أميطيcast off الغيبَabsence وادّرعيand don as armor الشُّهوداpresence
أميطي الغيبَ وادّرعي الشُّهودا
فمنfor among نَفَحاتِthe blessings عهدِكyour age أنthat يعوداit return
فمن نَفَحاتِ عهدِك أن يعودا
Cast off absence, and don presence as armor;
Reveal to me the unseen and adorn me with witnesses
for its return is among the blessings of your age.
So that the fragrances of your covenant may return
وماand no بالسمهريِّin the Samhari lance يغيبُit vanishes عيبٌshame
وما بالسمهريِّ يغيبُ عيبٌ
إذاwhen سكنَit lodges الجوانحَthe ribs والكُبوداand the livers
إذا سكنَ الجوانحَ والكُبودا
There is no shame in the Samhari lance's vanishing
How can blame disappear from Suhaymi
when it lodges in ribs and livers.
When sorrows settle in the heart and anguish
وهلand is there بالسَّهمِin the arrow نُكرٌanything blameworthy حينwhen يَمضيit flies
وهل بالسَّهمِ نُكرٌ حين يَمضي
فيُؤثِرُthen it prefers فيin مواقعهِits places of impact الرُّكوداstillness
فيُؤثِرُ في مواقعهِ الرُّكودا
And is there anything blameworthy in an arrow as it flies,
Is an arrow unknown when it passes
then chooses stillness where it strikes?
To leave its marks quiescent?
لأَنتِyou indeed سلاحُthe weapon كلِّevery فتىًyoung man أبيٍّproud
لأَنتِ سلاحُ كلِّ فتىً أبيٍّ
يَصولُhe charges فيصرعُand he fells البطلَthe champion النَّجيداthe valiant
يَصولُ فيصرعُ البطلَ النَّجيدا
You are indeed the weapon of every proud young man,
You are the weapon of every obstinate hero
who charges and fells the valiant champion.
Who rages and fells the staunch champion
يَحيدُturns aside عَنِfrom الكريهةِbattle كلُّevery وانٍweakling
يَحيدُ عَنِ الكريهةِ كلُّ وانٍ
وتَمنعهُand it prevents him الحميَّةُproud ardor أنfrom يحيداturning aside
وتَمنعهُ الحميَّةُ أن يحيدا
Every weakling turns away from battle,
Every weakling shies from the hated
but proud ardor keeps him from turning aside.
And his zeal prevents him from swerving
حثيثُswift الكرِّin the charge يستبقُhe outpaces المناياdeaths
حثيثُ الكرِّ يستبقُ المنايا
إذاwhen الفَرِقُthe frightened man الهَيُوبُthe timorous مشَىwalks الوئيداslowly
إذا الفَرِقُ الهَيُوبُ مشَى الوئيدا
Swift in the charge, he outpaces death,
The frequenter of war outstrips fate
when the frightened, timorous man walks slowly.
When the fearless squadron strides resolute
تضيقُgrows cramped بهaround him الوغَىbattle ضرباًwith striking وطعناًand thrusting
تضيقُ به الوغَى ضرباً وطعناً
ويعتنقand he grapples with الفوارسَthe horsemen مُستزيداseeking more
ويعتنق الفوارسَ مُستزيدا
The battlefield strains to contain his blows and thrusts,
The fray is too narrow for him, striking and stabbing
and he grapples with horsemen, seeking more.
And he hugs the horsemen seeking more
وليدُa child عَجاجةٍa cloud of battle-dust وعقيدُand sworn companion طاوٍa lean steed
وليدُ عَجاجةٍ وعقيدُ طاوٍ
يَصيدُhunts down عِنانُهhis reins الأجلَdeath الصَّيوداthe mighty hunter
يَصيدُ عِنانُه الأجلَ الصَّيودا
A child of battle-dust, sworn companion to a lean steed,
A scion of the rash and a leader of the valiant
his reins hunt down death, itself a mighty hunter.
His rein snatches relentless death
رِديenter الغَمَراتِthe perilous depths ناراًfire أوor ذُعافاًdeadly poison
رِدي الغَمَراتِ ناراً أو ذُعافاً
وذُودِيand drive onward القومَthe people إذwhen كرهواthey hated الوُروداcoming to drink
وذُودِي القومَ إذ كرهوا الوُرودا
Enter the perilous depths, fire or deadly poison,
Repel the downpours with fire or clouds
and drive the people onward when they shrink from coming to drink.
And protect the folk when they refuse to alight
إذاwhen ظَمِئَتْbecame thirsty نُفوسُهُمُtheir souls ارتويناwe drink our fill
إذا ظَمِئَتْ نُفوسُهُمُ ارتوينا
وروَّيناand we give drink to الأعنَّةَthe reins والبُنوداand the banners
وروَّينا الأعنَّةَ والبُنودا
When their souls thirst, we drink our fill,
When their souls thirst, let us water them
and give drink to the reins and banners.
