ذكرى وفاتك إحياء لأعمال

ذكرى وفاتك إحياء لأعمال

من صنع عزمك أم بعث لأجيال

من صنع عزمك أم بعث لأجيال

Is the remembrance of your death a revival of deeds

Is the memory of your passing a revival of deeds wrought by your resolve, or a resurrection for generations?

Wrought by your resolve, or a reawakening of generations?

Or is it the unfolding of pages of struggle through which you defended high values, and a fight of great import?

ام نشر صحف جهاد ذدت عن قيم

ام نشر صحف جهاد ذدت عن قيم

عليا به ونضال منك ذي بال

عليا به ونضال منك ذي بال

Or the unfolding of pages of struggle, through which you defended values

Or a presentation of a people's revolution you led with ideas, long before anyone was scorched by its fire?

Most high, and of your momentous striving?

O pioneer of the people, you marched them toward their goals, in faith and worldly life, with your far-ranging thought.

أم عرض ثورة شعب كنت قائدها

أم عرض ثورة شعب كنت قائدها

بالرأي من قبل ان يصلى بها صالي

بالرأي من قبل ان يصلى بها صالي

Or a recounting of a people's revolution whose leader you were

I was invited to this memorial to bear witness, yet reminders are truly meant for those who have forgotten.

Through counsel, before anyone was scorched by its flames?

By God, the thought of forgetting you never crossed my mind, nor has your memory ever departed from my thoughts.

يا رائد الشعب للأهداف سرت به

يا رائد الشعب للأهداف سرت به

دينا ودنيا بفكر منك جوال

دينا ودنيا بفكر منك جوال

O pioneer of the people, you led them toward their goals

It is as if the tragedy of your death has not passed, nor has a single moment elapsed in this desolate year.

In faith and worldly life, with your far-ranging mind.

Here are your sons, who have forever held fast to the hem of your immortal, lofty legacy.

إني دعيت الى الذكرى لأشهدها

إني دعيت الى الذكرى لأشهدها

وإنما تعرض الذكرى على السالي

وإنما تعرض الذكرى على السالي

I was invited to the commemoration to attend it,

They have passed the cup of the covenant among themselves, in your name, a pure draft following a pure draft.

Yet remembrance is offered to one who has forgotten.

And they have presented to you precious, arranged offerings upon tables of honor and reverence.

تالله ما خطرت سلواك في خلدى

تالله ما خطرت سلواك في خلدى

يوما ولا عبرت ذكراك من بالي

يوما ولا عبرت ذكراك من بالي

By God, forgetting you never crossed my mind

They gifted you the choicest verses of their poems, whose listeners admit to the reciter that they are pure magic.

For a day, nor did your memory ever pass from my thoughts.

You are rich, through the ideals you immortalized, beyond need for the praise of rhyme or the raising of statues.

كأن موتك ما مرت فجيعته

كأن موتك ما مرت فجيعته

ولا خلت لحظة من عامه الخالي

ولا خلت لحظة من عامه الخالي

It is as though the tragedy of your death has not passed,

Through knowledge, you revived a people, most of whom were being driven to the grave in the twin shrouds of ignorance and neglect.

Nor a moment elapsed of its bygone year.

You came with light held high in your right hand, clearing the darkness from eyes that had gone astray.

هنا بنوك الذين استمسكوا أبدا

هنا بنوك الذين استمسكوا أبدا

من رمزك الخالد السامي باذيال

من رمزك الخالد السامي باذيال

Here are your sons, who have forever clung

Were you Jesus, who revived dust and bones, exchanging ends for new beginnings?

To the hems of your lofty, immortal symbol.

Or were you the bearer of glad tidings who cast the shirt upon Jacob, a cure of light clearing away his grief?

لقد تساقوا شراب العهد بينهم

لقد تساقوا شراب العهد بينهم

على اسم ذكراك سلسالا بسلسال

على اسم ذكراك سلسالا بسلسال

They have offered one another the drink of their covenant,

Or were you simply Al-Bashir, who delivered sermons to the people of Algeria, gazed upon with reverence?

