الأَربَعونَ لَوَ اِنَّها تَتَكَلَّمُ

الأَربَعونَ لَوَ اِنَّها تَتَكَلَّمُ

لَرَوَت لَنا قِصَصَ العَظائِمِ عَنكُمُ

لَرَوَت لَنا قِصَصَ العَظائِمِ عَنكُمُ

If the forty years could speak,

Forty, if only it could speak

If these forty years could speak,

they would tell us tales of your mighty deeds,

It would tell us tales of your greatness

They would tell us tales of your great deeds.

وَلَحَدَّثَتنا كَيفَ عَن أَعشاشِكُم

وَلَحَدَّثَتنا كَيفَ عَن أَعشاشِكُم

طِرتُمُ بِأَجنِحَةِ المُنى إِذ طُرتُمُ

طِرتُمُ بِأَجنِحَةِ المُنى إِذ طُرتُمُ

and would tell us how, from your nests,

And tell how you took off from your nests

They would recount how, from your nests,

you flew on wings of hope when you took flight.

On the wings of desire when you left

You took flight on wings of hope when you soared.

يَومُ الفِراقِ كَظَمتُمُ آلامُكُم

يَومُ الفِراقِ كَظَمتُمُ آلامُكُم

وَأَخَفُّ مِن أَلَمِ الفِراقِ جَهَنَّمُ

وَأَخَفُّ مِن أَلَمِ الفِراقِ جَهَنَّمُ

On the day of parting, you stifled your pain,

On the day of parting you suppressed your pain

On the day of parting, you stifled your pain,

and Hell is lighter than the pain of parting.

And hell's pain is lighter than parting's pain

Though Hell itself is lighter than the agony of separation.

وَبَكى الأَحِبَّةُ حَولَكُم وَجُفُنُكُم

وَبَكى الأَحِبَّةُ حَولَكُم وَجُفُنُكُم

تَعصي البُكا حُزنُ الجَبابِرِ أَبكَمُ

تَعصي البُكا حُزنُ الجَبابِرِ أَبكَمُ

Your loved ones wept around you, while your eyelids

The loved ones cried around you while your eyelids

Loved ones wept around you, yet your eyelids

defied weeping—the sorrow of the mighty is mute.

Disobeyed crying, the grief of giants made them silent

Refused to weep; the grief of giants is silent.

أَيدٍ تُوَدِّعُ مَوطِناً وَعَشيرَةً

أَيدٍ تُوَدِّعُ مَوطِناً وَعَشيرَةً

وَمَطامِحٌ خَلفَ البِحارِ تُسَلِّمُ

وَمَطامِحٌ خَلفَ البِحارِ تُسَلِّمُ

Hands bidding farewell to a homeland and kinfolk,

Hands bidding farewell to a homeland and clan

Hands waving farewell to homeland and kin,

and ambitions beyond the seas offering greetings.

And ambitions beyond the seas they handed over

While ambitions across the seas greeted you.

ضاقَت عَلى أَحلامِهِم تِلكَ القُرى

ضاقَت عَلى أَحلامِهِم تِلكَ القُرى

فَاِختَرتُمُ الدُنيا الوِساعَ لِتَحلَموا

فَاِختَرتُمُ الدُنيا الوِساعَ لِتَحلَموا

Those villages grew too cramped for their dreams,

Those villages became too narrow for their dreams

Those villages grew too narrow for your dreams,

so you chose the wide world in which to dream.

So you chose the vast world to dream in

So you chose the wide world in which to dream.

وَغَزَوتُمُ الآفاقَ لا زادَ لَكُم

وَغَزَوتُمُ الآفاقَ لا زادَ لَكُم

إِلّا الصِبا المُتَوَثِّبُ المُتَضَرِّمُ

إِلّا الصِبا المُتَوَثِّبُ المُتَضَرِّمُ

And you stormed the horizons, with no provisions

And you invaded horizons with no provision for you

You conquered the horizons with no provision

but youth, eager to leap and blazing with fire,

Except determination that burns and leaps

Save for a leaping, burning youthfulness.

