ضجيعَ التراب، أطلتَ الرقودَا

ضجيعَ التراب، أطلتَ الرقودَا

عزيزٌ على الضاد ألا تعودَا!

عزيزٌ على الضاد ألا تعودَا!

O bedfellow of the dust, you have prolonged your sleep.

O sleeper in the dust, you have long been resting,

It pains the language of ḍād that you will not return!

Dear to Alif, would that you return!

بكتك، لعمري، عيونٌ شحاحٌ

بكتك، لعمري، عيونٌ شحاحٌ

تعوَّدنَ عند المصاب الجمودا

تعوَّدنَ عند المصاب الجمودا

Eyes sparing of tears wept for you, by my life,

My life, your eyes wept bitter tears,

accustomed, in calamity, to remaining dry.

Accustomed at misfortune to be frozen.

بكى النيل مَنْ كان في طهره

بكى النيل مَنْ كان في طهره

وكانت سجاياه أشهى ورودا

وكانت سجاياه أشهى ورودا

The Nile wept for one as pure as itself,

The Nile wept for the one who was in its purity,

and his virtues were the sweetest of roses.

And its rapids were the most fragrant roses.

فتى شَيَّعته الوفود، فسارت

فتى شَيَّعته الوفود، فسارت

مناقبُهُ تتحدَّى الوفودا

مناقبُهُ تتحدَّى الوفودا

A young man whom delegations escorted to the grave; then marched

He was bidden farewell by crowds, so his virtues

his virtues, challenging the delegations.

Marched challenging the crowds.

ولو لم نُؤبِّنهُ نحن، لقامت

ولو لم نُؤبِّنهُ نحن، لقامت

فألقت على كل سمع قصيدا

فألقت على كل سمع قصيدا

And had we not eulogized him ourselves, they would have risen

Had we not eulogized him, there would have risen

and recited a poem into every ear.

And cast upon each hearing an ode -

له سيرة كعبير الزهورِ

له سيرة كعبير الزهورِ

لوَ أن الزهورَ رُزقنَ الخلودا

لوَ أن الزهورَ رُزقنَ الخلودا

His life's record is like the fragrance of flowers,

He has a life story like the scent of flowers

if flowers were granted immortality.

If only flowers were granted eternity!

نثرنا الورود على قبره

نثرنا الورود على قبره

فقطَّرَ طيبُ ثراه الورودا

فقطَّرَ طيبُ ثراه الورودا

We scattered roses upon his grave;

We strew roses on his grave,

then the fragrance of his soil distilled the roses.

So the perfume of his earth dripped roses.

قضى، وهُو للكل خِلٌّ، ودود

قضى، وهُو للكل خِلٌّ، ودود

وكان له الكلُّ خلا، ودودا

وكان له الكلُّ خلا، ودودا

He died, a loving friend to all,

He passed away, and he was gentle and friendly to all,

and all were loving friends to him.

And all were intimate and loving friends to him.

وعاش؛ فما عاش إلا كريمًا

وعاش؛ فما عاش إلا كريمًا

ومات؛ فما مات إلا شهيدا

ومات؛ فما مات إلا شهيدا

And he lived, living only nobly;

He lived so he lived only nobly,

and he died, dying only a martyr.

And he died so he died only a martyr.

وأدَّى رسالتهُ في الحياة

وأدَّى رسالتهُ في الحياة

ولولا الردى، لتوخى المزيدا

ولولا الردى، لتوخى المزيدا

He fulfilled his mission in life;

He carried out his mission in life,

but for death, he would have sought to do more.

And had it not been for havoc, he would have sought more.

ومدُّوا له في زمان الجهادِ

ومدُّوا له في زمان الجهادِ

ويأبى له الموتُ عمْرًا مديدا

ويأبى له الموتُ عمْرًا مديدا

And they prolonged his time of striving,

In the time of struggle, they extended his life,

yet death denies him a long life.

But death refuses him a prolonged life.

فتى نال باللين ما لا يُنالُ

فتى نال باللين ما لا يُنالُ

وللِّين بأسٌ يَفلُّ الحديدا

وللِّين بأسٌ يَفلُّ الحديدا

A young man who gained through gentleness what could not be gained;

A youth who attained by gentleness what cannot be attained,

gentleness has a might that blunts iron.

