إِثنِ عَنانَ القَلبِ وَاِسلَم بِهِ

إِثنِ عَنانَ القَلبِ وَاِسلَم بِهِ

مِن رَبرَبِ الرَملِ وَمِن سِربِهِ

مِن رَبرَبِ الرَملِ وَمِن سِربِهِ

Turn loose the heart’s reins, and surrender it

Turn back the heart's reins and escape safely with it

to the desert’s gazelle-herd, to its roaming band;

From the sands' gazelle-herd and its flock,

وَمِن تَثَنّي الغيدِ عَن بانِهِ

وَمِن تَثَنّي الغيدِ عَن بانِهِ

مُرتَجَّةَ الأَردافِ عَن كُثبِهِ

مُرتَجَّةَ الأَردافِ عَن كُثبِهِ

to graceful maidens swaying from their bān tree,

And from the lissome beauties' swaying, from its bān trees,

their haunches trembling beyond its dunes.

From quivering hips, from its dunes.

ظِباؤُهُ المُنكَسِراتُ الظُبا

ظِباؤُهُ المُنكَسِراتُ الظُبا

يَغلِبنَ ذا اللُبِّ عَلى لُبِّهِ

يَغلِبنَ ذا اللُبِّ عَلى لُبِّهِ

Its gazelles put even sword-blades to shame

Its gazelles, whose blades are broken,

and overcome the discerning man’s own reason.

Overpower the man of reason and rob him of his wits.

بيضٌ رِقاقُ الحُسنِ في لَمحَةٍ

بيضٌ رِقاقُ الحُسنِ في لَمحَةٍ

مِن ناعِمِ الدُرِّ وَمِن رَطبِهِ

مِن ناعِمِ الدُرِّ وَمِن رَطبِهِ

Fair ones, delicately lovely at a glance,

Fair-skinned, delicate in beauty, with a gleam

of tender pearl and fresh pearl alike;

Of smooth pearls and their freshness;

ذَوابِلُ النَرجِسِ في أَصلِهِ

ذَوابِلُ النَرجِسِ في أَصلِهِ

يَوانِعُ الوَردِ عَلى قُضبِهِ

يَوانِعُ الوَردِ عَلى قُضبِهِ

slender narcissus-spears planted there,

Drooping narcissi at their roots,

and roses ripening upon their stems.

Blooming roses upon their stems.

زِنَّ عَلى الأَرضِ سَماءَ الدُجى

زِنَّ عَلى الأَرضِ سَماءَ الدُجى

وَزِدنَ في الحُسنِ عَلى شُهبِهِ

وَزِدنَ في الحُسنِ عَلى شُهبِهِ

Upon the earth they adorned the night’s sky

On earth they adorned the sky of night,

and surpassed its shooting stars in beauty.

And surpassed its bright stars in beauty.

يَمشينَ أَسراباً عَلى هينَةٍ

يَمشينَ أَسراباً عَلى هينَةٍ

مَشيَ القَطا الآمِنِ في سِربِهِ

مَشيَ القَطا الآمِنِ في سِربِهِ

They walk in herds, unhurried,

They walk in flocks at an easy pace,

like sandgrouse secure within their flock—

Like sandgrouse walking securely within their flock.

مِن كُلِّ وَسنانٍ بِغَيرِ الكَرى

مِن كُلِّ وَسنانٍ بِغَيرِ الكَرى

تَنتَبِهُ الآجالُ مِن هُدبِهِ

تَنتَبِهُ الآجالُ مِن هُدبِهِ

each one drowsy-eyed, though sleepless,

Each with an eye drowsy without slumber,

at whose lashes mortal spans reach their end.

Deaths awaken from its lashes.

جَفنٌ تَلَقّى مَلَكا بابِلٍ

جَفنٌ تَلَقّى مَلَكا بابِلٍ

غَرائِبَ السِحرِ عَلى غَربِهِ

غَرائِبَ السِحرِ عَلى غَربِهِ

An eyelid that welcomed Babylon’s angel

An eyelid where the two angels of Babylon learned

and the wonders of magic upon its edge.