كَاللَيثِ لَيسَ لَهُ سِلاحٌ في السُرى

كَاللَيثِ لَيسَ لَهُ سِلاحٌ في السُرى

إِلّا مَخالِبُهُ الَّتي لا تُثلَمُ

إِلّا مَخالِبُهُ الَّتي لا تُثلَمُ

like a lion with no weapon on its night journey

Like a lion that has no weapon in dens

Like the lion, armed with nothing in the night

but its claws, which are never blunted.

Except its claws that do not break

But claws that never dull.

تَتَخَيَّلونَ البَحرَ شُقَّ لِتَعبُروا

تَتَخَيَّلونَ البَحرَ شُقَّ لِتَعبُروا

وَاِنداحَ بَينَ الشاطِأَينِ لِتَسلَموا

وَاِنداحَ بَينَ الشاطِأَينِ لِتَسلَموا

You imagine the sea was cleft so you might cross,

You imagined the sea split for you to cross

You imagined the sea split open for your crossing,

and spread between its two shores to keep you safe,

And receded between the two coasts for you to arrive safely

And widened between the shores for your safety.

وَالدُرُّ مَخبوءً لَكُم في قاعِهِ

وَالدُرُّ مَخبوءً لَكُم في قاعِهِ

كَي تُخرِجوهُ وَتَغنَموا ما شِئتُمُ

كَي تُخرِجوهُ وَتَغنَموا ما شِئتُمُ

and pearls lie hidden for you in its depths,

And pearls lay hidden for you on its bed

Believing pearls were hidden for you in its depths,

so you may bring them out and gain whatever you wish.

So you could take them out and gain whatever you wished

Waiting for you to harvest and seize what you willed.

وَالمَوجُ إِذ يَطغى وَيَهدُرُ حَولَكُم

وَالمَوجُ إِذ يَطغى وَيَهدُرُ حَولَكُم

جَوقاً لِطَردِ هُمومِكُم يَتَرَنَّمُ

جَوقاً لِطَردِ هُمومِكُم يَتَرَنَّمُ

And the waves, when they surge and roar around you,

And when the waves rose high and roared around you

And the waves, when they raged and roared around you,

are a choir singing to drive your cares away.

It sang to dispel your worries

Seemed a choir singing to banish your cares.

وَإِذا النُجومُ تَأَلَّقَت تَحتَ الدُجى

وَإِذا النُجومُ تَأَلَّقَت تَحتَ الدُجى

خِلتُم لِأَجلِكُمُ تُضيءُ الأَنجُمُ

خِلتُم لِأَجلِكُمُ تُضيءُ الأَنجُمُ

And when the stars sparkled beneath the darkness,

And when the stars shone in the darkness

And when the stars sparkled in the darkness,

you thought the stars shone for your sake.

The stars lit for you alone

You believed they shone solely for your sake.

وَحَسِبتُمُ شُمَّ الجِبالِ سَلالِماً

وَحَسِبتُمُ شُمَّ الجِبالِ سَلالِماً

نُصِبَت لَكُم كَي تَصعَدوا فَصَعِدتُمُ

نُصِبَت لَكُم كَي تَصعَدوا فَصَعِدتُمُ

And you thought the lofty mountains were ladders,

And you reckoned the mountains as ladders

You deemed the towering mountains mere ladders

erected for you to climb—and so you climbed.

Erected for you to climb up so you climbed

Erected for your ascent, and so you climbed.

وَالشَمسُ مَنجَمُ عَسجَدٍ مُتَكَشِّفٍ

وَالشَمسُ مَنجَمُ عَسجَدٍ مُتَكَشِّفٍ

لِذَوي الطُموحِ وَأَنتُمُ أَنتُم أَنتُم هُمُ

لِذَوي الطُموحِ وَأَنتُمُ أَنتُم أَنتُم هُمُ

And the sun is a mine of gold laid bare

And the sun is a bare celestial house

The sun seemed a revealed mine of gold

for the ambitious—and you, you, you are they.

For the ambitious, and you, you, you are they

For the ambitious—and you, you are truly they.

