ايهِSpeak on! فردونVerdun إنناindeed, we منُصتوناare listening
ايهِ فردون إننا منُصتونا
حدثيناtell us عماabout what جرىhappened حدثيناtell us
حدثينا عما جرى حدثينا
Speak on, Verdun—we are listening.
O Farouk, we are all ears,
Tell us what happened; tell us.
Tell us what happened, tell us,
طبقcovered الارضَthe earth ذكرُthe tale of مجدكِyour glory حتىuntil
طبق الارضَ ذكرُ مجدكِ حتى
رددتهechoed it املاكthe angels of علييناthe highest heavens
رددته املاك عليينا
The tale of your glory covered the earth, until
Your glorious name spread across the earth,
the angels of the highest heavens echoed it.
Until the angels echoed it back to us,
ذكرa tale of مجدٍglory فيin الخافقينthe East and West صداهُits echo
ذكر مجدٍ في الخافقين صداهُ
رنّrang out والدنياand the world تستعيدُrepeats الرنيناthe ringing
رنّ والدنيا تستعيدُ الرنينا
A tale of glory whose echo through East and West
An echo of glory in the horizons,
rang out, while the world repeated its ringing.
It rang out and the world regained its melody,
نشرتهspread it الصباthe east wind فأنشأand so stirred فيin الناthe people (first part)
نشرته الصبا فأنشأ في النا
سpeople (completion) ارتياحاًdelight وصبوةًand ardor وحنيناand longing
س ارتياحاً وصبوةً وحنينا
The east wind spread it and stirred in the people
The morning breeze spread it, bringing
delight, ardor, and longing.
Comfort, joy and yearning to people,
ذكرُa tale of مجدٍglory منfrom طيهِits folds يعبقwafts fragrantly النشthe fragrance (first part)
ذكرُ مجدٍ من طيهِ يعبق النش
رfragrance (completion) فيزريand so puts to shame بالمسكthe musk منfrom داريناDarin
ر فيزري بالمسك من دارينا
A tale of glory, from whose folds wafts
A glorious name whose fragrance from its folds
a fragrance that puts musk from Darin to shame.
Spreads musk in our homes,
ذكرُa tale of مجدٍglory ماnever دارpassed فيin فيin الفمthe mouth إلاexcept
ذكرُ مجدٍ ما دار في في الفم إلا
كبَّرproclaimed God's greatness السامعونthe listeners والذاكروناand the tellers
كبَّر السامعون والذاكرونا
A tale of glory that no mouth ever uttered without
A name of glory that whenever mentioned
listeners and tellers crying, 'God is great!'
The listeners and those speaking magnified,
كبَّرواthey proclaimed God's greatness كلهمall of them جهاراًaloud وصاحواand they shouted
كبَّروا كلهم جهاراً وصاحوا
هكذاthus المجدglory ينبغيought أنto يكوناbe
هكذا المجد ينبغي أن يكونا
They all cried 'God is great!' aloud and shouted:
They all glorified it openly and shouted
'Thus should glory be!'
That's how glory should be,
فتشsearched الباحثونthe researchers فيinto المجدglory تاريخthe history of
فتش الباحثون في المجد تاريخ
المعاليnoble deeds يستنطقونmaking speak القروناthe centuries
المعالي يستنطقون القرونا
Researchers into glory searched the history
The researchers delved into the history of glory,
of noble deeds, summoning the centuries to speak.
Interrogating the centuries,
فرأواso they found فيهin it أنthat مجدكِyour glory هذاthis
فرأوا فيه أن مجدكِ هذا
لمdid not يدونrecord لهfor it الرواةthe chroniclers قريناan equal
لم يدون له الرواة قرينا
And found in it that this glory of yours
And in it they saw that this glory of yours
had no equal recorded by the chroniclers.
Has no equal recorded in history,
وصفهdescribing it يعجزdefeats البليغthe eloquent ويلقيand casts الthe
وصفه يعجز البليغ ويلقي ال
روعَawe فيin قلبthe heart of ابرعِthe most gifted of الكاتبيناthe writers
روعَ في قلب ابرعِ الكاتبينا
Describing it defeats the eloquent and casts
It's beauty defeats the eloquent and casts
awe into the heart of the most gifted writers.
