أَلشَّرْقُthe East طَالَhas lasted long سُبَاتُهُits slumber الرَّوحَانِيspiritual
أَلشَّرْقُ طَالَ سُبَاتُهُ الرَّوحَانِي
هَلْdid ...? أَيْقَظَتْهُyou awakened it الرِّيحَانيal-Rihani
هَلْ أَيْقَظَتْهُ الرِّيحَاني
The East's spiritual slumber has lasted long;
have you awakened it, al-Rihani?
أَيُّwhich الهُدَاةthe guides الرَّاشِدِينَrightly guided عَنَاهُconcerned him مَاwhat
أَيُّ الهُدَاة الرَّاشِدِينَ عَنَاهُ مَا
رَمَزَتْyou alluded إِلَيْهِto it مِنْof كَبِيرِgreat مَعَانِmeanings
رَمَزَتْ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ كَبِيرِ مَعَانِ
Which of the rightly guided leaders took to heart what
you intimated of profound meanings?
وَعَلامَand on what أَجْمَعَagreed unanimously أَمْرُهُمْtheir resolve مِنْof وَاجِبٍduty
وَعَلامَ أَجْمَعَ أَمْرُهُمْ مِنْ وَاجِبٍ
تَدْعُوcalls إِلَيْهِfor it سَلامَةُthe safety الأَوْطَانِof homelands
تَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ سَلامَةُ الأَوْطَانِ
And on what duty did they agree,
demanded by the safety of homelands?
مَاnot مِنْany أَمَانٍsafety فِيin الحَيَاةِlife وَأَيْنَand where مَنْone who
مَا مِنْ أَمَانٍ فِي الحَيَاةِ وَأَيْنَ مَنْ
يَقْضِيspends الحَيَاةَlife جَمِيعَهَاall of it بِأَمَانِin safety
يَقْضِي الحَيَاةَ جَمِيعَهَا بِأَمَانِ
There is no safety in life; and where is one who
spends all of life in safety?
فَطُنَdiscerned الحَكِيمُthe sage لِمَاwhat الحَوَادِثُevents خَبَّأَتْhad hidden
فَطُنَ الحَكِيمُ لِمَا الحَوَادِثُ خَبَّأَتْ
فَنَضَاso he stripped away حِجَابَthe veil الغَيْبِof the unseen قَبْلَbefore أَوَانِits time
فَنَضَا حِجَابَ الغَيْبِ قَبْلَ أَوَانِ
The sage discerned what events had hidden,
and stripped away the veil of the unseen before its time.
وَاليَوْمَand today صَدَّقَتِconfirmed الكَوَارِثُcalamities قَوْلَهُhis words
وَاليَوْمَ صَدَّقَتِ الكَوَارِثُ قَوْلَهُ
كَيْفَhow الشُّعُوبُthe peoples طَلِيقُهَاtheir free ones وَالعَانِيand the captive
كَيْفَ الشُّعُوبُ طَلِيقُهَا وَالعَانِي
Today calamities have confirmed his words
on how peoples fare—the free among them and the captive,
وَعَزِيزُهَاand their mighty بِسِلاحِهِthrough his weapons وَكِفَاحِهِand his struggle
وَعَزِيزُهَا بِسِلاحِهِ وَكِفَاحِهِ
وَذَلِيلُهَاand their lowly بِالحَقِّwith justice وَالبُرْهَانِand proof
وَذَلِيلُهَا بِالحَقِّ وَالبُرْهَانِ
their mighty through their weapons and struggle,
and their lowly with justice and proof.
قَدْindeed مَالأَallied with العِلْمُscience الغَريزَةَinstinct فَهْيَso it لَمْhas not
قَدْ مَالأَ العِلْمُ الغَريزَةَ فَهْيَ لَمْ
تَتْرُكْleft لِغَيْرِto anything but السَّيْفِthe sword مِنْany سُلْطَانِauthority
تَتْرُكْ لِغَيْرِ السَّيْفِ مِنْ سُلْطَانِ
Science has allied with instinct, and it has left
no authority to anything but the sword.
رَدَّتْit entrusted إِلَيْهِto it الرَّأْيَthe decision فِيon عُمْرَانِbuilding مَاwhat
رَدَّتْ إِلَيْهِ الرَّأْيَ فِي عُمْرَانِ مَا
يَهْوَىit desires وَفِيand on التَّقْوِيضِdemolition مِنْof عُمْرَانِcivilization
يَهْوَى وَفِي التَّقْوِيضِ مِنْ عُمْرَانِ
It left the sword to decide on building what
it desires, and on tearing civilization down.
