أَساحَةٌ لِلحَربِ أَم مَحشَرُ

أَساحَةٌ لِلحَربِ أَم مَحشَرُ

وَمَورِدُ المَوتِ أَمِ الكَوثَرُ

وَمَورِدُ المَوتِ أَمِ الكَوثَرُ

Is this a battlefield, or a place of Judgment?

Is it a battlefield or the gathering place,

And a watering-place of death, or Kawthar?

The source of death or the Kawthar?

وَهَذِهِ جُندٌ أَطاعوا هَوى

وَهَذِهِ جُندٌ أَطاعوا هَوى

أَربابِهِم أَم نَعَمٌ تُنحَرُ

أَربابِهِم أَم نَعَمٌ تُنحَرُ

And are these troops who obeyed the whims

And are these soldiers who obeyed their masters' passions,

of their masters, or livestock being slaughtered?

Or cattle brought in to be slaughtered?

لِلَّهِ ما أَقسى قُلوبَ الأُلى

لِلَّهِ ما أَقسى قُلوبَ الأُلى

قاموا بِأَمرِ المُلكِ وَاِستَأثَروا

قاموا بِأَمرِ المُلكِ وَاِستَأثَروا

By God, how hard are the hearts of those

How merciless are the hearts of the oppressors!

who took charge of kingship and kept it for themselves!

They rose at the king's command and monopolized,

وَغَرَّهُم في الدَهرِ سُلطانُهُم

وَغَرَّهُم في الدَهرِ سُلطانُهُم

فَأَمعَنوا في الأَرضِ وَاِستَعمَروا

فَأَمعَنوا في الأَرضِ وَاِستَعمَروا

And their power in this world beguiled them,

Deceived by their power in this life,

so they ranged far across the earth and colonized it.

Going to excess on earth and colonizing.

قَد أَقسَمَ البيضُ بِصُلبانِهِم

قَد أَقسَمَ البيضُ بِصُلبانِهِم

لا يَهجُرونَ المَوتَ أَو يُنصَروا

لا يَهجُرونَ المَوتَ أَو يُنصَروا

The white peoples have sworn by their crosses

The whites have sworn by their crosses,

not to forsake death until they are granted victory;

They will not flee death or be helped.

وَأَقسَمَ الصُفرُ بِأَوثانِهِم

وَأَقسَمَ الصُفرُ بِأَوثانِهِم

لا يَغمِدونَ السَيفَ أَو يَظفَروا

لا يَغمِدونَ السَيفَ أَو يَظفَروا

and the yellow peoples have sworn by their idols

And the yellows swore by their idols,

not to sheathe the sword until they prevail.

They will not sheathe the sword or be victorious.

فَمادَتِ الأَرضُ بِأَوتادِها

فَمادَتِ الأَرضُ بِأَوتادِها

حينَ اِلتَقى الأَبيَضُ وَالأَصفَرُ

حينَ اِلتَقى الأَبيَضُ وَالأَصفَرُ

Then the earth rocked with its pegs,

So the earth shook in its pegs,

when white met yellow.

When the whites and yellows met.

وَأَثمَلَتها خَمرَةٌ مِن دَمٍ

وَأَثمَلَتها خَمرَةٌ مِن دَمٍ

يَلهو بِها الميكادُ وَالقَيصَرُ

يَلهو بِها الميكادُ وَالقَيصَرُ

And a wine of blood intoxicated it,

It was inebriated by a wine of blood,

with which the Mikado and the Tsar amuse themselves.

With which the Mikado and Caesar toy.

وَأَشبَهَت يَومَ الوَغى أُختَها

وَأَشبَهَت يَومَ الوَغى أُختَها

إِذ لاحَ فيها الشَفَقُ الأَحمَرُ

إِذ لاحَ فيها الشَفَقُ الأَحمَرُ

And on the day of battle it resembled its sister,

On the day of turmoil it resembled its sister,

when the red twilight shone within it.

When the red dusk appeared in it.

وَأَصبَحَت تَشتاقُ طوفانَها

وَأَصبَحَت تَشتاقُ طوفانَها

لَعَلَّها مِن رِجسِها تَطهُرُ

لَعَلَّها مِن رِجسِها تَطهُرُ

And it came to yearn for its flood,

It began to yearn for its flood,

that perhaps it might be cleansed of its defilement.