Awe into the heart of the most skilled writer,
نتملَّىwe savor جمالهits beauty ماas long as بقيناwe live
نتملَّى جماله ما بقينا
وتذكرناand we remembered يومكِyour day الميموناauspicious
وتذكرنا يومكِ الميمونا
We savor its beauty for as long as we live.
We revel in its beauty as long as we live
And we remembered your auspicious day.
And remember your blessed day,
ذلكthat اليومday سوفwill يحفظbe preserved عيداًas a festival
ذلك اليوم سوف يحفظ عيداً
لخلاصfor the deliverance of الدنياthe world منfrom الظالميناthe oppressors
لخلاص الدنيا من الظالمينا
That day shall be kept as a festival
That day will be preserved as a celebration
for the world's deliverance from oppressors.
Of the world's salvation from the unjust,
فيهon it أبطالكِyour heroes الحماةthe defenders الصناديدthe stalwarts
فيه أبطالكِ الحماة الصناديد
انبرواrose up للدفاعto defend مستبسليناfighting fearlessly
انبروا للدفاع مستبسلينا
On that day, your heroes, the stalwart defenders,
On it your brave champions
rose to the defense, fighting fearlessly.
Stood up to defend with determination,
لمdid not يخصُّواconfine دفاعهمtheir defense بكِto you بلrather همthey
لم يخصُّوا دفاعهم بكِ بل هم
دافعواdefended عنin defense of حريةthe freedom of العالميناall peoples
دافعوا عن حرية العالمينا
They did not confine their defense to you; rather,
They did not limit their defense to you, but
they defended the freedom of all peoples.
Defended the freedom of all nations,
وقفواthey stood للغزاةagainst the invaders وقفةthe stance of آساlions (first part)
وقفوا للغزاة وقفة آسا
دٍlions (completion) امامbefore العرينthe den تحميguarding العريناthe den
دٍ امام العرين تحمي العرينا
They faced the invaders with the stance
They stood firm against the invaders, guarding
of lions before their den, guarding the den.
The lair as lions guard their den,
فيin وجُوهِthe faces of الالمانthe Germans منfrom بدءِthe beginning of هذيthis الthe
في وجُوهِ الالمان من بدءِ هذي ال
حربِwar فردونُVerdun قمتyou rose سداًas a barrier متيناsolid
حربِ فردونُ قمت سداً متينا
Facing the Germans, from the outset of this
From the start of this war, O Farouk, you stood
war, Verdun, you rose as a solid barrier.
As an impenetrable barrier against the Germans,
بكِthrough you شلتwas paralyzed فيin وقعةthe battle of المرنthe Marne يسleft hand (first part)
بكِ شلت في وقعة المرن يس
راهمtheir left hand (completion) فلمand so did not تقوَhave strength أنto تمدَّextend اليميناthe right hand
راهم فلم تقوَ أن تمدَّ اليمينا
You paralyzed their left hand at the battle of the Marne,
You crippled them in the Battle of El Alamein,
so it could not stretch out the right.
They could not extend a hand,
حلتِyou stood دونin the way of امتداهاits extension وعليهاand upon it
حلتِ دون امتداها وعليها
رُغتyou turned ضرباًstriking حتىuntil قطعتِyou severed الوتيناthe aorta
رُغت ضرباً حتى قطعتِ الوتينا
You barred its extension, and upon it
You stopped their advance and bombarded them
you turned with blows until you severed its aorta.
Until you severed their spine,
وابنُand the son of غليومَWilhelm بالتحركto move أغراurged
وابنُ غليومَ بالتحرك أغرا
هاit ومنهاand from it لمdid not يلقmeet الاexcept سكوناstillness
ها ومنها لم يلق الا سكونا
And Wilhelm's son urged it to move,
And William's son, tempted by maneuvering
but met with nothing from it but stillness.
Found only stillness there,
هكذاthus كانwas ذلكthat اليومday والالماand the Germans (first part)
هكذا كان ذلك اليوم والالما
نُGermans (completion) ولواturned back فيat المرنthe Marne منهزميناdefeated
نُ ولوا في المرن منهزمينا
Such was that day, and the Germans
Thus was that day, and the Germans
turned back defeated at the Marne.
