وأقبل القيصر بالمنشورِ

وأقبل القيصر بالمنشورِ

منادياً في سائر المعمورِ

منادياً في سائر المعمورِ

And the Kaiser came bearing his proclamation,

And the Tsar came forth with the proclamation,

calling out across all the inhabited world:

Calling out throughout the inhabited world:

أليس من تَوَحُّش الإنسانِ

أليس من تَوَحُّش الإنسانِ

في زمن التمدين والعرفانِ

في زمن التمدين والعرفانِ

Is it not part of humanity's savagery,

Is it not a sign of human savagery,

in this age of civilization and knowledge,

In an age of civilization and enlightenment,

أن يستعيد الهول فيما اخترعا

أن يستعيد الهول فيما اخترعا

وأن يزيد الشر فيما ابتدعا

وأن يزيد الشر فيما ابتدعا

that man revives horror through what he has invented,

To revive terror in what he has invented,

and magnifies evil through what he has devised?

And to increase evil in what he has devised?

ما سرعة السفين فوق الماءِ

ما سرعة السفين فوق الماءِ

وخفة القباب في الهواءِ

وخفة القباب في الهواءِ

What good is the speed of ships upon the water,

What use is the speed of ships upon the water,

or the lightness of airships in the sky,

And the lightness of domed balloons in the air,

إن كان للتدمير والتخريبِ

إن كان للتدمير والتخريبِ

براعة التصعيد والتصويبِ

براعة التصعيد والتصويبِ

if it is for destruction and devastation—

If destruction and devastation are the purpose

this mastery of ascent and aiming?

Of skill in ascent and descent?

وما صواب مشرط الجراحِ

وما صواب مشرط الجراحِ

في عرضة لصارم السفاحِ

في عرضة لصارم السفاحِ

And what good is the surgeon's scalpel

And what use is the precision of the surgeon's scalpel

when exposed to the slaughterer's sharp sword?

When exposed to the slaughterer's sharp sword?

هل ينجح الطبُّ الحديث في جسدْ

هل ينجح الطبُّ الحديث في جسدْ

عِلّتُه الحقدُ المميتُ والحسدْ

عِلّتُه الحقدُ المميتُ والحسدْ

Can modern medicine succeed in a body

Can modern medicine succeed in a body

whose sickness is deadly rancor and envy?

Whose ailment is deadly hatred and envy?

لا شرَّف الجثمانَ عقل رائعُ

لا شرَّف الجثمانَ عقل رائعُ

إن لم تهذَّب قلبه الوقائعُ

إن لم تهذَّب قلبه الوقائعُ

No splendid mind ennobles the body

No brilliant mind ennobles the body

if events have not refined its heart.

If events have not refined its heart.

ما أحسن النور بغير نارِ

ما أحسن النور بغير نارِ

وأجمل البحر بلا إعصارِ

وأجمل البحر بلا إعصارِ

How lovely is light without fire,

How beautiful light is without fire!

and how beautiful the sea without a hurricane!

And how lovely the sea without a hurricane!

واجتمع الدهاة في المؤتمرِ

واجتمع الدهاة في المؤتمرِ

وكل مندوب شديد الحذرِ

وكل مندوب شديد الحذرِ

The astute statesmen assembled at the conference,

And the shrewd men gathered at the conference,

every delegate exceedingly cautious.

And every delegate was intensely wary.

هزوا الوجود خبرة وعلْما

هزوا الوجود خبرة وعلْما

واختلفو فيما يصون السلْما

واختلفو فيما يصون السلْما

They had probed existence with experience and learning,

They shook the world with expertise and knowledge,

yet differed over what would safeguard peace.

And disagreed over what would preserve peace.

وكان رأيي أن للنساءِ

وكان رأيي أن للنساءِ

حكماً على مستعذبي الدماءِ

حكماً على مستعذبي الدماءِ

And my opinion was that women should have

And my view was that women have

authority over those who delight in bloodshed.

Sway over those who savor blood.

فإن تألَّفْنَ لذمِّ الحربِ

فإن تألَّفْنَ لذمِّ الحربِ

يَلِنْ لما يُوحينَ أقسى قلبِ

يَلِنْ لما يُوحينَ أقسى قلبِ

For if they unite to condemn war,

For if they unite to condemn war,

the hardest heart will yield to what they inspire.

The hardest heart will soften at their prompting.

وإن يقم في جهتين مطمعُ

وإن يقم في جهتين مطمعُ

بين قبيلين وخيف المصرعُ

بين قبيلين وخيف المصرعُ

And if a coveted interest arises on two sides,

And if a desire for gain arises on two sides,

between two peoples, and a fatal end is feared,

Between two peoples, and death is feared,

فهن بين الفرد والجماعَةِ

فهن بين الفرد والجماعَةِ

أحق بالتحكيم والشفاعَةِ

أحق بالتحكيم والشفاعَةِ

then women, between the individual and the community,

Then they, between the individual and the community,

are more entitled to arbitrate and intercede.

Are more entitled to arbitrate and intercede.

وهو خيال شاعر ممازح

وهو خيال شاعر ممازح

غاد بمنشور السلام رائح

غاد بمنشور السلام رائح

Yet this is the fancy of a jesting poet,

And this is the fancy of a jesting poet,

going and coming with the proclamation of peace.

Going out in the morning and returning in the evening with peace's proclamation.

يعلم وهو كارهٌ لما عَلِمْ

يعلم وهو كارهٌ لما عَلِمْ

أن الحروب من ضرورات الأممْ

أن الحروب من ضرورات الأممْ

He knows, though loathing what he has learned,

He knows, though he hates what he has learned,

that wars are among the necessities of nations;

That wars are among the necessities of nations.

ويسمع التيجان وهي هازئهْ

ويسمع التيجان وهي هازئهْ

وإن تكن وفودها ممالئهْ

وإن تكن وفودها ممالئهْ

and he hears the crowned rulers scoffing,

And he hears the crowns scoffing,

even though their delegations are accommodating.

Even though their delegations are supportive.