وَقَومٍ إِن دَجا لِلنَقعِ لَيلٌ

وَقَومٍ إِن دَجا لِلنَقعِ لَيلٌ

فَهُم أَقمارُهُ بَينَ الصفوفِ

فَهُم أَقمارُهُ بَينَ الصفوفِ

And a people—if battle-dust's night grows dark,

A people, if night covers for slumber,

they are its moons amid the ranks.

They are its moons among the rows.

أَنختُ بِهِم رَجاءً مُضمَحِلّا

أَنختُ بِهِم رَجاءً مُضمَحِلّا

مِنَ الإِرقالِ وَالوَخدِ العَنيفِ

مِنَ الإِرقالِ وَالوَخدِ العَنيفِ

I made a hope kneel among them, worn thin

I placed in them a withering hope

by swift trotting and punishing strides.

Of survival and fierce pillow.

وَإِن غَنّى الحَديدُ فَهُم سُقاةٌ

وَإِن غَنّى الحَديدُ فَهُم سُقاةٌ

يُديرونَ الكُؤوسَ مِنَ الحُتوفِ

يُديرونَ الكُؤوسَ مِنَ الحُتوفِ

And if iron sings, they are cupbearers,

And if iron sings, they are water-bearers

passing round cups of death.

Circling cups from leather bags.

فَصادَفتُ الرَبيعَ مِنَ العَطايا

فَصادَفتُ الرَبيعَ مِنَ العَطايا

وَكُنتُ مِنَ الإِضافَةِ في مَضيفِ

وَكُنتُ مِنَ الإِضافَةِ في مَضيفِ

So I found a springtime of gifts,

So I met springtime from the gifts

and through their hospitality I was lodged in a guesthouse.

And I was from the guests in a guesthouse.

فَيا لَكُمُ أُناساً إِن أَضافوا

فَيا لَكُمُ أُناساً إِن أَضافوا

حَسِبتَهُم ضُيوفاً لِلضُيوفِ

حَسِبتَهُم ضُيوفاً لِلضُيوفِ

So what a people you are! If they host guests,

So excellent you are, people, when you entertain,

you would think them guests of their guests.

You'd think them guests of guests.

هُمِ الحَلماءُ إِلّا أَن يُضاموا

هُمِ الحَلماءُ إِلّا أَن يُضاموا

فَإِن ضَيَّموا فَجُهّالُ السُيوفِ

فَإِن ضَيَّموا فَجُهّالُ السُيوفِ

They are forbearing, unless they are wronged;

They are the wise ones unless wronged,

then, if wronged, they are reckless men of the sword.

But if wronged, ignorant of swords.