يَاO عِبْرَةَlesson الدَّهْرِof time جَاوَزْتِyou have exceeded المَدَىthe limit فِينَاwith us
يَا عِبْرَةَ الدَّهْرِ جَاوَزْتِ المَدَى فِينَا
حَتَّىuntil لَيَأْنَفُsurely disdains أَنْthat نَنْعَاهُwe mourn it مَاضِينَاour past
حَتَّى لَيَأْنَفُ أَنْ نَنْعَاهُ مَاضِينَا
O lesson of Time, you have exceeded all bounds with us,
Until even our past disdains to have us mourn it.
فَالسَّهْلُfor the plain قَدْalready دُفِنَتْwere buried فِيهِin it مَعَاقِلُنَاour strongholds
فَالسَّهْلُ قَدْ دُفِنَتْ فِيهِ مَعَاقِلُنَا
وَالبَحْرُand the sea قَدْalready فُقِدَتْwere lost فِيهِin it جَوَارِينَاour ships
وَالبَحْرُ قَدْ فُقِدَتْ فِيهِ جَوَارِينَا
For our strongholds lie buried in the plain,
And our ships have been lost in the sea.
وَانْثَلَّand crumbled مِنْof عِزِّنَاour might مَاwhat عَزَّwas difficult مَطْلَبُهُits attainment
وَانْثَلَّ مِنْ عِزِّنَا مَا عَزَّ مَطْلَبُهُ
وَانْدَكَّand was shattered مِنْof مَجْدِنَاour glory مَاwhat شَادَraised بَانِينَاour builder
وَانْدَكَّ مِنْ مَجْدِنَا مَا شَادَ بَانِينَا
What was hard to attain of our might has crumbled,
And what our builder raised of our glory has been shattered.
وَعُدَّand was counted ذَنْباًa sin عَلَيْنَاagainst us مَاwhat يُشَرِّفُنَاhonors us
وَعُدَّ ذَنْباً عَلَيْنَا مَا يُشَرِّفُنَا
وَعُدَّand was counted رَفْعاًan elevation لَنَاfor us مَاwhat بَاتَhas come to يُدْنِينَاlower us
وَعُدَّ رَفْعاً لَنَا مَا بَاتَ يُدْنِينَا
What honors us has been counted a sin against us,
And what has come to lower us is counted as raising us.
فَازَprevailed القَوِيُّthe strong عَلَيْنَاover us فِيamid تَضَاؤُلِنَاour dwindling
فَازَ القَوِيُّ عَلَيْنَا فِي تَضَاؤُلِنَا
وَالحَقُّand right أَعْلَىhigher وَلَكِنْbut لَيْسَdoes not يُغْنِينَاavail us
وَالحَقُّ أَعْلَى وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ يُغْنِينَا
The strong prevailed over us as we dwindled,
And right is higher, yet it does not avail us.
لاno فَخْرَglory أَنْthat يَغْلِبَdefeat الأَقْوَىthe stronger مُنَاضِلَهُhis adversary
لا فَخْرَ أَنْ يَغْلِبَ الأَقْوَى مُنَاضِلَهُ
بَلْrather أَنْthat يَدِينَsubmit ضَعِيفٌa weak man مِثْلَمَاjust as دِينَاwe were subjugated
بَلْ أَنْ يَدِينَ ضَعِيفٌ مِثْلَمَا دِينَا
There is no glory in the stronger defeating his adversary,
But in a weak man's submitting as we were made to submit.
يَاO دَهْرُTime غِنْif (apparent typo) كُنْتَyou were لَمْnot تُمْهِلْgrant respite شَبِيبَتَنَاour youth
يَا دَهْرُ غِنْ كُنْتَ لَمْ تُمْهِلْ شَبِيبَتَنَا
حَتَّىuntil أَدَلْتَyou gave ascendancy to انْحِطَاطاًdecline مِنْover مَعَالِينَاour heights
حَتَّى أَدَلْتَ انْحِطَاطاً مِنْ مَعَالِينَا
O Time, if you gave our youth no respite,
Until you gave decline the upper hand over our heights,
فَأَنْتَthen you خَيْرُthe best مَرَبٍّeducator لِلأُولَىfor those who جَهِلُواdid not know
فَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَرَبٍّ لِلأُولَى جَهِلُوا
كَجَهْلِنَاlike our ignorance أَنَّthat تَرْكَforsaking الحَزْمِresolve يُشْقِينَاmakes us miserable
كَجَهْلِنَا أَنَّ تَرْكَ الحَزْمِ يُشْقِينَا
Then you are the best teacher of those who did not know,
As we did not, that forsaking resolve brings us misery.