فَتَطَيَّرَتْso recoiled in dread مِنْfrom حُكْمِهَاits rule أَلْبَابُنَاour minds
فَتَطَيَّرَتْ مِنْ حُكْمِهَا أَلْبَابُنَا
وَتَحَيَّرَتْand were bewildered فِيby حِكْمَةِthe wisdom الرَّحْمَنِof the All-Merciful
وَتَحَيَّرَتْ فِي حِكْمَةِ الرَّحْمَنِ
So our minds recoiled in dread from its rule,
and were bewildered by the All-Merciful's wisdom.
يَاO مَنْyou who لَقِيتَhave met اللهَGod مَاwhat فِيin عِلْمهHis knowledge
يَا مَنْ لَقِيتَ اللهَ مَا فِي عِلْمه
مِنْany غَايَةٍgoal لِتَحَوُّلِfor the transformation الإِنْسَانِof humankind
مِنْ غَايَةٍ لِتَحَوُّلِ الإِنْسَانِ
O you who have met God, what, in His knowledge,
is the goal of humankind's transformation?
جَزَعُthe anguish المَحَابِرِof inkwells وَالمَنَابِرِand pulpits أَنَّهَاthat they
جَزَعُ المَحَابِرِ وَالمَنَابِرِ أَنَّهَا
قَدْhave بُدِّلَتْbeen changed مِنْfrom عِزِّهَاtheir honor بِهَوَانِto humiliation
قَدْ بُدِّلَتْ مِنْ عِزِّهَا بِهَوَانِ
The anguish of inkwells and pulpits is that they
have been changed from honor to humiliation.
كَانَتْthey were أَدَاةَan instrument السَّلمِof peace دَهْراًfor ages وَالهُدَىand guidance
كَانَتْ أَدَاةَ السَّلمِ دَهْراً وَالهُدَى
فَغَدَتْso they became أَدَاةَan instrument السَّلْبِof plunder وَالعُدْوَانِand aggression
فَغَدَتْ أَدَاةَ السَّلْبِ وَالعُدْوَانِ
For ages they were instruments of peace and guidance,
but became instruments of plunder and aggression.
هُرِعَhurried الزَّمَانُtime بِنَاwith us فَمَاso not مِنْany مُهْلَةٍrespite
هُرِعَ الزَّمَانُ بِنَا فَمَا مِنْ مُهْلَةٍ
لِلوَادِعِfor the tranquil الرَّاضِيcontent وَلاnor لِلوَانِيfor the laggard
لِلوَادِعِ الرَّاضِي وَلا لِلوَانِي
Time has hurried us onward; there is no respite
for the tranquil and content, nor for the laggard.
وَسَطَاand assailed جَديدُthe new نِظَامهِof its order بِقَدِيمهِagainst its old
وَسَطَا جَديدُ نِظَامهِ بِقَدِيمهِ
وَرَمَىand struck الجُمُودَstagnation بِصَاعِقِwith a thunderbolt النِّيَرَانِof fire
وَرَمَى الجُمُودَ بِصَاعِقِ النِّيَرَانِ
Its new order has assailed its old,
and struck stagnation with a thunderbolt of fire.
فَهْوَso it is المُصَدِّعُthe shatterer بَعْدَafter طُولِlong duration رُسُوخِهِits stability
فَهْوَ المُصَدِّعُ بَعْدَ طُولِ رُسُوخِهِ
وَهْوَand it is المُرَوَّعُterror-stricken بَعْدَafter طُولِlong duration أَمَانِsecurity
وَهْوَ المُرَوَّعُ بَعْدَ طُولِ أَمَانِ
So it brings disruption after long stability,
and is terror-stricken after long security.
لاnot يَنْقُضُloosens البَانِيthe builder يَدَاa hand إِلاَّexcept وَقَدْand already
لا يَنْقُضُ البَانِي يَدَا إِلاَّ وَقَدْ
نُقِضَwas undone البِنَاءُthe building وَفَالَand failed رَأْيُthe judgment البَانِيof the builder
نُقِضَ البِنَاءُ وَفَالَ رَأْيُ البَانِي
The builder scarcely relaxes a hand before
the building is undone and the builder's judgment fails.
وَبِأَيِّand with what خَسْفٍengulfing ruin عُوقِبَwere punished القَوْمُthe people الأُولَىwho
وَبِأَيِّ خَسْفٍ عُوقِبَ القَوْمُ الأُولَى
عَاقُواthey hindered شُمُوسَهُمُtheir suns عَنِfrom الدَّوَرَانِrevolving
عَاقُوا شُمُوسَهُمُ عَنِ الدَّوَرَانِ
And what an engulfing ruin befell the people who
hindered their suns from revolving!
