عَرشَO throne القَياصِرِthe tsars وَالقَضاءُand destiny إِذاwhen جَرىruns its course
عَرشَ القَياصِرِ وَالقَضاءُ إِذا جَرى
هَوَتِfell العُروشُthe thrones وَطارَتِand flew away التيجانُthe crowns
هَوَتِ العُروشُ وَطارَتِ التيجانُ
O throne of the tsars, when destiny runs its course,
The thrones of emperors shake when justice takes its course,
thrones fall, and crowns fly away.
Crowns topple as eras stand awed by its mighty force.
أَخَذَتكَseized you فيat عاليthe height of جَلالِكَyour splendor هِزَّةٌa tremor
أَخَذَتكَ في عالي جَلالِكَ هِزَّةٌ
صَعِقَتwere thunderstruck حِيالَbefore جَلالِهاits majesty الأَزمانُthe ages
صَعِقَت حِيالَ جَلالِها الأَزمانُ
A tremor seized you at the height of your splendor,
A tremor seized you in your pomp and grandeur,
before whose majesty the ages were thunderstruck.
Suns fluttered around you, realizing the stars betray.
خَفَقَتquivered حَوالَيكَaround you الشُموسُthe suns وَأَيقَنَتand knew for certain
خَفَقَت حَوالَيكَ الشُموسُ وَأَيقَنَت
أَنَّthat البُروجَthe towers تَخونُهاbetray them الأَركانُthe pillars
أَنَّ البُروجَ تَخونُها الأَركانُ
The suns quivered around you and knew for certain
It shattered all emperors, what time and fate broke you,
that the pillars were betraying the towers.
Michael and Peter exhausted themselves raising your tower,
صَدَعَshattered القَياصِرَthe tsars أَجمَعينَall of them وَهَدَّهُمand laid them low
صَدَعَ القَياصِرَ أَجمَعينَ وَهَدَّهُم
ماwhat هَدَّtore down مِنكَof you الدَهرُtime وَالحِدثانُand calamities
ما هَدَّ مِنكَ الدَهرُ وَالحِدثانُ
All the tsars were shattered and laid low
And Paul complained as Ivan groaned, but still they did not stop,
by what time and calamities had torn down in you.
Until the edifice cracked and the structure came apart.
أَلوىwrought ruin بِميخائيلَupon Mikhail فيكَin you وَبِطرُسٍand upon Peter
أَلوى بِميخائيلَ فيكَ وَبِطرُسٍ
ماwhat ذاقَtasted بولُسُPaul وَاِشتَكىand lamented إيفانُIvan
ما ذاقَ بولُسُ وَاِشتَكى إيفانُ
Within you, Mikhail and Peter were brought low
You kept seizing kingdoms, an archer without peer,
by what Paul tasted and Ivan lamented.
Until the One Judge struck you down without fear.
رَفَعواthey raised بِناءَكَyour structure صاعِدينَascending فَماbut not اِنتَهواthey stopped
رَفَعوا بِناءَكَ صاعِدينَ فَما اِنتَهوا
حَتّىuntil تَصَدَّعَsplit apart وَاِنتَهىand came to an end البُنيانُthe edifice
حَتّى تَصَدَّعَ وَاِنتَهى البُنيانُ
They raised your structure ever higher, but did not stop
A throne whose pillars quaked, so it crashed down despite its pride,
until it split apart and the edifice came to an end.
It challenged Him, provoking His wrath, so compliance drew near.
ماnot زِلتَyou ceased تَقتَنِصُyou hunt المَمالِكَthe kingdoms رامِياًtaking aim
ما زِلتَ تَقتَنِصُ المَمالِكَ رامِياً
حَتّىuntil رَماكَshot you down الواحِدُthe One الدَيّانُthe Judge
حَتّى رَماكَ الواحِدُ الدَيّانُ
You kept hunting kingdoms, taking aim,
The earth's people shuddered when it fell,
until the One, the Judge, shot you down.
Fates and lands shook as well.
