هذا سلامٌ والصدورُ رحابُ

هذا سلامٌ والصدورُ رحابُ

وهوى المنازلِ في الفؤاد حِرابُ

وهوى المنازلِ في الفؤاد حِرابُ

This is a greeting of peace, and hearts are open wide;

This is a greeting, with open hearts,

And love for the dwellings is spears within the heart.

And passionate yearning for homes,

تغدو به الأشواقُ نحو أحبَّةٍ

تغدو به الأشواقُ نحو أحبَّةٍ

سيماؤهم أن لا يُرَدَّ جواب

سيماؤهم أن لا يُرَدَّ جواب

With it, longings journey toward loved ones

Where longing sets out towards loved ones,

Whose mark is that no answer comes back.

Whose trait is to never reject a response,

قد راعني صوتٌ يجاوبُهُ الصدى

قد راعني صوتٌ يجاوبُهُ الصدى

إلفٌ نزيحٌ والبلادُ خراب

إلفٌ نزيحٌ والبلادُ خراب

A voice has startled me, answered by the echo:

A voice attracted me, echoed by reverberations,

A beloved far away, and the land in ruins.

A sweet, delicate cooing, while the lands lie in ruins,

ما رابني إلّا غرابٌ نائحٌ

ما رابني إلّا غرابٌ نائحٌ

النوح بينٌ والخرابُ غُراب

النوح بينٌ والخرابُ غُراب

Nothing troubled me but a lamenting raven;

Only a wailing raven made me pay attention,

Lamentation is parting, and desolation a raven.

Sorrow is evident, and ruins are cawing,

أنعَى دياراً دونها قلبٌ به

أنعَى دياراً دونها قلبٌ به

شوقٌ له دون الديار حِجاب

شوقٌ له دون الديار حِجاب

I mourn dwellings; this side of them lies a heart with

Lamenting abodes, where a heart resides,

Longing, with a veil between it and those dwellings.

Yearning for it beyond the dwellings is veiled,

ورمى الزمانُ ربوعَها بصروفه

ورمى الزمانُ ربوعَها بصروفه

فخلَت وبان لبينها الأصحاب

فخلَت وبان لبينها الأصحاب

And time assailed their quarters with its vicissitudes,

Time has cast its days upon it with its turns,

So they lay empty, and with their loss the companions departed.

Emptying it, revealing its companions,

ضَرَبت بها أيدي الشتات كأنها

ضَرَبت بها أيدي الشتات كأنها

أيدي سبا ولها الفراقُ ضِراب

أيدي سبا ولها الفراقُ ضِراب

The hands of dispersal struck them, as though they were

The hands of diaspora have struck it, as if

The hands of Saba; for them, separation is a scourge.

They are hands of captivity, to which separation is a blow,

فترى الغوائلَ ضمنَ ساحتها وقد

فترى الغوائلَ ضمنَ ساحتها وقد

ضَرَبت قباباً تحتهن عِقاب

ضَرَبت قباباً تحتهن عِقاب

So you see calamities within their courtyard; they have

You see the sudden events in its arena, and they

Pitched pavilions beneath which lies punishment.

Have pitched tents beneath which are eagles,

لم أدر ذاك لشرِّ سكّان الحمى

لم أدر ذاك لشرِّ سكّان الحمى

أو إنما ذاك العِقابُ ثواب

أو إنما ذاك العِقابُ ثواب

I do not know whether this is for the wickedness of the sanctuary's dwellers,

I know not if that is due to the evil of the passionate ones,

Or whether that punishment is merely a reward.

Or if those eagles are a reward,

يا ملةً ما كان أسطعَ نورَها

يا ملةً ما كان أسطعَ نورَها

حتى انثنى فغشِي سناه ضَباب

حتى انثنى فغشِي سناه ضَباب

O community of faith, how radiant your light once was,

O community! None was brighter than its light,

Until it receded, and mist covered its radiance.

Until it waned, so its radiance was clouded,

مرَّت ترى أحبابَها أعداءها

مرَّت ترى أحبابَها أعداءها

إن العداوةَ شرُّها الأحباب

إن العداوةَ شرُّها الأحباب

She went on, seeing her loved ones as her enemies;

It saw its loved ones as its enemies,

Indeed, the worst enmity comes from loved ones.

