قَصرَO palace of الدُبارَةِal-Dubara هَلhas أَتاكَreached you حَديثُناour story
قَصرَ الدُبارَةِ هَل أَتاكَ حَديثُنا
فَالشَرقُfor the East ريعَwas appalled لَهُby it وَضَجَّand cried out المَغرِبُthe West
فَالشَرقُ ريعَ لَهُ وَضَجَّ المَغرِبُ
O Palace of al-Dubara, has our story reached you?
For the East was appalled by it, and the West cried out.
أَهلاًwelcome بِساكِنِكَto your occupant الكَريمِnoble وَمَرحَباًand welcome
أَهلاً بِساكِنِكَ الكَريمِ وَمَرحَباً
بَعدَafter التَحِيَّةِthe greeting إِنَّنيindeed I أَتَعَتَّبُoffer reproach
بَعدَ التَحِيَّةِ إِنَّني أَتَعَتَّبُ
Welcome to your noble occupant, welcome!
After my greeting, I have a reproach to make.
نَقَلَتconveyed لَناto us الأَسلاكُthe telegraph wires عَنكَfrom you رِسالَةًa message
نَقَلَت لَنا الأَسلاكُ عَنكَ رِسالَةً
باتَتspent the night لَهاbecause of it أَحشاؤُناour entrails تَتَلَهَّبُburning
باتَت لَها أَحشاؤُنا تَتَلَهَّبُ
The telegraph wires conveyed to us a message from you;
Our very entrails burned all night because of it.
ماذاwhat أَقولُcan I say وَأَنتَwhen you أَصدَقُthe truest ناقِلٍreporter
ماذا أَقولُ وَأَنتَ أَصدَقُ ناقِلٍ
عَنّاabout us وَلَكِنَّbut السِياسَةpolitics تَكذِبُlies
عَنّا وَلَكِنَّ السِياسَة تَكذِبُ
What can I say, when you are the truest reporter
About us? Yet politics lies.
عَلَّمتَناyou taught us مَعنىthe meaning of الحَياةِlife فَماso what لَناis wrong with us
عَلَّمتَنا مَعنى الحَياةِ فَما لَنا
لاnot نَشرَئِبُّwe crane our necks لَهاtoward it وَماand what لَكَis wrong with you تَغضَبُyou grow angry
لا نَشرَئِبُّ لَها وَما لَكَ تَغضَبُ
You taught us the meaning of life; why should we
Not yearn for it—and why are you angry?
أَنَقِمتَdo you resent مِنّاin us أَنthat نُحِسَّwe feel وَإِنَّماwhen in fact
أَنَقِمتَ مِنّا أَن نُحِسَّ وَإِنَّما
هَذاthis الَّذيwhat تَدعوyou call إِلَيهِtoward it وَتَندُبُand urge
هَذا الَّذي تَدعو إِلَيهِ وَتَندُبُ
Do you resent us for feeling, when in fact
This is what you call for and urge?
أَنتَyou الَّذيthe one who يُعزىis ascribed إِلَيهِto him صَلاحُناour betterment
أَنتَ الَّذي يُعزى إِلَيهِ صَلاحُنا
فيماaccording to what تُقَرِّرُهُyou report it لَدَيكَin your own reckoning وَتَكتُبُand write
فيما تُقَرِّرُهُ لَدَيكَ وَتَكتُبُ
You are the one to whom our betterment is ascribed,
According to what you yourself report and write.
إِنif ضاقَgrew narrow صَدرُthe breast of النيلِthe Nile عَمّاfor what هالَهُappalled it
إِن ضاقَ صَدرُ النيلِ عَمّا هالَهُ
يَومَon the day of الحَمامِthe pigeons فَإِنَّthen surely صَدرَكَyour breast أَرحَبُis broader
يَومَ الحَمامِ فَإِنَّ صَدرَكَ أَرحَبُ
If the Nile's breast could not contain what appalled it
On the day of the pigeons, your breast is surely broader.