And gentleness has might that crushes iron.

تراضُ الوحوشُ بألفاظه

تراضُ الوحوشُ بألفاظه

وينقلبُ الجمرُ ماءً بَرودا

وينقلبُ الجمرُ ماءً بَرودا

Wild beasts are tamed by his words,

The wild beasts were tamed by his words,

and embers turn to cool water.

And embers turned into cool water.

يسوس الأمورَ بمحضِ الأناةِ

يسوس الأمورَ بمحضِ الأناةِ

فيطوي العدوَّ، ويُرْضي الحسودا

فيطوي العدوَّ، ويُرْضي الحسودا

He manages affairs with patience alone,

He managed affairs with pure deliberation,

thus subduing the enemy and pleasing the envious.

So he folded the enemy, and pleased the envious.

وما كان في الحلم إلا ابنَ هندٍ

وما كان في الحلم إلا ابنَ هندٍ

وذو الحلم أخلقْ به أن يسودا!

وذو الحلم أخلقْ به أن يسودا!

In forbearance he was none other than Ibn Hind,

He was nothing but a son of India in dreams,

and how worthy the forbearing man is to rule!

And the dreamer is inspired by him to rule!

محمدُ، لو تُفتدَى بالشبابِ

محمدُ، لو تُفتدَى بالشبابِ

بذلناه للموت فيك زهيدا

بذلناه للموت فيك زهيدا

Muhammad, if youth could ransom you,

Muhammad, if youth could be ransomed,

we would give it to death for you, a trifling price.

We would give it to death for your sake, underpriced.

عهدتك مبتسمًا للحياةِ

عهدتك مبتسمًا للحياةِ

ترى كلَّ يوم أظلَّلك عيدا

ترى كلَّ يوم أظلَّلك عيدا

I knew you smiling at life,

I knew you smiling at life,

seeing every day that came upon you as a festival,

Seeing each day that shaded you as a feast,

بوجهٍ طليق، كوجه الربيعٍ

بوجهٍ طليق، كوجه الربيعٍ

إذا طاب نفحًا، وأورقَ عودا

إذا طاب نفحًا، وأورقَ عودا

with a cheerful face like the face of spring,

With a radiant face, like the face of spring,

when its fragrance is sweet and its bough puts forth leaves.

When it exudes fragrance, and the branches burgeon.

ولم تَشْكُ من حادث الدهر يومًا

ولم تَشْكُ من حادث الدهر يومًا

كأنكَ منه أَخذتَ العهودا

كأنكَ منه أَخذتَ العهودا

You never once complained of a stroke of time,

You never complained of the vicissitudes of fate,

as though you had taken pledges from it.

As if you had taken assurances from it.

أَلا إن ذلك سرُّ اليقينِ

أَلا إن ذلك سرُّ اليقينِ

رُزقت اليقينَ، فَعِشْتَ سعيدا

رُزقت اليقينَ، فَعِشْتَ سعيدا

Indeed, that is the secret of certainty:

Verily that is the secret of certainty -

you were granted certainty, and so lived happily.

You were granted certainty, so you lived happy.

سجدتَ لربك حين أطالتْ

سجدتَ لربك حين أطالتْ

جباهٌ لغير الإله السُّجُودا

جباهٌ لغير الإله السُّجُودا

You prostrated yourself before your Lord, while

You prostrated to your Lord when foreheads

foreheads prolonged their prostration before other than God.

Prostrated to other than Allah prolonged.

أقدِّسُ فيك التقى والصلاحَ

أقدِّسُ فيك التقى والصلاحَ

أقدِّسُ فيك الخلاق الحميدا

أقدِّسُ فيك الخلاق الحميدا

I revere in you piety and righteousness;

I sanctify in you piety and righteousness,

I revere in you praiseworthy character.

I sanctify in you the Most Perfect, the Most Praiseworthy.

عهدتك تدعو إلى الخُلْق دينًا

عهدتك تدعو إلى الخُلْق دينًا

وتهتفُ بالصالحاتِ نشيدا

وتهتفُ بالصالحاتِ نشيدا

I knew you to call for virtue as a faith,

I knew you calling to good character as religion,

and chant an anthem of righteous deeds.

And chanting about good deeds as anthems.