فَزِدْso increase مَصَائِبَنَاour calamities حَتَّىuntil تُنَبِّهَنَاyou awaken us
فَزِدْ مَصَائِبَنَا حَتَّى تُنَبِّهَنَا
تَكُنْyou will be حَيَاةًlife لَنَاfor us مِنْfrom حَيْثُwhere تُرْدِينَاyou destroy us
تَكُنْ حَيَاةً لَنَا مِنْ حَيْثُ تُرْدِينَا
So increase our calamities until you awaken us:
You will be life to us in the very way you destroy us.
هُمُthey سَقَواwatered بِدَمِwith the blood of الأَكْبَادِthe livers عَزْمَهُمُtheir resolve
هُمُ سَقَوا بِدَمِ الأَكْبَادِ عَزْمَهُمُ
وَبَاتَand lay فِيin صَدَأِthe rust of الأَغْمَادِthe scabbards مَاضِينَاour keen blade
وَبَاتَ فِي صَدَأِ الأَغْمَادِ مَاضِينَا
They watered their resolve with the blood of livers,
And our keen blade lay amid the rust of scabbards.
فَلَمْso did not تَجِئْهُمْcome to them عُلاهُمْtheir eminence مِنْfrom شَوَامِخِهِمْtheir towering peaks
فَلَمْ تَجِئْهُمْ عُلاهُمْ مِنْ شَوَامِخِهِمْ
وَلَمْand did not يَجِئْcome خَفْضَنَاour abasement مِنْfrom خَفْضِthe low ground of وَادِينَاour valley
وَلَمْ يَجِئْ خَفْضَنَا مِنْ خَفْضِ وَادِينَا
Their eminence did not come from their towering peaks,
Nor did our abasement come from our valley's low ground.
كَانَتْwas عَمَالَتَنَاour province الدُّنْيَاthe world بِأَجْمَعِهَاin its entirety
كَانَتْ عَمَالَتَنَا الدُّنْيَا بِأَجْمَعِهَا
وَالقَوْلُand speech وَالفِعْلُand action فِيin الأَقْطَارِthe lands مَاشِينَاmarching
وَالقَوْلُ وَالفِعْلُ فِي الأَقْطَارِ مَاشِينَا
The whole world was our province,
And our word and deed marched through the lands.
إِذَاwhen الَّتِيshe whom أَرْضَعَتَْاsuckled her ذِئْبَةٌa she-wolf فَغَدَتْthen became
إِذَا الَّتِي أَرْضَعَتَْا ذِئْبَةٌ فَغَدَتْ
رُومَاRome تَصَدَّتْrose to challenge تُبَارِينَاrivals us فَتَيرينَاthen cuts us down
رُومَا تَصَدَّتْ تُبَارِينَا فَتَيرينَا
When she whom a she-wolf had suckled, and who had become
Rome, rose to rival us and cut us down,
حَتَّىuntil رَمَتْنَاshe hurled at us بِدَاهِيwith a fearsome الظُّفْرِclaw طَاغِيَةٍa tyrant
حَتَّى رَمَتْنَا بِدَاهِي الظُّفْرِ طَاغِيَةٍ
فَتَىa young man of دَهَاءٍcunning وَبَأْسٍand might جَاءَcame يُفْنِيناto annihilate us
فَتَى دَهَاءٍ وَبَأْسٍ جَاءَ يُفْنِينا
Until she hurled at us a tyrant with a fearsome claw,
A young man of cunning and might who came to annihilate us,
فِيamong فِتْيَةٍyoung men مِنْfrom بَنِيthe sons of الرُّومَانِthe Romans قَدْalready أَلِفُواhad grown accustomed to
فِي فِتْيَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي الرُّومَانِ قَدْ أَلِفُوا
نَارَthe fire of الوَغَىbattle فَحَكَوْاso they resembled فِيهَاin it الشَّيَاطِينَاthe devils
نَارَ الوَغَى فَحَكَوْا فِيهَا الشَّيَاطِينَا
Among young men of the Romans who had grown accustomed
To the fire of battle, and in it resembled devils.
أَرْدَوْاslew عَسَاكِرَنَاour armies أَخْلَوْاemptied دَسَاكِرَنَاour settlements
أَرْدَوْا عَسَاكِرَنَا أَخْلَوْا دَسَاكِرَنَا
هَدُّواpulled down مَنَائِرَنَاour towers طَاغِينَtyrannical بَاغِينَاaggressors
هَدُّوا مَنَائِرَنَا طَاغِينَ بَاغِينَا
They slew our armies and emptied our settlements,
They pulled down our towers, tyrannical aggressors.
وَلَمْand not يَكُنْwere جُنْدُنَاour troops إِلاَّexcept قَسَاوِرَةlions
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ جُنْدُنَا إِلاَّ قَسَاوِرَة
أَبْلَوْاfought valiantly بَلاءَwith the valor of الصَّنَادِيدِthe champions الأَشَدِّينَاthe mightiest
أَبْلَوْا بَلاءَ الصَّنَادِيدِ الأَشَدِّينَا
And our troops were nothing but lions,
Who fought with the valor of the mightiest champions.
