يُهينُ رِجالٌ في الحَياةِ نُفوسَهُم

يُهينُ رِجالٌ في الحَياةِ نُفوسَهُم

وَأَطلُبُ أَن أَحيا مَهيباً مُكَرَّما

وَأَطلُبُ أَن أَحيا مَهيباً مُكَرَّما

Some men abase themselves in life,

Men degrade themselves in life

while I seek to live revered and honored.

Yet I seek to live with dignity and honor

وَيَضرِبُ قَومٌ في البِلادِ لَعَلَّهُم

وَيَضرِبُ قَومٌ في البِلادِ لَعَلَّهُم

يُصيبونَ مالاً أَو يَنالونَ مَغنَما

يُصيبونَ مالاً أَو يَنالونَ مَغنَما

Some people roam through the lands, hoping

Some roam the lands hoping

to gain wealth or win some spoils.

To gain wealth or spoils

وَأَرمي بِنَفسي في مَآزِقَ جَمَّةٍ

وَأَرمي بِنَفسي في مَآزِقَ جَمَّةٍ

أُغيثُ أولي البَلوى وَأَشفي ذَوي العَمى

أُغيثُ أولي البَلوى وَأَشفي ذَوي العَمى

And I cast myself into many straits,

But I hurl myself into perilous straits

aiding the afflicted and healing the blind.

To aid the afflicted and give sight to the blind

إِذا ما رَأَوني طالِعاً مِن ثَنِيَّةٍ

إِذا ما رَأَوني طالِعاً مِن ثَنِيَّةٍ

تَنادَوا هَلُمّوا قَد أَصَبنا مُحَرَّما

تَنادَوا هَلُمّوا قَد أَصَبنا مُحَرَّما

Whenever they see me emerging from a mountain pass,

When they see me emerge from the mountain pass

they call to one another: "Come! We have found Muharram!"

They cry "come, we have found a protector"

وَجاءوا سِراعاً يَنفِضونَ شَكاتَهُم

وَجاءوا سِراعاً يَنفِضونَ شَكاتَهُم

إِلَيَّ وَيُبدونَ الحَديثَ المُكَتَّما

إِلَيَّ وَيُبدونَ الحَديثَ المُكَتَّما

They come hurrying, pouring out their complaints

And they rush to me, unburdening their sorrows

to me, revealing the words they had kept concealed.

Speaking to me words long suppressed

لِكُلٍّ مِنَ المَكروهِ داءٌ يُمِضُّهُ

لِكُلٍّ مِنَ المَكروهِ داءٌ يُمِضُّهُ

وَشَجوٌ يُريهِ العَيشَ أَغبَرَ أَقتَما

وَشَجوٌ يُريهِ العَيشَ أَغبَرَ أَقتَما

Each has an affliction born of misfortune that torments him,

Each has a malady that consumes him

and sorrow that makes life seem dusty and dark.

And grief that makes life bleak and gloomy

فَما يَذكُرُ الأَبناءَ إِلّا بَكى لَها

فَما يَذكُرُ الأَبناءَ إِلّا بَكى لَها

وَلا يَبعَثُ الأَنفاسَ إِلّا تَأَلَّما

وَلا يَبعَثُ الأَنفاسَ إِلّا تَأَلَّما

He never mentions his children without weeping for them,

If he recalls his children, he weeps for them

nor draws a breath without pain.

And his breath comes only with agony

حَمَلتُ مِنَ الأَعباءِ ما لَو نَفَضتُهُ

حَمَلتُ مِنَ الأَعباءِ ما لَو نَفَضتُهُ

عَلى جَبَلٍ سامي الذُرى لَتَهَدَّما

عَلى جَبَلٍ سامي الذُرى لَتَهَدَّما

I have borne such burdens that, were I to shake them off

I bear burdens that if cast upon

upon a mountain of lofty summits, it would crumble.

A lofty mountain, would cause it to crumble

هُمومٌ وَآلامٌ وَحاجاتُ أُمَّةٍ

هُمومٌ وَآلامٌ وَحاجاتُ أُمَّةٍ

تَهِمُّ وَيَأبى الظُلمُ أَن تَتَقَدَّما

تَهِمُّ وَيَأبى الظُلمُ أَن تَتَقَدَّما

Worries, pains, and the needs of a nation

Cares, pains, the needs of a nation

that aspires, while oppression refuses to let it advance.

That suffers, while injustice refuses to abate

تَكَنَّفَها قَومٌ ظِماءٌ وَجُوَّعٌ

تَكَنَّفَها قَومٌ ظِماءٌ وَجُوَّعٌ

فَما وَجَدوا إِلّا شَراباً وَمَطعَما

فَما وَجَدوا إِلّا شَراباً وَمَطعَما

A thirsty, starving people have surrounded it,

Encompassed by the wicked and the starving

and found nothing but drink and food.

