لا يَنْهَضُ الشَّعبُ إلاَّ حينَ يَدْفَعُهُ

لا يَنْهَضُ الشَّعبُ إلاَّ حينَ يَدْفَعُهُ

عَزْمُ الحَيَاةِ إِذا مَا اسْتَيْقَظَتْ فيهِ

عَزْمُ الحَيَاةِ إِذا مَا اسْتَيْقَظَتْ فيهِ

The people rise only when impelled

The people rise only when the fire of life is awakened within them.

The people will not rise unless they are driven

By life's resolve, when life awakens within them.

And love breaks through the gloom, rushing to the sky when called.

By the resolve of life when it awakens within them;

والحَبُّ يخترِقُ الغَبْراءَ مُنْدَفِعاً

والحَبُّ يخترِقُ الغَبْراءَ مُنْدَفِعاً

إلى السَّماءِ إِذا هَبَّتْ تُناديهِ

إلى السَّماءِ إِذا هَبَّتْ تُناديهِ

And the seed pierces the dusty earth, surging

While the dead grow used to their shackles, the living chafe and fret against them.

Just as the seed pierces the dusty earth, surging

Toward the sky, when the sky stirs to call it.

Towards the heavens whenever they call out its name.

والقَيْدُ يأْلَفُهُ الأَمْواتُ مَا لَبِثُوا

والقَيْدُ يأْلَفُهُ الأَمْواتُ مَا لَبِثُوا

أَمَّا الحَيَاةُ فيُبْلِيها وتُبْليهِ

أَمَّا الحَيَاةُ فيُبْلِيها وتُبْليهِ

And the dead are accustomed to the shackle as long as they remain;

For chains are befriended only by the dead who linger,

But as for life, the shackle wears it down, and life wears the shackle down.

But as for life, it wears them away, just as they wear away life.