لِكُلِّ زَمانٍ مَضى آيَةٌ

لِكُلِّ زَمانٍ مَضى آيَةٌ

وَآيَةُ هَذا الزَمانِ الصُحُف

وَآيَةُ هَذا الزَمانِ الصُحُف

Every bygone age has a sign,

Every past era has a sign,

and the sign of this age is the press.

And the sign of this era is newspapers,

لِسانُ البِلادِ وَنَبضُ العِبادِ

لِسانُ البِلادِ وَنَبضُ العِبادِ

وَكَهفُ الحُقوقِ وَحَربُ الجَنَف

وَكَهفُ الحُقوقِ وَحَربُ الجَنَف

The tongue of the land and the pulse of its people,

The country's tongue and pulse of the worshipers,

and the refuge of rights, and war against injustice.

Shelter of rights and war of hypocrisy.

تَسيرُ مَسيرَ الضُحى في البِلادِ

تَسيرُ مَسيرَ الضُحى في البِلادِ

إِذا العِلمُ مَزَّقَ فيها السَدَف

إِذا العِلمُ مَزَّقَ فيها السَدَف

It moves through the land as morning light moves,

It moves like the dawn in the countries,

when knowledge tears apart the darkness there.

When knowledge in them tore the veil.

وَتَمشي تُعَلِّمُ في أُمَّةٍ

وَتَمشي تُعَلِّمُ في أُمَّةٍ

كَثيرَةِ مَن لا يَخُطُّ الأَلِف

كَثيرَةِ مَن لا يَخُطُّ الأَلِف

And it goes forth teaching in a nation

And it walks teaching in a nation,

where many cannot write the letter alif.

With many who do not write the first letter.

فَيا فِتيَةَ الصُحفُ صَبراً إِذا

فَيا فِتيَةَ الصُحفُ صَبراً إِذا

نَبا الرِزقُ فيها بِكُم وَاِختَلَف

نَبا الرِزقُ فيها بِكُم وَاِختَلَف

So, young men of the press, be patient when

So O youth of newspapers, have patience when

livelihood in it fails you and grows uncertain.

Livelihood in it narrowed for you and differed.

فَإِنَّ السَعادَةَ غَيرُ الظُهو

فَإِنَّ السَعادَةَ غَيرُ الظُهو

رِ وَغَيرُ الثَراءِ وَغَيرُ التَرَف

رِ وَغَيرُ الثَراءِ وَغَيرُ التَرَف

For happiness is not prominence,

For happiness is not luxury,

nor wealth, nor luxury.

Nor wealth, nor extravagance.

وَلَكِنَّها في نَواحي الضَميرِ

وَلَكِنَّها في نَواحي الضَميرِ

إِذا هُوَ بِاللَومِ لَم يُكتَنَف

إِذا هُوَ بِاللَومِ لَم يُكتَنَف

But it lies in the recesses of conscience,

But it is in the realm of conscience,

when it is not beset by reproach.

When it is not tainted with blame.

خُذوا القَصدَ وَاِقتَنِعوا بِالكَفافِ

خُذوا القَصدَ وَاِقتَنِعوا بِالكَفافِ

وَخَلّوا الفُضولَ يَغِلها السَرَف

وَخَلّوا الفُضولَ يَغِلها السَرَف

Choose moderation, and be content with enough;

Take moderation and be content with sufficiency,

and leave the surplus—extravagance will plunder it.

And leave extravagance which leads to waste.

وَروموا النُبوغَ فَمَن نالَهُ

وَروموا النُبوغَ فَمَن نالَهُ

تَلَقّى مِنَ الحَظِّ أَسنى التُحَف

تَلَقّى مِنَ الحَظِّ أَسنى التُحَف

And seek brilliance; whoever attains it

And seek excellence, for whoever attains it,

receives from fortune the most splendid gifts.

Receives the best gifts from fate.

وَما الرِزقُ مُجتَنِبٌ حِرفَةً

وَما الرِزقُ مُجتَنِبٌ حِرفَةً

إِذا الحَظُّ لَم يَهجُرِ المُحتَرِف

إِذا الحَظُّ لَم يَهجُرِ المُحتَرِف

And livelihood shuns no trade,

And livelihood does not avoid a profession,

if fortune has not forsaken its practitioner.