The marvels of magic upon its edge.

يا ظَبيَةَ الرَملِ وُقيتِ الهَوى

يا ظَبيَةَ الرَملِ وُقيتِ الهَوى

وَإِن سَمِعَت عَيناكِ في جَلبِهِ

وَإِن سَمِعَت عَيناكِ في جَلبِهِ

O doe of the sands, may love spare you,

O gazelle of the sands, may you be spared love,

even if your eyes hear of its onslaught;

Though your eyes are famed for drawing it in.

وَلا ذَرَفتِ الدَمعَ يَوماً وَإِن

وَلا ذَرَفتِ الدَمعَ يَوماً وَإِن

أَسرَفتِ في الدَمعِ وَفي سَكبِهِ

أَسرَفتِ في الدَمعِ وَفي سَكبِهِ

and may you never shed tears, although

And may you never shed tears, though

you have poured them out lavishly.

You have been lavish with tears and their shedding.

هَذي الشَواكي النُحلُ صِدنَ اِمرأً

هَذي الشَواكي النُحلُ صِدنَ اِمرأً

مُلقى الصِبا أَعزَلَ مِن غَربِهِ

مُلقى الصِبا أَعزَلَ مِن غَربِهِ

Those slender, healing shafts have captured a man,

These slender, plaintive ones have caught a man

struck down by youth, the edge gone from his sword.

With youth laid aside, stripped of its edge;

صَيّادَ آرامٍ رَماهُ الهَوى

صَيّادَ آرامٍ رَماهُ الهَوى

بِشادِنٍ لا بُرءَ مِن حُبِّهِ

بِشادِنٍ لا بُرءَ مِن حُبِّهِ

A hunter of gazelles whom passion felled

A hunter of gazelles whom love struck

with a young gazelle whose love admits no cure.

With a fawn from whose love there is no cure.

شابٌّ وَفي أَضلُعِهِ صاحِبٌ

شابٌّ وَفي أَضلُعِهِ صاحِبٌ

خِلوٌ مِنَ الشَيبِ وَمِن خَطبِهِ

خِلوٌ مِنَ الشَيبِ وَمِن خَطبِهِ

He is young, yet within his ribs dwells a companion

A young man, with a companion within his ribs,

free of gray hair and free of calamity.

Free of gray hair and its troubles.

واهٍ بِجَنبي خافِقٌ كُلَّما

واهٍ بِجَنبي خافِقٌ كُلَّما

قُلتُ تَناهى لَجَّ في وَثبِهِ

قُلتُ تَناهى لَجَّ في وَثبِهِ

A frail, fluttering thing lives beside me—whenever

Frail and beating within my side; whenever

I say it has settled, its leaping grows more violent.

I say, 'It has stopped,' it persists in leaping.

لا تَنثَني الآرامُ عَن قاعِهِ

لا تَنثَني الآرامُ عَن قاعِهِ

وَلا بَناتُ الشَوقِ عَن شِعبِهِ

وَلا بَناتُ الشَوقِ عَن شِعبِهِ

The gazelles never turn away from its open ground,

The gazelles never turn away from its plain,

nor longing’s daughters from its mountain path.

Nor longing's daughters from its ravine.

حَمَّلتُهُ في الحُبِّ ما لَم يَكُن

حَمَّلتُهُ في الحُبِّ ما لَم يَكُن

لِيَحمِلَ الحُبُّ عَلى قَلبِهِ

لِيَحمِلَ الحُبُّ عَلى قَلبِهِ

I burdened it in love with what it was never

I burdened it in love with what

made to bear, laying love upon its heart.

Love would never have borne upon its own heart.

ما خَفَّ إِلّا لِلهَوى وَالعُلا

ما خَفَّ إِلّا لِلهَوى وَالعُلا

أَو لِجَلالِ الوَفدِ في رَكبِهِ

أَو لِجَلالِ الوَفدِ في رَكبِهِ

It stirred only for passion and exalted glory,

It stirred only for love and lofty aims,

or for the august delegation within its caravan.

Or for the Wafd delegation's grandeur in its cavalcade.

