جَلَست وَقَد هَجَعَ الغافِلون

جَلَست وَقَد هَجَعَ الغافِلون

أُفَكِّرُ في أَمسِنا وَالغَدِ

أُفَكِّرُ في أَمسِنا وَالغَدِ

I sat while the heedless slept,

I sat while the heedless ones slept

I sat while the heedless slumbered,

Reflecting on our yesterday and tomorrow,

Thinking of our past and future

Pondering our past and our tomorrow,

وَكَيفَ اِستَبَدَّ بِنا الظالِمون

وَكَيفَ اِستَبَدَّ بِنا الظالِمون

وَجاروا عَلى الشَيخ وَالأَمرَدِ

وَجاروا عَلى الشَيخ وَالأَمرَدِ

And how the oppressors tyrannized over us

And how the oppressors prevailed over us

And how tyrants have oppressed us,

And wronged old men and beardless youths.

They were unjust to the old and the young

Committing injustice against the elder and the beardless youth.

فَخِلتُ اللَواعِجَ بَينَ الجُفونِ

فَخِلتُ اللَواعِجَ بَينَ الجُفونِ

وَأَنَّ جَهنَّمَ في مَرقَدي

وَأَنَّ جَهنَّمَ في مَرقَدي

So I imagined burning torments between my eyelids,

So my eyelids remained sleepless

I fancied searing anguish dwelled between my eyelids,

And hell within my bed.

Feeling hell was in my bed

And that Hell itself lay within my bed.

وَضاقَ الفُؤادُ بِما يَكتُمُ

وَضاقَ الفُؤادُ بِما يَكتُمُ

فَأَرسَلَتِ العَينُ مِدرارَها

فَأَرسَلَتِ العَينُ مِدرارَها

And my heart grew constricted by what it concealed,

My heart felt squeezed by what it concealed

My heart grew heavy with what it concealed,

So my eye released its torrent.

So my eyes let flow their tears

So my eyes poured forth their torrential flow.

ذَكَرتُ الحُروب وَوَيلاتِها

ذَكَرتُ الحُروب وَوَيلاتِها

وَما صَنَعَ السَيف وَالمِدفَعُ

وَما صَنَعَ السَيف وَالمِدفَعُ

I recalled wars and their calamities,

I remembered the wars and their afflictions

I recalled wars and their calamities,

And what the sword and cannon had wrought,

What the sword and cannon had done

And what the sword and cannon have wrought,

وَكَيفَ تَجورُ عَلى ذاتِها

وَكَيفَ تَجورُ عَلى ذاتِها

شُعوبٌ لَها الرُتبَةُ الأَرفَعُ

شُعوبٌ لَها الرُتبَةُ الأَرفَعُ

And how they wrong themselves—

How nations ravage their own selves

And how nations turn against their very selves,

Nations holding the highest rank—

Though they held the highest rank

Peoples who claim the highest rank of civilization,

وَتَخضُبُ بَِلدَمِ راياتِها

وَتَخضُبُ بَِلدَمِ راياتِها

وَكانَت تَذُمُّ الَّذي تَصنَعُ

وَكانَت تَذُمُّ الَّذي تَصنَعُ

And dye their banners in blood,

And dyed their flags with blood

Staining their banners with crimson blood,

Though they once condemned what they now do.

While once condemning what they now do

While condemning the very deeds they now commit.

فَباتَت بِما شيدَت تَهدُمُ

فَباتَت بِما شيدَت تَهدُمُ

صُروحَ العُلوم وَأَسرارَها

صُروحَ العُلوم وَأَسرارَها

So, with what they built, they began to demolish

So overnight what they built they destroyed

Thus, with what they built, they began to demolish

The edifices of the sciences and their secrets.

The citadels of knowledge and its secrets

The citadels of science and their secrets.

نِسَأٌ تَجودُ بِأَولادِها

نِسَأٌ تَجودُ بِأَولادِها

عَلى المَوت وَالمَوتُ لا يَرحَمُ

عَلى المَوت وَالمَوتُ لا يَرحَمُ

Women freely offer their children

Women sacrificing their children

Women sacrificing their own sons,

To death, and death shows no mercy;

To death though death has no mercy

To death, though death grants no mercy.

وَجُندٌ تَجودُ بِأَكبادِها

وَجُندٌ تَجودُ بِأَكبادِها

عَلى الأَرض وَالأَرضُ لا تَعَلمُ

عَلى الأَرض وَالأَرضُ لا تَعَلمُ

And soldiers freely offer their livers

And soldiers sacrificing themselves

And soldiers offering up their very vitals,

To the earth, and the earth knows nothing.

To the land though it knows not

Upon the earth, though the earth remains unaware.

