حُماةُ الوَغى أَينَ السَلامُ المُوَطَّدُ
وَأَينَ الوَصايا وَالذِمامُ المُؤَكَّدُ
Defenders of the glory, where is steadfast peace?
And where are the firm covenants and pacts?
عُهودٌ كَتَضليلِ الأَماني وَراءَها
وُعودٌ كَما طارَ الهَباءُ المُبَدَّدُ
Promises, like the delusions of hopes beyond them,
And vows, like scattered flying dust.
أَطالَت عَناءَ السَيفِ وَالسَيفُ مُغمَدٌ
وَطاحَت بِهِ في الرَوعِ وَهوَ مُجَرَّدُ
The sword has long inflicted torment while still sheathed,
And it fell upon the terrified while still stripped bare.
زَعَمتُم فَصَدَّقنا وَقُلتُم فَكَذَّبَت
أَفاعيلُ مِنكُم بادِئاتٌ وَعُوَّدُ
You claimed and we believed, you spoke and lies denied you,
Your actions initiated while we were disciplined.
كَأَنَّ الوَغى مَلهىً كَأَنَّ الرَدى هَوىً
كَأَنَّ الدَمَ الجاري شَرابٌ مُبَرَّدُ
As if violence is a playground, as if havoc is a passion,
As if spilt blood is a refreshing drink.
كَأَنَّ أَنينَ الهالِكينَ مُرَدَّداً
أَهازيجُ في أَسماعِكُم تَتَرَدَّدُ
As if the groans of the dying are, in your ears,
Echoing songs that keep repeating.
كَأَنَّ بَني حَوّاءَ تُزجى جُموعُهُم
إِلى حَومَةِ الحَربِ النعامُ المُطَرَّدُ
As if Eve’s children are driven, multitudes of them,
To war’s fierce furnace, driven ostriches.
كَأَنَّ كِتابَ اللَهِ لَغوٌ كَأَنَّكُم
عَلى الناسِ أَربابٌ تُطاعُ وَتُعبَدُ
As if God’s Book is nonsense, as if you
Are lords over people, obeyed and worshipped.
مَلَأتُم فِجاجَ الأَرضِ ناراً فَلَم تَبِت
مِنَ الخَوفِ إِلّا وَهيَ بِالناسِ مُيَّدُ
You have filled the horizons of the earth with a fire, so
In constant fear, peopled only with the outstretched.
فَفي مِصرَ زِلزالٌ وَلِلهِندِ وَقعَةٌ
وَبِالصينِ إِجفالٌ وَلِلشامِ مَوعِدُ
In Egypt, a tremor; the India, a calamity;
In China, darkness; and in Syria, an appointment.
لَئِن كانَ مَتنُ الجَوِّ بالحَتفِ موقَراً
فَإِنَّ عُبابَ البَحرِ بِالهَولِ مُزبدُ
If the atmosphere has been ennobled with the sword,
Then the abyss of the ocean rages in awe.
أَبَيتُم فَما يُلفى عَلى الأَرضِ مَهبِطٌ
لِناجٍ وَلا يُلفى إِلى النَجمِ مَصعَدُ
You refused, so there is no refuge to be found on earth
For anyone fleeing, or a way to ascend to a star.
أَماناً حُماةَ السِلمِ لا تَمسَحوا الدُنى
وَلا تَذبَحوا عُمرانَها وَهوَ يولَدُ
Guarantors of peace, do not erase the world
And do not slaughter its civilization as it is born!
عَبَثتُم بِآمالِ الشُعوبِ فَأَبغَضَت
مِنَ العَيشِ ما كانَت تُحِبُّ وَتَحمَدُ
You have trifled with the hopes of nations, so they have grown
To hate the life they once loved and praised.
لَئِن ضَجَّتِ الهُلّاكُ مِن نَكَدِ الرَدى
لَعيشُ الأُلى لَم يُطعَموا الهُلَكَ أَنكَدُ
If the wretched are noisy in their misery,
The tormented people were not served death more bitter.
نَبَت بِبَنيها الأَرضُ وَاِجتاحَ أَمنُهُم
حَثيثُ الرَدى يُفني النُفوسَ وَيَحصُدُ
The earth sprouted its children, and havoc at its peak
Consumes souls and reaps them.
وَجَفَّ مَعينُ المالِ فَالرِزقُ مُعوزٌ
وَإِن أَمعَنَ الساعي إِلى القوتِ يَجهَدُ
And the spring of money is dry, so provision is scarce,
And one seeking sustenance exerts himself to exhaustion.
تَزولُ تِجاراتُ البِلادِ وَتَنقَضي
وَتَفنى حَضاراتُ الشُعوبِ وَتَنفَدُ
The business of countries fails and comes to an end,
And the civilization of nations passes away.
