1. The light of a new dawn shines with guidance,
taking deep breaths.
١. بَدَا نُورُ صُبْحٍ بِالْهُدَى مُتَنَفَّسِ
فَيَا حُسْنَهُ فِي أَعْيُنِ المُتَفَرِّسِ
2. How beautiful it is in the eyes of the watcher!
How joyful after absence is the return of a loved one,
٢. وَيَا فَرَحاً بَعْدَ الْغِيَابِ بِعَائِدٍ
دَنَا فَغَدَا مِنا بِمَرْأىً وَمَلْمَسِ
3. who has come near and can now be seen and touched!
O cupbearer, give us your finest wine,
٣. أَلاَ أَيُّها السَّاقِي وَصَهْبَاؤُهُ الْعُلَى
أَدِرْهَا فَمِنَّا كُلُّ ظمْآنَ مُحْتَسِ
4. for we are all thirsty.
Has time really brought us good news after sending
٤. أَحَقّاً أَتَانا الدهْرُ بِالْبِشْرِ بَعْدَ مَا
رَمَانَا بِهِ مِنْ مُتْعِسٍ إِثْرَ مُتْعِسِ
5. one misery after another?
Can the sun of civilization truly return after
٥. وَهَلْ رَجَعَتْ شَمْسُ الحَضَارَةِ بَعْدَمَا
طوَتْهَا دُهُورٌ فِي غَيَاهِبِ حِنْدِسِ
6. ages have plunged it into deep darkness?
God has nurtured a group of radiant maidens
٦. رَعَى اللهُ مِنْ بِيضِ الغَوَانِي عَشِيرَةً
تمَرَّسْنَ بِالأَعْمَالِ خَيْرَ تَمَرُّسِ
7. who excel in good deeds.
Some see recklessness in their ambitions,
٧. رَأَى فِي تَمَادِيهِنَّ قَوْمٌ تَهَوُّساً
وَبِالْعَقْلِ طُرّاً بَعْضُ هَذَا التهَوُّسِ
8. but reason shows this recklessness has merit.
They are an army for peace, their weapons
٨. أَجَلْ وَبِكلِّ المُكْثِرَاتِ مِنَ الحِلَى
دُمَى لاَبِسَاتِ المَجْدِ أَحْسَنَ مَلْبسِ
9. rays of light under the sacred banner.
They march to war – and who can doubt victory
٩. إِذَا وَسْوَسَتْ فِي صَدْرِ حَسْنَاءَ هِمةٌ
فَأَحْلَى سَمَاعٍ صَوْتُ حَلْيٍ مُوَسْوَسِ
10. when your swords, arrows and steeds charge forth?
Their endeavors are all sincere –
١٠. أُرَاهُنَّ جَيْشاً لِلسلاَمِ سِلاَحُهُ
مِنَ النَّورِ فِي ظِلِّ اللِّوَاءِ المُقَدَّسِ
11. each has a lofty principle it will never compromise.
As they contemplate, their thoughts transcend propriety
١١. غَزَونْ وَهلْ فِي النَّصرِ شَكٌ إِذَا غَزَتْ
فَوَاتِكَ بِالأَسيَافِ وَالسَّمْرِ وَالْقَسِي
12. but never overstep what is right and proper.
They are silent unless their actions speak for them,
١٢. نَقَايَا المَسَاعِي كُلُّهُنِّ حَصِيفَةٌ
لَهَا هَامَةٌ مَرْفُوعَةٌ لَمْ تُنَكَّسِ
13. and if they do speak, their words are sweet as honey.
Truly, the prosperity of a country depends on
١٣. وَتخْطِرُ لا تعْدُو الهُدَى خَطَرَاتُهَا
بِأَزْهَرَ مِنْ غُصْنٍ نَضِيرٍ وَأَمْيَسِ
14. what its people strive for at every gathering.
If some find talk of industry uncouth,
١٤. وَتَسكتُ إِلاَّ مَا تَقُولُ فِعَالُهَا
فَإِنْ نَبَسَتْ أَرْوَتْ بِأَعْذَبِ مَنْبِسِ
15. I find it most delightful.
Help your brother as much as you can,
١٥. أَلاَ إِنَّ عُمْرَانَ البِلاَدِ بِما ابْتَغَتْ
فَعَالِنْ بِهِ فِي كُلِّ نادٍ وَمَجْلِسِ
16. and wear clothes made by your own people.
Compete with them in what they do best
١٦. وَإِنَّ أَحَادِيثَ الصِّناعَةِ إِنْ يَجِدْ
بِهَا وَحْشةً قَوْمٌ لأَبْهَجُ مُؤْنِسِ
17. so they surpass themselves each day.
