دَعَانِيcalled to me الْقَيْدُthe fetter يَاO حُرّfree man
دَعَانِي الْقَيْدُ يَا حُرّ
أَلاdoes ... not? يَثْنِيكَdeter you ذَاthis الْقَهْرُoppression؟!
أَلا يَثْنِيكَ ذَا الْقَهْرُ؟!
The fetter called to me, “O free man,
The fetter called to me: O free man,
does this oppression not bend you?!
does this oppression not deter you?
أَلَمْhave ... not? تُوهِنْكَweaken you ذِيthese الأَهْوَاthe terrors (continued)
أَلَمْ تُوهِنْكَ ذِي الأَهْوَا
لُending of 'terrors' لَمْdid not يُوهِنْكَweaken you ذَاthis الأَسْرُcaptivity؟!
لُ لَمْ يُوهِنْكَ ذَا الأَسْرُ؟!
Have these terr—
Have these terrors not weakened you?
—ors not weakened you, nor this captivity?!
Has this captivity not weakened you?
فَكَمْfor how many سَوْطٍa lash عَلَىupon الظَّهْرِthe back الْـthe (article continued)
فَكَمْ سَوْطٍ عَلَى الظَّهْرِ الْـ
ـجَرِيحِwounded كَأَنَّهُas though it were الْجَمْرُthe burning coals!
ـجَرِيحِ كَأَنَّهُ الْجَمْرُ!
How many lashes upon the wounded—
For how many a lash upon the back—
—back, each searing like an ember!
wounded—as though it were burning coals!
وَكَمْand how many ضَيَّعْتَyou wasted فِيin الأَسْرِcaptivity السْـthe (continued)
وَكَمْ ضَيَّعْتَ فِي الأَسْرِ السْـ
ـسِنِينَyears وَهَاand behold هِيَthey الْعُمْرُthe lifetime!
ـسِنِينَ وَهَا هِيَ الْعُمْرُ!
And how many years you squandered in captivity—
And how many have you wasted in captivity—
—years that now amount to a lifetime!
years—and behold, they are your life!
وَكَمْand how many يَوْمٍa day يَمُرُّpasses وَقَدْand already
وَكَمْ يَوْمٍ يَمُرُّ وَقَدْ
هَوَىhas fallen مِنْfrom هُونِكَyour humiliation الْقَطْرُthe rain!
هَوَى مِنْ هُونِكَ الْقَطْرُ!
How many a sea has swept over you, while
And how many a day passes while
from your stoic calm scarcely a drop has fallen!
rain has fallen at your humiliation!
وَلَوْand if كُنْتَyou were الدَّمِيعَone prone to tears لَقَدْsurely
وَلَوْ كُنْتَ الدَّمِيعَ لَقَدْ
جَرَىflowed مِنْfrom دَمْعِكَyour tears الْبَحْرُthe sea!
جَرَى مِنْ دَمْعِكَ الْبَحْرُ!
Had you been one to weep, surely
And if you were one given to tears, surely
a sea would have flowed from your tears!
the sea would have flowed from your tears!
وَكَمْand how much ظَمَأٍthirst وَجُوعٍand hunger لَوْif
وَكَمْ ظَمَأٍ وَجُوعٍ لَوْ
لِجُمْلٍfor camels مَاnot لَهَاfor them صَبْرُpatience!
لِجُمْلٍ مَا لَهَا صَبْرُ!
And how much thirst and hunger—even
And how much thirst and hunger—if borne
camels could never bear it!
by camels, they could not endure it!
أَيَاO قَيْدِيmy fetter أَنَاI الْحُرّthe free man
أَيَا قَيْدِي أَنَا الْحُرّ
فَإِنْso if أَكُI am ذَاsuch فَمَاthen what السِّرُّthe secret؟
فَإِنْ أَكُ ذَا فَمَا السِّرُّ؟
O my fetter, I am free;
O my fetter, I am the free man;
if I am so, where is the mystery?!
and if I am so, what is the mystery?
