مَنwho لِيَومٍfor the day نَحنُwe فيهِin it مَنwho لِغَدfor tomorrow
مَن لِيَومٍ نَحنُ فيهِ مَن لِغَد
ماتَhas died ذوthe man of العَزمَةِresolve وَالرَأيِand judgment الأَسَدsoundest
ماتَ ذو العَزمَةِ وَالرَأيِ الأَسَد
Who is there for the day we live in—who for tomorrow?
Who is there for the day we are in—who for tomorrow?
The man of resolve, whose judgment was lionlike, is dead.
The man of resolve and the soundest judgment has died.
حَلَّdescended بِالجُمعَةِon Friday حُزنٌsorrow وَأَسىًand grief
حَلَّ بِالجُمعَةِ حُزنٌ وَأَسىً
وَمَشىand walked الوَجدُanguish إِلىto يَومِthe day of الأَحَدSunday
وَمَشى الوَجدُ إِلى يَومِ الأَحَد
Friday was engulfed by grief and sorrow,
On Friday, sorrow and grief descended,
and anguish walked on into Sunday.
And anguish walked on to Sunday.
وَبَداand appeared شِعريmy poetry عَلىon قِرطاسِهِits paper
وَبَدا شِعري عَلى قِرطاسِهِ
لَوعَةًburning grief سالَتflowed عَلىover دَمعٍtears جَمَدfroze
لَوعَةً سالَت عَلى دَمعٍ جَمَد
My poetry appeared upon its page,
And my verse appeared upon its page
a burning ache flowing over tears turned ice.
As burning grief that flowed over frozen tears.
أَيُّهاO النيلُthe Nile لَقَدindeed جَلَّgrew immense الأَسىgrief
أَيُّها النيلُ لَقَد جَلَّ الأَسى
كُنbe مِداداًink ليfor me إِذاwhen الدَمعُthe tears نَفِدrun out
كُن مِداداً لي إِذا الدَمعُ نَفِد
O Nile, the sorrow has grown immense;
O Nile, grief has indeed grown immense;
be my ink when tears run dry.
Be ink for me when the tears run dry.
وَاِذبُليand wither ياO زَهرَةَflower of الرَوضِthe garden وَلاand do not
وَاِذبُلي يا زَهرَةَ الرَوضِ وَلا
تَبسِميsmile لِلطَلِّat the dew فَالعَيشُfor life نَكِدis wretched
تَبسِمي لِلطَلِّ فَالعَيشُ نَكِد
Wither, O blossom of the meadow, and do not
And wither, O flower of the garden, and do not
smile at the dew—for life is bitter.
Smile at the dew, for life is wretched.
وَاِلزَمِand keep to النَوحَlamentation أَياO طَيرُbirds وَلاand do not
وَاِلزَمِ النَوحَ أَيا طَيرُ وَلا
تَبتَهِجrejoice بِالشَدوِin song فَالشَدوُfor singing حَدَدis forbidden
تَبتَهِج بِالشَدوِ فَالشَدوُ حَدَد
Keep mourning, O bird, and do not
And keep to lamentation, O birds, and do not
rejoice in song; let song itself be lamentation.
Rejoice in song, for singing is forbidden.
فَلَقَدfor indeed وَلّىdeparted فَريدٌFarid وَاِنطَوىand vanished
فَلَقَد وَلّى فَريدٌ وَاِنطَوى
رُكنُpillar of مِصرٍEgypt وَفَتاهاand her champion وَالسَنَدand the support
رُكنُ مِصرٍ وَفَتاها وَالسَنَد
For Farid—the peerless one—has departed and been folded away—
For Farid has departed, and vanished is
Egypt’s pillar, her gallant youth, her stay.
Egypt's pillar, her champion, and her support.
خالِدَimmortal in الآثارِdeeds لاdo not تَخشَfear البِلىdecay
خالِدَ الآثارِ لا تَخشَ البِلى
لَيسَdoes not يَبلىdecay مَنwhoever لَهُhe has ذِكرٌremembrance خَلَدendures forever
لَيسَ يَبلى مَن لَهُ ذِكرٌ خَلَد
You whose works endure, do not fear decay;
O you of undying deeds, do not fear decay;
whoever has a deathless memory does not decay.
One whose memory lives forever never decays.
