قِفstand بِروماin Rome وَشاهِدِand behold الأَمرَthe state of affairs وَاِشهَدand bear witness
قِف بِروما وَشاهِدِ الأَمرَ وَاِشهَد
أَنَّthat لِلمُلكِfor dominion مالِكاًa Master سُبحانَهglory be to Him
أَنَّ لِلمُلكِ مالِكاً سُبحانَه
Stand in Rome, behold what has happened, and bear witness
Stand in Rome and behold the matter and bear witness
that dominion has a Master—glory be to Him.
That the King has a Sublime Owner
دَولَةٌan empire فيin الثَرىthe dust وَأَنقاضُand ruins of مُلكٍa realm
دَولَةٌ في الثَرى وَأَنقاضُ مُلكٍ
هَدَمَdemolished الدَهرُTime فيin العُلاthe heights بُنيانَهits edifice
هَدَمَ الدَهرُ في العُلا بُنيانَه
An empire in the dust, and the ruins of a realm
A state in the earth and ruins of a kingdom
whose lofty edifice Time has demolished.
Time has demolished its lofty structure
مَزَّقَتtore apart تاجَهُits crown الخُطوبُcalamities وَأَلقَتand cast
مَزَّقَت تاجَهُ الخُطوبُ وَأَلقَت
فيinto التُرابِthe dust الَّذيwhich أَرىI see صَولَجانَهits scepter
في التُرابِ الَّذي أَرى صَولَجانَه
Calamities tore its crown apart and cast
Its crown was ripped by calamities and cast
its scepter into the dust I see.
In the dust where I see its turban
طَلَلٌa standing ruin عِندَbeside دِمنَةٍan abandoned site عِندَbeside رَسمٍa vestige
طَلَلٌ عِندَ دِمنَةٍ عِندَ رَسمٍ
كَكِتابٍlike a book مَحاerased البِلىdecay عُنوانَهits title
كَكِتابٍ مَحا البِلى عُنوانَه
A ruin beside an abandoned site beside a vestige,
Ruins near a garbage dump near an imprint
like a book whose title decay has erased.
Like a book whose title time has erased
وَتَماثيلُand statues كَالحَقائِقِlike truths تَزداgrow (word continues)
وَتَماثيلُ كَالحَقائِقِ تَزدا
دُ(completes 'grow') وُضوحاًin clarity عَلىover المَدىtime وَإِبّانَهand distinctness
دُ وُضوحاً عَلى المَدى وَإِبّانَه
And statues that, like truths, grow
And statues as if realities augment
clearer and more distinct with the passage of time.
In clarity over the horizon and make it distinct
مَنwhoever رَآهاsees them يَقولُsays هَذيthese مُلوكُthe kings of
مَن رَآها يَقولُ هَذي مُلوكُ
الدَهرِthe ages هَذاthis وَقارُهُمtheir dignity وَالرَزانَهand composure
الدَهرِ هَذا وَقارُهُم وَالرَزانَه
Whoever sees them says, “These are the kings
Whoever sees them says these are the kings
of the ages; here are their dignity and poise.”
Of time, this is their dignity and composure
وَبَقاياand remnants of هَياكِلٍtemples وَقُصورٍand palaces
وَبَقايا هَياكِلٍ وَقُصورٍ
بَينَbetween أَخذِthe grasp of البِلىdecay وَدَفعِand the resistance of المَتانَهsolidity
بَينَ أَخذِ البِلى وَدَفعِ المَتانَه
And remnants of temples and palaces,
And remnants of temples and palaces
caught between decay's grasp and solidity's resistance.
Between the taking of dilapidation and the resistance of firmness
عَبَثَtoyed الدَهرُTime بِالحَوارِيِّwith the Apostle فيهاin it
عَبَثَ الدَهرُ بِالحَوارِيِّ فيها
وَبَيلَيوسَand Baylayus لَمdid not يَهَبfear أُرجُوانَهhis purple
وَبَيلَيوسَ لَم يَهَب أُرجُوانَه
Time toyed with the Apostle there,
Time has toyed with the clergy therein
and did not fear Baylayus's purple.
And Belisarius did not bestow its purple
وَجَرَتand took place هاهُناhere أُمورٌevents كِبارٌmomentous
وَجَرَت هاهُنا أُمورٌ كِبارٌ
واصَلَcontinued الدَهرُTime بَعدَهاafter them جَرَيانَهits course
واصَلَ الدَهرُ بَعدَها جَرَيانَه
Momentous events took place here,
And great events took place here
and Time continued its course after them.
And time thereafter continued its course
راحَdeparted دينٌa faith وَجاءَand came دينٌa faith وَوَلّىand passed away
راحَ دينٌ وَجاءَ دينٌ وَوَلّى
مُلكُthe rule of قَومٍa people وَحَلَّand settled مَلِكٌa king مَكانَهin its place
مُلكُ قَومٍ وَحَلَّ مَلِكٌ مَكانَه
One faith departed, another came, and away passed
A religion went and a religion came and
a people's dominion; a king took its place.
