أَماLo وَاللَياليby the nights وَأَحداثِهاand their events
أَما وَاللَيالي وَأَحداثِها
وَماand what عَلَّمَتthey have taught مِنof كِبارِmighty العِظاتِlessons
وَما عَلَّمَت مِن كِبارِ العِظاتِ
Lo, by the nights and their events,
and the mighty lessons they have taught,
وَماand what هَذَّبَتthey have refined مِنof نُفوسِsouls الكِرامِthe noble
وَما هَذَّبَت مِن نُفوسِ الكِرامِ
وَماand what ثَقَّفتَyou have honed مِنof عُقولِminds الهُداةِthe guides
وَما ثَقَّفتَ مِن عُقولِ الهُداةِ
and the noble souls they have refined,
and the minds of guides you have honed—
لَقَدindeed كَشَفَbared الشَرُّevil عَنfrom ساقِهِits shin
لَقَد كَشَفَ الشَرُّ عَن ساقِهِ
وَشَمَّرَand girded themselves لِلرَوعِfor battle's terror أَهلُthose with التُراتِblood-feuds
وَشَمَّرَ لِلرَوعِ أَهلُ التُراتِ
evil has indeed bared its shin,
and men of blood-feuds have girded themselves for battle.
فَمَنso whoever كانَwas يَكرَهُabhors أَنto يُستباحَbe violated
فَمَن كانَ يَكرَهُ أَن يُستباحَ
فَذَلِكَthen that is يَومُthe day of الحِمىthe homeland وَالحُماةِand the defenders
فَذَلِكَ يَومُ الحِمى وَالحُماةِ
Whoever would loathe to be violated—
this is the day of the homeland and its defenders.
بَنيO sons of مِصرَEgypt مَنwhoever يَكُis ذاpossessed of نَجدَةٍvalor
بَني مِصرَ مَن يَكُ ذا نَجدَةٍ
فَمِصرُfor Egypt تُريدُseeks سَبيلَa path to النَجاةِsalvation
فَمِصرُ تُريدُ سَبيلَ النَجاةِ
Sons of Egypt, whoever among you has valor—
Egypt seeks the path to salvation.
أُحيطَa siege was laid بِهاaround her فَهيَso she is مَكروبَةٌdistressed
أُحيطَ بِها فَهيَ مَكروبَةٌ
تَضُجُّcries out وَتَشكوand laments ضَجيجَthe clamor of العُناةِcaptives
تَضُجُّ وَتَشكو ضَجيجَ العُناةِ
She is besieged and sorely distressed,
crying out and lamenting with the clamor of captives.
دَعواleave aside كُلَّevery شَيءٍthing سِوىexcept نَصرِهاaiding her
دَعوا كُلَّ شَيءٍ سِوى نَصرِها
وَلاand do not تَدَعوهاleave her بِأَيديin the hands of الغُزاةِthe invaders
وَلا تَدَعوها بِأَيدي الغُزاةِ
Leave everything aside but aiding her,
and do not leave her in the invaders' hands.
وَضُمّواand close up الصُفوفَthe ranks وَلاand do not تَسمَعواlisten
وَضُمّوا الصُفوفَ وَلا تَسمَعوا
لِأَهلِto the people of الأَباطيلِfalsehoods وَالتُرّهاتِand nonsense
لِأَهلِ الأَباطيلِ وَالتُرّهاتِ
Close ranks, and do not listen
to the purveyors of falsehoods and nonsense.
فَلَنso will not يَلبَثَtake long الأَمرُthe matter أَنto يَستَقيمَcome right
فَلَن يَلبَثَ الأَمرُ أَن يَستَقيمَ
إِذاif اِجتَمَعَunite القَومُthe people بَعدَafter الشَتاتِdispersal
إِذا اِجتَمَعَ القَومُ بَعدَ الشَتاتِ
For matters will not take long to come right
if the people unite after their dispersal.
دُعاةَO advocates of الحِمايَةِthe protectorate لاdo not تَنعَقواcroak
دُعاةَ الحِمايَةِ لا تَنعَقوا
فَماfor none أَهلَكَruined الناسَthe people غَيرُexcept الدُعاةِthe advocates
فَما أَهلَكَ الناسَ غَيرُ الدُعاةِ
Advocates of the protectorate, do not croak;
for none but advocates have ruined the people.
