سَكَنَgrew still الزَمانُTime وَلانَتِand softened الأَقدارُthe fates
سَكَنَ الزَمانُ وَلانَتِ الأَقدارُ
وَلِكُلِّand for every أَمرٍaffair غايَةٌan end وَقَرارُand a resting place
وَلِكُلِّ أَمرٍ غايَةٌ وَقَرارُ
Time has grown still, and the fates have softened.
And every affair has an end and a resting place.
أَرخىslackened الأَعِنَّةَthe reins لِلخُطوبِfor calamities وَرَدَّهاand drew them back
أَرخى الأَعِنَّةَ لِلخُطوبِ وَرَدَّها
فَلَكٌa celestial sphere بِكُلِّwith every فُجاءَةٍsudden turn دَوّارُever revolving
فَلَكٌ بِكُلِّ فُجاءَةٍ دَوّارُ
It loosed the reins for calamities, then drew them back—
a sphere forever revolving with sudden turns.
يَجريit proceeds بِأَمرٍby a decree أَوor يَدورُturns بِضِدِّهِtoward its opposite
يَجري بِأَمرٍ أَو يَدورُ بِضِدِّهِ
لاneither النَقضُundoing يُعجِزُهُdefeats it وَلاnor الإِمرارُmaking firm
لا النَقضُ يُعجِزُهُ وَلا الإِمرارُ
It follows one decree, or turns to its opposite;
neither undoing nor making firm can defeat it.
هَلhave...? آذَنَتناannounced to us الحادِثاتُevents بِهُدنَةٍa truce
هَل آذَنَتنا الحادِثاتُ بِهُدنَةٍ
وَهَلand has...? اِستَجابَresponded فَسالَمَand made peace المِقدارُfate
وَهَل اِستَجابَ فَسالَمَ المِقدارُ
Have events announced a truce to us?
And has fate responded and made peace?
سُدِلَwas lowered السِتارُthe curtain وَهَلand have...? شَهِدتَyou witnessed رِوايَةًa play
سُدِلَ السِتارُ وَهَل شَهِدتَ رِوايَةً
لَمdid not يَعتَرِضهاinterrupt it فيin الفُصولِthe acts سِتارُa curtain
لَم يَعتَرِضها في الفُصولِ سِتارُ
The curtain has fallen; have you ever seen a play
in which no curtain intervened between the acts?
وَجَرَتand ran فَماyet did not اِستَولَتtake possession عَلىof الأَمَدِthe finish المُنىhopes
وَجَرَت فَما اِستَولَت عَلى الأَمَدِ المُنى
وَعَدَتand raced فَماyet did not حَوَتِencompass المَدىthe course الأَوطارُdesires
وَعَدَت فَما حَوَتِ المَدى الأَوطارُ
Hopes ran, yet never gained the goal;
desires raced, yet never reached the end.
دونَbefore الجَلاءِevacuation وَدونَand before يانِعِfull-blown وَردِهِits roses
دونَ الجَلاءِ وَدونَ يانِعِ وَردِهِ
خُطُواتُsteps شَعبٍof a people فيamong القَتادِthorn trees تُسارُare taken
خُطُواتُ شَعبٍ في القَتادِ تُسارُ
Before evacuation, before its full-blown roses,
lie a people's steps to be taken among thorn trees,
وَبِناءُand the building of أَخلاقٍmoral character عَلَيهِupon it مِنَof النُهىreason
وَبِناءُ أَخلاقٍ عَلَيهِ مِنَ النُهى
سُوَرٌa rampart وَمِنand from عِلمِthe learning of الزَمانِthe age إِطارُa frame
سُوَرٌ وَمِن عِلمِ الزَمانِ إِطارُ
and the building of character, with reason as
its rampart, and the age's learning as its frame;
وَحَضارَةٌand a civilization مِنfrom مَنطِقِthe speech of الواديthe Valley لَهاit has
وَحَضارَةٌ مِن مَنطِقِ الوادي لَها
أَصلٌa root وَمِنand from أَدَبِthe culture of البِلادِthe country نِجارُnative stock
أَصلٌ وَمِن أَدَبِ البِلادِ نِجارُ
and a civilization that draws from the Valley's speech
its roots, and from the country's culture its native stock.
