بَنيsons of مِصرَEgypt ماwhat لِلطامِعينَfor the covetous وَماand what لَكُمfor you
بَني مِصرَ ما لِلطامِعينَ وَما لَكُم
وَلِلنَهبِand for the plunder مِنهاfrom her فيin الأَكُفِّthe hands المُقَسَّمِdivided up
وَلِلنَهبِ مِنها في الأَكُفِّ المُقَسَّمِ
Sons of Egypt, what of the covetous, and what of you,
O people of Egypt, neither the greedy nor you
And of her plunder, divided among their hands?
Have any share of it to grab in cupped palms,
أَنَوماًare you sleeping? عَلىamid الزلزالِthe earthquake أَمor لاnot يَهولُكُمappalls you
أَنَوماً عَلى الزلزالِ أَم لا يَهولُكُم
تَخَمُّطُthe arrogant rage of هَذاthis الصائِلِthe assailant المُتَجَهِّمِgrim-faced
تَخَمُّطُ هَذا الصائِلِ المُتَجَهِّمِ
Do you sleep through the earthquake, or does it not appall you—
Do you sleep through the earthquake or does it not appall you
The arrogant rage of this grim-faced assailant?
The writhing of this raging, frowning monster?
لَعَمرُby the life of الأُلىthose who أَنتُمyou بَنوهُمtheir sons وَماand what بَنواthey built
لَعَمرُ الأُلى أَنتُم بَنوهُم وَما بَنوا
مِنَof المَجدِglory فيin ظِلِّthe shade of الوَشيجِthe spear-shafts المُقَوَّمِstraightened
مِنَ المَجدِ في ظِلِّ الوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ
By the lives of those whose sons you are, and by what they built
By the life of the sublime, you are their children though not what they built
Of glory in the shade of straightened spear-shafts,
Of glory in the shade of the towering palm,
لَئِنif indeed لَمnot تَهَبّواyou rise هَبَّةَthe springing of اللَيثِthe lion زائِراًroaring
لَئِن لَم تَهَبّوا هَبَّةَ اللَيثِ زائِراً
لَتَمسُنَّyou will surely experience مِنsome of زورِthe falsehood of الحَديثِthe talk المُرَجَّمِconjectural
لَتَمسُنَّ مِن زورِ الحَديثِ المُرَجَّمِ
If you do not spring up as a roaring lion springs,
If you do not rouse as lions do at the roar
You will surely encounter the falsehood of conjectural talk.
You will suffer from the falsity of disjointed talk.
لَقَدindeed وَعَظتكُمhave admonished you لَوif فَهِمتُمyou understood عِظاتِهاtheir admonitions
لَقَد وَعَظتكُم لَو فَهِمتُم عِظاتِها
خُطوبٌcalamities تُضيءُlight up النَهجَthe path لِلمُتَفَهِّمِfor the discerning
خُطوبٌ تُضيءُ النَهجَ لِلمُتَفَهِّمِ
You have indeed been admonished—if you understood their lessons—
Indeed advice has enlightened you, had you but understood it,
By calamities that light the path for the discerning.
Discourses that illuminate the path for the comprehending mind.
أَلَمhas it not يَئنِbecome time مِنamong قَوميmy people إِلىtoward عُلوَeminence نَهضَةٌan uprising
أَلَم يَئنِ مِن قَومي إِلى عُلوَ نَهضَةٌ
لِإِجلاءِto expel عِقبانٍeagles عَلىover مِصرَEgypt حُوَّمِcircling
لِإِجلاءِ عِقبانٍ عَلى مِصرَ حُوَّمِ
Is it not time for my people to rise toward the heights,
Has not one of my people aspired to the height of awakening
To expel the eagles circling over Egypt?
To drive off disgrace that has settled on Egypt?