فَواجِعُ هالَ اليَومَ وَالأَمسَ وَقعُها
وَريعَ لَه مِن قَبلِ أَن يولَدَ الغَدُ
The events of today and yesterday and their impact
And what they foretell before tomorrow is born!
تَوَدُّ الدَراري الطالِعاتُ لَوَ اَنَّها
مُحَجَّبَةٌ مِمّا تُراعي وَتَشهَدُ
The little girls wishing they had been
Hidden from what they witness and see.
كَأَنَّ نُجومَ السَعدِ غَضبى عَلى الدُنى
إِذا ضَمَّها يَومٌ مِنَ النَحسِ أُسودُ
As if the stars of fortune in days of ill fate
As if the world is embers and darkness from havoc,
كَأَنَّ الدُنى حُمراً وَسوداً مِنَ الوَغى
جَهَنَّمُ تُحمى لِلعُصاةِ وتوقَدُ
Hell, heated for the disobedient and kindled.
As if the tormented were pelted with calamities
كَأَنَّ الأُلى صَبّوا عَلى أَهلِها الرَدى
زَبانِيَةٌ مِنها حَديدٌ وَجَلمَدُ
Molten iron and solid lead from it.
Events that history has never witnessed before
وَقائِعُ لَم يَشهَد لَها الدَهرُ مَرَّةً
شَبائِهَ تُروى أَو نَظائِرَ تُعهَدُ
Are relayed, or precedents recounted.
If what people saw before was jest,
لَئِن كانَ هَزلاً ما رَأى الناسُ قَبلَها
فَتِلكَ الَّتي لا هَزلَ فيها وَلا دَدُ
Then this contains no jest or spouting.
The devils of war are preparing devices
أَقامَت شَياطينُ الحُروبِ مَلاوَةً
تُعِدُّ لَها أَعدادَها ثُمَّ تَحشُدُ
Measuring their numbers, then assembling troops.
They have invented ingenious weapons and supplies -
أَجَدَّت فُنوناً مِن سِلاحٍ وَعُدَّةٍ
لَدى مِثلِها تَخبو العُقولُ وَتَخمُدُ
Before their like, minds are dumbfounded and extinguished.
Armies are confused by their devastation
تَظَلُّ الجُيوشُ الغُلبُ مِن فَتَكاتِها
حَيارى يَهُبُّ المَوتُ فيها وَيركُدُ
While death there desires, lingers, and settles.
Havoc springs from them, so generations are not peaceful
يَثورُ الرَدى مِنها فَلا القِرنُ باسِلٌ
إِذا جَعَلتَ آجالَهُم تَتَمَرَّدُ
If you make their lifespans rebel.
With its decrees the prey surrenders to its judge
تدينُ الكماةُ الصيدُ طوعاً لحكمها
إذا جعلت آجالُهم تتمرَّدُ
If you make their lifespans rebel.
It brings together its implements while in chaos
تُقَرِّبُ مِن أَسبابِها وَهيَ نُزَّعٌ
وَتَجمَعُ مِن أَسرابِها وَهيَ شُرَّدُ
And assembles its flock while dispersed.
No soul has met its like of terror
فَما لَقِيت نَفسٌ مِنَ الهَولِ مِثلَها
وَلا أَبصَرَت عَينٌ وَلا صافَحَت يَدُ
Nor eye seen it nor hand clasped.
Wars whose burdens the ages stoop under
حُروبٌ يَظَلُّ الدَهرَ يَرزَحُ تَحتَها
عَلى أَنَّهُ ضَخمُ المَناكِبِ أَيِّدُ
Though it is massive-shouldered and powerful.
To it are driven those who have children, and for them
يُساقُ إِلَيها ذو البَنينِ فَما لَهُم
سِوى اليُتمِ والٍ بَعدَهُ يَتَفَقَّدُ
Is nought but orphanhood, then a needy successor.
They take refuge from the horror of separation with eyes
يَلوذونَ مِن هَولِ الفِراقِ بِأَعيُنٍ
تَمُجُّ الأَسى مِنهُ تُؤامٌ وَمُفرَدُ
Flooded with sorrow - lonely and unaccompanied.
With pent-up torment a horrified lament bursts forth
وَضَجَّت بِمَكتومِ الغَليلِ مَروعَةٌ
أَهابَ بِها الداعي فَطاحَ التَجَلُّدُ
Frightening the supplicant and arresting endurance.
If an eye thirsts for sleep, anguished grief keeps it awake
إِذا ظَمِئَت عَينٌ إِلى الغَمضِ ذادَها
مِنَ الهَمِّ مُهتاجٌ يَقومُ وَيَقعُدُ
Rising and sitting back down.
