تَرَكتَ النَجَم مِثلَكَ مُستَهاما

تَرَكتَ النَجَم مِثلَكَ مُستَهاما

فَإِن تَسهُ سَها أَو نِمتَ ناما

فَإِن تَسهُ سَها أَو نِمتَ ناما

You have left the star, like yourself, love-stricken;

You have left the star, like yourself, lost in passion;

so if you grow distracted, it does too; if you sleep, it sleeps.

If you gaze distractedly, it gazes; and if you sleep, it sleeps.

بِنَفسِكَ لَوعَةٌ لَو في الغَوادي

بِنَفسِكَ لَوعَةٌ لَو في الغَوادي

لَصارَت كُلُّ ماطِرَةٍ جَهاما

لَصارَت كُلُّ ماطِرَةٍ جَهاما

Within your soul is anguish that, were it in the morning rainclouds,

In your soul burns an anguish that, were it in the morning clouds,

would make every rain-bearing cloud rainless.

It would turn every rain-bearing cloud into dry vapor.

وَفيكَ صَبابَةٌ لَو في جَمادٍ

وَفيكَ صَبابَةٌ لَو في جَمادٍ

لَأَشبَهَ دَمعَكَ الجاري اِنسِجاما

لَأَشبَهَ دَمعَكَ الجاري اِنسِجاما

And within you is longing that, were it in lifeless matter,

And within you is a yearning that, were it in solid stone,

it would match your streaming tears in their outpouring.

It would mimic your flowing tears in their pouring.

هَوىً بِكَ في العِذامِ لَه دَبيبٌ

هَوىً بِكَ في العِذامِ لَه دَبيبٌ

أَشابَكَ وَهوَ لَم يَبرَح غُلاما

أَشابَكَ وَهوَ لَم يَبرَح غُلاما

A passion within you creeps through your [bones];

A passion creeps through your very bones,

it has turned you gray while still itself a boy.

Turning you gray, though the passion itself is yet young.

يَظُنُّ بِكَ اللَيلُ يَحوي فيكَ شَخصاً

يَظُنُّ بِكَ اللَيلُ يَحوي فيكَ شَخصاً

وَما يَحوي الدُجى إِلّا عِظاما

وَما يَحوي الدُجى إِلّا عِظاما

Night thinks it harbors a person in you,

The night imagines it holds a human form within you,

but the darkness harbors nothing but bones.

Yet the darkness embraces nothing but bones.

نَفَيتَ الغَمضَ عَن جَفنَيكَ يَأتي

نَفَيتَ الغَمضَ عَن جَفنَيكَ يَأتي

كَأَنَّكَ واصِلٌ فيهِ المَلاما

كَأَنَّكَ واصِلٌ فيهِ المَلاما

You banished sleep as it came to your eyelids,

You have banished sleep from your eyelids, so it approaches

as though you would encounter reproach within it.

As though, by sleeping, you would be embracing blame.

أَتَأرَقُ ثُمَّ تَرجو الطَيفَ يَأتي

أَتَأرَقُ ثُمَّ تَرجو الطَيفَ يَأتي

شَكاكُ الطَيفِ لَو مَلَكَ الكَلاما

شَكاكُ الطَيفِ لَو مَلَكَ الكَلاما

Do you lie sleepless, then hope the dream-phantom will come?

Do you lie awake, yet hope for the beloved's phantom to visit?

The dream-phantom would complain of you, if it could speak.

That phantom would complain of you, if only it possessed speech.

شَجَتكَ النائِحاتُ بِجُنحِ لَيلٍ

شَجَتكَ النائِحاتُ بِجُنحِ لَيلٍ

فَبِتَّ تُساجِلُ النَوحَ الحَماما

فَبِتَّ تُساجِلُ النَوحَ الحَماما

The mourners stirred your grief under cover of night,

The wailing doves grieved you under the wing of night,

so you spent the night vying with the doves in lament.

So you spent the night vying with the pigeons in mournful song.

لَكِدتَ تُعَلِّمُ الطَيرَ القَوافي

لَكِدتَ تُعَلِّمُ الطَيرَ القَوافي

وَكِدتَ تُعَلِّمُ اللَيلَ الغَراما

وَكِدتَ تُعَلِّمُ اللَيلَ الغَراما

Indeed, you almost taught the birds their rhymes,

You nearly taught the birds the art of rhyme,

and almost taught the night passionate love.

And nearly taught the night the meaning of passion.

