خَمْسُونَfifty لاnot تُنْسَىforgotten مِنَof الأحْوَالِchanging circumstances
خَمْسُونَ لا تُنْسَى مِنَ الأحْوَالِ
مَرَّتْpassed وَأَنْتَand you بِهَاthrough them لِسَانَthe voice of الحَالِthe state of affairs
مَرَّتْ وَأَنْتَ بِهَا لِسَانَ الحَالِ
Fifty unforgettable years of changing times
Fifty years not forgotten in events
Have passed, and you were their voice—Lisan al-Hal.
You lived through as the tongue of fate spoke
دَالَتْcame and went بِهَاin them دُوَلٌgovernments وَلاَقَيْتَand you faced الَّذِيwhat
دَالَتْ بِهَا دُوَلٌ وَلاَقَيْتَ الَّذِي
لاَقَيْتَyou faced مِنْof غِيَرٍreversals of fortune ومِنْand of أَهْوَالِterrors
لاَقَيْتَ مِنْ غِيَرٍ ومِنْ أَهْوَالِ
In them, governments came and went, and you faced what
States rose and fell as you met what
You faced of reversals and terrors,
You met from others and from calamities
ثَبْتاّsteadfast وَعَزْمُكَand your resolve مُسْتَزِيدٌgaining more قُوَّةًstrength
ثَبْتاّ وَعَزْمُكَ مُسْتَزِيدٌ قُوَّةً
مِنْfrom طارِىءِthe sudden onset of الإِدْبَارِadversity لِلإقْبَالِtoward advancement
مِنْ طارِىءِ الإِدْبَارِ لِلإقْبَالِ
Steadfast, your resolve gathering strength
Steadfast, your resolve growing stronger
From sudden setbacks, to press ahead.
Against the ebb and flow of time
أَلسُّحْبُthe clouds تُطْبِقُclose in وَالنجُومُand the stars عَوَاثِرٌstumbling
أَلسُّحْبُ تُطْبِقُ وَالنجُومُ عَوَاثِرٌ
وَهُوَand it المَنَارَةُthe lighthouse ضَوْءُهَاits light مُتَلاَلِيglittering
وَهُوَ المَنَارَةُ ضَوْءُهَا مُتَلاَلِي
The clouds close in, and the stars stumble,
Clouds gather as stars fall as shooting stars
Yet it is the lighthouse, its light glittering.
While it remains the beacon, its light undimmed
كَمْhow much فِيin صَحَائِفِكَyour pages الَّتِيwhich أَخْرَجتَهاyou published them
كَمْ فِي صَحَائِفِكَ الَّتِي أَخْرَجتَها
مِنْof جُهْدِtoil أَيَّامٍdays وَسُهْدِand sleeplessness لَيَالِيnights
مِنْ جُهْدِ أَيَّامٍ وَسُهْدِ لَيَالِي
How much lies in the pages you brought out
How much in your volumes compiled
Of days of toil and nights of sleeplessness!
From the toil of days and nights' vigil
كَمْhow often ذُدْتَyou defended عَنْin defense of حَقٍtruth وَكَمْand how often سَدَّدْتَyou set right مِنْof
كَمْ ذُدْتَ عَنْ حَقٍ وَكَمْ سَدَّدْتَ مِنْ
رَأْيٍan opinion وَكَمْand how often بدَّدْتَyou scattered شَمْلَthe ranks of ضَلاَلِerror
رَأْيٍ وَكَمْ بدَّدْتَ شَمْلَ ضَلاَلِ
How often you defended truth, how often set right
How much you defended what’s right and made straight
An opinion, how often scattered the ranks of error!
Opinion, dispelled the unity of misguidance
فَأَنَارَthus enlightened أَهْلَpeople of الحَزْمِprudence كُلevery حَقِيقَةtruth
فَأَنَارَ أَهْلَ الحَزْمِ كُل حَقِيقَة
وَأَثَارَand stirred أَهْلَpeople of العَزْمِresolve كُلُّevery خَيَالِvision
وَأَثَارَ أَهْلَ العَزْمِ كُلُّ خَيَالِ
So every truth enlightened the prudent,
So for the discerning you illuminated each truth
And every vision stirred the resolute.