عَرشٌa throne تَأَلَّبَتِmassed الرَواجِفُthe tremors حَولَهُaround it
عَرشٌ تَأَلَّبَتِ الرَواجِفُ حَولَهُ
فَهَوىso brought down بِشامِخِthe towering height of عِزِّهِits might الرَجفانُthe quaking
فَهَوى بِشامِخِ عِزِّهِ الرَجفانُ
A throne around which tremors massed;
Consider the glory and might of thrones,
then the quaking toppled its towering might.
In the Romanovs, see how disgrace comes full blown.
رامَتهُthey assailed it فَاِستَعلىthen rose haughtily فَجاشَso surged مَغيظُهاtheir wrath
رامَتهُ فَاِستَعلى فَجاشَ مَغيظُها
فدناthen sank low وَغالَand consumed إِباءَهُits defiance الإِذعانُsubmission
فدنا وَغالَ إِباءَهُ الإِذعانُ
They assailed it; it rose haughtily, and their wrath surged;
See how time and its whims despoil the emperors of their realm,
then it sank low, and submission consumed its defiance.
What was formidable now abandoned and alone.
ضَجَّتcried out شُعوبُpeoples of الأَرضِthe earth عِندَat هُوِيِّهِits fall
ضَجَّت شُعوبُ الأَرضِ عِندَ هُوِيِّهِ
وَاِرتَجَّتِand shook الأَقدارُthe fates وَالبُلدانُand the countries
وَاِرتَجَّتِ الأَقدارُ وَالبُلدانُ
The peoples of the earth cried out at its fall,
He who shook kingdoms with His might,
and fates and countries shook.
Now shakes with sorrow day and night.
انظُرlook إِلىat مَجدِglory of العُروشِthe thrones وَعِزِّهاand their might
انظُر إِلى مَجدِ العُروشِ وَعِزِّها
فيin آلِthe House of رومانوفَRomanov كَيفَhow يُهانُis humbled
في آلِ رومانوفَ كَيفَ يُهانُ
Look at the glory of thrones and their might,
His people and concerns revolted against Him,
how it is humbled in the House of Romanov.
So storms and volcanoes vent.
وَإِلىand at القَياصِرِthe tsars كَيفَhow يَسلُبُsteals مُلكَهُمtheir dominion
وَإِلى القَياصِرِ كَيفَ يَسلُبُ مُلكَهُم
رَيبُvicissitudes of الزَمانِtime وَصِرفُهُand its turns الخَوّانُtreacherous
رَيبُ الزَمانِ وَصِرفُهُ الخَوّانُ
And at the tsars—how their dominion is stolen
They worshiped Him for fear from His throne,
by time's vicissitudes and its treacherous turns.
Until it fell, revealing just a man.
إِنَّindeed الَّذيhe who هَزَّshook المَمالِكَthe kingdoms بَأسُهُhis might
إِنَّ الَّذي هَزَّ المَمالِكَ بَأسُهُ
أَمسَتhave come to تَهُزُّshake فُؤادَهُhis heart الأَشجانُthe sorrows
أَمسَت تَهُزُّ فُؤادَهُ الأَشجانُ
Indeed, he whose might shook kingdoms
People acquiesce to a point, but when recalcitrant,
now has his heart shaken by sorrows.
The obstinate relent and the wrathful grow compliant.
ثارَتrose in revolt عَلَيهِagainst him شُعوبُهُhis peoples وَهُمومُهُand his cares
ثارَت عَلَيهِ شُعوبُهُ وَهُمومُهُ
فَتَأَلَّبَso joined forces الطوفانُthe flood وَالبُركانُand the volcano
فَتَأَلَّبَ الطوفانُ وَالبُركانُ
His peoples and his cares rose against him,
When rule weighs all with a single scale,
so the flood and the volcano joined forces.
It cheats the people, as justice goes stale.
عَبَدوهُthey worshipped him فَوقَupon سَريرِهِhis throne مِنout of هَيبَةٍawe
عَبَدوهُ فَوقَ سَريرِهِ مِن هَيبَةٍ
حَتّىuntil هَوىhe fell فَإِذاand behold بِهِhe إِنسانُa human being
حَتّى هَوى فَإِذا بِهِ إِنسانُ
They worshipped him on his throne out of awe,
In the sanctuary of counsel, safety resides,
until he fell—and behold, he was a man.
Under its shade, all kingdoms find guard.
