قِفstop ناجِcommune with أَهرامَpyramids الجَلالِmajesty وَنادِand call out
قِف ناجِ أَهرامَ الجَلالِ وَنادِ
هَلis there مِنamong بُناتِكَyour builders مَجلِسٌa council أَوor نادِa gathering
هَل مِن بُناتِكَ مَجلِسٌ أَو نادِ
Stop, commune with the pyramids of majesty, and call out:
Stand in awe at the pyramids' grandeur and call out,
Is there a council or gathering of your builders,
Is there among your daughters an assembly or a tryst?
نَشكوwe complain وَنَفزَعُand seek refuge فيهِin it بَينَamong عُيونِهِمtheir eyes
نَشكو وَنَفزَعُ فيهِ بَينَ عُيونِهِم
إِنَّindeed الأُبُوَّةَfatherhood مَفزِعُa refuge الأَولادِchildren
إِنَّ الأُبُوَّةَ مَفزِعُ الأَولادِ
Where we may complain and seek refuge before their eyes?
We complain and take refuge between their eyes,
For fatherhood is the refuge of children.
For fatherhood is the refuge of children.
وَنَبُثُّهُمand we confide to them عَبَثَtampering الهَوىcaprice بِتُراثِهِمwith their heritage
وَنَبُثُّهُم عَبَثَ الهَوى بِتُراثِهِم
مِنfrom كُلِّevery مُلقٍone surrendering لِلهَوىto caprice بِقِيادِwith reins
مِن كُلِّ مُلقٍ لِلهَوى بِقِيادِ
And tell them of caprice's tampering with their heritage,
We scatter them according to passion's whims with their inheritance,
Through everyone who surrenders his reins to caprice.
From every harbinger of passion with a guide.
وَنُبينُand we explain كَيفَhow تَفَرَّقَparted الإِخوانُthe brothers فيin
وَنُبينُ كَيفَ تَفَرَّقَ الإِخوانُ في
وَقتِa time البَلاءِaffliction تَفَرُّقَa parting الأَضدادِadversaries
وَقتِ البَلاءِ تَفَرُّقَ الأَضدادِ
And explain how brothers parted in
And we show how the brethren scattered during
A time of trial, as adversaries part.
The time of affliction, the scattering of opposites.
إِنَّindeed المَغالِطَone deceiving فيabout الحَقيقَةِthe truth نَفسَهُhimself
إِنَّ المَغالِطَ في الحَقيقَةِ نَفسَهُ
باغٍan oppressor عَلىagainst النَفسِthe soul الضَعيفَةِfrail عادِa transgressor
باغٍ عَلى النَفسِ الضَعيفَةِ عادِ
For one who deceives himself about the truth
Verily the sophist in reality himself
Is an oppressor of his frail soul, a transgressor.
Is an aggressor upon the weak soul.
قُلsay لِلأَعاجيبِto the wonders الثَلاثِthree مَقالَةًa saying
قُل لِلأَعاجيبِ الثَلاثِ مَقالَةً
مِنfrom هاتِفٍa caller بِمَكانِهِنَّat their site وَشادِand a singer
مِن هاتِفٍ بِمَكانِهِنَّ وَشادِ
Speak to the three wonders these words,
Say to the three wonders a saying
From one calling at their site and singing their praise:
From a caller in their place, urging on
لِلَّهِGod's own أَنتِyou فَماfor never رَأَيتُI have seen عَلىupon الصَفاsmooth rock
لِلَّهِ أَنتِ فَما رَأَيتُ عَلى الصَفا
هَذاthis الجَلالَmajesty وَلاnor عَلىupon الأَوتادِthe mountain-pegs
هَذا الجَلالَ وَلا عَلى الأَوتادِ
God's own are you! I have never seen on smooth rock
To God you are, so I have not seen upon Al-Safa
Such majesty, nor upon the mountain-pegs.
This majesty, nor upon the pegs.