بَلىyes قَدindeed أَنىthe time has come لَوif only عاوَدَتهُمreturned to them حُلومُهُمtheir good sense
بَلى قَد أَنى لَو عاوَدَتهُم حُلومُهُم
وَأَفزَعَهُمand alarmed them كَرُّthe charge of المُغيرِthe raider المُصَمِّمِdetermined
وَأَفزَعَهُم كَرُّ المُغيرِ المُصَمِّمِ
Yes, the time has come—if only their good sense returned,
Yes, they would have, had their determination returned to them
And the charge of the determined raider alarmed them.
And if the hatred of the adamant aggressor had alarmed them.
بِطاءٌslow عَنِin responding to الأَمرِthe matter العَظيمِmomentous كَأَنَّماas though
بِطاءٌ عَنِ الأَمرِ العَظيمِ كَأَنَّما
يَرَونَthey see بِهِin it مَقضِيَّa sentence of مَوتٍdeath مُحَتَّمِinevitable
يَرَونَ بِهِ مَقضِيَّ مَوتٍ مُحَتَّمِ
They are slow to undertake the great task, as though
They are slow to the great task, as though they see in it
They see in it a sentence of inevitable death.
A prescribed death sentence.
أَذِلّاءُabased حَمّالونَhabitual bearers of كُلَّevery ظَلامَةٍinjustice
أَذِلّاءُ حَمّالونَ كُلَّ ظَلامَةٍ
وَمَنand whoever يَتَهَيَّبfears جانِبَthe side of البَأسِbattle يُظلَمِis wronged
وَمَن يَتَهَيَّب جانِبَ البَأسِ يُظلَمِ
Abased, they bear every injustice,
Wretched submissives bearing every darkness,
And whoever fears to face battle is wronged.
And he who fears the side of might will be oppressed.
وَماand not الناسُpeople إِلّاexcept فيin جِهادٍstruggle وَغَمرَةٍand a maelstrom
وَما الناسُ إِلّا في جِهادٍ وَغَمرَةٍ
مِنَof العَيشِlife يَعلوrises over مُقدِمٌone who advances شِلوَthe corpse of مُحجِمِone who hangs back
مِنَ العَيشِ يَعلو مُقدِمٌ شِلوَ مُحجِمِ
People are ever in struggle and in a maelstrom
People are but in struggle and torrential
Of life: the bold climb over the hesitant one's corpse.
Life where the daring lead and the timid diminish.
وَكَالعَيلَمِand like the ocean الدُنياthe world افتَدىransomed themselves بَعضُsome of أَهلِهِits inhabitants
وَكَالعَيلَمِ الدُنيا افتَدى بَعضُ أَهلِهِ
بِبَعضٍat others' cost فَأَمسواso they became بَينَbetween غَرقَىthe drowned وَعُوَّمِand swimmers
بِبَعضٍ فَأَمسوا بَينَ غَرقَى وَعُوَّمِ
The world is like the ocean: some of its people ransom themselves
The world ransomed some of its people with others
At others' cost, and so they end up drowned or swimming.
And they came to be amid drowned and floating ones.
يَدُقُّcrushes قَوِيُّthe strong man of القَومِthe people عُنقَthe neck of ضَعيفِهِمtheir weak man
يَدُقُّ قَوِيُّ القَومِ عُنقَ ضَعيفِهِم
وَيَغدوand goes forth عَلىfor ماwhat جَرَّhe brought about غَيرَnot مُلَوَّمِblamed
وَيَغدو عَلى ما جَرَّ غَيرَ مُلَوَّمِ
The strong man of a people crushes their weak one's neck,
The strongman of a people breaks the neck of their weakling
And goes forth unblamed for what he has wrought.
And proceeds to what he has dragged without remorse.
وَلاand no حَقَّright إِلّاexcept حَيثُwhere يَشتَجِرُclash القَناthe spears
وَلا حَقَّ إِلّا حَيثُ يَشتَجِرُ القَنا
وَحَيثُand where يُلاقيmeets مِخذَمٌa keen sword غَربَthe edge of مِخذَمِa keen sword
وَحَيثُ يُلاقي مِخذَمٌ غَربَ مِخذَمِ
There is no right except where spears clash,
Right is only where the spear is locked in battle,
And where one keen sword meets another's edge.