When fate does not abandon the professional.

إِذا آخَتِ الجَوهَرِيَّ الحُظوظُ

إِذا آخَتِ الجَوهَرِيَّ الحُظوظُ

كَفَلنَ اليَتيمَ لَهُ في الصَدَف

كَفَلنَ اليَتيمَ لَهُ في الصَدَف

When fortunes befriend the jeweler,

When fortunes befriend the orphan,

they foster the orphan pearl for him within its shell.

The oyster's shell guarantees him pearls.

وَإِن أَعرَضَت عَنهُ لَم يَحلُ في

وَإِن أَعرَضَت عَنهُ لَم يَحلُ في

عُيونِ الخَرائِدِ غَيرُ الخَزَف

عُيونِ الخَرائِدِ غَيرُ الخَزَف

And if they turn away from him, nothing looks lovely in

And if they turn away from him, there is nothing in

the eyes of beautiful maidens but earthenware.

The eyes of fates except potsherds.

رَعى اللَهُ لَيلَتَكُم إِنَّها

رَعى اللَهُ لَيلَتَكُم إِنَّها

تَلَت عِندَهُ لَيلَةَ المُنتَصَف

تَلَت عِندَهُ لَيلَةَ المُنتَصَف

May God guard your night, for it

May God watch over your night, it

ranks next after the midmonth night in His esteem.

Came to Him at midnight.

لَقَد طَلَعَ البَدرُ مِن جُنحِها

لَقَد طَلَعَ البَدرُ مِن جُنحِها

وَأَوما إِلى صُبحِها أَن يَقِف

وَأَوما إِلى صُبحِها أَن يَقِف

Indeed, the full moon rose from its darkness,

The full moon certainly rose from its wings,

and beckoned its dawn to stand still.

And intends to stop at its dawn.

جَلَوتُم حَواشِيَها بِالفُنونِ

جَلَوتُم حَواشِيَها بِالفُنونِ

فَمِن كُلِّ فَنٍّ جَميلٍ طَرَف

فَمِن كُلِّ فَنٍّ جَميلٍ طَرَف

You brightened its fringes with the arts,

You have adorned its margins with arts,

and from every beautiful art, a choice offering.

So a piece of every beautiful art is seen.

فَإِن تَسأَلوا ما مَكانُ الفُنونِ

فَإِن تَسأَلوا ما مَكانُ الفُنونِ

فَكَم شَرَفٍ فَوقَ هَذا الشَرَف

فَكَم شَرَفٍ فَوقَ هَذا الشَرَف

So if you ask what place the arts hold,

If you are asked where is the place of arts,

then what honor rises above this honor?

How many glories above this glory!

أَريكَةُ مولِييرَ فيما مَضى

أَريكَةُ مولِييرَ فيما مَضى

وَعَرشُ شِكِسبيرَ فيما سَلَف

وَعَرشُ شِكِسبيرَ فيما سَلَف

Molière's couch in days gone by,

Moliere's throne in the past,

and Shakespeare's throne in times past,

And Shakespeare's throne in times gone by,

وَعودُ اِبنِ ساعِدَةٍ في عُكاظَ

وَعودُ اِبنِ ساعِدَةٍ في عُكاظَ

إِذا سالَ خاطِرُهُ بِالطُرَف

إِذا سالَ خاطِرُهُ بِالطُرَف

and Ibn Sa'idah's aged camel at Ukaz,

And Ibn Saaeda's lute in Ukaz,

when his inspiration flowed with choice sayings.

When his imagination flowed with wit.

فَلا يَرقَيَن فيهِ إِلّا فَتىً

فَلا يَرقَيَن فيهِ إِلّا فَتىً

إِلى دَرَجاتِ النُبوغِ اِنصَرَف

إِلى دَرَجاتِ النُبوغِ اِنصَرَف

So let none mount it but a young man

None shall ascend it except a youth

who has devoted himself to the heights of brilliance.

Who strives to the ranks of genius.