ورقَّتْ خِلالك مثلَ النسيم

ورقَّتْ خِلالك مثلَ النسيم

فكانت على ما تقول شهيدا

فكانت على ما تقول شهيدا

Your qualities grew gentle as the breeze,

Through you wafted, like a soft breeze,

and bore witness to what you said.

So it bore witness to what you were saying.

عهدتك تعملُ خَلْفَ الستارِ

عهدتك تعملُ خَلْفَ الستارِ

وتَبذلُ إثر الجهود الجهودا

وتَبذلُ إثر الجهود الجهودا

I knew you to work behind the curtain,

I knew you working behind the scenes,

and expend effort after effort,

And exerting efforts behind the efforts.

تُهَيِّئُ للضاد مجدًا طريفًا

تُهَيِّئُ للضاد مجدًا طريفًا

وتبعثُ للضاد مجدًا تليدا

وتبعثُ للضاد مجدًا تليدا

preparing fresh glory for the language of ḍād,

You were preparing glorious prestige for the Dhofari state,

and reviving ancient glory for the language of ḍād,

And inspiring lasting prestige for the Dhofari state.

تُشيد بها في سكون وصمت

تُشيد بها في سكون وصمت

وتدفع عنها الأذى إن أريدا

وتدفع عنها الأذى إن أريدا

praising it in stillness and silence,

You were extolling it in tranquility and silence,

and warding harm from it whenever harm was intended.

And warding harm from it, if it was intended.

جهودٌ يحسُّ بهنَّ الجمادُ

جهودٌ يحسُّ بهنَّ الجمادُ

وتنكر أن لهن وجودا

وتنكر أن لهن وجودا

Efforts that even lifeless things could feel,

They are unnoticed efforts, that even inanimate objects sense,

yet you denied that they existed.

And they deny that they exist.

أبَا جابر، كلُّ حي يصيرُ

أبَا جابر، كلُّ حي يصيرُ

إلى حتفه، كارهًا، أو مُريدا

إلى حتفه، كارهًا، أو مُريدا

Abu Jabir, every living being goes

O Abi Jabir, every living being will come

to its death, unwilling or willing.

To his demise, unwilling or willing.

على الأرض ننمو نموَّ النباتِ

على الأرض ننمو نموَّ النباتِ

ويلقطنا الموتُ حَبّا حصيدا

ويلقطنا الموتُ حَبّا حصيدا

On earth we grow as plants grow,

On earth we grow like the growth of plants,

and death gathers us as harvested grain.

And death plucks us like ripened harvest.

سنسلُكُ يومًا سبيلَ الجدودِ

سنسلُكُ يومًا سبيلَ الجدودِ

فلسنا بأسعدَ منهم جدودا

فلسنا بأسعدَ منهم جدودا

One day we shall follow our ancestors' path;

One day we will tread the path of ancestors -

for our fortunes are no happier than theirs.

We are not more fortunate than them, ancestors.

سألتُ عن الأرض: ماذا أقلت؟

سألتُ عن الأرض: ماذا أقلت؟

فقالوا: مهودٌ تغذِّي لحودا

فقالوا: مهودٌ تغذِّي لحودا

I asked about the earth: what has it borne?

I asked about the earth, what has it said?

They said: cradles that feed graves.

They said: A lair that nourishes serpents.

ولم أرَ كالموت داءً قديمًا

ولم أرَ كالموت داءً قديمًا

تخرَّم عادًا، وأفنى ثمودا

تخرَّم عادًا، وأفنى ثمودا

I have seen no ancient malady like death,

And I have not seen death as an ancient affliction

which carried off ʿAd and annihilated Thamud.

That corroded nation, and annihilated Thamud.

فما بالنا كلما مات ميْتٌ

فما بالنا كلما مات ميْتٌ

شَرْبنا من الحزن لونًا جديدا؟

شَرْبنا من الحزن لونًا جديدا؟

Why is it that whenever someone dies,

So why is it that whenever someone dies,

we drink a new shade of sorrow?

We drink from sorrow a new color?

رأيتُ البكاءَ يعزي الحزينَ

رأيتُ البكاءَ يعزي الحزينَ

ولكنه لا يردّ الفقيدا

ولكنه لا يردّ الفقيدا

I found that weeping consoles the grieving,

I saw weeping comforting the grieving one,

but it does not bring back the departed.

