تحرير سوريةٍ على يد أَللنَبِي

تحرير سوريةٍ على يد أَللنَبِي

في الشرق رنّ الى اقاصي المغرب

في الشرق رنّ الى اقاصي المغرب

The liberation of Syria at the hands of Allenby

The liberation of Syria by the hand of the Prophet

In the East rang out, to the farthest West,

In the East it rang out to the farthest reaches of the West

فتحٌ تغنَّتهُ ملئكةُ السما

فتحٌ تغنَّتهُ ملئكةُ السما

وتنصتت لصداهُ أذن الكوكبِ

وتنصتت لصداهُ أذن الكوكبِ

a victory sung by the angels of heaven,

A conquest whose angels sang praises

and the planet's ear listened intently to its echo.

And the ear of the planet listened attentively to its reverberations

فتحٌ يطاولُ أكبر النصرات في ال

فتحٌ يطاولُ أكبر النصرات في ال

هيجا ويزحَمُ مجدها بالمنكبِ

هيجا ويزحَمُ مجدها بالمنكبِ

A victory that rivals the greatest triumphs in

A conquest that competes with the greatest victories

battle and jostles their glory with its shoulder.

Majestic, its glory crowding at the shoulders

فالقدسُ تُمليِه على ما حولها

فالقدسُ تُمليِه على ما حولها

ودمشقُ ترقمهُ بحرفٍ مُذهب

ودمشقُ ترقمهُ بحرفٍ مُذهب

Jerusalem dictates it to all around her,

Jerusalem inspires it around what surrounds it

and Damascus inscribes it in gilded letters.

And Damascus numbers it with gilded script

ويشعُّهُ لبنانُ في أرجائه

ويشعُّهُ لبنانُ في أرجائه

نوراً يلاشي منهُ إِثر الغيهَبِ

نوراً يلاشي منهُ إِثر الغيهَبِ

Lebanon radiates it throughout its regions

Its light radiated by Lebanon in its environs

as light that effaces from it the trace of deepest darkness.

Vanquishing all traces of the disappearing dusk

وتذيعهُ دراُ الصفاءِ بشارةً

وتذيعهُ دراُ الصفاءِ بشارةً

تُجري لها الشبهاءُ أفخم موكب

تُجري لها الشبهاءُ أفخم موكب

The heights of al-Safa proclaim it as glad tidings,

And the House of Purity spreads it as good tidings

for which Aleppo stages the grandest procession.

For which the Pleiades arrange the most splendid procession

بشراكِ سوريةُ العزيزة فافرحي

بشراكِ سوريةُ العزيزة فافرحي

وتهللي بخلاص شعبكِ واطربي

وتهللي بخلاص شعبكِ واطربي

Glad tidings, beloved Syria! Rejoice,

Rejoice, O beloved Syria, and be jubilant

exult in your people's deliverance, and be jubilant.

At the deliverance of your people and be joyous

فاللهُ سؤلكِ قد أجابَ فبالغي

فاللهُ سؤلكِ قد أجابَ فبالغي

ما شئتِ في حمدِ الإِله وأطنبي

ما شئتِ في حمدِ الإِله وأطنبي

For God has answered your prayer, so go as far

For God has answered your request so express

as you wish in praising God, and praise at length.

As much as you wish in praise of God, and elaborate

فلقد أنالكِ ما طلبتِ وانهُ

فلقد أنالكِ ما طلبتِ وانهُ

من كل وجهٍ كان أصعب مطلبِ

من كل وجهٍ كان أصعب مطلبِ

For He has granted you what you sought, and it

You have attained what you sought, which was

was, in every respect, the hardest thing to obtain.

From every aspect the most difficult request

وعلى الأُلى نجَّوكِ آياتِ الثنا

وعلى الأُلى نجَّوكِ آياتِ الثنا

صوغي وعن قدر الصنيعة أعربي

صوغي وعن قدر الصنيعة أعربي

And for those who rescued you, verses of praise

The Almighty saved you, fashioned by the verses of praise

compose, and proclaim the worth of their deed.

