سَائلواAsk الأبطالَthe heroes هلwhether مَلُّواgrew weary of الكِفاحَاthe struggle
سَائلوا الأبطالَ هل مَلُّوا الكِفاحَا
يومon the day ألقواthey cast down فيon الميادينthe battlefields السّلاحاthe weapons
يوم ألقوا في الميادين السّلاحا
Ask the heroes whether they grew weary of the struggle
Ask the heroes, did they ever weary of the struggle
on the day they threw down their weapons on the battlefields.
When they cast their arms down on the battlefields?
أقبلadvanced القومُthe men يَجُرُّونَdragging الظُّبَىthe blades
أقبل القومُ يَجُرُّونَ الظُّبَى
ومَضَوْاand departed فَوْضَىin chaos يَجرُّونdragging الجِراحاthe wounds
ومَضَوْا فَوْضَى يَجرُّون الجِراحا
The men advanced, dragging their blades,
The people came dragging the slain,
and departed in chaos, dragging their wounds.
Their reckless onslaught dragging wounds.
الدَّمُthe blood المسفوحُspilled فيin آثارهمtheir tracks
الدَّمُ المسفوحُ في آثارهم
يملأfills الدُّنياthe world أنيناًwith moaning ونُواحاand lamentation
يملأ الدُّنيا أنيناً ونُواحا
The blood spilled in their wake
The blood they shed in their tracks
fills the world with moaning and lamentation.
Fills the world with groaning and lament.
ياO لواءًbanner عصفswept away اللهُGod بهِupon it
يا لواءً عصف اللهُ بهِ
واستباحand seized الحقُّjustice منهfrom it ماwhat استباحاseized
واستباح الحقُّ منه ما استباحا
O banner that God swept away,
O banner that God made tremble
and from which justice seized what it seized,
And truth seized from it what it seized!
كُنتَyou were بالأمسِyesterday علىabove هاماتهمtheir heads
كُنتَ بالأمسِ على هاماتهم
كجناحِlike the wing of النّسرِthe eagle عِزّاًin glory وَطِماحاand aspiration
كجناحِ النّسرِ عِزّاً وَطِماحا
Yesterday you stood above their heads,
Yesterday you were on their shoulders
like an eagle's wing in glory and soaring ambition.
Like an eagle’s wings, glory and aspiration.
غَالَكlaid you low النّسرُthe eagle الذيthat يطوِيenfolds القُوَىthe powers
غَالَك النّسرُ الذي يطوِي القُوَى
فيin جَنَاحَيْهِits two wings ويغتالand slays الرّياحاthe winds
في جَنَاحَيْهِ ويغتال الرّياحا
The eagle laid you low—the one that enfolds strength
The eagle that folds strength in its wings
within its two wings and slays the winds.
And ambushes the winds has outsoared you.
مَلكَmastered الجوَّthe sky ببأسٍwith might لمdid not يَدَعْleave
مَلكَ الجوَّ ببأسٍ لم يَدَعْ
فيهin it مَغْدىًa morning destination لِسواهُfor anyone but it أوor مَراحاan evening retreat
فيه مَغْدىً لِسواهُ أو مَراحا
It mastered the sky with a might that left
It ruled the air with might, leaving
no place there for another's morning venture or evening return.
No refuge in it or sanctuary for any but itself.
تزعمled الطّيرُthe birds وماand there is not منany دافعٍresister
تزعم الطّيرُ وما من دافعٍ
إنif قَضَىdecreed للطيرfor the birds أمراًa matter أوor تاحاordained
إن قَضَى للطير أمراً أو تاحا
It led the birds, with none to resist
It claims birds though none can prevent
if it decreed or ordained a matter for the birds.
What it decrees for birds or objects to.
زادهmay He increase it اللهُGod جلالاًin majesty إنّهindeed it
زاده اللهُ جلالاً إنّه
جَلَّلَclothed الآفاقَthe horizons يُمناًin good fortune وفلاحاand prosperity
جَلَّلَ الآفاقَ يُمناً وفلاحا
May God increase its majesty, for it
God has increased its glory—truly
has clothed the horizons in good fortune and prosperity.
It has adorned the horizons with felicity and success.