أَربَعَةٌ تَجمَعُهُم هِمَّةٌ

أَربَعَةٌ تَجمَعُهُم هِمَّةٌ

يَنقُلُها الجيلُ إِلى عَقبِهِ

يَنقُلُها الجيلُ إِلى عَقبِهِ

Four men are united by one resolve,

Four, united by a resolve

handed down by one generation to its posterity.

That one generation passes to its successors.

قِطارُهُم كَالقَطرِ هَزَّ الثَرى

قِطارُهُم كَالقَطرِ هَزَّ الثَرى

وَزادَهُ خِصباً عَلى خِصبِهِ

وَزادَهُ خِصباً عَلى خِصبِهِ

Their procession, like rainfall, shook the earth

Their train, like rain, stirred the soil

and made its fertile soil more fertile still.

And added fertility to its fertility.

لَولا اِستِلامُ الخَلقِ أَرسانَهُ

لَولا اِستِلامُ الخَلقِ أَرسانَهُ

شَبَّ فَنالَ الشَمسَ مِن عُجبِهِ

شَبَّ فَنالَ الشَمسَ مِن عُجبِهِ

Had creation not seized its reins,

Had people not grasped its halters,

it would have reared and reached the sun in pride.

It would have reared and reached the sun in its pride.

كُلُّهُمُ أَغيَرُ مِن وائِلٍ

كُلُّهُمُ أَغيَرُ مِن وائِلٍ

عَلى حِماهُ وَعَلى شَعبِهِ

عَلى حِماهُ وَعَلى شَعبِهِ

Each is fiercer than Wāʾil in guarding

Each is more fiercely protective than Wa'il

his sanctuary and his people.

Of his homeland and his people.

لَو قَدَروا جاؤوكُمُ بِالثَرى

لَو قَدَروا جاؤوكُمُ بِالثَرى

مِن قُطبِهِ مُلكاً إِلى قُطبِهِ

مِن قُطبِهِ مُلكاً إِلى قُطبِهِ

Could they do so, they would bring you the whole earth

If they could, they would bring you the earth

as a kingdom extending from pole to pole.

As your dominion, from one pole to the other.

وَما اِعتِراضُ الحَظِّ دونَ المُنى

وَما اِعتِراضُ الحَظِّ دونَ المُنى

مِن هَفوَةِ المُحسِنِ أَو ذَنبِهِ

مِن هَفوَةِ المُحسِنِ أَو ذَنبِهِ

That Fortune obstructs desires is no

Nor is fortune's obstruction of hopes

fault or sin of the benefactor.

Due to the benefactor's lapse or fault.

وَلَيسَ بِالفاضِلِ في نَفسِهِ

وَلَيسَ بِالفاضِلِ في نَفسِهِ

مَن يُنكِرُ الفَضلَ عَلى رَبِّهِ

مَن يُنكِرُ الفَضلَ عَلى رَبِّهِ

Nor is he a man of virtue in himself—

Nor is he virtuous in himself

he who denies his lord’s beneficence.

Who denies merit to its possessor.

ما بالُ قَومي اِختَلَفوا بَينَهُم

ما بالُ قَومي اِختَلَفوا بَينَهُم

في مِدحَةِ المَشروعِ أَو ثَلبِهِ

في مِدحَةِ المَشروعِ أَو ثَلبِهِ

Why have my people fallen into dispute

Why have my people disputed among themselves

over praising the enterprise or disparaging it?

Over praising the project or reviling it?

كَأَنَّهُم أَسرى أَحاديثُهُم

كَأَنَّهُم أَسرى أَحاديثُهُم

في لَيِّنِ القَيدِ وَفي صُلبِهِ

في لَيِّنِ القَيدِ وَفي صُلبِهِ

As though they themselves were captives of their talk,

As though they were captives, whose talk is

in the fetter’s yielding links and its rigid ones.

Of the shackle's softness and its hardness.