وَتَغدو الطُيورُ بِأَجسادِها

وَتَغدو الطُيورُ بِأَجسادِها

فَإِن عَطِشَت فَالشَرابُ الدَمُ

فَإِن عَطِشَت فَالشَرابُ الدَمُ

And birds feed on their bodies [text uncertain];

Birds awake feasting on corpses

Birds of prey descend upon their bodies,

If they thirst, their drink is blood.

For if thirsty, blood is their drink

And if they thirst, their drink is blood.

وَفي كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ مَأتَمُ

وَفي كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ مَأتَمُ

تَشُقُّ بِها الغَدُ أَزرارَها

تَشُقُّ بِها الغَدُ أَزرارَها

And in every home there is mourning,

And in every dwelling there is mourning

In every dwelling, a funeral is held,

Where maidens tear open their garments [text uncertain].

The tomorrow rending apart its garments

Where the maiden tears her garments in grief.

لَقَد شَبِعَ الذِئب وَالأَجدَلُ

لَقَد شَبِعَ الذِئب وَالأَجدَلُ

وَأَقفَرَتِ الدور وَالأَربُعُ

وَأَقفَرَتِ الدور وَالأَربُعُ

The wolf and falcon have eaten their fill,

The wolf and the hyena are sated

The wolf and the falcon have had their fill,

And homes and settlements lie deserted.

Homes and lands lie barren

While homes and quarters lie desolate and bare.

فَكَم يَقتُلُ الجَحفَلَ الجَحفَلُ

فَكَم يَقتُلُ الجَحفَلَ الجَحفَلُ

وَيَفتُكُ بِالأَروَعِ الأَروَعُ

وَيَفتُكُ بِالأَروَعِ الأَروَعُ

How often one army slays another,

So one army destroys the other

How often does one army slaughter another,

And one gallant warrior slaughters another!

And the finest kills the finest

And the brave warrior destroys his brave counterpart.

وَلَن يُرجِعَ القَتلُ مَن قُتِّلوا

وَلَن يُرجِعَ القَتلُ مَن قُتِّلوا

وَلَن يَستَعيدَ الَّذي ضَيَّعوا

وَلَن يَستَعيدَ الَّذي ضَيَّعوا

Yet killing will never bring back those slaughtered,

The dead will not return to life

Yet killing will never bring back the slain,

Nor recover what they squandered.

Nor the lost come back again

Nor recover that which they have lost.

فَبِئسَ الأُلى بِالوَغى عَلِموا

فَبِئسَ الأُلى بِالوَغى عَلِموا

وَبِئسَ الأُلى أَجَّجوا نارَها

وَبِئسَ الأُلى أَجَّجوا نارَها

So how wretched are those versed in warfare,

Evil is he who learned violence

Wretched are those who learned the ways of war,

And how wretched those who kindled its fire!

And evil is he who fueled its fire

And wretched are those who kindled its flames.

أَمِن أَجلِ أَن يَسلَمَ الواحِدُ

أَمِن أَجلِ أَن يَسلَمَ الواحِدُ

رُطَلُّ الدِماء وَتَفنى الأُلوف

رُطَلُّ الدِماء وَتَفنى الأُلوف

Is it to keep a single person safe

Is it so one man may live safely

Is it so that a single one may remain safe,

That blood is shed unavenged [text uncertain] and thousands perish,

While blood flows in rivers and thousands perish

That blood is shed and thousands perish?

وَيَزرَعُ أَولادَهُ الوالِدُ

وَيَزرَعُ أَولادَهُ الوالِدُ

لِتَحصِدَهُم شَفَراتُ السُيوف

لِتَحصِدَهُم شَفَراتُ السُيوف

And the father sows his children

And fathers raise their sons

Must a father plant his own children,

For the blades of swords to reap them?

Only for swords to reap them

Only for the blades of swords to harvest them?

أُمورٌ يَحارُ بِها الناقِدُ

أُمورٌ يَحارُ بِها الناقِدُ

وَتُدمي فُؤادَ اللَبيبِ الحَصيف

وَتُدمي فُؤادَ اللَبيبِ الحَصيف

Matters that bewilder the critic

Matters that baffle the critic

These are matters that baffle the critic,

And make the wise, discerning man's heart bleed.

And sadden the heart of the wise

And make the heart of the wise and prudent bleed.

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري مَتى يَفهَمُ

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري مَتى يَفهَمُ

مَعاني الحَياة وَأَسرارَها

مَعاني الحَياة وَأَسرارَها

Oh, if only I knew when he will understand

Oh when will we understand

Oh, would that I knew when man will understand

The meanings of life and its secrets!

The meanings and secrets of life

The meanings of life and its hidden secrets.