طَرَدَdrove away النَّحسَill fortune وماand what يَمنعُهprevents it
طَرَدَ النَّحسَ وما يَمنعُه
أنto يزيدincrease النّحسَill fortune طرداًin expulsion وَاكْتِساحاand sweeping away
أن يزيد النّحسَ طرداً وَاكْتِساحا
It drove ill fortune away, and what prevents it
It drove out misfortune, and nothing prevents it
from driving ill fortune farther off and sweeping it away?
From driving misfortune away more and trampling it.
أنعميfare well يادولةَO state of السَّعدِgood fortune صَباحَاin the morning
أنعمي يادولةَ السَّعدِ صَباحَا
وَاغْنَمِيand gain ماwhatever شئتِyou wish فوزاًvictory ونجاحاand success
وَاغْنَمِي ما شئتِ فوزاً ونجاحا
May your morning be happy, O state of good fortune,
Rejoice, State of Good Fortune, one morning,
and seize all the victory and success you desire.
And seize whatever success and victory you desire!
قُمْتِyou undertook بالحُكمِgovernance رشيداًwise صالحاًrighteous
قُمْتِ بالحُكمِ رشيداً صالحاً
فَاسْتَقرَّso settled الأمرُaffairs والشّعبُand the people اسْتَرَاحاfound rest
فَاسْتَقرَّ الأمرُ والشّعبُ اسْتَرَاحا
You established wise and righteous rule,
You came to rule, righteous and beneficial,
so affairs settled, and the people found rest.
And so the affair was settled and the people rested.
ماnot ابنُthe son of محمودMahmoud ولاnor أصحابُهhis companions
ما ابنُ محمود ولا أصحابُه
كالأُلىlike those who اجتاحواravaged قُوىthe strength of الشَّعبِthe people اجْتياحاutterly
كالأُلى اجتاحوا قُوى الشَّعبِ اجْتياحا
Neither Mahmoud's son nor his companions
Not Ibn Mahmud and his partisans
are like those who utterly ravaged the people's strength.
Who swept over the people’s strongholds like ruinous floods!
ظَلموهُthey wronged them حَاربوهُthey fought them نقمواthey resented
ظَلموهُ حَاربوهُ نقموا
أنthat يُريدَthey should desire الحقَّjustice أوor يرضىthey should accept الصّلاحاreform
أن يُريدَ الحقَّ أو يرضى الصّلاحا
They wronged the people, fought them, and resented
They wronged the people, fought them, resented
that they should desire justice or welcome reform.
That they sought truth or consented to propriety.
فتنةُthe temptation of الدجَّالِthe Dajjal (deceiver) كمhow many مِنof جاهلٍan ignorant man
فتنةُ الدجَّالِ كم مِن جاهلٍ
رَاحَwent يُلقِيcasting نَفسَهُhimself فيهاinto it فطاحاand so fell
رَاحَ يُلقِي نَفسَهُ فيها فطاحا
The Dajjal's temptation—how many an ignorant man
The delusion of the Antichrist—how many an ignoramus
went casting himself into it, only to fall!
Threw himself into it and fell prostrate!
للِكريمِfor the noble man الحُرِّthe free man منfrom أخلاقهِhis character
للِكريمِ الحُرِّ من أخلاقهِ
معقلٌa stronghold لاnot يبتغيhe seeks عنهaway from it بَراحاdeparture
معقلٌ لا يبتغي عنه بَراحا
The noble, free man has, in his character,
For the noble free man his character
a stronghold he never seeks to leave.
Is a stronghold he does not seek to abandon.
كلُّevery شيءٍthing باطلٌvain فيin حُكمهِhis judgment
كلُّ شيءٍ باطلٌ في حُكمهِ
غيرexcept ماwhat يُورِثهُbrings him المجدَglory الصُّرَاحاunalloyed
غير ما يُورِثهُ المجدَ الصُّرَاحا
Everything is vain in his judgment
Everything in their rule is invalid
except what brings him unalloyed glory.
Except what gives them clear glory.
أينwhere كبشُthe ram of القومthe people ماذاwhat نَابَهُbefell him
أين كبشُ القوم ماذا نَابَهُ
أَعراهُhas it afflicted him? الضّعفُweakness أمor عَافَhe shunned النِّطاحاthe clash of horns
أَعراهُ الضّعفُ أم عَافَ النِّطاحا
Where is the people's ram? What has befallen him?
