أُعِدَّتِwas prepared الراحَةُrest الكُبرىthe greatest لِمَنfor whoever تَعِباtoiled
أُعِدَّتِ الراحَةُ الكُبرى لِمَن تَعِبا
وَفازَand won بِالحَقِّwith the right مَنwhoever يَألُهُstrives for it طَلَباin pursuit
وَفازَ بِالحَقِّ مَن يَألُهُ طَلَبا
The greatest rest is prepared for whoever has toiled.
And whoever strives in its pursuit wins the right.
وَماand not قَضَتhas fulfilled مِصرُEgypt مِنof كُلِّall لُبانَتَهاher desire
وَما قَضَت مِصرُ مِن كُلِّ لُبانَتَها
حَتّىso that تَجُرَّshe trails ذُيولَthe hems of الغِبطَةِjoy القُشُباfresh
حَتّى تَجُرَّ ذُيولَ الغِبطَةِ القُشُبا
Egypt has not yet fulfilled all her longing,
So as to trail the fresh hems of joy.
فيin الأَمرِthe matter ماwhat فيهِis in it مِنof جِدٍّseriousness فَلاso do not تَقِفواhalt
في الأَمرِ ما فيهِ مِن جِدٍّ فَلا تَقِفوا
مِنover واقِعٍsomething fallen جَزَعاًin dismay أَوor طائِرٍsomething flying طَرَباin delight
مِن واقِعٍ جَزَعاً أَو طائِرٍ طَرَبا
The matter is grave indeed, so do not halt
In dismay at what falls, or delight at what takes flight.
لاnot تُثبِتُestablishes العَينُthe eye شَيئاًanything أَوor تُحَقِّقُهُverifies it
لا تُثبِتُ العَينُ شَيئاً أَو تُحَقِّقُهُ
إِذاwhen تَحَيَّرَpooled فيهاwithin it الدَمعُtears وَاِضطَرَباand trembled
إِذا تَحَيَّرَ فيها الدَمعُ وَاِضطَرَبا
The eye cannot establish anything or verify it
When tears pool within it and tremble.
وَالصُبحُand dawn يُظلِمُgrows dark فيin عَينَيكِyour two eyes ناصِعُهُits brilliance
وَالصُبحُ يُظلِمُ في عَينَيكِ ناصِعُهُ
إِذاif سَدَلتَyou draped عَلَيكَover yourself الشَكَّdoubt وَالرِيَباand suspicions
إِذا سَدَلتَ عَلَيكَ الشَكَّ وَالرِيَبا
And dawn's brilliance grows dark in your eyes
If you drape yourself in doubt and suspicions.
إِذاif طَلَبتَyou sought عَظيماًsomething great فَاِصبِرَنَّthen persevere steadfastly لَهُfor it
إِذا طَلَبتَ عَظيماً فَاِصبِرَنَّ لَهُ
أَوor فَاِحشُدَنَّthen muster resolutely رِماحَthe spears of الخَطِّal-Khatt وَالقُضُباand swords
أَو فَاِحشُدَنَّ رِماحَ الخَطِّ وَالقُضُبا
If you seek something great, persevere steadfastly for it,
Or muster the spears of al-Khatt and the swords.
وَلاand do not تُعِدَّprepare صَغيراتِthe petty aspects of الأُمورِaffairs لَهُfor it
وَلا تُعِدَّ صَغيراتِ الأُمورِ لَهُ
إِنَّindeed الصَغائِرَtrifles لَيسَتare not لِلعُلاfor greatness أُهُباprovisions
إِنَّ الصَغائِرَ لَيسَت لِلعُلا أُهُبا
And do not prepare petty things for it;
For trifles are no provisions for greatness.
وَلَنand never تَرىwill you see صُحبَةًa companionship تُرضىare pleasing عَواقِبُهاits outcomes
وَلَن تَرى صُحبَةً تُرضى عَواقِبُها
كَالحَقِّlike right وَالصَبرِand patience فيin أَمرٍa matter إِذاwhen اِصطَحَباthe two join company
كَالحَقِّ وَالصَبرِ في أَمرٍ إِذا اِصطَحَبا
And you will find no companionship with outcomes so pleasing
As right and patience, when they join in a cause.
إِنَّindeed الرِجالَmen إِذاwhen ماfor emphasis أُلجِئواare compelled لَجَئواthey seek refuge
إِنَّ الرِجالَ إِذا ما أُلجِئوا لَجَئوا
إِلىin التَعاوُنِcooperation فيماin whatever جَلَّis weighty أَوor حَزَباbrings distress
إِلى التَعاوُنِ فيما جَلَّ أَو حَزَبا
Indeed, when men are compelled, they turn
To cooperation in whatever is weighty or distressing.