And the structures and tents too
مناهلُwatering places تُنكِرُreject الوُرّادَthose coming to drink إلاunless
مناهلُ تُنكِرُ الوُرّادَ إلا
إذاwhen شربواthey drink الرَّدىdeath عالينlofty صيداproud with heads raised
إذا شربوا الرَّدى عالين صيدا
Watering places that reject those who come to drink, unless
The springs disavow all but the drawers
they drink death, lofty and proud.
Unless they have drunk the pure draft high
خُذيtake hold بِنُفوسناof our souls إذwhen كلُّevery نَفْسٍsoul
خُذي بِنُفوسنا إذ كلُّ نَفْسٍ
تَظُنُّthinks الجُبنَcowardice يُورِثُهاbequeaths it الخُلوداimmortality
تَظُنُّ الجُبنَ يُورِثُها الخُلودا
Take hold of our souls, when every soul
Take our souls when each soul
thinks cowardice will bequeath it immortality.
Thinks cowardice will grant it eternity
نَجودُwe are generous بهاwith them إذاwhen الأقوامُthe peoples ضَحُّواsacrifice
نَجودُ بها إذا الأقوامُ ضَحُّوا
بمصرَEgypt as a sacrifice ونيلِهاand her Nile كَرَماًin generosity وَجُوداand bounty
بمصرَ ونيلِها كَرَماً وَجُودا
We give them freely when the peoples sacrifice
We sacrifice them when the peoples vie
Egypt and her Nile, in generosity and bounty.
With Egypt's bounty and munificence
ونَنهضُand we rise لِلجهادِfor struggle إذاwhen تَولَّوْاthey turn away
ونَنهضُ لِلجهادِ إذا تَولَّوْا
وظَلُّواand they remain فيin مَجاثِمهمtheir roosts قُعوداseated
وظَلُّوا في مَجاثِمهم قُعودا
And we rise for struggle when they turn away,
And rise up for the struggle when they
and remain seated in their roosts.
Sit languidly in their large tents
تهادواthey exchanged gifts بالحمايةِof protection فيin رِداءٍa robe
تهادوا بالحمايةِ في رِداءٍ
يُريكَshows you بَياضُهits whiteness الأحداثَevents سوداblack
يُريكَ بَياضُه الأحداثَ سودا
They exchanged protection as a gift, wrapped in a robe
They pretended to protect her in a gown
whose whiteness shows you events in black.
Whose whiteness shows black events
وزَفُّوهاand they escorted her as a bride مُقنَّعةًveiled فزفُّواthus they escorted
وزَفُّوها مُقنَّعةً فزفُّوا
بهاwith her الأغلالَthe shackles شتَّىof various kinds والقُيوداand the chains
بها الأغلالَ شتَّى والقُيودا
And they escorted her veiled as a bride, thus escorting
And handed her over veiled, so they handed over
with her every kind of shackle and chain.
All sorts of chains and shackles
لئنif indeed حَملَcarried الحِمايةَprotection جالِبُوهاits bringers
لئن حَملَ الحِمايةَ جالِبُوها
لقدsurely حملواthey carried المَناياdeaths واللُّحوداand graves
لقد حملوا المَنايا واللُّحودا
If its bringers carried protection,
Bearing protection, they carried
they surely carried death and graves.
Death and perdition
هتكناwe tore away الحُجْبَthe veils والأستارَand the curtains عنهاfrom her
هتكنا الحُجْبَ والأستارَ عنها
ومزّقْناand we tore apart المطارفَthe bordered mantles والبُروداand the striped cloaks
ومزّقْنا المطارفَ والبُرودا
We tore the veils and curtains away from her,
We stripped the veils and screens from her
and rent the bordered mantles and striped cloaks.
And tore away the tents and curtains
فتلكfor those are مخالبُthe claws الأغوالِof ghouls فيهاwithin her
فتلك مخالبُ الأغوالِ فيها
وأنيابُand the fangs الأُلىof those who غلبواovercame الأسوداthe lions
وأنيابُ الأُلى غلبوا الأسودا
For there within her are the claws of ghouls,
Therein are the talons of beasts
and the fangs of those who overcame lions.
And fangs of howlers who worsted the lions
عَصَيْناwe disobeyed مِصرَEgypt إنif عَدَتِattacked العواديthe assailants
عَصَيْنا مِصرَ إن عَدَتِ العوادي
فلمand did not نَعْصِwe defy الهَوادةَappeasement والهُجوداand slumber
فلم نَعْصِ الهَوادةَ والهُجودا
We disobey Egypt if assailants attack
We disobeyed Egypt if the highlands rebelled
and we fail to defy appeasement and slumber.
But did not disobey concord and generosity
ولسناand we are not صفوةَthe choicest الأعلامِof the great men فيهاin her
ولسنا صفوةَ الأعلامِ فيها
إذاif لمnot نَمنعِwe defend العَلَمthe flag المجيداthe glorious
إذا لم نَمنعِ العَلَم المجيدا
Nor are we the finest of her great men,
We are not the elite of the flags therein
if we do not defend the glorious flag.