And explain the quality of this favor

إني لمنقذكِ العظيم لشاكرٌ

إني لمنقذكِ العظيم لشاكرٌ

وبنصره هذا لأَكبرُ مُعجبِ

وبنصره هذا لأَكبرُ مُعجبِ

I am indeed grateful to your mighty deliverer,

I am, for your great Savior, grateful

and the greatest admirer of this victory of his.

And for this victory of His, most admiring

ولقارئي شعري المؤرَّخَ واصفٌ

ولقارئي شعري المؤرَّخَ واصفٌ

تحرير سوريةٍ على يدِ اللنبِي

تحرير سوريةٍ على يدِ اللنبِي

And for readers of my dated verse, I describe

And let my poetry's reader, the chronicler, describe

Syria's liberation at the hands of Allenby.

The liberation of Syria by the hand of the Prophet

طارت شرارتها من البلقانِ

طارت شرارتها من البلقانِ

وذَكت فعمَّت سائر البلدانِ

وذَكت فعمَّت سائر البلدانِ

Its spark flew from the Balkans,

Its sparks flew from the Balkans

and blazed, engulfing all the lands.

And ignited, then pervaded all the countries

وقد انتهت منهُ كما ابتدأت به

وقد انتهت منهُ كما ابتدأت به

فشبوبها وخمودها سيَّانِ

فشبوبها وخمودها سيَّانِ

It ended there, just as it began there:

And it ended with them just as it had begun

its flaring and its dying were alike.

Whether its youth or its quiescence, the two are equal

لولا تصدِّي الترك لأنطفأت على

لولا تصدِّي الترك لأنطفأت على

عجلٍ ولم تشتدَّ في الثورانِ

عجلٍ ولم تشتدَّ في الثورانِ

Had the Turks not intervened, it would have died out

Had it not been for the Turks' opposition, it would have

quickly, without growing fierce in its eruption.

Quickly extinguished, and not ignited in the uprising

لكنها بدخولهم بلغت مَدى

لكنها بدخولهم بلغت مَدى

خمسين شهراً فوقها شهرانِ

خمسين شهراً فوقها شهرانِ

But with their entry it reached a span of

But with their entry it reached the extent of fifty months

fifty months, with two more months on top.

With two months above it

منعوا به عن روسيا الحلفا ولم

منعوا به عن روسيا الحلفا ولم

يَكُ صرف هذا المنع في الامكانِ

يَكُ صرف هذا المنع في الامكانِ

By it they barred the Allies from Russia, and

They prevented the alliance with Russia, and it was not

there was no way to remove this barrier.

Possible to avert this prevention

وجَرت على آثارهم بلغاريا

وجَرت على آثارهم بلغاريا

منضمةً معهم الى الالمان

منضمةً معهم الى الالمان

Bulgaria followed in their footsteps,

And Bulgaria followed in their footsteps

joining them on the Germans' side.

Joining with them and with the Germans

ولنصرة الحلفا انبرت رومانيا

ولنصرة الحلفا انبرت رومانيا

وتأهبت للكرّ في الميدانِ

وتأهبت للكرّ في الميدانِ

Romania sprang forth to aid the Allies,

And Romania mobilized for the attack in the battlefield

and prepared to charge upon the battlefield.

To support the alliance

لكنها ما أبطأت ان أحجمت

لكنها ما أبطأت ان أحجمت

عنهُ تجرّ ذلاذل الخذلانِ

عنهُ تجرّ ذلاذل الخذلانِ

But it did not delay in recoiling

But it did not delay in recoiling

from it, dragging the trailing hems of defeat.

Dragging the disgrace of desertion

واستأثر الالمانُ بالبلقانِ لم

واستأثر الالمانُ بالبلقانِ لم

يستنجِ من يدهم سوى اليونانِ

يستنجِ من يدهم سوى اليونانِ

The Germans took sole possession of the Balkans; none

And the Germans monopolized the Balkans, no one was saved

escaped their grasp except Greece.