You were invited – if you accept, you will gain dignity
١٧. أَخاكَ فَناصِر مَا اسْتطَعْت بِقُوَّةٍ
وَثَوْبَكَ مِنْ مَنْسُوجِ أَهْلِك فالْبَسِ
18. by right. If you refuse, you will gain only disgrace.
If it is said there is merit in gilded dress,
١٨. وَنَافِسْ بِمَا هُمْ مُتْقِنُوهُ لِيُصْبِحُوَا
وهُمْ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مُعْقِبُوهُ بِأَنْفسِ
19. say all merit lies in one whose fabric is unadorned.
Do not listen to the harmful claims of the foolish
١٩. دُعِيتَ فَإِنْ لَبَّيتَ فَالْعِزَّ تكْتَسِي
بِحَقٍّ وَإِنْ خَالَفْتَ فَالْهُونَ تَكْتَسِي
20. that threaten what is dear to you.
No calamity befalls a people worse than
٢٠. وَإِنْ قِيلَ حُسْنٌ فِي جَلِيبٍ مُنَوَّعٍ
فَقُلْ كُلُّ حُسْنٍ فِي الأَصِيلِ المُجَنَّسِ
21. such vile claims and those who voice them.
Can a country and its people prosper
٢١. وَلاَ تسْتَمعْ فِيما يَعودُ عَلَى الحِمَى
بِضُرٍّ دَعَاوَى أَخْرَقٍ مُتَنَطِّسِ
22. when fools are in charge?
When have you seen a people whose imports exceed exports
٢٢. فَمَا تُبْتَلَى الأَقْوَامُ مِنْ سُفَهَائِهَا
بِأَنْكَدَ مِنْ هَذِي الدَّعَاوَى وَأَنْجَسِ
23. yet escape poverty and bankruptcy?
How can wealth be retained if it is spent
٢٣. وَهَلْ مِنْ فَلاحٍ لِلْبِلاَدِ وَأَهْلِهَا
إِذا الشَّأنُ فِيهَا ساسَهُ أَلْفُ ريِّسِ
24. to feed the pits of ignorance and arrogance?
Let us beware of despair, the path to ruin,
٢٤. مَتَى تَرَ شَعْباً خَرْجُهُ فَوْقَ دَخْلِهِ
فذَلِكَ شَعْبٌ بَاتَ فِي حُكْمِ مُفْلِسِ
25. and of corrupting thoughts however alluring.
God never lets a land persist in corruption
٢٥. وَكَيْفَ يُصَانُ المَالُ وَالبَذْلُ ذاهِبٌ
بِهِ فِي مَهَاوِي جَهْلِهِ وَالتَّغطْرُسِ
26. if its people fail to change their ways.
O radiant stars reaching for lofty aspirations
٢٦. لِنحذَرْ مِنَ اليَأْسِ الَّذِي دُونهُ الرَّدَى
وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَأْفُونٍ مِنَ الرَّأْيِ مُؤنِسِ
27. that long seemed out of grasp!
Build a new pride for your country on solid foundations –
٢٧. أَبَى اللهُ أَنْ يُلْفَى بِدَارٍ تَغَيُّرٌ
إِذَا لَمْ يُغَيِّرْ قَوْمُهَا مَا بِأَنْفُسِ
28. can any structure stand without a base?
Be united in purpose – give it the sanctity
٢٨. فيَا أَلْمَعِيَّاتٍ تَلمَّسنَ لِلْحِمَى
مُنىً طَالَمَا عَزَّتْ عَلَى المُتلَمِّسِ
29. of a temple, the reverence of the sacred.
Thanks to you will flourish forever,
٢٩. فَأَسَّسنَ فَخْراً لِلبِلاَدِ مُجَدَّداً
وَهَلْ يَثْبُتُ البُنْيَانُ غَيْرَ مُؤسَّسِ
30. the most fragrant harvest of your efforts.
Gratitude, wherever directed, is one,
٣٠. وَيَمَّمنَ قصْداً وَاحداً فَمَنَحْنَهُ
مَهَابَةَ مِحْرَابٍ وَحُرْمَةَ مَقْدِسِ
31. the same to the ruled as to the ruler.
٣١. إِلَيكُنَّ حَمْداً سَوْفَ يَزْكُو عَلَى المَدَى
لَهُ فِي مَسَاعِيكُنَّ أَطْيَبُ مَغْرِسِ
٣٢. وَمَا الحَمْدُ إِلاَّ وَاحِدٌ فِي اتِّجَاهِهِ
سَوَاءٌ إِلَى المَرْؤُوسِ وَالمُتَرَئِّسِ