كَعابٌ أَتَت في الحُسنِ فَخرَ الكَواعِبِ

كَعابٌ أَتَت في الحُسنِ فَخرَ الكَواعِبِ

لبانَتُها نيطَت بِحَدِّ القَواضبِ

لبانَتُها نيطَت بِحَدِّ القَواضبِ

A maiden came forth, the pride of maidens in beauty;

A gazelle came in beauty, surpassing the most graceful,

Her desire was bound to the edge of keen swords.

Her radiance, tied with the string of slender waists,

لَها كَوكَبٌ في كُلِّ عينٍ منوِّرٌ

لَها كَوكَبٌ في كُلِّ عينٍ منوِّرٌ

يُفاخِرُ بِالأَنوارِ كلّ الكَواكِبِ

يُفاخِرُ بِالأَنوارِ كلّ الكَواكِبِ

She has a shining star in every eye,

She has a star in each eye, illuminated,

Vying in radiance with all the stars.

Competing in lights with all the stars,

لِماذا وَلم تَطلب سِوى الحَقِّ رائِداً

لِماذا وَلم تَطلب سِوى الحَقِّ رائِداً

تحفُّ بِها الأَضدادُ من كُلّ جانِبِ

تحفُّ بِها الأَضدادُ من كُلّ جانِبِ

Why, though she sought no guide but truth,

Why did she only seek truth as her guide,

Do adversaries surround her on every side?

With all opposites enraptured by her from every side,

رَغِبتُ إِلى الأَقوامِ أَن يَحتفوا بِها

رَغِبتُ إِلى الأَقوامِ أَن يَحتفوا بِها

فَلَم تَنزلِ الأَقوامَ عِندَ رَغائِبي

فَلَم تَنزلِ الأَقوامَ عِندَ رَغائِبي

I appealed to the peoples to honor her,

I wished people would celebrate her,

But the peoples did not yield to my wishes.

But people did not come down to my whims,

إِذا اِبتَسَمت فَاللُؤلُؤُ الصِرفُ ثغرها

إِذا اِبتَسَمت فَاللُؤلُؤُ الصِرفُ ثغرها

وَإِمّا بَكَت فَالماسُ تَحتَ الحَواجِبِ

وَإِمّا بَكَت فَالماسُ تَحتَ الحَواجِبِ

When she smiles, her mouth is pure pearl;

When she smiles, pure pearls are her lips,

And when she weeps, diamonds lie beneath her brows.

And when she weeps, diamonds are below her eyebrows,

وَفي طرف الأَجفانِ سُلَّت مَضارِبٌ

وَفي طرف الأَجفانِ سُلَّت مَضارِبٌ

تَقوم عَلى أَحداقِها كَالمَضارِب

تَقوم عَلى أَحداقِها كَالمَضارِب

And at her eyelids' edges, blades are drawn,

And on the edge of her eyelids are well placed arrows,

Standing over her pupils like tents.

Standing on her cheeks like erected arrows,

لَقَد وَصمتها زمرَة الجَهل بِالريا

لَقَد وَصمتها زمرَة الجَهل بِالريا

وَأَلوَت عَلى أَفعالها بِالمَثالِبِ

وَأَلوَت عَلى أَفعالها بِالمَثالِبِ

Indeed, the band of ignorance branded her with hypocrisy,

An ignorant gang surely blamed her with slander,

And assailed her deeds with reproaches.

And attributed evil deeds to her actions,

وَما زُمرَةُ الجَهّالِ إِلا غَياهبٌ

وَما زُمرَةُ الجَهّالِ إِلا غَياهبٌ

سَيخرقُ نورُ الفَجرِ لَيلَ الغَياهِبِ

سَيخرقُ نورُ الفَجرِ لَيلَ الغَياهِبِ

Yet the band of the ignorant is nothing but deep darkness;

The gang of ignorants are but illusions,

Dawn's light will pierce the night of that darkness.