So it may be purified of its filth.

أَشبَعتِ يا حَربُ ذِئابَ الفَلا

أَشبَعتِ يا حَربُ ذِئابَ الفَلا

وَغَصَّتِ العِقبانُ وَالأَنسُرُ

وَغَصَّتِ العِقبانُ وَالأَنسُرُ

You have sated, O War, the wolves of the wilderness,

O war, you have satiated the wolves of treachery,

and the eagles and vultures have choked on their fill.

And the vultures and eagles are stuffed.

وَميرَتِ الحيتانُ في بَحرِها

وَميرَتِ الحيتانُ في بَحرِها

وَمَطمَعُ الإِنسانِ لا يُقدَرُ

وَمَطمَعُ الإِنسانِ لا يُقدَرُ

And the fish have been provisioned in their sea,

The whales have died in its sea,

yet human greed is beyond measure.

And man's greed cannot be fulfilled.

إِن كانَ هَذا الدُبُّ لا يَنثَني

إِن كانَ هَذا الدُبُّ لا يَنثَني

وَذَلِكَ التِنّينُ لا يُقهَرُ

وَذَلِكَ التِنّينُ لا يُقهَرُ

If this bear will not turn back,

If this bear will not be bent,

and that dragon cannot be overcome,

And that dragon will not be subdued,

وَالبيضُ لا تَرضى بِخِذلانِها

وَالبيضُ لا تَرضى بِخِذلانِها

وَالصُفرُ بَعدَ اليَومِ لا تُكسَرُ

وَالصُفرُ بَعدَ اليَومِ لا تُكسَرُ

and the white peoples will not accept their defeat,

And the whites will not accept their defeat,

and the yellow peoples, after today, will not be broken,

And the yellows after this day will not be broken,

فَما لِتِلكَ الحَربِ قَد شَمَّرَت

فَما لِتِلكَ الحَربِ قَد شَمَّرَت

عَن ساقِها حَتّى قَضى العَسكَرُ

عَن ساقِها حَتّى قَضى العَسكَرُ

then why has that war bared

Why has that war bared its leg,

its shin until the army perished?

Until the armies have decided?

سالَت نُفوسُ القَومِ فَوقَ الظُبا

سالَت نُفوسُ القَومِ فَوقَ الظُبا

فَسالَتِ البَطحاءُ وَالأَنهُرُ

فَسالَتِ البَطحاءُ وَالأَنهُرُ

The people's lifeblood flowed over the sword-edges,

The souls of the people flowed over the hills,

so the plain and the rivers ran with it.

So the plain and the rivers overflowed.

وَأَصبَحَت مِكدَنُ ياقوتَةً

وَأَصبَحَت مِكدَنُ ياقوتَةً

يَغارُ مِنها الدُرُّ وَالجَوهَرُ

يَغارُ مِنها الدُرُّ وَالجَوهَرُ

And Mukden became a ruby

And it became a mine of rubies,

that pearls and jewels envy:

At which pearls and jewels envy.

ياقوتَةً قَد قُوِّمَت بَينَهُم

ياقوتَةً قَد قُوِّمَت بَينَهُم

بِأَنفُسٍ كَالقَطرِ لا تُحصَرُ

بِأَنفُسٍ كَالقَطرِ لا تُحصَرُ

a ruby whose value among them was reckoned

Rubies which were valued among them

in lives as countless as raindrops.

With souls that cannot be counted.

أَضحى رَسولُ المَوتِ ما بَينَها

أَضحى رَسولُ المَوتِ ما بَينَها

حَيرانَ لا يَدري بِما يُؤمَرُ

حَيرانَ لا يَدري بِما يُؤمَرُ

Death's messenger found himself among them,

The messenger of death among them

bewildered, not knowing what he was ordered to do.

Became confused, not knowing what to be ordered.