But it does not bring back the departed.

لعمرُك، ما الموتُ إلا انطلاقٌ

لعمرُك، ما الموتُ إلا انطلاقٌ

فإن الحياةَ تفيضُ قيودا

فإن الحياةَ تفيضُ قيودا

By your life, death is nothing but release,

By your life, death is but release,

for life overflows with fetters.

For life overflows with shackles.

علامَ تشكَّى الحياةَ زهيْرٌ

علامَ تشكَّى الحياةَ زهيْرٌ

وأضجرَ طولُ البقاء لبيدا؟

وأضجرَ طولُ البقاء لبيدا؟

Why did Zuhayr complain of life,

Why did Zuheir complain about life,

and long life weary Labid?

And the prolonging of survival bore Labid?

أبا جابرٍ، شاهَ وجهُ الحياةِ

أبا جابرٍ، شاهَ وجهُ الحياةِ

وصار الورى للحُطام عبيدا!

وصار الورى للحُطام عبيدا!

Abu Jabir, life's face has grown ugly,

O Abi Jabir, the face of life has become ugly,

and humankind has become slaves to worldly dross!

And the land has become enslaved to ruins!

فلا العيشُ أمسى يُعَضُّ عليه

فلا العيشُ أمسى يُعَضُّ عليه

ولا الموتُ أصبح خصمًا لدودا

ولا الموتُ أصبح خصمًا لدودا

Life is no longer worth gripping with one's teeth,

Neither is living still delectable,

nor is death now an implacable foe.

Nor has death become a lasting adversary.

وماذا تركت من الطيِّباتِ؟

وماذا تركت من الطيِّباتِ؟

تركتَ حروبًا تشيب الوليدا

تركتَ حروبًا تشيب الوليدا

And what good things have you left behind?

And what good deeds have you left behind?

You left wars that turn a newborn's hair gray,

You left wars that turn the infant grey.

تُروَى أديمَ الثرى بالنجيعِ

تُروَى أديمَ الثرى بالنجيعِ

وتملأ سمعَ الزمان رعودا

وتملأ سمعَ الزمان رعودا

that drench the skin of the earth with blood,

The skins of slain are watered by blood,

and fill the ear of time with thunderclaps.

And the ears of the era are filled with thunder.

حروب يسعِّرها الأشقياءُ

حروب يسعِّرها الأشقياءُ

فتتخذُ الأبرياءُ وقودا

فتتخذُ الأبرياءُ وقودا

Wars the wicked set ablaze,

Wars ignited by the wicked,

taking the innocent as fuel.

So the innocent become fuel.

غدت تَصَهرُ الناس مثلَ الجليدِ

غدت تَصَهرُ الناس مثلَ الجليدِ

ولكنَّ في مصر شعبًا جليدا

ولكنَّ في مصر شعبًا جليدا

They have come to melt people like ice,

They have become melting people like ice,

yet in Egypt there is a steadfast people.

But in Egypt there is an icy people.

إذا الأرض مادتْ بسكانها

إذا الأرض مادتْ بسكانها

فإن لنا وطنًا لن يميدا

فإن لنا وطنًا لن يميدا

If the earth reels with its inhabitants,

When the earth extends with its inhabitants,

then we have a homeland that will never reel.

We have a homeland that will not tilt.

أبا جابر، ما نسينا الوفاءَ

أبا جابر، ما نسينا الوفاءَ

ولا علَّمتنا الحروبُ الجحودا

ولا علَّمتنا الحروبُ الجحودا

Abu Jabir, we have not forgotten loyalty,

O Abi Jabir, we have not forgotten loyalty,

nor have wars taught us ingratitude.

Nor have wars taught us estrangement.

أشادتْ بذكرك «دارُ العلومِ»

أشادتْ بذكرك «دارُ العلومِ»

فما كنتَ إلا فتاها الرشيدا

فما كنتَ إلا فتاها الرشيدا

Dar al-Ulum has extolled your memory,

“Dar Al Uloom” extolled your memory,

for you were none other than its rightly guided young man,

For you were only its wise graduate,

وواسطة العقد في نحرها

وواسطة العقد في نحرها

وإن كان باقيه درا نضيدا

وإن كان باقيه درا نضيدا

and the central gem of the necklace at its throat,

And the clasp of its necklace,

though the rest of it was finely strung pearls.