The light of dawn will rip through the night of illusions,

بصرتُ بِها وَالدَمعُ فَوق خدودِها

بصرتُ بِها وَالدَمعُ فَوق خدودِها

وَما دَمعُها إِلا رموزُ المَصائِبِ

وَما دَمعُها إِلا رموزُ المَصائِبِ

I saw her, tears upon her cheeks,

I saw her with tears above her cheeks,

And her tears were nothing but signs of calamities.

And her tears are but symbols of adversities,

وَقد حَمَلت من شِدَّة الحزن رَأسها

وَقد حَمَلت من شِدَّة الحزن رَأسها

وَأَلقَت سوادَ الثَغرِ فوقَ التَرائِبِ

وَأَلقَت سوادَ الثَغرِ فوقَ التَرائِبِ

And in her overwhelming grief she held her head,

She carried her head from the intensity of sadness,

And cast her mouth's darkness upon her upper chest.

And cast the blackness of her lips above the ornaments,

فَقُلتُ لها خلّي الهُمومَ فَإِنَّها

فَقُلتُ لها خلّي الهُمومَ فَإِنَّها

لناحيَة المَغلوبِ لا لِلغَوالِب

لناحيَة المَغلوبِ لا لِلغَوالِب

So I said to her: Put your sorrows aside, for they

So I said to her, leave your worries, for they

Belong to the vanquished, not the victors.

Are for the defeated, not for the victors,

فَلَيسَ نَصيرُ الظُلم إلا معاقِباً

فَلَيسَ نَصيرُ الظُلم إلا معاقِباً

سَيَلقى من الأَيّام شرّ العَواقِبِ

سَيَلقى من الأَيّام شرّ العَواقِبِ

For oppression's champion is nothing but a punisher;

The supporter of injustice is none but a punisher,

He will meet the worst of consequences at the hands of time.

Who will suffer the worst of consequences from time,

أَلَستِ اِبنَةَ البستيل يَوم خربَتِهِ

أَلَستِ اِبنَةَ البستيل يَوم خربَتِهِ

وَشيّدتِ برجَ العَدلِ فَوقَ الخَرائِبِ

وَشيّدتِ برجَ العَدلِ فَوقَ الخَرائِبِ

Are you not the Bastille's daughter on the day of its ruin?

Are you not the daughter of Bastille on the day it was destroyed,

And you built the tower of justice above the ruins,

And you built the tower of justice over the ruins?

وَحَكَّمتِ سَيفَ الحَقِّ في عُنقِ الريا

وَحَكَّمتِ سَيفَ الحَقِّ في عُنقِ الريا

فَسالَت دِماءُ الجورِ من كُلِّ خائِبِ

فَسالَت دِماءُ الجورِ من كُلِّ خائِبِ

And appointed truth's sword as judge upon hypocrisy's neck,

And you made the sword of truth rule over the necks of evil,

So tyranny's blood flowed from every defeated one.

So the blood of injustice poured from every defeated one,

أَما أَنتِ من رَاس الوُجودِ دماغه

أَما أَنتِ من رَاس الوُجودِ دماغه

تَجيئينَ أَبناءَ الوَرى بِالعَجائِبِ

تَجيئينَ أَبناءَ الوَرى بِالعَجائِبِ

Are you not the brain in the head of existence,

You are from the pinnacle of existence, its essence,

Bringing wonders to the children of humankind?

Bringing the people of earth wonders,

جَعَلتِ دِياناتِ الشُعوبِ شَقائِقاً

جَعَلتِ دِياناتِ الشُعوبِ شَقائِقاً

وَآخَيتِ في الأَكوانِ كلّ المَذاهِبِ

وَآخَيتِ في الأَكوانِ كلّ المَذاهِبِ

You made the peoples' religions sisters,

You made the religions of nations as flowers,

And made all creeds brothers throughout the worlds.

And united in the universe all doctrines,

دُموعِك من جفنِ اللُيوثِ مذابَةٌ

دُموعِك من جفنِ اللُيوثِ مذابَةٌ

فَلا تَذرِفيها مورداً لِلثَعالِبِ

فَلا تَذرِفيها مورداً لِلثَعالِبِ

Your tears are melted from the eyelids of lions;

Your tears from the eyes of lions have melted,

So do not shed them as a watering place for foxes.