عِزريلُ هَل أَبصَرتَ فيما مَضى

عِزريلُ هَل أَبصَرتَ فيما مَضى

وَأَنتَ ذاكَ الكَيِّسُ الأَمهَرُ

وَأَنتَ ذاكَ الكَيِّسُ الأَمهَرُ

Azrael, have you ever seen in times past—

Azrael, have you seen before,

you, that astute and supremely skilled one—

You who are so wise and skilled,

كَذَلِكَ المِدفَعُ في بَطشِهِ

كَذَلِكَ المِدفَعُ في بَطشِهِ

إِذا تَعالى صَوتُهُ المُنكَرُ

إِذا تَعالى صَوتُهُ المُنكَرُ

anything like that cannon in its fury,

That cannon in its might,

when its dreadful voice rises high?

When its dreadful sound rises,

تَراهُ إِن أَوفى عَلى مُهجَةٍ

تَراهُ إِن أَوفى عَلى مُهجَةٍ

لا الدِرعُ يَثنيهِ وَلا المِغفَرُ

لا الدِرعُ يَثنيهِ وَلا المِغفَرُ

You see it: if it bears down upon a life,

You see it, if honest on the inside,

neither armor nor helmet can turn it back.

Neither armor will bend it, nor shield stop it.

أَمسى كُروبَتكينَ في غَمرَةٍ

أَمسى كُروبَتكينَ في غَمرَةٍ

وَباتَ أوياما لَهُ يَنظُرُ

وَباتَ أوياما لَهُ يَنظُرُ

Kuropatkin passed the evening in turmoil,

Kuro patkin has fallen in distress,

and Oyama spent the night watching him.

And Oyama spends the night looking.

وَظَلَّتِ الروسُ عَلى جَمرَةٍ

وَظَلَّتِ الروسُ عَلى جَمرَةٍ

وَالمَجدُ يَدعوهُم أَلا فَاِصبِروا

وَالمَجدُ يَدعوهُم أَلا فَاِصبِروا

And the Russians remained upon a live coal,

And the Russians are on burning coals,

and glory called to them: 'Take heed—endure!'

With glory calling them: Just be patient!

وَذَلِكَ الأُسطولُ ما خَطبُهُ

وَذَلِكَ الأُسطولُ ما خَطبُهُ

حَتّى عَراهُ الفَزَعُ الأَكبَرُ

حَتّى عَراهُ الفَزَعُ الأَكبَرُ

And that fleet—what befell it,

And what's wrong with that fleet,

that the greatest panic seized it?

Until the great horror exposed it?

أَكُلَّما لاحَ لَهُ سابِحٌ

أَكُلَّما لاحَ لَهُ سابِحٌ

تَحتَ الدُجى أَو قارِبٌ يَمخُرُ

تَحتَ الدُجى أَو قارِبٌ يَمخُرُ

Does it, whenever a swimmer appears before it

Whenever a swimmer appeared to it

beneath the darkness, or a boat cleaves the water,

Under cover or a gliding boat,

ظَنَّ بِهِ طوجو فَأَهدى لَهُ

ظَنَّ بِهِ طوجو فَأَهدى لَهُ

تَحِيَّةً طوجو بِها أَخبَرُ

تَحِيَّةً طوجو بِها أَخبَرُ

take it for Togo and send it

Tojo thought it was for him,

a greeting in which Togo is better versed?

So Tojo greeted it, informing:

تَحِيَّةً مِن واجِدٍ شَيِّقٍ

تَحِيَّةً مِن واجِدٍ شَيِّقٍ

أَنفاسُهُ مِن حَرِّها تَزفِرُ

أَنفاسُهُ مِن حَرِّها تَزفِرُ

A greeting from a passionate, yearning lover,

A greeting from an ardent zealot

whose breaths heave with its heat.

Whose breath from its heat exhales.

فَهَل دَرى القَيصَرُ في قَصرِهِ

فَهَل دَرى القَيصَرُ في قَصرِهِ

ما تُعلِنُ الحَربَ وَما تُضمِرُ

ما تُعلِنُ الحَربَ وَما تُضمِرُ

Has the Tsar, then, learned in his palace

Does the Caesar know in his palace

what war reveals and what it conceals?

What war declares and what it conceals?

