عُدْreturn لابِساًwearing ثَوْبَthe robe of الْخُلُودِimmortality وَعَلِّمِand teach
عُدْ لابِساً ثَوْبَ الْخُلُودِ وَعَلِّمِ
بِفَمِthrough the mouth of المِثَالِthe statue الصَّامِتِsilent المُتَكَلِّمِspeaking
بِفَمِ المِثَالِ الصَّامِتِ المُتَكَلِّمِ
Return, wearing the robe of immortality, and teach
Through the mouth of the statue, silent yet speaking.
تُلْقِيyou impart عَلَىto الأَعْقَابِposterity دَرْساًa lesson عَالِياًexalted
تُلْقِي عَلَى الأَعْقَابِ دَرْساً عَالِياً
مُتَجَدِّداًrenewed فِيin رَوْعَةِthe splendor of المُتَقَدِّمِwhat came before
مُتَجَدِّداً فِي رَوْعَةِ المُتَقَدِّمِ
You impart to posterity an exalted lesson,
Renewed in the splendor of what came before.
أَعْجِبْhow wondrous بِرَسْمِكَyour likeness صِيغَwas fashioned مِنْfrom شَبَهٍbrass عَلَىin
أَعْجِبْ بِرَسْمِكَ صِيغَ مِنْ شَبَهٍ عَلَى
وَجْهٍa form مِنَof الشَّبهِresemblance الأَتَمِّmost perfect مُجَسَّمِembodied
وَجْهٍ مِنَ الشَّبهِ الأَتَمِّ مُجَسَّمِ
How wondrous your likeness, cast from brass in
A sculpted form of the most perfect resemblance.
يَطْفُوfloats عَلَىupon مَاwhat رَقَّis delicate مِنْof قَسِمَاتِهِits features
يَطْفُو عَلَى مَا رَقَّ مِنْ قَسِمَاتِهِ
أَثَرٌa trace يُرَىis seen مِنْof رُوحِكَyour spirit المُتَأَلِّمِsuffering
أَثَرٌ يُرَى مِنْ رُوحِكَ المُتَأَلِّمِ
Upon its delicate features there floats
A visible trace of your suffering spirit.
أَوْor يُسْتَشَفُّis discerned بِهِin it مَشِيبٌgray hair لَمْnot يَكْنِwas
أَوْ يُسْتَشَفُّ بِهِ مَشِيبٌ لَمْ يَكْنِ
إِلاَّexcept رَمَادَthe ashes of الْخَاطِرِthe mind المُتَضَرِّمِblazing
إِلاَّ رَمَادَ الْخَاطِرِ المُتَضَرِّمِ
Or in it one glimpses gray hair that was
Nothing but the ashes of a blazing mind.
هَذَاthis مُحَيَّاكyour countenance المُضِيءُradiant وَهَذِهِand these
هَذَا مُحَيَّاك المُضِيءُ وَهَذِهِ
حُرَقُburning pangs النُّهَىof reason فِيwithin ذَائِبَاتِmelting الأَعْظُمِbones
حُرَقُ النُّهَى فِي ذَائِبَاتِ الأَعْظُمِ
This is your radiant countenance, and these
Are reason's burning pangs within melting bones.
وَيحَalas for الأُولَىthose who أكَلَdevoured الْقِلَىhatred أَكْبَادَهُمْtheir livers
وَيحَ الأُولَى أكَلَ الْقِلَى أَكْبَادَهُمْ
مِنْbecause of رَحْمَةٍmercy فِيin ثَغْرِكَyour mouth المُتَبسِّمِsmiling
مِنْ رَحْمَةٍ فِي ثَغْرِكَ المُتَبسِّمِ
Alas for those whose livers hatred has devoured
Because of the mercy in your smiling mouth.