And stirred the resolute with every imagination
مَاwhatever أَنْسَI forget لاَnot أَنْسَI forget المُؤَازَرَةَthe support الَّتِيthat
مَا أَنْسَ لاَ أَنْسَ المُؤَازَرَةَ الَّتِي
أَوْلَيْتَنِيهاyou bestowed it on me فِيin الزَّمَانِthe time الخَالِيpast
أَوْلَيْتَنِيها فِي الزَّمَانِ الخَالِي
Whatever I forget, I shall not forget the support
Unforgotten, never will I forget the support
You bestowed on me in days gone by,
You gave me in my empty time
أَيَّامَin the days when يَبْتَعِثُrouses الشَّبَابُyouth عَزيمَتِيmy resolve
أَيَّامَ يَبْتَعِثُ الشَّبَابُ عَزيمَتِي
وَأَجُولُand I range فِيin شَوْطِthe course of البَيَانِeloquence مَجَالِيmy course
وَأَجُولُ فِي شَوْطِ البَيَانِ مَجَالِي
When youth roused my resolve
Days where youth emboldens my resolve
And I ran my course in the race of eloquence,
And I roam in the field of rhetoric freely
وَأَرَىand I see الحَيَاةَlife تَبَشُّsmiles لِيupon me فِيهَاwithin it المُنَىhopes
وَأَرَى الحَيَاةَ تَبَشُّ لِي فِيهَا المُنَى
عَنْfrom أَلْفِa thousand ثَغْرٍmouth فِيin حُرُوقِthe burning of مَقَالِيmy words
عَنْ أَلْفِ ثَغْرٍ فِي حُرُوقِ مَقَالِي
And saw life, its hopes smiling upon me
And see life smiling before me
From a thousand mouths in the burning ardor of my words.
At a thousand facets in my fiery speeches
فَرَعَيْتَنِيso you nurtured me طِفْلاًas a child وَأَيُّand what مُهَيِّيءِa means of preparation
فَرَعَيْتَنِي طِفْلاً وَأَيُّ مُهَيِّيءِ
لِتَقَدُّمٍfor advancement كَرِعَايَةِlike the nurturing of الأطْفَالِchildren
لِتَقَدُّمٍ كَرِعَايَةِ الأطْفَالِ
You nurtured me as a child—what better preparation
You nurtured me as a child, and what preparation
For progress than the nurturing of children?
For advancement like raising children
وَإِلَىand to الحِمَىthe homeland أَهْدَيْتَyou gave كُتَّاباًwriters بِهِمْin whom
وَإِلَى الحِمَى أَهْدَيْتَ كُتَّاباً بِهِمْ
يَعْتَزُّit takes pride دَعْleave aside مَنْthose who كَانَwere مِنْof أَشْكَالِيmy kind
يَعْتَزُّ دَعْ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَشْكَالِي
And to the homeland you gave writers in whom
And to protection guided me books with which
It takes pride—leave aside those like me.
I take pride, no matter detractors’ forms
عَهْدَera of الخَلِيلِKhalil سَقَتْكَmay they water you أَصْفىthe purest دَرِّهَاtheir flow
عَهْدَ الخَلِيلِ سَقَتْكَ أَصْفى دَرِّهَا
دِيَمُsteady rains of الضُّحَىmidmorning وَغَمَائِمُand clouds of الآصَالِlate afternoons
دِيَمُ الضُّحَى وَغَمَائِمُ الآصَالِ
O age of Khalil, may their purest flow water you—
The era of the sincere quenched you with its purest nectar
The steady rains of midmorning and the clouds of late afternoon!
Always shining, clouds of nightfall
كنْتَyou were الطَّليعَةَthe vanguard فِيin الزَّمَانِthe age المُرْتَجَىhoped for
كنْتَ الطَّليعَةَ فِي الزَّمَانِ المُرْتَجَى
لِتَحَوُّلِfor the transformation of الأَفْكَارِideas وَالأَحْوَالِand circumstances
لِتَحَوُّلِ الأَفْكَارِ وَالأَحْوَالِ
You were the vanguard in the hoped-for age
You were the vanguard in the awaited time
For the transformation of ideas and circumstances.
