بَدَا نُورُ صُبْحٍ بِالْهُدَى مُتَنَفَّسِ
فَيَا حُسْنَهُ فِي أَعْيُنِ المُتَفَرِّسِ
The light of a new dawn shines with guidance,
taking deep breaths.
وَيَا فَرَحاً بَعْدَ الْغِيَابِ بِعَائِدٍ
دَنَا فَغَدَا مِنا بِمَرْأىً وَمَلْمَسِ
How beautiful it is in the eyes of the watcher!
How joyful after absence is the return of a loved one,
أَلاَ أَيُّها السَّاقِي وَصَهْبَاؤُهُ الْعُلَى
أَدِرْهَا فَمِنَّا كُلُّ ظمْآنَ مُحْتَسِ
who has come near and can now be seen and touched!
O cupbearer, give us your finest wine,
أَحَقّاً أَتَانا الدهْرُ بِالْبِشْرِ بَعْدَ مَا
رَمَانَا بِهِ مِنْ مُتْعِسٍ إِثْرَ مُتْعِسِ
for we are all thirsty.
Has time really brought us good news after sending
وَهَلْ رَجَعَتْ شَمْسُ الحَضَارَةِ بَعْدَمَا
طوَتْهَا دُهُورٌ فِي غَيَاهِبِ حِنْدِسِ
one misery after another?
Can the sun of civilization truly return after
رَعَى اللهُ مِنْ بِيضِ الغَوَانِي عَشِيرَةً
تمَرَّسْنَ بِالأَعْمَالِ خَيْرَ تَمَرُّسِ
ages have plunged it into deep darkness?
God has nurtured a group of radiant maidens
رَأَى فِي تَمَادِيهِنَّ قَوْمٌ تَهَوُّساً
وَبِالْعَقْلِ طُرّاً بَعْضُ هَذَا التهَوُّسِ
who excel in good deeds.
Some see recklessness in their ambitions,
أَجَلْ وَبِكلِّ المُكْثِرَاتِ مِنَ الحِلَى
دُمَى لاَبِسَاتِ المَجْدِ أَحْسَنَ مَلْبسِ
but reason shows this recklessness has merit.
They are an army for peace, their weapons
إِذَا وَسْوَسَتْ فِي صَدْرِ حَسْنَاءَ هِمةٌ
فَأَحْلَى سَمَاعٍ صَوْتُ حَلْيٍ مُوَسْوَسِ
rays of light under the sacred banner.
They march to war – and who can doubt victory
أُرَاهُنَّ جَيْشاً لِلسلاَمِ سِلاَحُهُ
مِنَ النَّورِ فِي ظِلِّ اللِّوَاءِ المُقَدَّسِ
when your swords, arrows and steeds charge forth?
Their endeavors are all sincere –
غَزَونْ وَهلْ فِي النَّصرِ شَكٌ إِذَا غَزَتْ
فَوَاتِكَ بِالأَسيَافِ وَالسَّمْرِ وَالْقَسِي
each has a lofty principle it will never compromise.
As they contemplate, their thoughts transcend propriety
نَقَايَا المَسَاعِي كُلُّهُنِّ حَصِيفَةٌ
لَهَا هَامَةٌ مَرْفُوعَةٌ لَمْ تُنَكَّسِ
but never overstep what is right and proper.
They are silent unless their actions speak for them,
وَتخْطِرُ لا تعْدُو الهُدَى خَطَرَاتُهَا
بِأَزْهَرَ مِنْ غُصْنٍ نَضِيرٍ وَأَمْيَسِ
and if they do speak, their words are sweet as honey.
Truly, the prosperity of a country depends on
وَتَسكتُ إِلاَّ مَا تَقُولُ فِعَالُهَا
فَإِنْ نَبَسَتْ أَرْوَتْ بِأَعْذَبِ مَنْبِسِ
what its people strive for at every gathering.
If some find talk of industry uncouth,
أَلاَ إِنَّ عُمْرَانَ البِلاَدِ بِما ابْتَغَتْ
فَعَالِنْ بِهِ فِي كُلِّ نادٍ وَمَجْلِسِ
I find it most delightful.
Help your brother as much as you can,
وَإِنَّ أَحَادِيثَ الصِّناعَةِ إِنْ يَجِدْ
بِهَا وَحْشةً قَوْمٌ لأَبْهَجُ مُؤْنِسِ
and wear clothes made by your own people.