يا قَومِ هَذا زَمَنٌ قَد رَمى

يا قَومِ هَذا زَمَنٌ قَد رَمى

بِالقَيدِ وَاِستَكبَرَ عَن سَحبِهِ

بِالقَيدِ وَاِستَكبَرَ عَن سَحبِهِ

My people, this is an age that has cast off its chain

My people, this is an age that has cast off

and grown too proud to drag it behind.

The fetter, too proud to drag it.

لَو أَنَّ قَيداً جاءَهُ مِن عَلِ

لَو أَنَّ قَيداً جاءَهُ مِن عَلِ

خَشيتُ أَن يَأتي عَلى رَبِّهِ

خَشيتُ أَن يَأتي عَلى رَبِّهِ

Had a fetter descended upon it from above,

If a fetter came to it from on high,

I would fear it might overpower its lord.

I would fear it would make an end of its master.

وَهَذِهِ الضَجَّةُ مِن ناسِهِ

وَهَذِهِ الضَجَّةُ مِن ناسِهِ

جَنازَةُ الرِقِّ إِلى تُربِهِ

جَنازَةُ الرِقِّ إِلى تُربِهِ

This clamor rising from its people

And this uproar from its people

is bondage’s funeral procession toward its grave.

Is slavery's funeral procession to its grave.

مَن يَخلَعُ النيرَ يَعِش بُرهَةً

مَن يَخلَعُ النيرَ يَعِش بُرهَةً

في أَثَرِ النيرِ وَفي نَدبِهِ

في أَثَرِ النيرِ وَفي نَدبِهِ

Whoever casts off the yoke lives for a time

Whoever throws off the yoke lives a while

still marked by the yoke and by its scars.

With the yoke's imprint and its scar.

يا نَشأَ الحَيِّ شَبابَ الحِمى

يا نَشأَ الحَيِّ شَبابَ الحِمى

سُلالَةَ المَشرِقِ مِن نُجبِهِ

سُلالَةَ المَشرِقِ مِن نُجبِهِ

O rising youth of the people, defenders of the homeland,

O rising youth of the community, youth of the homeland,

noble progeny of the East,

Offspring of the East, of its noblest stock,

بَني الأُلى أَصبَحَ إِحسانُهُم

بَني الأُلى أَصبَحَ إِحسانُهُم

دارَت رَحى الفَنِّ عَلى قُطبِهِ

دارَت رَحى الفَنِّ عَلى قُطبِهِ

sons of those whose beneficence set

Sons of those whose excellence became

the millstone of art turning on its axis.

The axle on which art's mill revolved.

موسى وَعيسى نَشَآ بَينَهُم

موسى وَعيسى نَشَآ بَينَهُم

في سَعَةِ الفِكرِ وَفي رُحبِهِ

في سَعَةِ الفِكرِ وَفي رُحبِهِ

Moses and Jesus grew up among them,

Moses and Jesus grew up among them

amid breadth of thought and spaciousness.

In breadth of thought and its spaciousness.

وَعالَجا أَوَّلَ ما عالَجا

وَعالَجا أَوَّلَ ما عالَجا

مِن عِلَلِ العالَمِ أَو طِبِّهِ

مِن عِلَلِ العالَمِ أَو طِبِّهِ

They treated—first among all they treated—

And made their first efforts at treating

the world’s affliction, or its healing.

The world's ailments or bringing it healing.

ما نَسِيَت مِصرُ لَكُم بِرَّها

ما نَسِيَت مِصرُ لَكُم بِرَّها

في حازِبِ الأَمرِ وَفي صَعبِهِ

في حازِبِ الأَمرِ وَفي صَعبِهِ

Egypt has not forgotten your devotion

Egypt has not forgotten your devotion to her

in settled affairs and in difficult ones.

In pressing affairs and their hardships.

مَزَّقتُمُ الوَهمَ وَأَلِفتُمُ

مَزَّقتُمُ الوَهمَ وَأَلِفتُمُ

أَهِلَّةَ اللَهِ عَلى صُلبِهِ

أَهِلَّةَ اللَهِ عَلى صُلبِهِ

You tore illusion apart and brought into fellowship

You tore illusion apart and embraced

God’s crescents upon the cross.