So do not shed them to be a pasture for foxes,

وَكوني عَلى رُغمِ النَوائِبِ لبوةً

وَكوني عَلى رُغمِ النَوائِبِ لبوةً

تَسيرُ معَ الأَشبالِ فَوقَ النَوائِبِ

تَسيرُ معَ الأَشبالِ فَوقَ النَوائِبِ

And, despite calamities, be a lioness,

And be, in spite of calamities, a lioness,

Walking with the cubs above calamities.

Walking with cubs atop adversities,

وَأَعطي دُروساً لِلشُّعوبِ شَريفَةً

وَأَعطي دُروساً لِلشُّعوبِ شَريفَةً

تُعَلِّمهُم كَيفَ اِرتِقاء المَناصِبِ

تُعَلِّمهُم كَيفَ اِرتِقاء المَناصِبِ

And give the peoples noble lessons,

And give the nations noble lessons,

Teaching them how to rise to high office,

Teaching them how to ascend ranks,

وَأَنَّ حقوقَ الإِجتِماعِ خَليقَة

وَأَنَّ حقوقَ الإِجتِماعِ خَليقَة

بِأَهلِيَّةٍ في الشَخصِ لا بِمَآرِبِ

بِأَهلِيَّةٍ في الشَخصِ لا بِمَآرِبِ

And that social rights rightly depend

And that social rights are for the capable,

On a person's merit, not ulterior motives.

Not for the privileged or by means,

لَقَد أَخرَسوا في مرشَفيكِ حَقيقَةً

لَقَد أَخرَسوا في مرشَفيكِ حَقيقَةً

مُهَدَّدَةً بِالوَيلِ من كُلِّ غاضِبِ

مُهَدَّدَةً بِالوَيلِ من كُلِّ غاضِبِ

Indeed, they silenced upon your lips a truth

They silenced in your balconies the truth,

Threatened with woe by everyone enraged.

Threatened by woes from every opponent,

فَلا تَخذلي يا أَخت كلَّ فَضيلَةٍ

فَلا تَخذلي يا أَخت كلَّ فَضيلَةٍ

فَلَيسَ حُسامُ المُستَبدِّ بِقاضِبِ

فَلَيسَ حُسامُ المُستَبدِّ بِقاضِبِ

So do not fail, O sister of every virtue,

So do not disappoint, oh sister of every virtue,

For the despot's sword cannot cut.

For the sword of the tyrant is no vanquisher,

لَدَيكِ من الجُندِ العِظامِ كتائِبٌ

لَدَيكِ من الجُندِ العِظامِ كتائِبٌ

فَسَيري عَلى جِسر الوَلا بِالكَتائِبِ

فَسَيري عَلى جِسر الوَلا بِالكَتائِبِ

You have battalions of mighty soldiers;

You have armies of great soldiers,

So march across the bridge of loyalty with those battalions.

So march on the bridge of glory with your troops,

عَشَقتُكِ طِفلاً يَوم كُنتِ نَسائِماً

عَشَقتُكِ طِفلاً يَوم كُنتِ نَسائِماً

تَهزّينَ مَهدي كَالغَلامِ المداعِبِ

تَهزّينَ مَهدي كَالغَلامِ المداعِبِ

As a child I loved you, when you were breezes

I loved you as a child when you were but breezes,

Rocking my cradle like a playful boy.

Shaking my cradle like a playmate teasing,

وَقَبَّلتُ مِنكِ الثَغرَ مُذ كُنتِ زَهرَةً

وَقَبَّلتُ مِنكِ الثَغرَ مُذ كُنتِ زَهرَةً

تَقطّرك الأَنداءُ عِندَ المَغارِبِ

تَقطّرك الأَنداءُ عِندَ المَغارِبِ

And I have kissed your mouth since you were a flower

And I kissed your lips when you were a flower,

Which the dews sprinkled at sunset.