In the name of your memory, clear draught after clear draught.

You lived for freedom of thought and expression, a symbol through your aim to shatter shackles.

وقدموا لك أعلاقا منسقة

وقدموا لك أعلاقا منسقة

على موائد تكريم وإجمال

على موائد تكريم وإجمال

And presented you with precious offerings, arranged

Freedom of thought and expression is a virtuous trait of every brave and generous heart.

Upon tables of honor and gracious tribute.

How many a purposeful word of truth did you proclaim, challenging every assailant?

فأتحفوك عيونا من قصائدهم

فأتحفوك عيونا من قصائدهم

أقر سامعها بالسحر للتالي

أقر سامعها بالسحر للتالي

They gifted you the choicest of their poems,

And in the awakening, you stood tall and proud, like a mountain against all confusion and disruption.

Whose listener acknowledged the reciter's enchantment.

You taught the reformers a lesson in patience, lofty in meaning, for you did not repay torment with torment.

انت الغني بما خلدت من مثل

انت الغني بما خلدت من مثل

عن مدح قافية أو رفع تمثال

عن مدح قافية أو رفع تمثال

The ideals you have made immortal leave you without need

Your victory was a blessing after misfortune for the country, and security following terrors.

Of praise in verse or the raising of a statue.

O people, your gathering on the day of Al-Bashir resembles a lion's thicket where young cubs meet.

أحييت بالعلم شعبا سيق معظمه

أحييت بالعلم شعبا سيق معظمه

للقبر في كفني جهل وإهمال

للقبر في كفني جهل وإهمال

Through learning you revived a people, most of whom had been driven

The memory of great men is a lighthouse for men; a guide and a model of heroes for heroes.

To the grave in the twin shrouds of ignorance and neglect.

There is no loyalty to the living after his death, except by preserving what he left behind and completing it.

وجئت بالنور في يمناك ترفعه

وجئت بالنور في يمناك ترفعه

تجلو الغياهب عن أبصار ضلال

تجلو الغياهب عن أبصار ضلال

You came with light, holding it aloft in your right hand,

Al-Bashir is truly the writer of the age and its scholar, unique in his sources, dictating peerless knowledge.

Dispelling darkness from the eyes of those astray.

When he narrated poetry and history, he was like Al-Asma'i, and when he dictated, he was like Al-Qali.

هل كنت عيسى الذي أحيا الرفاة بما

هل كنت عيسى الذي أحيا الرفاة بما

أحيا وبدل آجالا بآجال

أحيا وبدل آجالا بآجال

Were you Jesus, who brought dead remains to life,

The Association of Scholars claimed him for its own, and in its hand, he was like a sharp, adorned sword.

Reviving them and exchanging one lifespan for another?

He found comfort in glory yet never looked down on anyone, nor did he turn his cheek in arrogance.

أم البشير الذي ألقى القميص على

أم البشير الذي ألقى القميص على

يعقوب طبا بنور للأسى جالي

يعقوب طبا بنور للأسى جالي

Or the bearer of good tidings who laid the shirt upon

Sometimes he would jest in his gathering, his speech sweet with verses of Rajaz and Zajal.

Jacob as a cure, with light that dispelled sorrow?

But when the people's plight turned serious, he rose to the occasion, dictating sermons with dignity, no longer in jest.

أم البشير الذي القى العظات على

أم البشير الذي القى العظات على

شعب الجزائر مرموقا باجلال

شعب الجزائر مرموقا باجلال

Or al-Bashir, who delivered exhortations to

Ask Medina about what he narrated and the books he mastered, and his unceasing research and inquiry.

The people of Algeria, himself regarded with reverence?

Ask Riyadh and ask Umm Al-Qura, for they know best the honor and reception he achieved.

حرية الفكر والتعبير عشت لها

حرية الفكر والتعبير عشت لها

رمزا بما رمت من تحطيم أغلال

رمزا بما رمت من تحطيم أغلال

For freedom of thought and expression you lived,

And ask Damascus, for long ago he enriched her soil with a pouring deluge of literature.