إِذا ذُكِرَ الشَآمُ بَكَيتَ وَجداً

إِذا ذُكِرَ الشَآمُ بَكَيتَ وَجداً

وَما تَنفَكُّ تَذَّكَّرُ الشَآما

وَما تَنفَكُّ تَذَّكَّرُ الشَآما

Whenever al-Sham was mentioned, you wept with yearning,

When the Levant is mentioned, you weep with longing,

and you never cease recalling al-Sham.

And you cease not to remember the Levant.

وَكُنتَ سَلَوتَهُ إِلّا قَليلاً

وَكُنتَ سَلَوتَهُ إِلّا قَليلاً

وَكُنتَ هَجَرتَهُ إِلّا لِماما

وَكُنتَ هَجَرتَهُ إِلّا لِماما

And you had all but ceased to pine for it,

You had all but found solace from it, save for a little,

and had forsaken it, save for fleeting moments.

And you had abandoned it, save for fleeting thoughts.

رُوَيدَكَ أَيُّها اللاحي رُوَيداً

رُوَيدَكَ أَيُّها اللاحي رُوَيداً

لَكَ الوَيلاتُ لَيتَ سِواكَ لاما

لَكَ الوَيلاتُ لَيتَ سِواكَ لاما

Gently, you reproacher, gently!

Gently, O blamer, go gently;

Woe to you! Would that someone else had reproached me.

Woe to you! Would that someone else had cast the blame.

أَأَرقُدُ وَالخُطوبُ تَطوفُ حَولي

أَأَرقُدُ وَالخُطوبُ تَطوفُ حَولي

وَأَقعُدُ بَعدَما الثَقَلانِ قاما

وَأَقعُدُ بَعدَما الثَقَلانِ قاما

Should I sleep while calamities circle around me,

Shall I sleep while calamities circle around me,

and sit idle after humankind and jinn have risen?

And remain seated while all of creation has risen?

وَيَشقى مَوطِني وَأَنامُ عَنهُ

وَيَشقى مَوطِني وَأَنامُ عَنهُ

إِذاً مَن يَدفَعُ الخَطَرَ الجُساما

إِذاً مَن يَدفَعُ الخَطَرَ الجُساما

And should my homeland suffer while I sleep heedless of it?

My homeland suffers, and shall I sleep ignoring it?

Then who will ward off the immense danger?

Who, then, will repel the colossal danger?

بِلادي لا عَرا شَرٌّ بِلادي

بِلادي لا عَرا شَرٌّ بِلادي

وَلا بَلَغَ العِدى مِنها مَراما

وَلا بَلَغَ العِدى مِنها مَراما

My country! May no evil befall my country,

My country—may no evil ever befall my country,

and may its enemies achieve none of their aims against it.

And may the enemies never achieve their aims against her.

لَبِستُ اللَيلَ إِشفاقاً عَلَيها

لَبِستُ اللَيلَ إِشفاقاً عَلَيها

وَإِن شاءَت لَبِستُ لَها القَتاما

وَإِن شاءَت لَبِستُ لَها القَتاما

I clothed myself in night out of concern for her,

I have clothed myself in night out of concern for her,

and, if she wishes, I will clothe myself in battle-dust for her.

And if she wills, I shall clothe myself in battle-dust for her sake.

وَقَفتُ لَها اليَراعَ أَذُبُّ عَنها

وَقَفتُ لَها اليَراعَ أَذُبُّ عَنها

فَإِن يَكهَم وَقَفتُ لَها الحُساما

فَإِن يَكهَم وَقَفتُ لَها الحُساما

I dedicated my reed pen to her, defending her;

I have dedicated my pen to her defense, fighting on her behalf,

if it grows blunt, I will dedicate the sword to her.

And should the pen grow blunt, I shall unsheathe the sword.

سَقى قُطرَ الشَآمِ القَطرُ عَنّي

سَقى قُطرَ الشَآمِ القَطرُ عَنّي

وَحَيّا أَهلَهُ الصيدَ الكِراما

وَحَيّا أَهلَهُ الصيدَ الكِراما

May rain water the land of al-Sham on my behalf,

May the rains water the lands of the Levant on my behalf,

and greet its proud, noble people.

And salute its people—the proud, the noble.

دَوَت صَيحاتُهُم في كُلِّ صِقعٍ

دَوَت صَيحاتُهُم في كُلِّ صِقعٍ

فَكادَت تَنشُرُ المَوتى الرِماما

فَكادَت تَنشُرُ المَوتى الرِماما

Their cries echoed through every region,

Their cries have echoed in every region,

so that they almost raised the crumbling dead,

Nearly resurrecting the decayed dead from their graves.