أَعمىblinded هَوىlove of الوَطَنِthe homeland العَزيزِthe beloved عِصابَةٌa band
أَعمى هَوى الوَطَنِ العَزيزِ عِصابَةٌ
مُستَهتِرينَreckless إِلىtoward الجَرائِمِcrimes سارواthey marched
مُستَهتِرينَ إِلى الجَرائِمِ ساروا
Love of the beloved homeland blinded a band
of reckless men who marched toward crime.
ياO سوءَthe evil of سُنَّتِهِمtheir way وَقُبحَand the ugliness of غُلُوِّهِمtheir extremism
يا سوءَ سُنَّتِهِم وَقُبحَ غُلُوِّهِم
إِنَّindeed العَقائِدَbeliefs بِالغُلُوِّby extremism تُضارُare harmed
إِنَّ العَقائِدَ بِالغُلُوِّ تُضارُ
How evil their way, how ugly their extremism!
Beliefs are indeed harmed by extremism.
وَالحَقُّand truth أَرفَعُis more exalted مِلَّةًas a creed وَقَضِيَّةًand as a cause
وَالحَقُّ أَرفَعُ مِلَّةً وَقَضِيَّةً
مِنthan أَنthat يَكونَshould be رَسولُهُits messenger الإِضرارُinflicting harm
مِن أَن يَكونَ رَسولُهُ الإِضرارُ
Truth is a creed and cause too exalted
for inflicting harm to be its messenger.
أُخِذَتwas punished بِذَنبِهِمُfor their sin البِلادُthe country وَأُمَّةٌand a people
أُخِذَت بِذَنبِهِمُ البِلادُ وَأُمَّةٌ
بِالريفِin the countryside ماnot يَدرونَthey know ماwhat السِردارُthe Sirdar (commander-in-chief)
بِالريفِ ما يَدرونَ ما السِردارُ
The country was punished for their sin, and a people
in the countryside who do not know what the Sirdar is.
فيin فِتنَةٍan upheaval خُلِطَwas mixed البَريءُthe innocent بِغَيرِهِwith those unlike him
في فِتنَةٍ خُلِطَ البَريءُ بِغَيرِهِ
فيهاin it وَلُطِّخَand were stained بِالدَمِwith blood الأَبرارُthe righteous
فيها وَلُطِّخَ بِالدَمِ الأَبرارُ
In an upheaval, the innocent were mixed with others,
and within it the righteous were stained with blood.
لَقِيَmet الرِجالُthe men الحادِثاتِmisfortunes بِصَبرِهِمwith their patience
لَقِيَ الرِجالُ الحادِثاتِ بِصَبرِهِم
حَتّىuntil اِنجَلَتcleared غُمَمٌdark clouds لَهاbelonging to them وَغِمارُand engulfing perils
حَتّى اِنجَلَت غُمَمٌ لَها وَغِمارُ
Men met misfortunes with their patience
until their dark clouds and engulfing perils cleared.
لانواthey yielded لَهاto them فيwith شِدَّةٍstrength وَصَلابَةٍand firmness
لانوا لَها في شِدَّةٍ وَصَلابَةٍ
لَينَthe yielding of الحَديدِiron مَشَتpassed عَلَيهِover it النارُfire
لَينَ الحَديدِ مَشَت عَلَيهِ النارُ
They yielded to them with strength and firmness,
as iron yields when fire passes over it.
الحَقُّtruth أَبلَجُis radiant وَالكِنانَةُand Kinanah (Egypt) حُرَّةٌis free
الحَقُّ أَبلَجُ وَالكِنانَةُ حُرَّةٌ
وَالعِزُّand glory لِلدُستورِbelongs to the constitution وَالإِكبارُand reverence
وَالعِزُّ لِلدُستورِ وَالإِكبارُ
Truth shines clear, and Kinanah is free;
and glory and reverence belong to the constitution.
الأَمرُgovernance شورىconsultation لاdoes not يَعيثُwreak havoc مُسَلَّطٌan autocrat
الأَمرُ شورى لا يَعيثُ مُسَلَّطٌ
فيهِwithin it وَلاnor يَطغىacts tyrannically بِهِthrough it جَبّارُa tyrant
فيهِ وَلا يَطغى بِهِ جَبّارُ
Rule is by consultation; no autocrat wreaks havoc
within it, nor does a tyrant oppress through it.