زُرتَyou visited بَرلينَBerlin فَنادىso called out سَمتُهاits zenith
زُرتَ بَرلينَ فَنادى سَمتُها
نَزَلَتentered شَمسُthe sun of الضُحىmidmorning بُرجَthe zodiacal house of الأَسَدthe Lion (Leo)
نَزَلَت شَمسُ الضُحى بُرجَ الأَسَد
You visited Berlin, and its stateliness proclaimed,
You visited Berlin, and its zenith cried:
“The noonday sun has entered the House of Leo.”
The morning sun has entered the house of Leo.
وَاِختَفَتand vanished شَمسُكَyour sun فيهاin it وَكَذاand so
وَاِختَفَت شَمسُكَ فيها وَكَذا
تَختَفيvanish فيin الغَربِthe West أَقمارُthe moons of الأَبَدeternity
تَختَفي في الغَربِ أَقمارُ الأَبَد
Your sun vanished there; and so
And your sun vanished there; just so
do moons of eternity vanish in the West.
The moons of eternity vanish in the West.
ياO غَريبَexile in الدارِhome وَالقَبرِand the grave وَياand O
يا غَريبَ الدارِ وَالقَبرِ وَيا
سَلوَةَcomfort of النيلِthe Nile إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) الخَطبُcalamity جَدgrew grave
سَلوَةَ النيلِ إِذا ما الخَطبُ جَد
O stranger to homeland and grave, O
O exile in home and grave, O
solace of the Nile when calamity grew grave,
Comfort of the Nile when calamity grows grave,
وَحُساماًand a keen sword فَلَّblunted حَدَّيهِits two edges الرَدىdeath
وَحُساماً فَلَّ حَدَّيهِ الرَدى
وَشِهاباًand a meteor ضاءَshone وَهناًlate at night وَخَمَدand went out
وَشِهاباً ضاءَ وَهناً وَخَمَد
O sword whose two edges death has blunted,
And a keen sword whose two edges death blunted,
O meteor that flared, grew faint, and died,
And a meteor that shone late at night, then went out,
قُلtell لِصَبِّto the ardent lover of النيلِthe Nile إِنif لاقَيتَهُyou meet him
قُل لِصَبِّ النيلِ إِن لاقَيتَهُ
فيin جِوارِthe presence of الدائِمِthe Everlasting الفَردِthe One الصَمَدthe Self-Sufficient
في جِوارِ الدائِمِ الفَردِ الصَمَد
tell the Nile’s ardent lover, if you meet him
Tell the Nile's ardent lover, if you meet him
in the abode of the Everlasting, the One, the Eternal Refuge,
In the presence of the Everlasting, the One, the Self-Sufficient:
إِنَّindeed مِصراًEgypt لاdoes not تَنيslacken عَنfrom قَصدِهاher purpose
إِنَّ مِصراً لا تَني عَن قَصدِها
رَغمَdespite ماwhat تَلقىshe faces وَإِنand even if طالَlengthens الأَمَدthe time
رَغمَ ما تَلقى وَإِن طالَ الأَمَد
that Egypt never slackens in her purpose,
Egypt does not slacken in her purpose,
whatever she suffers, however long the years.
Despite what she faces, even if the time grows long.
جِئتُI have come عَنهاon her behalf أَحمِلُI carry البُشرىglad tidings إِلىto
جِئتُ عَنها أَحمِلُ البُشرى إِلى
أَوَّلِthe first of البانينَthe builders فيin هَذاthis البَلَدland
أَوَّلِ البانينَ في هَذا البَلَد
I have come from her bearing glad tidings
I have come on her behalf, bearing glad tidings to
to the first of the builders of this land:
The first of the builders in this land.
فَاِستَرِحso rest وَاِهنَأand be at ease وَنَمand sleep فيin غِبطَةٍcontentment
فَاِستَرِح وَاِهنَأ وَنَم في غِبطَةٍ
قَدindeed بَذَرتَyou sowed الحَبَّthe seed وَالشَعبُand the people حَصَدreaped
قَد بَذَرتَ الحَبَّ وَالشَعبُ حَصَد
Rest, rejoice, and sleep in blessedness;
So rest, be at peace, and sleep in contentment;
you sowed the seed, and the people reaped.
You sowed the seed, and the people reaped.
