هَا هُنا الأعلامُ كانت تُنْصَبُ

هَا هُنا الأعلامُ كانت تُنْصَبُ

هَا هُنا بالأمسِ كان الملعبُ

هَا هُنا بالأمسِ كان الملعبُ

Look, here the flags were being raised.

A speaker interrupted the voice and became confused

Look, here was the arena yesterday.

A phone we saw it ringing

قَطعَ الصَّوتَ خَطِيبٌ وَارْعَوَى

قَطعَ الصَّوتَ خَطِيبٌ وَارْعَوَى

هاتِفٌ كُنّا نَراهُ يَنعبُ

هاتِفٌ كُنّا نَراهُ يَنعبُ

An orator silenced the voice, and back to his senses came

The mind cheered and the truth stood up

A shouter whom we used to see cawing.

In its high glory as an imam giving a speech

هَتَفَ العقلُ وقامَ الحَقُّ في

هَتَفَ العقلُ وقامَ الحَقُّ في

جَاههِ العَالي إماماً يَخطبُ

جَاههِ العَالي إماماً يَخطبُ

Reason cried out, and Truth arose in

Every glory that does not come from it disappears

Its lofty dignity, an imam preaching.

Every authority other than it goes away

كُلُّ جاهٍ ليس مِنهُ يَنْقَضِي

كُلُّ جاهٍ ليس مِنهُ يَنْقَضِي

كُلُّ سُلطانٍ سِواهُ يذهبُ

كُلُّ سُلطانٍ سِواهُ يذهبُ

All prestige not derived from it comes to an end;

And the most misguided opinion is that of a provocateur

Every power other than it passes away.

Sometimes raving and sometimes lying

وأَضَلُّ النّاسِ رَأياً مُرجِفٌ

وأَضَلُّ النّاسِ رَأياً مُرجِفٌ

تارةً يَهذِي وَحِيناً يكذِبُ

تارةً يَهذِي وَحِيناً يكذِبُ

And the most misguided of people in judgment is a rumor-monger:

He rides the opinion foolishly stubborn

Sometimes he raves, and at other times he lies.

Leading the person astray, what is he riding?

يركب الرّأيَ غويّاً جَامحاً

يركب الرّأيَ غويّاً جَامحاً

ضِلَّةً لِلمرءِ ماذا يركبُ

ضِلَّةً لِلمرءِ ماذا يركبُ

He rides opinion, misguided and unbridled—

The people asked for a good leader

What folly for a man! What is he riding?

For the public and benefit was sought

سَألَ القومُ أَخيرٌ يُبْتَغَى

سَألَ القومُ أَخيرٌ يُبْتَغَى

للجماهيرِ ونَفْعٌ يُطلَبُ

للجماهيرِ ونَفْعٌ يُطلَبُ

The people asked: Is any good being sought

Or was it just a parade with no purpose?

For the masses, and any benefit pursued,

If it was said, what was the purpose?

أَمْ هُو الموكبُ ما مِنْ مأربٍ

أَمْ هُو الموكبُ ما مِنْ مأربٍ

غَيرُه إن قيلَ ماذا المأربُ

غَيرُه إن قيلَ ماذا المأربُ

Or is it the procession, with no aim

The rulers persist in their needs

Beyond it, if asked what the aim is?

And the peasants, every day they persist

يَدأبُ الحُكّامُ في حاجاتِهم

يَدأبُ الحُكّامُ في حاجاتِهم

والعَوادِي كُلَّ يومٍ تَدْأبُ

والعَوادِي كُلَّ يومٍ تَدْأبُ

The rulers toil over their needs,

They mentioned the constitution in their anger

And calamities toil every day.

Yet it angers them all the time

ذَكروا الدُّستورَ في غَضْبَتِهمْ

ذَكروا الدُّستورَ في غَضْبَتِهمْ

وَهْوَ مِنهم كُلَّ حينٍ يَغْضَبُ

وَهْوَ مِنهم كُلَّ حينٍ يَغْضَبُ

They mentioned the constitution in their wrath,

May God have mercy on the men who knew

While it is always angry with them.

The law of truth and what it entails

رَحِمَ اللهُ رِجالاً عَرَفوا

رَحِمَ اللهُ رِجالاً عَرَفوا

شِرعةَ الحقِّ وماذا تُوجِبُ

شِرعةَ الحقِّ وماذا تُوجِبُ

May God have mercy on men who knew

Woe to Egypt, do you see in it anything but

The law of Truth and what it requires.

A nation that is hurt and a people that stumbles?

وَيْحَ مِصرٍ هَلْ تَرى فيها سِوَى

وَيْحَ مِصرٍ هَلْ تَرى فيها سِوَى

أُمةٍ تُؤذَى وشَعبٍ يُنْكَبُ

أُمةٍ تُؤذَى وشَعبٍ يُنْكَبُ

Alas for Egypt! Do you see in it anything but

An uproar comes and goes.

A nation harmed, and a people stricken?

Did you see how the parade disappeared?

ضَجَّةٌ تَمضِي وأخرَى تَذهبُ

ضَجَّةٌ تَمضِي وأخرَى تَذهبُ

أَرأَيتُمْ كيفَ ذَابَ الموكبُ

أَرأَيتُمْ كيفَ ذَابَ الموكبُ

One uproar passes, and another fades away.

Did you see how the procession melted away?