إِنَّindeed العِنايَةَProvidence لِلبِلادِfor the land تَخَيَّرَتhas chosen
إِنَّ العِنايَةَ لِلبِلادِ تَخَيَّرَت
وَالخَيرُand good ماis what تَقضيit decrees وَماand what تَختارُit chooses
وَالخَيرُ ما تَقضي وَما تَختارُ
Providence has chosen for the land,
and good is what it decrees and what it chooses:
عَهدٌan era مِنَof الشورىconsultation الظَليلَةِthe sheltering نُضِّرَتwere made fresh
عَهدٌ مِنَ الشورى الظَليلَةِ نُضِّرَت
آصالُهُits late afternoons وَاِخضَلَّتِand grew dewy الأَسحارُthe predawn hours
آصالُهُ وَاِخضَلَّتِ الأَسحارُ
an era of sheltering consultation: freshened are
its evenings, and its predawns are drenched with dew.
تَجنيreaps البِلادُthe land بِهِthrough it ثِمارَthe fruits of جُهودِهاits efforts
تَجني البِلادُ بِهِ ثِمارَ جُهودِها
وَلِكُلِّand for every جُهدٍeffort فيin الحَياةِlife ثِمارُfruits
وَلِكُلِّ جُهدٍ في الحَياةِ ثِمارُ
Through it the land reaps the fruits of its efforts,
and every effort in life bears fruit.
بُنيانُan edifice of آباءٍfathers مَشَواthey marched بِسِلاحِهِمwith their weapons
بُنيانُ آباءٍ مَشَوا بِسِلاحِهِم
وَبَنينَand sons لَمdid not يَجِدواthey find السِلاحَweapons فَثارواso they revolted
وَبَنينَ لَم يَجِدوا السِلاحَ فَثاروا
An edifice of fathers who marched with their weapons,
and sons who found no weapons, yet rose in revolt.
فيهِwithin it مِنَfrom التَلِّthe hill المُدَرَّجِthe terraced حائِطٌa wall
فيهِ مِنَ التَلِّ المُدَرَّجِ حائِطٌ
وَمِنَand from المَشانِقِgallows وَالسُجونِand prisons جِدارُa wall
وَمِنَ المَشانِقِ وَالسُجونِ جِدارُ
Within it stands a wall from the terraced hill,
and another wall from gallows and prisons.
أَبَتِrefused التَقَيُّدَbeing bound بِالهَوىby whim وَتَقَيَّدَتand bound themselves
أَبَتِ التَقَيُّدَ بِالهَوى وَتَقَيَّدَت
بِالحَقِّby truth أَوor بِالواجِبِby duty الأَحرارُthe free
بِالحَقِّ أَو بِالواجِبِ الأَحرارُ
They refused the bonds of whim and bound themselves
to truth or duty—the free men.
فيin مَجلِسٍan assembly لاnot مالُthe wealth of مِصرَEgypt غَنيمَةٌbooty
في مَجلِسٍ لا مالُ مِصرَ غَنيمَةٌ
فيهِwithin it وَلاnor سُلطانُthe sovereignty of مِصرَEgypt صِغارُhumiliation
فيهِ وَلا سُلطانُ مِصرَ صِغارُ
In an assembly where Egypt's wealth is no booty,
nor, within it, is Egypt's sovereignty abased.
ماnot لِلرِجالِfor the men سِوىexcept المَراشِدَpaths of guidance مَنهَجٌa path
ما لِلرِجالِ سِوى المَراشِدَ مَنهَجٌ
فيهِwithin it وَلاand no غَيرَother than الصَلاحِrighteousness شِعارُa watchword
فيهِ وَلا غَيرَ الصَلاحِ شِعارُ
The men have no path but wise guidance
within it, no watchword but righteousness.
يَتَعاوَنونَthey cooperate كَأَهلِlike the people of دارٍa house زُلزِلَتthat was shaken
يَتَعاوَنونَ كَأَهلِ دارٍ زُلزِلَت
حَتّىuntil تَقَرَّsettles وَتَطمَئِنَّand becomes secure الدارُthe house
حَتّى تَقَرَّ وَتَطمَئِنَّ الدارُ
They cooperate like a household whose home was shaken,
until the house stands firm and rests secure.