لَكِنَّbut صَرْفاًa turn مِنَof المَقْدُورِfate غَالَبَهُمْovercame them
لَكِنَّ صَرْفاً مِنَ المَقْدُورِ غَالَبَهُمْ
فَمَاso not نَجَاsurvived مِنْهُمُof them غَيْرُexcept الأَقَلِّينَاthe very few
فَمَا نَجَا مِنْهُمُ غَيْرُ الأَقَلِّينَا
But a turn of fate overcame them,
So none but the very few among them survived.
مَاwhat بَالُنَاour condition بَعْدَafter أَنْthat دُكَّتْwas razed مَدِينَتُنَاour city
مَا بَالُنَا بَعْدَ أَنْ دُكَّتْ مَدِينَتُنَا
وَامْتَدَّand spread حُكْمُthe rule of الأَعَادِيthe enemies فِيthrough نَوَاحِينَاour regions
وَامْتَدَّ حُكْمُ الأَعَادِي فِي نَوَاحِينَا
What became of us after our city was razed,
And the rule of enemies spread through our lands?
صِرْنَاwe became حَيَارَىbewildered سُكَارَىdrunk مِنْfrom تَخَاذُلِنَاour mutual abandonment
صِرْنَا حَيَارَى سُكَارَى مِنْ تَخَاذُلِنَا
وَأَسْعَفَتْهُمْand aided them يَدَانَاour two hands فِيin تَلاشِينَاour dissolution
وَأَسْعَفَتْهُمْ يَدَانَا فِي تَلاشِينَا
We became bewildered, drunk with our mutual abandonment,
And our two hands aided them in our dissolution.
وَأَصْبَحَتْand became دَارُنَاour home وَالكَوْنُand the world تَابِعُهَاfollowing it
وَأَصْبَحَتْ دَارُنَا وَالكَوْنُ تَابِعُهَا
مَثْوىًa dwelling لَهُمْfor them وَمَوَالِيهِمْand their clients مَوَالِينَاour masters
مَثْوىً لَهُمْ وَمَوَالِيهِمْ مَوَالِينَا
And our home, with the world following it, became
A dwelling for them, and their clients became our masters.
تَاللهِby God مَاnot غَلَبُونَاthey conquered us حَيْثُwhen بَاسِلُنَاour brave warrior
تَاللهِ مَا غَلَبُونَا حَيْثُ بَاسِلُنَا
قَضَىdied قَتِيلاًslain وَنَالُواand laid hold مِنْof نَوَاصِينَاour forelocks
قَضَى قَتِيلاً وَنَالُوا مِنْ نَوَاصِينَا
By God, they did not conquer us when our brave warrior
Fell slain and they seized our forelocks.
لَكِنَّهُمْbut they غَلَبُونَاconquered us حِينَwhen مَلَّكَهُمْgave them possession of
لَكِنَّهُمْ غَلَبُونَا حِينَ مَلَّكَهُمْ
أَزِمَّةَthe reins of الأَمْرِpower شَادِينَاour singer وَرَاضِينَاand our contented one
أَزِمَّةَ الأَمْرِ شَادِينَا وَرَاضِينَا
But they conquered us when they were handed
The reins of power by our singer and our complacent one.
فَمَاso not هُمُthey بِأَعَادِينَاour enemies خَلائِقُنَاour character traits
فَمَا هُمُ بِأَعَادِينَا خَلائِقُنَا
هِيَthey الَّتِيwhich أَصْبَحَتْhave become أَعْدَىthe fiercest of أَعَادِينَاour enemies
هِيَ الَّتِي أَصْبَحَتْ أَعْدَى أَعَادِينَا
They, then, are not our enemies; our own character traits
Are what have become the fiercest of our enemies.
أَليَوْمَtoday رُومَاRome هِيَshe الدُّنْيَاthe world وَصَوْلَتُهَاand her might
أَليَوْمَ رُومَا هِيَ الدُّنْيَا وَصَوْلَتُهَا
تُنَافِسُrivals الأَرْضَthe earth تَوْطِيداًin firmness وَتَمْكِينَاand strength
تُنَافِسُ الأَرْضَ تَوْطِيداً وَتَمْكِينَا
Today Rome is the world, and her might
Rivals the earth in firmness and strength.
وَمَاand not أَثِينَةُAthens إِلاَّexcept مَعْقِلٌa stronghold خَرِبٌruined
وَمَا أَثِينَةُ إِلاَّ مَعْقِلٌ خَرِبٌ
نُجِيلُwe move about أَصْفَادَنَاour shackles فِيهِin it مُذَالِينَاhumiliated
نُجِيلُ أَصْفَادَنَا فِيهِ مُذَالِينَا
And Athens is nothing but a ruined stronghold,
Where we drag our shackles, humiliated.
Sol 6.1