أَمُحَرِّرُO liberator of الْعَرَبِيَّةِArabic الْفُصْحَىclassical الَّتِيwhich
أَمُحَرِّرُ الْعَرَبِيَّةِ الْفُصْحَى الَّتِي
أَخْلَصْتَهَاyou purified it مِنْof شَائِبَاتِthe impurities of المُعْجَمِthe lexicon
أَخْلَصْتَهَا مِنْ شَائِبَاتِ المُعْجَمِ
O liberator of classical Arabic, which
You cleansed of the lexicon's impurities.
مَاnot مَجْدُكَyour glory المَشْهُودُacknowledged إِلاَّexcept مَجْدُهَاher glory
مَا مَجْدُكَ المَشْهُودُ إِلاَّ مَجْدُهَا
فِيin قَلْبِthe heart of وَاعِيone who comprehends الْحِكْمَةِwisdom المُتَفَهِّمِdiscerning
فِي قَلْبِ وَاعِي الْحِكْمَةِ المُتَفَهِّمِ
Your acknowledged glory is nothing but hers
In the heart of one who comprehends wisdom and understands.
هَلْhas ذَادَdefended عَنْon behalf of أُمِّthe mother of اللُّغَاتِlanguages ابْنٌa son لَهَاof hers
هَلْ ذَادَ عَنْ أُمِّ اللُّغَاتِ ابْنٌ لَهَا
كَذِيَادِكَlike your defense الْحُرِّnoble البَلِيغِeloquent المُفْحِمِunanswerable
كَذِيَادِكَ الْحُرِّ البَلِيغِ المُفْحِمِ
Has any son of hers defended the mother of languages
With a defense as noble, eloquent, and unanswerable as yours?
أَوْor هَلْhas أَذَابَmelted سِوَاكَanyone but you مِنْthrough تَدْقِيقِهِhis close study
أَوْ هَلْ أَذَابَ سِوَاكَ مِنْ تَدْقِيقِهِ
فِيهَاof her سُوَيْدَاءَthe dark core of الفُؤَادِthe heart المُغْرَمِenamored
فِيهَا سُوَيْدَاءَ الفُؤَادِ المُغْرَمِ
Or has anyone but you, through his close study
Of her, melted the dark core of his enamored heart?
لَيْسَis not المُتَيَّمُthe devoted lover فَاتَهُhas eluded him دُونَshort of المُنَىdesires
لَيْسَ المُتَيَّمُ فَاتَهُ دُونَ المُنَى
جُهْدٌan effort يُبَلِّغُهُthat brings him to المُنَىdesires بِمُتَيَّمِa true lover
جُهْدٌ يُبَلِّغُهُ المُنَى بِمُتَيَّمِ
He is no true lover who, short of his desires, fails to make
An effort that would bring those desires within reach.
مَاnot زِلْتَyou ceased نِضْوَworn thin by البَحْثِresearch فِيin أَسْفَارِهَاher volumes
مَا زِلْتَ نِضْوَ البَحْثِ فِي أَسْفَارِهَا
مُتَجَشِّمَundertaking التّحْصِيلlearning كُلَّevery مُجَشِّمِhardship
مُتَجَشِّمَ التّحْصِيل كُلَّ مُجَشِّمِ
You were ever worn thin by research in her volumes,
Bearing every hardship in the pursuit of learning.
إِنْif طَاشَmissed its mark رَأْيٌan opinion كُنْتَyou were خَيْرَthe best مُسَدِّدٍguide
إِنْ طَاشَ رَأْيٌ كُنْتَ خَيْرَ مُسَدِّدٍ
أَوْor زَاغَstrayed حُكْمٌa judgment كُنْتَyou were خَيْرَthe best كُقَوِّمِcorrector (probable reading)
أَوْ زَاغَ حُكْمٌ كُنْتَ خَيْرَ كُقَوِّمِ
If an opinion missed its mark, you were the best to guide it;
Or if a judgment strayed, you were the best to set it right.