Though the worst of enemies are loved ones,

ذهبت محاسنها فزال نقاؤها

ذهبت محاسنها فزال نقاؤها

والشمس من كدر الكسوف تُعاب

والشمس من كدر الكسوف تُعاب

Her beauties vanished, and her purity was gone;

Its beauty vanished, so its purity was faulted,

And the sun is faulted for an eclipse's murk.

And the sun is blamed for the turbidity of an eclipse,

ضحكت على ساداتها أعداؤها

ضحكت على ساداتها أعداؤها

وشكت فأبكاها أسىً وعتاب

وشكت فأبكاها أسىً وعتاب

Her enemies laughed at her leaders,

Its enemies mocked its masters,

And she complained; sorrow and reproach made her weep.

And it complained, so it wept with agony and rebuke,

زلَّت بجَذب زمامها حتى انحنى

زلَّت بجَذب زمامها حتى انحنى

منها وفيها أرؤسٌ ورقاب

منها وفيها أرؤسٌ ورقاب

She stumbled as her rein was tugged, until they bowed—

It stumbled as the reins were pulled, until it bent over,

Heads and necks, her own and those within her.

Heads and necks in it and part of it,

فكأنها فوق الأنام مصيبةً

فكأنها فوق الأنام مصيبةً

وكأنها تحت الأنام تراب

وكأنها تحت الأنام تراب

So she seems a calamity above humankind,

As if it were a tribulation upon mankind,

And seems dust beneath humankind.

And as if it were dust beneath mankind,

وأذاقها ذاك العدو بِخُبثِه

وأذاقها ذاك العدو بِخُبثِه

صاباً ولكن ليس فيه صواب

صاباً ولكن ليس فيه صواب

And that enemy, through his malice, made her taste

That enemy made it taste, with his wickedness,

Bitter sap; yet there is no rightness in him.

Poison, but without any propriety,

ولقد دعاه اللَه دعوةَ منجبٍ

ولقد دعاه اللَه دعوةَ منجبٍ

وسكوتُه عمن دعاه خطاب

وسكوتُه عمن دعاه خطاب

And God indeed called him as a sire of noble offspring;

And God called him with an effective call,

And his silence toward the one who called him is speech.

But he was silent towards the one who called him,

وأحبَّه مولاه دون أخيه في

وأحبَّه مولاه دون أخيه في

معنىً يشير إلى خِفاهُ كتاب

معنىً يشير إلى خِفاهُ كتاب

And his Lord loved him in preference to his brother, in

And His Master loved him over his brother, in

A sense whose hidden meaning a book indicates.

A meaning alluded to in the hidden Book,

وكناهُ في يوم الصراع بكُنيةٍ

وكناهُ في يوم الصراع بكُنيةٍ

حارت بها الأفهام والألباب

حارت بها الأفهام والألباب

And on the day of wrestling he gave him a byname

And nicknamed him on the day of conflict with a nickname,

That bewildered understanding and reason.

That confused minds and intellects,

فانصاعَ لا يحنو على أمٍّ غدت

فانصاعَ لا يحنو على أمٍّ غدت

تحويه في جزء العلى فيُهاب

تحويه في جزء العلى فيُهاب

Then he turned away, without tenderness toward a mother who came to

So he yielded, not sparing a mother,

Shelter him in a share of high honor, so that he is held in awe.

Who was housed in part of the Most High, thus deserving awe.

فتأمَّلوا يا ماررينَ بها ترَوا

فتأمَّلوا يا ماررينَ بها ترَوا

مرأىً مخيفاً في وِعاهُ عَذاب

مرأىً مخيفاً في وِعاهُ عَذاب

So look closely, O you passing by her, and you will see

So observe, O passersby, and you will see,

A frightening sight, with torment in its vessel:

A frightening view, in its containment is torment,

أُمّاً براها الذلُّ حتى أصبحت

أُمّاً براها الذلُّ حتى أصبحت

ومصابُها للشامتين مصاب

ومصابُها للشامتين مصاب

A mother whom abasement wore away, until she was left

A mother that humiliation made cheap, until she became,

With her affliction an affliction to those who gloat.

