سلاماًpeace علىupon الوطنthe homeland الخالدِimmortal
سلاماً على الوطن الخالدِ
وسُقياًand blessed rain ليومكمfor your day الحاشدِthronged
وسُقياً ليومكم الحاشدِ
Peace upon the immortal homeland,
Greetings to the immortal homeland,
and may rain bless your thronged day.
And waters to your crowded day,
رفاقcompanions of الحياةlife وماand nothing فيin الحياlife (continued)
رفاق الحياة وما في الحيا
ة(completes 'life') غيرُexcept مُنتجَعthe sought pasture of الرائدthe scout
ة غيرُ مُنتجَع الرائد
Companions in life! In life there is
O comrades of life! For in life
nothing but the pasture the scout seeks.
There is nothing but the pioneering spirit to recover.
وياand O جيرةَneighbors of الحيthe quarter منsome ناشرunfurling
ويا جيرةَ الحي من ناشر
لواءthe banner of الرَجاءhope ومنand some عاقدfastening
لواء الرَجاء ومن عاقد
And O neighbors of the quarter, some unfurling
O neighbor of the quarter raising
the banner of hope, others fastening it:
The banner of hope and making
حملتمyou have borne أمانةa trust مستوثقيconfident (continued)
حملتم أمانة مستوثقي
ن(completes 'confident') منof صادرwhat goes out in الأمرaffairs والواردand what comes in
ن من صادر الأمر والوارد
you have borne a trust, confident
You took on a entrusted covenant
of affairs, of what goes out and comes in.
From the one who commanded and fulfilled.
كفىit is enough أنناthat we منare from حمىًa protected homeland واحدone
كفى أننا من حمىً واحد
نسيرwe journey إلىtoward أملa hope واحدsingle
نسير إلى أمل واحد
Enough that we belong to one protected homeland,
It is enough that we are from one protector,
journeying toward a single hope.
Walking towards one hope.
وحسبيَand enough for me أنيthat I امرؤٌa man وافدٌnewly arrived
وحسبيَ أني امرؤٌ وافدٌ
حفيٌّwarmly attentive بكلto every إمرىءperson وافدnewly arrived
حفيٌّ بكل إمرىء وافد
And enough for me that I am a newcomer,
It satisfies me that I am a visiting man
warmly attentive to every newcomer.
Who is responsible for every visiting man.
يسهِّدنيkeeps me awake حذريmy concern حولكمfor you
يسهِّدني حذري حولكم
فياليَso, ah me منwhat a حاذرwary man ساهدsleepless
فياليَ من حاذر ساهد
My concern for you keeps me awake;
My caution makes me pillow around you,
ah, what a wary, sleepless man I am!
What a cautious pillow!
وأفديand I would ransom بمهجتيَwith my lifeblood العامليthe workers (continued)
وأفدي بمهجتيَ العاملي
ن(completes 'the workers') بعدafter طريفيَmy newly acquired wealth والتالدand inherited wealth
ن بعد طريفيَ والتالد
And I would ransom the workers with my lifeblood,
And I ransom my working life
after my newly acquired and inherited wealth.
After my prime and fading.
أرىI see شيعاًfactions فأخand a brother شاردٌa fugitive
أرى شيعاً فأخ شاردٌ
يسامis made to endure الأذىharm منby أخa brother طاردwho drives him away
يسام الأذى من أخ طارد
I see factions: a brother is a fugitive,
I see a wandering group so a stray brother
made to suffer by a brother who drives him away.
Who is harmed by an expelling brother.
وفيand at كلevery آونةٍmoment هابطٌone descending
وفي كل آونةٍ هابطٌ
منfrom النجمthe star يفزعtakes fright منat صاعدone ascending
من النجم يفزع من صاعد
And at every moment, one descending
And in every time a descender
from a star fears another ascending.
From the star is startled by the ascender.
ودعوىand a claim مموهةٌspecious لاnot نناwe gain (continued)
ودعوى مموهةٌ لا ننا
ل(completes 'we gain') منهاfrom it سوىexcept البارقflashing lightning الراعدthundering
ل منها سوى البارق الراعد
And a specious claim, from which we gain
And an alleged claim we do not get
nothing but flashing lightning and thunder.
Except the lightning thunder.