لَكِyours is كَالمَعابِدِlike temples رَوعَةٌawe قُدسِيَّةٌsacred
لَكِ كَالمَعابِدِ رَوعَةٌ قُدسِيَّةٌ
وَعَلَيكِand upon you روحانِيَّةُthe spirituality العُبّادِworshippers
وَعَلَيكِ روحانِيَّةُ العُبّادِ
Yours is a sacred awe, like that of temples,
You have, like places of worship, a holy awe
And upon you rests the spirituality of worshippers.
And upon you is the spirituality of worshippers.
أُسِّستِyou were founded مِنfrom أَحلامِهِمtheir wisdom بِقَواعِدٍwith foundations
أُسِّستِ مِن أَحلامِهِم بِقَواعِدٍ
وَرُفِعتِand you were raised مِنfrom أَخلاقِهِمtheir virtues بِعِمادِwith pillars
وَرُفِعتِ مِن أَخلاقِهِم بِعِمادِ
You were founded upon bases of their wisdom,
You were established with their dreams as foundations
And raised upon pillars of their virtues.
And erected from their morals as columns.
تِلكَthose الرِمالُsands بِجانِبَيكِat your two sides بَقِيَّةٌa remnant
تِلكَ الرِمالُ بِجانِبَيكِ بَقِيَّةٌ
مِنof نِعمَةٍprosperity وَسَماحَةٍand generosity وَرَمادِand ashes
مِن نِعمَةٍ وَسَماحَةٍ وَرَمادِ
Those sands on either side of you are a remnant
Those sands beside you are a remainder
Of prosperity, generosity, and ashes.
Of blessing, generosity, and ashes.
إِنif نَحنُwe أَكرَمناwe honor النَزيلَthe guest حِيالَهاbefore them
إِن نَحنُ أَكرَمنا النَزيلَ حِيالَها
فَالضَيفُthen the guest عِندَكِin your presence مَوضِعُthe object الإِرفادِgenerous giving
فَالضَيفُ عِندَكِ مَوضِعُ الإِرفادِ
If we honor the guest before them,
If we have honored the guest facing them
Then a guest in your presence is worthy of bounty.
Then the guest with you is where munificence lies.
هَذاthis الأَمينُAmin بِحائِطَيكِaround your two walls مُطَوِّفاًcircling
هَذا الأَمينُ بِحائِطَيكِ مُطَوِّفاً
مُتَقَدِّمَat the head of الحُجّاجِthe pilgrims وَالوُفّادِand the visitors
مُتَقَدِّمَ الحُجّاجِ وَالوُفّادِ
Here is Amin, circling your two walls,
That trustee circling your walls,
At the head of pilgrims and visitors.
Advancing the pilgrims and the seekers.
إِنif يَعدُهُpasses him by مِنكِfrom you الخُلودُimmortality فَشَعرُهُthen his poetry
إِن يَعدُهُ مِنكِ الخُلودُ فَشَعرُهُ
باقٍenduring وَلَيسَand is not بَيانُهُhis eloquence لِنَفادِdestined for exhaustion
باقٍ وَلَيسَ بَيانُهُ لِنَفادِ
If immortality from you eludes him, his poetry
If eternity promises him from you, his poetry
Endures, and his eloquence will never run dry.
Remains, and its rhetoric is not for exhausting.
إيهِspeak on أَمينُAmin لَمَستَyou touched كُلَّevery مُحَجَّبٍveiled thing
إيهِ أَمينُ لَمَستَ كُلَّ مُحَجَّبٍ
فيin الحُسنِbeauty مِنamong أَثَرِthe work العُقولِminds وَباديand a visible thing
في الحُسنِ مِن أَثَرِ العُقولِ وَبادي
Speak on, Amin! You have touched every veiled thing
O trustee! You have touched all that is veiled
In the beauty wrought by minds, and every visible one.
In beauty, of the intellect's effects and beginnings.
قُمrise قَبِّلِkiss الأَحجارَthe stones وَالأَيديand the hands الَّتيthat
قُم قَبِّلِ الأَحجارَ وَالأَيدي الَّتي
أَخَذَتsecured لَهاfor them عَهداًa pledge مِنَfrom الآبادِeternity
أَخَذَت لَها عَهداً مِنَ الآبادِ
Rise, kiss the stones and the hands that
Rise! Kiss the stones and the hands which
Secured for them a pledge from eternity.
