَّحَت رَأيَ المَجوسِ
And when they shine before the eyes,
they lend weight to the Magians' belief.
فيin حَضرَةِthe presence المَلِكِof the king الَّذيwho
في حَضرَةِ المَلِكِ الَّذي
جَعَلَmade الصَنائِعَbenefactions كَالغُروسِlike planted trees
جَعَلَ الصَنائِعَ كَالغُروسِ
In the presence of the king who
made benefactions like planted trees:
الصالِحِal-Salih السُلطانِthe sultan وَهbestower (first part)
الصالِحِ السُلطانِ وَه
هابِcompletion of 'bestower' النَفائِسِprecious things لِلنُفوسِto souls
هابِ النَفائِسِ لِلنُفوسِ
al-Salih, the sultan, bestower
of precious things upon souls.
فَضَلَsurpassed المُلوكَthe kings بِأَصلِهِthrough his lineage
فَضَلَ المُلوكَ بِأَصلِهِ
فَضلَthe superiority الرَئيسِof the chief عَلىover الرُؤوسِthe heads
فَضلَ الرَئيسِ عَلى الرُؤوسِ
He surpassed kings through his lineage,
as the chief surpasses the heads.
وَغَداand became ثَناهُpraise of him غُرَّةًa white blaze
وَغَدا ثَناهُ غُرَّةً
فيon جَبهَةِthe brow الدَهرِof Time العَبوسِscowling
في جَبهَةِ الدَهرِ العَبوسِ
And praise of him became a white blaze
on the brow of scowling Time.