بني الكنانةِ هذا صوتُها ارتفعا

بني الكنانةِ هذا صوتُها ارتفعا

لا تُنكروا الحقَّ إنّ الحقَّ قد سطعا

لا تُنكروا الحقَّ إنّ الحقَّ قد سطعا

Sons of Kinana, this is her voice, risen high.

O Kinana, this is her voice raised

Do not deny the truth: the truth has shone forth.

Do not deny the truth, the truth has shone

أشقى الشُّعوبِ وأولاها بمرحمةٍ

أشقى الشُّعوبِ وأولاها بمرحمةٍ

شَعبٌ تَلقَّفَهُ الغاوونَ فانْخدعا

شَعبٌ تَلقَّفَهُ الغاوونَ فانْخدعا

The most wretched of peoples, and the most deserving of mercy,

The most wretched of peoples and the first to receive mercy

is a people the misguided snatched up, and so it was deceived.

A people seized by the misguided then deceived

سلوا الأُلىَ صرَعوا الدُّستورَ ما فعلوا

سلوا الأُلىَ صرَعوا الدُّستورَ ما فعلوا

إذ مالَ قائِمُه بالأمسِ فاضطجعا

إذ مالَ قائِمُه بالأمسِ فاضطجعا

Ask those who struck the constitution down what they did,

Ask the exalted, they laid the constitution down, what did they do

when its upright support tilted yesterday and lay prostrate.

When yesterday's pillar tilted and collapsed

هُمُ الجُناةُ على الشّعبِ الذي وصلت

هُمُ الجُناةُ على الشّعبِ الذي وصلت

أيديهمو من رباقِ الذُلِّ ما قطعا

أيديهمو من رباقِ الذُلِّ ما قطعا

They are the offenders against the people, rejoining

They are the criminals against the people to whom their hands reached

with their hands the bonds of humiliation it had severed.

From the meadows of humiliation whatever was cut

يَبغِي السَّبيلَ إلى اسْتقلالهِ ويرى

يَبغِي السَّبيلَ إلى اسْتقلالهِ ويرى

كيدَ الحُماةِ وتضليلَ العِدى شَرَعا

كيدَ الحُماةِ وتضليلَ العِدى شَرَعا

It seeks the path to its independence, and sees

It wants the path to its independence and sees

the guardians' scheming and the foes' deception as one.

The cunning of the protectors and the misleading of the enemies permitted

إذا هُمُ انْتَزعوا الدّستورَ من يدهِ

إذا هُمُ انْتَزعوا الدّستورَ من يدهِ

حَسِبْتَهُ من سَوادِ القلبِ مُنتزَعا

حَسِبْتَهُ من سَوادِ القلبِ مُنتزَعا

When they wrench the constitution from its hand,

When they snatched away the constitution from its hand

you would think it torn from the very core of its heart.

You would think it was torn out of the heart of darkness

يا مُطفِئَ الفتنةِ الكبرى وقد رجفتْ

يا مُطفِئَ الفتنةِ الكبرى وقد رجفتْ

أرضُ الكِنانةِ من أهوالها فَزعا

أرضُ الكِنانةِ من أهوالها فَزعا

O quencher of the great turmoil, when there trembled

O quencher of the great strife when

the land of Kinana, in terror at its horrors,

The land of Kinana shook from its terrors, alarmed

لولا دِفاعُكَ طارتْ نارُها شُعَلاً

لولا دِفاعُكَ طارتْ نارُها شُعَلاً

واسْترسلَ الدَّمُ في أرجائها دُفَعا

واسْترسلَ الدَّمُ في أرجائها دُفَعا

but for your defense, its fire would have flown in flames,

Had it not been for your defense, its fire would have blazed

and blood would have streamed through its regions in surges.

And blood would have flowed unrestrained in its regions

وقفتَ للشرِّ تَنهاهُ وتزجُرُه

وقفتَ للشرِّ تَنهاهُ وتزجُرُه

حَتى تراجعَ بعد الكرَّ وارْتَدعا

حَتى تراجعَ بعد الكرَّ وارْتَدعا

You stood against evil, restraining and rebuking it,

You stood against evil, stopped it, and deterred it

until it retreated after its charge and was deterred.

Until it retreated after being repelled and recoiled

لمّا طلعت على الأحداثِ تدفعُها

لمّا طلعت على الأحداثِ تدفعُها

تكشّفَ العارضُ المُسودُّ وانْقشعا

تكشّفَ العارضُ المُسودُّ وانْقشعا

When you rose over the upheavals, driving them back,

When you rose to the events pushing them back

the blackened cloud parted and dispersed.