Where is the ram of the tribe? What became of him?
Has weakness seized him, or has he shunned the clash of horns?
Did weakness denude him or did he stop butting?
طَعنَstabbed الدُّستورَthe constitution فيin مَقتلهِits vital spot
طَعنَ الدُّستورَ في مَقتلهِ
فَلَوىso twisted قَرْنَيْهِhis two horns مَنhe who يلوِيbends الرِّماحاthe spears
فَلَوى قَرْنَيْهِ مَن يلوِي الرِّماحا
He stabbed the constitution in its vital spot,
He stabbed the constitution in his death throes,
so he who bends spears twisted both his horns.
Twisting the horns of one who twists spears.
جُنَّwent mad بالحكمِfor rule وكانتand it was حاجةٌa desire
جُنَّ بالحكمِ وكانت حاجةٌ
لمdid not يُجاوِزْهاgo beyond it طِلاباًin seeking واقْتِراحاand requesting
لم يُجاوِزْها طِلاباً واقْتِراحا
He was mad for rule, and it was a desire
He was demented with power though the need
beyond which he never went in seeking or requesting.
Was for him not to exceed requesting and proposing.
قُلتُI said لمّاwhen نَالَهاhe attained it واعَجَبِيO my astonishment!
قُلتُ لمّا نَالَها واعَجَبِي
هَرمَhas grown old الدّهرُtime وماyet has not ملَّtired of المِزاحاjesting
هَرمَ الدّهرُ وما ملَّ المِزاحا
When he attained it, I said: How astonishing!
When he attained it I said—and wonder at me!—
Time has grown old, yet has not tired of jesting.
“Age has declined, nor has play ever wearied.”
يَسْتُرُhe conceals العَيْبَthe fault بِعَيْبٍwith a fault مِثلهِlike it
يَسْتُرُ العَيْبَ بِعَيْبٍ مِثلهِ
فهوso it يستشريspreads unchecked ويزدادُand increases افْتِضاحاin exposure
فهو يستشري ويزدادُ افْتِضاحا
He covers one fault with another like it,
He concealed a fault with its like,
so it spreads unchecked and grows ever more exposed.
So it spread and became more exposed.
سِيرَةٌconduct سَوْآىevil وحكمٌand rule فاجرٌwicked
سِيرَةٌ سَوْآى وحكمٌ فاجرٌ
ماnever رأيناwe have seen مِثلَهُlike it حُكماًa rule وَقاحاshameless
ما رأينا مِثلَهُ حُكماً وَقاحا
Evil conduct, and a wicked rule—
An irregular conduct and unjust rule
never have we seen rule so shameless as this.
The like of which we never saw, so insolent!
ياO ابْنَson of محمودٍMahmoud أَغِثْهاrescue her أُمَّةًa nation
يا ابْنَ محمودٍ أَغِثْها أُمَّةً
زَادَهاincreased her القومُthe men الْتِياعاًanguish والْتِياحاand thirst
زَادَها القومُ الْتِياعاً والْتِياحا
O son of Mahmoud, rescue her—a nation
O Ibn Mahmud, relieve a nation
whose anguish and thirst those men have increased.
Whose chiefs have plunged it into dispersion and dispersion!
جَمَحَran wild الحُمرُthe Reds وجاءتand came بعدهمafter them
جَمَحَ الحُمرُ وجاءت بعدهم
دَولةُthe government of الزُّرقِthe Blues فَفَاقتهمso it surpassed them جِماحاin unruliness
دَولةُ الزُّرقِ فَفَاقتهم جِماحا
The Reds ran wild, and after them came
The red donkeys came, then after them
the government of the Blues, surpassing them in unruliness.
The blue state—they surpassed them in exorbitance.
خَفضواthey lowered الهامَthe heads فلمَّاbut when جِئتَهاyou came to her
خَفضوا الهامَ فلمَّا جِئتَها
رَفعتْshe raised أعلامَهاher banners هاماًheads وراحاand palms
رَفعتْ أعلامَها هاماً وراحا
They brought heads low; but when you came to her,
They lowered the banners, but when you came to it
she raised her banners, with heads and hands held high.
