لمdid not يبقَremain شَطٌّa shore إليهِto it ترجعُreturn السُفُنُthe ships
لم يبقَ شَطٌّ إليهِ ترجعُ السُفُنُ
ولاnor مطارٌan airport.. عليهِupon it يهبطُlands الشَجِنُsorrow
ولا مطارٌ.. عليهِ يهبطُ الشَجِنُ
No shore remains for the ships to return to,
No shore remains for ships to return
Nor an airport for sorrow to land upon.
No airport for sorrow to land
لاno شيءَthing إلاexcept أمانيناour hopes تُصبّرُناgive us patience
لا شيءَ إلا أمانينا تُصبّرُنا
الحمدpraise للهto God.. لاno أهـلٌfamily ولاand no وطـنُhomeland!
الحمد لله.. لا أهـلٌ ولا وطـنُ!
There is nothing but our hopes to sustain us.
Nothing left but hopes that console us
Praise be to God—no family and no homeland!
Thanks be to God, no family or homeland!
خُذلتِyou were forsaken ياO شامُSham، ياO أُمّيmy mother ومُرضعتيand my wet nurse
خُذلتِ يا شامُ، يا أُمّي ومُرضعتي
ومسقِطَand birthplace of الحُبِّlove.. ماذاwhat ياO تُرىI wonder الثمنُthe price؟!
ومسقِطَ الحُبِّ.. ماذا يا تُرى الثمنُ؟!
You were forsaken, O Sham, O my mother and my wet nurse,
You've been forsaken, O Damascus, my mother and wet nurse
And birthplace of love—what, I wonder, is the price?
And cradle of love - what price, I wonder?
إنيindeed I لأخجلُam truly ashamed منof أنّيthat I بقيتُremained علىin
إني لأخجلُ من أنّي بقيتُ على
قيدthe state of الحياةِlife.. وأمّيand my mother لفّهاwrapped her الكفنُthe shroud!
قيد الحياةِ.. وأمّي لفّها الكفنُ!
I am truly ashamed that I have remained
I'm ashamed to remain alive
Alive, while my mother was wrapped in a shroud!
While my mother is wrapped in her shroud
بمَwith what التعللُself-consolation؟ قلبيmy heart صارَhas begun يُنكرُنيdisowns me
بمَ التعللُ؟ قلبي صارَ يُنكرُني
سلّمoffer greetings علىto الموتِdeath فيهِin it العَيشُlife والسَكنُand repose
سلّم على الموتِ فيهِ العَيشُ والسَكنُ
With what can I console myself? My heart has come to disown me.
Why make excuses? My heart denies me now
Greet death; in it are life and repose.
Greet death, in it lies life and rest
فكيفَso how أحياcan I live وتحتَwhile beneath الأرضِthe earth أوردتيmy veins
فكيفَ أحيا وتحتَ الأرضِ أوردتي
وفيand in الترابِthe dust مِنَof الأحبابِloved ones ليfor me مُدنُcities
وفي الترابِ مِنَ الأحبابِ لي مُدنُ
How, then, can I live when my veins lie beneath the earth,
How can I live when my veins are under the earth
And in the dust I have cities of loved ones?
And my loved ones lie buried in dust?
وأينَand where أذهبُshall I go.. كلall الأرضِthe earth تُرفُضناrejects us
وأينَ أذهبُ.. كل الأرضِ تُرفُضنا
وتزدريناand scorns us، وكلُّand all الأرضِthe earth تمتَهنُdegrades
وتزدرينا، وكلُّ الأرضِ تمتَهنُ
And where shall I go? The whole earth rejects us,
Where can I go when all the earth rejects us
And scorns us; the whole earth debases us.
And scorns us - the whole earth is defiled!
ونحنُand we منwho نحنُwe؟ نحنُwe الشمسُthe sun فوقهمُabove them
ونحنُ من نحنُ؟ نحنُ الشمسُ فوقهمُ
ونحنُand we ماwhat نحنُwe؟ نحنُwe العينُthe eye والأذُنُand the ear
ونحنُ ما نحنُ؟ نحنُ العينُ والأذُنُ
And who are we? We are the sun above them.
Who are we? We are the sun over them
And what are we? We are the eye and the ear.