From their hands except Greece

في الظّاهر التزموا الحياد وميلهم

في الظّاهر التزموا الحياد وميلهم

سرًّا الى الالمان في رجحانِ

سرًّا الى الالمان في رجحانِ

Outwardly they maintained neutrality, while their leanings

Seemingly, they maintained neutrality, and their inclination

secretly tipped toward the Germans.

Secretly was towards the Germans, weighing down

ولو انهم منحوا الخيارَ لجاهروا

ولو انهم منحوا الخيارَ لجاهروا

في الانضمام لهم بغير توانِ

في الانضمام لهم بغير توانِ

Had they been given the choice, they would have openly declared

And if they had been given the choice, they would have declared

their allegiance to them, without delay.

Their joining them without hesitation

لكنهم وبلادهم في قبضة ال

لكنهم وبلادهم في قبضة ال

حلُفا استخاروا خطة الكتمانِ

حلُفا استخاروا خطة الكتمانِ

But, with themselves and their country in the grip of the

But they and their country were in the grip of the alliance

Allies, they chose a policy of concealment.

They devised the plan of secrecy

وجروا عليها منذ شهرِ الحرب لم

وجروا عليها منذ شهرِ الحرب لم

يألوا ولا كفُّوا عن الروغانِ

يألوا ولا كفُّوا عن الروغانِ

They followed it from war's proclamation, never

And since the month of the war began they did not

flagging, nor ceasing their evasions.

Cease or desist from scheming

يترسمَّون خطى المليكِ كأنما

يترسمَّون خطى المليكِ كأنما

في الارض قسطنطينُ ربٌّ ثانِ

في الارض قسطنطينُ ربٌّ ثانِ

They followed the king's footsteps, as though

Tracing the steps of the King as if

Constantine were a second god on earth.

Constantine in the land was a second Lord

فجنى عليهم أن طحا بقلوبهم

فجنى عليهم أن طحا بقلوبهم

ميلاً الى غليومَ اكبرِ جانِ

ميلاً الى غليومَ اكبرِ جانِ

He wronged them by swaying their hearts

So he sowed in their hearts an inclination

toward Guillaume, the greatest wrongdoer.

Towards William, greatest of tyrants

والناسُ في الدنيا كما قالوا على

والناسُ في الدنيا كما قالوا على

دين المليكِ ومذهب السلطانِ

دين المليكِ ومذهب السلطانِ

People in this world, as they say, follow

And people in the world are, as they said, of the

the king's religion and the ruler's creed.

Religion of the King and creed of the Sultan

باشارة أبن حميهِ طاح بشعبهِ

باشارة أبن حميهِ طاح بشعبهِ

في مقفراتِ الغيِّ والزَّيغانِ

في مقفراتِ الغيِّ والزَّيغانِ

At the bidding of his father-in-law's son, he hurled his people

By indication of the son of his in-law, he deceived his people

into the wastelands of error and deviation.

Into the wastes of misguidance and deviation

ونسوا يدَ الحلفا على اليونان وال

ونسوا يدَ الحلفا على اليونان وال

إنسانُ مطبوع على النسيانِ

إنسانُ مطبوع على النسيانِ

They forgot the Allies' helping hand to Greece; and

And they forgot the hand of the alliance over Greece

humankind is fashioned to forget.

Man is imprinted with forgetfulness

لولا وزيرهم الحكيم لأَوغلوا

لولا وزيرهم الحكيم لأَوغلوا

في الكفر والانكار للإِحسانِ

في الكفر والانكار للإِحسانِ

But for their wise minister, they would have plunged deeper

Were it not for their wise minister, they would have delved

into ingratitude and denial of kindness.

Into unbelief and denial of benevolence

فنزيلس الرجل الذي لبلاده

فنزيلس الرجل الذي لبلاده

هو شائدٌ صرح العلاءِ وبان

هو شائدٌ صرح العلاءِ وبان

Venizelos, the man who, for his country,

Venizelos, the man who for his country

raises and builds the edifice of glory.

Is the buttress of the edifice of excellence and clarity

كم واحد في الناس يسوَى امة

كم واحد في الناس يسوَى امة

كم امةٍ لم تسوَ من انسانِ

كم امةٍ لم تسوَ من انسانِ

How many a single person equals a nation;

How many equals a nation in the people

how many a nation does not equal one person!

