أَإِذاif...? أَنشَدتُI recite يوفيكَpays you in full نَشيديmy song
أَإِذا أَنشَدتُ يوفيكَ نَشيدي
حَقَّكَyour due الواجِبَrightfully owed ياO خَيرَbest شَهيدِmartyr
حَقَّكَ الواجِبَ يا خَيرَ شَهيدِ
If I sing, will my song pay you
your rightful due, O best of martyrs?
أَيُّwhat لَفظٍword يَسعَcan contain المَعنىthe meaning الَّذيthat
أَيُّ لَفظٍ يَسعَ المَعنى الَّذي
مِنكَfrom you أَستَوحيهِI draw it as inspiration ياO وَحيَinspiration of قَصيديmy verse
مِنكَ أَستَوحيهِ يا وَحيَ قَصيدي
What word can contain the meaning that
I draw from you, O inspiration of my verse?
لاnot يُحيطُencompasses الشِعرُpoetry فيماin what فيكَin you مِنof
لا يُحيطُ الشِعرُ فيما فيكَ مِن
خُلقٍcharacter زاكٍpure وَمِنand of عَزمٍresolve شَديدِstrong
خُلقٍ زاكٍ وَمِن عَزمٍ شَديدِ
Poetry cannot encompass what lies in you
of pure character and mighty resolve.
كَمُلَتwere perfected فيكَin you المُروءاتِthe noble virtues فَلَمso did not
كَمُلَت فيكَ المُروءاتِ فَلَم
يَبقَremain مِنهاof them زائِدٌanything extra لِلمُستَزيدِfor one seeking more
يَبقَ مِنها زائِدٌ لِلمُستَزيدِ
All noble virtues reached perfection in you, so
nothing was left over for anyone seeking more.
أَيُّهاO القائِدُcommander لِمwhy خَلَّفتَناyou left us behind
أَيُّها القائِدُ لِم خَلَّفتَنا
وَلِمَنand to whom وَلَّيتَdid you entrust تَصريفَthe command of الجُنودِthe troops
وَلِمَن وَلَّيتَ تَصريفَ الجُنودِ
O commander, why have you left us,
and to whom have you entrusted command of the troops?
أَقفَرbecame desolate المَيدانُthe battlefield مِنof فُرسانِهِits horsemen
أَقفَر المَيدانُ مِن فُرسانِهِ
وَخَلاand was emptied مِنof أَهلِهِits inhabitants غابَthe thicket of الأُسودِthe lions
وَخَلا مِن أَهلِهِ غابَ الأُسودِ
The battlefield is desolate, bereft of its horsemen,
and the lions' thicket is empty of its dwellers.
خَمدَتdied down نارٌa fire لَقَدindeed أَضرَمتَهاyou kindled it
خَمدَت نارٌ لَقَد أَضرَمتَها
لِعِدىًagainst enemies كانواthey were لَهاfor it بَعضpart of الوُقودِthe fuel
لِعِدىً كانوا لَها بَعض الوُقودِ
A fire has died down, one you kindled
against foes who were themselves part of its fuel.
وَالحِمىand the homeland قَدindeed ريعَwas terrified ياO ذُخرَtreasure of الحِمىthe homeland
وَالحِمى قَد ريعَ يا ذُخرَ الحِمى
وَغَداand became بَعدَكَafter you مَنقوصَdiminished الحُدودِthe borders
وَغَدا بَعدَكَ مَنقوصَ الحُدودِ
And the homeland is terrified, O treasure of the homeland,
and after you its borders have been diminished.
لَمnot أَكُنI was قَبلَكَbefore you أَدريknow ماwhat الَّذيthat which
لَم أَكُن قَبلَكَ أَدري ما الَّذي
يُرخِصُmakes cheap الدَمعَtears وَيوديand brings ruin بِالكُبودِto the livers
يُرخِصُ الدَمعَ وَيودي بِالكُبودِ
Before losing you, I did not know what
makes tears cheap and lays the livers waste.
إِنَّindeed يَوماًa day قَدindeed رُزِئناكَwe were bereaved of you بِهِon it
إِنَّ يَوماً قَد رُزِئناكَ بِهِ
جاعِلٌwill make أَيّامَناour days سوداًblack بِسودِupon black
جاعِلٌ أَيّامَنا سوداً بِسودِ
Indeed, the day on which we were bereaved of you
will make our days black upon black.
هَلَكَتperished نَفسُthe soul of الأَودَّاءِthe dear friends أِسىًin grief
هَلَكَت نَفسُ الأَودَّاءِ أِسىً
فيهِon it وَاِرتاحَتand found relief لَهُbecause of it نَفسُthe soul of اللَدودِthe bitter enemy
فيهِ وَاِرتاحَت لَهُ نَفسُ اللَدودِ
The souls of dear friends perished in grief
that day, while the bitter foe's soul found relief.
