اللَهُGod أَكبَرُgreatest جَلَّhas grown grave الخَطبُthe calamity وَاِحتَكَمَتand have held sway
اللَهُ أَكبَرُ جَلَّ الخَطبُ وَاِحتَكَمَت
فيناover us العَواديthe adversities وَطاشَتand failed دونَهاbefore them الحِيَلُthe stratagems
فينا العَوادي وَطاشَت دونَها الحِيَلُ
God is greatest! The calamity has grown grave, and there hold sway
Allah is the Greatest, how grand the speeches are and they came to an end
Over us adversities; stratagems fail before them.
Our intents have failed us, and tricks have fallen short
حَربٌa war تَبيتُspend the night لَهاbefore it الأَفلاكُthe heavenly spheres ذاهِلَةًdazed
حَربٌ تَبيتُ لَها الأَفلاكُ ذاهِلَةً
حَيرىperplexed يُسايِرُهاaccompanies them الإِشفاقُapprehension وَالوَجَلُand dread
حَيرى يُسايِرُها الإِشفاقُ وَالوَجَلُ
A war before which the heavenly spheres spend the night dazed,
A war in which the galaxies are negligent
Perplexed, with apprehension and dread accompanying them.
Confusion accompanies it, and so does grief and anxiety
قَذّافَةٌhurling forth بِالمَناياwith deaths الحُمرِcrimson صارِخَةًshrieking
قَذّافَةٌ بِالمَنايا الحُمرِ صارِخَةً
مِلءَfilling الفجاجَthe broad passes حِثاثاًswiftly ماno بِهاin it مَهلُrespite
مِلءَ الفجاجَ حِثاثاً ما بِها مَهلُ
Hurling crimson deaths, shrieking,
A bombardment with red deaths screaming
Filling the broad passes, rushing without respite.
Filling the crevices with rubble, showing no respite
تَرفَضُّscatter مِنfrom حَولِهاaround it الآجالُappointed times of death جافِلَةًfleeing in fright
تَرفَضُّ مِن حَولِها الآجالُ جافِلَةً
تَظَلُّremain مِنfrom صَعَقاتِthunderclaps الهَولِterror تَختَبِلُbecome deranged
تَظَلُّ مِن صَعَقاتِ الهَولِ تَختَبِلُ
Death's appointed hours scatter from around it, fleeing in fright,
It rejects lifespans around it, indifferent
They remain maddened by terror's thunderclaps.
Remaining from the shocks of terror, wavering
ياOh لِلغُزاةِfor the warriors قِياماًstanding دونَin defense of بَيضَتِهِمtheir homeland
يا لِلغُزاةِ قِياماً دونَ بَيضَتِهِم
إِذاwhen هَوىfalls بَطَلٌa hero مِنهُمamong them سَماrises بَطَلُa hero
إِذا هَوى بَطَلٌ مِنهُم سَما بَطَلُ
Ah, the warriors, standing in defense of their homeland!
Oh for the invaders standing for their homeland
When a hero among them falls, another hero rises.
When one of their heroes falls, a hero rises
ياOh لِلشَهيدِfor the martyr بِدارِin the abode of الحَربِwar تَكنِفُهُsurround him
يا لِلشَهيدِ بِدارِ الحَربِ تَكنِفُهُ
فيهاin it المَلائِكَةُthe angels الأَبرارُrighteous وَالرُسُلُand the messengers
فيها المَلائِكَةُ الأَبرارُ وَالرُسُلُ
Ah, the martyr in the abode of war, surrounded
Oh for the martyr in the land of war, surrounded
There by righteous angels and messengers!
By the righteous angels and the messengers
ياOh لِلجَريحِfor the wounded man صَريعاًfallen لاno مِهادَbed لَهُfor him
يا لِلجَريحِ صَريعاً لا مِهادَ لَهُ
إِلّاexcept النَجيعُgore وَإِلّاand except النارُthe fire تَشتَعِلُblazes
إِلّا النَجيعُ وَإِلّا النارُ تَشتَعِلُ
Ah, the wounded man, fallen, with no bed for him
Oh for the wounded, fallen with no deathbed
Save gore, and save the blazing fire!
