هبblew الهواthe wind وشجاكand saddened you أنthat نسيمهits breeze
هب الهوا وشجاك أن نسيمه
فيon ضفةthe bank of الأَردنthe Jordan ريحa wind سمومscorching
في ضفة الأَردن ريح سموم
The wind blew, and it saddened you that its breeze
The winds of passion stirred you to forget
On the bank of the Jordan is a scorching wind.
That by Jordan's shore their breeze bears poison
وأناand I وأنتand you أذلmore abased منthan وتدa stake ومنand than
وأنا وأنت أذل من وتد ومن
عيرa donkey باسطبلin a stable الهوانof humiliation مقيمdwelling
عير باسطبل الهوان مقيم
And you and I are more abased than a stake, and than
While you and I are lower than a tent peg
A donkey dwelling in the stable of humiliation.
Among the vile who stable disgrace and reside
والشعبand the people أضيعmore neglected عندهمin their eyes منthan سائلa beggar
والشعب أضيع عندهم من سائل
قذرfilthy يمدstretches out ذراعهhis arm للئيمto a scoundrel
قذر يمد ذراعه للئيم
And the people are more neglected by them than a beggar,
The people are lost to them, more abject
Filthy, stretching his arm toward a scoundrel.
Than a filthy beggar extending his arm to the base
والمرهقوهand his oppressors علىat حسابthe expense of شقائهhis suffering
والمرهقوه على حساب شقائه
بمناعةin immunity منfrom بؤسهhis misery ونعيمand bliss
بمناعة من بؤسه ونعيم
And their oppressors, at their suffering's expense,
They exploit his misery to profit themselves
Are immune to their misery and live in bliss.
With the immunity their wretchedness and bounty allows
هبblew الهواthe wind فارتدso seek out لأَنفكfor your nose مرتعاًa pasture
هب الهوا فارتد لأَنفك مرتعاً
تعتزtake pride فيهin it منافذthe passages of الخيشومthe nose
تعتز فيه منافذ الخيشوم
The wind blew; seek a pasture for your nose,
Let passion's winds blow you back to yourself
Where the nasal passages take pride,
A pasture where your nostrils find pride
فيin نجدNajd حيثwhere المجدglory ينفحbreathes forth ظلهits shade
في نجد حيث المجد ينفح ظله
شمماًlofty pride بأنفinto the nose of الشيخthe sheikh والقيصومand the qaysum herb
شمماً بأنف الشيخ والقيصوم
In Najd, where glory's shade breathes
In Nejd where glory's shade still lingers
Lofty pride into the nose of the sheikh and the qaysum.
Catch its scent through the elder and youth's nose
ياO مدعيprosecutor عامpublic اللواءof the district بلاؤناour affliction
يا مدعي عام اللواء بلاؤنا
سيظلwill remain مهماhowever much خصصوهthey make it particular عموميgeneral; common to all
سيظل مهما خصصوه عمومي
O public prosecutor of the district, our affliction
O Public Prosecutor of our afflicted banner
Will remain general, however particular they make it.
Its stigma no matter how specified stays general
خلleave aside الجريمةthe crime إنindeed سرthe secret of وقوعهاits occurrence
خل الجريمة إن سر وقوعها
لوif رحتyou went تنشدهyou seek it تجدهyou would find it حكوميgovernmental
لو رحت تنشده تجده حكومي
Leave the crime aside; indeed, the secret of its occurrence—
Leave the crime be if its occurrence was secretive
If you went seeking it, you would find it governmental.
Seek it and you'll find it governmental
لاnot يستقيمbecomes straight الظلthe shadow ياO ابنson of أخيmy brother إذاif
لا يستقيم الظل يا ابن أخي إذا
ماemphatic particle after 'if' كانis أصلthe base of العودthe stick غيرnot قويمstraight
ما كان أصل العود غير قويم
The shadow cannot be straight, my nephew, if
A crooked trunk my brother's son stays bent
The base of the stick is not straight.
No matter how straight its shadow stands tall
زيتونolive trees برماBurma رغمdespite انفكyour nose (idiomatically, your will) داشرuntended
زيتون برما رغم انفك داشر
ماnot زالceased وهوand it كذاكlike that منذsince قديمlong ago
ما زال وهو كذاك منذ قديم
Burma's olive trees, in spite of you, stand untended;
Like a pepper tree in your face flourishing
They remain so, as they have long been.
As it always has since olden times
هبblew الهواthe wind وأناand I وأنتand you يهمناmatters to us
هب الهوا وأنا وأنت يهمنا
قبضreceiving المعاشthe pay بيومهon its day المعلومappointed; known
قبض المعاش بيومه المعلوم
The wind blew, and what matters to me and you is
Let the winds blow as you and I care
Collecting our pay on its appointed day.
To collect our fixed payday's wage
وحكومةand the government of السفهاءthe fools لمdid not نعرفwe know لهاfor it
وحكومة السفهاء لم نعرف لها
وجهاًa face بهذاin this الموطنhomeland المشؤومill-fated
وجهاً بهذا الموطن المشؤوم
And the government of fools—we have known no
We never knew this doomed homeland had
Face for it in this ill-fated homeland.
A wretched government's face to gauge
باعواthey sold البلادthe country وحضرتيand my esteemed self وجنابكمand your honored self
باعوا البلاد وحضرتي وجنابكم
لكنbut بلاwithout ثمنa price إلىto حاييمHayyim
لكن بلا ثمن إلى حاييم
They sold the country, my esteemed self, and your honored self,
They sold the country and you and I, good sirs
But for nothing, to Hayyim.
Yet for free to sly pickpockets and thieves
Sol 6.1