كُلُّevery بَيتٍhome لَكَfor you فيهِin it مَأتَمٌa mourning gathering
كُلُّ بَيتٍ لَكَ فيهِ مَأتَمٌ
يَندُبُlament الناسُthe people بِهِin it أَغلىthe dearest فَقيدِdeparted one
يَندُبُ الناسُ بِهِ أَغلى فَقيدِ
Every home holds a mourning gathering for you,
where people mourn their dearest departed.
لِلمُناجاةِfor whispered lament صَدىًan echo مُرتَجَعٌreverberating
لِلمُناجاةِ صَدىً مُرتَجَعٌ
فيin بِلادِthe lands of العُربِthe Arabs سَهلٍplains وَنُجودِand highlands
في بِلادِ العُربِ سَهلٍ وَنُجودِ
The whispered lament has a returning echo
in Arab lands, across plains and highlands.
بَرَزَتcame forth فيهاin them المُصوناتُthe sheltered women ضُحىًin the forenoon
بَرَزَت فيها المُصوناتُ ضُحىً
صارِخاتٍcrying out قارِعاتٍstriking لِلخُدودِat the cheeks
صارِخاتٍ قارِعاتٍ لِلخُدودِ
There, sheltered women came forth in the morning,
crying out and beating their cheeks:
وَاalas, O حبيبَbeloved of الأُمَّةِthe nation قَدindeed يَتَّمتَناyou have orphaned us
وَا حبيبَ الأُمَّةِ قَد يَتَّمتَنا
ياO أَباfather of كُلِّevery فَتاةٍgirl وَوَليدِand newborn
يا أَبا كُلِّ فَتاةٍ وَوَليدِ
Alas, beloved of the nation, you have orphaned us,
O father of every girl and newborn!
صَعَّدواthey sent aloft مِنfrom لَوعَةٍanguish زَفراتِهِمtheir sighs
صَعَّدوا مِن لَوعَةٍ زَفراتِهِم
فَأَذابَتso they melted قاسيَthe hard part of الصَخرthe rock الصَلودِunyielding
فَأَذابَت قاسيَ الصَخر الصَلودِ
They sent their sighs aloft in anguish,
and those sighs melted hard, unyielding rock.
جَعَلواthey made مِنfrom كُلِّevery صَدرٍbreast مَسكَناًa dwelling
جَعَلوا مِن كُلِّ صَدرٍ مَسكَناً
لِاِرتِفاعٍfor raising بِكَyou عَنabove سُكنىdwelling in اللُحودِthe graves
لِاِرتِفاعٍ بِكَ عَن سُكنى اللُحودِ
They made of every breast a dwelling
to raise you above dwelling in graves.
كُلُّevery قَلبٍheart لَكَfor you فيهِwithin it مصحَفٌa sacred volume
كُلُّ قَلبٍ لَكَ فيهِ مصحَفٌ
فيهِwithin it مِنof ذِكرِكَremembrance of you قُرآنُa Qur'an of خُلودِimmortality
فيهِ مِن ذِكرِكَ قُرآنُ خُلودِ
In every heart there is a sacred volume for you,
within it, a Qur'an of immortality in remembrance of you:
سوَرٌchapters قَدindeed فُصِّلتُwere set forth in detail آياتهاtheir verses
سوَرٌ قَد فُصِّلتُ آياتها
لَمnot تَزَلhave ceased تُتلىbeing recited عَلىthrough الدَهرِtime الأَبيدِeverlasting
لَم تَزَل تُتلى عَلى الدَهرِ الأَبيدِ
chapters whose verses have been set forth in detail,
unceasingly recited through everlasting time.
أَيُّهاO القائِدُcommander هذيthis ميتَةٌa death
أَيُّها القائِدُ هذي ميتَةٌ
طالَماfor so long رجَّيتهاyou hoped for it مُنذُsince بَعيدِlong ago
طالَما رجَّيتها مُنذُ بَعيدِ
O commander, this is a death
you had hoped for so long:
مَصرَعُthe fall of الأَبطالِthe heroes ماwhat is بَينَamid الحَديدthe steel
مَصرَعُ الأَبطالِ ما بَينَ الحَديد
فيin المَيادينِthe battlefields وَرَفّاتِand the fluttering of البُنودِthe banners
في المَيادينِ وَرَفّاتِ البُنودِ
the heroes' fall amid the steel,
on battlefields and amid the flutter of banners.
هذِهِthese أَعراسُهُمtheir weddings صَخّابَةٌclamorous
هذِهِ أَعراسُهُم صَخّابَةٌ
نَقرَةُthe beat of الدَفِّthe tambourine بِهاin them قَصفُthe crashing of الرُعودِthunderclaps
نَقرَةُ الدَفِّ بِها قَصفُ الرُعودِ
These are their clamorous weddings,
where the tambourine's beat is the crash of thunder.
فَيُرَوُّونَso they water الثَرىthe soil مِنwith دَمِهِمtheir blood
فَيُرَوُّونَ الثَرى مِن دَمِهِم
وَيُحنُّونَand they henna-stain بِهِwith it كَفَّthe palm of الصَعيدِthe earth
وَيُحنُّونَ بِهِ كَفَّ الصَعيدِ
So they water the soil with their blood
and henna-stain the earth's palm with it.
