يا غادِياً بِبَريدِ الشامِ يَنتَحِبُ
ماذا دَهاكَ وَماذا أَنتَ مُحتَقِبُ
O passerby in the Levant grieving
Why are you so worried, what awaits you?
ما لِلحَقائِبِ وَلهى لا قَرارَ لَها
ماذا تَمُجُّ بِها الأَنباءُ وَالكُتُبُ
Why this restless wandering
What news and books do your bags contain?
إِنّي أَرى الدَمَ يجري من جَوانِبِها
فالأرضُ حولك مخضلٌّ ومختضبُ
I see blood flowing from their sides
The ground around you is crimson and painted
أنصت لتسمعَ ما ضمَّت جَوانِحُها
إِنّي لَأَسمَعُ فيها الحُزنَ يَصطَخِبُ
Listen to hear the sorrows held in their folds
I hear grief moaning within
أَفرِغ غَليلَ الأَسى ناراً عَلى كَبِدي
وَخَلِّ قَلبي لِأُخرى فيهِ تَلتَهِبُ
Unburden the anguish of sorrow like fire on my liver
And empty my heart for another blaze to ignite
هَذي لِمِصرَ تُؤَدّي الحَقَّ ناحِيَةً
وَتِلكَ لِلشامِ تَقضي مِنهُ ما يَجِبُ
This one carries Egypt's rights
And that one fulfills what Syria owes
هَمّانَ في كُلِّ جَنبٍ مِنهُما ضَرَمٌ
عالٍ وَفي كُلِّ عَينٍ واكِفٌ سَرِبُ
Both bear momentous affairs on each side
Sublime goals and vigilant companions in every eye
عاثَت يَدُ الشَرِّ بِالقُطرَينِ وَاِنطَلَقَت
في الأُمَّتَينِ عَوادي الدهرِ وَالنُوَبُ
The hand of evil has wreaked havoc on both nations
And let loose the cycles of fate upon the two peoples
تَغشاهُما زُمَراً تَحتَثُّها زُمَرٌ
تَرمي بِها عُصَبٌ تَقتادُها عُصَبُ
Horde follows horde in succession
Led by one faction against another rival faction
ضاقَ الفَضاءُ فَما يَمشي بِهِ نَفَسٌ
إِلّا يَكادُ عَلى الأَعقابِ يَنقَلِبُ
The space is too narrow for any soul to walk
Without stumbling backward over its steps
كَأَنَّ لِلمَرءَ مِن أَعضائِهِ رَصَداً
يَكادُ يَنقَضُّ مِن عَينَيهِ أَو يَثِبُ
It's as if each man has spies among his own limbs
About to pounce at him from his eyes or leap up
ما يَرهَبُ المَرءُ أَو يَرجو وَقَد نُكِبَت
مِنّا النُفوسُ بِعَيشٍ كُلُّهُ رَهَبُ
No hopes or fears can grip a man
When souls are bent by a life of dread throughout
أَعدى عَلى الشَرِّ يَومٌ مِنهُ مُحتَضَرٌ
لا خَيرَ فيهِ وَيَومٌ بَعدُ مُرتَقَبُ
One day evil takes its dying breath
With no good in it, while the next day looms ahead
يا أُمَّةً في رُبوعِ الشامِ يوحِشُها
عَيشٌ جَديبٌ وَرَبعٌ لِلمُنى خَرِبُ
O nation in the Levant's expanses made desolate
By meager living and a land of ruin for adversities
طاحَت بِآمالِها الخُضرِ اللِدانِ يَدٌ
خُضرُ الحَدائِقِ في إِعصارِها حَطَبُ
A vicious hand has felled its verdant boughs
The lush gardens are but firewood in its storm
عَسراءُ سَوداءُ يَجري مِن أَنامِلِها
حَتفُ الشُعوبِ وَيَهمي الوَيلُ وَالحَرَبُ
Difficult, gloomy, from its fingers flows
The ruin of nations and cries of woe and war
لا تَلمِسُ الأَرضَ إِلّا اِسوَدَّ جانِبُها
بَعدَ الضِياءِ وَجَفَّ الماءُ وَالعُشُبُ
When it touches the ground only its edges blacken
After sunshine, and water and grass are gone
ماذا لَقيتِ مِنَ القَومِ الأُلى كَفَرَت
مِمالِكُ الشَرقِ ما مَنّوا وَما وَهَبوا
What have you suffered from those ungrateful people