A symbol, through your aspiration to shatter fetters.

And about high curricula of education and upbringing, designed to graduate luminaries and heroes.

حرية الفكر والتعبير ظاهرة

حرية الفكر والتعبير ظاهرة

فضلى لكل شجاع القلب مفضال

فضلى لكل شجاع القلب مفضال

Freedom of thought and expression is a quality

And his solution to the challenge of Arabization, where he sought to simplify it and avoid all complexity.

Most noble in everyone brave of heart and generous.

He said: Let us begin with the eloquent words we teach to children in their lessons.

ورب قولة صدق منك هادفة

ورب قولة صدق منك هادفة

أعلنتها تتحدى كل صوال

أعلنتها تتحدى كل صوال

How many a purposeful word of truth from you

And it will transfer from circles of knowledge, through interaction, to circles of ignorance.

You proclaimed, defying every assailant!

Say to the teacher: You have multiplied solutions until you are lost in confusion and anxiety.

ونهضة كنت فيها شامخا أنفا

ونهضة كنت فيها شامخا أنفا

كالطود عن كل تشويش وإخلال

كالطود عن كل تشويش وإخلال

And in a renaissance you stood lofty and proud,

How does confusion befit a professor when tracing a branch back to its root without error?

Like a mountain, above all confusion and disruption.

Your task was nothing but the forging of minds, or the crafting of tongues from precious metal.

أعطيت في الصبر درسا للدعاة سما

أعطيت في الصبر درسا للدعاة سما

مغزى فلم تجز أنكالا بأنكال

مغزى فلم تجز أنكالا بأنكال

You gave preachers a lesson in patience, lofty

I see you as the leader in the campaign of Arabization, so how can you fail due to the discouragement of defeatists?

In meaning, for you did not repay punishment with punishment.

Fulfill the mission as long as the present allows, and be optimistic about the future of Arabization.

وكان نصرك يمنا بعد مشأمة

وكان نصرك يمنا بعد مشأمة

على البلاد وأمنا بعد أهوال

على البلاد وأمنا بعد أهوال

And your victory brought good fortune after misfortune

For branches naturally grow toward their roots, so graft them with hope.

To the land, and safety after terrors.

Preserve the spirit in what you acquire, and turn away from every imported thing that kills the soul.

يا شعب حفلك في يوم البشير بدا

يا شعب حفلك في يوم البشير بدا

غيلا تلاقت به أشبال رئبال

غيلا تلاقت به أشبال رئبال

O people, your celebration on al-Bashir's day appeared

Select carefully from the arts of science you acquire, for they come in many hues and forms.

A thicket where a lion's cubs gathered.

How the people in this new era need a new generation that sifts through modern knowledge!

ذكرى الرجال منار للرجال لهم

ذكرى الرجال منار للرجال لهم

هاد وقدوة أبطال بأبطال

هاد وقدوة أبطال بأبطال

The remembrance of men is a beacon for men,

A generation seasoned in harvest, exuding from its culture the scent of roses and the desert fragrance of wormwood and lotus.

A guide for them, and heroes following heroes' example.

Neglect of poetry has hidden every talent and hindered all creativity and excellence.

ولا وفاء لحي بعد ميته

ولا وفاء لحي بعد ميته

إلا بحفظ لما أبقى وإكمال

إلا بحفظ لما أبقى وإكمال

The living can be faithful after their dead have gone

It has obscured the brilliant ones of the past, burying them under denial and neglect.

Only by preserving what they left and completing it.

How many a youth among them, if nurtured in literature, would have achieved fame like Shawqi or Iqbal?

إن البشير أديب العصر عالمه

إن البشير أديب العصر عالمه

فذ الأسانيد أملى فذ أنقال

فذ الأسانيد أملى فذ أنقال

Al-Bashir is the age's man of letters, its scholar,

Woe to genius without a patron; its end is the bankruptcy of talent or sinking into the mire.

Peerless in chains of transmission, he dictated unmatched accounts.

What ails the youth, that they have abandoned their duties and busied themselves with idle gossip?

