أَعلى المَمالِكِ ما كُرسِيُّهُ الماءُ

أَعلى المَمالِكِ ما كُرسِيُّهُ الماءُ

وَما دِعامَتُهُ بِالحَقِّ شَمّاءُ

وَما دِعامَتُهُ بِالحَقِّ شَمّاءُ

The loftiest of realms is one whose throne is water,

Upon the highest of Kingdoms its throne is water

And one whose pillar rises proudly through justice.

And its pillar in truth high and eminent

يا جيرَةَ المَنشِ حَلّاكُم أُبُوَّتُكُم

يا جيرَةَ المَنشِ حَلّاكُم أُبُوَّتُكُم

ما لَم يُطَوِّق بِهِ الأَبناءُ آباءُ

ما لَم يُطَوِّق بِهِ الأَبناءُ آباءُ

O neighbors of the Channel, your fathers adorned you

O neighbors of civilization, your kinship was wholesome

With what no sons have ever hung around fathers' necks.

As long as fathers were not encompassed by sons

مُلكٌ يُطاوِلُ الشَمسَ عِزَّتُهُ

مُلكٌ يُطاوِلُ الشَمسَ عِزَّتُهُ

في الغَربِ باذِخَةٌ في الشَرقِ قَعساءُ

في الغَربِ باذِخَةٌ في الشَرقِ قَعساءُ

A kingdom whose glory rivals the sun,

A kingdom whose grandeur contends with the sun

Towering in the West, unyielding in the East.

In the west most glorious, in the east most humble

تَأوي الحَقيقَةُ مِنهُ وَالحُقوقُ إِلى

تَأوي الحَقيقَةُ مِنهُ وَالحُقوقُ إِلى

رُكنٍ بَناهُ مِنَ الأَخلاقِ بَنّاءُ

رُكنٍ بَناهُ مِنَ الأَخلاقِ بَنّاءُ

Truth and rights within it seek refuge in

Where truth and rights take refuge

A stronghold that a builder built of virtue.

In a pillar built by a constructor of morals

أَعلاهُ بِالنَظَرِ العالي وَنَطَّقَهُ

أَعلاهُ بِالنَظَرِ العالي وَنَطَّقَهُ

بِحائِطِ الرَأيِ أَشياخٌ أَجِلّاءُ

بِحائِطِ الرَأيِ أَشياخٌ أَجِلّاءُ

It was raised through lofty vision and girded

Lofty is its top with sublime vision and eloquent

With a wall of counsel by venerable elders.

With the wall of opinion are its venerable elders

وَحاطَهُ بِالقَنا فِتيانُ مَملَكَةٍ

وَحاطَهُ بِالقَنا فِتيانُ مَملَكَةٍ

في السِلمِ زَهرُ رُبىً في الرَوعِ أَرزاءُ

في السِلمِ زَهرُ رُبىً في الرَوعِ أَرزاءُ

And young men of a kingdom surrounded it with spears:

And girding it are the youths of a kingdom

In peace, flowers on hills; in terror, calamities.

In the shade, flowers of growth, in calamity, lofty cedars

يُستَصرَخونَ وَيُرجى فَضلُ نَجدَتِهِم

يُستَصرَخونَ وَيُرجى فَضلُ نَجدَتِهِم

كَأَنَّهُم عَرَبٌ في الدَهرِ عَرباءُ

كَأَنَّهُم عَرَبٌ في الدَهرِ عَرباءُ

They are called for help, and their generous aid is hoped for,

Called upon and their bounty of help hoped for

As though they were true-born Arabs through the ages.

As though they are Arabs through the ages, pure Arabs

وَدَولَةٌ لا يَراها الظَنُّ مِن سِعَةٍ

وَدَولَةٌ لا يَراها الظَنُّ مِن سِعَةٍ

وَلا وَراءَ مَداها فيهِ عَلياءُ

وَلا وَراءَ مَداها فيهِ عَلياءُ

And a state so vast that thought cannot encompass it,

And a state whose wideness fancy does not conceive

Nor, in thought, is there any height beyond its reach.

Nor beyond its expanse is there any haughtiness

عَصماءُ لا سَبَبُ الرَحمَنِ مُطَّرَحٌ

عَصماءُ لا سَبَبُ الرَحمَنِ مُطَّرَحٌ

فيها وَلا رَحِمُ الإِنسانِ قَطعاءُ

فيها وَلا رَحِمُ الإِنسانِ قَطعاءُ

Inviolate: the Merciful's bond is not cast aside

Guarded, where the cause of the Merciful is not discarded

Within it, nor is human kinship severed.