غَلَتِgrew costly الحَيَاةُlife فَإِنْso if تُرِدْهَاyou desire it حُرَّةًfree
غَلَتِ الحَيَاةُ فَإِنْ تُرِدْهَا حُرَّةً
كُنْbe مِنْamong أُبَاةِthose who reject الضَّيْمِoppression وَالشُّجْعَانِand the brave
كُنْ مِنْ أُبَاةِ الضَّيْمِ وَالشُّجْعَانِ
Life has grown costly; if you would have it free,
be among those who spurn oppression and among the brave.
وَاقْحَمْand plunge in وَزَاخِمْand jostle وَاتَّخِذْand take لَكَfor yourself حَيِّزاًa space
وَاقْحَمْ وَزَاخِمْ وَاتَّخِذْ لَكَ حَيِّزاً
تَحْمِيهِyou defend it يَوْمَon a day كَرِيهَةٍof battle وَطِعَانِand spear-thrusts
تَحْمِيهِ يَوْمَ كَرِيهَةٍ وَطِعَانِ
Plunge in, jostle, and claim yourself a space
to defend on a day of battle and spear-thrusts.
لاno حَقَّright إِلاَّunless أَنْthat تُنَاقِحَyou fight دُونَهُin its defense
لا حَقَّ إِلاَّ أَنْ تُنَاقِحَ دُونَهُ
إِنَّindeed القَنَاةَthe spear عَصاًa stick بِغَيْرِwithout سِنَانِa spearhead
إِنَّ القَنَاةَ عَصاً بِغَيْرِ سِنَانِ
There is no right unless you fight to defend it;
a spear is a stick without a spearhead.
يَاO مَنْyou whom نُوَدِّعُهُwe bid him farewell وَكُلُّand every مُوَدِّعٍone bidding farewell
يَا مَنْ نُوَدِّعُهُ وَكُلُّ مُوَدِّعٍ
دَامِيbleeding الفُؤَادِat heart مُقَرَّحُwounded الأَجْفَانِin the eyelids
دَامِي الفُؤَادِ مُقَرَّحُ الأَجْفَانِ
O you whom we bid farewell, each one bidding farewell
with bleeding heart and wounded eyelids,
أَعْظِمْhow great بِخَطْبِكَis your calamity فِيin البِلادِthe land وَإِنَّمَاand indeed
أَعْظِمْ بِخَطْبِكَ فِي البِلادِ وَإِنَّمَا
عِظَمُthe magnitude المُصاَبِof calamity يُقَاسُis measured بِالحِرْمَانِby deprivation
عِظَمُ المُصاَبِ يُقَاسُ بِالحِرْمَانِ
how grievous your loss throughout the land! Indeed,
a calamity's magnitude is measured by deprivation.
كَمْhow many فِيin حَيَاتِكَyour life مِنْof مِثَالٍan example وَاعِظٍinstructive
كَمْ فِي حَيَاتِكَ مِنْ مِثَالٍ وَاعِظٍ
لِلنَّاسِfor people مِنْamong شِيبٍthe gray-haired وَمِنْand among شُبَّانِyoung men
لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ شِيبٍ وَمِنْ شُبَّانِ
How many instructive examples your life holds
for people, the gray-haired and the young!
شَتَّىvaried مَزَايَاكَyour gifts الَّتِيwhich أَبْرزْنَهَاthey brought them forth
شَتَّى مَزَايَاكَ الَّتِي أَبْرزْنَهَا
بِرِعَايَةِwith the care المُتَعَهِّدِof the guardian اليَقْظَانِwatchful
بِرِعَايَةِ المُتَعَهِّدِ اليَقْظَانِ
Your varied gifts were brought to light
with a watchful guardian's care.
وَعَزِيمَةٌand resolve قُرِنَتْwas joined بِصَبْرٍwith patience لَمْdid not تَدَعْleave
وَعَزِيمَةٌ قُرِنَتْ بِصَبْرٍ لَمْ تَدَعْ
لَكَfor you فِيin مَجَالِthe field السَّبْقِof precedence مِنْany أَقْرَانِpeers
لَكَ فِي مَجَالِ السَّبْقِ مِنْ أَقْرَانِ
And resolve, joined to patience, has left
you no peers in the race to excel.
جَابَتْtraversed بِكَwith you الآفاقَthe horizons تَسْتَوْفِيyou gather fully بِهَاin them
جَابَتْ بِكَ الآفاقَ تَسْتَوْفِي بِهَا
مَاwhat شِئْتَyou wished مِنْof أَدَبٍletters وَمِنْand of عِرْفَانِknowledge
مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ أَدَبٍ وَمِنْ عِرْفَانِ
It carried you across the horizons, to gather there
all you wished of letters and knowledge.
