مِن حَقِّ رَكبِكَ أَن يَهُزَّ النيلا
وَيَشوقَ عَصرِكَ بَهجَةً وَالجيلا
Your caravan deserves to shake the Nile,
And your era longs for bliss and progeny.
أَرَضيتَ إِلّا بِالعُيونِ رَكائِباً
وَقَنِعتَ إِلّا بِالقُلوبِ سَبيلا
You were only pleased with processions for your eyes,
And you were only content with hearts as your path.
حَيَّت وُفودُ النيلِ مِنكَ مُوَقَّراً
يُزري بِأُبَّهَةِ المُلوكِ جَليلا
The Nile's delegations came to you, honored,
Wearing the splendor of magnificent kings.
لَمّا مَشى بَينَ المَواكِبِ لَم يَدَع
لِمُتَوَّجٍ عَرشاً وَلا إِكليلا
When he walked between processions, he left
No throne for a crowned head, no wreath.
تَمشي الجُموعُ إِلى إِمامِ هُداتِها
وَتَؤُمُّ شَيخَ حُماتِها المَأمولا
The masses walk to the imam of his guidance,
And the venerable sheikh of his hopes.
قُل لِلكِنانَةِ جَدَّ جِدُّكِ فَاِنظُري
أَتَرَينَ إِلّا سَيفَكِ المَسلولا
Tell pride, your grandfather is very proud, look
Do you see other than your drawn sword?
خوضي الغِمارَ إِلى الفُتوحِ نَرى لَها
غُرَراً تُضيءُ بِها الدُنى وَحُجولا
Venture into the unknown, we see for it
Secrets that illuminate the world and its expanses.
دَلَفَ الفَوارِسُ في لِوائِكِ حُسَّراً
وَمَضوا رَعيلاً لِلوَغى فَرعيلا
The knights raced in your banners delighted,
And went off in droves to the fray in droves.
يَتَقارَعونَ عَلى الشَهادَةِ أَيُّهُم
يُمسي لِطَهَ في الجِنانِ نَزيلا
They compete over martyrdom, which of them
Will spend evening in heavens, hosted.
أَمُعاوِدَ الأَوطانِ بَعدَ فِراقِها
أَنَوَيتَ إِلّا فُرقَةً وَرَحيلا
Have you reconsidered returning to the homelands after leaving them?
Have you intended anything but separation and departure?
مازِلتَ مُغتَرِبَ الأَسِنَّةِ وَالظُبى
فَمَتى تُريدُ مِنَ الجِهادِ قُفولا
You remained an exile of years and gazelles,
So when do you want return from jihad?
بَعُدَ القَرارُ فَسِر بِقَومِكَ هادِياً
وَاِطوِ المَدى ميلاً إِلَيهِ فَميلا
After settling down, travel with your people, guiding,
And urge the steed gradually, gently toward it.
قَصُرَت مَسافَتُهُ فَما بَرَحَ الأُلى
رَكِبوا الهَوى حَتّى تَباعَدَ طولا
Its distance shortened, but those consumed with passion did not stop,
They rode caprice until the road lengthened.
حَمَلوا الحِمايَةَ فَالبِلادُ مَروعَةٌ
وَالشَعبُ يَنظُرُ نَعشَهُ المَحمولا
They carried protection, so the countries are frightened,
And the people look upon their carried bier.
لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَهُم غَداةَ مَشَوا بِها
وَجَوانِبُ الوادي تَموجُ طُبولا
Had you witnessed them the morning they walked with it
And the valley's edges surged with drums.
أَيقَنتَ أَنَّ مِنَ الشُعوبِ أَجِنَّةً
وَعَلِمتَ أَنَّ مِنَ البِلادِ طُلولا
You would be certain that of the peoples are demons,
And you would know that of the lands are tyrants.
مَن غابَ عَنهُم مِن بَني الدُنيا فَما
عَرَفَ المَسيخَ وَلا رَأى عِزريلا
Whoever was absent from them of the people of this world,
Never knew the Messiah or saw Gabriel.
هُم فَرَّقوا الشَملَ الجَميعَ وَمَزَّقوا
ما أَلَّفَ الصيدُ الأُباةُ فُلولا
They severed the cohesion of all and tore apart
What the persistent fate had joined seamlessly.