لاno رَيبَdoubt أَنَّthat خُطاthe strides of الآمالِhopes واسِعَةٌare broad
لا رَيبَ أَنَّ خُطا الآمالِ واسِعَةٌ
وَأَنَّand that لَيلَthe night of سُراهاtheir night journey صُبحُهُits dawn اِقتَرَباhas drawn near
وَأَنَّ لَيلَ سُراها صُبحُهُ اِقتَرَبا
There is no doubt that hope's strides are broad,
And that the dawn of their night journey has drawn near.
وَأَنَّand that فيin راحَتَيthe two palms of مِصرٍEgypt وَصاحِبِهاand her companion
وَأَنَّ في راحَتَي مِصرٍ وَصاحِبِها
عَهداًa pledge وَعَقداًand a pact بِحَقٍّfor a right كانَwas مُغتَصَباusurped
عَهداً وَعَقداً بِحَقٍّ كانَ مُغتَصَبا
And that in the hands of Egypt and her companion
Lie a pledge and a pact for a right once usurped.
قَدindeed فَتَّحَopened wide اللَهُGod أَبواباًdoors لَعَلَّperhaps لَناfor us
قَد فَتَّحَ اللَهُ أَبواباً لَعَلَّ لَنا
وَراءَهاbeyond them فُسَحَthe expanses of الآمالِhopes وَالرُحُباand open spaces
وَراءَها فُسَحَ الآمالِ وَالرُحُبا
God has opened doors wide; perhaps there await us
Beyond them, expanses of hope and spacious reaches.
لَولاbut for يَدُthe hand of اللَهِGod لَمwould not نَدفَعwe push مَناكِبَهاtheir shoulders
لَولا يَدُ اللَهِ لَم نَدفَع مَناكِبَها
وَلَمand would not نُعالِجwe strive عَلىat مِصراعِهاtheir door-leaf الأَرَباthe desired aim
وَلَم نُعالِج عَلى مِصراعِها الأَرَبا
But for God's hand, we would not have pushed at their shoulders,
Nor struggled at their door-leaf to attain our desire.
لاnot تَعدَمُlacks الهِمَّةُresolve الكُبرىthe greatest جَوائِزَهاits rewards
لا تَعدَمُ الهِمَّةُ الكُبرى جَوائِزَها
سِيّانِalike مَنwhoever غَلَبَovercame الأَيّامَthe days أَوor غُلِباwas overcome
سِيّانِ مَن غَلَبَ الأَيّامَ أَو غُلِبا
Great resolve never lacks its rewards,
Alike for those who overcame the days or were overcome.
وَكُلُّand every سَعيٍendeavor سَيَجزيwill reward اللَهُGod ساعِيَهُits pursuer
وَكُلُّ سَعيٍ سَيَجزي اللَهُ ساعِيَهُ
هَيهاتَfar from it يَذهَبُgoes سَعيَthe striving of المُحسِنينَthose who do good هَباto dust
هَيهاتَ يَذهَبُ سَعيَ المُحسِنينَ هَبا
And for every endeavor, God will reward its pursuer;
Far be it that the striving of the good should turn to dust!
لَمhas not يُبرِمِsettled الأَمرَthe matter حَتّىso that يَستَبينَbecomes clear لَكُمto you
لَم يُبرِمِ الأَمرَ حَتّى يَستَبينَ لَكُم
أَساءَwas harmful عاقِبَةًin outcome أَمor سَرَّbrought joy مُنقَلَباin its final turn
أَساءَ عاقِبَةً أَم سَرَّ مُنقَلَبا
The matter is not yet settled enough for you to discern
Whether its outcome is ill or its final turn brings joy.
نِلتُمyou gained جَليلاًsomething great وَلاand not تُعطونَyou are given خَردَلَةًa mustard seed
نِلتُم جَليلاً وَلا تُعطونَ خَردَلَةً
إِلّاexcept الَّذيwhat دَفَعَdelivered الدُستورُthe constitution أَوor جَلَباbrought
إِلّا الَّذي دَفَعَ الدُستورُ أَو جَلَبا
You have gained something great, yet are not given a mustard seed
Except what the constitution delivers or brings.