Nor the womb of humanity severed

تِلكَ الجَزائِرُ كانَت تَحتَهُم رُكناً

تِلكَ الجَزائِرُ كانَت تَحتَهُم رُكناً

وَراءَهُنَّ لِباغي الصَيدِ عَنقاءُ

وَراءَهُنَّ لِباغي الصَيدِ عَنقاءُ

Those islands were a stronghold beneath them;

Those islands were pillars beneath them

Beyond them lay a phoenix for anyone seeking prey.

And beyond them to the hunter of prey a refuge

وَكانَ وُدُّهُمُ الصافي وَنُصرَتُهُم

وَكانَ وُدُّهُمُ الصافي وَنُصرَتُهُم

لِلمُسلِمينَ وَراعيهِم كَما شاؤوا

لِلمُسلِمينَ وَراعيهِم كَما شاؤوا

And their sincere affection and their aid

And their unsullied affection and their support

For Muslims and their shepherd were as they wished.

Were for the Muslims and their guardian as they desired

دُستورُهُم عَجَبُ الدُنيا وَشاعِرُهُم

دُستورُهُم عَجَبُ الدُنيا وَشاعِرُهُم

يَدٌ عَلى خَلقِهِ لِلَّهِ بَيضاءُ

يَدٌ عَلى خَلقِهِ لِلَّهِ بَيضاءُ

Their constitution is the wonder of the world, and their poet

Their constitution is the wonder of the world and their poet

Is God's white hand of bounty upon His creation.

A hand above creation belongs to Allah, pristine white

ما أَنجَبَت مِثلَ شيكِسبيرَ حاضِرَةٌ

ما أَنجَبَت مِثلَ شيكِسبيرَ حاضِرَةٌ

وَلا نَمَت مِن كَريمِ الطَيرِ غَنّاءُ

وَلا نَمَت مِن كَريمِ الطَيرِ غَنّاءُ

No city has ever borne the like of Shakespeare,

No civilization has given birth to the likes of Shakespeare

Nor has a lush grove reared his like among noble birds.

Nor has the noblest of birds produced a singer

نالَت بِهِ وَحدَهُ إِنكِلتِرا شَرَفاً

نالَت بِهِ وَحدَهُ إِنكِلتِرا شَرَفاً

ما لَم تَنَل بِالنُجومِ الكُثرِ جَوزاءُ

ما لَم تَنَل بِالنُجومِ الكُثرِ جَوزاءُ

Through him alone, England won an honor

With him alone has England attained a nobility

That Jawza never gained with its many stars.

That the many stars did not attain altogether

لَم تُكشَفِ النَفسُ لَولاهُ وَلا بُلِيَت

لَم تُكشَفِ النَفسُ لَولاهُ وَلا بُلِيَت

لَها سَرائِرُ لا تُحصى وَأَهواءُ

لَها سَرائِرُ لا تُحصى وَأَهواءُ

Without him, the soul would not have been unveiled or probed;

The soul would not have been uncovered nor would

It has secrets beyond counting, and passions.

Its secrets and passions unknown have been exposed

شِعرٌ مِنَ النَسَقِ الأَعلى يُؤَيِّدُهُ

شِعرٌ مِنَ النَسَقِ الأَعلى يُؤَيِّدُهُ

مِن جانِبِ اللَهِ إِلهامٌ وَإيحاءُ

مِن جانِبِ اللَهِ إِلهامٌ وَإيحاءُ

Poetry of the highest order, sustained

Poetry of the highest harmony, aided

By inspiration and revelation from God:

By divine inspiration and suggestion from God

مِن كُلِّ بَيتٍ كَآيِ اللَهِ تَسكُنُهُ

مِن كُلِّ بَيتٍ كَآيِ اللَهِ تَسكُنُهُ

حَقيقَةٌ مِن خَيالِ الشِعرِ غَرّاءُ

حَقيقَةٌ مِن خَيالِ الشِعرِ غَرّاءُ

Every verse, like God's verses, is inhabited

Every verse like verses of God, inhabited

By a radiant truth from poetry's imagination.

By a truth from the imagination of ornate poetry

وَكُلِّ مَعنىً كَعيسى في مَحاسِنِهِ

وَكُلِّ مَعنىً كَعيسى في مَحاسِنِهِ

جاءَت بِهِ مِن بَناتِ الشِعرِ عَذراءُ

جاءَت بِهِ مِن بَناتِ الشِعرِ عَذراءُ

And every thought, like Jesus in its beauty,

And every meaning like Jesus in his beauties

Was brought forth by a virgin among poetry's daughters.

