مَتى يَنهضُ الشَرقُ مِن كَبوَتِهْ

مَتى يَنهضُ الشَرقُ مِن كَبوَتِهْ

وَحَتّى مَتى هوَ في غَفوَتِهْ

وَحَتّى مَتى هوَ في غَفوَتِهْ

When will the East rise from its stumble?

When will the East rise from its humiliation?

And how long will it remain in its slumber?

How long will it remain in its slumber?

كَبا وَكذلك يَكبو الجَوادُ

كَبا وَكذلك يَكبو الجَوادُ

براكبهِ وهوَ في حلبتِه

براكبهِ وهوَ في حلبتِه

It stumbled, as the noble steed too stumbles

It fell just as a steed falls with its rider,

with its rider, while on its racecourse.

While still in its prime.

وَنامَ كَما نامَ ذو كُربَةٍ

وَنامَ كَما نامَ ذو كُربَةٍ

تَملَّكَهُ اليَأسُ في كُربَتِه

تَملَّكَهُ اليَأسُ في كُربَتِه

And it slept as one in anguish sleeps,

It slept like one in utter despair,

whom despair has seized in his anguish.

Overtaken by hopelessness in his grief.

وَهى عَزمُه ما يُطيقُ الحِراكَ

وَهى عَزمُه ما يُطيقُ الحِراكَ

وَقَد كانَ كالليثِ في وَثبتِه

وَقَد كانَ كالليثِ في وَثبتِه

Its resolve has weakened; it cannot move,

Its will is no longer able to stir,

though once it was like a lion in its leap.

Though once it was like a lion in its pounce.

تجرُّ عَلَيهِ عَوادِي الخُطوب

تجرُّ عَلَيهِ عَوادِي الخُطوب

كلاكِلَها وَهوَ في غَفلَتِه

كلاكِلَها وَهوَ في غَفلَتِه

Ravaging calamities drag across it

Misfortunes have dragged on against it,

their heavy chests, while it is heedless,

Engulfing it while in its neglect.

نَواهِبَ ما كانَ مِن مَجده

نَواهِبَ ما كانَ مِن مَجده

سَوالبَ ما كانَ مِن عِزَّتِه

سَوالبَ ما كانَ مِن عِزَّتِه

plundering whatever glory it had,

It has lost the glory it once had,

stripping away whatever honor it possessed.

And forfeited the honor that was its own.

فَلا هوَ يَدفَعُ عَن حَوضِهِ

فَلا هوَ يَدفَعُ عَن حَوضِهِ

وَلا هوَ يَمنعُ مِن حَوزتِه

وَلا هوَ يَمنعُ مِن حَوزتِه

So it does not defend its watering pool,

It no longer defends its own domain,

nor does it ward them off from its domain.

Nor protects what was once in its keeping.

لَعاً أَيّها الشرقُ مِن عَثرَةٍ

لَعاً أَيّها الشرقُ مِن عَثرَةٍ

بِها نَهضَ الغَربُ مِن عَثرتِه

بِها نَهضَ الغَربُ مِن عَثرتِه

Recover, O East, from a stumble

Woe to you, O East, for the stumbling

through which the West rose from its own stumble.

By which the West rose from its own stumbling.

لَقَد كُنتَ تَسبقُهُ أَعصُراً

لَقَد كُنتَ تَسبقُهُ أَعصُراً

وَقَد كانَ يَظلُعُ في مِشيتِه

وَقَد كانَ يَظلُعُ في مِشيتِه

Indeed, for ages you outstripped it,

Once you were ahead of it by ages,

while it limped in its stride

While it stumbled unsure in its pace.

إِلى المَجدِ حِينَ تَذرَّيته

إِلى المَجدِ حِينَ تَذرَّيته

وَحينَ تَضاءلَ عَن ذِروتِه

وَحينَ تَضاءلَ عَن ذِروتِه

toward glory, when you climbed to its summit,

To glory, when you shed its burden,

and when it fell short of its summit.

And as it fell short of your peak.

سَما الغَربُ وَاعتزَّ بَعد الَّذي

سَما الغَربُ وَاعتزَّ بَعد الَّذي

رَأى القَومُ ما كانَ مِن ذِلَّتِه

رَأى القَومُ ما كانَ مِن ذِلَّتِه

The West rose and grew mighty after what

The West took lofty aims and grew proud

people had seen of its former humiliation.

When people saw how low it had fallen.

وَجَدَّ يَرومُ كبارَ الأُمورِ

وَجَدَّ يَرومُ كبارَ الأُمورِ

فَقَد أَصبحت وَهيَ مِن بُغيَتِه

فَقَد أَصبحت وَهيَ مِن بُغيَتِه

And it strove in earnest for great undertakings,

It set its mind to the greatest enterprises;

for they had come to be among its aims.

To it they seemed simple and light.

فَأَدركَ ما أَعجزَ المُدركين

فَأَدركَ ما أَعجزَ المُدركين

وَلَم يَثنِ ذَلِكَ مِن هِمَّتِه

وَلَم يَثنِ ذَلِكَ مِن هِمَّتِه

So it attained what had eluded the achievers,

It achieved what had baffled the achievers,

and that did not slacken its resolve.