Who found only food and drink from me

فَما نَنسَ مِن سوءٍ ذَكَرنا حُكومَةً

فَما نَنسَ مِن سوءٍ ذَكَرنا حُكومَةً

أَقامَت عَلى مِصرٍ مِنَ الظُلمِ قَيِّما

أَقامَت عَلى مِصرٍ مِنَ الظُلمِ قَيِّما

Whatever evil we may forget, we remember a government

Whenever we mention the days of tyranny

that set over Egypt an overseer made of oppression.

That established endless wrongs in Egypt

وَمَهما حَمِدنا مِن عُهودٍ وَأَعصُرٍ

وَمَهما حَمِدنا مِن عُهودٍ وَأَعصُرٍ

فَلَن نَحمَدَ العَهدَ البَغيضَ المُذَمَّما

فَلَن نَحمَدَ العَهدَ البَغيضَ المُذَمَّما

Whatever eras and ages we may praise,

However much we praise eras and dynasties

we shall never praise the hateful, reviled age.

We'll never praise this abhorrent accursed age

نَئِنُّ وَيَأبى القَومُ أَن نَتَكَلَّما

نَئِنُّ وَيَأبى القَومُ أَن نَتَكَلَّما

وَما يَملِكُ الصَمتُ اللِسانَ وَلا الفَما

وَما يَملِكُ الصَمتُ اللِسانَ وَلا الفَما

We groan, but those people refuse to let us speak,

We moan, but the people refuse to let us speak

yet silence cannot master the tongue or the mouth.

Neither silence nor mouths can be controlled by the tongue

رَأَوا حُمَمَ الأَفواهِ يَرمي بِها الأَسى

رَأَوا حُمَمَ الأَفواهِ يَرمي بِها الأَسى

فَصاغوا لَها سَدّاً مِنَ النارِ مُحكَما

فَصاغوا لَها سَدّاً مِنَ النارِ مُحكَما

They saw the embers that sorrow flings from mouths,

Seeing the muzzles on our mouths, sorrow hurls at them

and fashioned for them a firm barrier of fire.

So they built a barrier of fire, unbreachable

عَلى كُلِّ سَطرٍ مالِكٌ مِن قُضاتِهِم

عَلى كُلِّ سَطرٍ مالِكٌ مِن قُضاتِهِم

يُعِدُّ لَنا في كُلِّ حَرفٍ جَهَنَّما

يُعِدُّ لَنا في كُلِّ حَرفٍ جَهَنَّما

Over every line stands a Malik from among their judges,

For every line, their judges prepare hell

preparing a hell for us in every letter.

In every letter, should we dissent or condemn

إِذا اِستَصرَخَ المَكروبُ مِنّا مُؤَمَّلاً

إِذا اِستَصرَخَ المَكروبُ مِنّا مُؤَمَّلاً

أَكَبَّ يُديرُ الرَأيَ ثُمَّتَ هَوَّما

أَكَبَّ يُديرُ الرَأيَ ثُمَّتَ هَوَّما

If one of us in distress cries out for help, hopeful,

When the anguished cry out to us, hoping

he bends over, pondering the matter, then nods off.

They deliberate, then equivocate and waver

ظَلَلنا جُموداً ما نَثورُ لِمُؤلِمٍ

ظَلَلنا جُموداً ما نَثورُ لِمُؤلِمٍ

وَلا نَدفَعُ المُغتالَ أَن يَتَهَجَّما

وَلا نَدفَعُ المُغتالَ أَن يَتَهَجَّما

We have remained inert, never rising against what pains us,

We have become frozen, never rising against torment

nor keeping the assassin from attacking.

Nor stopping the assassin from drawing near

عُيونٌ وَأَرصادٌ عَلى غَيرِ حاجَةٍ

عُيونٌ وَأَرصادٌ عَلى غَيرِ حاجَةٍ

وَمِن شيمَةِ المُرتابِ أَن يَتَوَهَّما

وَمِن شيمَةِ المُرتابِ أَن يَتَوَهَّما

Spies and lookouts, though there is no need;

Eyes upon us, though we have no need for suspicion

and it is the suspicious man's nature to imagine things.

For it is the mark of the doubter to imagine and presume

إِذا دَلَفَ الأَعمى تَلَفَّتَ حَولَهُ

إِذا دَلَفَ الأَعمى تَلَفَّتَ حَولَهُ

يَظُنُّ فُضولَ الثَوبِ كَفّاً وَمِعصَما

يَظُنُّ فُضولَ الثَوبِ كَفّاً وَمِعصَما

At a blind man's slow approach, he looks all around,

When the blind man enters, they look around him

mistaking the loose folds of a garment for a hand and wrist.

Suspecting the excess cloth to hide a weapon

أَكُلَّ وَفِيٍّ يَزعُمونَ مُشاغِباً

أَكُلَّ وَفِيٍّ يَزعُمونَ مُشاغِباً

وَكُلَّ أَبِيٍّ يَحسَبُ القَومُ مُجرِما

وَكُلَّ أَبِيٍّ يَحسَبُ القَومُ مُجرِما

Do they call every loyal man a troublemaker,

They call every loyalist a troublemaker

and reckon every self-respecting man a criminal?