Brought by the virgins of poetry, an immaculate one

أَو قِصَّةٍ كَكِتابِ الدَهرِ جامِعَةٍ

أَو قِصَّةٍ كَكِتابِ الدَهرِ جامِعَةٍ

كِلاهُما فيهِ إِضحاكٌ وَإِبكاءُ

كِلاهُما فيهِ إِضحاكٌ وَإِبكاءُ

Or a tale as all-embracing as the book of time:

Or a story encompassing like the book of time

Both hold laughter and tears.

Both of them containing laughter and weeping

مَهما تُمَثَّل تُرَ الدُنيا مُمَثَّلَةً

مَهما تُمَثَّل تُرَ الدُنيا مُمَثَّلَةً

أَو تُتلَ فَهيَ مِنَ الإِنجيلِ أَجزاءُ

أَو تُتلَ فَهيَ مِنَ الإِنجيلِ أَجزاءُ

Whenever it is staged, you are shown the world enacted,

However much the world is personified you see

Or read aloud, it is passages from the Gospel.

The world personified or recited it is parts of the Bible

يا صاحِبَ العُصُرِ الخالي أَلا خَبَرٌ

يا صاحِبَ العُصُرِ الخالي أَلا خَبَرٌ

عَن عالَمِ المَوتِ يَرويهِ الأَلِبّاءُ

عَن عالَمِ المَوتِ يَرويهِ الأَلِبّاءُ

O master of the bygone age, is there no news

O owner of the empty era! Is there no news

Of the world of death that wise men can relate?

Of the world of death narrated by the erudite?

أَمّا الحَياةُ فَأَمرٌ قَد وَصَفتَ لَنا

أَمّا الحَياةُ فَأَمرٌ قَد وَصَفتَ لَنا

فَهَل لِما بَعدُ تَمثيلٌ وَإِدناءُ

فَهَل لِما بَعدُ تَمثيلٌ وَإِدناءُ

As for life, it is a matter you have described to us;

As for life, it is something you have described for us

So can what comes after be portrayed and brought near?

Is there after it personification and approximation?

بِمَن أَماتَكَ قُل لي كَيفَ جُمجُمَةٌ

بِمَن أَماتَكَ قُل لي كَيفَ جُمجُمَةٌ

غَبراءُ في ظُلُماتِ الأَرضِ جَوفاءُ

غَبراءُ في ظُلُماتِ الأَرضِ جَوفاءُ

By Him who gave you death, tell me how a skull,

By the one who made you die, tell me how a skull

Dust-gray and hollow in the darkness of the earth,

Grey in the darkness of the earth, hollow

كانَت سَماءَ بَيانٍ غَيرَ مُقلِعَةٍ

كانَت سَماءَ بَيانٍ غَيرَ مُقلِعَةٍ

شُؤبوبُها عَسَلٌ صافٍ وَصَهباءُ

شُؤبوبُها عَسَلٌ صافٍ وَصَهباءُ

Was a sky of eloquence whose rain never ceased,

Used to be the sky of incessant eloquence

Its downpour pure honey and tawny wine,

Its drizzle honey pure and sparkling

فَأَصبَحَت كَأَصيصٍ غَيرَ مُفتَقَدٍ

فَأَصبَحَت كَأَصيصٍ غَيرَ مُفتَقَدٍ

جَفَتهُ رَيحانَةٌ لِلشِعرِ فَيحاءُ

جَفَتهُ رَيحانَةٌ لِلشِعرِ فَيحاءُ

Then became a flowerpot no one misses,

And it became like an abandoned pot

Abandoned by poetry's fragrant basil?

Whose basil the poetry long ago withered

وَكَيفَ باتَ لِسانٌ لَم يَدَع غَرَضاً

وَكَيفَ باتَ لِسانٌ لَم يَدَع غَرَضاً

وَلَم تَفُتهُ مِنَ الباغينَ عَوراءُ

وَلَم تَفُتهُ مِنَ الباغينَ عَوراءُ

And how has a tongue that left no target untouched

And how a tongue that left no purpose unpursued

And missed no fault in the oppressors

And no weaknesses of the eloquent escaped it

عَفا فَأَمسى زُنابى عَقرَبٍ بَلِيَت

عَفا فَأَمسى زُنابى عَقرَبٍ بَلِيَت

وَسُمُّها في عُروقِ الظُلمِ مَشّاءُ

وَسُمُّها في عُروقِ الظُلمِ مَشّاءُ

Faded into the sting of a scorpion that has decayed,

It excelled but it became in the evening the stinger of a scorpion

While its venom courses through the veins of injustice?