فِيin النَّثْرِprose أَوْor فِيin النَّظْمِverse صَوْغُكَyour crafting مُحْكَمٌflawless
فِي النَّثْرِ أَوْ فِي النَّظْمِ صَوْغُكَ مُحْكَمٌ
فَوْقَbeyond الظنُونِexpectations فَلاso there is no مَزِيدَfurther addition لِمُحْكِمِfor a master craftsman
فَوْقَ الظنُونِ فَلا مَزِيدَ لِمُحْكِمِ
In prose or in verse, your crafting is flawless,
Beyond all expectation, with nothing left for a master to add.
حَتَّىuntil قَضَتْdecreed لَكَfor you أُمَّةٌa nation شَرَّفْتَهَاyou honored it
حَتَّى قَضَتْ لَكَ أُمَّةٌ شَرَّفْتَهَا
حَيّاًalive وَمَيْتاًand dead بِالمَقَامِwith the station الأَعْظَمِhighest
حَيّاً وَمَيْتاً بِالمَقَامِ الأَعْظَمِ
Until a nation you had honored decreed for you,
In life and death, the highest station.
يَاO مَنْyou who تَأَوَّبَreturned وَاسْتَوىand stood upright مُسْتَطْلِعاًsurveying
يَا مَنْ تَأَوَّبَ وَاسْتَوى مُسْتَطْلِعاً
طِلْعَthe face of الْوُجُودِexistence مِنَfrom المَكانِthe place الأَسْنمِloftiest
طِلْعَ الْوُجُودِ مِنَ المَكانِ الأَسْنمِ
O you who returned and stood upright, surveying
The face of existence from the loftiest place:
دَعْforsake رَاحَةًrest لاnot يَشْتَهِيdesires مَنْwhoever ذَاقَهَاhas tasted it
دَعْ رَاحَةً لا يَشْتَهِي مَنْ ذَاقَهَا
رُجْعَىa return إِلَىto تَعَبِthe toil of الْحَيَاةِlife المُؤْلِمِpainful
رُجْعَى إِلَى تَعَبِ الْحَيَاةِ المُؤْلِمِ
Forsake that rest: none who taste it wish
To return to life's painful toil.
وَأَجِبْand answer نِدَاءَthe call of الضَّادِḍād (Arabic) تَسْتَوْفِيكَasks you to fulfill مِنْof
وَأَجِبْ نِدَاءَ الضَّادِ تَسْتَوْفِيكَ مِنْ
سَامِيlofty بَلاغِكَyour message مَاwhat قَطَعْتَyou cut short فَتَمِّمِso complete it
سَامِي بَلاغِكَ مَا قَطَعْتَ فَتَمِّمِ
And answer the call of ḍād, which asks you to fulfill
What you cut short of your lofty message—complete it.
لِلضَّادِfor ḍād (Arabic) عَصْرٌan age بِالنُّثُورِwith prose writings مُبَشِّرٌpromising
لِلضَّادِ عَصْرٌ بِالنُّثُورِ مُبَشِّرٌ
إِنْif تَتحِدْunite شَتَّىdiverse القُوَىforces وَتُنَظَّمِand are organized
إِنْ تَتحِدْ شَتَّى القُوَى وَتُنَظَّمِ
An age promising prose awaits ḍād,
If the diverse forces unite and are organized.
فانْهَضْso rise وَنَبِّئْنَاand inform us الصَّوَابَwhat is right وَقُلْand say لَنَاto us
فانْهَضْ وَنَبِّئْنَا الصَّوَابَ وَقُلْ لَنَا
قَوْلاًwords يُبَصِّرُthat make see بِالْعَوَاقِبِthe consequences مَنْwhoever عَمِيis blind
قَوْلاً يُبَصِّرُ بِالْعَوَاقِبِ مَنْ عَمِي
Then rise, tell us the right course, and speak to us
Words that make the blind see the consequences.
قُلْsay يَاO بَنِيsons of أُمِيmy mother إِلَىto الرُّشْدِsound judgment ارْجِعُواreturn
قُلْ يَا بَنِي أُمِي إِلَى الرُّشْدِ ارْجِعُوا
حَتَّىuntil مَwhen فُرْقَةُdivision شَمْلِكُمْof your union وَإِلَىand until كَمِhow long
حَتَّى مَ فُرْقَةُ شَمْلِكُمْ وَإِلَى كَمِ
Say: O sons of my mother, return to sound judgment!