How many a nation no human equals

وكفى بني اليونان فخراً انه

وكفى بني اليونان فخراً انه

من شعبهم فنزيلس اليوناني

من شعبهم فنزيلس اليوناني

It is glory enough for the Greeks that

And it suffices the Greeks pride that

Venizelos the Greek belongs to their people.

From their people is Venizelos the Greek

متفردٌ بنزاهةٍ وعزيمةٍ

متفردٌ بنزاهةٍ وعزيمةٍ

ذكراهما موضوع كلِّ لسانِ

ذكراهما موضوع كلِّ لسانِ

Unique in integrity and resolve,

Unique in his integrity and resolve

both are mentioned on every tongue.

Whose mention is the subject of every tongue

وبحبه لبلاده شَغِفٌ ولل

وبحبه لبلاده شَغِفٌ ولل

حلفاءِ في اخلاصهِ متفانِ

حلفاءِ في اخلاصهِ متفانِ

Passionate in his love for his country, and to the

And in his love for his country intense fervor

Allies utterly devoted in his loyalty.

And in his loyalty to the allies utter devotion

لو ان قسطنطين راعى عهده

لو ان قسطنطين راعى عهده

للسربِ يوم كريهة وطعانِ

للسربِ يوم كريهة وطعانِ

Had Constantine honored his pledge

Had Constantine kept his pact

to the Serbs on the day of battle and spear-thrusts,

To the entente on the day of disaster and piercing

لم ينشب البلغار مخلب غدرهم

لم ينشب البلغار مخلب غدرهم

فيها ولم تصلَ لظى العدوانِ

فيها ولم تصلَ لظى العدوانِ

the Bulgarians would not have sunk the claw of their treachery

The Bulgars would not have sunk the claw of their betrayal

into her, nor would she have burned in aggression's blaze.

Into it, nor reached the flames of aggression

لكنه عنها تخلَّف وهي في

لكنه عنها تخلَّف وهي في

برحُائها جهد البلاءِ تعانَي

برحُائها جهد البلاءِ تعانَي

But he held back from her while she, in

But he fell short of it while it was amidst

her agony, suffered the utmost affliction.

Its desolation, suffering the affliction of the ordeal

وبرأي مرشده استخفَّ محذراً

وبرأي مرشده استخفَّ محذراً

اياهُ شرَّ مغبةِ العصيان

اياهُ شرَّ مغبةِ العصيان

He scorned his adviser's counsel, though the adviser warned

And by the counsel of his guide he took lightly

him of the evil consequences of disobedience.

Warning him of the evil consequence of defiance

وله انبرى في الدردنيل معارضاً

وله انبرى في الدردنيل معارضاً

في ما اراد فكان عنه الثاني

في ما اراد فكان عنه الثاني

He rose against him over the Dardanelles,

And to it he set out in the Dardanelles, opposing

opposing his intention and turning him away from it.

What he intended, so he was second to it

ونهاهُ عما رامَ يومَ غلبلي

ونهاهُ عما رامَ يومَ غلبلي

فنأى عن الحلفاءِ نصرٌ دانش

فنأى عن الحلفاءِ نصرٌ دانش

He forbade him what he sought at Gallipoli,

And prevented him from what he intended the day of Salonica

so a victory near at hand slipped away from the Allies.

So he recoiled from the allies, a victory of Danis

لم يألُ جهداً أن يعرقل كل ما

لم يألُ جهداً أن يعرقل كل ما

قصروا عليه السعي في البلقانِ

قصروا عليه السعي في البلقانِ

He spared no effort to obstruct all

He did not stop trying to obstruct everything

they focused their efforts upon in the Balkans.

To which they applied effort in the Balkans

وعلى جنودهم اعتدى اذ دارَه

وعلى جنودهم اعتدى اذ دارَه

وَطئوا وظنوا انهم بامانِ

وَطئوا وظنوا انهم بامانِ

He attacked their soldiers when, in his domain,

And he assaulted their soldiers when he turned on them

they set foot, believing themselves safe.