Except burning embers and igniting fire
ياOh لِلأَرامِلِfor the widows وَالأَيتامِand the orphans باكِيَةًweeping
يا لِلأَرامِلِ وَالأَيتامِ باكِيَةً
تَشكوlaments الطَوىhunger وَتَقومُand keeps vigil اللَيلَat night تَبتَهِلُsupplicates
تَشكو الطَوى وَتَقومُ اللَيلَ تَبتَهِلُ
Ah, the widows and orphans, weeping,
Oh for the widows and orphans crying
Lamenting hunger and keeping vigil at night in supplication!
Complaining of hardship and standing at night praying
ياOh لِلحِمىfor the homeland فَزِعَterrified الأَرجاءِthe quarters مُضطرِباًin turmoil
يا لِلحِمى فَزِعَ الأَرجاءِ مُضطرِباً
يَخافُfears عادِيَةَthe assault of القَومِthe people الأُلىwho جَهِلواacted ignorantly
يَخافُ عادِيَةَ القَومِ الأُلى جَهِلوا
Ah, the homeland, terrified in every quarter, in turmoil,
Oh for the protection, frightened in all directions
Fearing the assault of the people who have acted in ignorance!
Fearing the enemy tribes who are ignorant
بَنيsons of البُحَيرَةِal-Buhayra هَذاthis يَومُكُمyour day فَخُذواso take
بَني البُحَيرَةِ هَذا يَومُكُم فَخُذوا
أَعلىthe loftiest المَواقِفِpositions كَيماso that يَصدُقُcomes true الأَمَلُhope
أَعلى المَواقِفِ كَيما يَصدُقُ الأَمَلُ
Sons of al-Buhayra, this is your day: take
My people of the lake, this is your day so take
The loftiest positions, so that hope may be fulfilled.
The highest stands so hopes can prove true
تَدَفَّقواpour forth بِالنَوالِwith bounty الجَمِّabundant وَاِستَبِقواand vie with one another
تَدَفَّقوا بِالنَوالِ الجَمِّ وَاِستَبِقوا
فيin المَكرُماتِnoble deeds فَأَنتُمfor you are غَيثُهاtheir rain الهَطِلُpouring abundantly
في المَكرُماتِ فَأَنتُم غَيثُها الهَطِلُ
Pour forth abundant gifts, and vie with one another
Surge with abundant resolve and excel
In noble deeds, for you are their copious rain.
In noble deeds, for you are its pouring rain
إِنّاindeed we لَفيsurely in غَمرَةٍan overwhelming turmoil عَمياءَblind لَيسَthere is not لَهاfor it
إِنّا لَفي غَمرَةٍ عَمياءَ لَيسَ لَها
فيماin what تَقَدَّمَهاpreceded it شِبهٌa likeness وَلاand no مِثلُan equal
فيما تَقَدَّمَها شِبهٌ وَلا مِثلُ
We are indeed in a blind turmoil that has no
We are in deep dark blindness, with no equal before it
Likeness or equal in anything that came before it.
We jest and play while ruin stares at us, hastening behind us
نَلهوwe amuse ourselves وَنَلعَبُand we play وَالأَرزاءُand the calamities مُحدِقَةٌencircling
نَلهو وَنَلعَبُ وَالأَرزاءُ مُحدِقَةٌ
بِناaround us وَحاديand the camel-driver of الرَدىdeath فيin إِثرِناour wake عَجِلُhastening
بِنا وَحادي الرَدى في إِثرِنا عَجِلُ
We amuse ourselves and play, while calamities encircle
Far from my people to hope for their help
Us, and death's driver hastens in our wake.
Then they would be stingy or blameworthy for what they gave
حاشاfar be it لِقَومِيَfrom my people أَنthat تُرجىbe hoped for مَعونَتُهُمtheir aid
حاشا لِقَومِيَ أَن تُرجى مَعونَتُهُم
فَيَبخِلواthen they are miserly أَوor يُعابواthey are reproached بِالَّذيfor what بذَلواthey gave
فَيَبخِلوا أَو يُعابوا بِالَّذي بذَلوا
Far be it from my people, when their aid is hoped for,
I see abundant money in their treasuries
To be miserly, or be reproached for what they have given.
And I never knew them to be miserly when asked
إِنّيindeed I أَرىI see المالَwealth جَمّاًabundant فيin خَزائِنِهِمtheir coffers
إِنّي أَرى المالَ جَمّاً في خَزائِنِهِم
وَماand not عَهِدتُI have known بِهِمin them بُخلاًmiserliness إِذاwhen سُئِلواthey were asked
وَما عَهِدتُ بِهِم بُخلاً إِذا سُئِلوا
I see abundant wealth in their coffers,
Would the destitute poor give away his cloak
And I have never known them to be miserly when asked.