وَحَوَّلتُ طَرفي إِلى المَشرِقِ

وَحَوَّلتُ طَرفي إِلى المَشرِقِ

فَلَم أَرَ غَيرَ جِبالِ الغُيوم

فَلَم أَرَ غَيرَ جِبالِ الغُيوم

And I turned my gaze toward the east,

I turned my eyes to the east

I turned my gaze toward the East,

But saw nothing but mountains of clouds,

But saw only mountains of clouds

Yet saw nothing but mountains of clouds,

تَحولُ عَلى بَدرِهِ المُشرِقِ

تَحولُ عَلى بَدرِهِ المُشرِقِ

كَما اِجتَمَعَت حَولَ نَفسي الغُموم

كَما اِجتَمَعَت حَولَ نَفسي الغُموم

Drifting over its radiant full moon,

Veiling its shining moon

Obscuring its radiant full moon,

As sorrows had gathered around my soul.

As clouds gathered around my soul, too

Just as sorrows have gathered around my soul.

فَأَسنَدتُ رَأسي إِلى مِرفَقي

فَأَسنَدتُ رَأسي إِلى مِرفَقي

وَقُلت وَقَد غَلَبَتني الهُموم

وَقُلت وَقَد غَلَبَتني الهُموم

So I rested my head on my elbow

So I rested my head on my elbow

So I rested my head upon my arm,

And said, overcome by worries:

And said, overwhelmed by worries

And spoke, while worries overwhelmed me:

بِرَبِّكِ أَيَّتُها الأَنجُمُ

بِرَبِّكِ أَيَّتُها الأَنجُمُ

مَتى تَضَعِ الحَربُ أَوزارَها

مَتى تَضَعِ الحَربُ أَوزارَها

By your Lord, O stars,

By your Lord o stars

"By your Lord, O stars above,

When will war lay down its burdens?

When will war lay down its burdens

When will War finally lay down its heavy burdens?"

كَما يُقتَلُ الطَيرُ في الجَنَّةِ

كَما يُقتَلُ الطَيرُ في الجَنَّةِ

وَيَقتَنِصُ الظَبيُ في السَبسَبِ

وَيَقتَنِصُ الظَبيُ في السَبسَبِ

As a bird is killed in the garden

As birds are killed in paradise

Just as the bird is slain within the garden,

And a gazelle is hunted in the open plain,

And gazelles hunted in the meadows

And the gazelle is hunted in the barren wild,

كَذَلِكَ يُجنى عَلى أُمَّتي

كَذَلِكَ يُجنى عَلى أُمَّتي

بِلا سَبَب وَبِلا موجِبِ

بِلا سَبَب وَبِلا موجِبِ

So too is my nation wronged,

So too my people are wronged

So too is my nation unjustly struck down,

Without cause and without justification.

With no cause or fault

Without reason and without cause.

فَحَتّامَ تُؤخَذُ بِالقُوَّةِ

فَحَتّامَ تُؤخَذُ بِالقُوَّةِ

وَيُقتَصُّ مِنها وَلَم تُذنِبِ

وَيُقتَصُّ مِنها وَلَم تُذنِبِ

So how long will it be seized by force

So Hittites are taken by force

How long shall she be seized by force,

And punished, though it has done no wrong?

And punished though innocent

And punished though she has committed no sin?

وَكَم تَستَكين وَتَستَسلِمُ

وَكَم تَستَكين وَتَستَسلِمُ

وَقَد بَلَغَ السَيلُ زُنّارَها

وَقَد بَلَغَ السَيلُ زُنّارَها

And how long will it submit and surrender,

How much will we yield and surrender

How long will she submit and surrender,

Though the flood has already reached its belt?

When the flood reached its peak

When the rising flood has already reached her waist?

وَسيقَت إِلى النَطعِ سوقُ الغَنَم

وَسيقَت إِلى النَطعِ سوقُ الغَنَم

مَغاوِرَها وَرِجالُ الأَدَب

مَغاوِرَها وَرِجالُ الأَدَب

And to the executioner's mat, like sheep, were driven

And the sheep were driven to slaughter

She was driven to the slaughter like a flock of sheep—

Its valiant fighters and men of letters.

Their caves and men of refinement

Her valiant heroes and her men of letters.

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ لَم يَمُت بِالخَذَم

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ لَم يَمُت بِالخَذَم

فَقَد قَتَلوهُ بِسَيفِ السَغَب

فَقَد قَتَلوهُ بِسَيفِ السَغَب

And every person who did not die by keen blades

Whoever did not die fighting

And every man who did not perish by the blade

They killed with the sword of starvation.

Was killed dishonorably by the sword

Has been slain by the sword of starvation.