They trod and thought they were safe

حتى أتوهُ بغير ما يؤتى بهِ

حتى أتوهُ بغير ما يؤتى بهِ

أمثاله من صاحبي التيجانِ

أمثاله من صاحبي التيجانِ

Until they dealt with him unlike the treatment accorded

Until they did to him what is not done

his peers among those who wear crowns.

To the likes of those with crowns

وارتدَّ عنهُ وزيرهُ ولأمرهِ

وارتدَّ عنهُ وزيرهُ ولأمرهِ

قد كان حتى الآن اكبر عانِ

قد كان حتى الآن اكبر عانِ

His minister turned away from him, though to his command

And his minister turned away from him, and his command

he had, until then, been most submissive.

Had been until now the greatest helper

وبخلعِه صدرَ القرارُ موَقَّعاً

وبخلعِه صدرَ القرارُ موَقَّعاً

من مجلس الحلفا العظيم الشان

من مجلس الحلفا العظيم الشان

A decree for his deposition was issued, signed

And with his deposition the decree was issued

by the august council of the Allies.

Signed by the esteemed high alliance council

وأقيلت اليونان عثرتها بهِ

وأقيلت اليونان عثرتها بهِ

وتبرَّأت من تهمة الشنآنِ

وتبرَّأت من تهمة الشنآنِ

Through it, Greece was forgiven her stumble

And Greece's stumbling block was removed through him

and cleared of the charge of enmity.

And it disavowed the accusation of enmity

وجنودها انضمَّت الى الحلفاءِ في

وجنودها انضمَّت الى الحلفاءِ في

خوضِ الوغى المشبوبةِ النيرانِ

خوضِ الوغى المشبوبةِ النيرانِ

Her troops joined the Allies in

And its soldiers joined the allies in

plunging into battle with its fires ablaze.

Stirring the fierce flames of fire

واعتدَّ للحلفاءِ ثَمَّ حجافلٌ

واعتدَّ للحلفاءِ ثَمَّ حجافلٌ

من نخبة البُسلاءِ والشجعانِ

من نخبة البُسلاءِ والشجعانِ

There, hosts were made ready for the Allies,

And to the allies then masses came

drawn from the finest of the valiant and brave.

Of the elite of the brave and bold

ولواعيها دسبري البطل الذي

ولواعيها دسبري البطل الذي

جلى بحنكته على الاقرانِ

جلى بحنكته على الاقرانِ

They set over them d'Espèrey, the hero who

And for its vanguards Dusbury the hero

outstripped his peers through his seasoned skill.

Who demonstrated over the peers his competence

فسطا وصال على بني النمسا وفي ال

فسطا وصال على بني النمسا وفي ال

بلغار أثخن أيَّما إثخانِ

بلغار أثخن أيَّما إثخانِ

He struck and charged against the Austrians, and among the

He charged and stormed the Austrian house and in the

Bulgarians wrought the heaviest slaughter.

Bulgars inflicted the most gaping wounds

وعلى جناحيَهم ضراغمُ سريبا

وعلى جناحيَهم ضراغمُ سريبا

في الكر ينقضُّون كالعقبانِ

في الكر ينقضُّون كالعقبانِ

On their two wings were Serbia's lions,

And on their flanks the regiments of Serbia

swooping in the charge like eagles,

In the attack swooping like eagles

وعلى فلولِ بني فينا وصوفيا

وعلى فلولِ بني فينا وصوفيا

كالأُسد واثبةً على القطعانِ

كالأُسد واثبةً على القطعانِ

and upon the routed sons of Vienna and Sofia,

And upon the remnants of the people of Vienna and Sophia

like lions springing upon herds.

Like lions pouncing on the flocks

نثروا عقودَ جموعهم فتفرقوا

نثروا عقودَ جموعهم فتفرقوا

وتشتتوا في البيد والقيعان

وتشتتوا في البيد والقيعان

They scattered the necklaces of their hosts, who dispersed

They scattered the necks of their crowds so they dispersed

and were strewn across deserts and plains.