The tyrants of the East, their favors and gifts withheld
ظَنّوا الحَضارَةَ لا تَعدو مَنازِلَهُم
وَلا تُجاوِزَهُم أَيّانَ تَنتسِبُ
They thought civilization was theirs alone to keep
Never to extend beyond their borders however derived
وَأَنَّنا أُمَمٌ فَوضى مُضَلَّلَةٌ
تَظَلُّ في غَمَراتِ الجَهلِ تَضطَرِبُ
That we are confused misguided nations
Remaining in the darknesses of ignorance adrift
ضَجَّ الزَمانُ اِرتِياعاً مِن جَرائِرِها
وَذاقَتِ المُرَّ مِن أَخلاقِها الحِقَبُ
The times cried out in horror at their crimes
And generations tasted the bitter fruits of their morals
رَموا بِعَهدِكِ في هَوجاءَ عاصِفَةٍ
ما تُستَطاعُ وَلا يُرجى لَها طَلَبُ
They discarded your covenant in a fierce tempest
Beyond control or hope of reclaim
طارَت فَما عَلِقَت مِنها بِأَجنِحَةٍ
نُكبُ الرِياحِ وَلا هَمَّت بِها السُحُبُ
It flew off so not a feather remained attached
Despite the winds and the clouds' refrain
ضاعَ الحِمى وَاِستَباحَ الضَيمُ جانِبُكُم
أَينَ الحُماةُ وَأَينَ العَطفُ وَالحَدَبُ
Protection is gone and wrongdoing lays waste your side
Where are the protectors? Where is the compassion and zeal?
أَينَ المَواعيدُ تَستَهوي رَوائِعُها
مِنكُم نُفوساً أَبِيّاتٍ وَتَختَلِبُ
Where are the promises that captivated those among you
Of proud souls and discernment that persevere?
لا تَعجَبوا إِن رَأَيتُم مَوعِداً كَذِباً
إِنَّ السِياسَةَ مِن أَسمائِها الكَذِبُ
Do not wonder when you see an appointed time betrayed
For deception is politics' very nature and name
ماذا تُرَجّونَ مِن أَمنٍ وَمِن دَعَةٍ
المالُ يُسلَبُ وَالأَرواحُ تُنتَهَبُ
What stability or tranquility can you expect
When wealth is plundered and lives robbed away?
يا أُمَّةَ البَأسِ أَينَ البَأسُ يَمنَعُكُم
يا أُمَّةَ المَجدِ أَينَ المَجدُ وَالحَسَبُ
O nation of might, where lies your might?
O nation of glory, where is your glory and merit?
لا تَقبَلوا الضَيمَ وَاِحموا مِن مَحارِمِكُم
إِنَّ المَحارِمَ مِمّا تَمنَعُ العَرَبُ
Do not accept tyranny, safeguard your sanctities
For sanctities are what the Arabs forbid
إِنّي أَرى أُمَمَ الغَبراءِ يَشغَلُها
جِدُّ الأُمورِ فَلا لَهوٌ وَلا لَعِبُ
I see the smeared nations preoccupied
With grave affairs, no jesting or play
إِمّا الحَياةُ يَصونُ العِزُّ جانِبَها
عَنِ الهَوانِ وَإِمّا الحَتفُ وَالعَطَبُ
Either honor in life defending from disgrace
Or death and epitaphs will pave the way
وَيلي عَلى الجيرَةِ الغالينَ يَأخُذُهُم
مِن طارِقِ البُؤسِ حَتّى العُريُ وَالسَغَبُ
Woe to the neighbors who have been deceived
To suffer worldly blows and afflictions cruel and dire
أَزرى بِهِم مِن خُطوبِ الدَهرِ ما طَعِموا
وَغالَهُم مِن هُمومِ العَيشِ ما شَرِبوا
I wish upon them what of fate's disasters they've tasted
And loathe what bitter fruits of life they've tried
لَو أَنصَفوا البَأسَ لَم يَنزِل بِساحَتِهِم
ظُلمٌ وَلا شَفَّهُم هَمٌّ وَلا نَصَبُ
If they were just the blows would not have reached them
Nor would worries and toil have quenched their fire
لا يَعجَبِ الفاتِحُ المُغتَرُّ إِن غَضِبوا