لَو كُنتَ مِن ظُلَلِ الغَمامِ بِمَنزِلٍ
لَرَأَيتَ حِزباً أَو لَقيتَ قَبيلا
Had you been in the clouds' shadows, settled,
You would have seen a party or met a tribe.
ضَرَبوا الأُبُوَّةَ بِالبَنينِ وَقَطَّعوا
ما كانَ مِن أَرحامِهِم مَوصولا
They struck kinship with children and severed
What had been connected of their wombs.
الشَرُّ يَعصِفُ وَالعَدُوُّ بِغَبطَةٍ
وَالنيلُ يَهتِفُ بِالقُرى لِتَزولا
Evil storms and enemies rejoice
As the Nile shouts at the villages to disappear.
وَمُدَجَّجينَ رَمى الدُعاةُ سَوادَهُم
فَمَضوا سِهاماً لِلعِدى وَنُصولا
And the robed preachers aimed their darkness,
So they went off as arrows to the enemy, raiding.
طَلَبوا بَني أَعمامِهِم فَكَأَنَّما
طَلَبوا تِراتٍ عندَهم وَذُحولا
They sought the sons of their uncles, as if
They sought loot they possessed or preserve.
قُومٌ شَفوا غَيظَ العِدى وَسِياسَةٌ
لَم تُبقِ مِنهُم مَأرِباً أَو سولا
A people who quenched the enemy's wrath and a policy
That left none of them a conflict or authority.
أَخَذوا عَلى النيلِ السَبيلَ وَصادَفوا
شَعباً يَميلُ مَعَ الرِياحِ ذَلولا
They took the Nile's path and met
A people who sway with the winds, humble.
حَمَلوا إِلَيهِ الغولَ في اِستِقلالِهِم
فَسَلِ المَواكِبَ كَيفَ زَفّوا الغولا
They carried to it savagery in their independence,
So ask the processions how they marched carrying beasts.
تَفَتَرُّ عَن أَنيابِها وَكَأَنَّما
أَمسَت عُيونُ بَني الكِنانَةِ حولا
It relaxes its fangs, as if
The gazelles' eyes of the Kinana have become beasts.
لَولا المَدارِهُ يَدفَعونَ بَلاءَها
لَرَأَيتَ حُكمَ جُناتِها مَقبولا
Had it not been for the protection, they would have driven away its affliction,
You would have seen its rule desired.
اذكُر لَنا القَومَ الغُزاةَ وَحَيِّهِ
شَعباً أَبَرَّ عَلى الشُعوبِ نَبيلا
Remind us of the invading people and its awakened folk,
A people who excelled the peoples, noble.
عَدَتِ الذِئابُ فَهَبَّ مِن غَفَواتِهِ
يَبتَزُّ لِبدَتَهُ وَيَحمي الغيلا
The wolves returned, so it awoke from its slumber,
Snatching its garment and protecting the herd.
لَم يَستَنِم لِلغاصِبينَ وَلم يُرِد
يَوماً عَلى حُكمِ الجُفاةِ نُزولا
It never fell asleep for the usurpers and never wanted
To ever submit to the rule of the unjust.
وَإِذا اِستَبَدَّ الغاصِبونَ بِأُمَّةٍ
مُسِخَت وَبُدِّلَ خَلقُها تَبديلا
And if the usurpers dominated a nation,
It was distorted and its creation altered.
ما اِنفَكَّتِ الأَشلاءُ نَهبَ سُيوفِهِ
حَتّى تَدارَكَ شِلوَهُ المَأكولا
The remnants did not cease to be the spoils of its swords
Until it regained its dismembered, devoured parts.
فَزِعَت خُطوبُ الدَهرِ مِن سَطَواتِهِ
وَاِرتَدَّ صَرفُ الحادِثاتِ مَهولا
Misfortunes of fate cowered before its tyranny,
And the course of events turned, tremendous.
وَرَأَت شُعوبُ الأَرضِ مِن نَهضاتِهِ
مِلءَ العُقولِ الواعِياتِ ذُهولا
And the earth's peoples saw in its rising
Minds filled with astonishment, amazed.