تَمَهَّدَتwere leveled عَقَباتٌobstacles غَيرُnot هَيِّنَةٍslight
تَمَهَّدَت عَقَباتٌ غَيرُ هَيِّنَةٍ
تَلقىencounter رُكابُthe mounts of السُرىnight travel مِنfrom مِثلِهاtheir like نَصَباhardship
تَلقى رُكابُ السُرى مِن مِثلِها نَصَبا
Obstacles by no means slight have been leveled,
The mounts of night travel suffer hardship from their like.
وَأَقبَلَتand arose عَقَباتٌobstacles لاnot يُذَلِّلُهاsubdues them
وَأَقبَلَت عَقَباتٌ لا يُذَلِّلُها
فيat مَوقِفِthe moment of الفَصلِdecision إِلّاexcept الشَعبُthe people مُنتَخَباas an elected body
في مَوقِفِ الفَصلِ إِلّا الشَعبُ مُنتَخَبا
And obstacles have arisen that none can subdue
At the decisive moment, except the people through their elected representatives.
لَهُthey have غَداًtomorrow رَأيُهُtheir opinion فيهاconcerning them وَحِكمَتُهُand their wisdom
لَهُ غَداً رَأيُهُ فيها وَحِكمَتُهُ
إِذاwhen تَمَهَّلَthey moved cautiously فَوقَover الشَوكِthe thorns أَوor وَثَباthey leapt
إِذا تَمَهَّلَ فَوقَ الشَوكِ أَو وَثَبا
Tomorrow they will have their say and wisdom concerning them,
Whether they tread cautiously over the thorns or leap.
كَمhow often صَعَّبَmade difficult اليَومُtoday مِنof سَهلٍsomething easy هَمَمتَyou intended بِهِto undertake it
كَم صَعَّبَ اليَومُ مِن سَهلٍ هَمَمتَ بِهِ
وَسَهَّلَand made easy الغَدُtomorrow فيamong الأَشياءِthings ماwhat صَعُباwas difficult
وَسَهَّلَ الغَدُ في الأَشياءِ ما صَعُبا
How often today makes hard an easy thing you meant to do,
And tomorrow makes easy the things that proved hard.
ضَمّواunite الجُهودَthe efforts وَخَلوُهاand leave them مُنَكَّرَةًanonymous
ضَمّوا الجُهودَ وَخَلوُها مُنَكَّرَةً
لاdo not تَملَئواfill الشَدقَthe mouth مِنwith تَعريفِهاproclaiming them عَجَباself-admiration
لا تَملَئوا الشَدقَ مِن تَعريفِها عَجَبا
Unite your efforts and leave them unnamed;
Do not fill your mouths with pride as you proclaim them.
أَفيis it in الوَغىbattle وَرَحىwhile the millstone of الهَيجاءِwar دائِرَةٌis turning
أَفي الوَغى وَرَحى الهَيجاءِ دائِرَةٌ
تُحصونَyou count مَنthose who ماتَdied أَوor تُحصونَyou count ماwhat سُلِباwas plundered
تُحصونَ مَن ماتَ أَو تُحصونَ ما سُلِبا
Is it amid battle, with war's millstone turning,
That you count those who died or count what was plundered?
خَلّواleave الأَكاليلَthe wreaths لِلتاريخِto history إِنَّindeed لَهُit has
خَلّوا الأَكاليلَ لِلتاريخِ إِنَّ لَهُ
يَداًa hand تُؤَلِّفُهاassembles them دُرّاًpearls وَمَخشَلَباand imitation pearls
يَداً تُؤَلِّفُها دُرّاً وَمَخشَلَبا
Leave the wreaths to history, for it has
A hand that strings them with pearls and imitation pearls.
أَمرُthe assessment of الرِجالِmen إِلَيهِbelongs to it لاnot إِلىto نَفَرٍa few people
أَمرُ الرِجالِ إِلَيهِ لا إِلى نَفَرٍ
مِنfrom بَينِكُمamong you سَبَقَoutpaced الأَنباءَthe reports وَالكُتُباand the books
مِن بَينِكُم سَبَقَ الأَنباءَ وَالكُتُبا
Judging men is its task, not that of a few
From among you who have rushed ahead of the reports and books.
أَملىdictated عَلَيهِto them الهَوىpassion وَالحِقدُand rancor فَاِندَفَعَتso rushed forth
أَملى عَلَيهِ الهَوى وَالحِقدُ فَاِندَفَعَت
يَداهُtheir two hands تَرتَجِلانِimprovise الماءَwater وَاللَهَباand flame
يَداهُ تَرتَجِلانِ الماءَ وَاللَهَبا
Passion and rancor dictated to them, and forth rushed
Their two hands, improvising water and flame.