إِنَّ الضَراغِمَ مِن أَخلاقِها الغَضَبُ
The arrogant conqueror should not be surprised if they rebel
For wrath is part of their very nature and fiber
كَأَنَّني لِلأَيامى الجازِعاتِ أَخٌ
وَلِليَتامى الأُلى مَلّوا الحَياةَ أَبُ
I am like a brother to the crying orphans
And to the barefoot destitute who have found life bitter
أَحنو وَأَعطِفُ لا مالٌ وَلا وَلَدٌ
لي بِالشَآمِ وَلا قُربى وَلا نَسَبُ
I yearn and pity though I've no wealth or children there
No family or lineage in Levant to deliver
ماهاجَني شَجَنٌ بِالشامِ أَطلُبُهُ
وَإِنَّما هاجَني الإِسلامُ وَالأَدَبُ
No passion stirs me for Syria though I seek it out
But Islam and dignity spur me to persevere
إِنَّ الحَضارَةَ دينُ اللَهِ نَعرِفُها
في مُحكَمِ الذِكرِ لا ظُلمٌ وَلا شَغَبُ
Civilization we know is God's religion
No injustice or turmoil in its clear unmodified texts
الناسُ أَهلٌ وَإِخوانٌ سَواسِيَةٌ
في كُلِّ شَيءٍ فَلا رَأسٌ وَلا ذَنبُ
People are equal family and brethren
In all things, neither head nor tail to inject
العَدلُ إِن حَكَموا وَالحَقُّ إِن طَلَبوا
وَالخَيرُ إِن عَمِلوا وَالبِرُّ إِن رَغِبوا
Justice if they rule, truth if they seek
Goodness if they act, righteousness if they aim
حَتّى لَو اِعوَجَّ في أَحكامِهِ عُمرٌ
هَبَّت تُقَوِّمُهُ الهِندِيَّةُ القُضُبُ
If Umar's rule veered into crooked lines
The staffs of India would straighten and adjust
الحُكمُ لِلَهِ فَرداً لا شَريكَ لَهُ
أَلا لَهُ المُلكُ وَالسُلطانُ وَالغَلَبُ
Judgment is God's alone, no partners has He
Verily His is the dominion, authority and triumph undefiled
أَقامَ لِلناسِ ديناً مِن جَلالَتِهِ
تَهوي التَماثيلُ عَن رُكنَيهِ وَالنُصُبُ
He established for mankind an exalted religion
Before which idols and statues are humbled and toppled
قُل لِلمُلوكِ أَفيقوا مِن وَساوِسِكُم
زالَت غَواشي العَمى وَاِنشَقَّتِ الحُجبُ
Tell the kings to wake from their delusions
The clouds of blindness are lifted and veils split
فَلا الشُعوبُ تُسامُ الخَسفَ مِن ضَعَةٍ
وَلا الحُقوقُ بِأَيدي العَسفِ تُغتَصَبُ
The people will not endure the disgrace of coercion
And rights will not be usurped by the hand of tyranny
أَشعَلتُمُ الحَربَ مِلءَ الأَرضِ ظالِمَةً
فَوضى المَذاهِبِ حَمقى ما لَها سَبَبُ
You have ignited an unjust war filling the earth
The chaos of creeds - pure folly with no cause or basis
إِذا تَدافَعَ فيها جَحفَلٌ لَجِبٌ
خاضَ الحُتوفَ إِلَيهِ جَحفَلٌ لَجِبُ
If one brazen horde clashes with another
Another horde will battle them fiercely head on
زَجّوا المَلايينَ في أَعماقِها أُمَماً
يوفونَ بِالنذرِ إِن عُدّوا وَإِن حُسِبوا
They have cast millions into its depths as fuel
To fulfill their vows whether counted or appraised
مِن كُلِّ أَهوَجَ قَذّافٍ بِأُمَّتهِ
في جَوفِ جَأواءِ يُذكيها وَيَجتَنِبُ
Every reckless charlatan sacrificing his nation
In a desolate wasteland he kindles and fans
تَدَفَّقَ الدَمُ لَم يَمدُد إِلَيهِ يَداً
وَلَم يَرُعهُ رُعافٌ مِنهُ يَنسَكِبُ
Blood flowed with no one extending a hand
No kinsman to check it or dam to inhibit its advance