And if tenderaffection begins to smolder in it,
وَإِن هَوَّدَت في الوَجدِ مِنها حُشاشَةٌ
أَلَحَّت عَلَيها لَوعَةٌ ما تُهَوِّدُ
Then blazing agony persists unabated.
Their tears from the torment of separation converge
جَرى دَمعُها مِن رَوعَةِ البَينِ فَالتَقى
ذَليقانِ مَسلولٌ وَآخَرُ مُغمَدُ
Two naked blades, and a third still sheathed.
And havoc of sword and war is not heeded
وَما راعَ وَقعُ السَيفِ وَالحَربُ تَلتَظي
كَما راعَ وَقعُ الدَمعِ وَالبَينُ يَأفَدُ
As is havoc of tears and separation gather.
It went to havoc while the soul was distraught with sorrow
مَضى لِلوَغى وَالنَفسُ مِن لَوعَةِ النَوى
مُوَلَّهَةٌ وَالقَلبُ حَرّانُ مُكمَدُ
Infatuated but the heart scorching and extinguished.
When the walls and banners of the army came into view
فَلَمّا بَدَت شُمُّ الحُصونِ وَأَشرَقَت
لَياجُ وَماجَ الجَيشُ يَدنو وَيَبعُدُ
The troops approached and moved away.
It remembered in Berlin a home and sanctuary
تَذَكَّرَ في بَرلينَ أَهلاً وَمَعهَداً
وَقَد شَطَّ مِن بَرلينَ أَهلٌ وَمَعهَدُ
While from Berlin home and sanctuary have departed.
And there remains only war, its projectiles
وَلَم يَبقَ إِلّا الحَرب تَهوي رُجومُها
هُوِيّاً تُهالُ الأَرضُ مِنهُ وَترعدُ
Raining down, the earth quaking because of them.
Fires erupted on all sides from every launcher
تَفَجَّرَتِ النيرانُ مِن كُلِّ قاذِفٍ
بِأَرجائِها وَاِستَجمَعَ الدَمُ يَجمُدُ
As blood congealed between their confines.
The spirits there took flight, a chaos
وَطارَت بِها الأَرواحُ فَوضى يَضُمُّها
إِلى اللَهِ عَزرائيلُ وَاللَهُ يَرصُدُ
That God’s Azrael collects as God observes.
Projectiles fill the sky, pouring destruction,
قَذائِفُ مِلءَ الجَوِّ يَرمي حِثاثَها
مِنَ الحَتفِ ذي الأَهوالِ رامٍ مُسَدَّدُ
From a terrifying fate, a skilled sharpshooter.
When it afflicts fortresses, their heights crumble
إِذا ما أَلَمَّت بِالحُصونِ تَطايَرَت
ذُراها العُلى وَاِندَكَّ مِنها المُوَطَّدُ
And the solid is shaken at its foundations.
If another denies its destruction, then from destruction
إِذا جَحَدَت تَدميرَ أُخرى تَهابُها
أَتاها مِنَ التَدميرِ ما لَيسَ يُجحَدُ
Comes to it what cannot be denied.
If it storms them, entreaty does not benefit them
إِذا داهَمَتها لَم تُفِدها ضَراعَةٌ
وَلَو خَرَّ عاتيها عَلى الأَرضِ يَسجُدُ
Even if its victim bows to the ground in prostration.
It tries means of escape - perhaps it
تُحاوِلُ أَسبابَ الفِرارِ لَعَلَّها
تُغاثُ إِذا طارَت سِراعاً وَتُنجَدُ
Will be saved if it quickly takes flight.
It wishes it could nestle into a dove
تَوَدُّ اِرتِياعاً لَو حَوَتها حَمامَةٌ
وَغَيَّبها تَحتَ الجَناحَينِ هُدهُدُ
And hide beneath its wings a singing nightingale.
But the horizons are ruled by a soaring eagle
وَقَد مَلَكَ الآفاقَ نَسرٌ مُحَلِّقٌ
يَطوفُ بِأَكنافِ السُهى يَتَصَيَّدُ
Circling the lairs of prey, on the hunt.
It swoops down on it with misfortunes even if
يَشُدُّ عَلَيها بِالحُتوفِ وَلَو غَدَت
تُشَدُّ بِأَسبابِ السَماءِ وَتُعقَدُ
It could ascend by means of the heavens and knot them.
While another, when havoc loses its way
وَأُخرى إِذا زاغَ الرَدى عَن سَبيلِهِ
وَطاحَ بِهِ لَيلٌ مِن الشَكِّ أَربَدُ
And dark night befalls it, confused and cold
Lights up for it the darkness of the unknown
أَضاءَت لَهُ سودَ الغَياهِبِ وَاِنبَرَت
عَلى البُعدِ تَهديهِ السَبيلَ وَتُرشِدُ
Exposing from afar, guiding its path, leading the way.