Retreated from El Alamein defeated,
كُسرواthey were routed كسرةًa crushing defeat تردىwas clothed وليُّthe heir to الthe
كُسروا كسرةً تردى وليُّ ال
عهدsuccession فيهاin it خزياًdisgrace وعاراًand shame وهوناand humiliation
عهد فيها خزياً وعاراً وهونا
They suffered a rout that clothed the crown
Broken in a way that degraded the Crown Prince,
prince in disgrace, shame, and humiliation.
Disgraced, shamed and dishonored,
كنتyou were مِدعاةَthe cause of ماwhat تعنَّاهُhe suffered يومthe day of الthe
كنت مِدعاةَ ما تعنَّاهُ يوم ال
مرنMarne اذwhen هجتyou stirred فيin حشاهhis breast الشجوناsorrows
مرن اذ هجت في حشاه الشجونا
You were the cause of what he suffered on the day of the
You were the cause of what El Alamein meant
Marne, when you stirred sorrows in his breast.
When you stirred in its heart passions,
وعليكِand against you استشاطhe raged والغلُّand rancor فيهِwithin him
وعليكِ استشاط والغلُّ فيهِ
ظلَّremained منfrom ذاكthat الحينtime يغليseething دفيناburied
ظلَّ من ذاك الحين يغلي دفينا
He raged against you, and the rancor within him
And over you the King seethed with rage
kept seething, buried deep, from that time on.
Which boiled silently since,
ولإِدراكand to exact ثأرهhis vengeance منكon you أنضىhe unsheathed
ولإِدراك ثأره منك أنضى
عزمهُhis resolve حالفاًswearing عليهِto it يميناan oath
عزمهُ حالفاً عليهِ يمينا
And to exact his vengeance on you, he unsheathed
To avenge himself of you, he resolved
his resolve, swearing an oath to fulfill it.
Vowing and swearing an oath,
ومضىand he pressed on فيwith استعدادهhis preparations مستجيشاًmustering troops
ومضى في استعداده مستجيشاً
منfrom ألوفthousands of المجربينseasoned men مئيناhundreds
من ألوف المجربين مئينا
He pressed on with his preparations, mustering
He went on with his preparations, mobilizing
hundreds of thousands of seasoned men.
Tens of thousands of experienced soldiers,
وقضىand he spent فيهِon it نحوabout عشرينtwenty شهراًmonths
وقضى فيهِ نحو عشرين شهراً
مستثيراًstirring up عليكِagainst you حرباًa war زبوناfierce
مستثيراً عليكِ حرباً زبونا
He spent about twenty months on it,
And for some twenty months he roused
stirring up a fierce war against you.
Against you a raging war,
لمdid not يفرطneglect فيin ماwhat رآهhe deemed كفيلاًcapable
لم يفرط في ما رآه كفيلاً
أنthat يكونwould be انتصارهُhis victory مضموناguaranteed
أن يكون انتصارهُ مضمونا
He neglected nothing he deemed capable
He did not neglect anything he saw as ensuring
of making his victory certain.
His victory would be guaranteed,
وإذand when استوفىhe completed ماwhat أرادhe wanted وألفىand found
وإذ استوفى ما أراد وألفى
كلّevery شيءٍthing بامرهِto his command مرهوناsubject
كلّ شيءٍ بامرهِ مرهونا
And when he had achieved all he wanted and found
And when he completed what he wanted, finding
everything subject to his command,
Everything at his command secure,
أصدرhe issued الامرthe order بالهجومto attack فرجتand it shook
أصدر الامر بالهجوم فرجت
حولكِaround you الارضthe earth منfrom خطىthe footsteps of الهاجميناthe attackers
حولكِ الارض من خطى الهاجمينا
he gave the order to attack, and the earth shook
He issued the order to attack and around you
around you beneath the attackers' footsteps.
The land quaked under the footsteps of the assailants,
وعليكِand upon you الجيوشthe armies كالسيلlike a flood طمواsurged
وعليكِ الجيوش كالسيل طموا
فيلقاًcorps تلوafter فيلقٍcorps زاحفيناadvancing
فيلقاً تلو فيلقٍ زاحفينا
And the armies surged upon you like a flood,
And upon you the armies flooded like a torrent
advancing, corps after corps.