آثَرَpreferred النيلَthe Nile عَلىover أَموالِهِhis wealth
آثَرَ النيلَ عَلى أَموالِهِ
وَقُواهُand his energies وَهَواهُand his desires وَالوَلَدand offspring
وَقُواهُ وَهَواهُ وَالوَلَد
He preferred the Nile to his wealth,
He put the Nile before his wealth,
his strength, his passion, and his children;
And his energies, his desires, and his offspring.
يَطلُبُhe seeks الخَيرَgood لِمِصرٍfor Egypt وَهوَwhile he فيin
يَطلُبُ الخَيرَ لِمِصرٍ وَهوَ في
شِقوَةٍmisery أَحلىsweeter مِنَthan العَيشِlife الرَغَدcomfortable
شِقوَةٍ أَحلى مِنَ العَيشِ الرَغَد
seeking Egypt’s good while dwelling
Seeking good for Egypt, while he lived in
in hardship sweeter to him than a life of ease.
Misery sweeter than a life of ease.
ضارِبٌroaming فيin الأَرضِthe earth يَبغيhe seeks مَأرَباًa goal
ضارِبٌ في الأَرضِ يَبغي مَأرَباً
كُلَّماwhenever قارَبَهُhe approached it عَنهُfrom him اِبتَعَدit receded
كُلَّما قارَبَهُ عَنهُ اِبتَعَد
He ranged the earth in pursuit of a goal;
Roaming the earth, he sought a goal;
whenever he drew near it, it moved farther away.
Whenever he neared it, it receded from him.
لَمdid not يَعبَهcare أَنthat تَجَنّىdealt unjustly دَهرُهُhis fate
لَم يَعبَه أَن تَجَنّى دَهرُهُ
رُبَّmany an جِدٍّearnest effort حادَstrayed عَنfrom مَجراهُits course جَدfortune
رُبَّ جِدٍّ حادَ عَن مَجراهُ جَد
He cared nothing that his age wronged him:
He cared not that fate treated him unjustly;
many an earnest course is turned aside by fortune.
Many an earnest endeavor has seen fortune stray from its path.
يَستَجِمُّhe renews العَزمَresolve حَتّىuntil إِنif بَدَتthere appeared
يَستَجِمُّ العَزمَ حَتّى إِن بَدَت
فُرصَةٌan opportunity شَدَّrushed إِلَيهاtoward it وَصَمَدand stood firm
فُرصَةٌ شَدَّ إِلَيها وَصَمَد
His resolve would gather strength until, when
He renews his resolve until, should there appear
an opportunity appeared, he spurred toward it and stood firm.
An opportunity, he rushes toward it and stands firm.
فَهوَso he لاdoes not يَثنيturn عِناناًa rein عَنaway from مُنىًaspirations
فَهوَ لا يَثني عِناناً عَن مُنىً
وَهوَand he هِجّيراهُhis constant refrain مَنwhoever جَدَّstrives وَجَدsucceeds
وَهوَ هِجّيراهُ مَن جَدَّ وَجَد
He never turned the reins aside from an aspiration,
So he never turns his reins away from his hopes,
and his constant refrain was, “Whoever strives, finds.”
And his constant refrain is: 'Whoever strives succeeds.'
فَأَياديهِso his good deeds إِذاif ماever (emphatic) أُنكِرَتare denied
فَأَياديهِ إِذا ما أُنكِرَت
إِنَّماonly تُنكِرُهاdenies them عَينُthe eye of الحَسَدenvy
إِنَّما تُنكِرُها عَينُ الحَسَد
If his benefactions are denied,
So, if his good deeds are ever denied,
it is only envy’s eye that denies them.
Only the eye of envy denies them.
فَقَدَتhas lost مِصرُEgypt فَريداًFarid وَهيَwhile she فيin
فَقَدَت مِصرُ فَريداً وَهيَ في
مَوطِنٍa situation يُعوِزُهاis lacking to her فيهِin it المَدَدsupport
مَوطِنٍ يُعوِزُها فيهِ المَدَد
Egypt lost Farid while she stood
Egypt has lost Farid while she is in
where help was sorely wanting.
A plight in which she lacks support.
فَقَدَتhas lost مِصرُEgypt فَريداًFarid وَهيَwhile she فيin
فَقَدَت مِصرُ فَريداً وَهيَ في
لَهوَةِthe maw of المَيدانِthe battlefield وَالمَوتُand death رَصَدlies in wait
لَهوَةِ المَيدانِ وَالمَوتُ رَصَد
Egypt lost Farid while she stood
Egypt has lost Farid while she is in
in the maw of the field, with death lying in wait.