وَتَطبَعُ في المُحَيّا بِشراً

وَتَطبَعُ في المُحَيّا بِشراً

وَتُغلِقُ في فَمِ الثَكلى اِبتِساما

وَتُغلِقُ في فَمِ الثَكلى اِبتِساما

and stamped gladness on the face,

Imprinting joy upon the countenance,

and locked a smile in the bereaved mother's mouth.

And fixing a smile upon the lips of the bereaved mother.

فَحَوَّلَتِ القُنوطَ إِلى رَجاءٍ

فَحَوَّلَتِ القُنوطَ إِلى رَجاءٍ

وَصَيَّرَتِ الوَنى فينا اِعتِزاما

وَصَيَّرَتِ الوَنى فينا اِعتِزاما

Thus they turned despair into hope,

Transforming despair into hope,

and changed our lassitude into resolve.

And turning our weakness into resolve.

غَدَونا كُلَّما ذُكِروا طَرِبنا

غَدَونا كُلَّما ذُكِروا طَرِبنا

كَأَنَّ بِنا المُعَتَّقَةَ المُداما

كَأَنَّ بِنا المُعَتَّقَةَ المُداما

We came to rejoice whenever they were mentioned,

Whenever they are mentioned, we are seized with delight,

as though aged wine were within us.

As though we were intoxicated by aged wine.

وَلَم أَرَ كَالضَميرِ الحُرِّ فَخراً

وَلَم أَرَ كَالضَميرِ الحُرِّ فَخراً

وَلَم أَرَ كَالضَميرِ العَبدِ ذاما

وَلَم أَرَ كَالضَميرِ العَبدِ ذاما

And I have seen no glory like a free conscience,

I have seen no pride to match a free conscience,

nor any shame like an enslaved conscience.

Nor any shame to match a servile conscience.

إِذا غابَ الذَليلُ النَفسِ عَنّي

إِذا غابَ الذَليلُ النَفسِ عَنّي

نَظَرتُ إِلى الَّذي حَمَلَ الوِساما

نَظَرتُ إِلى الَّذي حَمَلَ الوِساما

When someone abject in spirit is absent from me,

When the abject soul is absent from my sight,

I look toward the one who bears a medal.

I look towards the one who bears the medal of honor.

إِذا جَلَبَ الكَلامُ عَلَيَّ عاراً

إِذا جَلَبَ الكَلامُ عَلَيَّ عاراً

هَجَرتُ النُطقَ أَحسَبُهُ حَراما

هَجَرتُ النُطقَ أَحسَبُهُ حَراما

If speech brings shame upon me,

If speech should bring shame upon me,

I forsake speaking, deeming it forbidden.

I would abandon speech, deeming it forbidden.

وَأَجفو القَصرَ يُلزِمُني هَواناً

وَأَجفو القَصرَ يُلزِمُني هَواناً

وَأَهوى العِزَّ يُلزِمُني الحِماما

وَأَهوى العِزَّ يُلزِمُني الحِماما

And I shun the palace that imposes humiliation on me,

I shun the palace that binds me to humiliation,

and love honor even if it binds me to death.

And desire the dignity that binds me to death.

رِجالَ التُركِ ما نَبغي اِنتِفاضاً

رِجالَ التُركِ ما نَبغي اِنتِفاضاً

لَعَمرُكُم وَلا نَبغي اِنتِقاما

لَعَمرُكُم وَلا نَبغي اِنتِقاما

Men of the Turks, we seek no revolt,

O men of the Turks, we seek no uprising,

by your lives, nor do we seek revenge.

By your life, nor do we seek revenge.

وَلَكِنّا نُطالِبُكُم بِحَقٍّ

وَلَكِنّا نُطالِبُكُم بِحَقٍّ

وَنَكرَهُ مَن يُريدُ لَنا اِهتِضاما

وَنَكرَهُ مَن يُريدُ لَنا اِهتِضاما

But we demand our rightful due from you,

But we demand of you a right,

and detest whoever would deny us our rights.

And we detest those who wish to oppress us.

حَمَلنا نيرَ ظُلمِكُمُ قُروناً

حَمَلنا نيرَ ظُلمِكُمُ قُروناً

فَأَبلاها وَأَبلانا وَداما

فَأَبلاها وَأَبلانا وَداما

We bore the yoke of your oppression for centuries;

We have borne the yoke of your tyranny for centuries,

it wore them out, and wore us out, yet endured.

Till it wore itself out, and wore us out, yet still it endured.

رَعَيتُم أَرضَنا فَتَرَكتُموها

رَعَيتُم أَرضَنا فَتَرَكتُموها

إِذا وَقَعَ الجَرادُ رَعى الرُغاما

إِذا وَقَعَ الجَرادُ رَعى الرُغاما

You grazed upon our land, leaving it so bare

You grazed upon our land and left it bare,

that when locusts landed, they grazed on dust.