While one thriving in wealth withholds his plentiful living?
أَيَمنَحُdoes he give? البائِسُthe wretched man المِسكينُthe destitute man بُردَتَهُhis cloak
أَيَمنَحُ البائِسُ المِسكينُ بُردَتَهُ
وَيَمنَعُand withholds المالَwealth مُثرٍa wealthy man عَيشُهُhis life خَضِلُlush
وَيَمنَعُ المالَ مُثرٍ عَيشُهُ خَضِلُ
Does the wretched, destitute man give away his cloak,
My people, your wealth can be replaced
While a wealthy man, whose life is lush, withholds his wealth?
But your property can never be replaced
ياO قَومُpeople إِنَّindeed لَكُمfor you مِنin place of مالِكُمyour wealth بَدَلاًa replacement
يا قَومُ إِنَّ لَكُم مِن مالِكُم بَدَلاً
وَماand not لَكُمfor you أَبَداًever مِنin place of مُلكِكُمyour sovereignty بَدَلُa replacement
وَما لَكُم أَبَداً مِن مُلكِكُم بَدَلُ
O people, your wealth can indeed be replaced,
Hail the two rulers, may God hail their procession
But your sovereignty can never be replaced.
Wherever it settles and wherever it travels on
حَيّواsalute! الأَميرَينِthe two princes حَيّاmay He bless اللَهُGod رَكبَهُماtheir cavalcade
حَيّوا الأَميرَينِ حَيّا اللَهُ رَكبَهُما
أَنّىwherever اِستَقَرَّit settles وَأَنّىand wherever سارَit journeys يَنتَقِلُit moves onward
أَنّى اِستَقَرَّ وَأَنّى سارَ يَنتَقِلُ
Salute the two princes! May God bless their cavalcade,
They stood in Egypt like two brilliant lights, so
Wherever it settles and wherever it journeys onward.
The paths of guidance never go astray, though the paths twist
قاماthe two stood بِمِصرَin Egypt مَقامَthe place of النَيِّرَينِthe two luminaries فَماso not
قاما بِمِصرَ مَقامَ النَيِّرَينِ فَما
تَضِلُّit strays from سُبلَthe paths of الهُدىguidance إِنif رَابتِarouse doubt السُبُلُthe paths
تَضِلُّ سُبلَ الهُدى إِن رَابتِ السُبُلُ
In Egypt they took the place of the two luminaries, so it does not
Pillars of the Caliphate, if its supports were shaken
Stray from the paths of guidance, even if the roads arouse doubt.
By the blowing of events and the occurring of grave affairs
رُكناthe two pillars of الخِلافَةِthe Caliphate إِنif هَزَّتshake دَعائِمَهاits supports
رُكنا الخِلافَةِ إِن هَزَّت دَعائِمَها
هوجُthe tempests of الخُطوبِcalamities وَخيفَand is feared الحادِثُthe event الجَلَلُgrievous
هوجُ الخُطوبِ وَخيفَ الحادِثُ الجَلَلُ
The two pillars of the Caliphate, if its supports are shaken
With the like of what they did, nations survive when
By the tempests of calamity and a grievous event is feared.
Destiny bears down and its courses overflow
بِمِثلَthrough the like of ماwhat صَنَعاthe two did تَنجوare saved الشُعوبُthe peoples إِذاwhen
بِمِثلَ ما صَنَعا تَنجو الشُعوبُ إِذا
حُمَّis decreed القَضاءُfate وَتَحميand protect حَوضَهاtheir watering-place الدُوَلُthe states
حُمَّ القَضاءُ وَتَحمي حَوضَها الدُوَلُ
Through deeds like theirs, peoples are saved when
Excellent is the stand where the workers in it
Fate is decreed, and states defend their watering-place.
Become known, and excellent is the day in it where the man is recognized
نِعمَhow excellent المَقامُthe occasion يَبينُstand out العامِلونَthose who act بِهِin it
نِعمَ المَقامُ يَبينُ العامِلونَ بِهِ
وَحَبَّذاand how fine اليَومُthe day فيهِon it يُعرَفُis known الرَجُلُthe man
وَحَبَّذا اليَومُ فيهِ يُعرَفُ الرَجُلُ
How fine the occasion in which those who act stand out,
And how fine the day when a man's worth is known!
Partial English translation: 42 of 44 Arabic lines translated.