For the change of ideas and circumstances
وَأَبُوand the father of الصَّحَافَةِjournalism فِيكَin you يَدْأَبُtoils diligently دَأْبَهُhis habitual toil
وَأَبُو الصَّحَافَةِ فِيكَ يَدْأَبُ دَأْبَهُ
نَسْجاًweaving بِلاَwithout سَأَمٍweariness عَلَىupon مِنْوَالِa loom
نَسْجاً بِلاَ سَأَمٍ عَلَى مِنْوَالِ
And in you the father of journalism keeps at his toil,
And the father of journalism in you works his work
Weaving without weariness upon a loom.
Weaving tirelessly to a pattern
كَانَwas الخَلِيلُKhalil بِجِدِّهِthrough his diligence وَثَبَاتِهِand his steadfastness
كَانَ الخَلِيلُ بِجِدِّهِ وَثَبَاتِهِ
لِلْمُقْتَدِينَfor those emulating بِهِhim as a model أَجَلَّthe noblest مِثَالِexample
لِلْمُقْتَدِينَ بِهِ أَجَلَّ مِثَالِ
Khalil, through his diligence and steadfastness, was
The sincere with his dedication and steadfastness
The noblest example to those who followed him.
Was for his followers the finest example
فَلاَّلُone who blunts غَرْبِthe sharp edge of الكَارِثَاتِcalamities بِحَمْلِهِby his bearing
فَلاَّلُ غَرْبِ الكَارِثَاتِ بِحَمْلِهِ
لِلحَادِثَاتِof misfortunes وهُنَّand they جِدُّvery ثِقَالِheavy
لِلحَادِثَاتِ وهُنَّ جِدُّ ثِقَالِ
He blunted calamities' sharp edge by bearing
So he carried the burden of catastrophes with his capacity
Misfortunes, though they were very heavy.
For events, though weariness weighs heavy
يَجْنِيhe gathers المُنَىhopes كَالوَرْدِlike roses مِنْfrom أَشْوَاكِهَits thorns
يَجْنِي المُنَى كَالوَرْدِ مِنْ أَشْوَاكِهَ
وِيُهوِّنُand eases الآلاَمَpains بِالآمَالِwith hopes
وِيُهوِّنُ الآلاَمَ بِالآمَالِ
He gathers hopes like roses from their thorns,
He reaps bliss like roses from their thorns
And eases pains with hopes.
And eases pain with hopes
وَيَظَلُّand he remains مَاas long as شَاءَwills الوَفَاءُloyalty لِقَوْمِهِto his people
وَيَظَلُّ مَا شَاءَ الوَفَاءُ لِقَوْمِهِ
حَرْبَwar against العَدُوِّthe enemy وَسِلْمَand peace toward كُلِّevery مُوالِally
حَرْبَ العَدُوِّ وَسِلْمَ كُلِّ مُوالِ
And remains, as long as loyalty to his people wills,
And remains as long as loyalty to his people dictates
War to the enemy and peace to every ally.
Fighting the enemy and appeasing each ally
فِيin صُورَةِthe form of الحَمَلِthe lamb الوَدِيعِgentle وَرُبَّمَاand sometimes
فِي صُورَةِ الحَمَلِ الوَدِيعِ وَرُبَّمَا
أَلْفَيْتَهُyou found him فِيin صَوْلَةِthe onslaught of الرِّئْبَالِthe lion
أَلْفَيْتَهُ فِي صَوْلَةِ الرِّئْبَالِ
In the form of a gentle lamb, yet at times
In the guise of a gentle lamb, though you may
You found him charging with a lion's fury.
Find him in the rage of a snarling wolf
إِنِّيindeed I لأَذْكُرُsurely remember وَجْهَهُhis face الحُرِّnoble الَّذِيwhich
إِنِّي لأَذْكُرُ وَجْهَهُ الحُرِّ الَّذِي
زَانَadorned المَشِيبُgray hair بَهَاءَهُits splendor بِجَلاَلِwith majesty
زَانَ المَشِيبُ بَهَاءَهُ بِجَلاَلِ
Indeed, I remember his noble face, whose
I remember his free face made majestic
Splendor was adorned with majesty by gray hair.
