ذويO holders of الأمرauthority هلhave ...? جئتمyou come بمحترمwith something worthy of respect الأمرِthe matter
ذوي الأمر هل جئتم بمحترم الأمرِ
ضماناًas a safeguard منagainst الأيامtime للبلدfor the country الحرِّfree
ضماناً من الأيام للبلد الحرِّ
O holders of power, have you brought a measure worthy of respect,
O rulers, have you come with one who honors authority
A safeguard against time for the free land?
As a guarantee from fate for the free country?
وماand why لهمُis it with them لمdid not يقبلواthey accept شرطthe condition of غيركمsomeone other than you
وما لهمُ لم يقبلوا شرط غيركم
وقدthough already عرضhe offered الصلحَpeace البريءuntainted منby الغدرtreachery
وقد عرض الصلحَ البريء من الغدر
And why did they not accept the terms of someone other than you,
Why did they not accept the condition of any but you
Though he offered peace untainted by treachery?
When innocent reconciliation was offered without deceit?
وهلand can ...? تستطيعونyou are able الوفاءfulfillment بوعدكمof your promise
وهل تستطيعون الوفاء بوعدكم
وقدalthough سئمتهhave wearied of it منfrom سواكمothers besides you بنوthe sons of مصرEgypt
وقد سئمته من سواكم بنو مصر
And can you fulfill your promise,
Can you fulfill your promise,
When Egypt's sons have wearied of it from others?
When the people of Egypt are weary of all but you?
وكانواand they used to يفكُّونfree الأسيرthe captive فأصبحواbut now they have become
وكانوا يفكُّون الأسير فأصبحوا
يُمنُّa favor is vaunted عليهمover them بالفكاكfor release منfrom الأسرcaptivity
يُمنُّ عليهم بالفكاك من الأسر
They once freed the captive, but now
They used to release the prisoner, but now
Their release from captivity is held over them as a favor.
They oblige him with ransom from captivity.
يسخرناpresses us into service الباغيthe oppressor ويقذفand hurls بعضناsome of us
يسخرنا الباغي ويقذف بعضنا
ببعضagainst others ونعطيهand we give him السلاحweapons ولاand not ندريwe know
ببعض ونعطيه السلاح ولا ندري
The oppressor presses us into service and hurls some of us
The tyrant ridicules us and casts some of us
Against others; we give him weapons, unaware.
Against others, and we give him arms without knowing.
ومشتبهand one under suspicion فيin جهرهhis public speech وعيانهand his visible conduct
ومشتبه في جهره وعيانه
يقاتلهhe fights him مناfrom among us بمتهمwith one suspected السرsecret intent
يقاتله منا بمتهم السر
And one suspect in his open words and visible deeds
One whose outward speech and essence are suspect
Is fought using one of us whose secret intent is suspect.
Is fought by one of us with hidden blame.
فهلso is ...? يدفنto be buried الحيُّthe living man القويُّthe strong ببيتهin his house
فهل يدفن الحيُّ القويُّ ببيته
وقدwhen already بعثhas been raised الميتthe dead man الدفينthe buried one منfrom القبرthe grave
وقد بعث الميت الدفين من القبر
Is the strong living man to be buried in his home,
Can the living, strong man be buried in his home
When the buried dead man has been raised from the grave?
When the dead buried has risen from the grave?
وهلand is there ...? للقويfor the strong man العذرan excuse فيfor كلall ماthat قضىhe decreed
وهل للقوي العذر في كل ما قضى
ويبقىwhile remains الضعيفthe weak man المستجيرseeking protection بلاwithout عذرan excuse
ويبقى الضعيف المستجير بلا عذر
And is the strong man excused for everything he decrees,
Can the strong have an excuse for all he ruled
While the weak man seeking protection is allowed no excuse?
While the weak seeking protection remains without excuse?
أفيis it in ...? كلevery أسبوعweek تمرُّpasses وزارةa cabinet
أفي كل أسبوع تمرُّ وزارة
وتخلفهاand succeeds it أخرىanother تبيعsells ولاand not تشرىis bought
وتخلفها أخرى تبيع ولا تشرى
Does a cabinet depart every week,
Does every week pass with a ministry
And another succeed it, selling but never bought?
Followed by another that buys but does not sell?
إذاif دامcontinues هذاthis استُوزِرَare appointed ministers القومُthe people كلُّهمall of them
إذا دام هذا استُوزِرَ القومُ كلُّهم
وأصبحand becomes صدرthe leader of القومthe people منone who ليسis not بالصدرtruly a leader
وأصبح صدر القوم من ليس بالصدر
If this continues, everyone will be made a minister,
If this continues, all the people will be made ministers
And one who is no leader will become the people's leader.
And the chief of the people will be one without precedence.
تريدshe seeks مدىa goal غيرother than الذيthat which تحسبونهyou deem it
تريد مدى غير الذي تحسبونه
جزاءًrecompense علىfor البلوىaffliction وأجراًand a reward علىfor الصبرpatience
جزاءً على البلوى وأجراً على الصبر
She seeks a goal other than what you deem
You want an extent other than what you suppose,
Recompense for affliction and a reward for patience.
As recompense for afflictions and reward for patience.
خذواtake مسلكa passage الأنفاسbreaths قبلbefore سبيلكمyour path
خذوا مسلك الأنفاس قبل سبيلكم
لحريةto the freedom of الواديthe valley وحريةand the freedom of النهرthe river
لحرية الوادي وحرية النهر
Secure a passage for breath before taking your road
Take the path of breaths before your road
To the valley's freedom and the river's freedom.
To the valley’s freedom and the river’s freedom.
أمامكمُbefore you شهرٌa month فإماso either اعتزالكمyour withdrawal
أمامكمُ شهرٌ فإما اعتزالكم
وإماor else ثباتsteadfastness يدفعthat repels الشرevil بالشرwith evil
وإما ثبات يدفع الشر بالشر
A month lies before you: either withdraw,
Before you is a month, either your resignation
Or stand firm, repelling evil with evil.
Or steadfastness that repels harm with harm.
وإنand indeed وزيرthe minister of القومthe people منone who قامtakes responsibility عنهمُon their behalf
وإن وزير القوم من قام عنهمُ
بأوزارهمfor their burdens لاnot طالبa seeker of الجاهstatus والوفرand wealth
بأوزارهم لا طالب الجاه والوفر
For the people's minister is he who bears, on their behalf,
The minister of the people is one who stood for them
Their burdens—not a seeker of status and wealth.
With their burdens, not seeking status and plenty.
وماand not النارfire والفولاذand steel يوماًever علىagainst الفتىa man
وما النار والفولاذ يوماً على الفتى
بأقوىany stronger منthan الذكرىthe remembrance الرهيبةfearsome فيin الشعرpoetry
بأقوى من الذكرى الرهيبة في الشعر
And never are fire and steel, against a man,
The fire and steel were never stronger on the youth
More powerful than the dread remembrance in verse.
Than the terrible memory in poetry.
فهلso shall ...? أشهدI witness استقلالthe independence of مصرEgypt فأشتفيand so be healed
فهل أشهد استقلال مصر فأشتفي
منof الداءthe ailment فيin الباقيwhat remains القليلthe little منof العمرlife
من الداء في الباقي القليل من العمر
Shall I then witness Egypt's independence and be healed
Shall I witness the independence of Egypt and be healed
Of the malady in the little that remains of my life?
Of the sickness in the little left of my life?
Sol 6.1