وَلَكَم تَلَثَّمَتِ الحَقائِقُ بِالرُأى

وَلَكَم تَلَثَّمَتِ الحَقائِقُ بِالرُأى

كَالأَرضِ يَغشاها السَرابُ الموهَمُ

كَالأَرضِ يَغشاها السَرابُ الموهَمُ

And how often truths have veiled themselves in visions,

And how realities were clad in opinions

How often realities were veiled by visions,

like earth covered by an illusory mirage,

Like the mirage covers the land and deceives

Like earth cloaked in a deceptive mirage,

لِتَطِلَّ مِن أَرواحِنا أَشواقُها

لِتَطِلَّ مِن أَرواحِنا أَشواقُها

فَنَطوفُ حَولَ خُدورِها وَنَحَوِّمُ

فَنَطوفُ حَولَ خُدورِها وَنَحَوِّمُ

so that longing for them may peer out from our souls,

So the longings in our souls could emerge

That the longings of our souls might peer forth,

and we circle their secluded chambers and hover.

And we could wander around their homes and protect them

And we circle and hover around their veils.

لَم تَقنَعوا كَالخامِلينَ بِأَنَّكُم

لَم تَقنَعوا كَالخامِلينَ بِأَنَّكُم

لَكُمُ شَرابٌ في الحَياةِ وَمَطعَمُ

لَكُمُ شَرابٌ في الحَياةِ وَمَطعَمُ

You were not content, like the idle, merely because

You did not settle like the inert whose

You were not content, like the idle, to simply have

you had drink and food in life.

Life is but a drink and a meal

Food and drink to sustain your lives.

لَو أَن تَكونَ حَياتُكُم كَحَياتِهِم

لَو أَن تَكونَ حَياتُكُم كَحَياتِهِم

عَبَثاً يَموتُ بِهِ الوَقارُ وَيُعدَمُ

عَبَثاً يَموتُ بِهِ الوَقارُ وَيُعدَمُ

If your lives were to be like theirs—

If your life were like theirs

Had your lives been like theirs,

frivolity in which dignity dies and is destroyed,

Dignity would die fruitlessly and be destroyed

It would be a futility where dignity dies and is lost.

وَتَأَفُّفاً في اللَيلِ وَهوَ مُنَوِّرٌ

وَتَأَفُّفاً في اللَيلِ وَهوَ مُنَوِّرٌ

وَتَبَرُّماً في الصُبحِ وَهوَ تَبَسُّمُ

وَتَبَرُّماً في الصُبحِ وَهوَ تَبَسُّمُ

and grumbling at night, though it is radiant,

Yawning at night though lit up

Grumbling in the night while it is bright,

and discontent at dawn, though it is a smile;

Grumbling in the morning though smiling

And complaining in the morning while it smiles.

لَو أَن يَكونَ تُراثُكُم كَتُراثِهِم

لَو أَن يَكونَ تُراثُكُم كَتُراثِهِم

قَصرٌ عَفا أَو هَيكَلٌ مُتَرَدِّمُ

قَصرٌ عَفا أَو هَيكَلٌ مُتَرَدِّمُ

if your heritage were to be like theirs—

If your heritage were like theirs

Had your legacy been like theirs:

a ruined palace or a crumbling temple,

A neglected palace or crumbling temple

A ruined palace or a crumbling temple,

وَحَديثُ أَسلافٍ قَدِ اِلتَحَفوا الفَنا

وَحَديثُ أَسلافٍ قَدِ اِلتَحَفوا الفَنا

فَهُمُ سَواءٌ في القِياسِ وَجُرهُمُ

فَهُمُ سَواءٌ في القِياسِ وَجُرهُمُ

and tales of ancestors who have wrapped themselves in death,

And talk of ancestors who are gone

And tales of ancestors wrapped in non-existence,

so they and Jurhum are no different by that measure.

So they equal in significance and their prestige

Indistinguishable from the ancient tribe of Jurhum.