God's crescents upon His crosses,

حَتّى بَنَيتُم هَرَماً رابِعاً

حَتّى بَنَيتُم هَرَماً رابِعاً

مِن فِئَةِ الحَقِّ وَمِن حِزبِهِ

مِن فِئَةِ الحَقِّ وَمِن حِزبِهِ

At last you built a fourth pyramid

Until you built a fourth pyramid

from the company of truth and its party.

From truth's company and its party.

يَومٌ لَكُم يَبقى كَبَدرٍ عَلى

يَومٌ لَكُم يَبقى كَبَدرٍ عَلى

أَنصارِ سَعدٍ وَعَلى صَحبِهِ

أَنصارِ سَعدٍ وَعَلى صَحبِهِ

One day of yours remains like a full moon above

A day of yours will endure like Badr for

the supporters of Saʿd and his companions.

Saad's supporters and his companions.

قَد صارَتِ الحالُ إِلى جِدِّها

قَد صارَتِ الحالُ إِلى جِدِّها

وَاِنتَبَهَ الغافِلُ مِن لُعبِهِ

وَاِنتَبَهَ الغافِلُ مِن لُعبِهِ

The matter has now become earnest,

The situation has now turned serious,

and the heedless one has awakened from his play.

And the heedless one has awakened from his play.

اللَيثُ وَالعالَمُ مِن شَرقِهِ

اللَيثُ وَالعالَمُ مِن شَرقِهِ

في هَيبَةِ اللَيثِ إِلى غَربِهِ

في هَيبَةِ اللَيثِ إِلى غَربِهِ

The lion—and the world from its East—

The lion—while the world, from its east

stand in the lion’s awe as far as its West.

To its west, stands in awe of the lion—

قَضى بِأَن نَبني عَلى نابِهِ

قَضى بِأَن نَبني عَلى نابِهِ

مُلكَ بَنينا وَعَلى خِلبِهِ

مُلكَ بَنينا وَعَلى خِلبِهِ

It was decreed that we build upon its fang

Has decreed that we build upon his fang

the realm we built, and upon its claw;

Our sons' kingdom, and upon his claw;

وَنَبلُغُ المَجدَ عَلى عَينِهِ

وَنَبلُغُ المَجدَ عَلى عَينِهِ

وَنَدخُلُ العَصرَ إِلى جَنبِهِ

وَنَدخُلُ العَصرَ إِلى جَنبِهِ

that we attain glory beneath its very eye,

And attain glory under his eye,

and enter the modern age beside it;

And enter the age at his side;

وَنَصِلَ النازِلَ في سِلمِهِ

وَنَصِلَ النازِلَ في سِلمِهِ

وَنَقطَعَ الداخِلَ في حَربِهِ

وَنَقطَعَ الداخِلَ في حَربِهِ

that we make peace with whoever comes in peace,

And maintain ties with whoever dwells in his peace,

and cut down whoever enters in war;

And break with whoever enters his war;

وَنَصرِفَ النيلَ إِلى رَأيِهِ

وَنَصرِفَ النيلَ إِلى رَأيِهِ

يَقسِمُهُ بِالعَدلِ في شِربِهِ

يَقسِمُهُ بِالعَدلِ في شِربِهِ

that we direct the Nile according to its counsel,

And turn the Nile over to his judgment:

dispensing its waters justly;

He divides it justly into water shares.

يُبيحُ أَو يَحمي عَلى قُدرَةٍ

يُبيحُ أَو يَحمي عَلى قُدرَةٍ

حَقَّ القُرى وَالناسُ في عَذبِهِ

حَقَّ القُرى وَالناسُ في عَذبِهِ

granting or withholding with power

He grants or withholds, wielding power,

the villages’ due, while the people drink its sweet water.

The villages' and people's right to its sweet water.

أَمرٌ عَلَيكُم أَو لَكُم في غَدٍ

أَمرٌ عَلَيكُم أَو لَكُم في غَدٍ

ما ساءَ أَو ما سَرَّ مِن غَبِّهِ

ما ساءَ أَو ما سَرَّ مِن غَبِّهِ

It is a matter that may count against you or for you tomorrow,

A matter against you or in your favor tomorrow,

whatever good or evil follows from it.