Undeterred by difficulty and toil.

بَلى هوَ في سَعيهِ دائِبٌ

بَلى هوَ في سَعيهِ دائِبٌ

تزيدُ الكَوارِثُ في قُوَّتِه

تزيدُ الكَوارِثُ في قُوَّتِه

Indeed, it is tireless in its striving;

Nay, it pursues its aims tirelessly;

calamities increase its strength.

Disasters but increase its strength.

إِذا نابَهُ حادِثٌ رائعٌ

إِذا نابَهُ حادِثٌ رائعٌ

تَخورُ العَزائمُ مِن خَشيتِه

تَخورُ العَزائمُ مِن خَشيتِه

When a terrifying event befalls it,

When faced with an awesome event,

at whose terror resolves give way,

Men’s resolves quail from fear of it.

دَعا مِن بَنيهِ مُطاعٌ مُجاب

دَعا مِن بَنيهِ مُطاعٌ مُجاب

تَخفُّ الجُموعُ لَدى دَعوَتِه

تَخفُّ الجُموعُ لَدى دَعوَتِه

one of its sons calls, obeyed and answered;

It summons obedient, rallying sons,

the multitudes hasten at his call,

Multitudes hush at its call.

كِراماً يَكرُّون مُسترسِلينَ

كِراماً يَكرُّون مُسترسِلينَ

كَمُبتدرِ الغنمِ في كرَّتِه

كَمُبتدرِ الغنمِ في كرَّتِه

noble men charging forward unrestrained,

Honorable men, rushing headlong forth

like one rushing for spoils as he charges.

Like sheep bolting out of their pen.

هم يَجبرون المَهيضَ الكسيرَ

هم يَجبرون المَهيضَ الكسيرَ

إِذا فلَّلَ الدَهرُ مِن شَوكَتِه

إِذا فلَّلَ الدَهرُ مِن شَوكَتِه

They mend the shattered, broken man

They strengthen the weak, tottering state

when time has blunted his might.

When time has sapped its strength.

وَهم يُكرِمونَ السَريَّ الكَريم

وَهم يُكرِمونَ السَريَّ الكَريم

وَلا يَحمدونُ سِوى سِيرتِه

وَلا يَحمدونُ سِوى سِيرتِه

And they honor the noble, generous man,

They honor the noble, the generous,

and praise nothing but his conduct.

Praising only his conduct and repute.

وَهم يُنصِفونَ وَلا يَظلمون

وَهم يُنصِفونَ وَلا يَظلمون

كَمَن أَصبحَ الظُلمُ مِن شِيمتِه

كَمَن أَصبحَ الظُلمُ مِن شِيمتِه

And they deal fairly, and do not oppress

Wronging none, they judge justly,

as does one for whom oppression has become a habit.

Unlike those whose nature is tyranny.

فَلا يُرفَعُ المَرءُ عَن قَدرِهِ

فَلا يُرفَعُ المَرءُ عَن قَدرِهِ

وَلا يُخفَضُ الشَيءُ عَن قيمتِه

وَلا يُخفَضُ الشَيءُ عَن قيمتِه

So no man is raised above his worth,

None is raised above his rightful place,

nor is anything lowered below its value.

Nor lowered from his proper worth.

خِلالٌ غَدَت غُرَّةً لِلخلال

خِلالٌ غَدَت غُرَّةً لِلخلال

وَهَل حُسنُ شَيءٍ سِوى غُرَّتِه

وَهَل حُسنُ شَيءٍ سِوى غُرَّتِه

Virtues that have become the radiant brow of virtues—

Virtues have become flaws in the flawed,

and is anything's beauty other than its radiant brow?

For can a thing be good apart from its virtue?

تَحَلّى بِها الغربُ سُقياً لَهُ

تَحَلّى بِها الغربُ سُقياً لَهُ

وَبُورِكَ فيهِ وفي حِليتِه

وَبُورِكَ فيهِ وفي حِليتِه

The West adorned itself with them—may it be watered!

The West adorned itself with them, gaining strength;

And may it and its adornment be blessed.

Blessings rained upon it and its ornaments.

لَقَد كانَ في حُفرَةٍ ثاوياً

لَقَد كانَ في حُفرَةٍ ثاوياً

وَلَكن ثَوى الشرقُ في حُفرتِه

وَلَكن ثَوى الشرقُ في حُفرتِه

Indeed, it once lay in a pit,

Once it cowered in a pit,

but the East has settled in its pit.

While the East still slept in its own.

فَيا لَهفَ قَلبي لمجدٍ مَضى

فَيا لَهفَ قَلبي لمجدٍ مَضى

وَيا شَوقَ نَفسي إِلى عَودتِه

وَيا شَوقَ نَفسي إِلى عَودتِه

How my heart grieves for a glory gone!

Oh how my heart longs for a vanished glory,

And how my soul longs for its return!

And how my soul yearns for its return!