If we do not forbid the sublime flag
أَبيدِيdestroy الغدرَtreachery واكْتسحيand sweep away الجُحوداingratitude
أَبيدِي الغدرَ واكْتسحي الجُحودا
وزِيدِيand increase جَدَّناour glory الأعلىthe loftiest صُعوداin ascent
وزِيدِي جَدَّنا الأعلى صُعودا
Destroy treachery and sweep away ingratitude,
Destroy treachery and overcome spite
and raise our exalted glory higher still.
And increase our highest ascent
نُهِينُwe humble الغاصِبينَthe usurpers إذاwhen اسْتبدُّواthey act tyrannically
نُهِينُ الغاصِبينَ إذا اسْتبدُّوا
ونَأبَىand we refuse أنto نكونَbe لهمto them عبيداslaves
ونَأبَى أن نكونَ لهم عبيدا
We humble the usurpers when they act tyrannically,
We forbid the usurpers when they tyrannize
and refuse to be their slaves.
And refuse to be their slaves
ونَفْدِيand we ransom مِصرَEgypt بالمُهجاتِwith lives تُزْجَىsent forth
ونَفْدِي مِصرَ بالمُهجاتِ تُزْجَى
إذاwhen زَجّواthey send in الكتائبthe battalions والجنوداand the troops
إذا زَجّوا الكتائب والجنودا
And we ransom Egypt with lives sent forth
We ransom Egypt with our lives poured out
when they send in battalions and troops.
When they marshaled the regiments and armies
حَفِظناwe safeguarded حُرمةَthe sanctity الأبناءِof the children فيهاin her
حَفِظنا حُرمةَ الأبناءِ فيها
وأكرمناand we honored الأبوّةَfatherhood والجُدوداand the forefathers
وأكرمنا الأبوّةَ والجُدودا
We have safeguarded the sanctity of her children,
We preserved the sanctity of her children
and honored fatherhood and the forefathers.
And honored fatherhood and ancestry
بلادَland النّيلِof the Nile منwho يَجزيكِrepays you شرّاًwith evil
بلادَ النّيلِ من يَجزيكِ شرّاً
ومنand who يأبىrefuses لشعبكِfor your people أنto يسوداrule
ومن يأبى لشعبكِ أن يسودا
Land of the Nile, who repays you with evil,
Who can harm you, O land of the Nile
and who refuses to let your people rule?
And refuse your people mastery?
دعِيleave المُتهيِّبينَthe timid ولاand do not تخافيِfear
دعِي المُتهيِّبينَ ولا تخافيِ
علىfor اسْتقلالِكyour independence الخَصْمَthe foe العنيداthe stubborn
على اسْتقلالِك الخَصْمَ العنيدا
Leave the timid, and do not fear
Leave the cowards, fear not
the stubborn foe where your independence is concerned.
For your independence the stubborn foe
إليناto us إنif نَقِمتِyou resent الغَدرَtreachery منهمfrom them
إلينا إن نَقِمتِ الغَدرَ منهم
وأنكرتِand you reject التَّجهُّمscowling والصُّدوداand aversion
وأنكرتِ التَّجهُّم والصُّدودا
Turn to us, if you resent their treachery
If you resent their treachery towards you
and reject their scowling and aversion;
And disavow their frowning and estrangement
إلىto أعلامكِyour mountains الشُمِّthe lofty الرّواسيthe firmly rooted
إلى أعلامكِ الشُمِّ الرّواسي
إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle همَّis about to رُكنُكِyour pillar أنto يميداsway
إذا ما همَّ رُكنُكِ أن يميدا
to your lofty, immovable mountains,
To your lofty pillars, if your pillar thought
when your pillar is about to sway.
To lean
هَبِيgrant شرَفَthe honor الحياةِof life لناto us فإِنّاfor we
هَبِي شرَفَ الحياةِ لنا فإِنّا
مَنحناكِwe have given you المواهبَthe talents والجهوداand the efforts
مَنحناكِ المواهبَ والجهودا
Grant us the honor of life, for we
Grant us the nobility of life, for we
have given you our talents and efforts.
Granted you gifts and exertions
نَخُصُّكِwe single you out بالوَلاءِwith allegiance المحضِpure منّاfrom us
نَخُصُّكِ بالوَلاءِ المحضِ منّا
ونُؤثرُand we favor بالهَوىwith love الشّعبَthe people الوَدوداthe affectionate
ونُؤثرُ بالهَوى الشّعبَ الوَدودا
We reserve our pure allegiance for you,
We single you out with pure loyalty
and favor the loving people with our affection.
And give priority with love to the affectionate people
فمنso whoever يَطلبْseeks منfrom الأقوامِthe peoples عهداًa pledge
فمن يَطلبْ من الأقوامِ عهداً
فإنّthen indeed اللهَGod قدalready أخذَhas taken العهوداthe pledges
فإنّ اللهَ قد أخذَ العهودا
So whoever seeks a pledge from the peoples,
Whoever demands a pact from the peoples
then surely God has already taken the pledges.
God has already taken pacts