Who are we? We are the eye and the ear
كلُّall الخرائطِmaps جزءٌa part منof خريطتناour map
كلُّ الخرائطِ جزءٌ من خريطتنا
فكيفَso how تعلوrise علىabove أسيادهاtheir masters الجُبُنُthe cowards؟!
فكيفَ تعلو على أسيادها الجُبُنُ؟!
All maps are part of our map;
All maps are part of our map
So how do cowards rise above their masters?
So how can cowards lord over their masters?!
ياO أيُّهاyou الموتُdeath ماhow أحلاكَsweet you are منas وطنٍa homeland
يا أيُّها الموتُ ما أحلاكَ من وطنٍ
لمنfor whoever أتاكَcomes to you شهيداًas a martyr جرحهُhis wound الوطنُthe homeland!
لمن أتاكَ شهيداً جرحهُ الوطنُ!
O death, how sweet a homeland you are
O Death, what a beautiful homeland for one
For one who comes to you a martyr whose wound is his homeland!
Who came to you a martyr, wounded by the homeland!
ودعتُI bade farewell to حِمصHoms وقلبيand my heart فيin أزقتهاits alleys
ودعتُ حِمص وقلبي في أزقتها
وذكرياتيand my memories وروحاًand a soul عافهاspurned it البدنُthe body
وذكرياتي وروحاً عافها البدنُ
I bade Homs farewell, with my heart in its alleys,
I bid farewell to Homs though my heart is in its alleys
And my memories, and a soul the body had spurned.
And memories and a soul it nurtured
وسرتُand I walked on أشكوcomplaining لربيto my Lord ضيقَthe narrowness of دامعتيmy weeping eye
وسرتُ أشكو لربي ضيقَ دامعتي
عمّاfor what بنفسيwithin my soul.. ومالاand what ... does not يُنصِفُdo justice to الحَزَنُsorrow
عمّا بنفسي.. ومالا يُنصِفُ الحَزَنُ
And I went on, complaining to my Lord that my weeping eye was too narrow
And I complained to my Lord of my tears' confinement
For what is within my soul, and what sorrow cannot do justice to.
About my soul - for sorrow is never done justice
كلُّall الذينَthose whom تأملنَاwe hoped بنُصرتهمfor their support
كلُّ الذينَ تأملنَا بنُصرتهم
لناto us، تخلّواwithdrew.. فسجّلso record أيُّهاO الزمنُtime
لنا، تخلّوا.. فسجّل أيُّها الزمنُ
All those we hoped would lend their support
All those we hoped for aid abandoned us
To us have abandoned us—record it, O time.
So register that, O Time!
أهلُthe inhabitants of الفنادقِthe hotels لاmay not عزّتbe honored كروشهُمُtheir paunches
أهلُ الفنادقِ لا عزّت كروشهُمُ
يزدادُincreases فيهمwithin them غباهُمtheir stupidity كلّماthe more سَمِنواthey grow fat
يزدادُ فيهم غباهُم كلّما سَمِنوا
The hotel-dwellers—may their paunches know no honor—
Hotel-dwellers, their dinars give them no honor
Their stupidity grows within them the fatter they become.
They grow more foolish as they grow fatter
ويقلقونَand they worry صباحاًin the morning بعدماafter رقدواthey slept
ويقلقونَ صباحاً بعدما رقدوا
ويقلقونَand they worry مساءًin the evening إنif هُمُthey سكنواthey rested
ويقلقونَ مساءً إن هُمُ سكنوا
And they worry in the morning after sleeping,
They fret in the morning though they've slept
And they worry in the evening if they have rested.
They fret in the evening though they've rested
يستنكرونَthey denounce علىon الشاشاتِthe screens مجزرةًa massacre
يستنكرونَ على الشاشاتِ مجزرةً
وكلُّهمand all of them بدماهاwith its blood كفّهُhis hand دَرِنُstained
وكلُّهم بدماها كفّهُ دَرِنُ
They denounce a massacre on the screens,
They denounce the massacre on their screens
And each of them has a hand stained with its blood.
While all have bloodied hands
ياO تاركَyou who forsake الفرضِthe prescribed duty مُستغنٍcontent بنافلةٍwith a voluntary devotion
يا تاركَ الفرضِ مُستغنٍ بنافلةٍ
واللهِby God يومَon the day of اللقاthe meeting لاnot تشفعُintercede السُننُthe recommended rites
واللهِ يومَ اللقا لا تشفعُ السُننُ
O you who forsake the prescribed duty, content with voluntary worship,
O neglecter of duty distracted by supererogation
By God, on the day of meeting, recommended rites will not intercede.