فياso, oh للرياسةfor leadership منwhat a فتنةtemptation
فيا للرياسة من فتنة
وإنeven if أصبحتْit comes to be فيin يدthe hand of العابدthe devout man
وإن أصبحتْ في يد العابد
Oh, what a temptation leadership is,
What a sedition is leadership
even when it falls into a devout man's hands!
Even if it is in the hand of the devotee!
وكمand how often قتلhas killed الحكمُpower طلابهits seekers
وكم قتل الحكمُ طلابه
ولمand I have not أرseen فيin الحكمpower منany زاهدone who renounces
ولم أر في الحكم من زاهد
How often power has killed its seekers,
How many has ruling killed its seekers!
yet I have seen no one renounce power.
And I did not see renunciation in ruling.
أيقتتلونdo they fight one another وهمwhile they are كالطيوlike birds (continued)
أيقتتلون وهم كالطيو
ر(completes 'birds') ضاقhas grown cramped بهاaround them قفصthe cage of الصائدthe hunter
ر ضاق بها قفص الصائد
Do they fight one another while they are like birds
They fight and they are like birds
cramped within the hunter's cage?
That the hunter's cage has narrowed.
فقدناwe have lost الحقيقةthe truth فيamid خُلفهمtheir discord
فقدنا الحقيقة في خُلفهم
أماdo they not يعلمونknow جوىthe anguish of الفاقدthe bereft
أما يعلمون جوى الفاقد
We have lost the truth amid their discord;
We lost the truth behind them.
do they not know the anguish of the bereft?
Do they not know the longing of the lost?
أينويdoes he intend الفتىthe young man عملاًa deed صالحاًrighteous
أينوي الفتى عملاً صالحاً
ويرجوهand hope for it بالسببby means الفاسدcorrupt
ويرجوه بالسبب الفاسد
Does a young man intend a righteous deed,
Does the young man intend good deeds
and hope to achieve it by corrupt means?
And hope for it through corrupt means?
يسيرُhe travels ويجهلand does not know عقبىthe outcome of المدىthe distance traveled
يسيرُ ويجهل عقبى المدى
إلىtoward ملكan angel أمor إلىtoward ماردa rebellious demon
إلى ملك أم إلى مارد
He travels, not knowing his journey's outcome:
He walks and is ignorant of the consequence of the course
toward an angel, or toward a rebellious demon?
To a possession or to a demon.
ويخرجand he emerges منfrom عاصفٍraging مائجsurging
ويخرج من عاصفٍ مائج
ويأويand he shelters إلىin واجفٍtrembling مائدswaying
ويأوي إلى واجفٍ مائد
He emerges from a raging, surging storm,
And he exits a turbulent storm
and shelters in something trembling and swaying.
And takes refuge in a violent banquet.
لكلfor every فتىyoung man رأيهhis opinion بينكمamong you
لكل فتى رأيه بينكم
وأينand how far المضلُّthe misleader منfrom الناشدthe seeker
وأين المضلُّ من الناشد
Each young man among you has his own opinion;
Each young man has his opinion among you
and how far the misleader is from the seeker!
And where is the misguided from the guide?
دعواlet غارسthe sower of النَّقْيِpure grain فيin حيكمyour quarter
دعوا غارس النَّقْيِ في حيكم
يعِدُّprepare الوسائلَthe means للحاصدfor the reaper
يعِدُّ الوسائلَ للحاصد
Let the sower of pure grain in your quarter
Leave the planter of saplings in your alley
prepare the means for the reaper.
Preparing the means for the harvester.
فهلthen will you تتركونabandon الجديدَthe new العتيthe well-prepared (continued)
فهل تتركون الجديدَ العتي
د(completes 'well-prepared') رُجعىreturning إلىto الغابرthe bygone البائدthe vanished
د رُجعى إلى الغابر البائد
Will you abandon the new and well-prepared,
Will you then leave the new, the customary,
returning to the vanished past?
Returning to the past, the expired?
وكيفand how تساوونcan you equate بينbetween الخموobscurity (continued)
وكيف تساوون بين الخمو
ل(completes 'obscurity') والنابهand the distinguished الفطنdiscerning الراشدrightly guided
ل والنابه الفطن الراشد
And how can you put obscurity on a par
And how do you equal between the senile
with the distinguished, discerning, rightly guided man?
And the astute, the wise, the mature?