By the silver of old age with grace
جَمَعَit united الصَّبَاحَةَcomeliness وَالسَّمَاحَةَand generosity وَالرِّضَىand contentment
جَمَعَ الصَّبَاحَةَ وَالسَّمَاحَةَ وَالرِّضَى
مُتَرَائِياتٍappearing together فِيin مِزَاجِa blend of جَمَالِbeauty
مُتَرَائِياتٍ فِي مِزَاجِ جَمَالِ
It united comeliness, generosity, and contentment,
Bringing together wit, amiability, and contentment
All appearing together in a blend of beauty.
Interplaying traits of beauty
وَأَرَىand I see وُجُوهَthe faces of ثِقَاتِهِhis trusted companions مِنْfrom حَوْلِهِaround him
وَأَرَى وُجُوهَ ثِقَاتِهِ مِنْ حَوْلِهِ
وَكَأَنَّand as though سِتْرَthe veil of الغَيْبِthe unseen يَجْلُوهَاreveals them لِيto me
وَكَأَنَّ سِتْرَ الغَيْبِ يَجْلُوهَا لِي
And I see the faces of his trusted companions around him,
And I see the faces of his confidants around him
As though the veil of the unseen reveals them to me.
As if the veil of the unseen were drawn back for me
مِنْamong كُلِّevery مِعْوَانٍready helper سَوَادُthe blackness of مِدَادِهِhis ink
مِنْ كُلِّ مِعْوَانٍ سَوَادُ مِدَادِهِ
نُورٌlight وَمَرْمَىand the aim of نَاظِرَيْهِhis eyes عَالِيlofty
نُورٌ وَمَرْمَى نَاظِرَيْهِ عَالِي
Each a willing helper, the blackness of his ink
From every trusted ally, the black of his ink
Is light, and the aim of his gaze is lofty.
Is light, and the gaze of his eyes high
مَلأُواthey filled صَحِيفَتَهُhis newspaper بِمَاwith what تُمْلِيdictates النُّهَىreason
مَلأُوا صَحِيفَتَهُ بِمَا تُمْلِي النُّهَى
مِنْof رَائِعِsplendid الآرَاءِopinions وَالأَقْوَالِand sayings
مِنْ رَائِعِ الآرَاءِ وَالأَقْوَالِ
They filled his newspaper with what reason dictates
They filled his pages with what integrity dictates
Of splendid opinions and sayings.
Of splendid opinions and words
وسَلِيمٌand Salim اللَّبِقُthe deft الأَدِيبُman of letters يُفِيضُpours forth مِنْfrom
وسَلِيمٌ اللَّبِقُ الأَدِيبُ يُفِيضُ مِنْ
بَحْرِa sea of ابْتِكَارِinvention بَاهِرَاتِdazzling لآَليpearls
بَحْرِ ابْتِكَارِ بَاهِرَاتِ لآَلي
And Salim, the deft man of letters, pours from
And Salim the eloquent, refined, overflows
A sea of invention dazzling pearls.
From an ocean of dazzling innovation
يَأْتِيhe brings بِكلِّwith every طَرِيفَةٍnovel marvel بِكْرٍvirgin لَهَاit has
يَأْتِي بِكلِّ طَرِيفَةٍ بِكْرٍ لَهَا
مِنْof جِدَّةٍfreshness ماwhat لَمْdid not يَمُرَّcross ببَالِthrough a mind
مِنْ جِدَّةٍ ما لَمْ يَمُرَّ ببَالِ
He brings forth each novel, virgin marvel, with
Bringing every witty virgin idea that holds
A freshness that never crossed a mind.
A newness unlike what came before
وَيَرىand kindles كَوَرْيِlike the kindling of الزَّنْدِthe fire-stick خَاطِرُهُhis thought بِمَاin what
وَيَرى كَوَرْيِ الزَّنْدِ خَاطِرُهُ بِمَا
يَجرِيflows عَلَىupon قَلَمٍa pen لَهُof his سَيَّالِfreely flowing
يَجرِي عَلَى قَلَمٍ لَهُ سَيَّالِ
And his thought flares like a fire-stick's spark in what
And his mind sees cascades of ideas
Flows from his ever-flowing pen.