وَيا لَهفَ آبائِنا الأَوّلين

وَيا لَهفَ آبائِنا الأَوّلين

على الشرق إن ظلَّ في نكبتِه

على الشرق إن ظلَّ في نكبتِه

And oh, the grief of our fathers of old

Oh how our earliest forebears pined

over the East, if it remains in its calamity!

For the East, should it remain in defeat.

همو غادروه كرَوضٍ أريضٍ

همو غادروه كرَوضٍ أريضٍ

تَتوقُ النُفوسُ إِلى نَضرتِه

تَتوقُ النُفوسُ إِلى نَضرتِه

They left it like a luxuriant garden,

They departed, leaving it a lovely garden

for whose freshness souls yearn.

Whose charm souls pine for.

وَنَحنُ تَركناهُ للعاديات

وَنَحنُ تَركناهُ للعاديات

وَلم نَرعَ ما ضاعَ مِن حُرمَتِه

وَلم نَرعَ ما ضاعَ مِن حُرمَتِه

And we abandoned it to ravaging forces,

We abandoned it to ravages,

and did not heed the loss of its sanctity.

Heedless of harm to its sanctity.

فَأَذهَبنَ ما كانَ من حُسنِه

فَأَذهَبنَ ما كانَ من حُسنِه

وَأَفنَينَ ما كانَ مِن بَهجتِه

وَأَفنَينَ ما كانَ مِن بَهجتِه

So they swept away whatever beauty it had,

Destroying its beauty, ending its joy;

and destroyed whatever splendor it possessed.

Is any heed paid to cry of tomb-dwellers,

فَهَل يُسمعُ القولَ أَهلَ القُبورِ

فَهَل يُسمعُ القولَ أَهلَ القُبورِ

خَطيبٌ فَيُسهِبُ في خُطبتِه

خَطيبٌ فَيُسهِبُ في خُطبتِه

Can the dwellers of graves, then, be made to hear the words

As the orator declaims in his sermon:

by an orator who then speaks at length in his address?

“Why this long slumber?”

يُناديهمُ فِيمَ هَذا الرقاد

يُناديهمُ فِيمَ هَذا الرقاد

كَفى ما دَهى الشَرقَ مِن رَقدتِه

كَفى ما دَهى الشَرقَ مِن رَقدتِه

He calls to them: Why this slumber?

After you grandeur faded away,

Enough of what its slumber has brought upon the East!

And every blame clung to your precincts.

لَقَد ضاعَ بَعدكُمُ مَجدُهُ

لَقَد ضاعَ بَعدكُمُ مَجدُهُ

وَكُلُّ المَثالبِ في ضَيعتِه

وَكُلُّ المَثالبِ في ضَيعتِه

Indeed, its glory was lost after you,

You were men of mettle and hardy resolve;

and all disgrace lies in that loss.

Rise today and succor it!

وَأَنتُم رِجالٌ ذَوُو نَجدَةٍ

وَأَنتُم رِجالٌ ذَوُو نَجدَةٍ

فَلا تقعُدوا اليَومَ عَن نَجدتِه

فَلا تقعُدوا اليَومَ عَن نَجدتِه

Yet you are men of valor,

Your spirits stern and unbending

so do not hold back today from coming to its aid.

Before which Epochs themselves grow gentle.

لَكُم عَزَماتٌ صِلابٌ شِداد

لَكُم عَزَماتٌ صِلابٌ شِداد

يَلِينُ لَها الدَهرُ في شدَّتِه

يَلِينُ لَها الدَهرُ في شدَّتِه

You have firm, mighty resolves,

You snap the insolent aggressor’s bones,

to which time yields even in its harshness,

You shield from his onslaught and fury.

قَواصمُ لِلمُعتَدي المُستَطيل

قَواصمُ لِلمُعتَدي المُستَطيل

عَواصِمُ يَحمِينَ مِن صَولَتِه

عَواصِمُ يَحمِينَ مِن صَولَتِه

crushers of the overbearing aggressor,

By you the East will achieve its vengeance

protectors that shield against his onslaught.

And heal, saved from its misery.

بِها يُدرِكُ الشَرقُ ثاراتِهِ

بِها يُدرِكُ الشَرقُ ثاراتِهِ

فَيُشفى وَيَنقَعُ مِن غُلَّتِه

فَيُشفى وَيَنقَعُ مِن غُلَّتِه

Through them the East exacts its vengeance,

May God water the dwellers of those tombs

so it is healed and its burning thirst is quenched.

With copious pouring of His mercy,

سَقى اللَه سُكانَ تِلكَ القُبورِ

سَقى اللَه سُكانَ تِلكَ القُبورِ

غُيوثاً هَوامِعَ مِن رَحمَتِه

غُيوثاً هَوامِعَ مِن رَحمَتِه

May God water the dwellers of those graves

And console the Easterners for their lost glory,

with streaming rains from His mercy,

And bless the West with its nation.

وَعَزّى بَني الشَرقِ عَن مَجدِهِ

وَعَزّى بَني الشَرقِ عَن مَجدِهِ

وَبارك لِلغَرب في أُمَّتِه

وَبارك لِلغَرب في أُمَّتِه

and console the sons of the East for its lost glory,

and bless the West in its people.