نَفْدِيكِwe ransom you بِالأَرْوَاحِwith souls وَالأَجْسَادِand bodies
نَفْدِيكِ بِالأَرْوَاحِ وَالأَجْسَادِ
إَنْif كَانwere قوْلٌspeech فَادِياًredeeming لِبِلاَدِfor a homeland
إَنْ كَان قوْلٌ فَادِياً لِبِلاَدِ
We would ransom you with souls and bodies,
I will ransom you with my soul and body
If speech could ransom a homeland.
If a word redeems the countries
أَمَّاbut إِذَاwhen اسْتَنْجَزْتِyou demand fulfillment of وَعْدَكِyour pledge فَاعْذِرِيthen forgive
أَمَّا إِذَا اسْتَنْجَزْتِ وَعْدَكِ فَاعْذِرِي
يَاO أُمُّmother قَلِّhas dwindled الْبِرُّfilial devotion فِيamong الأَوْلاَدِthe children
يَا أُمُّ قَلِّ الْبِرُّ فِي الأَوْلاَدِ
But when you demand fulfillment of the pledge made to you, forgive us,
But if you break your promise, excuse me
O mother, filial devotion has dwindled among your children.
O mother of few good sons
جمَعتْmustered علَيْكِagainst you الحَادِثَاتُcalamities جُمُوعَهَاtheir hosts
جمَعتْ علَيْكِ الحَادِثَاتُ جُمُوعَهَا
وَبَنُوكِand your sons مَاas شَاءَwilled الشِّقاقُdiscord بَدَادِscattered
وَبَنُوكِ مَا شَاءَ الشِّقاقُ بَدَادِ
Calamities have mustered their hosts against you,
Misfortunes gathered against you
And your sons are scattered, as discord willed.
And your sons did as discord wished
إِنَّindeed الدِّيَارَthe homeland وَهَكَذَاand thus مُنَّاعُهَاits defenders
إِنَّ الدِّيَارَ وَهَكَذَا مُنَّاعُهَا
لَغَنِيمَةٌsurely booty لِلْمُسْتَبِيحِfor the plunderer الْعَادِيthe aggressor
لَغَنِيمَةٌ لِلْمُسْتَبِيحِ الْعَادِي
Indeed, a homeland whose defenders are like this
Homelands and their forts
Is surely booty for the plundering aggressor.
Are prey for the attacking enemy
هَذِيthis حقِيقَةُthe truth of حَالِناour condition فَتَبَيَّنواso discern
هَذِي حقِيقَةُ حَالِنا فَتَبَيَّنوا
مِنْfrom ذِكْرِmention of أَدْنَاهَاits least part بَعِيدَthe far reach of مُرَادِيmy intent
مِنْ ذِكْرِ أَدْنَاهَا بَعِيدَ مُرَادِي
This is the truth of our condition; discern
This is the truth of our state, so realize
From mention of its least part the full reach of my intent.
From the least I mentioned, my purpose is remote
أَوجَزتُI was brief فِيin وَصْفِيmy description وَتحْتَand beneath أَقلِّهِits least part
أَوجَزتُ فِي وَصْفِي وَتحْتَ أَقلِّهِ
بَثٌanguish إِلَىto حَدِّthe limit of الأَسَىsorrow متَمَادِيstretching
بَثٌ إِلَى حَدِّ الأَسَى متَمَادِي
I have been brief in my description; beneath its slightest part
I summarized in my description, yet beneath it
Lies anguish stretching to the very limit of sorrow.
Is an overflowing sadness
إِنْif تُبْصِرُواyou see الْغَيْمَthe cloud الرَّقِيقَthin فَفِيهِthen within it مَاwhat
إِنْ تُبْصِرُوا الْغَيْمَ الرَّقِيقَ فَفِيهِ مَا
يَخْفَىis hidden مِنَof الإِبْرِاقِlightning flashes وَالإِرْعادِand thunder
يَخْفَى مِنَ الإِبْرِاقِ وَالإِرْعادِ
If you see the thin cloud, within it lie
If you see the delicate cloud, within it is
Hidden flashes of lightning and peals of thunder.
Hidden flashes and thunder
أَوْor تسْمَعُواyou hear نوْحَthe lament of الحَمَامْthe doves فَدُونَهthen beneath it
أَوْ تسْمَعُوا نوْحَ الحَمَامْ فَدُونَه
آلاَمُpains دَامِيَةٍbleeding مِنَfrom الأَكْبَادِthe hearts (literally, livers)
آلاَمُ دَامِيَةٍ مِنَ الأَكْبَادِ
Or hear the doves' lament—beneath it
Or if you hear the moaning of a dove, underneath
Lie the pains of bleeding hearts.
