الأخطبوطthe octopus أراهI see it بدلhas changed شكلهits shape
الأخطبوط أراه بدل شكله
كمحيطهlike its surroundings ولقدand indeed يظنّis thought to be صخوراrocks
كمحيطه ولقد يظنّ صخورا
The octopus—I see it has changed its shape
The octopus I see instead of its shape
to resemble its surroundings; indeed, it may be taken for rocks.
Like its ocean, though it may seem rocks
ولسوفand surely will يمتصّsuck الدماءthe blood مضحياsacrificing
ولسوف يمتصّ الدماء مضحيا
بغريمهwith its foe ويفوتهand leaves him behind معصوراwrung dry
بغريمه ويفوته معصورا
And it will surely suck the blood, sacrificing
And it will absorb the blood sacrificing
its foe, and leave him behind, wrung dry.
Its enemy and missing it pressed
ياO للزعامةfor leadership حينwhen تحسبit thinks أنهاthat it
يا للزعامة حين تحسب أنها
تلهوtoys بهwith it وتظنهand thinks it مقهوراsubdued
تلهو به وتظنه مقهورا
Alas for leadership when it thinks that it
O leadership when you think you
toys with it and imagines it subdued!
Play with it and think it suppressed
وهوand it الذيthe one that تخذتadopted وصولياتهits opportunistic ambitions
وهو الذي تخذت وصولياته
حيلاstratagems لتقتلto kill منwhoever ينامsleeps غروراin delusion
حيلا لتقتل من ينام غرورا
Yet it is the one whose opportunistic ambitions have adopted
It is the one whose tentacles took
stratagems to kill whoever sleeps in false security.
Ruses to kill those who sleep arrogantly
حينwhile الذينthose who ينافحونfight in defense لصونهاto safeguard it
حين الذين ينافحون لصونها
والماهدينand those paving the way لهاfor it أذيقواwere made to taste الزوراfalsehood
والماهدين لها أذيقوا الزورا
While those who fight to safeguard it
When those who contend to protect it
and those who pave its way have been made to taste falsehood,
And the ones who sacrificed for it were given lies
أوor أهملواwere neglected مثلlike النفايةrefuse ماno لهمfor them
أو أهملوا مثل النفاية ما لهم
أملhope يداعبbeguiles لوeven if غداbecame منشوراmade public
أمل يداعب لو غدا منشورا
or neglected like refuse—they have no
Or neglected like garbage, what hope do they have
hope to beguile them, even were it made public.
If a hope caresses them to be published
ياO أيهاyou الزعماءleaders ليسis not بنافعof benefit
يا أيها الزعماء ليس بنافع
إخلاصكمyour sincerity إنif لمnot يكنbe مبروراrighteous
إخلاصكم إن لم يكن مبرورا
O leaders, of no avail is
O leaders it is no use
your sincerity unless it is righteous.
Your sincerity if it is not blessed
هلdo تنكرونyou denounce الظلمinjustice ثمthen بعهدكمin your time
هل تنكرون الظلم ثم بعهدكم
يبقىremains الذيthe one who عانىsuffered لكمfor you منكوراunacknowledged
يبقى الذي عانى لكم منكورا
Do you denounce injustice, yet in your time
Do you deny injustice then in your covenants
the one who suffered for you remains unacknowledged,
The one who suffered for you remains denied
ويسودand holds sway فيهin it الألعبانthe trickster وكلand everyone منwho
ويسود فيه الألعبان وكل من
نشرspread الظلامdarkness ومنand whoever أماتkilled النوراthe light
نشر الظلام ومن أمات النورا
while the trickster holds sway there, and everyone who
And the clowns rule it and all who
spread darkness, and whoever killed the light?
Spread darkness and killed light
إنif ترتضواyou approve هذاthis فحسبيthen enough for me أننيthat I
إن ترتضوا هذا فحسبي أنني
ابقىremain بمنفايin my exile السحيقfar-off شكوراgrateful
ابقى بمنفاي السحيق شكورا
If you approve of this, it is enough for me that I
If you accept this, then it is enough for me
remain grateful in my far-off exile.
To remain in my distant gratitude
هيهاتfar from it أرضىI consent أنto أساومI bargain مرةonce
هيهات أرضى أن أساوم مرة
فيover الحقtruth أوor أرضىI am content بهwith it مدحوراvanquished
في الحق أو أرضى به مدحورا
Far be it from me to consent, even once, to bargain
Never will I agree to bargain once
over truth, or accept it vanquished.
Regarding truth or accept it subdued
إنindeed الإساءةill-treatment منby زعيمa leader صالحworthy
إن الإساءة من زعيم صالح
قتلkilling المواهبtalents جاحداungrateful مغروراconceited
قتل المواهب جاحدا مغرورا
Indeed, ill-treatment by a worthy leader
Indeed harm from a good leader
is the killing of talent in ingratitude and conceit.
Kills talents, unjustly arrogant
مجدglory البلادthe land علىover المدىthe span of time أحرارهاits free people
مجد البلاد على المدى أحرارها
الماهدونthe way-pavers الرائدونthe pioneers عصوراages
الماهدون الرائدون عصورا
The land's enduring glory lies in its free people,
The glory of the countries is in its free people
who pave the way and pioneer the ages,
The ones who led epochs before
الملهمونthose inspiring بفكرهمthrough their thought تحريرهاits liberation
الملهمون بفكرهم تحريرها
والخالقونand those creating لهاfor it منىhopes وشعوراand feeling
والخالقون لها منى وشعورا
who inspire its liberation through their thought
The inspired by their thought to liberate it
and create for it hopes and feeling.
And the ones who created for it purpose and feeling
فإذاso if أهينواwere humiliated أوor أذلّwas debased تراثهمtheir heritage
فإذا أهينوا أو أذلّ تراثهم
لمnot يحيlive on مجدglory بعدهمafter them مذكوراremembered
لم يحي مجد بعدهم مذكورا
So if they are humiliated, or their heritage debased,
So if they are insulted or their heritage is humiliated
no glory will survive them to be remembered.
No celebrated glory will live after them
بلrather لطختwere stained صحفpages الفخارglory برحمةwith mercy
بل لطخت صحف الفخار برحمة
تبقىendures ويحسبهاand deems it الزمانtime فجوراwickedness
تبقى ويحسبها الزمان فجورا
Rather, the pages of glory are stained with mercy
But the tablets of pride will be stained with mercy
that endures, and time deems it wickedness.
History will see it as debauchery
Sol 6.1