The rule of a people declined and a king took its place
وَالَّذيand what حَصَّلَgained المُجِدّونَthe strivers إِهراshedding (word continues)
وَالَّذي حَصَّلَ المُجِدّونَ إِهرا
قُ(completes 'shedding') دِماءٍblood خَليقَةٍdeserving بِالصِيانَهof protection
قُ دِماءٍ خَليقَةٍ بِالصِيانَه
What the strivers gained was the shedding
And those who amassed glory spilt
of blood that deserved protection.
Blood of a despised people by preserving it
لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge إِلامَto what end يَقتَتِلُfight one another الناthe people (word continues)
لَيتَ شِعري إِلامَ يَقتَتِلُ النا
سُ(completes 'the people') عَلىover ذيthis الدَنِيَّةِthe base world الفَتّانَهbewitching
سُ عَلى ذي الدَنِيَّةِ الفَتّانَه
Would that I knew: why do people fight
I wonder why people fight
over this base, bewitching world?
Over the base world of temptation
بَلَدٌa city كانَwas لِلنَصارىfor the Christians قَتاداًa thornbush
بَلَدٌ كانَ لِلنَصارى قَتاداً
صارَbecame مُلكَthe domain of القُسوسِthe priests عَرشُthe throne of الدِيانَهreligion
صارَ مُلكَ القُسوسِ عَرشُ الدِيانَه
A city once a thorn to Christians
A land that was for Christians, fiefs
became the priests' domain, the throne of faith.
Became the throne of patriarchs and the seat of religion
وَشُعوبٌand peoples يَمحونَthey efface آيَةَthe sign of عيسىJesus
وَشُعوبٌ يَمحونَ آيَةَ عيسى
ثُمَّthen يُعلونَthey exalt فيamong البَرِيَّةِhumankind شانَهhis standing
ثُمَّ يُعلونَ في البَرِيَّةِ شانَه
And peoples efface the sign of Jesus,
And nations that erase Jesus' sign
then exalt his stature among humankind.
Then exalt his glory in the wilderness
وَيُهينونَand they dishonor صاحِبَthe bearer of الروحِthe spirit مَيتاًdead
وَيُهينونَ صاحِبَ الروحِ مَيتاً
وَيُعِزّونَand they honor بَعدَهُafter him أَكفانَهhis shrouds
وَيُعِزّونَ بَعدَهُ أَكفانَه
They dishonor the spirit's bearer in death,
And they insult the Master of the Soul dead
yet honor his shrouds after he is gone.
And honour his shroud after him
عالَمٌa world قُلَّبٌfickle وَأَحلامُand the minds of خَلقٍpeople
عالَمٌ قُلَّبٌ وَأَحلامُ خَلقٍ
تَتَبارىvie غَباوَةًin stupidity وَفَطانَهand shrewdness
تَتَبارى غَباوَةً وَفَطانَه
A fickle world, and human minds
A topsy-turvy world and dreams of people
vying in folly and shrewdness.
Competing in stupidity and wit
رَومَةُRome الزَهوِpride فيin الشَرائِعِlaws وَالحِكand wisdom (word continues)
رَومَةُ الزَهوِ في الشَرائِعِ وَالحِك
مَةِ(completes 'wisdom') فيin الحُكمِgovernment وَالهَوىand passion وَالمَجانَهand debauchery
مَةِ في الحُكمِ وَالهَوى وَالمَجانَه
Rome, proud in laws and
The vanity of legislation in laws and wisdom in ruling, passions and pardons
wisdom, in government, passion, and debauchery,
And no limit was surpassed, no dear belittled
وَالتَناهيand going to extremes فَماso no تَعَدّىexceeded عَزيزاًan exalted person
وَالتَناهي فَما تَعَدّى عَزيزاً
فيكِin you عِزٌّhonor وَلاnor مَهيناًan abased person مَهانَهabasement
فيكِ عِزٌّ وَلا مَهيناً مَهانَه
and in extremes: your mighty knew unsurpassed
Nor despised disgraced in you
honor, your lowly unsurpassed humiliation.
No tribe untouched by you considers it
ماnot لِحَيٍّfor anyone living لَمdid not يُمسِbecome مِنكِpart of you قَبيلٌa clan
ما لِحَيٍّ لَم يُمسِ مِنكِ قَبيلٌ
أَوor بِلادٌlands يُعِدُّهاhe counts them أَوطانَهhis homelands
أَو بِلادٌ يُعِدُّها أَوطانَه
No living man's clan failed to become part of you,
Its homeland, people in you become
nor any lands he counted as his homelands.
Lords and your servants see multitudes as their boys
يُصبِحُbecome الناسُpeople فيكِin you مَولىa master وَعَبداًand a slave
يُصبِحُ الناسُ فيكِ مَولى وَعَبداً
وَيَرىand sees عَبدُكِyour slave الوَرىhumankind غِلمانَهhis servants
وَيَرى عَبدُكِ الوَرى غِلمانَه
In you people become masters and slaves,
Where is an eastern or western kingdom lofty
and your slave regards humankind as his servants.