أَيملِكُcan باطِلُكُمyour falsehood أَنto يَسودَprevail
أَيملِكُ باطِلُكُم أَن يَسودَ
وَقَدwhen indeed وَضَحَhas become clear الحَقُّthe truth ذوbearing البَيِّناتِclear proofs
وَقَد وَضَحَ الحَقُّ ذو البَيِّناتِ
Can your falsehood hold sway
when truth stands clear with manifest proofs?
وَصَفتُمyou described لَناto us حَسَناتِthe merits of الكِتابِthe document
وَصَفتُم لَنا حَسَناتِ الكِتابِ
فَماyet not إِن(emphasis) رَأَيناwe saw سِوىexcept السَيِّئاتِevils
فَما إِن رَأَينا سِوى السَيِّئاتِ
You described to us the document's merits,
yet we saw nothing but evils.
يَضُمُّit includes الحِمايَةَthe protectorate فيماamong what يَضُمُّit includes
يَضُمُّ الحِمايَةَ فيما يَضُمُّ
لِأَبناءِfor the sons of مِصرَEgypt مِنَof المُزعِجاتِdistressing things
لِأَبناءِ مِصرَ مِنَ المُزعِجاتِ
It includes the protectorate among the things
that bring distress to the sons of Egypt.
يُعَلِّمُناit teaches us كَيفَhow تُرمىare shot at الشُعوبُpeoples
يُعَلِّمُنا كَيفَ تُرمى الشُعوبُ
وَكَيفَand how تُقَبَّلُare kissed أَيديthe hands of الرُماةِthe shooters
وَكَيفَ تُقَبَّلُ أَيدي الرُماةِ
It teaches us how peoples are shot at,
and how the shooters' hands are kissed.
لَعُمرُby the life of الغُواةِthe misguided وَماand what أَحدَثواthey have wrought
لَعُمرُ الغُواةِ وَما أَحدَثوا
لَقَدindeed سَئِمَتhas grown weary of مِصرُEgypt دَعوىthe claim of الغُواةِthe misguided
لَقَد سَئِمَت مِصرُ دَعوى الغُواةِ
By the lives of the misguided and what they have wrought,
Egypt has indeed wearied of the misguided men's claim.
إِذاif نَحنُwe شِئناwish نَشَرناwe shall publish لَهُمfor them
إِذا نَحنُ شِئنا نَشَرنا لَهُم
صَحائِفَpages تَطفَحُoverflowing بِالمُخزِياتِwith shameful deeds
صَحائِفَ تَطفَحُ بِالمُخزِياتِ
If we wish, we shall publish for them
pages brimming with shameful deeds.
عَلىrests with اللَهِGod يَومَon the day يَقومُis held الحِسابُthe reckoning
عَلى اللَهِ يَومَ يَقومُ الحِسابُ
جَزاءُthe recompense for الخَبائِثِevil deeds وَالطَيِّباتِand good deeds
جَزاءُ الخَبائِثِ وَالطَيِّباتِ
With God rests, on the Day of Reckoning,
the recompense for evil deeds and good.
عَمِلناwe labored لَهُfor Him نَبتَغيseeking وَجهَهُHis face
عَمِلنا لَهُ نَبتَغي وَجهَهُ
إِذاwhen ما(emphasis) اِبتَغىsought القَومُthe people بَعضَsome الهَناتِpetty ends
إِذا ما اِبتَغى القَومُ بَعضَ الهَناتِ
We have labored for Him, seeking His face,
when others pursued petty ends.
لَناours is وِجهَةُthe pursuit of الخَيرِgoodness فيamong العالَمينَall peoples
لَنا وِجهَةُ الخَيرِ في العالَمينَ
وَلِلنَفسِand the soul has وجهَتُهاits own direction فيin الحَياةِlife
وَلِلنَفسِ وجهَتُها في الحَياةِ
Ours is the pursuit of goodness among all peoples,
and the soul has its own direction in life.
وَفَيناwe kept faith لِمِصرَwith Egypt عَلىamid حالَةٍa state
وَفَينا لِمِصرَ عَلى حالَةٍ
مِنَof الهَولِterror قَذّافَةٍpelting بِالوُفاةِwith death
مِنَ الهَولِ قَذّافَةٍ بِالوُفاةِ
We kept faith with Egypt amid a state
of terror that hurled out death.