Are lasting sorrows from hearts
الِيis it for me? أُثِيرُI stir شُجونَكُمْyour sorrows بِشِكَايتِيwith my complaint
الِي أُثِيرُ شُجونَكُمْ بِشِكَايتِي
وَمَرَامُكُمْand your wish أَنْthat تَسْمَعواyou hear إَنْشَادِيmy recitation
وَمَرَامُكُمْ أَنْ تَسْمَعوا إَنْشَادِي
Am I to stir your sorrows with my complaint,
I rouse your passions with my complaint
When your wish is to hear my recitation?
And you wish to hear my recital
أَلذِّكرُremembrance يَنْفَعُنَاbenefits us غَدَاةَon the morning of نَشَاطِنَاour endeavor
أَلذِّكرُ يَنْفَعُنَا غَدَاةَ نَشَاطِنَا
لِنُدِيلَso that we give ascendancy to إِصْلاَحاًreform مِنَover الإِفْسَادِcorruption
لِنُدِيلَ إِصْلاَحاً مِنَ الإِفْسَادِ
Remembrance benefits us on the morning of our endeavor
Does remembering benefit us on the morn of our vigor
To give reform ascendancy over corruption.
That we may make amends for corruption?
يَاO يَوْمناour day إِنْif كُنْتَyou are مُفْتَتَحاًan opening لِمَاfor what
يَا يَوْمنا إِنْ كُنْتَ مُفْتَتَحاً لِمَا
نَرْجُوwe hope for فإِنَّكthen you are أَبْهَجُthe most joyous of الأَعْيَادِfestivals
نَرْجُو فإِنَّك أَبْهَجُ الأَعْيَادِ
O day of ours, if you are the beginning of what
O our day, if you begin what
We hope for, then you are the most joyous of festivals.
We hope, you are the most joyous celebration
هَذِيthese عَزَائِمنَاour resolves جَلْوْنَاهَاwe have burnished them وَقَدْand already
هَذِي عَزَائِمنَا جَلْوْنَاهَا وَقَدْ
خَلُصَتْthey have become free مِنَof الشَّهوَاتِdesires وَالأَحقَادِand grudges
خَلُصَتْ مِنَ الشَّهوَاتِ وَالأَحقَادِ
These are our resolves; we have burnished them, and they have
Freed from desires and hates
Been freed of desires and grudges.
Flashing swords gleamed
لاَحَتْthey gleamed سَوَاطِعَradiant مرْهَفَاتٍkeen-edged كَالظُّبىlike sword blades
لاَحَتْ سَوَاطِعَ مرْهَفَاتٍ كَالظُّبى
برَقَتْflashed مجَرَّدَةًunsheathed مِنَfrom الأَغْمادِthe scabbards
برَقَتْ مجَرَّدَةً مِنَ الأَغْمادِ
They gleamed, brilliant and keen-edged, like sword blades
Bared of their sheaths
That flashed, drawn from their scabbards.
Fulfilling the wishes tasked with
أَشْفَىmost satisfying الأَمَانِيِّthe wishes الَّتِيthat وُكِلتwere charged بِهَاwith them
أَشْفَى الأَمَانِيِّ الَّتِي وُكِلت بِهَا
تَقْرِيبُنَاdrawing us together وَتمَزقِand the sundering of الحسادِthe envious
تَقْرِيبُنَا وَتمَزقِ الحسادِ
The most satisfying of the wishes entrusted to them
Drawing us close and tearing the envious
Is our drawing together and the sundering of the envious.
Shall we lag grouped in the crowds
أَنَظَلُّshall we remain? جَمْعاًa community فِيamong الْجموعthe communities مُؤخَّراًlagging behind
أَنَظَلُّ جَمْعاً فِي الْجموع مُؤخَّراً
وَالْفَرْدُwhile the individual مِنَّاamong us أَوَّلُforemost among الأَفْرَادِindividuals
وَالْفَرْدُ مِنَّا أَوَّلُ الأَفْرَادِ
Shall we remain a community lagging behind other communities,
While the individual among us leads?
While each individual among us is foremost among individuals?
Shall each free person of us rule
أَيَكُونُcan ... be? مِنَّاamong us كُلُّevery حرٍfree man سَائِدٍpreeminent
أَيَكُونُ مِنَّا كُلُّ حرٍ سَائِدٍ
وَسَوَادُنَاand our people يَبْقَىremain أَذَلَّthe most abased سَوَادِpeople
وَسَوَادُنَا يَبْقَى أَذَلَّ سَوَادِ
Can every free man among us be preeminent,
While our masses remain the lowest of the low?