إِذَاif لَمْdid not أَلْقَI encounter أَهْوَالاًterrors
إِذَا لَمْ أَلْقَ أَهْوَالاً
فَمَاthen what is عَبْدٌa slave وَمَاand what is حُرُّa free man
فَمَا عَبْدٌ وَمَا حُرُّ
If I never face terrors,
If I encounter no terrors,
what then is a slave, and what a free man?
then what is a slave, and what is a free man?
فَيَلْقَىso faces الْحُرُّthe free man مَاwhat يُرْدِيbrings ruin
فَيَلْقَى الْحُرُّ مَا يُرْدِي
كَأَنْas though مَاnot ضَرَّهُharmed him ضُرُّharm
كَأَنْ مَا ضَرَّهُ ضُرُّ
The free man meets what might destroy him
The free man faces what brings ruin,
as though no harm had touched him.
as though no harm had harmed him.
وَعِنْدَand at نَجَاتِهِhis deliverance يَزْهُوhe exults
وَعِنْدَ نَجَاتِهِ يَزْهُو
كَمَلْكٍlike a king نَالَهُreached him النَّصْرُvictory
كَمَلْكٍ نَالَهُ النَّصْرُ
And when deliverance comes, he glories
And when he survives, he exults
like a king to whom victory has come.
like a king to whom victory has come.
وَإِنْand if يَهْلِكْhe perishes فَلِلأَحْرَاthen for the free (continued)
وَإِنْ يَهْلِكْ فَلِلأَحْرَا
رِending of 'the free' رَمْزٌa symbol فِيin الدُّجَىthe darkness بَدْرُa full moon
رِ رَمْزٌ فِي الدُّجَى بَدْرُ
And if he perishes, for the free—
And if he perishes, he is for the free
—he is a sign, a full moon in darkness.
a symbol, a full moon in the darkness.
يَمُوتُdie النَّاسُthe people كُلُّهُمُall of them
يَمُوتُ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمُ
وَلاand not يُمْحَىis erased لَهُfor him ذِكْرُremembrance
وَلا يُمْحَى لَهُ ذِكْرُ
All people die,
All people die,
but his memory is never erased.
yet his memory is never erased.
وَفِيand in الْفِرْدَوْسِParadise مَثْوَاهُhis dwelling
وَفِي الْفِرْدَوْسِ مَثْوَاهُ
نَعِيمٌbliss مَاnot لَهُfor it دَهْرُtime
نَعِيمٌ مَا لَهُ دَهْرُ
And Paradise is his abode:
And in Paradise is his dwelling:
bliss beyond the reach of time.
bliss beyond time.
وَذَاand this دَابِيmy way مَعَamid الأَهْوَاthe terrors (continued)
وَذَا دَابِي مَعَ الأَهْوَا
لِending of 'terrors' صَبْرٌpatience بَلْrather رِضًاcontentment نَذْرُa vow
لِ صَبْرٌ بَلْ رِضًا نَذْرُ
Such is my way amid ordeals:
And this is my way amid terrors:
a vow to patience—no, to contentment.
patience—nay, vowed contentment.
وَذَاكَand that الْعَبْدُthe slave لاnot يَهْوَىloves الْـthe (article continued)
وَذَاكَ الْعَبْدُ لا يَهْوَى الْـ
ـمَعَالِيَlofty aims إِذْsince بِهَاin them الْعُسْرُhardship
ـمَعَالِيَ إِذْ بِهَا الْعُسْرُ
That slave does not aspire to the high—
But that slave has no love for
—est heights, for hardship lies in them.
lofty aims, for hardship lies in them.
فَمَاso not مِنْany (emphatic) مَبْدَأٍa principle إِلاَّexcept
فَمَا مِنْ مَبْدَأٍ إِلاَّ
حَيَاةٌa life عَيْشُهَاits living يُسْرُease
حَيَاةٌ عَيْشُهَا يُسْرُ
For he has no creed except
He has no principle except
a life whose living is ease.
a life lived in ease.