تَرضىacquiesce الشُعوبُthe peoples إِلىup to مَدىًa limit فَإِذاthen when أَبَتthey refuse
تَرضى الشُعوبُ إِلى مَدىً فَإِذا أَبَت
رِضِيَyielded الأَبِيُّthe defiant one وَطاوَعَand obeyed الغَضبانُthe angry one
رِضِيَ الأَبِيُّ وَطاوَعَ الغَضبانُ
The peoples acquiesce up to a point; then, when they refuse,
When people come together, fraternity abides,
the defiant one yields, and the angry one obeys.
Under one banner, as equals they stand.
وَالحُكمُand government إِنif وَزنَweighs الأُمورَaffairs بِواحِدٍby one person
وَالحُكمُ إِن وَزنَ الأُمورَ بِواحِدٍ
غَبَنَcheats الشُعوبَthe peoples وَخانَهُand betrays it الميزانُthe scales
غَبَنَ الشُعوبَ وَخانَهُ الميزانُ
And if government weighs affairs by one man's measure,
Opinion shines brightest when doubts dispel,
it cheats the peoples, and the scales betray it.
And reason illuminates all wells.
فيin عِصمَةِprotection of الشورىconsultation وَتَحتَand beneath ظِلالِهاits shade
في عِصمَةِ الشورى وَتَحتَ ظِلالِها
تُحمىare protected المَمالِكُthe kingdoms كُلُّهاall of them وَتُصانُand are preserved
تُحمى المَمالِكُ كُلُّها وَتُصانُ
Under the protection of consultation and beneath its shade,
Glory and grandeur belong to a nation
all kingdoms are protected and preserved.
True to its purpose, high of station.
تُدنيbrings closer الشُعوبَthe peoples إِذاwhen تَباعَدَdiverge أَمرُهاtheir affairs
تُدني الشُعوبَ إِذا تَباعَدَ أَمرُها
فَالكُلُّfor all تَحتَbeneath لِوائِهاits banner إِخوانُbrothers
فَالكُلُّ تَحتَ لِوائِها إِخوانُ
It draws the peoples close when their affairs diverge;
Defiance melted before it, others acquiesced,
for all are brothers beneath its banner.
So living in shame and life become oppress.
وَالرَأيُand judgment أَسطَعُbrightest ماever يَكونُit is إِذاwhen اِنجَلَتwere dispelled
وَالرَأيُ أَسطَعُ ما يَكونُ إِذا اِنجَلَت
شُبُهاتُهُits doubts وَأَضاءَهُand illuminated it البُرهانُproof
شُبُهاتُهُ وَأَضاءَهُ البُرهانُ
And judgment shines brightest when cleared of
God alone judges kingdoms,
its doubts and illuminated by proof.
For everything, there is a season and term.
المَجدُglory أَجمَعُall of it وَالجَلالُand majesty لِأُمَّةٍto a nation
المَجدُ أَجمَعُ وَالجَلالُ لِأُمَّةٍ
صَدَقَتproved true عَزيمَتُهاits resolve وَعَزَّand became exalted الشانُstanding
صَدَقَت عَزيمَتُها وَعَزَّ الشانُ
All glory and majesty belong to a nation
whose resolve is true and whose standing is exalted.
جَمَحَran unbridled الإِباءُproud defiance بِهاwith it وَأَذعَنَand submitted غَيرُهاothers besides it
جَمَحَ الإِباءُ بِها وَأَذعَنَ غَيرُها
فَالعَيشُso living ذُلٌّabasement وَالحَياةُand life هَوانُhumiliation
فَالعَيشُ ذُلٌّ وَالحَياةُ هَوانُ
Proud defiance bore it onward, while others submitted;
for them, living is abasement and life humiliation.
اللَهُGod يَحكُمُrules فيin المَمالِكِthe kingdoms وَحدَهُHe alone
اللَهُ يَحكُمُ في المَمالِكِ وَحدَهُ
وَلِكُلِّand for every شَيءٍthing مُدَّةٌa span وَأَوانُand an appointed time
وَلِكُلِّ شَيءٍ مُدَّةٌ وَأَوانُ
God alone rules over kingdoms,
and everything has its span and appointed time.
Partial English translation: 40 of 46 Arabic lines translated.