And scattered into the wilderness and wastelands

فعنت لهم بلغاريا ورجالها

فعنت لهم بلغاريا ورجالها

خرُّوا لدى الحلفا الى الاذقانِ

خرُّوا لدى الحلفا الى الاذقانِ

Bulgaria submitted to them, and her men

Thus Bulgaria turned against them and its men

fell before the Allies upon their chins.

Fell before the allies in submission

وتضعضعُ البلغار في المانيا

وتضعضعُ البلغار في المانيا

هال القلوب وطاحَ بالأذهانِ

هال القلوب وطاحَ بالأذهانِ

In Germany, the Bulgarians' collapse

And the Bulgars wavered in Germany

terrified hearts and cast minds into confusion.

Terrifying hearts and confusing minds

لم يهوِ هذا الركن من بنيانها

لم يهوِ هذا الركن من بنيانها

الا تداعت سائر الأركانش

الا تداعت سائر الأركانش

No sooner did this pillar of her structure fall

No pillar of its building trembled

than all the other pillars began to collapse.

Except that the rest of its pillars shook

والترك دانوا واحتذوا بلغاريا

والترك دانوا واحتذوا بلغاريا

وتقفت النمسا بني عثمانِ

وتقفت النمسا بني عثمانِ

The Turks submitted and followed Bulgaria's example,

And the Turks acquiesced and emulated Bulgaria

and Austria followed the sons of Osman.

And the Austrians halted between the Ottomans

وتلفتت المانيا فاذا بها

وتلفتت المانيا فاذا بها

في عزلة المجذوم والجربانِ

في عزلة المجذوم والجربانِ

Germany looked around, only to find herself

And Germany was left isolated, as

in the isolation of the leper and the scabies sufferer.

The outcast leper

بالامس كانت حولها اعوانهُا

بالامس كانت حولها اعوانهُا

واليومَ قد أمست بلا أعوانش

واليومَ قد أمست بلا أعوانش

Yesterday her helpers surrounded her;

Yesterday it had its supporters around it

today she was left without helpers.

While today it is without supporters

وليوث فوش مثيرةٌ في جيشها ال

وليوث فوش مثيرةٌ في جيشها ال

تفريق بين الهام والابدانِ

تفريق بين الهام والابدانِ

Foch's lions stirred within her army the

And the beasts of Foch agitating in its army

severing of heads from bodies.

No distinction between the brave and weak

تحتثّ في تمزيقهم وتذيقهم

تحتثّ في تمزيقهم وتذيقهم

هولاً يشيبُ مفارق الولدان

هولاً يشيبُ مفارق الولدان

They hastened to tear them apart and made them taste

Inciting their tearing apart and making them taste

a terror that turns the partings of children's hair gray.

Horrors that would whiten the cheeks of infants

وعليه لم ترَ عندها بدًّا من ال

وعليه لم ترَ عندها بدًّا من ال

تسليم للحلفاءِ والاذعان

تسليم للحلفاءِ والاذعان

And so she saw no alternative to

And it had no choice with them but

surrendering to the Allies and submitting.

To surrender to the allies and submission

لا يستطيع العقلُ أن يتصور ال

لا يستطيع العقلُ أن يتصور ال

شرَّ الذي جلبت على العمرانِ

شرَّ الذي جلبت على العمرانِ

The mind cannot conceive the

The mind cannot conceive the harm

evil she brought upon civilization.

That it brought upon civilization

لكنها لقيت جزا ايغالها

لكنها لقيت جزا ايغالها

في البغي والعدوان والطغيان

في البغي والعدوان والطغيان

But she received the recompense for her excesses

But it met the punishment of its tyranny

in oppression, aggression, and tyranny.

And aggression and oppression

فقضت وقد صدق الالى قالوا على ال

فقضت وقد صدق الالى قالوا على ال

باغي تدورُ دوائرُ الحدثانِ

باغي تدورُ دوائرُ الحدثانِ

She perished; true were those who said: upon the

And so it fulfilled, the Almighty spoke true that

oppressor turn the circles of calamity.

Upon the aggressor revolve the cycles of events