فَكَم قَتيلٍ باتَ فَوقَ الثَرى

فَكَم قَتيلٍ باتَ فَوقَ الثَرى

يَنتابُهُ الأُظفورُ وَالمِنسَرُ

يَنتابُهُ الأُظفورُ وَالمِنسَرُ

How many a slain man has lain upon the dust,

So how many dead spent the night atop the ground,

beset by talon and beak!

With foxes and eagles disturbing them?

وَكَم جَريحٍ باسِطٍ كَفَّهُ

وَكَم جَريحٍ باسِطٍ كَفَّهُ

يَدعو أَخاهُ وَهوَ لا يُبصِرُ

يَدعو أَخاهُ وَهوَ لا يُبصِرُ

And how many a wounded man, stretching out his hand,

And how many wounded stretching out their hands,

calls his brother while he cannot see!

Calling their brothers but unable to see?

وَكَم غَريقٍ راحَ في لُجَّةٍ

وَكَم غَريقٍ راحَ في لُجَّةٍ

يَهوي بِها الطَودُ فَلا يَظهَرُ

يَهوي بِها الطَودُ فَلا يَظهَرُ

And how many a drowned man has sunk into an abyss

And how many drowned went into an abyss,

where a mountain plunges and never reappears!

In which hills plunge so they don't surface?

وَكَم أَسيرٍ باتَ في أَسرِهِ

وَكَم أَسيرٍ باتَ في أَسرِهِ

وَنَفسُهُ مِن حَسرَةٍ تَقطُرُ

وَنَفسُهُ مِن حَسرَةٍ تَقطُرُ

And how many a captive has spent the night in his captivity,

And how many captives spent the night captive,

while his soul drips with grief!

Their souls dripping with sorrow?

إِن لَم تَرَوا في الصُلحِ خَيراً لَكُم

إِن لَم تَرَوا في الصُلحِ خَيراً لَكُم

فَالدَهرُ مِن أَطماعِكُم أَقصَرُ

فَالدَهرُ مِن أَطماعِكُم أَقصَرُ

If you see no good for yourselves in peace,

If you don't see peace as best for you,

then time is shorter than your ambitions.

Then time is too short for your ambitions.

تَسوؤُنا الحَربُ وَإِن أَصبَحَت

تَسوؤُنا الحَربُ وَإِن أَصبَحَت

تَدعو رِجالَ الشَرقِ أَن يَفخَروا

تَدعو رِجالَ الشَرقِ أَن يَفخَروا

War grieves us, even though it has come

War makes us wretched, even if it

to call upon the men of the East to take pride.

Calls the men of the East to take pride.

أَتى عَلى الشَرقِيِّ حينٌ إِذا

أَتى عَلى الشَرقِيِّ حينٌ إِذا

ما ذُكِرَ الأَحياءُ لا يُذكَرُ

ما ذُكِرَ الأَحياءُ لا يُذكَرُ

A time came upon the Easterner when,

A time has come over the Easterner when,

if the living were mentioned, he went unmentioned.

If the living are mentioned, he is not mentioned.

وَمَرَّ بِالشَرقِ زَمانٌ وَما

وَمَرَّ بِالشَرقِ زَمانٌ وَما

يَمُرُّ بِالبالِ وَلا يَخطِرُ

يَمُرُّ بِالبالِ وَلا يَخطِرُ

And an age passed over the East, while it did not

And an era passed by the East in which

come to mind or enter a thought,

It does not pass in mind or register.

حَتّى أَعادَ الصُفرُ أَيّامَهُ

حَتّى أَعادَ الصُفرُ أَيّامَهُ

فَاِنتَصَفَ الأَسوَدُ وَالأَسمَرُ

فَاِنتَصَفَ الأَسوَدُ وَالأَسمَرُ

until the yellow peoples restored its days,

Until the yellows returned its days,

so the black and brown peoples won redress.

So the black and brown took revenge.

فَرَحمَةُ اللَهِ عَلى أُمَّةٍ

فَرَحمَةُ اللَهِ عَلى أُمَّةٍ

يَروي لَها التاريخُ ما يُؤثَرُ

يَروي لَها التاريخُ ما يُؤثَرُ

So may God's mercy rest upon a nation

May God's mercy be upon a nation

whose memorable deeds history recounts.

Whose history narrates what is to be preferred.