Took a covenant from them of eternity.
وَخُذِand take النُبوغَgenius عَنِfrom الكِنانَةِEgypt, the Quiver إِنَّهاfor she
وَخُذِ النُبوغَ عَنِ الكِنانَةِ إِنَّها
مَهدُthe cradle الشُموسِsuns وَمَسقَطُand the birthplace الآرادِthe peers
مَهدُ الشُموسِ وَمَسقَطُ الآرادِ
And take genius from Egypt, the Quiver, for she
And take genius from the treasures, it is
Is the cradle of suns and the birthplace of their peers.
The cradle of suns and the horizon of intentions.
أُمُّmother القِرىhospitality إِنif لَمnot تَكُنshe is أُمَّmother القُرىthe cities
أُمُّ القِرى إِن لَم تَكُن أُمَّ القُرى
وَمَثابَةُand a haven الأَعيانِthe notables وَالأَفرادِand exceptional individuals
وَمَثابَةُ الأَعيانِ وَالأَفرادِ
Mother of hospitality, if not the Mother of Cities,
Mother of cities! If you are not the mother of cities
And a haven for the eminent and the exceptional.
And the refuge of notables and individuals,
مازالَstill يَغشىoverspreads الشَرقَthe East مِنfrom لَمَحاتِهاher glimmers
مازالَ يَغشى الشَرقَ مِن لَمَحاتِها
فيin كُلِّevery مُظلِمَةٍdarkness شُعاعٌa ray هاديguiding
في كُلِّ مُظلِمَةٍ شُعاعٌ هادي
Still, from her glimmers, there spreads over the East
The east is still covered in glimmers from it
In every darkness, a guiding ray.
In every darkness, a guiding ray.
رَفَعواthey raised لَكَfor you الرَيحانَbasil كَاِسمِكَlike your name طَيِّباًfragrant
رَفَعوا لَكَ الرَيحانَ كَاِسمِكَ طَيِّباً
إِنَّindeed العَمارَfragrant greeting-herbs تَحِيَّةُa salutation الأَمجادِthe illustrious
إِنَّ العَمارَ تَحِيَّةُ الأَمجادِ
They raised basil for you, fragrant as your name;
They raised basil to you, good smelling as your name,
For fragrant herbs are the salutation of the illustrious.
Construction is truly the greeting of glories.
وَتَخَيَّرواand they chose carefully لِلمِهرَجانِfor the festival مَكانَهُits venue
وَتَخَيَّروا لِلمِهرَجانِ مَكانَهُ
وَجَعَلتُand I made مَوضِعَthe place الاِحتِفاءِwelcome فُؤاديmy heart
وَجَعَلتُ مَوضِعَ الاِحتِفاءِ فُؤادي
And they carefully chose a venue for the festival,
And they chose for the festival its place
And I made my heart the place of welcome.
And I made the place of celebration my heart.
سَلَفَhas passed الزَمانُtime عَلىin المَوَدَّةِaffection بَينَناbetween us
سَلَفَ الزَمانُ عَلى المَوَدَّةِ بَينَنا
سَنَواتُyears صَحوٍwakefulness بَلrather سَناتُdozes رُقادِsleep
سَنَواتُ صَحوٍ بَل سَناتُ رُقادِ
Time has passed with affection between us:
Eras have passed over the affection between us,
Years of wakefulness—rather, fleeting spells of sleep.
Years of sobriety, nay years of slumber.
وَإِذاand if جَمَعتَyou gathered الطَيِّباتِdelights رَدَدتَهاyou traced them back
وَإِذا جَمَعتَ الطَيِّباتِ رَدَدتَها
لِعَتيقِto aged خَمرٍwine أَوor قَديمِold وِدادِaffection
لِعَتيقِ خَمرٍ أَو قَديمِ وِدادِ
And if you gathered all delights, you would trace them
And if you gather goodness, you return it
To aged wine or longstanding affection.
To aged wine or old affection.