When regiments weaponless are exposed
إِذا ما تَرَدَّت بِالسِلاحِ كَتيبَةٌ
تَكَشَّفَ مِن سَوآتِها المُتَغَمِّدُ
What they concealed armored is uncovered.
And if another resists the chaos in assembly
وَإِن أَجمَعَت أُخرى صُدوداً عَنِ الوَغى
أَتَتها خَيالاتُ الوَغى تَتَوَدَّدُ
Phantoms of chaos approach, threatening harm.
It warns in its burning agony while thrown into confusion
تُنَبِّهُ مِن لَوعَاتِها وَهيَ هُجَّدٌ
وَتَبعَثُ مِن رَوعَاتِها وَهيَ هُمَّدُ
And is roused in its distress while disconcerted.
From safe comfortable sleep it longs to have nested
تَوَدُّ مِنَ السُهدِ المُبَرِّحِ أَنَّها
حَواها مِنَ المَأثورَةِ البيضِ مَرقَدُ
In a guarded precious egg, a place to rest its head.
And its victim yearns for a sip of security
وَيَشتاقُ عانيها مِنَ الأَمنِ نَهلَةً
وَلَو أَنَّ أَطرافَ الأَسِنَّةِ مَورِدُ
Even if the tips of its ribs are the watering hole.
Brussels, guardian of Namur, stand firm
بُروكسلُ حامي عَن ذِمارِكِ وَاِثبُتي
فَإِن لَم يَكُن نَصرٌ فَمَجدٌ وَسُؤدُدُ
For even if no ally, glory and tribute belong to the steadfast!
Withstand, like the titans do in war, and be patient
قِفي وَقفَةَ الجَبّارِ في الحَربِ وَاِصبِري
وَإِن عَضَّ جَنبَيكِ الحِصارُ المُشَدَّدُ
Even if siege tightens your sides, severe and complex.
Do not deny, when iron hunger assails
وَلا تُنكري صَوبَ الحَديدِ إِذا اِنهَمى
دِراكاً كَصَوبِ المُزنِ أَو هُوَ أَجوَدُ
A provision like gifts or even better quality.
For that is the bride-price of conquest, and valour's courtship
فَذَلِكَ مَهرُ الفَتحِ وَالبَأسُ خاطِبٌ
وَتِلكَ حُلاهُ وَالفَخارُ المُقَلَّدُ
And that is its jewellery, pure metal conferred.
The lionized cities have never boasted a trinket,
وَما اِعتَزَّ هَيّابُ البِلادِ بِحِليَةٍ
وَلَو أَنَّ سَمطَيها جُمانٌ وَعَسجَدُ
Even if its necklaces are pearls and topaz.
None who was honorable has seen what you have achieved
فَمِثلُ الَّذي أَبلَيتِ لَم يَروِ مُبرِقٌ
وَمِثل الَّذي أَبلَيتِ لَم يَروِ مُبرِدُ
And none who was righteous has seen your equal.
All the people of the world pass as does
يَزولُ بَنو الدُنيا جَميعاً وتنقضي
أباطيلها والذكر باقٍ مخلَّدُ
Its vanities; only the reputable survive immortalized.
Take history’s scrolls white and inscribe upon them
خذي صحفَ التاريخِ بَيضاءَ وَاِكتُبي
مِنَ الفَخرِ ما أُملي عَلَيكِ وَأُنشِدُ
From glory what I recite and dictate to you!
You have exemplified for Namur steadfast preservation
سَنَنتِ لِنامورَ الحِفاظَ كَأَنَّما
تَبيتُ لَهُ الأَقدارُ حيرى تَبَلَّدُ
As if destiny keeps vigil plotting its intricate schemes.
Greetings to Namur while frustrated victory
سَلامٌ عَلى نامورَ وَالنَصرُ مُحنَقٌ
يَكيدُ لَها وَالجَيشُ غَضبانُ يَحقِدُ
Plots against it and the enraged army nurses resentment.
It called but was ignored, then it shouted but she turned away,
دَعاها فَلَم تَحفِل فَنادى فَأَعرَضَت
فَغيظَ فَلَجَّت فَاِنبَرى يَتَهَدَّدُ
So it became enraged and began to threaten forcefully.
She was not alarmed by what it intended and sought
فَما فَزِعَت مِمّا يُريدُ وَيَبتَغي
وَلا جَزَعَت مِمّا تُلَقّى وَتوعَدُ
Nor afraid of what confronted her and promised her.
It bombarded her while destiny’s arrows take frightened flight
رَماها فَطارَت مُهجَةُ الدَهرِ خيفَةً
وَقَرَّت فَما تَهفو وَلا تَتَمَيَّدُ
But she settles unafraid and does not waver.
