فيin زمانa time الشحscarcity .. يصبحbecomes للقمرfor the moon
في زمان الشح .. يصبح للقمر
مثلlike نورlight الشمسthe sun فيin الليلthe night العتيمpitch-dark
مثل نور الشمس في الليل العتيم
In times of scarcity, the moon gains
In the time of scarcity, the moon
A light like the sun's in the pitch-dark night.
Becomes like the sun's light in the darkest night
فيin زمانa time الشحscarcity .. يصبحbecomes للحجرfor the stone
في زمان الشح .. يصبح للحجر
مثلlike ماwhat للسيفfor the sword منof قدرٍworth عظيمgreat
مثل ما للسيف من قدرٍ عظيم
In times of scarcity, the stone gains
In the time of scarcity, a rock
A great worth like that of the sword.
Becomes like a sword of great might
فيin زمانa time الشحscarcity .. يملاناfills us الفخرpride
في زمان الشح .. يملانا الفخر
لاwhen تحدىdefies الظلمoppression كهلٍa middle-aged man أوor فطيمa weaned child
لا تحدى الظلم كهلٍ أو فطيم
In times of scarcity, pride fills us
In the time of scarcity, pride weary us
When a middle-aged man or a weaned child defies oppression.
No defiance of injustice by elderly or youth
فيin زمانa time الشحscarcity فيin وقتtime الدهرthe ages
في زمان الشح في وقت الدهر
كلevery مجدٍglory فـin ارضناour land يولدis born يتيمan orphan
كل مجدٍ فـ ارضنا يولد يتيم
In times of scarcity, in the course of time,
In the time of scarcity, in this age
Every glory in our land is born an orphan.
Every glory in our land is born an orphan
وشwhat نقولwe say اليومtoday ياطفالO children القهرoppression
وش نقول اليوم ياطفال القهر
فيin القصايدpoems ذلhumiliation واللهby God العظيمthe Great
في القصايد ذل والله العظيم
What can we say today, O children of oppression?
What can we say today, O children of agony
There is humiliation in poems, by Almighty God.
In poems, disgrace, and God the Almighty
ماnot فقدناwe have lost السمعhearing ولاكفnor has failed البصرsight
ما فقدنا السمع ولاكف البصر
ميرbut بينbetween اضلوعناour ribs قلبٍa heart سقيمailing
مير بين اضلوعنا قلبٍ سقيم
We have not lost our hearing, nor has our sight failed,
We have not lost hearing or sight
But between our ribs lies an ailing heart.
A sick heart passed between our ribs
أهلناour people صرتواyou have become عناوينheadlines وصورand pictures
أهلنا صرتوا عناوين وصور
انتذكركمwe remember you مثلlike وجهٍٍa face قديمold
انتذكركم مثل وجهٍٍ قديم
Our people, you have become headlines and pictures.
Our people have become headlines and pictures
We remember you like a face from long ago.
To remember you all like an old face
كنas though ماnot بهin it ارضland لاnor نهرa river وبحرand a sea
كن ما به ارض لا نهر وبحر
كيفhow جرحwound الأرضthe earth يشفيheals فيin الصميمthe very core
كيف جرح الأرض يشفي في الصميم
As though there were no land, no river or sea.
A land without river or sea
How can the earth's wound heal at its very core?
How can a wound in the earth heal at its core?
علموناteach us اليأسdespair منof صبرpatience وحذرand caution
علمونا اليأس من صبر وحذر
علموناteach us (القدسal-Quds (Jerusalem)) ننسىwe forget (اورشليمUrushalim (Jerusalem))
علمونا (القدس) ننسى (اورشليم)
Teach us to despair of patience and caution;
They taught us despair with patience and caution
Teach us al-Quds, so we forget Urushalim.
They taught us to forget Jerusalem and remember al-Quds
لاif سقيناwe were watered غيثlife-giving rain هتافcries المطرrain
لا سقينا غيث هتاف المطر
كانwould have خضناwe waged الحربwar باطفالwith children وحريمand women
كان خضنا الحرب باطفال وحريم
If cries for rain could bring us showers,
We were not quenched by the downpour of rain
We would have waged war with children and women.
We tilled war with children and women
Sol 6.1