ذكرتكI remembered you إبراهيمIbrahim والثغرand the port عابسٌfrowning
ذكرتك إبراهيم والثغر عابسٌ
وخطبand the tragedy of الضحاياthe victims بينbetween سمعيmy hearing وناظريand my sight
وخطب الضحايا بين سمعي وناظري
I remembered you, Ibrahim, while the port frowned,
I remembered you, Ibrahim, while the lips were frowning,
And the victims' tragedy lay between my hearing and my sight.
And the speeches of the martyrs between my hearing and my sight.
ذكرتكI remembered you فيin اسكندريةAlexandria والأسىand sorrow
ذكرتك في اسكندرية والأسى
علىfor الشهداءthe martyrs الغرthe noble ملءُfilling سرائريmy innermost being
على الشهداء الغر ملءُ سرائري
I remembered you in Alexandria, and sorrow
I remembered you in Alexandria while the sorrow
For the noble martyrs filled my innermost being.
For the innocent martyrs filled my feelings.
تعالcome فشاطرand share واديَthe valley of النيلthe Nile همَّهits grief
تعال فشاطر واديَ النيل همَّه
فماfor how أحوجgreatly in need الواديthe valley إلىof صوتthe voice of شاعرa poet
فما أحوج الوادي إلى صوت شاعر
Come, and share the Nile Valley's grief;
Come and share the Nile valley its concerns,
For how sorely the valley needs a poet's voice!
For the valley is much in need of the voice of a poet.
تساءلinquired عنكabout you الأوفياءthe loyal وطالماand how often
تساءل عنك الأوفياء وطالما
تفقَّدsought أهلُthe people of الدارthe house منthose who فيin المقابرthe graves
تفقَّد أهلُ الدار من في المقابر
The loyal have asked after you, and how often
The loyal ones asked about you, and for so long
Have those at home sought those in the graves!
The people of the house checked who was in the graves.
عزيزpainful عليناfor us أنto نرىsee لكof yours موضعاًa place
عزيز علينا أن نرى لك موضعاً
خليّاًempty ولمand did not يرجعكbring you back تذكارthe remembrance of ذاكرone who remembers
خليّاً ولم يرجعك تذكار ذاكر
It pains us to see your place
It is dear to us to see a place for you
Empty, and no one's remembrance has brought you back.
Empty, and no memory brings you back.
ولوand if كانتwere الآثارُlasting works تحييbring to life مجاهداًa fighter
ولو كانت الآثارُ تحيي مجاهداً
لأحياكwould have revived you ماwhat أبقيتهyou left it behind منof مآثرnoble deeds
لأحياك ما أبقيته من مآثر
And if lasting works could bring a fighter back to life,
If traces could revive a fighter,
Then the noble deeds you left behind would have revived you.
I would revive you through what remains of your feats.
Sol 6.1