خطبوكمُ يا آل عثمان جمَّةٌ
ولكنكم أقوى عليها وأقدرُ
Your suitors, O House of Osman, are legion,
Your trials, O House of Osman, are many,
But you are stronger than they, and abler.
But you are stronger against them and more capable.
أمن دولة مجهودة بفريسة
إلى أربع خوانةٍ تتنمَّرُ
Can an exhausted state be taken as prey
Is an exhausted state to be prey
By four treacherous states that swagger like beasts—
To four treacherous powers, acting like tigers?
مجمعة حول الذمار سريعة
إلى حتفها لو أنها تتذكر
Gathered swiftly around the homeland’s honor,
Mustered around the protected domain, hastening
Hastening to their doom, if only they remembered?
To their doom—if only they would remember!
توزَّع قلبي حبُّكم وهو غالبٌ
وحقدٌ على أعدائكم يتسعَّر
My heart is divided: love for you, which prevails,
My heart is divided between love for you, which prevails,
And rancor against your enemies, blazing ever fiercer.
And a blazing hatred of your enemies.
ولو كان لي بأس على قدر غيرتي
لكان لكم منه حصون وعسكر
Had I strength equal to my jealous ardor,
And if my might were equal to my zeal,
It would furnish you with fortresses and an army.
From it you would have fortresses and an army.
أجود بروحي غير أن سبيلَها
إليكم كما يأبى الهوى متعذِّر
I would freely give my life, but its path
I freely offer my soul, but its path
To you—however passion protests—is barred.
To you is barred, against love's wishes.
أتجري دمائي في مثار الأسى سدىً
وميدانُكم أولى بهن وأجدر
Shall my blood flow vainly where sorrow is stirred,
Must my blood flow in vain where sorrow is stirred,
When your battlefield has more right to it and is worthier?
When your battlefield is worthier of it, more deserving?
ثويت وأغلالي عليَّ شديدة
وما ليَ إلا أدمعٌ تتحدر
I remain here, my shackles heavy upon me,
I have remained, my shackles tight upon me,
With nothing but tears streaming down.
And I have nothing but tears streaming down.
متى يجد الحرُّ الأبيُّ مكانه
من الملك يمضي الأمر وهو مخيَّر
When will the proud, free man find his place
When will the free, unbowed man find his place
In sovereignty, executing commands of his own free will?
In power, carrying out commands while free to choose?
لقد آن أن يُجزى الطغاة بما جنوا
وآن لأهل الشرق أن يتدبروا
The time has come for tyrants to be repaid for what they have wrought,
The time has indeed come for tyrants to be requited for their crimes,
And for the people of the East to reflect.
And the time has come for the people of the East to reflect.
Sol 6.1