While our people remain the most abased of peoples?
Shall joining strength elude us? And by joining it
أَيَفوتُنَاshall ... elude us? ضَمُّthe uniting of الْقُوَىthe forces وَبِضَمِّهاand by uniting them
أَيَفوتُنَا ضَمُّ الْقُوَى وَبِضَمِّها
نَعْتَدُّwe equip ourselves لِلدُّنْيَاfor the world أَشَدَّthe strongest عَتادِequipment
نَعْتَدُّ لِلدُّنْيَا أَشَدَّ عَتادِ
Shall joining forces elude us, when by joining them
We ready ourselves for life's firmest support?
We equip ourselves for the world with the mightiest resources?
Our home is the cradle of advancement, and it pains it
مَهْدُthe cradle of الرُّقِيِّprogress دِيَارُناour homeland وَيَسُوءُهَاand it grieves her
مَهْدُ الرُّقِيِّ دِيَارُنا وَيَسُوءُهَا
أَلاَّthat she does not تَعِزَّbe exalted بِطَارِفٍthrough new acquisitions وَتِلاَدِand inherited possessions
أَلاَّ تَعِزَّ بِطَارِفٍ وَتِلاَدِ
Our homeland is the cradle of progress, and it grieves her
That it gains no honor or newborns
Not to be exalted by new gains and ancient heritage.
It was generous, neither stingy with prosperity, nor
جَادَتْshe gave generously فَمَاand did not بَخِلَتْhold back بِعَافِيَةٍwith health وَلاَnor
جَادَتْ فَمَا بَخِلَتْ بِعَافِيَةٍ وَلاَ
بِنُهىwith wisdom وَلاَnor بِشَجَاعَةٍwith courage وَسَدَادِand sound judgment
بِنُهى وَلاَ بِشَجَاعَةٍ وَسَدَادِ
She gave generously, withholding neither health nor
With guidance, nor with courage and integrity
Wisdom, nor courage and sound judgment.
That homeland, do you remember its beauty
تِلْكthat الديَارُhomeland أَتَذْكُرُونَdo you remember? جَمَالهَاher beauty
تِلْك الديَارُ أَتَذْكُرُونَ جَمَالهَا
بيْنَamid السُّهولِthe plains الخضْرِgreen وَالأَطْوَادِand the towering mountains
بيْنَ السُّهولِ الخضْرِ وَالأَطْوَادِ
That homeland—do you remember her beauty
Among the green plains and hills?
Amid the green plains and towering mountains?
Do your dreams restore it? Do your fancies in waking and sleep?
أَترُدُّهَاdo ... bring her back? أَحْلاَمُكُمyour dreams أَترُودُهَاdo ... roam her?
أَترُدُّهَا أَحْلاَمُكُم أَترُودُهَا
أَوْهَامُكُمْyour imaginings فِيin يَقْظَةٍwakefulness وَرُقَادِand sleep
أَوْهَامُكُمْ فِي يَقْظَةٍ وَرُقَادِ
Do your dreams bring her back? Is she visited
As for me, despite the passage of my exile from it
By your imaginings, in wakefulness and sleep?
My love for it remains everlasting
أَمَّاas for أَناme فَعَلَىthen despite تَقَادُمِthe long passage of time since هِجْرَتِيmy emigration
أَمَّا أَنا فَعَلَى تَقَادُمِ هِجْرَتِي
عَنهَاfrom her وِدادِيmy love لاdoes not يَزَالُcease to be ودَادِيmy love
عَنهَا وِدادِي لا يَزَالُ ودَادِي
As for me, though much time has passed since my emigration
Its Lebanon, its Damascus, its Bekaa
From her, my love remains my love.
Its countryside, and the sea are the delight of my heart
لُبْنَانُهَاher Lebanon وَدِمَشْقُهَاand her Damascus وَبِقَاعهَاand her regions
لُبْنَانُهَا وَدِمَشْقُهَا وَبِقَاعهَا
وَضِياعُهَاand her villages وَالْبَحْرُand the sea طَيَّwithin the folds of فُؤَادِيmy heart
وَضِياعُهَا وَالْبَحْرُ طَيَّ فُؤَادِي
Her Lebanon, her Damascus, and her regions,
And her villages and the sea lie in the folds of my heart.
Partial English translation: 44 of 46 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1