وُلِدْتُ بِلَيْلٍ مَا أَتَاهُ نَهَارُ
وَعِشْتُ حَيَاتِي وَالدُّمُوعُ بِحَارُ
I was born in a night unreached by day
And lived my life with tears an ocean deep
وَمَا مَرَّ يَوْمٌ وَالْمَآسِي كَلِيلَةٌ
وَلَمْ يَغْفُ فِي يَوْمٍ أَسًى وَدَمَارُ
Not a day passed without some tragedy
Nor a day of respite from sorrow and loss
وَحِينَ الصِّبَا صِرْتُ كَكَهْلٍ وَشَيْبَتِي
تُنَادِي الْوَرَى: عَذْبُ الْحَيَاةِ مَرَارُ
And though still young was aged beyond my years
With the world proclaiming life itself is bitter
فَلا طِفْلَ يَلْهُو لا شَبَابَ بِأُمَّةٍ
يُجَلِّلُهَا اللَّيْلُ الْبَهِيمُ وَعَارُ
No child plays, no glory-crowned youth thrives
Debased by the beastly night, shamed and disgraced
فَصِرْنَا شِيَاهًا وَالذِّئَابُ تَسُوسُنَا
وَصَارَتْ دِمَانَا فِي الْكُؤُوسِ تُدَارُ
Now elders all, by wolves set upon
Our lifeblood filling the cups we pass around
أُسَافِرُ فِي ذِكْرَى سِيَادَةِ أُمَّتِي
فَيَغْمُرُنِي بَرْدُ الْحَنِينِ وَنَارُ
I travel back through my nation’s faded glory
Chilled by longing, consumed by fires
فَأَغْرَقُ فِي بَحْرٍ مِنَ الْفِكْرِ حَائِرًا
بِهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ مَا لَهُنَّ قَرَارُ
Lost on a sea of anxious thought
Endless dark without respite
فَكَيْفَ أُعِيدُ الْمَجْدَ وَالظُّلْمُ حَالِكٌ
وَلِلْأُسْدِ لَوْ هَبُّوا رَدًى وَإِسَارُ؟!
How can I bring back that lost glory
When tyranny reigns and chains enfetter the lion?
وَكَيْفَ أُضِيءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالْبَدْرُ مُهْلَكٌ
فَإِنْ يَبْدُ نُورٌ فَالْفَنَاءُ خِيَارُ؟!
How can I light up the night when the moon lies shattered?
If light appears, is not oblivion preferable?
وَكَيْفَ أَفُكُّ الْفَجْرَ مِنْ قَيْدِهِ وَقَدْ
يَظُنُّ الْوَرَى أَنْ فِي الصَّبَاحِ خَسَارُ؟!
How can I free the dawn from its shackles
When people believe the morn brings but loss?
فَخُضْتُ الْمَآسِي وَالْعُبَابُ مُزَمْجِرٌ
وَصَارَعْتُ أَهْوَالاً؛ دَمٌ وَأُوَارُ
I have braved endless disasters, buffeted by storms
Battled terrors, blood and ruins
وَمَا لِنْتُ يَوْمًا لِلطُّغَاةِ فَلِي مُنًى
أَرَى أُمَّتِي عَزَّتْ وَسَادَ نَهَارُ
Never bowed to tyrants, I seek the day
When my nation stands proud in the sun
وَأَصْلَتُّ شِعْرِي وَالسُّيُوفُ بِغِمْدِهَا
فَمَا عَادَ لِلْحَقِّ السُّيُوفُ تَغَارُ
I sheathe the sword though words remain
No longer can the sword avenge truth’s violation
وَمَا عَادَ فُرْسَانٌ صَهِيلُ خُيُولِهِمْ
يُزَلْزِلُ أَرْضَ الطَّغْيِ، ذَلُّوا وَخَارُوا
The thunder of hooves no longer makes the earth
Quake under the tyrant’s heels, they cower, beaten
فَيَا وَيْلَهَا مِنْ أُمَّةٍ صَارَ عِزُّهَا
كَلامًا وَذِكْرَى وَالْفِعَالُ شَنَارُ
Woe to the nation whose pride resides
In words and memories, while deeds betray them
وَأَرْفَعُ رَايَاتِ الإِبَاءِ مُنَادِيًا
أَيَا أُمَّتِي إِنَّ الْمَذَلَّةَ عَارُ
I raise the banner of defiance, crying out
My nation, humiliation is a blight!
فَعُودُوا أُسُودًا لا حَيَاةَ لأُمَّةٍ
تَعِيشُ بِقِيعَانِ الْهَوَانِ تَحَارُ
Be lions again – no life for the nation
That huddles in cowardice, lost and confused
فَأَيْنَ النُّجُومُ الْهَادِيَاتُ بِذَا الدُّجَى؟!
وَأَيْنَ الأُسُودُ الضَّارِيَاتُ وَنَارُ؟!
Where are the guiding stars in this gloom?
Where are the fierce lions with teeth and claw?