أَوَand must كُلَّماwhenever باحَgave voice الحَزينُthe grieving man بِأَنَّةٍto a groan
أَوَ كُلَّما باحَ الحَزينُ بِأَنَّةٍ
أَمسَتit came to be إِلىto مَعنىthe sense of التَعَصُّبِfanaticism تُنسَبُattributed
أَمسَت إِلى مَعنى التَعَصُّبِ تُنسَبُ
And must every groan a grieving man lets out
Come to be reckoned an expression of fanaticism?
رِفقاًbe gentle عَميدَO chief of الدَولَتَينِthe two states بِأُمَّةٍwith a nation
رِفقاً عَميدَ الدَولَتَينِ بِأُمَّةٍ
ضاقَdwindled الرَجاءُhope بِهاfor it وَضاقَand grew narrow المَذهَبُthe way
ضاقَ الرَجاءُ بِها وَضاقَ المَذهَبُ
Be gentle, chief of the two states, with a nation
For which hope has dwindled and the way grown narrow.
رِفقاًbe gentle عَميدَO chief of الدَولَتَينِthe two states بِأُمَّةٍwith a nation
رِفقاً عَميدَ الدَولَتَينِ بِأُمَّةٍ
لَيسَتit is not بِغَيرِfor anything other than وَلائِهاits loyalty تَتَعَذَّبُsuffering
لَيسَت بِغَيرِ وَلائِها تَتَعَذَّبُ
Be gentle, chief of the two states, with a nation
That suffers for nothing but its loyalty.
إِنif أَرهَقواthey harassed صَيّادَكُمyour hunter فَلَعَلَّهُمthen perhaps they
إِن أَرهَقوا صَيّادَكُم فَلَعَلَّهُم
لِلقوتِfor daily bread لاnot لِلمُسلِمينَfor the Muslims تَعَصَّبواthey showed zeal
لِلقوتِ لا لِلمُسلِمينَ تَعَصَّبوا
If they harassed your hunter, perhaps they
Were defending their bread, not championing Muslims.
وَلَرُبَّماand often ضَنَّwas sparing الفَقيرُthe poor man بِقوتِهِwith his daily bread
وَلَرُبَّما ضَنَّ الفَقيرُ بِقوتِهِ
وَسَخاyet was generous بِمُهجَتِهِwith his lifeblood عَلىtoward مَنwhoever يَغصِبُplunders
وَسَخا بِمُهجَتِهِ عَلى مَن يَغصِبُ
And often a poor man is sparing with his bread,
Yet lavishes his lifeblood on the one who plunders.
فيin دِنشِوايَDinshaway وَأَنتَwhile you عَنّاfrom us غائِبٌabsent
في دِنشِوايَ وَأَنتَ عَنّا غائِبٌ
لَعِبَmade sport القَضاءُfate بِناof us وَعَزَّand was hard to find المَهرَبُescape
لَعِبَ القَضاءُ بِنا وَعَزَّ المَهرَبُ
In Dinshaway, while you were absent from us,
Fate made sport of us, and escape was hard to find.
حَسِبواthey reckoned النُفوسَhuman lives مِنَfor الحَمامِthe pigeons بَديلَةًa substitute
حَسِبوا النُفوسَ مِنَ الحَمامِ بَديلَةً
فَتَسابَقواso they raced فيin صَيدِهِنَّhunting them وَصَوَّبواand took aim
فَتَسابَقوا في صَيدِهِنَّ وَصَوَّبوا
They reckoned human lives a substitute for pigeons,
So they raced to hunt them down and took aim.
نُكِبواthey were stricken وَأَقفَرَتِand lay desolate المَنازِلُthe homes بَعدَهُمafter them
نُكِبوا وَأَقفَرَتِ المَنازِلُ بَعدَهُم
لَوif كُنتَyou had been حاضِرَpresent for أَمرِهِمtheir affair لَمnot يُنكَبواthey would have been stricken
لَو كُنتَ حاضِرَ أَمرِهِم لَم يُنكَبوا
They were stricken, and homes stood desolate after them;
Had you been present for their ordeal, they would not have been stricken.