Compete with them in what they do best
أَخاكَ فَناصِر مَا اسْتطَعْت بِقُوَّةٍ
وَثَوْبَكَ مِنْ مَنْسُوجِ أَهْلِك فالْبَسِ
so they surpass themselves each day.
You were invited – if you accept, you will gain dignity
وَنَافِسْ بِمَا هُمْ مُتْقِنُوهُ لِيُصْبِحُوَا
وهُمْ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مُعْقِبُوهُ بِأَنْفسِ
by right. If you refuse, you will gain only disgrace.
If it is said there is merit in gilded dress,
دُعِيتَ فَإِنْ لَبَّيتَ فَالْعِزَّ تكْتَسِي
بِحَقٍّ وَإِنْ خَالَفْتَ فَالْهُونَ تَكْتَسِي
say all merit lies in one whose fabric is unadorned.
Do not listen to the harmful claims of the foolish
وَإِنْ قِيلَ حُسْنٌ فِي جَلِيبٍ مُنَوَّعٍ
فَقُلْ كُلُّ حُسْنٍ فِي الأَصِيلِ المُجَنَّسِ
that threaten what is dear to you.
No calamity befalls a people worse than
وَلاَ تسْتَمعْ فِيما يَعودُ عَلَى الحِمَى
بِضُرٍّ دَعَاوَى أَخْرَقٍ مُتَنَطِّسِ
such vile claims and those who voice them.
Can a country and its people prosper
فَمَا تُبْتَلَى الأَقْوَامُ مِنْ سُفَهَائِهَا
بِأَنْكَدَ مِنْ هَذِي الدَّعَاوَى وَأَنْجَسِ
when fools are in charge?
When have you seen a people whose imports exceed exports
وَهَلْ مِنْ فَلاحٍ لِلْبِلاَدِ وَأَهْلِهَا
إِذا الشَّأنُ فِيهَا ساسَهُ أَلْفُ ريِّسِ
yet escape poverty and bankruptcy?
How can wealth be retained if it is spent
مَتَى تَرَ شَعْباً خَرْجُهُ فَوْقَ دَخْلِهِ
فذَلِكَ شَعْبٌ بَاتَ فِي حُكْمِ مُفْلِسِ
to feed the pits of ignorance and arrogance?
Let us beware of despair, the path to ruin,
وَكَيْفَ يُصَانُ المَالُ وَالبَذْلُ ذاهِبٌ
بِهِ فِي مَهَاوِي جَهْلِهِ وَالتَّغطْرُسِ
and of corrupting thoughts however alluring.
God never lets a land persist in corruption
لِنحذَرْ مِنَ اليَأْسِ الَّذِي دُونهُ الرَّدَى
وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَأْفُونٍ مِنَ الرَّأْيِ مُؤنِسِ
if its people fail to change their ways.
O radiant stars reaching for lofty aspirations
أَبَى اللهُ أَنْ يُلْفَى بِدَارٍ تَغَيُّرٌ
إِذَا لَمْ يُغَيِّرْ قَوْمُهَا مَا بِأَنْفُسِ
that long seemed out of grasp!
Build a new pride for your country on solid foundations –
فيَا أَلْمَعِيَّاتٍ تَلمَّسنَ لِلْحِمَى
مُنىً طَالَمَا عَزَّتْ عَلَى المُتلَمِّسِ
can any structure stand without a base?
Be united in purpose – give it the sanctity
فَأَسَّسنَ فَخْراً لِلبِلاَدِ مُجَدَّداً
وَهَلْ يَثْبُتُ البُنْيَانُ غَيْرَ مُؤسَّسِ
of a temple, the reverence of the sacred.
Thanks to you will flourish forever,
وَيَمَّمنَ قصْداً وَاحداً فَمَنَحْنَهُ
مَهَابَةَ مِحْرَابٍ وَحُرْمَةَ مَقْدِسِ
the most fragrant harvest of your efforts.
Gratitude, wherever directed, is one,
إِلَيكُنَّ حَمْداً سَوْفَ يَزْكُو عَلَى المَدَى
لَهُ فِي مَسَاعِيكُنَّ أَطْيَبُ مَغْرِسِ
the same to the ruled as to the ruler.
وَمَا الحَمْدُ إِلاَّ وَاحِدٌ فِي اتِّجَاهِهِ
سَوَاءٌ إِلَى المَرْؤُوسِ وَالمُتَرَئِّسِ