Whatever ill or joy its aftermath may bring.

لا تَستَقِلّوهُ فَما دَهرُكُم

لا تَستَقِلّوهُ فَما دَهرُكُم

بِحاتِمِ الجودِ وَلا كَعبِهِ

بِحاتِمِ الجودِ وَلا كَعبِهِ

Do not deem it slight—for your age is neither

Do not belittle it, for your age

Ḥātim in generosity nor his Kaʿb.

Is neither Hatim in generosity nor its Kaab.

نَسمَعُ بِالحَقِّ وَلَم نَطَّلِع

نَسمَعُ بِالحَقِّ وَلَم نَطَّلِع

عَلى قَنا الحَقِّ وَلا قُضبِهِ

عَلى قَنا الحَقِّ وَلا قُضبِهِ

We hear of truth, yet never have we seen

We hear of justice, but have not seen

truth’s spears or its swords.

Justice's spears or its swords.

يَنالُ بِاللينِ الفَتى بَعضَ ما

يَنالُ بِاللينِ الفَتى بَعضَ ما

يَعجَزُ بِالشِدَّةِ عَن غَصبِهِ

يَعجَزُ بِالشِدَّةِ عَن غَصبِهِ

Through gentleness a young man attains some things

Through gentleness, a young man attains some of what

that by violence he is powerless to seize.

He cannot seize by force.

فَإِن أَنِستُم فَليَكُن أُنسُكُم

فَإِن أَنِستُم فَليَكُن أُنسُكُم

في الصَبرِ لِلدَهرِ وَفي عَتبِهِ

في الصَبرِ لِلدَهرِ وَفي عَتبِهِ

If you seek reassurance, let your reassurance lie

So if you find comfort, let your comfort be

in patience with time and with its rebuke,

In patience with time and in reproaching it,

وَفي اِحتِشامِ الأُسدِ دونَ القَذى

وَفي اِحتِشامِ الأُسدِ دونَ القَذى

إِذا هِيَ اِضطُرَّت إِلى شُربِهِ

إِذا هِيَ اِضطُرَّت إِلى شُربِهِ

and in the lion’s dignified shrinking from a mote

And in the lions' dignified reserve before foul water

when it is compelled to drink despite it.

When they are compelled to drink it.

قَد أَسقَطَ الطَفرَةَ في مُلكِهِ

قَد أَسقَطَ الطَفرَةَ في مُلكِهِ

مَن لَيسَ بِالعاجِزِ عَن قَلبِهِ

مَن لَيسَ بِالعاجِزِ عَن قَلبِهِ

A sudden leap has toppled, within his kingdom,

The leap within his kingdom has been ruled out

one who was well able to overturn it.

By one who is not powerless to overturn it.

يا رُبَّ قَيدٍ لا تُحِبّونَهُ

يا رُبَّ قَيدٍ لا تُحِبّونَهُ

زَمانُكُم لَم يَتَقَيَّد بِهِ

زَمانُكُم لَم يَتَقَيَّد بِهِ

Many a fetter may displease you,

Oh, many a fetter that you do not love—

though your age has never been bound by it;

Your age has never been bound by it.

وَمَطلَبٍ في الظَنِّ مُستَبعَدٍ

وَمَطلَبٍ في الظَنِّ مُستَبعَدٍ

كَالصُبحِ لِلناظِرِ في قُربِهِ

كَالصُبحِ لِلناظِرِ في قُربِهِ

and many an aim deemed distant in expectation

And many a goal thought far-fetched

is like dawn, near to the watcher.

Is as near as dawn to the watcher.

وَاليَأسُ لا يَجمُلُ مِن مُؤمِنٍ

وَاليَأسُ لا يَجمُلُ مِن مُؤمِنٍ

ما دامَ هَذا الغَيبُ في حُجبِهِ

ما دامَ هَذا الغَيبُ في حُجبِهِ

Despair does not become a believer

And despair does not befit a believer

so long as this unseen future remains behind its veils.

While this unknown remains behind its veils.