فَما حَرَّكَ الضَيمُ فيها الشِمَم

فَما حَرَّكَ الضَيمُ فيها الشِمَم

وَلا رُؤيَةُ الدَمِ فيها الغَضَب

وَلا رُؤيَةُ الدَمِ فيها الغَضَب

Yet oppression did not stir its proud dignity,

So wrongdoing stirred in them no anger

Yet injustice did not stir her dignity,

Nor the sight of blood its anger.

Nor did seeing blood stir wrath

Nor did the sight of blood ignite her wrath.

تَبَدَّلَتِ الناس وَالأَنجُمُ

تَبَدَّلَتِ الناس وَالأَنجُمُ

وَلَمّا تُبَدِّلِ أَطوارَها

وَلَمّا تُبَدِّلِ أَطوارَها

People and the stars have changed,

People and stars have changed

The people and the stars have changed,

Yet it still has not changed its ways.

Though their cycles remained the same

Yet she has not changed her passive ways.

أَرى اللَيثَ يَدفَعُ عَن غَيضَتِه

أَرى اللَيثَ يَدفَعُ عَن غَيضَتِه

بِأَنيابِه وَبِأَظفارِهِ

بِأَنيابِه وَبِأَظفارِهِ

I see the lion defend its thicket

I see the lion defending his fury

I see the lion defending his thicket

With its fangs and its claws;

With fangs and claws

With his fangs and with his claws;

وَيَجتَمِعُ النَملُ في قَريَتِه

وَيَجتَمِعُ النَملُ في قَريَتِه

إِذا خَشِيَ الغَدرَ مِن جارِهِ

إِذا خَشِيَ الغَدرَ مِن جارِهِ

And ants gather in their village

And ants gather in their nest

And the ants gather within their colony

When they fear treachery from their neighbor.

Fearing betrayal from a neighbor

When fearing treachery from a neighbor;

وَيَخشى الهَزارُ عَلى وَكنَتِه

وَيَخشى الهَزارُ عَلى وَكنَتِه

فَيَدفَعُ عَنها بِمِنقارِهِ

فَيَدفَعُ عَنها بِمِنقارِهِ

And the nightingale fears for its nest,

While the buzzard protects his nest

And the nightingale fears for his nest,

So it defends it with its beak.

Pecking away threats with his beak

So he defends it with his beak.

فَلا الكاسِرات وَلا الضَيغَمُ

فَلا الكاسِرات وَلا الضَيغَمُ

وَلا الشاةُ تَمدَحُ جَزّارَها

وَلا الشاةُ تَمدَحُ جَزّارَها

So neither the birds of prey nor the lion,

But neither the breakers nor the broken

Neither the birds of prey nor the lion,

Nor the sheep, praises its butcher.

Nor the sheep praises its butcher

Nor even the sheep sings praises to its butcher.

عَجِبتُ مِنَ الضاحِكِ اللاعِبِ

عَجِبتُ مِنَ الضاحِكِ اللاعِبِ

وَأَهلوهُ بَينَ القَنا وَالسُيوف

وَأَهلوهُ بَينَ القَنا وَالسُيوف

I marveled at the man who laughs and plays,

I wonder at those who laugh and play

I marveled at the one who laughs and plays,

While his family, amid spears and swords,

While welcomed by spears and swords

While his kin are caught between spears and swords.

يَبيتونَ في وَجَلٍ ناصِبِ

يَبيتونَ في وَجَلٍ ناصِبِ

فَإِن نَصَبوا أُلجِؤوا لِلكُهوف

فَإِن نَصَبوا أُلجِؤوا لِلكُهوف

Spend their nights in exhausting fear;

Spending nights upright and anxious

They pass the night in exhausting dread,

And if they grow weary, are driven into caves.

Herded to caves if they rebel

Driven to seek refuge within the caves.

وَمِمَّن يَصفَقُّ لِلضارِبِ

وَمِمَّن يَصفَقُّ لِلضارِبِ

وَأَحبابُهُ يَجرَعونَ الحُتوف

وَأَحبابُهُ يَجرَعونَ الحُتوف

And at the man who applauds the aggressor,

And those who applaud the oppressor

And at the one who applauds the oppressor,

While his loved ones gulp down death.

While their loved ones drink sorrow

While his loved ones gulp down the cup of death.

مَتى يَذكُرُ الوَطَنَ النَومُ

مَتى يَذكُرُ الوَطَنَ النَومُ

كَما تَذكُرُ الطَيرُ أَوكارَها

كَما تَذكُرُ الطَيرُ أَوكارَها

When will the sleepers remember their homeland

When will the homeland stir the sleep

When will the sleeper remember the homeland,

As birds remember their nests?

As birds recall their nests

Just as the birds remember their nests?