تُعَلِّمُ حِكمَتُهُ الحاضِرينَ

تُعَلِّمُ حِكمَتُهُ الحاضِرينَ

وَتُسمِعُ في الغابِرينَ النُطَف

وَتُسمِعُ في الغابِرينَ النُطَف

His wisdom teaches those present,

Its wisdom teaches those present

and makes the unborn seed of future generations hear.

And lets the embryos hear in those gone by.

حَمَدنا بَلاءَكُمُ في النِضالِ

حَمَدنا بَلاءَكُمُ في النِضالِ

وَأَمسُ حَمَدنا بَلاءَ السَلَف

وَأَمسُ حَمَدنا بَلاءَ السَلَف

We have praised your efforts in the struggle,

We praised your ordeal in the struggle,

and yesterday we praised your predecessors' efforts.

And yesterday we praised the ordeal of predecessors.

وَمَن نَسِيَ الفَضلَ لِلسابِقينَ

وَمَن نَسِيَ الفَضلَ لِلسابِقينَ

فَما عَرَفَ الفَضلَ فيما عَرَف

فَما عَرَفَ الفَضلَ فيما عَرَف

And whoever forgets the merit of those who came before

Whoever forgets the merit of early comers,

has never known merit, whatever else he knew.

Does not know merit in what he knows.

أَلَيسَ إِلَيهِم صَلاحُ البِناءِ

أَلَيسَ إِلَيهِم صَلاحُ البِناءِ

إِذا ما الأَساسُ سَما بِالغُرَف

إِذا ما الأَساسُ سَما بِالغُرَف

Is not the building's soundness owed to them

Are they not owed the integrity of the building,

when the foundation raises the chambers aloft?

When the foundation rose high?

فَهَل تَأذَنونَ لِذي خِلَّةٍ

فَهَل تَأذَنونَ لِذي خِلَّةٍ

يَفُضُّ الرَياحينَ فَوقَ الجِيَف

يَفُضُّ الرَياحينَ فَوقَ الجِيَف

Will you then permit one in need

Will you allow one of blemish

to scatter fragrant herbs over the corpses?

To spill winds above the dead?

فَأَينَ اللِواءُ وَرَبُّ اللِواءِ

فَأَينَ اللِواءُ وَرَبُّ اللِواءِ

إِمامُ الشَبابِ مِثالُ الشَرَف

إِمامُ الشَبابِ مِثالُ الشَرَف

Where, then, are Al-Liwa and the master of Al-Liwa,

So where is the banner and the Lord of the banner,

the leader of youth, the model of honor?

The youths' imam, the ideal of nobility?

وَأَينَ الَّذي بَينَكُم شِبلُهُ

وَأَينَ الَّذي بَينَكُم شِبلُهُ

عَلى غايَةِ الحَقِّ نِعمَ الخَلَف

عَلى غايَةِ الحَقِّ نِعمَ الخَلَف

And where is he whose lion cub is among you,

And where is the one among you whose youth

at truth's utmost goal—an excellent successor?

Resembles the ultimate truth, a fine successor?

وَلا بُدَّ لِلغَرسِ مِن نَقلِهِ

وَلا بُدَّ لِلغَرسِ مِن نَقلِهِ

إِلى مَن تَعَهَّدَ أَو مَن قَطَف

إِلى مَن تَعَهَّدَ أَو مَن قَطَف

And the planted tree must be passed on

The sapling must be transplanted

to one who tends it or gathers its fruit.

To whoever tended it or plucked its fruits.

فَلا تَجحَدَنَّ يَدَ الغارِسينَ

فَلا تَجحَدَنَّ يَدَ الغارِسينَ

وَهَذا الجَنى في يَدَيكَ اِعتَرَف

وَهَذا الجَنى في يَدَيكَ اِعتَرَف

So never deny the hand of those who planted;

Do not deny the planters' hand,

and, with this fruit in your hands, acknowledge it.

While this harvest is in your hands; recognize it.

أُولَئِكَ مَرّوا كَدودِ الحَريرِ

أُولَئِكَ مَرّوا كَدودِ الحَريرِ

شَجاها النَفاعُ وَفيهِ التَلَف

شَجاها النَفاعُ وَفيهِ التَلَف

Those men passed away like silkworms:

They passed like silkworms,

usefulness pained them, and in it lay their doom.

Whose cocoons hardship pierced, and in them is ruin.