خَلَّيتَهُمyou abandoned them وَالقاسِطونَwhile the unjust بِمَرصَدٍlay in wait
خَلَّيتَهُم وَالقاسِطونَ بِمَرصَدٍ
وَسِياطُهُمand their whips وَحِبالُهُمand their ropes تَتَأَهَّبُwere making ready
وَسِياطُهُم وَحِبالُهُم تَتَأَهَّبُ
You abandoned them while the unjust lay in wait,
And their whips and ropes were making ready.
جُلِدواthey were flogged وَلَوand had مَنَّيتَهُمyou granted their wish لَتَعَلَّقواthey would have clung
جُلِدوا وَلَو مَنَّيتَهُم لَتَعَلَّقوا
بِحِبالِto the ropes of مَنthose who شُنِقواwere hanged وَلَمand would not يَتَهَيَّبواhave feared
بِحِبالِ مَن شُنِقوا وَلَم يَتَهَيَّبوا
They were flogged; had you granted their wish, they would have clung
To the ropes of the hanged, without fear.
شُنِقواthey were hanged وَلَوand had مُنِحواthey been granted الخِيارَthe choice لَأَهَّلواthey would have hailed
شُنِقوا وَلَو مُنِحوا الخِيارَ لَأَهَّلوا
بِلَظىto the blaze of سِياطِthe whips of الجالِدينَthe floggers وَرَحَّبواand cried welcome
بِلَظى سِياطِ الجالِدينَ وَرَحَّبوا
They were hanged; had they been given a choice, they would have hailed
The blaze of the floggers' whips and welcomed it.
يَتَحاسَدونَthey envy one another عَلىfor المَماتِdeath وَكَأسُهُwhile its cup
يَتَحاسَدونَ عَلى المَماتِ وَكَأسُهُ
بَينَbetween الشِفاهِthe lips وَطَعمُهُand its taste لاnot يَعذُبُis sweet
بَينَ الشِفاهِ وَطَعمُهُ لا يَعذُبُ
They envy one another death, though its cup
Is between their lips, and its taste is not sweet.
مَوتانِtwo deaths هَذاthis one عاجِلٌimmediate مُتَنَمِّرٌferocious
مَوتانِ هَذا عاجِلٌ مُتَنَمِّرٌ
يَرنوstares وَهَذاand this one آجِلٌdelayed يَتَرَقَّبُlies in wait
يَرنو وَهَذا آجِلٌ يَتَرَقَّبُ
Two deaths: this one, swift and savage,
Stares; that one, deferred, lies in wait.
وَالمُستَشارُand the adviser مُكاثِرٌboasting of numbers بِرِجالِهِof his men
وَالمُستَشارُ مُكاثِرٌ بِرِجالِهِ
وَمُعاجِزٌand seeking to outmaneuver وَمُناجِزٌand waging battle وَمُحَزِّبُand rallying factions
وَمُعاجِزٌ وَمُناجِزٌ وَمُحَزِّبُ
And the adviser boasts of his many men,
Outmaneuvering, waging battle, and rallying factions.
يَختالُhe struts فيthrough أَنحائِهاits regions مُتَبَسِّماًsmiling
يَختالُ في أَنحائِها مُتَبَسِّماً
وَالدَمعُwhile tears حَولَaround رِكابِهِhis stirrups يَتَصَبَّبُpour down
وَالدَمعُ حَولَ رِكابِهِ يَتَصَبَّبُ
He struts through its regions, smiling,
While tears pour down around his stirrups.
طاحواthey brought down بِأَربَعَةٍfour فَأَردَواand so killed خامِساًa fifth
طاحوا بِأَربَعَةٍ فَأَردَوا خامِساً
هُوَit is خَيرُthe best of ماwhat يَرجوhopes for العَميدُthe chief وَيَطلُبُand seeks
هُوَ خَيرُ ما يَرجو العَميدُ وَيَطلُبُ
They felled four and so slew a fifth—
The finest thing the chief hopes for and seeks:
حُبٌّlove يُحاوِلُhe tries غَرسَهُto plant it فيin أَنفُسٍsouls
حُبٌّ يُحاوِلُ غَرسَهُ في أَنفُسٍ
يُجنىis reaped بِمَغرِسِهاfrom their soil الثَناءُpraise الطَيِّبُgood
يُجنى بِمَغرِسِها الثَناءُ الطَيِّبُ
Love he strives to plant in souls,
From whose soil sweet praise is reaped.