Flowing from a pen of his, prolific
عهْدٌan age مَضَىpassed وَغَداand became أَعِزَّتُهُits honored men الأولَىthe earliest
عهْدٌ مَضَى وَغَدا أَعِزَّتُهُ الأولَى
أَحْيَوَاthey revived بِلاَداًa land فِيamid الرَّمِيمِdecayed bones البَالِيmoldering
أَحْيَوَا بِلاَداً فِي الرَّمِيمِ البَالِي
An age has passed; its first honored men now lie—
An era passed, and its dearest first
They who revived a land—among moldering bones.
Brought dead lands to life
لَكِنَّbut مَنْhe who حَرَمَdeprived العُيُونَthe eyes خَلِيلَهَاtheir Khalil
لَكِنَّ مَنْ حَرَمَ العُيُونَ خَلِيلَهَا
سَرَّgladdened القُلُوبَthe hearts بِأَكْرَمِwith the noblest of الأَنْجَالِsons
سَرَّ القُلُوبَ بِأَكْرَمِ الأَنْجَالِ
Yet he who denied the eyes their Khalil
But he who deprived eyes of their friend
Gladdened hearts with the noblest of sons.
Gladdened hearts with the noblest youth
يَاO رَامِزَRamiz الخَيْرَthe good الَّذِيwho آدَابُهُhis manners
يَا رَامِزَ الخَيْرَ الَّذِي آدَابُهُ
فِيamong عَارِفِيهِthose who know him مَضَارِبُsubjects of الأَمْثَالِproverbs
فِي عَارِفِيهِ مَضَارِبُ الأَمْثَالِ
O Ramiz the good, whose manners
O emblem of goodness whose manners
Are proverbial among those who know him,
Are for those who know them proverbs sublime
وَخِلاَلُهُand his qualities فِيamong بَالِغيthose reaching أَعْلَىthe highest الذُّرَىsummits
وَخِلاَلُهُ فِي بَالِغي أَعْلَى الذُّرَى
بِمَكَارِمِthrough noble qualities of الأَخْلاَقِcharacter خَيْرُthe finest خِلاَلِqualities
بِمَكَارِمِ الأَخْلاَقِ خَيْرُ خِلاَلِ
And his qualities, among those reaching the highest summits
And whose ways are for me the epitome
Through noble character, are the finest qualities.
Of moral excellence and rectitude
بِكَthrough you يَسْتَدِيمُperpetuates المَجْدُglory ذُخْرَthe treasure of أَمَانَةٍa trust
بِكَ يَسْتَدِيمُ المَجْدُ ذُخْرَ أَمَانَةٍ
هِيَit فِيin يَدَيْكَyour hands أَمَانَةٌthe trust of الأَجْيَالِgenerations
هِيَ فِي يَدَيْكَ أَمَانَةٌ الأَجْيَالِ
Through you, glory preserves a treasured trust,
Through you glory always keeps safe the trust
Which in your hands is the trust of generations.
Which in your hands is generations’ trust
فَاهْنَأso rejoice بِيُوبِيلِin the jubilee of اللِّسَانِal-Lisan; the Voice وَنَلْand gain بِهِthrough it
فَاهْنَأ بِيُوبِيلِ اللِّسَانِ وَنَلْ بِهِ
مَاwhatever شِئْتَyou desire مِنْof حُبٍlove ومِنْand of إِجْلاَلِreverence
مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ حُبٍ ومِنْ إِجْلاَلِ
Rejoice, then, in al-Lisan's jubilee, and gain through it
So congratulations on your tongue’s jubilee
Whatever love and reverence you desire.
Take what love and veneration you desire
وَاسْلَمْand remain safe لَهُfor it دَهْراًan age مَدِيداًlong وَلْيَدُمْand may it endure
وَاسْلَمْ لَهُ دَهْراً مَدِيداً وَلْيَدُمْ
عُنْوَانَan emblem of فَضْلٍmerit فِيin الحِمَىthe homeland وَكَمَالِand perfection
عُنْوَانَ فَضْلٍ فِي الحِمَى وَكَمَالِ
And live long in safety for its sake; may it remain
And surrender to it an enduring time, and let
An emblem of merit and perfection in the homeland.
Virtue and perfection in protection endure
Sol 6.1