How long this sundering of your union—and how much longer?
أَلْخَلْقُhumanity لَوْif only يَثوبُwould return إِلَىto الهُدَىguidance
أَلْخَلْقُ لَوْ يَثوبُ إِلَى الهُدَى
بِإِخَاءِthrough brotherhood كُلevery مُقَلْنَسٍcap-wearer وَمَعَمَّمِand turban-wearer
بِإِخَاءِ كُل مُقَلْنَسٍ وَمَعَمَّمِ
If only humanity would return to guidance
Through brotherhood uniting all the capped and the turbaned!
فِيin الدِّينِreligion مَاwhatever شَاؤُواthey wish وَلَكِنْbut فِيin الحِجَىreason
فِي الدِّينِ مَا شَاؤُوا وَلَكِنْ فِي الحِجَى
مَاthere is no مِنْany مَسِيحيٍّChristian وَمَاand there is no مِنْany مُسْلِمِMuslim
مَا مِنْ مَسِيحيٍّ وَمَا مِنْ مُسْلِمِ
In religion, let them be what they wish; but in reason
There is no Christian, and there is no Muslim.
لُغَةٌa language تُرِيدُseeks تَضَافُراًconcerted effort مِنْfrom أَهْلِهَاits people
لُغَةٌ تُرِيدُ تَضَافُراً مِنْ أَهْلِهَا
فِيat حَينِa time أَنَّwhen الْفَوْزَvictory لِلْمُتَقَحِّمِfor those who plunge ahead
فِي حَينِ أَنَّ الْفَوْزَ لِلْمُتَقَحِّمِ
A language seeks concerted effort from its people,
At a time when victory belongs to those who plunge ahead.
مَاwhat بَالُهَاails it وَجُمُودُهَاwhile its stagnation قَتْلٌis death لَهَاto it
مَا بَالُهَا وَجُمُودُهَا قَتْلٌ لَهَا
مُنِيَتْis afflicted بِكُلِّwith every مُثَبِّطٍdiscourager وَمُقَسِّمِand divider
مُنِيَتْ بِكُلِّ مُثَبِّطٍ وَمُقَسِّمِ
What ails it, when stagnation is death to it,
That it is plagued by every discourager and divider?
تَحْيَاlive اللُّغَاتُlanguages وَتَرْتَقِيand rise بِنُزُولِهَاby their yielding
تَحْيَا اللُّغَاتُ وَتَرْتَقِي بِنُزُولِهَا
أَبداًalways عَلَىto حُكْمِthe law of النَّجَاحِsuccess المُلْزِمِbinding
أَبداً عَلَى حُكْمِ النَّجَاحِ المُلْزِمِ
Languages live and rise by yielding
Always to the binding law of success.
هيْهَاتَimpossible أَنْthat يَقِفَshould stop الزَّمَانُtime لِوَاقِفٍfor one standing still
هيْهَاتَ أَنْ يَقِفَ الزَّمَانُ لِوَاقِفٍ
أَوْor تُحْجِمُhold back الدُّنْيَاthe world لِنَبْوَةِbecause of the stumble of مُحْجِمِone who holds back
أَوْ تُحْجِمُ الدُّنْيَا لِنَبْوَةِ مُحْجِمِ
Never will time stop for one who stands still,
Or the world hold back at a hesitant man's stumble.
أَلْيَوْمَtoday أَبْطَأُslowest مَاthat يَكُونُcan be رِسَالَةًin message delivery
أَلْيَوْمَ أَبْطَأُ مَا يَكُونُ رِسَالَةً
مَنْhe who نَاطَhas tied عَاجِلَهَاits urgent dispatch بِرِيشِto the feathers of القَشْعَمِthe old vulture
مَنْ نَاطَ عَاجِلَهَا بِرِيشِ القَشْعَمِ
Today, slowest of all in sending a message
Is he who ties its urgent dispatch to an old vulture's feathers.