فَقَالَthen said الْقَيْدُthe fetter يَاO حُرُّfree man
فَقَالَ الْقَيْدُ يَا حُرُّ
صَدَقْتَyou spoke truly وَإِنَّكَand indeed you الْبَرُّthe righteous one
صَدَقْتَ وَإِنَّكَ الْبَرُّ
The fetter said, “O free man,
Then the fetter said: O free man,
you speak truly; you are goodness itself.
you speak truly, and you are righteous.
لَقَدْindeed صَاحَبْتُI accompanied أَقْوَامًاpeople
لَقَدْ صَاحَبْتُ أَقْوَامًا
مِنَfrom among الأَحْرَارِthe free هُمْthey كُثْرُmany
مِنَ الأَحْرَارِ هُمْ كُثْرُ
I have accompanied bands
I have indeed accompanied people
of free men—many indeed.
from among the free, and they were many.
فُكُنْتُso I was الْمُبْكِيَthe one who makes others weep الْبَاكِيthe weeping one
فُكُنْتُ الْمُبْكِيَ الْبَاكِي
وَكَانَand there was لَهُمْfor them مَعِيwith me أَمْرُa matter
وَكَانَ لَهُمْ مَعِي أَمْرُ
I became both the cause of tears and the weeper,
So I made them weep, and wept myself,
and they had a grave affair with me.”
and they had dealings with me.
أَلاlisten يَاO أَيُّهَاyou الْقَيْدُthe fetter
أَلا يَا أَيُّهَا الْقَيْدُ
كَفَىsuffices ذَمًّاas condemnation لَكَfor you الْقَهْرُoppression
كَفَى ذَمًّا لَكَ الْقَهْرُ
“Ah, O fetter!
Listen, O fetter,
Oppression is blame enough for you.
oppression is condemnation enough for you.
فَإِنَّكَfor indeed you لِلطُّغَاةِfor the tyrants يَدٌa hand
فَإِنَّكَ لِلطُّغَاةِ يَدٌ
عَلَىagainst أَحْرَارِنَاour free people شَرُّevil
عَلَى أَحْرَارِنَا شَرُّ
You are the tyrants’ hand,
For you are the tyrants' hand,
an evil laid upon our free men.
an evil against our free people.
لَقَدْindeed آلَمْتَyou hurt أَقْوَامًاpeople
لَقَدْ آلَمْتَ أَقْوَامًا
لأَهْلِfor the people of الأَرْضِthe earth هُمْthey ذُخْرُa treasure
لأَهْلِ الأَرْضِ هُمْ ذُخْرُ
You have caused pain to men
You have indeed tormented people
who are a treasure for all the earth.”
who are a treasure to the earth's inhabitants.
فَنَادَىthen cried out الْقَيْدُthe fetter يَاO حُرُّfree man
فَنَادَى الْقَيْدُ يَا حُرُّ
أَنَاI كَدَوَائِكُمْlike your medicine مُرُّbitter
أَنَا كَدَوَائِكُمْ مُرُّ
The fetter cried, “O free man,
Then the fetter cried: O free man,
I am bitter, like your medicine.
I am bitter, like your medicine.
كَفَىsuffices فَخْرًاas pride بِأَنِّيin that I بِيthrough me
كَفَى فَخْرًا بِأَنِّي بِي
يَبِينُbecomes apparent الْغِرُّthe naive one وَالْغُرُّand the noble ones
يَبِينُ الْغِرُّ وَالْغُرُّ
It is pride enough for me that through me
It is pride enough for me that through me
the callow and the noble are distinguished.
the naive and the noble stand revealed.
فَمَنْso whoever يَثْبُتْstands firm فَذَاthen this one عِنْدِيto me
فَمَنْ يَثْبُتْ فَذَا عِنْدِي
رَبِيبٌa foster-child لِيto me بِهِin him فَخْرُpride
رَبِيبٌ لِي بِهِ فَخْرُ
Whoever stands firm is, in my eyes,
Whoever stands firm is, to me,
my fosterling, in whom I take pride.
a foster-child in whom I take pride.