And her affliction, to the gloaters, an affliction,

ذاقت من ابنٍ مرَّها بمرارةٍ

ذاقت من ابنٍ مرَّها بمرارةٍ

مُرّاً وأدنى مُرِّ ذاكَ الصاب

مُرّاً وأدنى مُرِّ ذاكَ الصاب

She tasted, from a son who embittered her with bitterness,

She tasted from a son the bitterness,

Bitterness—and the least of his bitterness is bitter sap.

Of a bitterness, and that draught was more bitter,

نكصَت فعاجلها التأسُّفُ فانثنت

نكصَت فعاجلها التأسُّفُ فانثنت

تدعو الذهابَ وهل يُجيب ذَهاب

تدعو الذهابَ وهل يُجيب ذَهاب

She recoiled; regret swiftly overtook her, and she turned back,

She recoiled, so regret turned her around,

Calling upon departure—but does departure answer?

Calling for departure, but does departure respond?

ما كل من نادى يُجاب نداؤه

ما كل من نادى يُجاب نداؤه

إن السكوتَ عن الجواب جواب

إن السكوتَ عن الجواب جواب

Not everyone who calls has his call answered;

Not all who call are answered in their call,

Indeed, silence instead of a reply is a reply.

For silence to a response, is a response,

حاشاك يا صهيون يا أم القرى

حاشاك يا صهيون يا أم القرى

أن تقفري وبنوكِ منكِ قِراب

أن تقفري وبنوكِ منكِ قِراب

Far be it from you, O Zion, O mother of cities,

Far be it from you, O Zion, mother of villages,

To become desolate while your sons are close to you.

To become empty, while your sons are your neighbors,

قومي استنيري إن جفوتِ جاهلاً

قومي استنيري إن جفوتِ جاهلاً

ذئباً فإن المفسدين ذئاب

ذئباً فإن المفسدين ذئاب

Arise, shine, if you have shunned an ignorant one,

Arise and be enlightened, if you shun an ignorant,

A wolf—for the corrupters are wolves.

Wolf, for corrupters are but wolves,

قومي استنيري ما لنورِك خامداً

قومي استنيري ما لنورِك خامداً

هل غالكِ ذاكَ الغبي الكذّاب

هل غالكِ ذاكَ الغبي الكذّاب

Arise, shine—why has your light gone out?

Arise and be enlightened, why is your light extinguished?

Has that stupid liar struck you down?

Has that foolish liar made you weary?

قومي استنيري إن وجهَك بالحيا

قومي استنيري إن وجهَك بالحيا

متبرقعٌ وعدوُّكِ المِحراب

متبرقعٌ وعدوُّكِ المِحراب

Arise, shine; indeed, your face, in modesty,

Arise and be enlightened, your face is veiled in shame,

Is veiled, while your enemy is a fierce warrior.

And your enemy is the temple,

تبكي وقد نظرت بنيها شُرَّعاً

تبكي وقد نظرت بنيها شُرَّعاً

للموت حتماً والديارُ يباب

للموت حتماً والديارُ يباب

She weeps, having seen her sons exposed

You cry, and you saw your children permitted,

To inevitable death, while the dwellings lie desolate.

To death, inevitably, and the homes are in ruin,

من ذا يبشِّرُها بفقد حواسدٍ

من ذا يبشِّرُها بفقد حواسدٍ

وبفقد باغٍ ما عليه ثياب

وبفقد باغٍ ما عليه ثياب

Who will bring her glad tidings of the envious ones' disappearance,

Who will give you good tidings of the loss of enviers?

And of an aggressor's disappearance, with no clothes upon him?

And the loss of a garden with no garments?

للَه يا روما السعيدة إنني

للَه يا روما السعيدة إنني

مظلومةٌ حقّاً وأنت الباب

مظلومةٌ حقّاً وأنت الباب

For God's sake, O happy Rome, I am

My God, O Happy Rome, I am truly,

Truly wronged, and you are the gate.

