أَيَبْلُغُ مِنْكَ سَمْعَ المُسْتَجِيبِ

أَيَبْلُغُ مِنْكَ سَمْعَ المُسْتَجِيبِ

كَمَا عَوَّدْتِهِ صَوْتُ الحَرِيب

كَمَا عَوَّدْتِهِ صَوْتُ الحَرِيب

Will it reach your answering ear,

Does my voice reach the one who responds

as you have taught it to—the voice of the bereft?

As you have accustomed it to the voice of war?

وَإِلاَّ فَالعَفَاءُ لِكُلِّ نَجْمٍ

وَإِلاَّ فَالعَفَاءُ لِكُلِّ نَجْمٍ

يُطَالِعُنَا وَنَجْمُكِ بِالمَغِيبِ

يُطَالِعُنَا وَنَجْمُكِ بِالمَغِيبِ

If not, then oblivion to every star

Otherwise, pardon to every star

that rises before us while your star has set.

That appears to us while your star has set

أَمَفْخَرَةَ الخُدُورِ لَقَدْ تَوَالَتْ

أَمَفْخَرَةَ الخُدُورِ لَقَدْ تَوَالَتْ

حَوَادِثُ مُذْ رَحَلْتِ وَلَمْ تَؤُوبِي

حَوَادِثُ مُذْ رَحَلْتِ وَلَمْ تَؤُوبِي

O pride of the women's chambers, there have indeed come in succession

O pride of the chambers, misfortunes have certainly succeeded

calamities since you departed and did not return.

Since you left and did not return

وَحَلَّتْ كُلُّ كَارِثَةٍ ضَرُوسٍ

وَحَلَّتْ كُلُّ كَارِثَةٍ ضَرُوسٍ

تُحَطِّم بِالأَظَافِرِ وَالنُّيوبِ

تُحَطِّم بِالأَظَافِرِ وَالنُّيوبِ

And every ferocious calamity has descended,

And every severe disaster has befallen

crushing with claws and fangs.

Shattering with claws and fangs

أُبِيحَ ضِعَافُ قَوْمِكِ لِلرَّزَايَا

أُبِيحَ ضِعَافُ قَوْمِكِ لِلرَّزَايَا

وَقَدْ غَلَّتْ يَدَيْكِ يَدَا شَعُوبِ

وَقَدْ غَلَّتْ يَدَيْكِ يَدَا شَعُوبِ

The weak among your people were given over to calamities,

The weak of your people are exploited by calamities

while the two hands of Shaʿūb, Death, have shackled yours.

While your hands are bound, O nations

تَفَقَّدَكِ الأَيَامَى وَاليَتَامَى

تَفَقَّدَكِ الأَيَامَى وَاليَتَامَى

وَقَدْ عَصَفَتْ بِهِمْ أُمُّ الحُرُوبِ

وَقَدْ عَصَفَتْ بِهِمْ أُمُّ الحُرُوبِ

The widows and orphans have sought you,

The orphans and widows asked about you

while the mother of wars has raged over them.

While the mother of wars stormed them

فَنِصْفُ اَرْضِ فِي غَرَقٍن وَنِصٍْفٌ

فَنِصْفُ اَرْضِ فِي غَرَقٍن وَنِصٍْفٌ

تَجَلَّلَ بِالصَّوَاعِقِ وَاللَّهِيبِ

تَجَلَّلَ بِالصَّوَاعِقِ وَاللَّهِيبِ

For half the earth is drowning, and half

So half the land is drowning, and half

is shrouded in thunderbolts and flame.

Is clad in thunder and flame

أَوَلِّى الخَيْر أجْمَعُ يَوْمَ وَلَّتْ

أَوَلِّى الخَيْر أجْمَعُ يَوْمَ وَلَّتْ

مُفَرِّجَةُ المَكَارِهِ وَالكُرُوبِ

مُفَرِّجَةُ المَكَارِهِ وَالكُرُوبِ

Did all goodness depart the day she left—

On the day when goodness altogether retreated

she who dispelled hardships and sorrows?

The reliever of difficulties and worries

فَوَا حَرَبَا لِدَارٍ قَسَّموهَا

فَوَا حَرَبَا لِدَارٍ قَسَّموهَا

تُبَاعُ عَلَى المُوَاطِنِ وَالغَرِيبِ

تُبَاعُ عَلَى المُوَاطِنِ وَالغَرِيبِ

So alas for a house they have divided,

So woe to a house they divided

sold to citizen and stranger alike.

Sold over its dwellers and stranger

بِحَيْثُ تَرَاءَتِ الجَوْزَاءُ حِيناً

بِحَيْثُ تَرَاءَتِ الجَوْزَاءُ حِيناً

وَقَبْلَكَ مَا تَرَاءَتْ مِنْ قَرِيبِ

وَقَبْلَكَ مَا تَرَاءَتْ مِنْ قَرِيبِ

where the constellation al-Jawzāʾ once appeared,

Where al-Jawza appeared for a while

though before you it had never appeared so near;

And before you it did not appear from nearby

وَحَيْثُ تَخَشَّع الأَبْصَارُ رَعْيَاً

وَحَيْثُ تَخَشَّع الأَبْصَارُ رَعْيَاً

لِجَانِبِ ذَلِكَ الصَّرْحِ المَهِيبِ

لِجَانِبِ ذَلِكَ الصَّرْحِ المَهِيبِ

and where eyes lower humbly in reverence

And where sights humbled themselves in awe

for the presence of that awe-inspiring edifice.