كُنbe كَيفَhowever شِئتَyou wish وَلاand do not تَكِلentrust أَرواحَناour lives
كُن كَيفَ شِئتَ وَلا تَكِل أَرواحَنا
لِلمُستَشارِto the adviser فَإِنَّfor indeed عَدلَكَyour justice أَخصَبُis more fruitful
لِلمُستَشارِ فَإِنَّ عَدلَكَ أَخصَبُ
Be as you will, but do not entrust our lives
To the adviser, for your justice is more fruitful.
وَأَفِضand pour forth عَلىupon بُندٍBond إِذاwhen وَلِيَhe assumes القَضاthe judgeship
وَأَفِض عَلى بُندٍ إِذا وَلِيَ القَضا
رِفقاًgentleness يَهَشُّbeams with joy لَهُat it القَضاءُjustice وَيَطرَبُand rejoices
رِفقاً يَهَشُّ لَهُ القَضاءُ وَيَطرَبُ
And pour upon Bond, when he presides as judge,
A gentleness that makes justice beam and rejoice.
قَدonce كانَthere was حَولَكَaround you مِنamong رِجالِكَyour men نُخبَةٌa select group
قَد كانَ حَولَكَ مِن رِجالِكَ نُخبَةٌ
ساسواthey managed الأُمورَaffairs فَدَرَّبواso they trained others وَتَدَرَّبواand gained experience
ساسوا الأُمورَ فَدَرَّبوا وَتَدَرَّبوا
Once you had around you a select band of your men;
They managed affairs, training others and gaining experience.
أَقصَيتَهُمyou removed them عَنّاfrom us وَجِئتَand came بِفِتيَةٍwith young men
أَقصَيتَهُم عَنّا وَجِئتَ بِفِتيَةٍ
طاشَran wild الشَبابُyouth بِهِمwith them وَطارَand soared المَنصِبُhigh office
طاشَ الشَبابُ بِهِم وَطارَ المَنصِبُ
You removed them from us and brought in young men;
Youth made them reckless, and rank sent them soaring.
فَاِجعَلso make شِعارَكَyour watchword رَحمَةًmercy وَمَوَدَّةًand affection
فَاِجعَل شِعارَكَ رَحمَةً وَمَوَدَّةً
إِنَّindeed القُلوبَhearts مَعَwith المَوَدَّةِaffection تُكسَبُare won
إِنَّ القُلوبَ مَعَ المَوَدَّةِ تُكسَبُ
So make mercy and affection your watchword;
For hearts are won with affection.
وَإِذاand if سُئِلتَyou are asked عَنِabout الكِنانَةِEgypt, the Quiver قُلsay لَهُمto them
وَإِذا سُئِلتَ عَنِ الكِنانَةِ قُل لَهُم
هِيَit is أُمَّةٌa nation تَلهوmakes merry وَشَعبٌand a people يَلعَبُplays
هِيَ أُمَّةٌ تَلهو وَشَعبٌ يَلعَبُ
And if you are asked about Egypt, the Quiver, tell them:
It is a nation making merry, a people at play.
وَاِستَبقِand preserve غَفلَتَهاits heedlessness وَنَمand sleep عَنهاunmindful of it تَنَمit will sleep
وَاِستَبقِ غَفلَتَها وَنَم عَنها تَنَم
فَالناسُfor people أَمثالُare like الحَوادِثِevents قُلَّبُever changeable
فَالناسُ أَمثالُ الحَوادِثِ قُلَّبُ
And preserve its heedlessness; sleep unmindful of it, and it will sleep.
For people, like events, are ever changeable.
Sol 6.1