The clouded adversity was exposed and dispersed

قالوا السّلاحُ وهاجوها مُضلَّلةً

قالوا السّلاحُ وهاجوها مُضلَّلةً

عمياءَ تبغي وراءَ الحقِّ مُطَّلعا

عمياءَ تبغي وراءَ الحقِّ مُطَّلعا

They cried, 'Arms!' and stirred it up, misguided,

They said weapons and provoked them, misguided

blind, seeking a vantage point beyond the truth.

Blind, seeking the truth behind it rising

لو أنصفوكَ لقالوا ذو مُحافظةٍ

لو أنصفوكَ لقالوا ذو مُحافظةٍ

حَمَى البلادَ وصان الشَّعبَ فامتنعا

حَمَى البلادَ وصان الشَّعبَ فامتنعا

Had they been fair to you, they would have said: 'A guardian

If they were fair to you, they would have said one who protects

protected the country and safeguarded the people, making them secure.'

Who guarded the country and protected the people so he refused

لقد تورّعتَ حتّى باتَ كلُّ فتىً

لقد تورّعتَ حتّى باتَ كلُّ فتىً

من الجُنودِ يُوارِي سَيْفَهُ وَرَعا

من الجُنودِ يُوارِي سَيْفَهُ وَرَعا

You showed such scrupulous restraint that every young man

Indeed, you refrained until every young

among the soldiers hid his sword out of scruple.

Soldier concealed his sword and shied away

لو كنتَ غيرَك لم تَرفقْ بسيِّدِهم

لو كنتَ غيرَك لم تَرفقْ بسيِّدِهم

ولم تُبال من الدَّهماءِ ما جمعا

ولم تُبال من الدَّهماءِ ما جمعا

Had you been another man, you would not have been gentle with their leader,

Had it been other than you, you would not have been gentle with their master

nor paid heed to the rabble he had gathered.

And would not have cared what the oppressors amassed

يُصِيبُك الجرحُ يغشى مِن صحابتِه

يُصِيبُك الجرحُ يغشى مِن صحابتِه

مَن يشتكيك فتُمسِي مُشفِقاً جَزِعا

مَن يشتكيك فتُمسِي مُشفِقاً جَزِعا

You feel the wound that befalls, among his companions,

Injury strikes you, overwhelms whoever complains about you

one who complains against you; you grow concerned and distressed.

So you spend the evening grieved and anxious

أما بكَوْا يَومَ تُسدِي الصُّنعَ منك يدٌ

أما بكَوْا يَومَ تُسدِي الصُّنعَ منك يدٌ

تَشفِي الجِراحَ وتنفِي الهمَّ والوَجَعا

تَشفِي الجِراحَ وتنفِي الهمَّ والوَجَعا

Did they not weep the day a hand of yours bestowed kindness,

Do they not weep the day your good deed from you is blocked

healing wounds and banishing worry and pain?

A hand that heals wounds and dispels worries and pain

لو كان للدَّمعِ في آماقِهم عَملٌ

لو كان للدَّمعِ في آماقِهم عَملٌ

جَرَى على الدَّمِ يُجريه بما صنعا

جَرَى على الدَّمِ يُجريه بما صنعا

Had the tears at the corners of their eyes any power,

If tears had effect in their depths

they would flow over blood, setting it running by what they wrought.

It would have flowed on the blood caused by what they did

هاجوا النُّفوسَ فلمّا طاحَ هالكُها

هاجوا النُّفوسَ فلمّا طاحَ هالكُها

طاروا سِراعاً وعادوا مُهطِعين معا

طاروا سِراعاً وعادوا مُهطِعين معا

They stirred up souls; when one of them fell dead,

They provoked the souls, so when their destroyer fell

they flew off swiftly and returned, hastening together.

They fled quickly and returned terrified together

أين المواثيقُ والأَيْمانُ يَحشُدُها

أين المواثيقُ والأَيْمانُ يَحشُدُها

من لَو رأى الحربَ في أحلامِه هَلَعا

من لَو رأى الحربَ في أحلامِه هَلَعا

Where are the covenants and the oaths amassed

Where are the covenants and oaths, bringing them together

by one who would panic if he saw war in his dreams?

One who, had he seen war in his dreams, would have panicked

كانت نوازعَ نَفْسٍ ردَّها قَدَرٌ

كانت نوازعَ نَفْسٍ ردَّها قَدَرٌ

يَردُّ كلَّ غوِيٍّ للأَذى نَزعا

يَردُّ كلَّ غوِيٍّ للأَذى نَزعا

They were a soul's impulses, checked by a fate

The promptings of a soul were repelled by destiny

that turns back every wayward man bent on harm.

