كَم بَحرِ حَربٍ نَقعُهُ آذِيُّهُ

كَم بَحرِ حَربٍ نَقعُهُ آذِيُّهُ

وَحَبابُهُ جُردٌ كَمِثلِ الأَنجُمِ

وَحَبابُهُ جُردٌ كَمِثلِ الأَنجُمِ

Many a sea of war, whose dust was its surging waves,

How many wars have we waged, their harms afflicting us,

And whose foam was sleek steeds, like stars,

Their foam like stars, a coat of mail.

أَلقَيتُ نَفسي مِنهُ في اللَجَجِ الَّتي

أَلقَيتُ نَفسي مِنهُ في اللَجَجِ الَّتي

مَن لَم يَخُضها ثابِتاً لَم يَسلَمِ

مَن لَم يَخُضها ثابِتاً لَم يَسلَمِ

I hurled myself into its depths, where

I threw myself into the deep from which

Whoever did not brave them steadfastly did not survive.

None emerges safely if he has not braved it.

فَتَرَكتُ سُبّاحَ العِدى غَرقى وَلَم

فَتَرَكتُ سُبّاحَ العِدى غَرقى وَلَم

يَبتَلَّ مِنّي غَيرُ سَيفي بِالدَمِ

يَبتَلَّ مِنّي غَيرُ سَيفي بِالدَمِ

So I left the enemy's swimmers drowned, and

I left the slanderers drowned while I

Nothing of mine was wet but my sword—with blood.

Was wet by naught but my sword with blood.

ما لِحُرٍّ عَلِقَ العُدمُ بِهِ

ما لِحُرٍّ عَلِقَ العُدمُ بِهِ

مُنقِذٌ غَيرُ يَدي عَبدِ الكَريمِ

مُنقِذٌ غَيرُ يَدي عَبدِ الكَريمِ

A free man to whom poverty clings has no

Of what use is a freeman if doom ties him down,

Rescuer but the two hands of Abd al-Karim.

With no savior but my hand, servant of the Generous Lord.

أَبلَجُ الغُرَّةِ وَضّاحٌ لَهُ

أَبلَجُ الغُرَّةِ وَضّاحٌ لَهُ

حِكَمٌ لَيسَت لِلُقمانَ الحَكيمِ

حِكَمٌ لَيسَت لِلُقمانَ الحَكيمِ

Bright of brow and radiant, he has

I make plain the unknown, an elucidator

Wise sayings that Luqman the sage does not possess.

Whose wisdom is not that of Luqman the Wise.

إِن أَتى فِرعَونُ إِعدامٍ أَتى

إِن أَتى فِرعَونُ إِعدامٍ أَتى

مِن يَداهُ بِعَصا موسى الكَليمِ

مِن يَداهُ بِعَصا موسى الكَليمِ

If a Pharaoh of destitution comes, there comes

If the Pharaoh of death comes, he comes

From his hands the staff of Moses, who spoke with God.

From my hands, with Moses' staff.

يَتَمَطّى مِنهُ في أَعلى العُلا

يَتَمَطّى مِنهُ في أَعلى العُلا

هِمَمٌ مُنتَعِلاتٌ بِالنُجومِ

هِمَمٌ مُنتَعِلاتٌ بِالنُجومِ

From him, in glory's loftiest heights, stride proudly

He writhes at the height of heights,

Aspirations shod with stars.

Ambitions mounted on the stars.