That the sun envies its sultan at dawn
أَينَwhere مُلكٌan empire فيin الشَرقِthe East وَالغَربِand the West عالٍlofty
أَينَ مُلكٌ في الشَرقِ وَالغَربِ عالٍ
تَحسُدُenvies الشَمسُthe sun فيat الضُحىmidmorning سُلطانَهits sway
تَحسُدُ الشَمسُ في الضُحى سُلطانَه
Where is that empire, lofty in East and West,
Able to transform kingdoms into institutions and provide its vastness with helpers
whose sway the sun at midmorning envied?
Where is wealth whose collected land tax and subjects
قادِرٌpowerful يَمسَخُreduces المَمالِكَkingdoms أَعماprovinces (word continues)
قادِرٌ يَمسَخُ المَمالِكَ أَعما
لاً(completes 'provinces') وَيُعطيand grants وَسيعَهاtheir vast expanses أَعوانَهits retainers
لاً وَيُعطي وَسيعَها أَعوانَه
Powerful enough to reduce kingdoms to provinces
Are all treasurers while you are the treasury
and grant their vast expanses to its retainers?
Where are your nobles who tyrannized time
أَينَwhere مالٌwealth جَبَيتِهِyou collected it وَرَعاياand subjects
أَينَ مالٌ جَبَيتِهِ وَرَعايا
كُلُّهُمall of them خازِنٌa treasurer وَأَنتِand you الخَزانَهthe treasury
كُلُّهُم خازِنٌ وَأَنتِ الخَزانَه
Where is the wealth you collected, and the subjects,
Until it made them taste its tyranny
each one a treasurer, while you were the treasury?
Where is your judge whose mount it hosted
أَينَwhere أَشرَافُكِyour nobles الَّذينَwho طَغَواtyrannized فيthrough الدَهtime (word continues)
أَينَ أَشرَافُكِ الَّذينَ طَغَوا في الدَه
رِ(completes 'time') حَتّىuntil أَذاقَهُمit made them taste طُغيانَهits tyranny
رِ حَتّى أَذاقَهُم طُغيانَه
Where are your nobles, who tyrannized through the ages,
Where is your herald whose old age it respected
until Time made them taste its own tyranny?
We have seen on you traces of sorrow
أَينَwhere قاضيكِyour judge ماwhat أَناخَsettled عَلَيهِupon him
أَينَ قاضيكِ ما أَناخَ عَلَيهِ
أَينَwhere ناديكِyour assembly ماwhat دَهىbefell شَيخانَهits elders
أَينَ ناديكِ ما دَهى شَيخانَه
Where is your judge? What has descended upon him?
And from houses what you see are their griefs
Where is your assembly? What befell its elders?
Stop and ask time explicitly
قَدindeed رَأَيناwe have seen عَلَيكِupon you آثارَsigns of حُزنٍgrief
قَد رَأَينا عَلَيكِ آثارَ حُزنٍ
وَمِنَand among الدورِthe houses ماthat which تَرىyou see أَحزانَهits sorrows
وَمِنَ الدورِ ما تَرى أَحزانَه
We have indeed seen signs of grief upon you,
Did it let its morn pass twice
and there are houses whose sorrows you can see.
Indeed, He who separated creations into nations
اِقصِريdesist وَاِسأَليand ask عَنِabout الدَهرِTime مِصراًEgypt
اِقصِري وَاِسأَلي عَنِ الدَهرِ مِصراً
هَلwhether قَضَتshe fulfilled مَرَّتَينِtwice مِنهُfrom it اللُبانَهthe heart's desire
هَل قَضَت مَرَّتَينِ مِنهُ اللُبانَه
Desist, and ask Egypt about Time:
Made justice among them its scale
has she twice obtained from it her heart's desire?
Shed your nights you have spent mourning
إِنَّindeed مَنHe who فَرَّقَdivided العِبادَhumankind شُعوباًinto peoples
إِنَّ مَن فَرَّقَ العِبادَ شُعوباً
جَعَلَmade القِسطَjustice بَينَهاamong them ميزانَهHis balance
جَعَلَ القِسطَ بَينَها ميزانَه
Indeed, He who divided humankind into peoples
Rome's dominion shall not decline upon the earth
made justice His balance among them.
هَبكِsuppose you أَفنَيتِspent بِالحِدادِin mourning اللَياليthe nights
هَبكِ أَفنَيتِ بِالحِدادِ اللَيالي
لَنwill not تَرَدّىyou restore عَلىto الوَرىhumankind رومانَهits Romans
لَن تَرَدّى عَلى الوَرى رومانَه
Suppose you spent the nights in mourning:
you will not give humankind back its Romans.
Partial English translation: 55 of 58 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1