Which turns back every deviant from harm intended

اللهُ أدركَ شَعبَ النِّيلِ فانصدعتْ

اللهُ أدركَ شَعبَ النِّيلِ فانصدعتْ

عنه الخُطوبُ ولولا اللهُ لانْصدَعا

عنه الخُطوبُ ولولا اللهُ لانْصدَعا

God rescued the people of the Nile, and there broke away

God helped the people of the Nile, so

from them the calamities; but for God, they would have split apart.

Afflictions recoiled from them, and had it not been for God, they would have collapsed

أَجرى على يدِ إسماعيلَ رحمَتَهُ

أَجرى على يدِ إسماعيلَ رحمَتَهُ

فكان من مُستحبِّ الأمرِ ما وقعا

فكان من مُستحبِّ الأمرِ ما وقعا

He made His mercy flow through Ismail's hand,

He made His mercy flow through the hand of Ismail

so what came to pass was a welcome turn of affairs.

So what happened was among the beloved matters willed

راح السّلامُ مَصوناً في كِلاءتِه

راح السّلامُ مَصوناً في كِلاءتِه

وبات كلُّ فتىً بالأمنِ مُدَّرعا

وبات كلُّ فتىً بالأمنِ مُدَّرعا

Peace was safeguarded under his protection,

Peace rested protected in his competence

and every young man passed the night armored in security.

And every young man retired armed with security

فراجع الصّانعُ المذعورُ مَيْعتهُ

فراجع الصّانعُ المذعورُ مَيْعتهُ

بعد الوَنى وسقَى الفلّاحُ ما زرعا

بعد الوَنى وسقَى الفلّاحُ ما زرعا

So the frightened craftsman regained his vigor

So the frightened maker returned to his livelihood

after languor, and the farmer watered what he had sown.

After sorrow and the farmer watered what was planted

لا الأرضُ زالت بأهليها كما زعموا

لا الأرضُ زالت بأهليها كما زعموا

ولا السّماءُ هوت أجرامُها قِطَعا

ولا السّماءُ هوت أجرامُها قِطَعا

The earth did not vanish with its inhabitants, as they claimed,

Neither did the land disappear with its people as they claimed

nor did the sky's celestial bodies fall in fragments.

Nor did its celestial bodies fall to pieces

طافوا البلادَ وقالوا كلَّ ما ابتدعوا

طافوا البلادَ وقالوا كلَّ ما ابتدعوا

فما رأى الشّعبُ من شيءٍ ولا سَمِعا

فما رأى الشّعبُ من شيءٍ ولا سَمِعا

They roamed the land and said all they had invented,

They roamed the country and said whatever they invented

yet the people neither saw nor heard a thing.

But the people saw nothing of it nor heard

ما انفكَّ سيِّدهُم في كلِّ مُضطَربٍ

ما انفكَّ سيِّدهُم في كلِّ مُضطَربٍ

حرّانَ يستصرخُ الأنصارَ والشِّنَعا

حرّانَ يستصرخُ الأنصارَ والشِّنَعا

Their leader was always, amid every upheaval,

Their master did not stop grieving every troubled one

burning with thirst, crying out for supporters and scandals.

Burning, calling out for supporters and defenders

يُغرِي السّوادَ بمأمونين ما اعتصروا

يُغرِي السّوادَ بمأمونين ما اعتصروا

دَمَ السَّوادِ ولا زانوا له الشُّنَعا

دَمَ السَّوادِ ولا زانوا له الشُّنَعا

He incites the masses against trusted men who never wrung out

Tempting the commons with protectors who did not

the masses' blood, nor made shameful deeds seem fair to them.

Wring the blood of the commons or insult them

يَجزيهمُ السُّوءَ أَن بَرُّوا بأُمَّتهم

يَجزيهمُ السُّوءَ أَن بَرُّوا بأُمَّتهم

وأَن أَبَوْا من سبيلِ الغَيِّ ما اتّبعا

وأَن أَبَوْا من سبيلِ الغَيِّ ما اتّبعا

He repays them with evil for being true to their nation,

May evil repay them for their goodness to their nation

and for rejecting the path of error he pursued.

And for refusing the path of misguidance however alluring

يَزدادُ بالحكمِ إمّا ذاقَهُ شَغفاً

يَزدادُ بالحكمِ إمّا ذاقَهُ شَغفاً

كالخمرِ يزدادُ مَن يَعتادُها وَلَعا

كالخمرِ يزدادُ مَن يَعتادُها وَلَعا

His passion for power grows whenever he tastes it,

With power he increasingly desires it

as with wine: its habitual drinker grows more obsessed.