It raised its flags loftily and at ease.
عَلَّمُوهاthey taught her كيفhow تلْغِيshe abolishes دينَهاher religion
عَلَّمُوها كيف تلْغِي دينَها
فهيso she لاdoes not تألوهspare it نَبْذاًrejection وَاطِّراحاand discarding
فهي لا تألوه نَبْذاً وَاطِّراحا
They taught her how to abolish her religion,
They taught it how to nullify its religion,
so she spares no effort to reject and cast it away.
So it does not refrain from discarding and casting off.
اهدِهاguide her المُثلَىthe best path وعَوِّدْهاand accustom her التُّقَىpiety
اهدِها المُثلَى وعَوِّدْها التُّقَى
وأَعِدْand restore أخلاقَهاher morals المَرْضَىailing صِحاحاhealthy
وأَعِدْ أخلاقَها المَرْضَى صِحاحا
Guide her to the best path, and accustom her to piety,
Guide it to the ideal, accustom it to piety,
and restore her ailing morals to health.
And restore its morals to health!
واتَّخِذْهاand adopt them ياO ابنَson of محمودٍMahmoud لهاfor her
واتَّخِذْها يا ابنَ محمودٍ لها
سُنَناًcustoms بِيضاًwhite وآداباًand manners سِماحاgracious
سُنَناً بِيضاً وآداباً سِماحا
And adopt them for her, O son of Mahmoud,
Take it, O Ibn Mahmud, and adopt for it
as bright customs and gracious manners.
Pure exemplars and gentle manners.
ماwhat عَلىَupon المُصلحِthe reformer يَأْبَىhe refuses ماwhat أَبَىrefused
ما عَلىَ المُصلحِ يَأْبَى ما أَبَى
قومُهhis people إنif لَجَّpersisted obstinately مُوتورٌan aggrieved man وصاحاand shouted
قومُه إن لَجَّ مُوتورٌ وصاحا
What blame lies on a reformer who refuses what
No obstacle deters the reformer from what
his people refused, if an aggrieved man persists and shouts?
His tribe resents if one corrupted clamors.
آلَHouse of محمودٍMahmoud عَرفناwe have known فَضْلَكُمْyour merit
آلَ محمودٍ عَرفنا فَضْلَكُمْ
فَجَزيناكُمْso we repaid you وَلاءًloyalty وامْتِدَاحاand praise
فَجَزيناكُمْ وَلاءً وامْتِدَاحا
House of Mahmoud, we have known your merit,
We know, House of Mahmud, your nobility,
so we repaid you with loyalty and praise.
So we requite you with loyalty and praise.
ماnot مَنعتُمْyou withheld مِصرَEgypt منfrom أنفسكمyourselves
ما مَنعتُمْ مِصرَ من أنفسكم
حَقَّهاher due الأَوفىthe fullest ولاnor كنتمyou were شِحاحاmiserly
حَقَّها الأَوفى ولا كنتم شِحاحا
You never withheld from Egypt, in giving of yourselves,
You did not deprive Egypt of yourselves—
her fullest due, nor were you miserly.
Its truest right—nor were you stingy.
شيمةُthe character of الشّيخthe elder المُصَفَّىthe unsullied ولدتgave birth to
شيمةُ الشّيخ المُصَفَّى ولدت
شِيَماًvirtues غُرًّاradiant وأحلاماًand minds رِجاحاdiscerning
شِيَماً غُرًّا وأحلاماً رِجاحا
The unsullied elder's character gave birth
The qualities of the immaculate Shaykh originated
to radiant virtues and discerning minds.
Pure qualities and lofty, weighty aspirations.
سَيِّدٌa lord عاليlofty in الذُّرَىthe heights نعرفُهwe know him
سَيِّدٌ عالي الذُّرَى نعرفُه
أوسعُmost spacious السّاداتِof the lords أكنافاًin shelter وساحاand courtyards
أوسعُ السّاداتِ أكنافاً وساحا
A lord of lofty heights, we know him
A lord of high lineage whom we know,
as the lord with the broadest shelter and courtyards.
The most magnanimous of lords, exalted and serene.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.