يُجرونَthey steer بِالرِفقِgently الأُمورَaffairs وَفُلكَهاand their ship
يُجرونَ بِالرِفقِ الأُمورَ وَفُلكَها
وَالريحُand the wind دونَin the path of الفُلكِthe ship وَالإِعصارُand the hurricane
وَالريحُ دونَ الفُلكِ وَالإِعصارُ
They gently steer affairs and their ship,
while wind and hurricane bar the vessel's way.
وَمَعَand with المُجَدِّدِthe reformer بِالأَناةِwith patience سَلامَةٌsafety
وَمَعَ المُجَدِّدِ بِالأَناةِ سَلامَةٌ
وَمَعَand with المُجَدِّدِthe reformer بِالجِماحِwith headlong haste عِثارُa stumble
وَمَعَ المُجَدِّدِ بِالجِماحِ عِثارُ
And with the reformer who proceeds patiently comes safety;
and with the reformer who rushes headlong comes a fall.
الأُمَّةُthe nation اِئتَلَفَتunited وَرَصَّand made firm بِناءَهاits structure
الأُمَّةُ اِئتَلَفَت وَرَصَّ بِناءَها
بانٍa builder زَعامَتُهُhis leadership هُدىًguidance وَمَنارُand a beacon
بانٍ زَعامَتُهُ هُدىً وَمَنارُ
The nation united; its edifice was made solid
by a builder whose leadership is guidance and a beacon.
أَسَدٌa lion وَراءَbeyond السِنِّage مَعقودُwith ... tied الحُباthe knee-wraps
أَسَدٌ وَراءَ السِنِّ مَعقودُ الحُبا
يَأبىhe defies وَيَغضَبُand grows angry لِلشَرىfor the thicket وَيَغارُand guards jealously
يَأبى وَيَغضَبُ لِلشَرى وَيَغارُ
A lion in advanced years, his knee-wraps tied,
he stands defiant, rages for his thicket, and guards it jealously.
كَهفُa refuge for القَضِيَّةِthe cause لاdo not تَنامُsleep نُيوبُهُhis fangs
كَهفُ القَضِيَّةِ لا تَنامُ نُيوبُهُ
عَنهاover it وَلاnor تَتَناعَسُgrow drowsy الأَظفارُthe claws
عَنها وَلا تَتَناعَسُ الأَظفارُ
A refuge for the cause: his fangs never sleep
in its defense, nor do his claws grow drowsy.
يَومَO day of الخَميسِThursday وَراءَbeyond فَجرِكَyour dawn لِلهُدىfor guidance
يَومَ الخَميسِ وَراءَ فَجرِكَ لِلهُدى
صُبحٌa morning وَلِلحَقِّand for truth المُبينِthe manifest نَهارُa day
صُبحٌ وَلِلحَقِّ المُبينِ نَهارُ
O Thursday, beyond your dawn lies for guidance
a morning, and for manifest truth a day.
ماnot أَنتَyou إِلّاbut فارِسِيٌّa Persian لَيلُهُhis night
ما أَنتَ إِلّا فارِسِيٌّ لَيلُهُ
عُرسٌa wedding feast وَصَدرُand the beginning of نَهارِهِhis day إِعذارُa circumcision feast
عُرسٌ وَصَدرُ نَهارِهِ إِعذارُ
You are but a Persian whose night
is a wedding feast, and whose early day a circumcision feast.
بَكَرَتcame early تُزاحِمُto throng مِهرَجانِكَyour festival أُمَّةٌa nation
بَكَرَت تُزاحِمُ مِهرَجانِكَ أُمَّةٌ
وَتَلَفَّتَتand turned to look خَلفَbehind الزِحامِthe crowd دِيارُhomes
وَتَلَفَّتَت خَلفَ الزِحامِ دِيارُ
A nation came early to throng your festival,
and homes turned to look from behind the crowd.
وَرَوىand recounted مَواكِبَكَyour processions الزَمانُTime لِأَهلِهِto its people
وَرَوى مَواكِبَكَ الزَمانُ لِأَهلِهِ
وَتَنَقَّلَتand traveled بِجَلالِهاwith their grandeur الأَخبارُreports
وَتَنَقَّلَت بِجَلالِها الأَخبارُ
Time recounted your processions to its people,
and reports of their grandeur spread.
