مَدى زَمَنٌ كانَ فيهِ الفَتى

مَدى زَمَنٌ كانَ فيهِ الفَتى

يُباهي بِما قَومُهُ أَثَّلوا

يُباهي بِما قَومُهُ أَثَّلوا

For a stretch of time, a young man would

For so long, the young man took pride

Gone is the time when a young man could

Boast of what his people had built up.

In what his people glorified,

Boast of the legacy his ancestors established,

وَيَرفَعُهُ في عُيونِ الأَنامِ

وَيَرفَعُهُ في عُيونِ الأَنامِ

وَيَخفِضُ مِن قَدرِهِ المَنزِلُ

وَيَخفِضُ مِن قَدرِهِ المَنزِلُ

And in people's eyes he would be raised

Raising him in people's eyes,

When his status would raise him in the eyes of mankind,

Or lowered in standing by his homeland.

While his worth, position would belittle and despise.

Or his humble origin would lower his worth.

فَلا تَقعُدَن عَن طِلابِ العُلى

فَلا تَقعُدَن عَن طِلابِ العُلى

وَتعذِل بِلادَكَ إِذ تَعذِلُ

وَتعذِل بِلادَكَ إِذ تَعذِلُ

So never hold back from seeking greatness,

So do not stop seeking the heights,

So do not sit idle, refraining from the pursuit of glory,

Nor blame your country when you lay blame.

Neglecting your country when you neglect yourself,

While blaming your country whenever you cast blame.

فَإِنَّ الخَلائِقَ حَتّى عِداكِ

فَإِنَّ الخَلائِقَ حَتّى عِداكِ

مَتى ما سَبَقتُهُمُ هَلَّلوا

مَتى ما سَبَقتُهُمُ هَلَّلوا

For people—even your enemies—

For people, even your enemies,

For truly, all people—even your enemies—

Cheer whenever I outstrip them.

When you surpass them, will cheer and applaud you.

Will cheer for you whenever you surpass them.

فَزابِر بِجِدٍّ عَلى نَيلِها

فَزابِر بِجِدٍّ عَلى نَيلِها

فَلَيسَ يَخيبُ الَّذي يَعمَلُ

فَلَيسَ يَخيبُ الَّذي يَعمَلُ

So persevere earnestly to attain it,

So persist with determination to attain it,

So strive with diligence to attain it,

For the one who works does not fail.

For those who work are not denied.

For the one who labors is never disappointed.

وَكُن رَجُلاً ناهِضاً يَنتَمي

وَكُن رَجُلاً ناهِضاً يَنتَمي

إِلى نَفسِهِ عِندَما يُسأَلُ

إِلى نَفسِهِ عِندَما يُسأَلُ

And be an enterprising man who traces his origins

And be a rising man who belongs

And be a rising man who attributes his lineage

To himself when asked.

To himself whenever asked.

Solely to himself whenever he is asked.

فَلَستَ الثِيابَ الَّتي تَرتَدي

فَلَستَ الثِيابَ الَّتي تَرتَدي

وَلَستَ الأَسامي الَّتي تَحمِلُ

وَلَستَ الأَسامي الَّتي تَحمِلُ

For you are not the clothes you wear,

For you are not the clothes you wear,

For you are not the garments you wear,

Nor are you the names you bear,

Nor the names you bear,

Nor are you the names you bear,

وَلَستَ البِلادَ الَّتي أَنبَتَتكَ

وَلَستَ البِلادَ الَّتي أَنبَتَتكَ

وَلَكِنَّما أَنتَ ما تَفعَلُ

وَلَكِنَّما أَنتَ ما تَفعَلُ

Nor are you the land that made you grow;

Nor the lands where you were bred,

And you are not the land that gave you growth;

Rather, you are what you do.

But what you do instead.

But rather, you are exactly what you do.

إِذا كُنتَ مِن وَطَنٍ خامِلٍ

إِذا كُنتَ مِن وَطَنٍ خامِلٍ

وَفُزتَ فَأَنتَ الفَتى الأَفضَلُ

وَفُزتَ فَأَنتَ الفَتى الأَفضَلُ

If you come from an obscure homeland

If from a dormant homeland you come,

If you hail from a nation of obscurity

And succeed, then you are the finest young man.

And excel, you are the best of men.

And yet you triumph, then you are the noblest of men.