وَيُزَفُّونَand they are led in bridal procession عَلَيهِمupon them حُلَلٌrobes
وَيُزَفُّونَ عَلَيهِم حُلَلٌ
مِنof نَجيعِthe crimson blood of الحَربِwar تُزريput to shame بِالبُرودِthe striped cloaks
مِن نَجيعِ الحَربِ تُزري بِالبُرودِ
And they are led in bridal procession, wearing robes
of battle's crimson blood that put striped cloaks to shame.
هُمthey تَعاويذُtalismans of الحِمىthe homeland يُقصىis driven away بِهِمthrough them
هُم تَعاويذُ الحِمى يُقصى بِهِم
عَنهُfrom it مَكرُthe plotting of السوءِevil أَوor كَيدُthe guile of الحَسودِthe envious one
عَنهُ مَكرُ السوءِ أَو كَيدُ الحَسودِ
They are the homeland's talismans; through them are banished
from it evil plots or the envious man's guile.
تَحرِقُburn العاتيَthe tyrant أَنفاسُهُمtheir breaths
تَحرِقُ العاتيَ أَنفاسُهُم
وَيُذيبونَand they melt بِهاwith them غُلَّthe fetters of القُيودِbondage
وَيُذيبونَ بِها غُلَّ القُيودِ
Their breaths burn the tyrant,
and with them they melt the fetters of bondage.
وَعَلىand upon أَكتافِهِمtheir shoulders تُجنىare harvested المُنىhopes
وَعَلى أَكتافِهِم تُجنى المُنى
وَيُشادُand is raised الصَرحُthe edifice لِلعَيشِfor life الحَميدِnoble
وَيُشادُ الصَرحُ لِلعَيشِ الحَميدِ
And upon their shoulders hopes are harvested,
and the edifice of a noble life is raised.
ياO شَهيداًmartyr قَدindeed تَخِذناwe have taken قَبساًa flame
يا شَهيداً قَد تَخِذنا قَبساً
مِنهُfrom him يَهديناguiding us إِلىto النَهجِthe path السَديدِright
مِنهُ يَهدينا إِلى النَهجِ السَديدِ
O martyr, we have taken a flame
from you to guide us to the right path.
مَثَلٌan example أَنتَyou وَماand not أَنthat تُنتَسىyou be forgotten
مَثَلٌ أَنتَ وَما أَن تُنتَسى
لاnot تَنيcease تَرويكَtelling your story أَفواهُthe mouths of الوُجودِexistence
لا تَني تَرويكَ أَفواهُ الوُجودِ
You are an example, and you will never be forgotten;
the mouths of existence never cease telling your story.
مُتَّyou died فيin الحَربِwar شَريفاًhonorably لَمnot تُطِقyou could bear
مُتَّ في الحَربِ شَريفاً لَم تُطِق
رَبقَةَthe halter of الأَسرِcaptivity وَلاnor ذُلَّthe abasement of العَبيدِslaves
رَبقَةَ الأَسرِ وَلا ذُلَّ العَبيدِ
You died honorably in war, unable to endure
the halter of captivity or the abasement of slaves.
هكَذاthus العارُdishonor مَريرٌbitter وَردىًand death
هكَذا العارُ مَريرٌ وَردىً
وَالرَدىyet death لِلحَرِّfor the free man مَعسولhoney-sweet الوُرودِthe approach to water
وَالرَدى لِلحَرِّ مَعسول الوُرودِ
Thus dishonor is bitter and deadly,
yet death is a honeyed draught for the free man.
وَاalas, O حَبيبَbeloved of الأُمَّةِthe nation قَدnow أَصبَحَhas become الthe (continued next line)
وَا حَبيبَ الأُمَّةِ قَد أَصبَحَ ال
عيشُlife مِنfrom بَعدِكَafter you ليfor me جِدَّvery نَكيدِwretched
عيشُ مِن بَعدِكَ لي جِدَّ نَكيدِ
Alas, beloved of the nation, now
life after you is wretched indeed for me.
جَمِدَfroze الدَمعُtears بِعَينيin my eyes جَزعاًfrom anguish
جَمِدَ الدَمعُ بِعَيني جَزعاً
ياoh لِنارِfor the fire of القَلبِthe heart مِنfrom دَمعيmy tears الجَمودِfrozen
يا لِنارِ القَلبِ مِن دَمعي الجَمودِ
Tears froze in my eyes from anguish;
oh, the fire in my heart from my frozen tears!
فَأَذَبتَso you melted الروحَthe soul أَبكيكَI weep for you بِهاwith it
فَأَذَبتَ الروحَ أَبكيكَ بِها
بَدلَinstead of الدَمعِtears فَسالَتand so it flowed فيthrough نَشيديmy song
بَدلَ الدَمعِ فَسالَت في نَشيدي
So you melted my soul; with it I weep for you
instead of tears, and it flowed through my song.