تَطيرُflies بِهِمwith them فَتَسُدُّand so blocks الجِواءَthe open sky
تَطيرُ بِهِم فَتَسُدُّ الجِواءَ
وَتَلويand twists بِأَجنِحَةِthe wings of العاصِفاتِthe tempests
وَتَلوي بِأَجنِحَةِ العاصِفاتِ
It bears them aloft and blocks the sky,
and twists the wings of tempests.
تَمورُheave الدِيارُthe lands لِهَزّاتِهاat its shocks
تَمورُ الدِيارُ لِهَزّاتِها
وَلَوeven if أَمسَكَتهاheld them fast قُوىthe might of الراسِياتِthe rooted mountains
وَلَو أَمسَكَتها قُوى الراسِياتِ
The lands heave at its shocks,
even if the might of rooted mountains held them fast.
نُجاهِدُwe strive لِلمَجدِfor glory حَقَّtrue الجِهادِstriving
نُجاهِدُ لِلمَجدِ حَقَّ الجِهادِ
وَنَشرَعُand we establish لِلناسِfor the people دينَthe creed of الثَباتِsteadfastness
وَنَشرَعُ لِلناسِ دينَ الثَباتِ
We strive for glory with the truest striving,
and establish for people the creed of steadfastness.
نَصونُwe safeguard لِمِصرَfor Egypt أَماناتِهاher trusts
نَصونُ لِمِصرَ أَماناتِها
وَنَبتَذِلُand we freely spend المُهَجَlifeblood الغالِياتِprecious
وَنَبتَذِلُ المُهَجَ الغالِياتِ
We safeguard Egypt's trusts for her,
and freely spend our precious lifeblood.
وَلَنand will not تُستَباحَbe violated حُقوقُthe rights of البِلادِthe country
وَلَن تُستَباحَ حُقوقُ البِلادِ
إِذاif اِستَودَعَتهاtake them into safekeeping نُفوسُthe souls of الأُباةِthe unbowed
إِذا اِستَودَعَتها نُفوسُ الأُباةِ
And the country's rights will not be violated
when unbowed souls take them into their keeping—
أَمانُthe safeguard of الحُصونِfortresses وَغَوثُand the succor of الجُنودِtroops
أَمانُ الحُصونِ وَغَوثُ الجُنودِ
وَحِرزُand the protection of السَوابِغِfull coats of mail وَالمُرهَفاتِand keen-edged swords
وَحِرزُ السَوابِغِ وَالمُرهَفاتِ
the safeguard of fortresses and the succor of troops,
and the protection of full coats of mail and keen-edged swords.
أَلاBehold إِنَّindeed مِصرَEgypt لَحَقُّtruly the right of البَنينَsons
أَلا إِنَّ مِصرَ لَحَقُّ البَنينَ
وَعِرضُand the honor of الأُبُوَّةِfatherhood وَالأُمَّهاتِand mothers
وَعِرضُ الأُبُوَّةِ وَالأُمَّهاتِ
Behold, Egypt belongs by right to her sons,
and is the honor of fathers and mothers.
وَمَحكَمَةُand the tribunal of الدَهرِTime مِنfrom بعدِناafter us
وَمَحكَمَةُ الدَهرِ مِن بعدِنا
تُقامُwill be convened لِأَجداثِناfor our graves وَالرُفاتِand crumbled remains
تُقامُ لِأَجداثِنا وَالرُفاتِ
And Time's tribunal, after we are gone,
will be convened for our graves and crumbling bones.
إِذاwhen ما(emphasis) قَضىpronounces الدَهرُTime أَحكامَهُhis judgments
إِذا ما قَضى الدَهرُ أَحكامَهُ
فَتِلكَthen that is حُكومَةُthe judgment of أَقضىthe most judicious of القُضاةِjudges
فَتِلكَ حُكومَةُ أَقضى القُضاةِ
When Time pronounces his judgments,
that is the verdict of the most judicious of judges.
يُقَلِّبُhe turns about عَينَيهِhis two eyes مُستَوفِزاًpoised to spring
يُقَلِّبُ عَينَيهِ مُستَوفِزاً
إِذاwhen صيحَa cry is raised بِالرِمَمِto the remains البالِياتِcrumbling
إِذا صيحَ بِالرِمَمِ البالِياتِ
He turns his eyes about, poised to spring,
when the cry is raised to the crumbling remains.