مَن يَقتَرِب مِن أَمسِ يَبعُد عَن غَدٍ

مَن يَقتَرِب مِن أَمسِ يَبعُد عَن غَدٍ

وَيَعِش مَعَ المَوتى وَيُصبِحُ مِنهُمُ

وَيَعِش مَعَ المَوتى وَيُصبِحُ مِنهُمُ

Whoever draws near to yesterday draws away from tomorrow,

Who draws near yesterday distances tomorrow

He who clings to yesterday drifts far from tomorrow,

lives among the dead, and becomes one of them.

And lives with the dead and becomes one of them

Living among the dead until he becomes one of them.

وَكَرِهتُمُ أَن تَنقَضي أَيّامُكُم

وَكَرِهتُمُ أَن تَنقَضي أَيّامُكُم

شَكوى لِمَن يَرثي وَمَن لا يَرحَمُ

شَكوى لِمَن يَرثي وَمَن لا يَرحَمُ

And you hated for your days to pass

You disliked your days passing

You refused to let your days pass

in complaints to those who pity and those who show no mercy,

As a lament of one who grieves and does not pity

In complaints to those who pity or show no mercy,

أَو أَن يَبيتَ عَلى الحَضيضِ مُقامُكُم

أَو أَن يَبيتَ عَلى الحَضيضِ مُقامُكُم

وَالدودُ يَزحَفُ فَوقَهُ وَالأَرقَمُ

وَالدودُ يَزحَفُ فَوقَهُ وَالأَرقَمُ

or for your station to remain in the lowest depths,

Or your place lying on the ground

Or that your station should remain in the depths,

while worms and speckled snakes crawl above it.

With insects creeping over it and spiders

Where worms and vipers crawl above it.

فَنَفَرتُمُ كَالنَحلِ ما مِن زَهرَةٍ

فَنَفَرتُمُ كَالنَحلِ ما مِن زَهرَةٍ

فيها جَنى إِلّا وَفيها مَغنَمُ

فيها جَنى إِلّا وَفيها مَغنَمُ

So you swarmed forth like bees: no flower

So you sprang like bees, no flower

So you ventured forth like bees; no flower exists

holds a harvest without also holding a prize.

With nectar in it but has profit in it

Without nectar for you to gather and prize.

في كُلِّ شَطٍّ مارِدٌ في كُلِّ طَودٍ

في كُلِّ شَطٍّ مارِدٌ في كُلِّ طَودٍ

قَشعَمٌ في كُلِّ وادٍ ضَيغَمُ

قَشعَمٌ في كُلِّ وادٍ ضَيغَمُ

On every shore a giant, on every mountain

In every shore a crocodile, in every dune

On every shore stands a giant, on every peak

an aged vulture, in every valley a lion.

A lion, in every valley a wolf

An eagle, and in every valley a lion.

المَجدُ مَطلَبُكُم وَأَنتُم سُهَّدٌ

المَجدُ مَطلَبُكُم وَأَنتُم سُهَّدٌ

وَالمَجدُ حِلمَكُمُ وَأَنتُم نُوَّمُ

وَالمَجدُ حِلمَكُمُ وَأَنتُم نُوَّمُ

Glory is your quest while you are awake,

Glory is your pursuit while you are yearning

Glory is your quest while you are awake,

and glory is your dream while you sleep.

And glory is your dream while you are sleeping

And glory is your dream while you sleep.

لا شَيءَ صَعبٌ عِندَكُم حَتّى الرَدى

لا شَيءَ صَعبٌ عِندَكُم حَتّى الرَدى

الصَعبُ عِندَ نُفوسِكُم أَن تَحجِموا

الصَعبُ عِندَ نُفوسِكُم أَن تَحجِموا

Nothing is hard for you, not even death;

Nothing is difficult for you, even demise

Nothing is too hard for you, not even death;

what your souls find hard is to hold back.

Difficult for your souls is to hesitate

To your souls, the only hardship is to hold back.

يا بِضعَةً مِن أُمَّةٍ هِيَ أُمَّةٌ

يا بِضعَةً مِن أُمَّةٍ هِيَ أُمَّةٌ

في ذاتِها وَلَها طَرازٌ مُعلَمُ

في ذاتِها وَلَها طَرازٌ مُعلَمُ

O fragment of a nation, itself a nation

Oh few from a nation, it is a nation

O fragment of a nation that is, in itself,

in its own right, with a distinctive style,

In itself with a known form

An entire nation with a distinct mark.