إِذاif رَأَيتَyou see الهَوىpassion فيin أُمَّةٍa nation حَكَماًas judge
إِذا رَأَيتَ الهَوى في أُمَّةٍ حَكَماً
فَاِحكُمthen judge هُنالِكَthere أَنَّthat العَقلَreason قَدindeed ذَهَباhas departed
فَاِحكُم هُنالِكَ أَنَّ العَقلَ قَد ذَهَبا
If you see passion acting as judge in a nation,
Then judge there that reason has departed.
قالواthey said الحِمايَةُthe protectorate زالَتended قُلتُI said لاno عَجَبٌwonder
قالوا الحِمايَةُ زالَت قُلتُ لا عَجَبٌ
بَلrather كانَwas باطِلُهاits illegitimacy فيكُمamong you هُوَitself العَجَباthe wonder
بَل كانَ باطِلُها فيكُم هُوَ العَجَبا
They said, 'The protectorate has ended'; I said, 'No wonder.'
Rather, the wonder was its wrongful presence among you.
رَأسُthe head of الحِمايَةِthe protectorate مَقطوعٌis severed فَلاso may she not عَدِمَتlack
رَأسُ الحِمايَةِ مَقطوعٌ فَلا عَدِمَت
كِنانَةُthe quiver of اللَهِGod حَزماًresolve يَقطَعُthat cuts off الذَنَباthe tail
كِنانَةُ اللَهِ حَزماً يَقطَعُ الذَنَبا
The protectorate's head is severed; may there be no lack
In God's quiver of resolve to cut off the tail.
لَوif تَسأَلونَyou ask أَلِنبيAllenby يَومَon the day جَندَلَهاhe felled her
لَو تَسأَلونَ أَلِنبي يَومَ جَندَلَها
بِأَيِّwith which سَيفٍsword عَلىupon يافوخِهاthe crown of her head ضَرَباhe struck
بِأَيِّ سَيفٍ عَلى يافوخِها ضَرَبا
If you were to ask Allenby, on the day he felled her,
With which sword he struck the crown of her head:
أَباwas it with الَّذيthe one that جَرَّhe trailed يَومَon the day of السِلمِpeace مُتَّشِحاًgirded with it
أَبا الَّذي جَرَّ يَومَ السِلمِ مُتَّشِحاً
أَمor بِالَّذيwith the one that هَزَّhe brandished يَومَon the day of الحَربِwar مُختَضِباbloodstained
أَم بِالَّذي هَزَّ يَومَ الحَربِ مُختَضِبا
Was it with the one he trailed on peace's day, girded with it,
Or with the one he brandished on war's day, bloodstained,
أَمor بِالتَكاتُفِthrough solidarity حَولَaround الحَقِّthe right فيin بَلَدٍa land
أَم بِالتَكاتُفِ حَولَ الحَقِّ في بَلَدٍ
مِنfor أَربَعينَforty years يُناديcries out الوَيلَwoe وَالحَرَباand ruin
مِن أَربَعينَ يُنادي الوَيلَ وَالحَرَبا
Or through solidarity around the right in a land
That for forty years has cried, 'Woe and ruin!'?
ياO فاتِحَconqueror of القُدسِJerusalem خَلِّleave السَيفَthe sword ناحِيَةًaside
يا فاتِحَ القُدسِ خَلِّ السَيفَ ناحِيَةً
لَيسَwas not الصَليبُthe cross حَديداًiron كانَwas بَلbut خَشَباwood
لَيسَ الصَليبُ حَديداً كانَ بَل خَشَبا
O conqueror of Jerusalem, set the sword aside.
The cross was not iron, but wood.
إِذاif نَظَرتَyou look إِلىat أَينَwhere اِنتَهَتreached يَدُهُits hand
إِذا نَظَرتَ إِلى أَينَ اِنتَهَت يَدُهُ
وَكَيفَand how جاوَزَit passed beyond فيin سُلطانِهِits dominion القُطُباthe pole
وَكَيفَ جاوَزَ في سُلطانِهِ القُطُبا
If you look at where its hand has reached,
And how, in its dominion, it has passed beyond the pole,
عَلِمتَyou know أَنَّthat وَراءَbehind الضَعفِweakness مَقدِرَةًpower
عَلِمتَ أَنَّ وَراءَ الضَعفِ مَقدِرَةً
وَأَنَّand that لِلحَقِّto right لاnot لِلقُوَّةِto force الغَلَباvictory
وَأَنَّ لِلحَقِّ لا لِلقُوَّةِ الغَلَبا
You will know that behind weakness lies power,
And that victory belongs to right, not force.
Sol 6.1