فَالأَرْضُfor the earth رَوْضٌa garden وَالجَنَىand the fruit مُتَنَوَّعٌvaried
فَالأَرْضُ رَوْضٌ وَالجَنَى مُتَنَوَّعٌ
وَحِجَاكَand your intellect مُشْتَارٌa honey-gatherer وَفِكْرُكَand your thought جَانِa fruit-picker
وَحِجَاكَ مُشْتَارٌ وَفِكْرُكَ جَانِ
For the earth is a garden, its fruits diverse,
your intellect a honey-gatherer, your thought a fruit-picker.
أَوْدَعْتَyou deposited فِيin الكُتُبِthe books الَّتِيwhich صَنَّفْتَهَاyou composed them
أَوْدَعْتَ فِي الكُتُبِ الَّتِي صَنَّفْتَهَا
أَزْكَىthe choicest ثِمَارِfruits العِلْمِof learning لِلأَذْهَانِfor minds
أَزْكَى ثِمَارِ العِلْمِ لِلأَذْهَانِ
You placed in the books you composed
the choicest fruits of learning for minds.
وَنَثَرْتَand you scattered بَيْنَbetween كِتَابَةٍwriting وَخَطَابَةٍand oratory
وَنَثَرْتَ بَيْنَ كِتَابَةٍ وَخَطَابَةٍ
مَاwhat لاnot يَجُودُbestows generously بِدُرِّهِwith its pearls البَحْرَانِthe two seas
مَا لا يَجُودُ بِدُرِّهِ البَحْرَانِ
And in writing and oratory you scattered
what the two seas cannot bestow in pearls.
وَخَصَصْتَand you devoted بِالعَرَبِto the Arabs الكِرَامِnoble مَبَاحِثاًstudies
وَخَصَصْتَ بِالعَرَبِ الكِرَامِ مَبَاحِثاً
أَحْسَنْتَyou excelled فِيهَاin them غَايَةَthe utmost الإِحْسَانِof excellence
أَحْسَنْتَ فِيهَا غَايَةَ الإِحْسَانِ
And you devoted studies to the noble Arabs,
in which you excelled to the utmost.
أَخْبَارُهُمْtheir histories آدَابُهُمْtheir literature أَخْلاقُهُمْtheir morals
أَخْبَارُهُمْ آدَابُهُمْ أَخْلاقُهُمْ
صَوَّرْتَهَاyou portrayed them فِيin أَصْدَقِthe truest الأَلْوَانِcolors
صَوَّرْتَهَا فِي أَصْدَقِ الأَلْوَانِ
Their histories, their literature, their morals—
you portrayed them in the truest colors.
فَلِصُنْعِكَso for your work المَشْكُورِgratefully praised أَكْرِمُthe noblest مَوْقِعٍplace
فَلِصُنْعِكَ المَشْكُورِ أَكْرِمُ مَوْقِعٍ
مِنْwith كُلِّevery قَلْبٍheart فِيamong بَنِيthe sons عَدْنَانِof Adnan
مِنْ كُلِّ قَلْبٍ فِي بَنِي عَدْنَانِ
So your praiseworthy work holds the noblest place
in every heart among the sons of Adnan.
جُهِلَتْwere unknown مَفَاخِرُهُمْtheir glories وَرَاءَbeyond مَكَانِهَاtheir place
جُهِلَتْ مَفَاخِرُهُمْ وَرَاءَ مَكَانِهَا
وَاليَوْمَand today قَدْhave عُرِفَتْbecome known بِكُلِّin every مَكَانِplace
وَاليَوْمَ قَدْ عُرِفَتْ بِكُلِّ مَكَانِ
Their glories were unknown beyond their homeland;
today they are known in every place.