لَهُhe has كاتِبٌa scribe عَبقَرِيُّa genius with اليَراعِthe reed pen
لَهُ كاتِبٌ عَبقَرِيُّ اليَراعِ
سَرِيُّnoble الصَحيفَةِthe page حُرُّfree الدَواةِthe inkwell
سَرِيُّ الصَحيفَةِ حُرُّ الدَواةِ
He has a scribe, a genius with the reed pen,
whose page is noble and whose inkwell is unfettered.
تُذيبُdissolves لَهُfor him كيمياءُthe alchemy of الدُهورِthe ages
تُذيبُ لَهُ كيمياءُ الدُهورِ
مِدادَthe ink of الغَياهِبِdarkest gloom وَالنَيِّراتِand radiant lights
مِدادَ الغَياهِبِ وَالنَيِّراتِ
For him the alchemy of the ages dissolves
the ink of darkest gloom and radiant lights.
يَروعُhe terrifies الظَلامَthe darkness بِسودِwith black الخِلالِtraits
يَروعُ الظَلامَ بِسودِ الخِلالِ
وَيُشجيand saddens الصَباحَthe dawn بِبيضِwith white الصِفاتِqualities
وَيُشجي الصَباحَ بِبيضِ الصِفاتِ
He terrifies the darkness with black traits,
and saddens the dawn with white virtues.
أَرىI see المَرءَa man يَأخُذُtaking مِمّاfrom whatever يَشاءُhe wishes
أَرى المَرءَ يَأخُذُ مِمّا يَشاءُ
وَيَأخُذُand takes مِنهُfrom him حَديثُthe account of الرُواةِthe narrators
وَيَأخُذُ مِنهُ حَديثُ الرُواةِ
I see a man take from whatever he wishes,
and the narrators' account takes from him in turn.
إِذاwhen كُتِبَis recorded المَجدُglory فيin أُمَّةٍa nation
إِذا كُتِبَ المَجدُ في أُمَّةٍ
فَلِلعامِلينَthen for the men who labor وَلِلعامِلاتِand for the women who labor
فَلِلعامِلينَ وَلِلعامِلاتِ
When glory is recorded in a nation,
it belongs to the men and women who labor.
وَإِنَّand indeed الأُمورَthings بِأَشباهِهاby their like
وَإِنَّ الأُمورَ بِأَشباهِها
وَبَعضُand some الَّذينَthose men كَبَعضِlike some اللَواتيthose women
وَبَعضُ الَّذينَ كَبَعضِ اللَواتي
And things are judged by their like,
and some men are like some women.
وَكائِنْand how many تَرىyou see مِنof فَتىًa young man لاdoes not يَقومُtake a place
وَكائِنْ تَرى مِن فَتىً لا يَقومُ
غَداةَon the day of الحِفاظِdefending honor مَقامَthe place of الفَتاةِa young woman
غَداةَ الحِفاظِ مَقامَ الفَتاةِ
How many a young man you see who fails to take
a young woman's place when honor must be defended.
نَقَمتُI resented عَلىin مِصرَEgypt طولَthe length of الجُمودِstagnation
نَقَمتُ عَلى مِصرَ طولَ الجُمودِ
وَيَحسَبُهُand deem it القَومُthe people طولَthe length of الأَناةِforbearance
وَيَحسَبُهُ القَومُ طولَ الأَناةِ
I have reproached Egypt for her long stagnation,
while people deem it prolonged forbearance.
بَلَوتُI have tested الأُمورَaffairs وَكُنتُand I was اِمرَأًa man
بَلَوتُ الأُمورَ وَكُنتُ اِمرَأً
ذَكِيَّkeen of الجنانِheart كَبيرَgreat in الحَصاةِjudgment
ذَكِيَّ الجنانِ كَبيرَ الحَصاةِ
I have tested affairs, and I was a man
keen of heart and great in judgment.
فَلَمand not أَرَI have seen فيماamong what يَنوبُbefalls الشُعوبَnations
فَلَم أَرَ فيما يَنوبُ الشُعوبَ
كَجَهلِlike the ignorance of السَراةِthe notables وَظُلمِand the injustice of الوُلاةِthe rulers
كَجَهلِ السَراةِ وَظُلمِ الوُلاةِ
I have seen nothing among the afflictions of nations
like the ignorance of notables and the injustice of rulers.
Sol 6.1