اذا روى الشعر والأخبار كان بها

اذا روى الشعر والأخبار كان بها

كـ (ـالأصمعي) وإن أملى فـ (ـكالقالي)

كـ (ـالأصمعي) وإن أملى فـ (ـكالقالي)

When he recounted poetry and historical accounts, he was

They roam the streets in idleness; oh, the pity for youth wasting the prime of their lives doing nothing.

Like al-Asma‘i; and when he dictated, like al-Qali.

I see thirst spreading without limit, and I see the most miserable of thirsty souls chasing a mirage.

جمعية العلماء استخلصته لها

جمعية العلماء استخلصته لها

فكان في كفها كالصارم الحالي

فكان في كفها كالصارم الحالي

The Association of Scholars chose him for itself,

Come to knowledge, let us drink from its springs, taking draft after draft, quenching our thirst.

And in its hand he was like an adorned, keen-edged sword.

Perhaps we may follow in Al-Bashir's footsteps, in every fertile planting and abundant harvest of his.

يرتاح للمجد لكن ما ازدى أحدا

يرتاح للمجد لكن ما ازدى أحدا

ولم يصعر له خدا كمختال

ولم يصعر له خدا كمختال

He delighted in glory, yet despised no one,

And follow his great contributions and awakening of the people during the Great Revolution and his deeds.

Nor turned his cheek from anyone, as the conceited do.

How often he devised ideal plans for it, clarified its goals, and sought the best path forward.

وكان يمزح احيانا بمجلسه

وكان يمزح احيانا بمجلسه

عذب الحديث بأرجاز وأزجال

عذب الحديث بأرجاز وأزجال

At times he would jest in his gatherings,

He toured the capitals of the East, triumphant, rallying enthusiastic leaders with his words.

Sweet in speech, with rajaz verses and zajal songs.

Until the Liberation Front rose high and triumphed, and the time came to lay down the burdens of war.

لكن اذا جد جد الشعب قام به

لكن اذا جد جد الشعب قام به

يملي العظات وقورا غير هزال

يملي العظات وقورا غير هزال

But when the people's affairs grew serious, he took them up,

And the army advanced, banners raised over the land of Algeria, with beaming faces and clear minds.

Delivering exhortations, dignified and no jester.

How could our heroes be defeated, when they paired the firing of bullets with chants of God’s greatness?

سل المدينة عما قد روى وحوى

سل المدينة عما قد روى وحوى

كتبا وواصل من بحث وتسآل

كتبا وواصل من بحث وتسآل

Ask Medina about what he narrated and amassed—

They bequeathed to the people the liberation of the land, just as they won spoils from the retreating usurper.

Books—and his continued research and questioning.

How could the world not submit to our revolution, when it has tested our might in every cataclysm?

سل الرياض وسل أم القرى فهما

سل الرياض وسل أم القرى فهما

أدرى بما نال من عز وإقبال

أدرى بما نال من عز وإقبال

Ask Riyadh, and ask Umm al-Qura: they both

Why then, today, should we not cast our hope upon a government of our own, rising to bear our burdens?

Know best the honor and welcome he received.

وسل دمشق فقدما جاد تربتها

وسل دمشق فقدما جاد تربتها

بمرجحن من الآداب هطال

بمرجحن من الآداب هطال

And ask Damascus: long ago he watered its soil

With a heavy, pouring cloud of literature.

وعن مناهج تعليم وتربية

وعن مناهج تعليم وتربية

عليا لتخريج أعلام وأبطال

عليا لتخريج أعلام وأبطال

And about methods of teaching and nurturing

Of the highest kind, to produce luminaries and heroes;

وحله مشكل التعريب حيث راى

وحله مشكل التعريب حيث راى

تيسيره وتحامى كل اشكال

تيسيره وتحامى كل اشكال

And his solving the problem of Arabization, for he saw

How to make it easy, and avoided every complication.

فقال نبدؤه مما نلقنه

فقال نبدؤه مما نلقنه

في الدرس من كلم فصحى لأطفال

في الدرس من كلم فصحى لأطفال

He said: We begin it with what we teach

In lessons—words of eloquent Arabic to children.

