هلمَّ معي نرقُب المشهدا

هلمَّ معي نرقُب المشهدا

عجيباً .. قميناً بأن يُشهدا

عجيباً .. قميناً بأن يُشهدا

Come with me; let us watch the spectacle,

Come with me; let us watch the scene,

strange indeed, and worthy of being witnessed.

Wondrous, worthy of being witnessed.

وماذا سنشهد بيت القذى

وماذا سنشهد بيت القذى

يغشي العيونَ ، وليت الردى

يغشي العيونَ ، وليت الردى

And what shall we witness? The House of the mote,

And what shall we witness? The house of grit

clouding the eyes—would that it were death.

Veils the eyes—and would that death...

كعهد "المماليك" عهد "الملوك"

كعهد "المماليك" عهد "الملوك"

وعهد "الامارات" منه صدى

وعهد "الامارات" منه صدى

The king’s era is like the age of the Mamluks;

The reign of kings is like the reign of the Mamluks,

the age of the emirates is its echo.

And the reign of the emirates is its echo.

وباسم الجماهير مكذوبة

وباسم الجماهير مكذوبة

نحاسٌ مزيفةٌ عسجدا

نحاسٌ مزيفةٌ عسجدا

And in the name of the masses, a falsehood:

And in the name of the masses, a sham—

copper counterfeited as fine gold,

Copper counterfeited as gold.

كملقوطةٍ تجهل الوالدين

كملقوطةٍ تجهل الوالدين

وبيتَ "الأمومة" .. والمولدا

وبيتَ "الأمومة" .. والمولدا

like a foundling who knows neither parent,

Like a foundling who knows neither parent,

nor motherhood’s home... nor her birthplace;

Nor the home of motherhood, nor her birthplace;

ومجهودةٍ تلعنُ الفارهين

ومجهودةٍ تلعنُ الفارهين

وتلعن من شاء أن تجهدا

وتلعن من شاء أن تجهدا

and toil-worn, she curses the pampered,

And like one worn out, cursing the pampered,

and curses whoever would have her toil;

And cursing whoever willed her exhaustion.

حميماً لقوم كلدغ السياط

حميماً لقوم كلدغ السياط

وبردا لقوم كَسَقطِ الندى

وبردا لقوم كَسَقطِ الندى

scorching to some like the sting of whips,

Scalding water for some, like the sting of whips,

but cool to others as dewfall.

And coolness for others, like falling dew.