Even if the rest of it is scattered pearls.

لعمرُك، مازال للدار أهلٌ

لعمرُك، مازال للدار أهلٌ

ومازالت الغابُ تنمي الأسودا

ومازالت الغابُ تنمي الأسودا

By your life, the House still has its people,

By your life, the school still has its people,

and the forest still nurtures lions.

And the forest still grows its lions.

لئن أنجبتكَ، فكم أنجبت

لئن أنجبتكَ، فكم أنجبت

لمصر حصاةً، ورأيًا سديدًا

لمصر حصاةً، ورأيًا سديدًا

If it brought you forth, how often it has brought forth

If it gave birth to you, how many

for Egypt wisdom and sound judgment,

Of Egypt’s pebbles and wise opinions did it sire!

وأنفًا أشمَّ يزيد ارتفاعًا

وأنفًا أشمَّ يزيد ارتفاعًا

إذا شمَّ بعضُ الأنوف الصعيدا

إذا شمَّ بعضُ الأنوف الصعيدا

and a proud nose that rises higher

It produced a nose that smells heights

when some noses sniff the dust.

When some noses smell only the countryside.

رجال بعصر الجهالة لاحوا

رجال بعصر الجهالة لاحوا

نجومًا تشقُّ ليالَي سودا

نجومًا تشقُّ ليالَي سودا

Men who shone in an age of ignorance,

Men in an age of ignorance appeared

as stars cleaving black nights.

Like stars piercing dark nights.

همو حملوا راية الضاد حتى

همو حملوا راية الضاد حتى

أعادوا لها جعفرا والرشيدا

أعادوا لها جعفرا والرشيدا

They carried the banner of the language of ḍād until

They carried the banner of Dhofar until

they restored to it Ja'far and al-Rashid.

They restored Jafar and Al-Rashid to it.

إذا لمحت مصر آثارهم

إذا لمحت مصر آثارهم

تثنّت من التيه عِطفًا وجيدا

تثنّت من التيه عِطفًا وجيدا

When Egypt glimpsed their works,

When Egypt glimpses their traces,

she swayed her flank and neck in pride.

It inclines from straying, graciously.

ولم تَرَ أخلصَ منهم رجالاً

ولم تَرَ أخلصَ منهم رجالاً

وأنكر للذات منهم جنودا

وأنكر للذات منهم جنودا

She has seen no men more sincere than they,

It has not seen men more loyal than them,

nor soldiers more self-denying than they.

Or troops more self-denying than them.

إذا شبَّت الحرب، هبوا قيامًا

إذا شبَّت الحرب، هبوا قيامًا

وإن قُسِّم الفيء، ظلوا قعودا

وإن قُسِّم الفيء، ظلوا قعودا

When war flared, they sprang to their feet;

When war flared up, they rose to their feet,

when the spoils were shared, they remained seated.

And when spoils were divided, they remained seated.

ولا يحسب الناس «دار العلوم»

ولا يحسب الناس «دار العلوم»

بناءً على أرض مصر مشيدا

بناءً على أرض مصر مشيدا

Let people not think Dar al-Ulum

People do not consider “Dar Al Uloom”

merely a building erected on Egypt's soil;

A building erected on Egyptian land,

فإن لها بالعراق فصولاً

فإن لها بالعراق فصولاً

وإن لها في الحجاز حدودا

وإن لها في الحجاز حدودا

for it has classes in Iraq,

For it has branches in Iraq,

and it has bounds in the Hijaz.

And it has borders in Hejaz.

إذا رفعت في الكنانة بندًا

إذا رفعت في الكنانة بندًا

فقد رفعت في سواها بنودًا

فقد رفعت في سواها بنودًا

When it raises a banner in al-Kinanah,

If it raised a banner in Kenya,

it has already raised banners elsewhere.

Then it raised banners in other places.

مثابة أم اللغى، من بناها

مثابة أم اللغى، من بناها

بني للعروبة صرحًا وطيدا

بني للعروبة صرحًا وطيدا

The mother of tongues' sanctuary—whoever built it

A school for the mother of languages, he who built it

built a solid edifice for Arab identity.

Built for Arabism a sturdy edifice.