أمنis one who يستقلacts independently بوجدانهby his own conscience
أمن يستقل بوجدانه
كمتبعlike a follower of الحجرthe stone الجامدinert
كمتبع الحجر الجامد
Is one who relies on his own conscience
Is it from the one who has independent conscience
like a follower of inert stone?
Like the follower of the solid rock?
لأشهدI surely attest فيكمamong you بجاهto the stature of الخطيal-Khatib (continued)
لأشهد فيكم بجاه الخطي
بِ(completes 'al-Khatib') والحكمand judgment فيis in ذمةthe responsibility of الشاهدthe witness
بِ والحكم في ذمة الشاهد
I attest before you to al-Khatib's stature—
I testify among you in the right of the sermon
and judgment is the witness's responsibility.
And the judgment is in the custody of the witness.
وأختارهand I choose him عنَكمon your behalf نائباًas representative
وأختاره عنَكم نائباً
أميناًfaithful علىto العهدthe pledge والعاهدand the pledger
أميناً على العهد والعاهد
And I choose him as your representative,
And I choose him over you as a deputy,
faithful to the pledge and its giver.
A trustee over the covenant and the covenant maker.
وإنand if قيلit is said عارضhe opposed رأيthe opinion of الزعيمthe leader
وإن قيل عارض رأي الزعيم
فماthen not هوhe بالحائلone who wavers الحائدone who strays
فما هو بالحائل الحائد
And if it is said he opposed the leader's view,
And if it is said he opposed the leader’s view
he is neither fickle nor wayward.
Then he is not the deviant, the straying.
أذمُI condemn المعارضَthe opponent مستهتراًwhen insolent
أذمُ المعارضَ مستهتراً
وأرضاهand I approve of him فيin أدبthe courtesy of الناقدthe critic
وأرضاه في أدب الناقد
I condemn an opponent when he is insolent,
I blame the reckless objector
and approve him when he shows a critic's courtesy.
And please him in the manner of the critic.
وهلand does منone who يرىsees الحقَtruth فوقabove الرجاmen (continued)
وهل من يرى الحقَ فوق الرجا
ل(completes 'men') يفزعtake fright منat صخبthe clamor of الحاقدthe spiteful man
ل يفزع من صخب الحاقد
Does one who sets truth above men
And is there anyone who sees the truth above men
take fright at the spiteful man's clamor?
But is startled by the clamor of the envious?
أكانwas there لكمfor you غيرُهanyone but him صائلاًcharging into battle
أكان لكم غيرُه صائلاً
منfrom among الجندthe soldiers فيwith حكمةthe wisdom of القائدthe commander
من الجند في حكمة القائد
Who else fought on your behalf,
Was there anyone but him repelling
a soldier with the wisdom of a commander?
Among the soldiers in the leader’s wisdom?
ولاand there is no بدdoing without للقلبfor the heart وهوthough it is الجريcourageous (continued)
ولا بد للقلب وهو الجري
ء(completes 'courageous') منof قوةthe strength of الباعthe arm's reach والساعدand the forearm
ء من قوة الباع والساعد
And the heart, though courageous, cannot do
The heart must have the strength of determination and support
without the strength of arm and forearm.
When the young man's conscience settles
إذاwhen ما(emphatic particle) اطمأنis at peace ضميرthe conscience of الفتىthe young man
إذا ما اطمأن ضمير الفتى
تخطىpasses beyond بهwith him معقلَthe stronghold of الراصدthe watcher
تخطى به معقلَ الراصد
When a young man's conscience is at peace,
He transcends with it the fortress of the observer.
it carries him beyond the watcher's stronghold.
Do you forget his usefulness the year of jihad?
أتنسونdo you forget جدواهhis aid عامَthe year of الجهادstruggle
أتنسون جدواه عامَ الجهاد
يشيدhe raises بهاthrough it همةَthe resolve of الجاهدthe striver
يشيد بها همةَ الجاهد
Do you forget his aid in the year of struggle,
It praises his determination, the fighter’s.
through which he strengthened the striver's resolve?