By God, on Judgement Day, no sunna will intercede!
ياO شامُSham لوif كانتِwere الأحلامُdreams تُنقذُناsave us
يا شامُ لو كانتِ الأحلامُ تُنقذُنا
كُنّـاwe would have حَلِمناwe dreamed ولكنbut كلُّهاall of them دَخنُsmoke
كُنّـا حَلِمنا ولكن كلُّها دَخنُ
O Sham, if dreams could save us,
O Damascus, if dreams could save us
We would have dreamed, but they are all smoke.
We would have dreamed - but dreams are smoke
فكانَso there was لاno بُدَّescape منfrom حربٍa war نُعيدُwe restore بهاthrough it
فكانَ لا بُدَّ من حربٍ نُعيدُ بها
عصرَthe age of النبيِّthe Prophet.. وفيهاand in it تُدرأُis warded off الفتنُstrife
عصرَ النبيِّ.. وفيها تُدرأُ الفتنُ
So a war was unavoidable, through which we would restore
So we had no choice but war to restore
The Prophet's age, and in which strife would be warded off.
The Prophet's era when civil war is averted
نريدُwe want أنthat ترجعَreturn الدنياthe world لقبضتناto our grasp
نريدُ أن ترجعَ الدنيا لقبضتنا
أنthat يُعبدَbe worshipped اللهُGod لاnot أنthat يُعبدَbe worshipped الوثَنُthe idol
أن يُعبدَ اللهُ لا أن يُعبدَ الوثَنُ
We want the world to return to our grasp,
We want the world returned to our grip
For God to be worshipped, not for the idol to be worshipped.
So God is worshipped, not idols
نُريدُwe want أنthat نُرجِعَwe restore الأمجادَthe glories دولتهاtheir dominion
نُريدُ أن نُرجِعَ الأمجادَ دولتها
أيامَthe days when كنّاwe were يداًone hand تنأىrecede بهاbecause of it المِحنُafflictions
أيامَ كنّا يداً تنأى بها المِحنُ
We want to restore the glories' dominion,
We want to restore the glory of its state
The days when we were one hand that kept afflictions away;
When we were saved from tribulations
أيامَthe days when إنif عارضتbefell صنعاءSana'a عارضةٌa calamity
أيامَ إن عارضت صنعاء عارضةٌ
صاحتcried out دمشقُDamascus وبغدادٌand Baghdad هناhere اليمنُYemen!
صاحت دمشقُ وبغدادٌ هنا اليمنُ!
The days when, if a calamity befell Sana'a,
Whenever Sanaa rose against, Damascus
Damascus and Baghdad cried, 'Yemen is here!'
And Baghdad called: Here is Yemen's pillar!
الفرحُjoy ماnot كانَwould exist لولاwere it not for قبلَهُbefore it حَزَنُsorrow
الفرحُ ما كانَ لولا قبلَهُ حَزَنُ
والسرُّand a secret ماnot طالَlasted long إلاexcept بعدهُafter it علنُdisclosure
والسرُّ ما طالَ إلا بعدهُ علنُ
Joy would not exist without sorrow before it,
Joy was never without preceding sorrow
And no secret endures without disclosure following it.
Secrets were never revealed without being hidden
والطفلُand the child مهماwhatever لهُto him قدّمتَyou offered منof اُكُلٍfood
والطفلُ مهما لهُ قدّمتَ من اُكُلٍ
يظلُّremains أطيبُthe sweetest شيءٍthing عندهُto him اللبنُُmilk
يظلُّ أطيبُ شيءٍ عندهُ اللبنُُ
And whatever food you offer a child,
And a baby, no matter how much food you offer
Milk remains the sweetest thing to him.
Finds only milk the sweetest thing
لذاtherefore أحنُّI yearn ومثليّand like me كلُّevery مُمتَهَنٍhumiliated person
لذا أحنُّ ومثليّ كلُّ مُمتَهَنٍ
إلىfor الزمانِthe time الذيwhen مافيهِthere is no ... in it مُمتَهنُhumiliated person
إلى الزمانِ الذي مافيهِ مُمتَهنُ
Thus I yearn, as does every humiliated soul,
So I, like all the dispossessed, long for
For a time when no one is humiliated.