The battlefield's maw, with death lying in wait.
فَقَدَتhas lost مِنهُin him خَبيراًan expert حُوَّلاًresourceful
فَقَدَت مِنهُ خَبيراً حُوَّلاً
وَهيَwhile she وَالأَيّامُand the days فيin أَخذٍtaking وَرَدand returning
وَهيَ وَالأَيّامُ في أَخذٍ وَرَد
In him she lost a practiced, resourceful counselor,
In him she lost a resourceful expert,
while she and the days were locked in give-and-take.
While she and the days were locked in give and take.
لَمdid not يَكَدalmost يُمتِعُهاlet her enjoy الدَهرُtime بِهِwith him
لَم يَكَد يُمتِعُها الدَهرُ بِهِ
فيin رُبوعِthe lands of النيلِthe Nile حَيّاًalive لَمdid not يَكَدalmost
في رُبوعِ النيلِ حَيّاً لَم يَكَد
Time scarcely let her enjoy his presence—
Time scarcely let her enjoy his presence
alive in the Nile’s lands—scarcely at all.
Alive in the Nile's lands—scarcely at all.
لَيتَهُif only he عاشَhad lived قَليلاًa little فَتَرىso might see
لَيتَهُ عاشَ قَليلاً فَتَرى
شَعبَthe people of مِصرٍEgypt عَينُهُhis eye كَيفَhow اِتَّحَدunited
شَعبَ مِصرٍ عَينُهُ كَيفَ اِتَّحَد
If only he had lived a little, that his eyes might see
If only he had lived a little longer, to see
how the people of Egypt have united.
With his own eye how Egypt's people had united.
وَيحَalas for مِصرٍEgypt بَلrather فَوَيحاًthen alas لِلثَرىfor the soil
وَيحَ مِصرٍ بَل فَوَيحاً لِلثَرى
إِنَّهُindeed it أَبلَغُmore profound حُزناًin sorrow وَأَشَدand more intense
إِنَّهُ أَبلَغُ حُزناً وَأَشَد
Woe to Egypt—rather, greater woe to her soil:
Alas for Egypt—rather, alas for the soil!
its grief is more eloquent and more intense.
For its grief is deeper and more intense.
كَمhow much تَمَنّىlonged وَتَمَنّىand longed أَهلُهُits people
كَم تَمَنّى وَتَمَنّى أَهلُهُ
لَوif only يُوارىmight be buried فيهِin it ذَيّاكَthat الجَسَدthe body
لَو يُوارى فيهِ ذَيّاكَ الجَسَد
How the soil longed, and how his people longed,
How much it longed, and its people longed,
that that body might be laid to rest within it.
For that body to be laid to rest within it!
لَهفَanguish of نَفسيmy soul هَلquestion particle بِبَرلينَin Berlin اِمرُؤٌanyone
لَهفَ نَفسي هَل بِبَرلينَ اِمرُؤٌ
فَوقَover ذاكَthat القَبرِgrave صَلّىprayed وَسَجَدand prostrated himself
فَوقَ ذاكَ القَبرِ صَلّى وَسَجَد
Alas, my soul! Is there in Berlin anyone
Oh, my soul's anguish! Was there anyone in Berlin
who prayed and bowed in prostration at that grave?
Who prayed and prostrated himself over that grave?
بَلrather بَكَتwept عَينٌan eye فَرَوَّتso watered تُربَهُits soil
بَل بَكَت عَينٌ فَرَوَّت تُربَهُ
هَلquestion particle عَلىupon أَحجارِهِits stones خَطَّinscribed أَحَدanyone
هَل عَلى أَحجارِهِ خَطَّ أَحَد
Or an eye that wept and watered its dust?
Or did an eye weep and water its dust?
Has anyone written upon its stones:
Did anyone inscribe upon its stones:
هاbehold هُناhere قَبرُgrave of شَهيدٍa martyr فيin هَوىlove of
ها هُنا قَبرُ شَهيدٍ في هَوى
أُمَّةٍa nation أَيقَظَهاhe awakened her ثُمَّthen رَقَدslept
أُمَّةٍ أَيقَظَها ثُمَّ رَقَد
“Here lies the grave of a martyr to the love
Here is the grave of a martyr for love of
of a nation he awakened—then slept.”
A nation he awakened—then he slept.
Sol 6.1