إِنَّindeed المَعَرِّيَّal-Ma'arri الَّذِيwhom تَرْجَمْتَهُyou translated him
إِنَّ المَعَرِّيَّ الَّذِي تَرْجَمْتَهُ
فَرَفَعْتَso you raised بَيْنَamong اللُّسْنِthe eloquent خَيْرَthe finest لِسَانِtongue
فَرَفَعْتَ بَيْنَ اللُّسْنِ خَيْرَ لِسَانِ
Indeed, al-Ma'arri, whom you translated—
raising the finest tongue among the eloquent,
وَأَبَنْتَand you revealed لِلأَقْوَامِto the peoples مَاwhat بِالضَّادِin the tongue of ḍād مِنْof
وَأَبَنْتَ لِلأَقْوَامِ مَا بِالضَّادِ مِنْ
حِكَمٍwise sayings جَلَتْهَاit unveiled them فِيin بَديعِwondrous بَيَانِeloquence
حِكَمٍ جَلَتْهَا فِي بَديعِ بَيَانِ
and revealing to the peoples what the tongue of ḍād holds of
wisdom, which it unveiled in wondrous eloquence—
لَيُبَارِكُsurely blesses الزَّمَنْthe age الَّذِيwhich رَجَّحْتَهُyou made it superior
لَيُبَارِكُ الزَّمَنْ الَّذِي رَجَّحْتَهُ
فَضْلاًin excellence عَلَىto مُتَقَادِمِthe long-past الأَزْمَانِages
فَضْلاً عَلَى مُتَقَادِمِ الأَزْمَانِ
surely blesses the age you have made surpass
in excellence the ages long past.
لاno بِدْعَwonder أَنْthat بُلِّغْتَyou were made to attain مَاwhat بُلِّغْتَهُyou were made to attain it
لا بِدْعَ أَنْ بُلِّغْتَ مَا بُلِّغْتَهُ
شَرْقاًin the East وَغَرْباًand in the West مِنْof عَزِيزِlofty الشَّانِstanding
شَرْقاً وَغَرْباً مِنْ عَزِيزِ الشَّانِ
No wonder you were granted what you were granted
of lofty standing in East and West.
سُبْحَانَglory be to مَنْHim who وَهَبَbestowed النُّبُوغَgenius مُمَيِّزاًdistinguishing
سُبْحَانَ مَنْ وَهَبَ النُّبُوغَ مُمَيِّزاً
بِعُلاهُthrough its loftiness بُلْدَاناًlands عَلَىabove بُلْدَانِlands
بِعُلاهُ بُلْدَاناً عَلَى بُلْدَانِ
Glory to Him who bestowed genius, distinguishing
lands above other lands through its loftiness.
لُبْنَانُLebanon بَيْنَbetween جِبَالِهِits mountains وَرِجَالِهِand its men
لُبْنَانُ بَيْنَ جِبَالِهِ وَرِجَالِهِ
طَالَتْreached ذُرَاهُits summits أَوْجَthe zenith كُلِّof every عَنَانِcloud
طَالَتْ ذُرَاهُ أَوْجَ كُلِّ عَنَانِ
Lebanon, in its mountains and its men—
its peaks have reached the crest of every cloud.
لَوْif تَجْتَلِيbeholds عَيْنٌan eye مَعَانِيthe meanings مَجْدِهِof its glory
لَوْ تَجْتَلِي عَيْنٌ مَعَانِي مَجْدِهِ
لَرَأَتْit would surely see رِعَاناًpeaks تُوِّجَتْcrowned بِرِعَانِwith peaks
لَرَأَتْ رِعَاناً تُوِّجَتْ بِرِعَانِ
Were an eye to behold the meanings of its glory,
it would see peaks crowned with peaks.
يَاO ابْنَson الفَرِيكَةof Freikeh نَمْsleep مَنَامَكَyour sleep نَاجِياًdelivered
يَا ابْنَ الفَرِيكَة نَمْ مَنَامَكَ نَاجِياً
فِيهِin it مِنَfrom الحَسَرَاتِregrets وَالأَحْزَانِand sorrows
فِيهِ مِنَ الحَسَرَاتِ وَالأَحْزَانِ
O son of Freikeh, sleep your sleep, delivered
within it from regrets and sorrows.
تَحْنُوbend tenderly عَلَيْكَover you صِلادُهُits hard rocks بِظِلالِهَاwith their shade
تَحْنُو عَلَيْكَ صِلادُهُ بِظِلالِهَا
وَتَقَرُّand you rest فِيin وَادٍa valley مِنَof التَّحْنَانِtenderness
وَتَقَرُّ فِي وَادٍ مِنَ التَّحْنَانِ
Its hard rocks bend tenderly over you with their shade,
and you rest in a valley of tenderness.
إِنَّindeed المَصِيرَthe destination إِلَىto الثَّرَىthe dust وَإِخَالُهُand I deem it
إِنَّ المَصِيرَ إِلَى الثَّرَى وَإِخَالُهُ
أَنْدَىmoister وَأرْفَهُand more restful فِيin ثَرَىthe soil لُبْنَانِof Lebanon
أَنْدَى وَأرْفَهُ فِي ثَرَى لُبْنَانِ
Our destination is dust, and I deem it
moister and more restful in the soil of Lebanon.
Sol 6.1