ياO نَجمَstar سورِيّاSyria وَلَستَand you are not بِأَوَّلٍthe first
يا نَجمَ سورِيّا وَلَستَ بِأَوَّلٍ
ماذاhow many نَمَتshe nurtured مِنof نَيِّرٍa radiant light وَقّادِblazing
ماذا نَمَت مِن نَيِّرٍ وَقّادِ
O star of Syria, and you are not the first,
O star of Syria! And you are not the first,
How many a radiant, blazing light she has nurtured!
What grew from brilliance and leaders?
أُطلُعrise عَلىover يَمَنٍYemen بِيُمنِكَwith your blessing فيin غَدٍtomorrow
أُطلُع عَلى يَمَنٍ بِيُمنِكَ في غَدٍ
وَتَجَلَّand shine forth بَعدَafter غَدٍtomorrow عَلىover بَغدادِBaghdad
وَتَجَلَّ بَعدَ غَدٍ عَلى بَغدادِ
Rise over Yemen with your blessing tomorrow,
I look to Yemen with your good fortune tomorrow
And shine forth the day after tomorrow over Baghdad.
And your image appears after tomorrow in Baghdad.
وَأَجِلand send roaming خَيالَكَyour imagination فيthrough طُلولِthe ruins مَمالِكٍkingdoms
وَأَجِل خَيالَكَ في طُلولِ مَمالِكٍ
مِمّاof what تَجوبُyou traverse وَفيand through رُسومِvestiges بِلادِlands
مِمّا تَجوبُ وَفي رُسومِ بِلادِ
And send your imagination roaming through the ruins of kingdoms
And I imagine your specter in the heights of kingdoms,
Among those you traverse, and through the vestiges of lands.
From what you travel and in the features of countries.
وَسَلِand ask القُبورَthe graves وَلاand not أَقولُI say سَلِask القُرىthe towns
وَسَلِ القُبورَ وَلا أَقولُ سَلِ القُرى
هَلis there مِنof رَبيعَةَRabi'a حاضِرٌa town-dweller أَوor باديa desert-dweller
هَل مِن رَبيعَةَ حاضِرٌ أَو بادي
And ask the graves—I do not say, ask the towns—
And ask the graves, no I say ask the towns,
Is there anyone of Rabi'a, townsman or desert-dweller?
Is there someone from Rabī‘ah present or traveling?
سَتَرىyou will see الدِيارَthe lands مِنِfrom اِختِلافِthe disorder أُمورِهاtheir affairs
سَتَرى الدِيارَ مِنِ اِختِلافِ أُمورِها
نَطَقَspoke البَعيرُthe camel بِهاin them وَعَيَّand was tongue-tied الحاديthe singing camel-driver
نَطَقَ البَعيرُ بِها وَعَيَّ الحادي
You will see lands whose affairs are so disordered
You will see the abodes in the diversity of their affairs,
That the camel speaks there, while its singing driver is tongue-tied.
The camel has spoken of them and the guide comprehended.
قَضَّيتَyou spent أَيّامَthe days الشَبابِyouth بِعالَمٍin a world
قَضَّيتَ أَيّامَ الشَبابِ بِعالَمٍ
لَبِسَwore السِنينَthrough the years قَشيبَةَnew الأَبرادِstriped cloaks
لَبِسَ السِنينَ قَشيبَةَ الأَبرادِ
You spent the days of youth in a world
You spent the days of youth in a world
That wore, through the years, new striped cloaks.
That old age wore the gray hair of the cold.
وَلَدَgave birth to البَدائِعَwonders وَالرَوائِعَand marvels كُلَّهاall of them
وَلَدَ البَدائِعَ وَالرَوائِعَ كُلَّها
وَعَدَتهُand hindered it أَنthat يَلِدَit should beget البَيانَeloquence عُواديadversities
وَعَدَتهُ أَن يَلِدَ البَيانَ عُوادي
It gave birth to every wonder and marvel,
It gave birth to all wonders and marvels
Yet adversities kept it from giving birth to eloquence.
And promised it would give birth to eloquence repeatedly.
لَمdid not يَختَرِعinvent شَيطانَthe demon حَسّانٍHassan وَلَمand did not
لَم يَختَرِع شَيطانَ حَسّانٍ وَلَم
تُخرِجbring forth مَصانِعُهُits factories لِسانَthe tongue زِيادِZiyad
تُخرِج مَصانِعُهُ لِسانَ زِيادِ
It did not invent Hassan's demon, nor
No devil of Ḥassān was invented, nor
Did its factories bring forth Ziyad's tongue.