فيكُم جَميعُ صِفاتِها وَخِلالِها

فيكُم جَميعُ صِفاتِها وَخِلالِها

وَالرَوضُ يَحويهِ عُطوراً قَمقَمُ

وَالرَوضُ يَحويهِ عُطوراً قَمقَمُ

all its attributes and traits are in you,

In you are all its qualities and traits

You possess all its traits and virtues;

and a flask holds a garden in the form of perfume.

As the garden contains fragrant, ripe fruits

As a garden's essence is held within a vial of perfume.

إِنَّ الأُلى عابوا الجِهادَ عَلَيكُمُ

إِنَّ الأُلى عابوا الجِهادَ عَلَيكُمُ

عَلَكوا مَدارِكُهُم وَلَم يَستَطعِموا

عَلَكوا مَدارِكُهُم وَلَم يَستَطعِموا

Indeed, those who faulted you for striving

The misguided criticized jihad against you

Those who criticized your struggle

chewed on their understanding but found no savor.

Chewed their fingers and did not perceive

Chewed on their own perceptions but tasted nothing.

طَلَبوا السَلامَةَ في القُعودِ فَفاتَهُم

طَلَبوا السَلامَةَ في القُعودِ فَفاتَهُم

دَركُ الثَراءِ وَبَعدَ ذا لَم يَسلَموا

دَركُ الثَراءِ وَبَعدَ ذا لَم يَسلَموا

They sought safety in sitting idle, and so missed

Sought safety in sitting so it escaped them

They sought safety in inaction, and so missed

the attainment of wealth—and even then were not safe.

The gain of wealth, yet even then they were not safe

The attainment of wealth, nor did they remain safe.

هَأُلاءُ دودُ القَزِّ أَحسَنُ مِنهُمُ

هَأُلاءُ دودُ القَزِّ أَحسَنُ مِنهُمُ

وَأَجَلُّ في نَظَرِ الحَياةِ وَأَفهَمُ

وَأَجَلُّ في نَظَرِ الحَياةِ وَأَفهَمُ

These people—silkworms are better than them,

They are worms of rottenness, better than them

Even silkworms are better than they,

nobler in life's eyes, and more discerning.

And higher in life's view and wiser

More noble in the eyes of Life, and wiser.

قالوا كُهولٌ قَد تَصَرَّمَ عَصرُهُم

قالوا كُهولٌ قَد تَصَرَّمَ عَصرُهُم

لَيتَ الشَبابَ مِنَ الكُهولِ تَعَلَّموا

لَيتَ الشَبابَ مِنَ الكُهولِ تَعَلَّموا

They said, “Middle-aged men whose time has passed!”

They said they are elders whose time has aged

They said: "Old men whose time has passed."

Would that the young had learned from the middle-aged!

If only the youth learned from the elders

Would that the youth had learned from these elders!

إِن لَم تَشيدوا كَالأَوائِلِ تَدمُراً

إِن لَم تَشيدوا كَالأَوائِلِ تَدمُراً

أَو بَعلَبَكَّ فَإِنَّكُم لَم تُهدَموا

أَو بَعلَبَكَّ فَإِنَّكُم لَم تُهدَموا

If you have not built Tadmur like the ancients,

If you do not build like the ancients, you destroy

If you did not build a Palmyra like the ancients,

or Baalbek, you have not been brought to ruin.

Or Baalbek, for you have not demolished

Or a Baalbek, neither were you destroyed.

وَلَكَم غَدٌ وَجَمالُهُ وَبَهائُهُ

وَلَكَم غَدٌ وَجَمالُهُ وَبَهائُهُ

وَلَكَم مِنَ الأَمسِ النَفيسِ القَيِّمُ

وَلَكَم مِنَ الأَمسِ النَفيسِ القَيِّمُ

And yours is tomorrow, with its beauty and splendor,

And how much is the tomorrow with its beauty and brilliance

Yours is tomorrow, with its beauty and splendor,

and yours is what is precious and worthy from yesterday.