أَقبَلتَyou came بِالدُستورِwith the constitution أَبلَجَradiant زاهِراًresplendent
أَقبَلتَ بِالدُستورِ أَبلَجَ زاهِراً
يَفتَنُّshow artistry فيin قَسَماتِهِits features النُظّارُthe onlookers
يَفتَنُّ في قَسَماتِهِ النُظّارُ
You came bearing the constitution, radiant and resplendent;
onlookers outdo themselves describing its features.
وَذُؤابَةُand the forelock of الدُنياthe world تَرِفُّflutters حَداثَةًwith youthfulness
وَذُؤابَةُ الدُنيا تَرِفُّ حَداثَةً
عَنfrom جانِبَيهِits two sides وَلِلزَمانِand Time has عِذارُyouthful cheek-down
عَن جانِبَيهِ وَلِلزَمانِ عِذارُ
And the world's forelock flutters, young again,
at either side of it, while Time wears youthful cheek-down.
يَحميprotects لَفائِفَهُits swaddling clothes وَيَحرُسُand guards مَهدَهُits cradle
يَحمي لَفائِفَهُ وَيَحرُسُ مَهدَهُ
شَيخٌan elder يَذودُwho defends وَفِتيَةٌand young men أَنصارُsupporters
شَيخٌ يَذودُ وَفِتيَةٌ أَنصارُ
Its swaddling clothes are protected, its cradle watched over
by a defending elder and young supporters.
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though it were عيسىJesus الهُدىof guidance فيin مَهدِهِhis cradle
وَكَأَنَّهُ عيسى الهُدى في مَهدِهِ
وَكَأَنَّand as though سَعداًSaad يوسُفُJoseph النَجّارُthe Carpenter
وَكَأَنَّ سَعداً يوسُفُ النَجّارُ
And as though it were Jesus, the guide, in his cradle,
and as though Saad were Joseph the Carpenter.
التاجُthe crown فُصِّلَwas fashioned فيin سَمائِكَyour sky بِالضُحىwith morning light
التاجُ فُصِّلَ في سَمائِكَ بِالضُحى
مِنكَfrom you الحِلىthe adornments وَمِنَand from الضُحىthe morning light الأَنوارُthe radiance
مِنكَ الحِلى وَمِنَ الضُحى الأَنوارُ
The crown was fashioned in your sky with morning light;
from you come its jewels, from morning its radiance.
يَكسوit clothes مِنَfrom الدُستورِthe constitution هامَةَthe head of رَبِّهِits master
يَكسو مِنَ الدُستورِ هامَةَ رَبِّهِ
ماwhat لَيسَdoes not يَكسوclothe الفاتِحينَthe conquerors الغارُlaurel
ما لَيسَ يَكسو الفاتِحينَ الغارُ
Through the constitution it adorns its master's head
with what laurel never bestows on conquerors.
بِالحَقِّthrough truth يَفتَحُconquers كُلُّevery هادٍguide مُصلِحٍreforming
بِالحَقِّ يَفتَحُ كُلُّ هادٍ مُصلِحٍ
ماwhat لَيسَdoes not يَفتَحُconquer بِالقَناwith spears المِغوارُthe daring warrior
ما لَيسَ يَفتَحُ بِالقَنا المِغوارُ
Through truth, every reforming guide conquers
what the daring warrior cannot conquer with spears.
وَطَنيmy homeland لَدَيكَwith you وَأَنتَand you are سَمحٌgracious مُفضِلٌbountiful
وَطَني لَدَيكَ وَأَنتَ سَمحٌ مُفضِلٌ
تُنسىare forgotten الذُنوبُsins وَتُذكَرُand are remembered الأَعذارُexcuses
تُنسى الذُنوبُ وَتُذكَرُ الأَعذارُ
My homeland, with you—so generous, so bountiful—
sins are forgotten and excuses remembered.
تابَhas repented الزَمانُTime إِلَيكَto you مِنof هَفَواتِهِits lapses
تابَ الزَمانُ إِلَيكَ مِن هَفَواتِهِ
بِوَزارَةٍwith a ministry تُمحىare erased بِهاthrough it الأَوزارُburdens of sin
بِوَزارَةٍ تُمحى بِها الأَوزارُ
Time has repented to you of its lapses,
with a ministry through which sins are wiped away.
Sol 6.1