انا في خضم ثائر عجّاج

انا في خضم ثائر عجّاج

والليل مسود الجوانب داج

والليل مسود الجوانب داج

I am in a raging, roaring sea,

I am amidst a raging, tumultuous sea

and the night is black on every side, pitch-dark.

The night is pitch-black on all sides

ليل وزوبعة وبحر زاخر

ليل وزوبعة وبحر زاخر

تعلوه امواج فهل انا ناج

تعلوه امواج فهل انا ناج

Night, a whirlwind, and a surging sea,

A night of tempest and swelling sea

with waves rising over it—shall I survive?

With towering waves, will I survive?

اني التفت فلا ارى شيئا سوى

اني التفت فلا ارى شيئا سوى

بحر به الامواج كالابراج

بحر به الامواج كالابراج

I turn around and see nothing but

I look around but nothing do I see

a sea whose waves are like towers.

Except a sea with waves like palaces

اني وان كنت الجريئى فؤاده

اني وان كنت الجريئى فؤاده

لا خاف شرّة هذه الامواج

لا خاف شرّة هذه الامواج

I, though courageous of heart,

And though courageous is my heart

do indeed fear the fury of these waves.

It fears not the evil of these waves

ادلجت فيه وهو يرغو هائجا

ادلجت فيه وهو يرغو هائجا

فذممت بعد توغلي ادلاجي

فذممت بعد توغلي ادلاجي

I set out on it by night, while it foamed in fury,

I plunged into it as it roared furiously

then, after venturing deep, I deplored my night journey.

And after venturing in, I regretted

واذا ركبت البحر فانظر اولا

واذا ركبت البحر فانظر اولا

ان لا يكون البحر بالمهتاج

ان لا يكون البحر بالمهتاج

And if you put out to sea, first make sure

If you ride the sea, first look

that the sea is not raging.

Lest it be violent and raging

كيف النجاة وقد تحطم زورقي

كيف النجاة وقد تحطم زورقي

من صخرة نتأت مع الاثباج

من صخرة نتأت مع الاثباج

How can I survive, when my skiff has shattered

How can I survive when my boat

against a rock that jutted up amid the swells?

Was smashed by a rock amidst the swelling

وسبحت حتى كل مني ساعدي

وسبحت حتى كل مني ساعدي

ادعو الاله واتقي واناجي

ادعو الاله واتقي واناجي

And I swam until my forearm grew weary,

I swam until both my arms

calling upon God, fearing Him, and communing with Him.

Called on God, had faith and prayed

انا عندما ارسلت فيه زورقي

انا عندما ارسلت فيه زورقي

ما كان هذا السبح في منهاجي

ما كان هذا السبح في منهاجي

When I launched my skiff upon it,

When I sent my boat out on it

this swimming was not part of my plan.

This was not part of my plan

وكأنما انا نملة في زاخر

وكأنما انا نملة في زاخر

وكأنه من زئبق رجراج

وكأنه من زئبق رجراج

And it is as though I were an ant in a surging sea,

I am but an ant in the swelling

and as though it were made of quivering mercury.

And it is like frothing mercury

لو كنت ادري ما الاقيه به

لو كنت ادري ما الاقيه به

لرجعت قبل توغلي ادراجي

لرجعت قبل توغلي ادراجي

If I had known what I would encounter in it,

Had I known what I would face

I would have retraced my steps before venturing deep.

I would have turned back before venturing

واذا نجوت فسوف اقطع كل ما

واذا نجوت فسوف اقطع كل ما

بيني وبين البحر من اوشاج

بيني وبين البحر من اوشاج

And if I survive, I shall sever all

And if I survive, I will cut off all

the bonds between me and the sea.

Vegetation between me and the sea

اما باهداب الحياة تعلق

اما باهداب الحياة تعلق

فلانني لم اقض منها حاجي

فلانني لم اقض منها حاجي

As for clinging to the fringes of life,

But I have not fulfilled the purposes

it is because I have not yet satisfied my needs through it.

Of the prime of my life that I cherish