And how precious the recent glorious past

And yours is the precious worth of yesterday.

حَدَّثتُ نَفسي وَالقِطارُ يَخِبُّ بي

حَدَّثتُ نَفسي وَالقِطارُ يَخِبُّ بي

عَجلانَ يَختَرِقُ الدُجى وَيُدَمدِمُ

عَجلانَ يَختَرِقُ الدُجى وَيُدَمدِمُ

I spoke to my soul as the train trotted along with me,

I talked to myself as the train sped taking me

I conversed with my soul as the train raced me along,

hastening, piercing the darkness and rumbling.

Wheels cutting through darkness and speeding

Rushing to pierce the darkness, rumbling loud.

فَسَأَلتُها مُستَفهِماً وَلَرُبَّما

فَسَأَلتُها مُستَفهِماً وَلَرُبَّما

سَأَلَ العَليمُ سِواهُ عَمّا يَعلَمُ

سَأَلَ العَليمُ سِواهُ عَمّا يَعلَمُ

Then I questioned her, seeking an answer—and often

So I asked it wondering, and maybe

I asked my soul in inquiry—for perhaps

one who knows asks another about what he knows.

The knowledgeable asks what he knows

The wise ask others about what they already know:

ما أَحسَنَ الأَيّامَ قالَت يَومُكُم

ما أَحسَنَ الأَيّامَ قالَت يَومُكُم

وَالناسَ فَاِبتَدَرَت وَقالَت أَنتُمُ

وَالناسَ فَاِبتَدَرَت وَقالَت أَنتُمُ

“Which day is finest?” She said, “Your day.”

What is best of days, it said yours

"What is the best of days?" It replied, "Your day."

“And people?” She answered at once, “You.”

And people, it paused and said you

"And the people?" It hastened to say, "You."

وَالدورَ قالَت دورَكُم وَالمالَ

وَالدورَ قالَت دورَكُم وَالمالَ

قالَت إِنَّ أَحسَنَهُ الَّذي أَنفَقتُمُ

قالَت إِنَّ أَحسَنَهُ الَّذي أَنفَقتُمُ

“And homes?” She said, “Your homes.” “And wealth?”

And homes, it said yours, and money

"And the homes?" It said, "Yours." "And the wealth?"

She said, “The best of it is what you have spent.”

It said the best of it is what you spent

It answered, "The best of it is what you have spent."

وَالحُسنَ قالَت كُلُّ ما أَحبَبتُمُ

وَالحُسنَ قالَت كُلُّ ما أَحبَبتُمُ

وَالأَرضَ قالَت أَينَما اِستَوطَنتُمُ

وَالأَرضَ قالَت أَينَما اِستَوطَنتُمُ

“And beauty?” She said, “All that you have loved.”

And beauty, it said all you loved

"And beauty?" It said, "All that you have loved."

“And the earth?” She said, “Wherever you have made your home.”

And earth, it said wherever you settled

"And the earth?" It said, "Wherever you have settled."

ما كانَ أَكمَلَ يَومُكُم وَأَتَمَّهُ

ما كانَ أَكمَلَ يَومُكُم وَأَتَمَّهُ

لَو لَم يَكُن في مَهدِ عيسى مَأتَمُ

لَو لَم يَكُن في مَهدِ عيسى مَأتَمُ

How complete and perfect your day would have been,

It was not complete, your day, perfected

How perfect and complete your day would be,

had there been no mourning at Jesus' cradle!

Unless there was mourning at Jesus' cradle

Were there not, in the Cradle of Jesus, a funeral.

وَكَذا الحَياةُ قَديمُها وَحَديثُها

وَكَذا الحَياةُ قَديمُها وَحَديثُها

ذِكرى نُسَرُّ بِها وَذِكرى تُؤلِمُ

ذِكرى نُسَرُّ بِها وَذِكرى تُؤلِمُ

And so is life, in its past and its present:

And so life, its past and its present

Such is life, in its ancient times and new:

a memory that delights us, and a memory that hurts.

Memories we delight in and memories that pain

A memory that brings joy, and a memory that pains.