أَقوَت خَزائِنُهُم فَاِستَحدَثوا وَرَقاً
يَهفو مَعَ الريحِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ نَشَبُ
Their treasuries were depleted so they manufactured new paper money
Blown by the winds but it is no more than scraps
زادوا بِهِ الحَربَ مِن جَهلٍ وَمِن نَزَقٍ
ما كَفَّ مِن مِثلِهِ وَاِستَنكَفَ الذَهَبُ
With it they exacerbated the ignorant, futile war
The like of which gold itself could not curb or diminish
ظَلَّت تَهونُ عَلى الأَيّامِ قيمَتُهُ
حَتّى تَرَفَّعَ عَنهُ التُربُ وَالخَشَبُ
Its value declined over days until
Dirt and wood became greater and more prized
يَبتاعُ ذو الأَلفِ مِنهُ حينَ يَملِكُها
أَدنى وَأَهوَنَ ما يُشرَى وَيُجتَلَبُ
A thousand units of it could purchase
The lowest and meanest goods that are bought and hauled
لَو فارَقَ الناسَ أَو طاحَ الزَوالُ بِهِ
إِذَن لَزالَ عَناءُ العَيشِ وَالتَعَبُ
If it left people or its collapse came about
Then the hardship of living and toil would depart
يا أُمَّةَ الشامِ هَل بِالشامِ مُبتَهِجٌ
وَالنيلُ مِن أَجلِكُم حَرّانُ مُكتَئِبُ
O people of Syria, does anyone rejoice in Syria
While the Nile grieves on your account, downcast and grim?
صونوا البِلادَ وَكونوا مَعشَراً صُبُراً
لا يَخطِفونَ جَناحَ الذُلِّ إِن نُكِبوا
Protect the country, and be patient as a group
Who will not grasp the wing of disgrace if defeated
دَعوا لِفَيصَلَ ما تُملي مَشيئَتُهُ
لا فَيصَلَ اليَومَ إِلّا المُرهَفُ الذَرِبُ
Leave Faisal's rule to what his destiny dictates
Today none triumphs except the fleet shadow-piercing steed
أَمسى مُعَنّى الأَماني ما تُصانُ لَهُ
تِلكَ العُهودُ وَلا يُقضى لَهُ أَرَبُ
The object of aspirations has become those pacts preserved
No other covenants will fulfill or make good their loss
لَم يَلبِسِ التاجَ حَتّى راحَ يَخلَعُهُ
مُشَرَّداً في فِجاجِ الأَرضِ يَغتَرِبُ
He donned the crown only to quickly discard it
Roaming desolate lands an outcast and dispossessed
كانَت أَمانِيَ أَو أَحلامَ ذي سِنَةٍ
طارَت فَلا أَمَمٌ مِنهُ وَلا كَثَبُ
Those were the dreams and hopes of one now aged
Flying away with neither aspirations nor vigor remaining
إِن يُفزِعِ النيلَ وَالأُردُنَّ ما بِهِما
فَبِالفُراتِ وَشَطَّي دِجلَةَ العَجَبُ
If he startles the Nile and Jordan by his actions
Then the Euphrates and the banks of the Tigris will be struck with awe
وَيحَ العِراقِ وَقَومٍ بِالعِراقِ عَلا
ضَجيجُهُم وَتَمادى مِنهُمُ الصَخَبُ
Rouse Iraq and the people of Iraq now lofty
Their tumult and continual uproar and fervor
طاشَ الرَجاءُ بِهِم فَالأَمرُ مُضطربٌ
فَوضى بِأَرجائِهِ وَالصَدعُ مُنشَعِبُ
Hope in them has been jolted so matters are disturbed
Chaos reigns throughout and rupture splits across
بَغدادُ تَنظُرُ وَالأَحشاءُ خافِقَةٌ
وَالعَينُ دافِقَةٌ وَالقَلبُ مُرتَقِبُ
Baghdad watches while her core trembles
Her eyes welling over, heart pounding with anticipation
أَينَ الرَشيدُ وَأَيّامٌ لَهُ سَلَفَت
أَينَ الحُماةُ وَأَينَ الفِتيَةُ النُجُبُ
Where is Harun al-Rashid and his reign long past?
Where are the protectors and the noble youth?