Such that if locusts landed, they would feed only on dust.

فَباتَ الذِئبُ يَشكوكُم عُواءً

فَباتَ الذِئبُ يَشكوكُم عُواءً

وَباتَ الظَبيُ يَشكوكُم بُغاما

وَباتَ الظَبيُ يَشكوكُم بُغاما

So the wolf spent the night complaining of you in howls,

So the wolf spent the night complaining of you with howls,

and the gazelle spent the night complaining of you in bleats.

And the gazelle spent the night complaining of you with cries.

جَرَيتُم بِالهِلالِ إِلى مَحاقٍ

جَرَيتُم بِالهِلالِ إِلى مَحاقٍ

وَلَولا جَهلُكُم بَلَغَ الطَماما

وَلَولا جَهلُكُم بَلَغَ الطَماما

You drove the crescent into moonless darkness,

You have driven the Crescent into its waning phase;

yet, but for your ignorance, it would have reached fullness.

Were it not for your ignorance, it would have reached the full moon.

وَكُنتُمُ كُلَّما زِدنا لِياناً

وَكُنتُمُ كُلَّما زِدنا لِياناً

لِنَسبِرَ غَورَكُم زِدتُم عَراما

لِنَسبِرَ غَورَكُم زِدتُم عَراما

And you were such that, whenever we grew more yielding,

And whenever we increased our gentleness

to plumb your depths, you grew more unruly.

To gauge your depths, you increased your ferocity.

فَما رَقَبتُمُ فينا جِواراً

فَما رَقَبتُمُ فينا جِواراً

وَلا حَفِظَت لَنا يَدُكُم ذِماما

وَلا حَفِظَت لَنا يَدُكُم ذِماما

So you observed no neighborly rights toward us,

You respected no bond of neighborliness with us,

nor did your hand honor any covenant with us.

Nor did your hand preserve any covenant for us.

أَثَرتُم بينَنا الأَحقادَ حَتّى

أَثَرتُم بينَنا الأَحقادَ حَتّى

لَيَقتُلُ بَعضُنا نَعداً خِصاما

لَيَقتُلُ بَعضُنا نَعداً خِصاما

You stirred up hatreds among us until

You stirred up hatreds amongst us, until

some of us would kill [others] in strife.

One of us kills another in bitter dispute.

وَشاءَ اللَهُ كَيدَكُمُ فَبِتنا

وَشاءَ اللَهُ كَيدَكُمُ فَبِتنا

كَمِثلِ الماءِ وَالخَمرِ اِلتِئاما

كَمِثلِ الماءِ وَالخَمرِ اِلتِئاما

But God willed your undoing, so we became

But God ordained against your plot, and so we became,

as closely blended as water and wine.

Like water mixed with wine, perfectly united.

فَجَهلاً تَبعَثونَ الرُسلَ فينا

فَجَهلاً تَبعَثونَ الرُسلَ فينا

تَديفُ لَنا مَعَ الأَريِ السِماما

تَديفُ لَنا مَعَ الأَريِ السِماما

So, in ignorance, you send messengers among us,

So, in ignorance, you send your messengers among us,

mixing poisons for us with honey.

Mixing poison for us within the honey.

سَنَرمُقُهُم إِذا طَلَعوا عَلَينا

سَنَرمُقُهُم إِذا طَلَعوا عَلَينا

كَأَنّا نَرمُقُ الداءَ العُقاما

كَأَنّا نَرمُقُ الداءَ العُقاما

We shall gaze at them when they appear before us,

We shall gaze upon them when they appear before us,

as though we gazed at an incurable disease.

As though we were gazing at an incurable plague.

فَإِنَّ عُرىً شَدَدناها وِثاقاً

فَإِنَّ عُرىً شَدَدناها وِثاقاً

نَموتُ وَلا نَطيقُ لَها اِنفِصاما

نَموتُ وَلا نَطيقُ لَها اِنفِصاما

For the bonds we bound so tightly—

For there are bonds we have tightened fast;

we would die rather than endure their severance.

We would die rather than suffer their breaking.

خَفِ التُركِيَّ يَحلِفُ بِالمَثاني

خَفِ التُركِيَّ يَحلِفُ بِالمَثاني

وَخَفهُ كُلَّما صَلّى وَصاما

وَخَفهُ كُلَّما صَلّى وَصاما

Fear the Turk when he swears by the oft-repeated verses,

Fear the Turk even when he swears by the Holy Verses,

and fear him whenever he prays and fasts.

And fear him every time he prays and fasts.