Whose poison courses in the veins of darkness

وَما الَّذي صَنَعَت أَيدي البِلى بِيَدٍ

وَما الَّذي صَنَعَت أَيدي البِلى بِيَدٍ

لَها إِلى الغَيبِ بِالأَقلامِ إيماءُ

لَها إِلى الغَيبِ بِالأَقلامِ إيماءُ

And what have decay's hands done to a hand

And what has the work of decay done to a hand

That gestures with pens toward the unseen?

That used to gesture to the unknown with pens

في كُلِّ أُنمُلَةٍ مِنها إِذا اِنبَجَسَت

في كُلِّ أُنمُلَةٍ مِنها إِذا اِنبَجَسَت

بَرقٌ وَرَعدٌ وَأَرواحٌ وَأَنواءُ

بَرقٌ وَرَعدٌ وَأَرواحٌ وَأَنواءُ

Each of its fingertips, whenever it gushed forth, held

In each of its fingers when outstretched

Lightning, thunder, winds, and rainstorms.

There was lightning, thunder, spirits, and gusts

أَمسَت مِنَ الدودِ مِثلَ الدودِ في جَدَثٍ

أَمسَت مِنَ الدودِ مِثلَ الدودِ في جَدَثٍ

قُفّازُها فيهِ حَصباءٌ وَبَوغاءُ

قُفّازُها فيهِ حَصباءٌ وَبَوغاءُ

Ravaged by worms, it has become wormlike in a grave;

It has become, by the worms, like the worms in a burial place

Its glove there is pebbles and fine dust.

Its glove therein pebbles and crawling insects

وَأَينَ تَحتَ الثَرى قَلبٌ جَوانِبُهُ

وَأَينَ تَحتَ الثَرى قَلبٌ جَوانِبُهُ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ لِوادي الحَقِّ أَرجاءُ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ لِوادي الحَقِّ أَرجاءُ

And where, beneath the soil, is a heart whose sides

And where, under the earth, is the heart whose sides

Are like the reaches of the valley of truth?

Used to be like the valleys of truth spacious

تُصغي إِلى دَقِّهِ أُذنُ البَيانِ كَما

تُصغي إِلى دَقِّهِ أُذنُ البَيانِ كَما

إِلى النَواقيسِ لِلرُهبانِ إِصغاءُ

إِلى النَواقيسِ لِلرُهبانِ إِصغاءُ

The ear of eloquence listens to its beating, as

The ear of eloquence would listen to its beating

Monks listen to the bells.

As the monks listen devoutly to church bells

لَئِن تَمَشّى البِلى تَحتَ التُرابِ بِهِ

لَئِن تَمَشّى البِلى تَحتَ التُرابِ بِهِ

لا يُؤكَلُ اللَيثُ إِلّا وَهوَ أَشلاءُ

لا يُؤكَلُ اللَيثُ إِلّا وَهوَ أَشلاءُ

Though decay has crept through it beneath the dust,

If decay walks beneath the soil with it

A lion is devoured only when it is in pieces.

The lion is not consumed except torn to shreds

وَالناسُ صِنفانِ مَوتى في حَياتِهُمُ

وَالناسُ صِنفانِ مَوتى في حَياتِهُمُ

وَآخَرونَ بِبَطنِ الأَرضِ أَحياءُ

وَآخَرونَ بِبَطنِ الأَرضِ أَحياءُ

People are of two kinds: those dead in their lifetimes,

And people are of two sorts: dead in their lives

And others alive in the belly of the earth.

While others in the bellies of earth are alive

تَأبى المَواهِبُ فَالأَحياءُ بَينَهُمُ

تَأبى المَواهِبُ فَالأَحياءُ بَينَهُمُ

لا يَستَوونَ وَلا الأَمواتُ أَكفاءُ

لا يَستَوونَ وَلا الأَمواتُ أَكفاءُ

Talents will not allow it: the living among them

Endowments refuse so the living amongst them

Are not equal, nor are the dead peers.

Are not equal nor are the dead peers

يا واصِفَ الدَمِ يَجري هَهُنا وَهُنا

يا واصِفَ الدَمِ يَجري هَهُنا وَهُنا

قُمِ اُنظُرِ الدَمَ فَهوَ اليَومَ دَأماءُ

قُمِ اُنظُرِ الدَمَ فَهوَ اليَومَ دَأماءُ

O describer of blood flowing here and there,

O describer of the blood flowing here and there

Rise, look at the blood: today it is an ocean.