And the day the reckless Armenians
ويومَand on the day بغيtransgressed الأرمنُthe Armenians العابثوthe reckless (continued)
ويومَ بغي الأرمنُ العابثو
ن(completes 'the reckless') تهتاجهمstir them up فتنthe intrigues of الكائدthe schemer
ن تهتاجهم فتن الكائد
And on the day the reckless Armenians transgressed,
Their tumultuous seditions, the plotter’s.
stirred up by the schemer's intrigues,
You appeased them and restrained them
ترضّاهمُhe conciliated them وتوقّاهمُand guarded against them
ترضّاهمُ وتوقّاهمُ
فعادواso they returned سلاماًin peace معwith العائدthe returning one
فعادوا سلاماً مع العائد
he conciliated them and guarded against them,
So they returned safe with the returnee.
so they returned in peace with those returning.
And after his sermon among you
وهلand is there بعدafter خطبتهhis speech فيكمُamong you
وهل بعد خطبته فيكمُ
مكانٌroom لمختلقfor a fabricator حاسدenvious
مكانٌ لمختلق حاسد
And after his speech among you,
Is there room for a slanderous envier?
is there room for an envious fabricator?
When he delegates on your behalf as you wished
إذاif نابhe acts as deputy عنكمfor you كماas شئتمُyou wished
إذا ناب عنكم كما شئتمُ
فمنthen it is from فضلهhis merit الكاملconsummate الزائدabundant
فمن فضله الكامل الزائد
If he represents you, as you wished,
Then it is of his complete, surplus virtue.
it is through his consummate, abundant merit.
And I promise you when
وعدتكمُI promised you أنهthat he عندماup to what
وعدتكمُ أنه عندما
رجوتمْyou hoped for وليand I have ثقةthe confidence of الواعدthe promise-giver
رجوتمْ ولي ثقة الواعد
I promised you he would meet
You hoped, the trustee of the promiser.
your hopes; I have a promise-giver's confidence.
The orator is committed with his insistence
كفيلa guarantor الخطيبal-Khatib بإصرارهof his steadfastness
كفيل الخطيب بإصراره
علىto المبدأthe principle الصالحsound السائدprevailing
على المبدأ الصالح السائد
Al-Khatib guarantees his steadfast adherence
On the good prevailing principle.
to the sound and prevailing principle.
And his free stand satisfies the country
وموقفهand his stance الحرindependent يرضيpleases البلاthe country (continued)
وموقفه الحر يرضي البلا
د(completes 'the country') قبلَbefore رضاthe satisfaction of الأخthe brother والوالدand the father
د قبلَ رضا الأخ والوالد
And his independent stance pleases the country
Before the brother’s and the father’s approval.
before brother and father are satisfied,
Rich without his wage for his jihad
غنياًself-sufficient بنجواهin his private counsel عنwithout need of آجرone who rewards
غنياً بنجواه عن آجر
لهhim فيfor الجهادthe struggle وعنand without need of حامدone who praises
له في الجهاد وعن حامد
content with his own counsel, needing no one to pay him
And without a praiser in the struggle.
for his struggle, and no one to praise him.
If you leave him to another
لئنif indeed تتركوهyou abandon him إلىfor غيرهanother
لئن تتركوه إلى غيره
فلاthen no عذرexcuse للآثمfor the wrongdoer العامدwillful
فلا عذر للآثم العامد
If you abandon him for another,
Then no excuse for the willful sinner.
the willful wrongdoer has no excuse.
Time changes but the country’s right
يحولchanges الزمانtime وحقbut the right of البلاthe country (continued)
يحول الزمان وحق البلا
د(completes 'the country') ليسis not بفانperishing ولاnor نافدrunning out
د ليس بفان ولا نافد
Time changes, but the country's right
Is not temporary or fleeting.
neither perishes nor runs out.
Tomorrow is the separation day for the reformers
غداًtomorrow موعدthe appointed time of الفصلdecision للمصلحيfor the reformers (continued)
غداً موعد الفصل للمصلحي
ن(completes 'the reformers') فيin العالمthe world القائمstanding القاعدsitting
ن في العالم القائم القاعد
Tomorrow is decision day for the reformers
In the erect, standing world.
in the world that stands and sits.
And I am the bearer of good tidings of the victory
وإنيand I am البشيرthe bearer of glad news بفوزof the victory of الخطيal-Khatib (continued)
وإني البشير بفوز الخطي
ب(completes 'al-Khatib') نائبِthe representative of حيِّكُمُyour district الماجدillustrious
ب نائبِ حيِّكُمُ الماجد
And I am the herald of al-Khatib's victory,
Of the orator, your glorious deputy.
your district's illustrious representative.
Partial English translation: 87 of 88 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1