Column after column advancing,
ومنand from الشرقthe east والشمالand the north تصدواthey confronted
ومن الشرق والشمال تصدوا
لكِagainst you مستقتلينready to fight to the death يقتحموناstorming forward
لكِ مستقتلين يقتحمونا
From east and north they came at
From east and north they confronted you
you, ready to fight to the death, storming forward.
Fighting fiercely as they charged,
وتنزواand they leapt علىupon قلاعthe fortresses of ضواحيكyour outskirts
وتنزوا على قلاع ضواحيك
انقضاضthe swoop of القضاءِdoom ينقضوناswooping down
انقضاض القضاءِ ينقضونا
They leapt upon your outlying fortresses,
They swooped down on the forts around you
swooping down like doom itself.
Like the swoop of destiny they charged,
ماnot حمتكِprotected you الحصونُthe fortresses بلbut حامياتٍgarrisons
ما حمتكِ الحصونُ بل حامياتٍ
ناضلتfought عنكfor you وهيwhile they تحميprotected الحصوناthe fortresses
ناضلت عنك وهي تحمي الحصونا
It was not the fortresses that protected you, but garrisons
The forts did not protect you, only the garrisons
that fought for you while protecting the fortresses.
Struggled to defend you as they defended the forts,
همthey تبارواvied فيin الذودdefending عنكyou مشاةًon foot
هم تباروا في الذود عنك مشاةً
يسبقونoutpacing الركبانthe riders والطائريناand the fliers
يسبقون الركبان والطائرينا
They vied in defending you, men on foot
They competed in shielding you, the infantry
outpacing riders and fliers.
Outpacing the cavalry and the airmen,
وتجارواand they raced اليهِtoward it يستسهلونdeeming easy الthe
وتجاروا اليهِ يستسهلون ال
صعبhardship فيهِin it بلindeed يزدرونscorning المنوناdeath
صعب فيهِ بل يزدرون المنونا
They raced toward it, deeming
They raced to it, trivializing the difficult
its hardships easy—indeed, scorning death.
And disdaining death itself,
وتواصواand they urged one another أنto يثبتواstand firm ويصدواand repel
وتواصوا أن يثبتوا ويصدوا
عنfrom صياصيكyour strongholds كرةthe charge of الهاجميناthe attackers
عن صياصيك كرة الهاجمينا
They urged one another to stand firm and repel
They were determined to stand firm and repel
the attackers' assault from your strongholds.
The attackers time after time from your fence,
وتفانواand they sacrificed themselves فيهِfor it وهمand they غيرother than موتٍdeath
وتفانوا فيهِ وهم غير موتٍ
فيin سبيلthe cause of الدفاعdefense لاnot يبتغوناseek
في سبيل الدفاع لا يبتغونا
They sacrificed themselves for it; nothing but death
They sacrificed themselves without fearing death
in the cause of defense did they seek.
As they sought only to keep your precious protection intact,
باذلينoffering الحياةlife طوعاًwillingly لكيso that يبremain (first part)
باذلين الحياة طوعاً لكي يب
قىremain (completion) حماكِyour protected land العزيزcherished حراًfree مصوناsafeguarded
قى حماكِ العزيز حراً مصونا
Willingly offering their lives, so that
And they turned away from comfort and prosperity
your cherished domain might remain free and protected.
Which once they enjoyed,
وتجافواand they turned away عنfrom راحةٍcomfort ورفاهٍand ease
وتجافوا عن راحةٍ ورفاهٍ
بهماboth of them كانواthey were قبلُbefore مستمتعيناenjoying
بهما كانوا قبلُ مستمتعينا
They forsook comfort and ease,
And they resolved with determination to repel
both of which they had enjoyed before.
The invaders, even to smash the ribs of armored men,
وأَعدواand they readied عزماًa resolve يفلُّblunts شباthe sharp edges of الاthe (fragment)
وأَعدوا عزماً يفلُّ شبا الا
غازينinvaders بلnay يفريcleaves أضلعُthe ribs of الدارعيناthe armored men
غازين بل يفري أضلعُ الدارعينا
They readied a resolve that blunts the sharp edges of
And for your eyes they stayed up night after night
invaders—nay, cleaves the ribs of armored men.
