ماذا يفيدُ المرءَ ليتَ وحبَّذا

ماذا يفيدُ المرءَ ليتَ وحبَّذا

إن لم يكن متأمِّراً ومُنَفِّذا

إن لم يكن متأمِّراً ومُنَفِّذا

What good are 'if only' and 'how fine!' to a man,

What good is it for a man, I wish

If he does not command and put commands into effect?

If he is not obedient and executing

فعليهِ أن يقوى ليُصبحَ سيداً

فعليهِ أن يقوى ليُصبحَ سيداً

ويقولَ باسمِ الحقِّ أفعل هكذا

ويقولَ باسمِ الحقِّ أفعل هكذا

So he must grow strong to become a master,

He must be strong to become a master

And say, in the name of right, 'I act thus.'

And say in the name of truth I will do thus

أوَ ما رأى بطشَ القديرِ وظلمَهُ

أوَ ما رأى بطشَ القديرِ وظلمَهُ

لما أغارَ بجندهِ واستَحوذا

لما أغارَ بجندهِ واستَحوذا

And has he not seen the mighty one's violence and injustice,

Or what he saw the might of the Almighty and his injustice

When he raided with his troops and seized control?

When He sent His troops and took control

الدَّهرُ أستاذٌ وفي تعليمهِ

الدَّهرُ أستاذٌ وفي تعليمهِ

ما صيَّرَ العيَّ المغفَّلَ جَهبذا

ما صيَّرَ العيَّ المغفَّلَ جَهبذا

Time is a teacher, and in its teaching

Time is a teacher and in its teaching

Is what has turned the inarticulate simpleton into an expert.

It made the ignorant become a fool

إن القويَّ يَرى أذاهُ عدالةً

إن القويَّ يَرى أذاهُ عدالةً

أما الضعيفُ فلا يلاقي مُنقِذا

أما الضعيفُ فلا يلاقي مُنقِذا

Indeed, the strong man sees the harm he does as justice;

The strong see their harm as justice

As for the weak man, he finds no rescuer.

As for the weak, they find no savior

والشعبُ مثلُ الفردِ في أطوارِهِ

والشعبُ مثلُ الفردِ في أطوارِهِ

إن يَقوَ قيلَ هَدى وإن يَضعف هَذى

إن يَقوَ قيلَ هَدى وإن يَضعف هَذى

And a people is like an individual in its phases:

And people are like individuals in their cycles

If it grows strong, they say, 'It guided aright'; if it weakens, 'It raved.'

If they are strong it is said they are guided and if they weaken they rave

وحياتُهُ من قوةٍ أدبيةٍ

وحياتُهُ من قوةٍ أدبيةٍ

فيها يرى وَسطَ العذابِ تلذذا

فيها يرى وَسطَ العذابِ تلذذا

And its life springs from moral strength,

And their life is of a moral strength

In which it finds delight amid torment.

In which amidst agony, bliss is seen