Like wine, the more accustomed one becomes the greater the craving

يَطغَى فإن راعَهُ إيماضُ بارقةٍ

يَطغَى فإن راعَهُ إيماضُ بارقةٍ

من جانبِ الغاصِبينَ انْحطَّ واتَّضعا

من جانبِ الغاصِبينَ انْحطَّ واتَّضعا

He tyrannizes; but should a flash of lightning alarm him

He tyrannizes, but if the glimmer of a lightning bolt

from the usurpers' quarter, he sinks and abases himself.

From the side of the usurpers startles him, he wilts and humbles himself

مُستهلِكٌ يبتغِي من وُدِّهم سَبباً

مُستهلِكٌ يبتغِي من وُدِّهم سَبباً

إذا وَهَى السَّببُ الموصولُ فانقطعا

إذا وَهَى السَّببُ الموصولُ فانقطعا

Reckless, he seeks a bond through their affection;

A spendthrift seeking from their affection a reason

when the connecting cord weakens and snaps,

If the connected cause weakens then it is severed

بثَّ الشكاةَ فلم يَتركْ لِذي شَجَنٍ

بثَّ الشكاةَ فلم يَتركْ لِذي شَجَنٍ

يشكو جَوى الحُبِّ من قولٍ وإن برعا

يشكو جَوى الحُبِّ من قولٍ وإن برعا

he pours out complaints, leaving no words for one in sorrow,

He complained so much he left no lovelorn one

who laments love's burning pain, however eloquent he may be.

To complain of the torment of love in words however eloquent

لمّا تبيَّنَ مكدولندُ لوعَتَهُ

لمّا تبيَّنَ مكدولندُ لوعَتَهُ

تحدّرَ الدَّمعُ من عَينَيْهِ أو همعا

تحدّرَ الدَّمعُ من عَينَيْهِ أو همعا

When MacDonald perceived his anguish,

When Mcdonald realized his distress

tears ran down from his eyes, or gushed forth.

Tears streamed from his eyes or spilled

وقال ما بالُ إسماعيلُ يُنكرنا

وقال ما بالُ إسماعيلُ يُنكرنا

أما يَرى رأيَ مَن أمسَى لنا تبعا

أما يَرى رأيَ مَن أمسَى لنا تبعا

And he said: 'Why does Ismail repudiate us?

And he said, why does Ismail deny us?

Does he not share the view of one who has become our follower?

Does he not see the view of those who have become our followers?

لقد رمانا بخطبٍ من رسالتِه

لقد رمانا بخطبٍ من رسالتِه

ما مسَّنا مثله خطبٌ ولا قرعا

ما مسَّنا مثله خطبٌ ولا قرعا

He has hurled a calamity at us in his letter;

With speeches from his message he pelted us

no calamity like it has ever touched or struck us.

Nothing has struck us like them, not even a slap

خاضَ البِحارَ فلم نَعجبْ لما وجدت

خاضَ البِحارَ فلم نَعجبْ لما وجدت

منه ولم نَلُمِ الأُسْطولَ إذ خشعا

منه ولم نَلُمِ الأُسْطولَ إذ خشعا

He braved the seas; we were not amazed at what they found

He sailed the seas but we were not amazed by what we found in him

in him, nor did we blame the fleet when it bowed.'

Nor did we blame the fleet when it recoiled

ويحَ الكِنانةِ لا استقلالُها صَدقتْ

ويحَ الكِنانةِ لا استقلالُها صَدقتْ

فيه الظُّنونُ ولا دُستورُها نَفَعا

فيه الظُّنونُ ولا دُستورُها نَفَعا

Alas for Kinana! Her independence did not fulfill

Woe to Kinana! Neither its independence was true

the expectations placed in it, nor did her constitution avail.

In it suspicions were confirmed, nor its constitution effective

ضاقَ الرَّجاءُ فما تُقضَى له سَعةٌ

ضاقَ الرَّجاءُ فما تُقضَى له سَعةٌ

إن لم تَجِدْ دولةُ الإصلاحِ مُتَّسعا

إن لم تَجِدْ دولةُ الإصلاحِ مُتَّسعا

Hope has narrowed, and no room can be made for it,

Hope narrowed so no latitude was decided for it

unless the government of reform finds room.

Unless the state of reform found room to spread

ما يفعلُ المصلحُ الباني لأُمَّتِه

ما يفعلُ المصلحُ الباني لأُمَّتِه

إن عاجلَ الهادمُ الموتورُ ما رفعا

إن عاجلَ الهادمُ الموتورُ ما رفعا

What can the reformer who builds for his nation do

What will the reformer who builds his nation do

if the vengeful destroyer swiftly attacks what he has raised?

If the destructive disenchanted hasten what he erected?