"مالِي أَراكَ تَكادُ اليَوْمَ تَنهارُ

"مالِي أَراكَ تَكادُ اليَوْمَ تَنهارُ

إنْ مَرَّ في شاشَةِ المِرْناةِ أَخْبارُ ؟!"

إنْ مَرَّ في شاشَةِ المِرْناةِ أَخْبارُ ؟!"

“Why do I see you on the verge of collapse today

“Why do I see you about to collapse today

whenever news flashes across the mirror’s screen?!”

when news passes across the television screen?!”

فقلتُ : "ما لِي ؟ وهلْ شاهدْتِ نَشْرَتَها

فقلتُ : "ما لِي ؟ وهلْ شاهدْتِ نَشْرَتَها

كيْ تَلْمِسي النّارَ فيما تَحْرِقُ النّارُ ؟!

كيْ تَلْمِسي النّارَ فيما تَحْرِقُ النّارُ ؟!

I said, “What is wrong with me? And did you watch its bulletin

So I said: “What is wrong with me? And have you watched its bulletin

so that you might feel the fire in what the fire consumes?!

so you may feel the fire in what the fire burns?!

يَأْتي أَخو مَبْدَإٍ في الحَقِّ يَنْصُرُني

يَأْتي أَخو مَبْدَإٍ في الحَقِّ يَنْصُرُني

ولي أَخٌ مِنْ دَمي في الحَقِّ يَحْتارُ

ولي أَخٌ مِنْ دَمي في الحَقِّ يَحْتارُ

A brother in principle comes to champion me in what is right,

A brother in principle comes to support me in what is right,

while a brother of my own blood wavers where right is concerned.

while a brother of my own blood wavers over what is right.

لا تَطْلُبي مِنْ ذَوِي القُرْبَى مُناصَرَةً

لا تَطْلُبي مِنْ ذَوِي القُرْبَى مُناصَرَةً

إنْ لَمْ يَعُدْ بَيْنَهمْ في الرَّأْيِ أحْرارُ

إنْ لَمْ يَعُدْ بَيْنَهمْ في الرَّأْيِ أحْرارُ

Seek no support from close kin

Do not ask your kin for support

if no one free in thought remains among them.

if there are no longer any free thinkers among them.

إن كانَ يُنكِرُ حَقِّي مَنْ أَبَى نَسَبي

إن كانَ يُنكِرُ حَقِّي مَنْ أَبَى نَسَبي

فلَيْسَ لي مِنْ أَخي في الحَقِّ إِنْكارُ

فلَيْسَ لي مِنْ أَخي في الحَقِّ إِنْكارُ

If one of my father’s line denies my right,

If one who rejects my lineage denies my right,

then I will not disown my brother where right is concerned.

then I should face no denial of that right from my brother.

كُلُّ القَوانينِ إنْ كانتْ عَلى ظُلُمٍ

كُلُّ القَوانينِ إنْ كانتْ عَلى ظُلُمٍ

تَمْضِي وَيبقَى لَها مِمّا بِها العارُ .

تَمْضِي وَيبقَى لَها مِمّا بِها العارُ .

All laws, if founded upon injustice,

All laws, if they are founded on injustice,

will pass away; of all they bear, only shame remains.

pass away, but the shame of what they contain remains theirs.

أَقَلُّ ما يَرْتَجِي حُرٌّ لِإِخْوَتِهِ

أَقَلُّ ما يَرْتَجِي حُرٌّ لِإِخْوَتِهِ

أَلَّا تُفَرِّقَهُمْ عَنْ بَعْضِهِمْ دارُ !" ...

أَلَّا تُفَرِّقَهُمْ عَنْ بَعْضِهِمْ دارُ !" ...

The least a free person hopes for his brothers is

The least a free man hopes for his brothers

that no land should divide them from one another!” ...

is that no home should separate them from one another!”