And where a sword's edge meets the strike of sword.
هُناكَthere إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الحَربُwar حَطَّتhas laid down غُبارَهاits dust
هُناكَ إِذا ما الحَربُ حَطَّت غُبارَها
فَسائِلthen ask بِهِabout it أَعلىthe higher of اللِوائَينِthe two banners تَعلَمِyou will know
فَسائِل بِهِ أَعلى اللِوائَينِ تَعلَمِ
There, when war's dust has settled,
There, when war casts off its cover,
Then ask the higher of the two banners about it, and you will know.
Ask which banner flies the highest and you will know.
كَذاكَlikewise خِشاشُthe small ones of الطَيرِbirds لِلنَسرِto the vulture خُضَّعٌsubmissive
كَذاكَ خِشاشُ الطَيرِ لِلنَسرِ خُضَّعٌ
وَلِلأُسدِand for the lions مِنfrom وَحشِthe wild beasts of الفَلاthe wilderness خَيرُthe choicest مَطعَمِfood
وَلِلأُسدِ مِن وَحشِ الفَلا خَيرُ مَطعَمِ
Likewise, the small birds bow before the vulture,
Thus is the flock of birds in thrall to the eagle
And lions have the choicest food from the beasts of the wilderness.
And the lion feasts well on wild game.
أَرىI see مِصرَEgypt فيin عَمياءَa blind calamity يَقذِفُhurls forth جَوفُهاits depths
أَرى مِصرَ في عَمياءَ يَقذِفُ جَوفُها
بَوائِقَcalamities توديbring ruin بِالبَصيرِto the sighted وَبِالعَميand to the blind
بَوائِقَ تودي بِالبَصيرِ وَبِالعَمي
I see Egypt in blind turmoil, its depths casting forth
I see Egypt casting in blind confusion
Calamities that destroy the sighted and the blind.
Spews that would lead the sighted and the blind astray.
يُسَدِّدُهاaims them رامٍan archer مِنَof الهَولِterror لَوif رَمىhe shot
يُسَدِّدُها رامٍ مِنَ الهَولِ لَو رَمى
بِهاwith them الفَلَكَthe celestial sphere الدَوّارَrevolving لَمwould not يَتَقَدَّمِmove forward
بِها الفَلَكَ الدَوّارَ لَم يَتَقَدَّمِ
An archer of terror aims them; were he to shoot
One resolute with terror would guide them
Them at the revolving firmament, it would move no farther.
Did the circling heavens hurl them in its rounds.
عَنائيmy anguish عَلىfor مِصرَEgypt المُحَبَّبِbeloved نيلُهاher Nile
عَنائي عَلى مِصرَ المُحَبَّبِ نيلُها
إِلَيَّto me عَناءُthe anguish of الحائِنِone doomed العِرضِhonor وَالدَمِand blood
إِلَيَّ عَناءُ الحائِنِ العِرضِ وَالدَمِ
My anguish for Egypt, whose Nile is dear
My worry for beloved Egypt and its Nile
To me, is the anguish of one doomed in honor and blood.
Is the worry of passionate care and blood.
أَفيقواawaken فَهَذيfor this جُذوَةُan ember of الشَرِّevil بَينَكُمamong you
أَفيقوا فَهَذي جُذوَةُ الشَرِّ بَينَكُم
تَلَظّىblazes وَأَلّاand unless تَخمِدِdies out اليَومَtoday تَعظُمِit will grow
تَلَظّى وَأَلّا تَخمِدِ اليَومَ تَعظُمِ
Awake, for this ember of evil among you
Awaken! Here is the glowing coal of evil amongst you
Blazes—and unless it dies out today, it will grow.
Blazing ever brighter; quench it today before it spreads.