دارَ السَلامِ أَهَزَّتكِ الخُطوبُ أَسىً
لَمَّا فُجِعتِ بِهِم أَم هَزَّكِ الطَرَبُ
Abode of Peace, disasters have grieved you with sorrow
When you lost them, did that or passion's fever shake you?
أَينَ الحَضارَةُ يَحميها وَيَرفَعُها
لِلبَأسِ وَالعَدلِ مِنهُم مَعقِلٌ أَشِبُ
Where is the civilization they protected and raised
With might and justice, a stronghold and towering pillar?
جاءوا بِغَربِيَّةٍ ما لاحَ طالِعُها
في الشَرقِ حَتّى هَوَت عَن أُفقِهِ الشُهُبُ
They brought in an Occidentalism but its emergence
Was not seen in the East before its meteors blazed a trail
وَحشِيَّةِ الدارِ وَالأَنسابِ ما بَرَحَت
خَلفَ الطَرائِدِ في الآفاقِ تَنسَرِبُ
The ways of homeland and lineage they did not cease
Hunting prey in the horizons spreading far and wide
كُلُّ الشُعوبِ لَها في أَرضِهِ قَنَصٌ
وَكُلُّ ما مَلَكَت أَيمانُهُم سَلَبُ
All the peoples on their land are prey to conquer
And everything their hands have seized is booty robbed
تَمشي الضَرّاءَ تُصادينا وَآوِنَةً
تَنقَضُّ ضاحِيَةً يَعدو بِها الكَلَبُ
Oppression walks baiting us step by step
To pounce upon a blooming meadow where the dog roams free
هُبّوا بَني الشَرقِ لا نَومٌ وَلا لَعِبٌ
حَتّى تُعَدَّ القُوى أَو تُؤخَذَ الأُهَبُ
Rise, O sons of the East! No sleep or play
Until power is regained or grasped any way
ماذا تَظُنّونَ إِلّا أَن يُحاطَ بِكُم
فَلا يَكونُ لَكُم مَنجىً وَلا هَرَبُ
What can you expect but to be surrounded
With no refuge or escape left for you one day?
كونوا بِهِ أُمَّةً في الدَهرِ واحِدَةً
لا يَنظُرُ الغَربُ يَوماً كَيفَ تَحتَرِبُ
Be as one nation through time unified
Let not the West look to see you divided in war
الدينُ لِلَهِ لا الإِسلامُ يَصرِفُها
عَنِ الحَياةِ وَلا الأَوثانُ وَالصُلُبُ
Religion is God's not Islam to prohibit
Life's path nor statues and crosses from before
ما لِلسِياسَةِ تُؤذينا وَتُبعِدُنا
عَمّا يَضُمُّ قُوانا حينَ نَقتَرِبُ
Why should politics divide us and distance
What we should join when united and draw near?
أغرَت بِنا الخُلفَ حَتّى اِجتَاحَ قُوَّتَنا
وَطاحَ بِالشَرقِ ما تَجني وَتَرتَكِبُ
Discord has tempted us until it sapped our strength
And toppled the East with its harvests far and wide
تَقتادُ شَعباً إِلى شَعبٍ وَمَملَكَةً
في إِثرِ مَملَكَةٍ أُخرى وَتَجتَذِبُ
It takes one nation chasing another
And one kingdom on the heels of the next in its pull
أَغارَةً جَدَّ رُوّادُ السَلامِ بِها
لَولا الفَريسَةُ ما جَدّوا وَلا دَأَبوا
Those vultures feasting on peace were quickened
By nothing but the prey - else they would not strive
تَكَشَّفَ الغَربُ وَاِنصاحَت مَآرِبُهُ
فَلا الشُكوكُ تُواريها وَلا الرَيبُ
The West is exposed, its schemes manifest
No longer concealed by doubts or ambiguities' veil
لا عُذرَ لِلقَومِ إِن قُلتُ اِنفِروا فَأَبَوا
الحَزمُ مُستَنفِرٌ وَالرَأيُ مُنتَدَبُ
No excuse for the people if I say rise and they refuse
Prudence calls for mobilizing and thought is focused
سيروا بَني الشَرقِ في ظِلِّ الإِخاءِ عَسى
أَن تُفلِحوا وَلَعَلَّ الصَدعَ يَرتَئِبُ
March, O sons of the East, in brotherhood's shade so you may
Succeed, and perhaps the rift will mend