Of the side of that magnificent edifice

مَنِ القُطَّانُ بَعْدَكِ لَيْتَ شِعْرِي

مَنِ القُطَّانُ بَعْدَكِ لَيْتَ شِعْرِي

وَمَا هُم مِنْ أَصِيلٍ أَوْ جَنِيبِ

وَمَا هُم مِنْ أَصِيلٍ أَوْ جَنِيبِ

Who are its dwellers after you? Would that I knew,

Who are the cottagers after you? Would that I knew

and what sort they are, whether native or stranger.

Whether they are of noble origin or base

وَأَيَّة أَرْجُلٍ سَتَدُوسُ أَرْضاً

وَأَيَّة أَرْجُلٍ سَتَدُوسُ أَرْضاً

فَرَشْنَاهَا بِحَبَّاتِ القُلُوبِ

فَرَشْنَاهَا بِحَبَّاتِ القُلُوبِ

And what feet will trample the ground

And what feet will tread on a land

that we carpeted with the kernels of our hearts?

We paved with beads of hearts

زَمَانٌ شَاعَ حُبُّ النَّفعِ فِيهِ

زَمَانٌ شَاعَ حُبُّ النَّفعِ فِيهِ

فَمَا الإِتْجَارُ بِالأَمْرِ الغَرِيبِ

فَمَا الإِتْجَارُ بِالأَمْرِ الغَرِيبِ

An age in which love of gain has spread—

A time whose prevalent love is profit

so commerce is nothing strange.

So what trading in the strange matter?

وَلَكِنْ هَلْ يُبَاعُ بِهِ وَيُشْرَى

وَلَكِنْ هَلْ يُبَاعُ بِهِ وَيُشْرَى

تُرَاثُ المَجْدِ فِي رَأْيٍ مُصِيبِ

تُرَاثُ المَجْدِ فِي رَأْيٍ مُصِيبِ

But can one sell and buy within it

But can the heritage of glory therein

the heritage of glory, if one judges rightly?

Be sold and bought, in a judicious view?

وَكَيْفَ تُثَمَّن الحُرُمَاتُ فِيهِ

وَكَيْفَ تُثَمَّن الحُرُمَاتُ فِيهِ

نَلَوْ قُوِّمْنَ بِالثَّمنِ الرَّغِيبِ

نَلَوْ قُوِّمْنَ بِالثَّمنِ الرَّغِيبِ

And how can sacred things be priced within it,

And how can sanctities therein be valued

even if appraised at a handsome price?

Unless appraised at a dear price?

دَعُوَا الذّكْرَى تَعِشْ وَلْنُعْطَ مِمَّا

دَعُوَا الذّكْرَى تَعِشْ وَلْنُعْطَ مِمَّا

يُقَدِسُ شَاْنَهَا أَوْفَى نَصِيبِ

يُقَدِسُ شَاْنَهَا أَوْفَى نَصِيبِ

Let remembrance live, and let us receive, of whatever

Let's leave remembrance alive and give it what

sanctifies its dignity, the fullest share.

Would sanctify its status, the choicest share

فَللذِكْرَى تَطَهَّرِتِ السَّجايَا

فَللذِكْرَى تَطَهَّرِتِ السَّجايَا

مِنَ الأَدْرَانِ فِيهَا وَالعُيُوبِ

مِنَ الأَدْرَانِ فِيهَا وَالعُيُوبِ

For remembrance's sake, character was purified

For remembrance sins were purified

of the stains and flaws within it.

Of blemishes and defects in them

وَلِلذِكْرَى سَخَتْ أَيْدٍ شِحَاحٌ

وَلِلذِكْرَى سَخَتْ أَيْدٍ شِحَاحٌ

وَجِيءَ مِنَ المَفَاخِرِ بِالضُّرُوبِ

وَجِيءَ مِنَ المَفَاخِرِ بِالضُّرُوبِ

And for remembrance's sake, miserly hands grew generous,

And for remembrance stingy hands softened

and many kinds of glorious deeds were brought forth.

And all sorts of pride were brought

وَلِلذِّكْرَى بنَى البَانِي فَأعْلَى

وَلِلذِّكْرَى بنَى البَانِي فَأعْلَى

وَأَبْدَعَ كُلُّ مُخْتَرِعٍ لَبِيبِ

وَأَبْدَعَ كُلُّ مُخْتَرِعٍ لَبِيبِ

And for remembrance's sake, the builder built and raised high,

And for remembrance the builder built high

and every discerning inventor innovated.

And every intelligent inventor excelled

وَلِلذِّكْرَى فَدَى الفَادِي حِمَاهُ

وَلِلذِّكْرَى فَدَى الفَادِي حِمَاهُ

وَخَطّ كِتَابَهُ بِدَمٍ صَبِيبِ

وَخَطّ كِتَابَهُ بِدَمٍ صَبِيبِ

And for remembrance's sake, the redeemer ransomed his homeland,

And for remembrance the savior ransomed his protection

and inscribed his book in streaming blood.

And inscribed his book in pouring blood

إِذَا مَا سِيمَتِ الذِّكْرَى وَبِيعَتْ

إِذَا مَا سِيمَتِ الذِّكْرَى وَبِيعَتْ

فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمَمَالِكِ والشُّعوبِ

فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمَمَالِكِ والشُّعوبِ

If remembrance is ever offered for sale and sold,

If the symbol of remembrance is branded

then woe to kingdoms and peoples!

Then woe to the kingdoms and peoples!