وَجِدّواand strive فَإِنَّfor indeed الهونَabasement أَشأَمُthe most ill-omened صاحِبٍcompanion
وَجِدّوا فَإِنَّ الهونَ أَشأَمُ صاحِبٍ
وَإِنَّand indeed العُلاgreatness لِلكادِحِfor the toiler المُتَجَشِّمِwho shoulders hardship
وَإِنَّ العُلا لِلكادِحِ المُتَجَشِّمِ
And strive, for abasement is the most ill-omened companion,
Be resolute! For laxity is the worse companion,
And greatness belongs to the toiler who shoulders hardship.
And glory belongs to the striving and enduring.
أَهابَhas called بِكُمto you مِنّيfrom me أَجَشُّa hoarse voice كَأَنَّماas though
أَهابَ بِكُم مِنّي أَجَشُّ كَأَنَّما
يُرَدِّدُechoes صَوتَthe sound of القاصِفِcrashing thunder المُتَهَزِّمِrumbling
يُرَدِّدُ صَوتَ القاصِفِ المُتَهَزِّمِ
A hoarse voice from me has called to you, as though
My roaring at you is the roar of one in retreat,
It were echoing the sound of crashing, rumbling thunder.
Echoing the sound of the defeated army in flight.
وَمَبثوثَةٍand many a widespread utterance دعَّاءَةٍinsistently summoning أَخَذَتكُموhas seized you
وَمَبثوثَةٍ دعَّاءَةٍ أَخَذَتكُمو
قَديماًlong ago بِأَمثالِwith likenesses of الأَباءِreeds المُضَرَّمِset ablaze
قَديماً بِأَمثالِ الأَباءِ المُضَرَّمِ
And many a widely spread rallying cry has seized you
And the entreaties of old have grabbed and held you still,
Long ago, with images of reeds set ablaze.
Like those of your mumbling and blinded forebears.
رَمَيتُI hurled بِهاwith it أَقصىthe farthest of الجَماهيرِthe multitudes مِنكُموamong you
رَمَيتُ بِها أَقصى الجَماهيرِ مِنكُمو
فَسَدَّتso it blocked عَلَيكُمagainst you كُلَّevery فَجٍّbroad pass وَمَخرِمِand narrow passage
فَسَدَّت عَلَيكُم كُلَّ فَجٍّ وَمَخرِمِ
I hurled it at the farthest crowds among you,
I have cast them to the furthest throngs among you
So it barred every broad pass and narrow passage before you.
And so they barred you off from every pass and narrow way.
وَلَولاand were it not for خِلالُthe traits of السوءِevil مِنكُمamong you لَقُوِّمَتwould surely have been restored
وَلَولا خِلالُ السوءِ مِنكُم لَقُوِّمَت
دَعائِمُthe pillars of مَجدٍglory لِلبِلادِfor the country مُهَدَّمِshattered
دَعائِمُ مَجدٍ لِلبِلادِ مُهَدَّمِ
But for your evil traits, there would surely have been restored
Were it not for the evil wrought by some of you
The pillars of the country's shattered glory.
The pillars of glory for the lands would have been upright.
وَإِنَّand indeed صَريحَfrank القَولِspeech تُخلصُهُpurifies it النُهىreason
وَإِنَّ صَريحَ القَولِ تُخلصُهُ النُهى
فَيَنمىso it spreads إِلىto أَقصىthe farthest البِقاعِlands وَيَرتَميand is flung abroad
فَيَنمى إِلى أَقصى البِقاعِ وَيَرتَمي
And frank speech, purified by reason—
For candor brings salvation to advice
Spreading to the farthest lands and flung abroad—
And it grows to the far horizons and space.
لَنِعمَtruly excellent is ثَناءُthe praise of المَرءِa man حَيّاًalive وَغادِياًand setting out
لَنِعمَ ثَناءُ المَرءِ حَيّاً وَغادِياً
بِهِwith him الصَحبُthe companions مِنamong باكٍone weeping وَمِنand among مُتَرَحِّمِone praying for mercy
بِهِ الصَحبُ مِن باكٍ وَمِن مُتَرَحِّمِ
Is truly fine praise for a man, in life and when borne away
How excellent the praise of a man alive and gone
By companions, some weeping and some praying for mercy.
By it friends lament or reminisce.
Sol 6.1