Denying sleep to visit their eyes,
ولعينيكِand for your eyes' sake واصلواthey continued السهُّدsleeplessness حتىuntil
ولعينيكِ واصلوا السهُّد حتى
منعواthey prevented النومsleep أنfrom يزورvisiting العيوناthe eyes
منعوا النوم أن يزور العيونا
For your eyes' sake, they kept their sleepless vigil until
And for your eyes Farouk they drew swords
they barred sleep from visiting their eyes.
That wanted nothing but chests and eyelids,
ولعينيand for the eyes of فردونVerdun سلواthey drew سيوفاًswords
ولعيني فردون سلوا سيوفاً
ماdid not أرادتdesire غيرother than الصدورbreasts جفوناas sheaths
ما أرادت غير الصدور جفونا
For Verdun's eyes they drew swords
They met the iron blows with crushing blows
that desired no sheaths but breasts.
Bending and softening it,
وتلقواand they met عنكin your stead الحديدthe iron بضربٍwith a blow
وتلقوا عنك الحديد بضربٍ
ساحقٍcrushing منهُfrom it قلبهُits heart أوor يليناsoftens
ساحقٍ منهُ قلبهُ أو يلينا
They met the iron meant for you with a blow
They were not deterred by the enemies swarming
crushing its heart or making it yield.
Upon them massed like a solid structure,
لمdid not يرعهمfrighten them أنthat العداةthe foes عليهمagainst them
لم يرعهم أن العداة عليهم
هجمواattacked كالبناءِlike a building مرصوصيناclosely packed
هجموا كالبناءِ مرصوصينا
They were not frightened that their foes
They tore their ranks apart and on the hilltops
attacked them, packed tight like a solid building.
Drove back their crowds retreating,
مزقواthey tore apart شملهمtheir ranks وعنكِand away from you علىon الأعthe heels (first part)
مزقوا شملهم وعنكِ على الأع
قابheels (completion) ردُّواthey drove back جموعهمtheir hosts ناكصيناretreating
قاب ردُّوا جموعهم ناكصينا
They scattered their ranks and, away from you,
They claimed that reaching Farouk was easy
drove their hosts back on their heels, retreating.
But they found beyond it wolves and sorrows,
زعمواthey claimed أنthat وصلreaching فردونVerdun سهلwas easy
زعموا أن وصل فردون سهل
فرأواbut they found دونهُbefore it ربىًhills وحزوناand rugged ground
فرأوا دونهُ ربىً وحزونا
They claimed that reaching Verdun was easy,
They gained nothing from their million
but found hills and rugged ground before it.
And more sacrifices,
ماnot استفادواthey gained منfrom بذلهمtheir sacrificing نصفhalf مليmillion (first part)
ما استفادوا من بذلهم نصف ملي
ونٍmillion (completion) ولوand even if زادواthey added فوقهمon top of them مليوناa million
ونٍ ولو زادوا فوقهم مليونا
They gained nothing by sacrificing half a million,
They kindled against you a fire but when
even had they added a million more.
You subdued it, it was fuel for them,
همthey شبُّواkindled عليكagainst you ناراًa fire وإِذand when أنrescued (first part)
هم شبُّوا عليك ناراً وإِذ أن
قذتِyou were rescued (completion) منهاfrom it كانتit became لهمfor them أتوُّناa furnace
قذتِ منها كانت لهم أتوُّنا
They kindled a fire against you, but when
They sought a gulp of victory but got
you were saved from it, it became a furnace for them.
Only aloes and boiling water,
وابتغواand they sought نهلةa draught of انتصارvictory فباؤُواand so came away
وابتغوا نهلة انتصار فباؤُوا
يجرعونgulping down الزقومzaqqum (hellish fruit) والغسليناand ghislin (hellish pus)
يجرعون الزقوم والغسلينا
They sought a draught of victory, but returned
And they saw that with Frederick
gulping down zaqqum and ghislin.
And your defenders, Napoleon's hordes remained,
ورأواand they deemed أنهمthat they were بقياthe surviving stock of فردريكٍFrederick
ورأوا أنهم بقيا فردريكٍ
وحاموكِand your defenders رهطthe band of نابليوناNapoleon
وحاموكِ رهط نابليونا
They deemed themselves Frederick's surviving stock,
and your defenders Napoleon's band.
Partial English translation: 98 of 100 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1