Oppressed, and you are the gateway,

حتامَ أدخل بابها ويصدُّني

حتامَ أدخل بابها ويصدُّني

عنك العداةُ وهم لديك كلاب

عنك العداةُ وهم لديك كلاب

How long shall I enter her gate, only to be barred

They insist on entering your gate, and the enemies bar me,

From you by enemies who are dogs at your side?

From you, though to you they are but dogs,

حاشاي أن أبغي سواك موئلاً

حاشاي أن أبغي سواك موئلاً

ما كلُّ رأيٍ في الأنام صواب

ما كلُّ رأيٍ في الأنام صواب

Far be it from me to seek a refuge other than you;

Far be it from me to seek a refuge but you,

Not every opinion among humankind is right.

Not every view among people is correct,

حجبوك يا شمسَ الهدى فكأنهم

حجبوك يا شمسَ الهدى فكأنهم

ما بيننا في الإقتران سحاب

ما بيننا في الإقتران سحاب

They have veiled you, O sun of guidance, as though they were

They have veiled you, O sun of guidance, as if

Clouds between us at our conjunction.

Between us, in coming together, is a cloud,

لا تنكروا ما قد رأيتُ منَ الذي

لا تنكروا ما قد رأيتُ منَ الذي

آويتِه إن اللئيم يُعاب

آويتِه إن اللئيم يُعاب

Do not deny what I have seen from the one

Do not deny what I have seen of the one

Whom you sheltered; indeed, a base man is reproached.

You harbored, truly the villain is blameworthy,

ربَّيتُ إبناً فاستهانَ بأمِّه

ربَّيتُ إبناً فاستهانَ بأمِّه

ورفعتُهُ ليكون فيه ثواب

ورفعتُهُ ليكون فيه ثواب

I raised a son, and he treated his mother with contempt;

I raised a son, but he slighted his mother,

And I exalted him, so that there might be reward in him.

And I elevated him, so there would be reward in him,

فكأنني أذنبتُ حين رفعته

فكأنني أذنبتُ حين رفعته

وجزا المسيء بما يسيء عقاب

وجزا المسيء بما يسيء عقاب

So it is as though I sinned when I exalted him,

It is as if I sinned when I extolled him,

And the wrongdoer's recompense for his wrongdoing is punishment.

And the evildoer is disciplined with matching punishment,

ولبست فيه العار ثوباً فاضحاً

ولبست فيه العار ثوباً فاضحاً

بين الأنام وما عليَّ نقاب

بين الأنام وما عليَّ نقاب

And because of him I wore disgrace as a scandalous robe,

And I wore disgrace openly among the people, though I have no veil,

Amid humankind, with no veil upon me.

Who will do me justice from an unjust oppressor?

من منصفي من ظالمٍ متظلِّمٍ

من منصفي من ظالمٍ متظلِّمٍ

سحقاً لحلوٍ بالمرار يُشاب

سحقاً لحلوٍ بالمرار يُشاب

Who will give me justice against an oppressor claiming to be wronged?

Woe to sweetness mixed with bitterness!

Perdition to sweetness mixed with bitterness!

I have donned the garb of mourning, so do not question,

أصبحتُ في ثوب الحِداد ولا تسل

أصبحتُ في ثوب الحِداد ولا تسل

عن حال شيخٍ يزدريه شباب

عن حال شيخٍ يزدريه شباب

I am now in mourning's robe; do not ask

The state of an elder scorned by youth,

About the plight of an elder whom the young despise.

This is the judgement of God, so be obediently patient,

هذا قضاء الله فاصبر طائعاً

هذا قضاء الله فاصبر طائعاً

إن المطيع له السلام ثواب

إن المطيع له السلام ثواب

This is God's decree, so endure obediently;

For the obedient, serenity is his reward,

Indeed, peace is the obedient one's reward.

So upon you, O abode of loved ones and acceptance,

فعليك يا دار الأحبة والرضا

فعليك يا دار الأحبة والرضا

مني سلامٌ والصدورُ رِحاب

مني سلامٌ والصدورُ رِحاب

So upon you, O dwelling of loved ones and contentment,

Is my greeting, with open hearts,

A greeting of peace from me, and hearts are open wide.