وسوف ينقل من أوساط معرفة

وسوف ينقل من أوساط معرفة

بالإحتكاك إلى أوساط جهال

بالإحتكاك إلى أوساط جهال

And it will pass from circles of knowledge

Through contact to circles of the unlearned.

قل للمعلم اكثرت الحلول الى

قل للمعلم اكثرت الحلول الى

أن صرت في حيرة منها وبلبال

أن صرت في حيرة منها وبلبال

Tell the teacher: You have multiplied solutions until

You have fallen into bewilderment and confusion over them.

وكيف تجمل بالأستاذ حيرته

وكيف تجمل بالأستاذ حيرته

في رد فرع لأصل دون إخلال

في رد فرع لأصل دون إخلال

And how can a teacher's bewilderment be seemly

In returning a branch to its root without damage?

ما كان شغلك إلا صنع أدمغة

ما كان شغلك إلا صنع أدمغة

او صوغ ألسنة من معدن عالي

او صوغ ألسنة من معدن عالي

Your work was nothing but the making of minds,

Or the forging of tongues from noble metal.

أراك في حملة التعريب قائدها

أراك في حملة التعريب قائدها

فكيف تفشل من تثبيط خذال

فكيف تفشل من تثبيط خذال

I see you leading the campaign for Arabization;

So how can you falter at the discouragement of deserters?

أد الرسالة ما واتاك حاضرها

أد الرسالة ما واتاك حاضرها

وكن بمستقبل التعريب ذا فال

وكن بمستقبل التعريب ذا فال

Fulfill the mission while its present favors you,

And cherish good hopes for Arabization's future.

إن الفروع به تنمو بفطرتها

إن الفروع به تنمو بفطرتها

إلى الأصول فطعمها بآمال

إلى الأصول فطعمها بآمال

Through it, the branches grow by their nature

Toward the roots, so graft them with hopes.

حافظ على الروح فيما تقتنيه ومل

حافظ على الروح فيما تقتنيه ومل

عن كل مستورد للروح قتال

عن كل مستورد للروح قتال

Preserve the spirit in what you acquire, and turn away

From every import that slays the spirit.

وخذ ودع من فنون العلم مقتنيا

وخذ ودع من فنون العلم مقتنيا

فإنها ذات ألوان وأشكال

فإنها ذات ألوان وأشكال

Select and reject as you acquire the arts of knowledge,

For they have many colors and forms.

ما أحوج الشعب في العصر الجديد الى

ما أحوج الشعب في العصر الجديد الى

نشء جديد لعلم العصر نخال

نشء جديد لعلم العصر نخال

How greatly the people in the new age need

A new generation that sifts the learning of the age,

مخضرم القطف يذكو من ثقافته

مخضرم القطف يذكو من ثقافته

عرف الورود وريح الشيخ والضال

عرف الورود وريح الشيخ والضال

Blending old and new in its harvest, from whose culture rise

The fragrance of roses and the scent of wormwood and wild lote.

الزهد في الشعر أخفى كل موهبة

الزهد في الشعر أخفى كل موهبة

وعاق عن كل إبداع وافضالي

وعاق عن كل إبداع وافضالي

Indifference to poetry has concealed every talent

And hindered all invention and my own creative bounty.

وأخمل النابهين السابقين بما

وأخمل النابهين السابقين بما

باؤوا به من جحود أي إخمال

باؤوا به من جحود أي إخمال

And cast distinguished predecessors into obscurity through

The ingratitude they received—what an eclipse!

كم ناشئ فيه لو يعنى به ادبا

كم ناشئ فيه لو يعنى به ادبا

لذاع صيتا كشوقي أو كإقبال

لذاع صيتا كشوقي أو كإقبال

How many a beginner in poetry, if nurtured in letters,

Would gain renown like Shawqi or Iqbal!