وَمَنْand whoever يَهْوِيfalls فَذَاthen this one حِمْلٌa burden
وَمَنْ يَهْوِي فَذَا حِمْلٌ
هَوَىhas fallen فَأَرَاحَand thus relieved مَنْthose who بَرُّواwere righteous
هَوَى فَأَرَاحَ مَنْ بَرُّوا
Whoever falls was but a burden;
And whoever falls is a burden
falling, he relieves those who remain true.
that has fallen, bringing the righteous relief.
إِذَاif قَهْرًاoppression أَكُونُI am فَهَاthen behold
إِذَا قَهْرًا أَكُونُ فَهَا
أَنَاI بِثَبَاتِكُمْthrough your steadfastness صِفْرُzero
أَنَا بِثَبَاتِكُمْ صِفْرُ
If I am a force of compulsion, what am I
If I am oppression, then behold:
before your steadfastness? Nothing.
through your steadfastness, I am nothing.
أَيَاO قَيْدِيmy fetter لِمَwhy الأَحْرَاthe free (continued)
أَيَا قَيْدِي لِمَ الأَحْرَا
رُending of 'the free' دَوْمًاalways فِيamong الْوَرَىhumankind نَزْرُfew
رُ دَوْمًا فِي الْوَرَى نَزْرُ
“O my fetter, why are the free—
O my fetter, why are the free
—always so few among humankind?”
always so few among humankind?
أَجَابَanswered الْقَيْدُthe fetter يَاO حُرُّfree man
أَجَابَ الْقَيْدُ يَا حُرُّ
أَلاdo ... not? يَكْفِيكُمُsuffice you الدُّرُّthe pearls
أَلا يَكْفِيكُمُ الدُّرُّ
The fetter answered, “O free man,
The fetter answered: O free man,
are pearls not enough for you?
are pearls not enough for you?
جِبَالَmountains of مَعَادِنٍores تَابَىyou reject
جِبَالَ مَعَادِنٍ تَابَى
وَتَهْوَىand desire الدُّرَّthe pearls لاno إِمْرُstrange thing
وَتَهْوَى الدُّرَّ لا إِمْرُ
Mountains are mines that tower,
You reject mountains of ore
while pearls sink—no marvel.
and desire pearls—nothing strange in that.
وَهَاكَand take نَصِيحَتِيmy advice فَاثْبُتْso stand firm
وَهَاكَ نَصِيحَتِي فَاثْبُتْ
وَلاand do not تَرْكَنْyield لَكَfor you النَّصْرُvictory
وَلا تَرْكَنْ لَكَ النَّصْرُ
And here is my counsel: stand firm,
And take my counsel: stand firm,
and never yield; victory is yours.
and do not yield; victory is yours.
وَكُنْand be دَوْمًاalways مَعَwith الأَحْرَاthe free (continued)
وَكُنْ دَوْمًا مَعَ الأَحْرَا
رِending of 'the free' ذَاكَthat الْعِزُّglory وَالْبِرُّand righteousness
رِ ذَاكَ الْعِزُّ وَالْبِرُّ
Always remain with the free—
And always stand with the free;
—there lie glory and righteousness.
that is glory and righteousness.
عَسَىmay يَوْمًاone day بِأَيْدِيكُمْby your hands
عَسَى يَوْمًا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ
يَزُولُvanish الظُّلْمُoppression وَالْكُفْرُand unbelief
يَزُولُ الظُّلْمُ وَالْكُفْرُ
Perhaps one day, by your hands,
May one day, at your hands,
oppression and unbelief will vanish,
oppression and unbelief vanish,
وَيَاتِيand comes أُمَّةَthe community of الإِسْلاIslam (continued)
وَيَاتِي أُمَّةَ الإِسْلا
مِending of 'Islam' مِنْfrom أَيْدِيكُمُyour hands الْفَجْرُthe dawn
مِ مِنْ أَيْدِيكُمُ الْفَجْرُ
and to the nation of Islam—
and may there come to the community of Islam,
—from your hands the dawn will come.”
from your hands, the dawn.
Sol 6.1