حَمِّلْmake carry أَلوكَتِكَyour message الْفَضَاءَthe open air يُؤَدِّهَاwill convey it
حَمِّلْ أَلوكَتِكَ الْفَضَاءَ يُؤَدِّهَا
شَرَرٌsparks إِلَىto أَقْصَىthe farthest مَدىًreach of مُتَيَّمِa devoted lover
شَرَرٌ إِلَى أَقْصَى مَدىً مُتَيَّمِ
Entrust your message to the air; it will be carried
By sparks to a lover's farthest reach.
فَالْجَوُّfor the air بِالقُطْبَيْنِat both poles طِرْسٌa writing page دَائِرٌrevolving
فَالْجَوُّ بِالقُطْبَيْنِ طِرْسٌ دَائِرٌ
وَالبَرْقُand lightning أَسْرَعُthe swiftest مَاthat تَرَىyou see مِرْقَمِstylus
وَالبَرْقُ أَسْرَعُ مَا تَرَى مِرْقَمِ
For the air, at both poles, is a revolving page,
And lightning is the swiftest stylus you can see.
أَنْظَلshall we remain فِيin قَيْدِthe fetters of الْقُصَورِinadequacy وَغَيْرُنَاwhile others than us
أَنْظَل فِي قَيْدِ الْقُصَورِ وَغَيْرُنَا
مَلَكَhave mastered الطَّبِيعَةَnature مِلْكَwith the mastery of أَقْدَرِthe ablest قَيِّمِsteward
مَلَكَ الطَّبِيعَةَ مِلْكَ أَقْدَرِ قَيِّمِ
Shall we remain shackled by inadequacy, while others
Have mastered nature with the mastery of the ablest steward?
صَدَقَspoke truly الْحَكِيمُthe sage وَلَوْand if تَرَاءىbecame visible لَفْظُهُhis utterance
صَدَقَ الْحَكِيمُ وَلَوْ تَرَاءى لَفْظُهُ
لِلْحِسto the senses أَبْصَرْتمْyou would see نِظَافاًdrops (probable reading) مِنْof دَمِblood
لِلْحِس أَبْصَرْتمْ نِظَافاً مِنْ دَمِ
The sage spoke truly; were his words to become visible
To the senses, you would see drops of blood.
أَفَمَاhave you not, then شَعَرْتُمْyou felt أَنَّهُthat he مُتَكَّلِّمٌis speaking
أَفَمَا شَعَرْتُمْ أَنَّهُ مُتَكَّلِّمٌ
بِلِسَانِwith the tongue of مَفْطورِtorn الفُؤَادِin heart مُكَلَّمِwounded
بِلِسَانِ مَفْطورِ الفُؤَادِ مُكَلَّمِ
Have you not, then, felt that he speaks
With the tongue of a wounded man whose heart is torn?
يَاO أُمَّتِيmy nation إِنindeed الهُدَىguidance كُلَّall الْهُدَىguidance
يَا أُمَّتِي إِن الهُدَى كُلَّ الْهُدَى
فِيin ذَلِكَthat الصَّوْتِvoice البَعِيدِdistant المُلْهِمِinspiring
فِي ذَلِكَ الصَّوْتِ البَعِيدِ المُلْهِمِ
O my nation, surely guidance—all guidance—
Lies in that distant, inspiring voice.
أَلْغَيْبُthe unseen خَاطَبَنَاhas addressed us بِنطْقٍthrough the speech of إِمَامِنَاour leader
أَلْغَيْبُ خَاطَبَنَا بِنطْقٍ إِمَامِنَا
يدْعُوcalls إِلَىto العَلْيَاءِthe heights فَلْنتَقدَّمِso let us advance
يدْعُو إِلَى العَلْيَاءِ فَلْنتَقدَّمِ
The unseen has addressed us through our leader's speech,
Calling us to the heights—so let us advance.
Sol 6.1