A time when there were no dispossessed
فكيفَso how أسكنُcan I live in بيتاًa house أطمئنُّI feel secure بهِin it
فكيفَ أسكنُ بيتاً أطمئنُّ بهِ
وطفلةٌwhile a little girl فيin بلاديmy country ماno لهاfor her سكنُhome
وطفلةٌ في بلادي ما لها سكنُ
How, then, can I live in a house where I feel secure
How can I live comfortably in a house
While a little girl in my country has no home?
When a girl in my country has no shelter?
وكيفَand how ألتذُّcan I take pleasure أوor أهناbe content بمائدةٍat a dining table
وكيفَ ألتذُّ أو أهنا بمائدةٍ
ويُشتهىwhile ... is craved فيin بلاديmy country الخبزُbread والجُبُنُand cheese
ويُشتهى في بلادي الخبزُ والجُبُنُ
And how can I take pleasure or find contentment at a table
How can I savor a meal
While bread and cheese are craved in my country?
When my people crave bread and whey?
ياO طائراتُplanes اقصفيbomb!، ياO أُمّةُnation امتعضيbe outraged!
يا طائراتُ اقصفي، يا أُمّةُ امتعضي
ياO ساسةُpoliticians استنكرواdenounce!، ياO قومُpeople لاdo not تَهِنواlose heart
يا ساسةُ استنكروا، يا قومُ لا تَهِنوا
O planes, bomb! O nation, be outraged!
Bomb, nations, seethe; leaders, denounce; my people, do not despair
O politicians, denounce! O people, do not lose heart!
God has taken the Prophet's pledge: no fear or sorrow for you
تكفَّلَhas given a pledge اللهُGod فيكمconcerning you للنبيِّto the Prophet فلاso no
تكفَّلَ اللهُ فيكم للنبيِّ فلا
خوفٌfear عليكمupon you منَof الدنياthis world ولاnor حَزَنُsorrow
خوفٌ عليكم منَ الدنيا ولا حَزَنُ
God has given the Prophet His pledge concerning you, so no
However wide the exile, the homeland remains vaster
Fear of this world shall be upon you, nor sorrow.
No place more spacious than the corners of one's own land
الأرضُthe earth مهماhowever لناfor us فيin الغربةِexile اتسعتbecomes vast
الأرضُ مهما لنا في الغربةِ اتسعت
يظلُّremains أرحبَmore spacious منthan أرجائهاits reaches الوطنُthe homeland
يظلُّ أرحبَ من أرجائها الوطنُ
However vast the earth becomes for us in exile,
Tell the doctor, as the sun of life sets
The homeland remains more spacious than all its reaches.
When my time comes, of what use are injections?
قلsay للطبيبِto the doctor وشمسُwhile the sun of العمرِlife غاربةٌis setting
قل للطبيبِ وشمسُ العمرِ غاربةٌ
إذاwhen انقضىhas ended أجليmy allotted lifespan، ماwhat تنفعُbenefit الحُقنُinjections؟
إذا انقضى أجلي، ما تنفعُ الحُقنُ؟
Tell the doctor, as the sun of life is setting,
By God, Lord of heaven and earth, my reliance
When my allotted time is over, what good are injections?
In Him is my patience, to Him outward and inward
باللهِin God ربّLord of السماheaven والأرضِand earth مُعتصميmy refuge
باللهِ ربّ السما والأرضِ مُعتصمي
وفيهِand in Him صبريmy patience، إليهِto Him السرُّthe hidden والعلنُand the manifest
وفيهِ صبري، إليهِ السرُّ والعلنُ
In God, Lord of heaven and earth, is my refuge,
My hopes are not cut off by our uprising
And in Him is my patience; to Him belong the hidden and the manifest.
For each ugly face comes a beautiful one after
ولستُand I do not أقطعُcut off آماليmy hopes بثورتناin our revolution
ولستُ أقطعُ آمالي بثورتنا
لكلِّfor every وجهٍface قبيحٍugly آخرٌanother حسنُbeautiful.
لكلِّ وجهٍ قبيحٍ آخرٌ حسنُ.
And I do not abandon my hopes for our revolution;
For every ugly face, there is another, beautiful one.
Partial English translation: 64 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1