قومي الأُلى صَحِبوا الصَوافِنَ فِتيَةً
وَقَضوا لُباناتِ السُيوفِ كُهولا
Arise, my dear ones, accompany the young men to the ships,
And fulfill the swords' needs, even as they age.
مَثَلُ الحَياةِ لِكُلِّ شَعبٍ باسِلٍ
لا يَستَكينُ وَلا يُريدُ نُكولا
The example of life for every stalwart people
Who neither cowers nor wants to submit.
صَلّى الإِلَهُ عَلى المَيامينِ الأُلى
نَصَروا النَبِيَّ وَأَيَّدوا التَنزيلا
May God bless the loyal ones who
Supported the Prophet and aided revelation.
أَدِرِ الحَديثَ وَرَوِّ مِن أَنبائِهِم
شَعباً يَزيدُ عَلى الزَمانِ غَليلا
Relay the news and narrate some of their tales,
A people who excel the times however long.
بَيِّن لَهُ مَعنى الثَباتِ فَلَيسَ مِن
خُلُقِ المُجاهِدِ أَن يَكونَ مُلولا
Explain to it the meaning of steadfastness, for it is not
In the nature of the mujahid to be apathetic.
وَإِذا نَظَرتَ إِلى المَمالِكِ لَم تَجِد
مِثلَ الثَباتِ عَلى الحَياةِ دَليلا
And if you look at the kingdoms, you will not find
Anything like steadfastness in life as evidence.
وَلَقَد رَأَيتَ الناهِضينَ فَهَل تَرى
إِلّا خَلائِقَ سَمحَةٍ وَعُقولا
And you have seen the risers, so do you see
Anything but gracious natures and intellects?
إِنّا لَنَذكُرُ لِلكِنانَةِ حَقَّها
وَنَرى الكَثيرَ مِنَ الوَفاءِ قَليلا
We do recall the Kinana's right,
And we see much loyalty as little.
نَأبى الكَرى حَتّى نَقومَ بِنَصرِها
وَنَرُدَّ غاصِبَ حَقِّها مَخذولا
We refuse doom until we aid it
And return its usurper vanquished.
عَهدٌ رَعى وَرَقَ الشَبيبَةِ وَاِنتَحى
ظِلَّ المَشيبِ فَطابَ مِنهُ مَقيلا
A promise kept, regardful of the youth and dignified
In the shade of old age, so its resting place is good.
لَسنا كَمَن جَهِلَ الحَياةَ رِوايَةً
تُعيي العُقولَ مَناظِراً وَفُصولا
We are not like one who is ignorant of life's tale
That wearies minds with scenes and chapters.
صُوَرٌ يَروعُكَ عَدُّها وَمَلاعِبٌ
تُلقي عَلَيكَ مِنَ الرِياءِ سُدولا
Forms whose number disturbs you and playthings
That cast pretense's veils upon you.
إِنّي أَعوذُ بِمَنصِبي وَمُروءَتي
مِن أَن أَكونَ الشاعِرَ الضَلِّيلا
I seek refuge in my position and chivalry
From being the misguided poet.
لِلحُرِّ أَخلاقٌ تَميلُ بِنَفسِهِ
عَن أَن يُغَيِّر عَهدَهُ وَيَحولا
The free have morals that incline themselves
From changing their promise and turning.
هِيَ صِبغَةُ الباري وَلَستَ تَرى لِما
صَبَغَ الَّذي بَرَأَ النُفوسَ نُصولا
It is God's coloring, and you do not see what
He who created souls colored transgressions.
وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الفاضِلينَ وَما بَنَوا
لِلغابِرينَ مِنَ القُرونِ الأُولى
And I have seen the virtuous and not built
For the perished of past generations,
فَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ مِنَ الرِجالِ ذَخائِراً
وَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ مِنَ الرِجالِ فُضولا
So I knew that of men are treasures,
And I knew that of men are excesses.
وَرَأَيتُ بَعضَ القَولِ دينَ هِدايَةٍ
يَأتي بِهِ الرَجُلُ الحَكيمُ رَسولا
And I saw some words as guiding faith,
Brought by the wise man, a messenger.
لَيسَ القَريضُ عَلى النُبوغِ بِنافِعٍ
حَتّى يَكونَ لِذي النُهى إِنجيلا
Boasting is not beneficial to brilliance
Unless it is an evangel for one of piety.