وَمَن يَستَنزِلُ الأَتراكَ خَيراً

وَمَن يَستَنزِلُ الأَتراكَ خَيراً

كَمَن يَستَقبِسُ الماءَ الضِراما

كَمَن يَستَقبِسُ الماءَ الضِراما

And whoever seeks goodness from the Turks

For whoever seeks goodness from the Turks,

is like one seeking blazing fire from water.

Is like one seeking to ignite fire from water.

هُمُ نَزَعوا لِواءَ المُلكِ مِنّا

هُمُ نَزَعوا لِواءَ المُلكِ مِنّا

وَنازَعنا طَغامُهُمُ الضِراما

وَنازَعنا طَغامُهُمُ الضِراما

They tore the banner of sovereignty from us,

They tore the banner of sovereignty from our hands,

and their rabble contended with us for the blazing fire.

And their rabble fought us for the very fire.

وَقالوا نَحنُ لِلإِسلامِ سورٌ

وَقالوا نَحنُ لِلإِسلامِ سورٌ

وَإِنَّ بِنا الخِلافَةَ وَالإِماما

وَإِنَّ بِنا الخِلافَةَ وَالإِماما

And they said, “We are a wall for Islam,

They claimed, "We are a fortress for Islam,

and in us reside the caliphate and the imamate.”

And within us reside the Caliphate and the Imamate."

فَهَل في دينِ أَحمَدَ أَن يَجورُا

فَهَل في دينِ أَحمَدَ أَن يَجورُا

وَهَل في دينِ أَحمَدَ أَن نُضاما

وَهَل في دينِ أَحمَدَ أَن نُضاما

Does Ahmad's faith permit them to act unjustly,

Does the religion of Ahmad permit them to oppress?

and does Ahmad's faith permit us to be oppressed?

Or does the religion of Ahmad allow for us to be wronged?

إِلى كَم يَحصُرونَ الحُكمَ فيهِم

إِلى كَم يَحصُرونَ الحُكمَ فيهِم

وَكَم ذا يَبتَغونَ بِنا اِحتِكاما

وَكَم ذا يَبتَغونَ بِنا اِحتِكاما

How long will they confine rule to themselves,

How long will they monopolize power among themselves,

and how long will they seek dominion over us?

And how long will they seek to tyrannize over us?

أَحَسنا نَحنُ أَكثَرَهُم رِجالاً

أَحَسنا نَحنُ أَكثَرَهُم رِجالاً

إِذا عُدّوا وَأَرفَعُهُم مَقاما

إِذا عُدّوا وَأَرفَعُهُم مَقاما

[Are we not] the most numerous among them in men,

Are we not more numerous than they in men,

when they are counted, and the highest in standing?

When counted, and loftier in standing?

إِذا طَلَعَت ذُكاءً فَلَيسَ تَخفى

إِذا طَلَعَت ذُكاءً فَلَيسَ تَخفى

وَلَو حاكوا الظَلامَ لَها لِثاما

وَلَو حاكوا الظَلامَ لَها لِثاما

When Dhuka, the sun, rises, she cannot be hidden,

When the sun rises, it cannot be hidden,

even if they weave a veil of darkness for her.

Even if they wove the darkness into a veil to cover it.

مُخَوُّفَنا المُثَقَّفَةَ العَوالي

مُخَوُّفَنا المُثَقَّفَةَ العَوالي

لَقَد هَدَّدتَ بِالجَمرِ النَعاما

لَقَد هَدَّدتَ بِالجَمرِ النَعاما

You who threaten us with straightened, lofty spears,

O you who threaten us with straightened spears,

you have threatened ostriches with embers!

You have surely threatened the ostrich with burning coals.

سَنوقِدُها تُعيرُ الشَمسَ ناراً

سَنوقِدُها تُعيرُ الشَمسَ ناراً

وَيُعيِ أَمرُها الجَيشَ اللَهاما

وَيُعيِ أَمرُها الجَيشَ اللَهاما

We will kindle it till it lends fire to the sun,

We shall kindle a fire that lends heat to the sun,

and its ordeal will exhaust the vast, devouring army.

A fire whose magnitude will baffle the vastest army.

وَعِلمُ المَرءِ أَنَّ المَوتَ آتٍ

وَعِلمُ المَرءِ أَنَّ المَوتَ آتٍ

يُهَوِّنُ عِندَهُ المَوتَ الزُؤاما

يُهَوِّنُ عِندَهُ المَوتَ الزُؤاما

And a person's knowledge that death is coming

And a man's knowledge that death is inevitable

makes dreadful death seem easy to him.

Makes light for him the taste of sudden death.