Sol 6.1

  1. عودوا إلى حوض الرئيس وظلِّهِ

    مستوثقين برأيه وبسبْلِهِ

    Return to the leader's pool and his shade,

    placing firm trust in his judgment and his paths.

  2. وتزودوا منه هدايتكم فقد

    كاد الركاب يضل خلف مضله

    And take your provision of guidance from him, for

    the caravan nearly went astray behind the one misleading it.

  3. إن الذي قاسيتمُ من بعده

    قاسى سواكم مثله من قبله

    Indeed, what you endured after him,

    others endured the like before him.

  4. يا غائبين وفي الضمائر وحشة

    من هجره وغضاضة من عذله

    O absent ones, with desolation in your souls,

    from estrangement from him, and wounded pride from his reproach.

  5. أغضبتموه عليكم وعداتكم

    أولى بغضبته وفادح حمله

    You have roused his anger against you, while your enemies

    are more deserving of his wrath and his crushing assault.

  6. وشغلتمُ بالعتب منه جانباً

    وجدال خصمكمُ أحق بشغله

    And you have occupied part of his attention with reproach,

    whereas disputing your foe has the greater claim on his attention.

  7. أيهم بالأسرى يفك قيودهم

    بطل وفيهم من يهم بقتله

    Would he concern himself with captives, loosening their bonds—

    a hero, while among them is one intent on killing him?

  8. إن الذي حمل الأذى من خصمه

    أولى به حمل الأذى من أهله

    Indeed, one who bore harm from his enemy

    should all the more bear harm from his own people.

  9. الشعب يجهل للنزاع نهاية

    والشعب يخشى أن يموت بجهله

    The people know no end to the dispute,

    and the people fear dying through their ignorance.

  10. هذا أشق على الحمى وأشد من

    جبروت حاميه ومن محتلِّه

    This is more grievous for the homeland, and harsher than

    the tyranny of its protector and that of its occupier.

  11. إني لأشفق منكمُ وعليكمُ

    وأبث شكوى الواجد المتولِّه

    Indeed, I am afraid of you and afraid for you,

    and pour out the lament of one grief-stricken and distraught.

  12. ومحرمين على الأبيِّ لضيفه

    إعزازه وهمُ ضيوفُ مُذِلِّه

    And those who forbid the proud man to offer his guest

    honor, though they are guests of the man who humiliates him!

  13. إن كان عذر القوم رسل منكمُ

    فالوافدون اليوم أفضل رسله

    If the people's excuse was envoys from among you,

    then today's visitors are the best of his envoys.

  14. أيؤجج الغلاب في مغلوبه

    غلّاً ويأبى عذره في غله

    Does the conqueror kindle in the man he has defeated

    rancor, yet refuse to excuse him for his rancor?

  15. ويسوق ذو البطش الأخيذ ويتقي

    بالسيف صيحة موجع من أجله

    And does the man of violence drive the captive and ward off

    with the sword the cry of one made to suffer on his account?

  16. قرب المعاد وأين ما أعددتمُ

    لغريمكم ولختله ولمطله

    The appointed time draws near; where is what you have prepared

    for your adversary, his deceit, and his stalling?

  17. أيعيد كرته وفيكم خشية

    من بأسه وتلهُّفٌ من دلِّه

    Will he renew his attack while you harbor fear

    of his might, and anguish at his arrogance?

  18. وقد ابتليتم أمس وثبة ليثِهِ

    هل تأمنون اليوم نفثةَ صلِّه

    And yesterday you were tried by his lion's leap;

    do you feel safe today from his asp's venomous breath?

  19. ولقد قرأنا في عواصف صحفه

    ما لا نسر بذكره وبنقله

    And indeed, we have read in the tempests of his newspapers

    what we take no pleasure in mentioning or repeating.

  20. وأرابنا بعد اللقاء سكوتُكم

    وهو الفخور بقوله وبفعله

    And your silence after the meeting aroused our suspicion,

    while he boasts of his words and his deeds.

  21. كيف السلامة منه وهو مرابط

    حول البلاد بخيله وبرجله

    How can there be safety from him while he is stationed

    around the country with his cavalry and infantry?

  22. ومن الكفيل بقسطها من نيلها

    وهو المحيط بفرعه وبأصله

    And who will guarantee its share of its Nile,

    while he surrounds both its branch and its source?

  23. أنسير من رق الزمان وأسره

    شيعاً إلى جدب المكان ومحله

    Shall we journey from time's bondage and captivity,

    in factions, into the land's barrenness and drought?

  24. ليس القوي بناره وحديده

    مثل القوي بقلبه وبعقله

    The man strong through his fire and iron is not

    like the man strong through his heart and his mind.

  25. ومغالط من يدعي استقلالَهُ

    إن لم يجد سبباً إليه كله

    And he argues falsely who claims his independence,

    if he finds no means to attain it in full.

  26. وإذا أتى الحق الصريح تبرُّعاً

    وتفضلاً فأجله كأقله

    And if an unequivocal right comes as a voluntary gift

    and a favor, its greatest is like its least.

  27. قد كان شمل الشعب أكبر عُدَّة

    ووكيله المختار جامع شمله

    Indeed, the people's unity was their greatest resource,

    and their chosen representative was the uniter of their ranks.

  28. عودوا إليه فكل شرط باطل

    إن لم يمحصه وإن لم يُمْلِه

    Return to him, for every condition is void

    unless he scrutinizes it and dictates it.

  29. إني لأدري والتجارب جمة

    بالفرق بين سجلِّهم وسجلِّه

    I indeed know—and experiences are many—

    the difference between their record and his.

  30. أولى بهم ذاك المراس وإنه

    لعقوبة المتجبر المتألِّه

    That stern handling is more fitting for them, and it

    is indeed the punishment for the tyrant who deifies himself.

  31. ولكل عاتٍ جانبٌ من حزمه

    ولكل حرٍّ جانب من فضله

    And every insolent man has a share of his firmness,

    and every free man a share of his generosity.

  32. يا سعد أعلاني رضاك بصدق ما

    أتلو وأي مجاهد لم تُعْلِه

    O Saad, I am exalted by your approval of the truth of what

    I recite; and what fighter have you not exalted?

  33. أجزيك عن وطني وقومي خير ما

    تجزي وألقَى ما صنعتَ بمثله

    I repay you, on behalf of my homeland and my people, with the best

    reward you can receive, and answer your deeds with their like:

  34. شيم الوفي بعهده والمكتفي

    بيقينه والمطمئن بعدله

    the virtues of one faithful to his pledge, and content

    with his certainty, and at peace in his justice.