And consider every person of conscience a criminal

لَقَد هَمَّ راعي السوءِ أَن يَتَحَكَّما

لَقَد هَمَّ راعي السوءِ أَن يَتَحَكَّما

فَصادَفَ قَوماً غافِلينَ وَنُوَّما

فَصادَفَ قَوماً غافِلينَ وَنُوَّما

Indeed, the evil shepherd resolved to rule at his whim,

Indeed, the guardian of evil thought to gain control

and found a people heedless and asleep.

But found people heedless and asleep

رُوَيداً بَني التاميزِ إِنَّ وَراءَكُم

رُوَيداً بَني التاميزِ إِنَّ وَراءَكُم

مِنَ الهَولِ يَوماً يَقذِفُ النارَ وَالدَما

مِنَ الهَولِ يَوماً يَقذِفُ النارَ وَالدَما

Wait, sons of the Thames! For ahead of you lies

Gently, people of privilege, behind you

a day of terror, hurling fire and blood.

Lies a day that hurls fire and blood

رَمَيتُم بَني مِصرٍ بِسَهمٍ مِنَ الأَذى

رَمَيتُم بَني مِصرٍ بِسَهمٍ مِنَ الأَذى

فَظُنّوا بِرامٍ يَملَأُ الدَهرَ أَسهُما

فَظُنّوا بِرامٍ يَملَأُ الدَهرَ أَسهُما

You struck the sons of Egypt with an arrow of harm;

You shot the people of Egypt with arrows of harm

so reckon with an archer who fills time with arrows,

And thought yourselves archers filling the ages with arrows

مَخوفِ الوَغى يَرمي بِطوفانِ بَأسِهِ

مَخوفِ الوَغى يَرمي بِطوفانِ بَأسِهِ

فَتُمسي شُعوبُ الأَرضِ غَرقى وَعُوَّما

فَتُمسي شُعوبُ الأَرضِ غَرقى وَعُوَّما

dreaded in battle, striking with a flood of his might,

The fearsome warrior hurls the flood of his might

so the peoples of the earth are left—some drowned, some swimming.

And the peoples of earth become drowned and adrift

سَيُصبِحُ مُلكُ التُركِ بَعدَ هُنَيهَةٍ

سَيُصبِحُ مُلكُ التُركِ بَعدَ هُنَيهَةٍ

رَفيعَ الذُرى ما يُستَباحُ لَهُ حِمى

رَفيعَ الذُرى ما يُستَباحُ لَهُ حِمى

Before long, the realm of the Turks will be

The Ottoman empire will one day soon

lofty-peaked, its protected lands inviolate.

Be lofty, with no sanctuaries inviolable to it

إِذا ما بَنو عُثمانَ هَزّوا سُيوفَهُم

إِذا ما بَنو عُثمانَ هَزّوا سُيوفَهُم

فَقُل لِبَني التاميزِ هُزّوا المُقَطَّما

فَقُل لِبَني التاميزِ هُزّوا المُقَطَّما

When the sons of Osman brandish their swords,

When the Ottomans unsheathe their swords

tell the sons of the Thames: "Shake al-Muqattam!"

Tell the privileged to unsheathe what remains of theirs

يُعَدّونَهُ سَيفاً عَلى الدَهرِ مُصلتاً

يُعَدّونَهُ سَيفاً عَلى الدَهرِ مُصلتاً

وَجَيشاً يَهَزُّ الخافِقينَ عَرَمرَما

وَجَيشاً يَهَزُّ الخافِقينَ عَرَمرَما

They deem it a sword unsheathed against time,

They count it a sword ever-victorious

and a vast army that shakes the East and West.

And an army shaking the battlefields

وَيَعتَدُّهُ نِمرٌ وَأَشياخُ قَومِهِ

وَيَعتَدُّهُ نِمرٌ وَأَشياخُ قَومِهِ

أَجَلَّ مِنَ الأَسطولِ شَأناً وَأَعظَما

أَجَلَّ مِنَ الأَسطولِ شَأناً وَأَعظَما

Nimr and the elders of his people consider it

Their leader and elders count it a tiger

loftier in standing and greater than the fleet.

Greater than armadas in might and esteem

إِذا ضاقَ عَنهُم بِأسُهُم جاشَ بَأسُهُ

إِذا ضاقَ عَنهُم بِأسُهُم جاشَ بَأسُهُ

وَإِن أَحجَموا في حَومَةِ الحَربِ أَقدَما

وَإِن أَحجَموا في حَومَةِ الحَربِ أَقدَما

When their might falls short, its might surges,

When their onslaught overwhelms, his onslaught rages

and if they shrink back in the thick of battle, it advances.

And if they recoil from the fury of war, he charges ahead

كَأَنّي بِهِ أَمسى هَباءً مُبَدَّداً

كَأَنّي بِهِ أَمسى هَباءً مُبَدَّداً

وَأَمسَت مَواليهِ حَديثاً مُرَجَّما

وَأَمسَت مَواليهِ حَديثاً مُرَجَّما

I seem to see it reduced to scattered dust,

I see him turning them into scattered dust

and its patrons turned into a tale of conjecture.

And their loyalists into tales retold and fragmented