Which the dews would drip upon at sunset’s hour,

عَشِقتُكِ بَدراً في السَماءِ منوِراً

عَشِقتُكِ بَدراً في السَماءِ منوِراً

يُطِلُّ عَلى الدُنيا كَعَينِ مراقِبِ

يُطِلُّ عَلى الدُنيا كَعَينِ مراقِبِ

I loved you as a full moon shining in the sky,

I loved you as a full moon in the sky shining,

Looking upon the world like a watcher's eye,

That overlooks the world like a watchful seeing,

فَينظرُ أَبناءَ الوُجودِ محاطَةً

فَينظرُ أَبناءَ الوُجودِ محاطَةً

بِأَسدالِ إِظلامٍ كَأَثوابِ راهِبِ

بِأَسدالِ إِظلامٍ كَأَثوابِ راهِبِ

Seeing the children of existence surrounded

So it sees the people of existence surrounded,

By curtains of darkness like a monk's robes.

By the veils of darkness, like a monk’s gown,

عَشقتُكِ دونَ البَعضِ روحاً تَمَرَّدت

عَشقتُكِ دونَ البَعضِ روحاً تَمَرَّدت

عَلى كُلِّ غَدّارٍ محابٍ وَكاذِبِ

عَلى كُلِّ غَدّارٍ محابٍ وَكاذِبِ

I loved you, unlike some, as a spirit that rebelled

I loved you, unlike others, a soul that rebelled,

Against every traitor, practitioner of favoritism, and liar.

Against every betrayer, deceitful and untrue,

لَقَد حَطَمَت دونَ الجَميعِ قُيودِها

لَقَد حَطَمَت دونَ الجَميعِ قُيودِها

وَسارَت بِأَبطالٍ لَها في المَواكِب

وَسارَت بِأَبطالٍ لَها في المَواكِب

Indeed, unlike all the others, she shattered her chains,

You have broken unlike all others your chains,

And marched in processions with heroes of her own.

And marched with your heroes in processions and reigns,

عَشقتُكِ دوماً أُمَّةً مُستَقلةً

عَشقتُكِ دوماً أُمَّةً مُستَقلةً

وَلا شَأنَ في اِستِقلالِها لِلأَجانِب

وَلا شَأنَ في اِستِقلالِها لِلأَجانِب

I have always loved you as an independent nation,

I always loved you as an independent nation,

And foreigners have no part in its independence.

And foreign interference is not your vocation,

عَشِقتُكِ فَوقَ الكلِّ شاعِرَةً لَها

عَشِقتُكِ فَوقَ الكلِّ شاعِرَةً لَها

مَواهِبُ تَسمو فَوقَ كلِّ المَواهِبِ

مَواهِبُ تَسمو فَوقَ كلِّ المَواهِبِ

Above all, I loved you as a poetess endowed

I loved you above all, a poetess you are,

With gifts that rise above all gifts.

With talents towering over talents afar,

كَتبتِ عَلى لوحِ الوُجودِ بِريشَةٍ

كَتبتِ عَلى لوحِ الوُجودِ بِريشَةٍ

لَها مَهبَطُ الإِلهامِ أَكبَرُ كاتِبِ

لَها مَهبَطُ الإِلهامِ أَكبَرُ كاتِبِ

You wrote upon the tablet of existence with a quill

You wrote on existence’s tablet with a pen,

Whose greatest scribe is the seat of inspiration:

Whose source of inspiration, the greatest scribe’s zen,

أَلا حرَّروا هذا الوَرى من عُبودَةٍ

أَلا حرَّروا هذا الوَرى من عُبودَةٍ

هيَ الذِئبُ كم غالَ الوَرى بِالمَخالِبِ

هيَ الذِئبُ كم غالَ الوَرى بِالمَخالِبِ

Come, free this human race from bondage,

Why don’t they free this world from servitude?

It is the wolf—how often it has slain humankind with its claws!

It is the wolf, so much the world it has with claws imbued