ويح النبوغ بلا راع فغايته

ويح النبوغ بلا راع فغايته

إفلاس موهبة أو خوض أو حال

إفلاس موهبة أو خوض أو حال

Alas for genius without a patron: its end is

The bankruptcy of talent, or wading into mire.

ما للشباب تخلى عن وظائفه

ما للشباب تخلى عن وظائفه

وصار مشتغلا بالقيل والقال

وصار مشتغلا بالقيل والقال

What ails the youth, that they have abandoned their duties

And become absorbed in gossip and idle talk?

جاب الشوارع بطالا فيا أسفا

جاب الشوارع بطالا فيا أسفا

على شباب بزهر العمر بطال

على شباب بزهر العمر بطال

They roam the streets idle—alas

For youth idling in the flower of life!

ارى العطاش بلا حد فشوا وأرى

ارى العطاش بلا حد فشوا وأرى

أشقى العطاش نفوسا وأردى الآل

أشقى العطاش نفوسا وأردى الآل

I see the thirsty multiplying without limit, and I see

The most wretched thirsty souls, and the worst of mirages.

هيا الى العلم نكرع من موارده

هيا الى العلم نكرع من موارده

ونعقب الشرب إنهالا بإعلال

ونعقب الشرب إنهالا بإعلال

Come to learning: let us drink deeply from its springs,

And follow our first draught with a second.

لعلنا نقتفي أثر البشير به

لعلنا نقتفي أثر البشير به

في كل غرس له خصب واغلال

في كل غرس له خصب واغلال

Perhaps through it we may follow al-Bashir's footsteps

In every fertile, fruitful planting of his,

وما له من يد طولى وتوعية

وما له من يد طولى وتوعية

للشعب في الثورة العظمى وأعمال

للشعب في الثورة العظمى وأعمال

And in his outstanding service and efforts to enlighten

The people during the great revolution, and his deeds.

كم خطط الخطط المثلى لها وجلا

كم خطط الخطط المثلى لها وجلا

أهدافها وتحرى خير منوال

أهدافها وتحرى خير منوال

How often he devised the finest plans for it and made clear

Its goals, seeking the best course!

وجال في عاصمات الشرق منتصرا

وجال في عاصمات الشرق منتصرا

بالحمس من قادة فيها وأقوال

بالحمس من قادة فيها وأقوال

And traveled through the capitals of the East, seeking support

Through zealous leaders there and declarations.

حتى علت جبهة التحرير وانتصرت

حتى علت جبهة التحرير وانتصرت

وقررت وضع أوزار وأثقال

وقررت وضع أوزار وأثقال

Until the Liberation Front rose high and prevailed,

And resolved to lay down burdens and heavy loads.

واقبل الجيش مرفوع اللواء على

واقبل الجيش مرفوع اللواء على

أرض الجزائر طلق الوجه والبال

أرض الجزائر طلق الوجه والبال

The army came, its banner held high, onto

Algerian soil, bright of face and at ease of mind.

وكيف يهزم أبطال لنا شفعوا

وكيف يهزم أبطال لنا شفعوا

رمي الرصاص بتكبير وإهلال!

رمي الرصاص بتكبير وإهلال!

How could heroes of ours be defeated, who coupled

Gunfire with cries of God's greatness and declarations of His oneness!

فأورثوا الشعب تحرير البلاد كما

فأورثوا الشعب تحرير البلاد كما

باؤوا من الغاصب الجالي بأنفال

باؤوا من الغاصب الجالي بأنفال

Thus they bequeathed the country's liberation to the people, as

They returned with spoils from the departing usurper.

وكيف لا تذعن الدنيا لثورتنا

وكيف لا تذعن الدنيا لثورتنا

وقد بلت بأسنا في كل زلزال

وقد بلت بأسنا في كل زلزال

How could the world not yield to our revolution,

Having tested our valor in every upheaval?

وما لنا اليوم لا نلقي الرجاء على

وما لنا اليوم لا نلقي الرجاء على

حكم لنا ناهض عنا بأحمال

حكم لنا ناهض عنا بأحمال

Why, today, do we not place our hope in

Our government, rising to bear burdens on our behalf?