Arise, look at the blood for today it is corpses

لاموكَ في جَعلِكَ الإِنسانَ ذِئبَ دَمٍ

لاموكَ في جَعلِكَ الإِنسانَ ذِئبَ دَمٍ

وَاليَومَ تَبدو لَهُم مِن ذاكَ أَشياءُ

وَاليَومَ تَبدو لَهُم مِن ذاكَ أَشياءُ

They blamed you for making man a wolf of blood,

You blamed humankind for making man a wolf of blood

And today, things of that kind appear to them.

And today there appear to them from that things

وَقيلَ أَكثَرَ ذِكرَ القَتلِ ثُمَّ أَتَوا

وَقيلَ أَكثَرَ ذِكرَ القَتلِ ثُمَّ أَتَوا

ما لَم تَسَعهُ خَيالاتٌ وَأَنباءُ

ما لَم تَسَعهُ خَيالاتٌ وَأَنباءُ

It was said, 'He speaks too often of killing'; then they committed

And it was said most mentioning killing then they came

What no imaginings or reports could encompass.

To what imaginations and news did not comprehend

كانوا الذِئابَ وَكانَ الجَهلُ داءَهُمو

كانوا الذِئابَ وَكانَ الجَهلُ داءَهُمو

وَاليَومَ عِلمُهُمُ الراقي هُوَ الداءُ

وَاليَومَ عِلمُهُمُ الراقي هُوَ الداءُ

They were wolves, and ignorance was their disease;

They were wolves and ignorance was their disease

Today their advanced knowledge is the disease.

And today their knowledge advancing is the disease

لُؤمُ الحَياةِ مَشى في الناسِ قاطِبَةً

لُؤمُ الحَياةِ مَشى في الناسِ قاطِبَةً

كَما مَشى آدَمٌ فيهِم وَحَوّاءُ

كَما مَشى آدَمٌ فيهِم وَحَوّاءُ

Life's baseness walked among all people,

The evil of life has pervaded all people

As Adam and Eve walked among them.

As Adam and Eve pervaded them

قُم أَيِّدِ الحَقَّ في الدُنيا أَلَيسَ لَهُ

قُم أَيِّدِ الحَقَّ في الدُنيا أَلَيسَ لَهُ

كَتيبَةٌ مِنكَ تَحتَ الأَرضِ خَرساءُ

كَتيبَةٌ مِنكَ تَحتَ الأَرضِ خَرساءُ

Rise, uphold truth in the world! Does it not have

Arise, support truth in the world - is there not for it

A mute battalion of yours beneath the earth?

A legion beneath the earth silent?

وَأَينَ صَوتٌ تَميدُ الراسِياتُ لَهُ

وَأَينَ صَوتٌ تَميدُ الراسِياتُ لَهُ

كَما تَمايَدَ يَومَ النارِ سَيناءُ

كَما تَمايَدَ يَومَ النارِ سَيناءُ

And where is a voice that makes the rooted mountains sway,

And where is a voice with which mountains sway

As Sinai swayed on the day of fire?

As Sinai swayed the day of the fire

وَأَينَ ماضِيَةٌ في الظُلمِ قاضِيَةٌ

وَأَينَ ماضِيَةٌ في الظُلمِ قاضِيَةٌ

وَأَينَ نافِذَةٌ في البَغيِ نَجلاءُ

وَأَينَ نافِذَةٌ في البَغيِ نَجلاءُ

And where is a keen stroke, fatal to injustice,

And where is one judging in the darkness, judging

And where a piercing, gaping thrust against oppression?

And where is one gleaming against tyranny?

أَيَترُكُ الأَرضَ جانوها وَلَيسَ بِها

أَيَترُكُ الأَرضَ جانوها وَلَيسَ بِها

صَحيفَةٌ مِنكَ في الجانِبَينِ سَوداءُ

صَحيفَةٌ مِنكَ في الجانِبَينِ سَوداءُ

Will its wrongdoers leave the earth, with no

Will you leave the earth wronged, and in it no

Page of yours upon it, black on both sides?

Black page from you on both sides as refuge?

تَأوي إِلَيها الأَيامى فَهيَ تَعزِيَةٌ

تَأوي إِلَيها الأَيامى فَهيَ تَعزِيَةٌ

وَيَستَريحُ اليَتامى فَهيَ تَأساءُ

وَيَستَريحُ اليَتامى فَهيَ تَأساءُ

Widows take refuge in it, for it is consolation,

To which orphans resort, and it gives comfort

And orphans find rest, for it is solace.

And in which the bereft find solace