Did its factories produce the tongue of Ziyād.
اللَهُGod كَرَّمَhonored بِالبَيانِwith eloquence عِصابَةًa band
اللَهُ كَرَّمَ بِالبَيانِ عِصابَةً
فيamong العالَمينَall peoples عَزيزَةَrare الميلادِbirth
في العالَمينَ عَزيزَةَ الميلادِ
God has honored with eloquence a band
God honored a group with eloquence
Rarely born among all the world's peoples.
Precious in birth in the two worlds.
هوميرُHomer أَحدَثُnewer مِنthan قُرونٍcenturies بَعدَهُafter him
هوميرُ أَحدَثُ مِن قُرونٍ بَعدَهُ
شِعراًin poetry وَإِنand though لَمnot تَخلُthey were devoid مِنof آحادِa few individuals
شِعراً وَإِن لَم تَخلُ مِن آحادِ
Homer is newer than the centuries that followed him
Homer, generations after him,
In poetry, though they were not without a few outstanding voices.
Created poetry, though it was not without peers.
وَالشِعرُand poetry فيin حَيثُwhere النُفوسِsouls تَلَذُّهُfind it delightful
وَالشِعرُ في حَيثُ النُفوسِ تَلَذُّهُ
لاnot فيin الجَديدِthe new وَلاnor القَديمِthe old العاديprimeval
لا في الجَديدِ وَلا القَديمِ العادي
And poetry lies wherever souls delight in it,
And poetry, where souls find it sweet,
Not in the new, nor in the immemorial old.
Not in the new or the habitual old.
حَقُّthe claim العَشيرَةِthe clan فيupon نُبوغِكَyour genius أَوَّلٌfirst
حَقُّ العَشيرَةِ في نُبوغِكَ أَوَّلٌ
فَاِنظُرso consider لَعَلَّكَperhaps you بِالعَشيرَةِwith the clan باديbeginning
فَاِنظُر لَعَلَّكَ بِالعَشيرَةِ بادي
Your kin's claim upon your genius comes first;
The right of your family in your genius is first,
So consider—perhaps you will begin with your kin.
So see, perhaps you are dissipating the family.
لَمdid not يَكفِهِمsuffice them شَطرُhalf النُبوغِthe genius فَزُدهُمُso give them more
لَم يَكفِهِم شَطرُ النُبوغِ فَزُدهُمُ
إِنif كُنتَyou are بِالشَطرَينِwith both halves غَيرَnot جَوادِgenerous
إِن كُنتَ بِالشَطرَينِ غَيرَ جَوادِ
Half your genius has not sufficed them, so give them more,
Half of genius was not enough for them, so give them more
If you will not be generous with both halves.
If you are not, with both halves, ungenerous.
أَوor دَعleave لِسانَكَyour tongue وَاللُغاتِand the languages فَرُبَّماfor perhaps
أَو دَع لِسانَكَ وَاللُغاتِ فَرُبَّما
غَنّىsang الأَصيلُthe true-born بِمَنطِقِin the speech الأَجدادِthe ancestors
غَنّى الأَصيلُ بِمَنطِقِ الأَجدادِ
Or leave your tongue and the languages alone; perhaps
Or leave your tongue and languages, for perhaps
A true-born man will sing in his ancestors' speech.
The noble sang with the logic of ancestors.
إِنَّindeed الَّذيHe who مَلَأَfilled اللُغاتِthe languages مَحاسِناًbeauties
إِنَّ الَّذي مَلَأَ اللُغاتِ مَحاسِناً
جَعَلَplaced الجَمالَbeauty وَسَرَّهُand its secret فيin الضادِḍād (Arabic)
جَعَلَ الجَمالَ وَسَرَّهُ في الضادِ
Indeed, He who filled the languages with beauties
Verily the one who filled languages with beauties
Placed beauty and its secret in the tongue of ḍād.
Made beauty and its secret in the letter ‘d’.
Sol 6.1