ياO قَومَpeople of عُثمانَUthman وَالدُنياand the world مُداوَلَةٌchanging hands
يا قَومَ عُثمانَ وَالدُنيا مُداوَلَةٌ
تَعاوَنواhelp one another بَينَكُمamong yourselves ياO قَومَpeople of عُثمانَUthman
تَعاوَنوا بَينَكُم يا قَومَ عُثمانَ
O people of Uthman, while the world changes hands,
O people of Osman, life is fleeting
help one another, O people of Uthman.
Help each other, O people of Osman
كونواbe الجِدارَthe wall الَّذيthat يَقوىgrows strong الجِدارُthe wall بِهِthrough it
كونوا الجِدارَ الَّذي يَقوى الجِدارُ بِهِ
فَاللَهُfor God جَعَلَmade الإِسلامَIslam بُنياناan edifice
فَاللَهُ جَعَلَ الإِسلامَ بُنيانا
Be the wall through which the wall grows strong,
Be the wall that strengthens the wall
for God has made Islam an edifice.
For God made Islam a building
أَمسىhas become السَبيلُthe road لِغَيرِfor those other than المُحسِنينَthe charitable دَماًblood
أَمسى السَبيلُ لِغَيرِ المُحسِنينَ دَماً
فَشَأنُكُمso make it your concern وَسَبيلاًand a path نورُهُits light باناhas become clear
فَشَأنُكُم وَسَبيلاً نورُهُ بانا
For those who do no good, the road has turned to blood;
The path for the ungrateful became blood
so take to a path whose light shines clear.
So your path, its light has appeared
البِرُّbenevolence مِنamong شُعَبِthe branches of الإيمانِfaith أَفضَلُهاthe best of them
البِرُّ مِن شُعَبِ الإيمانِ أَفضَلُها
لاnot يَقبَلُaccepts اللَهُGod دونَwithout البِرِّbenevolence إيماناfaith
لا يَقبَلُ اللَهُ دونَ البِرِّ إيمانا
Benevolence is the finest of faith's branches;
Righteousness is the best of faith's branches
God accepts no faith without benevolence.
God accepts no faith without righteousness
هَلdo ...? تَرحَمونَyou show mercy لَعَلَّperhaps اللَهَGod يَرحَمُكُمHe shows you mercy
هَل تَرحَمونَ لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَرحَمُكُم
بِالبيدِin the wastes أَهلاًkinsfolk وَبِالصَحراءِand in the desert جيراناneighbors
بِالبيدِ أَهلاً وَبِالصَحراءِ جيرانا
Will you show mercy—perhaps God will show you mercy—
Will you have mercy so God may have mercy on you
to kin in the wastes and neighbors in the desert?
People in the desert and neighbors in the wilderness
فيin ذِمَّةِthe keeping of اللَهِGod أَوفىthe most faithful ذِمَّةٍpledge نَفَرٌa band of men
في ذِمَّةِ اللَهِ أَوفى ذِمَّةٍ نَفَرٌ
عَلىat طَرابُلُسٍTripoli يَقضونَare dying شُجعاناas brave men
عَلى طَرابُلُسٍ يَقضونَ شُجعانا
In God's keeping—the truest pledge—is a band of men
In God's protection, brave souls fulfill
dying bravely at Tripoli.
Their oath to defend Tripoli
إِنif سالَbled جَرحاهُمُtheir wounded فيin غُربَةٍabsence from home وَوَغىًand battle
إِن سالَ جَرحاهُمُ في غُربَةٍ وَوَغىً
باتواthey spent the night عَلىon الجَمرِembers أَرواحاًsouls وَأَبداناand bodies
باتوا عَلى الجَمرِ أَرواحاً وَأَبدانا
If their wounded bleed far from home and amid battle,
If their wounds bleed in exile and turmoil
they spend the night on embers, in soul and body.
Their souls and bodies slept on embers
هَذاthis one يَحُنُّlongs إِلىfor البُسفورِthe Bosphorus مُحتَضِراًdying
هَذا يَحُنُّ إِلى البُسفورِ مُحتَضِراً
وَذاكَand that one يَبكيweeps for الغَضاthe saxaul وَالشيحَand the wormwood وَالباناand the moringa
وَذاكَ يَبكي الغَضا وَالشيحَ وَالبانا
This one longs for the Bosphorus as he lies dying,
This one yearns for the Bosphorus as he dies
and that one weeps for saxaul, wormwood, and moringa.
That one weeps for his family and children
يُوَدِّعونَthey bid farewell عَلىfrom بُعدٍa distance دِيارَهُمُtheir homes
يُوَدِّعونَ عَلى بُعدٍ دِيارَهُمُ
وَيَنشِدونَand ask after بُنَيّاتٍlittle daughters وَصِبياناand boys
وَيَنشِدونَ بُنَيّاتٍ وَصِبيانا
They bid farewell to their homes from afar,
From afar they bid farewell to their homes
and ask after little daughters and boys.
And long for their girls and boys
أَذَنبُهُمis their crime عِندَin the eyes of هَذاthis الدَهرِage أَنَّهُمُthat they
أَذَنبُهُم عِندَ هَذا الدَهرِ أَنَّهُمُ
يَحمونَdefend أَرضاًland لَهُمof theirs ديسَتwas trampled وَأَوطاناand homelands
يَحمونَ أَرضاً لَهُم ديسَت وَأَوطانا
Is their crime, in this age's eyes, that they
Their sin in these times is to protect
defend their trampled land and homelands?
A land they called home and homeland
ماتواthey died وَعِرضُهُمُand their honor المَوفورُundiminished بَعدَهُمُafter them
ماتوا وَعِرضُهُمُ المَوفورُ بَعدَهُمُ
وَالعِرضُand honor لاno عِزَّdignity فيin الدُنياthe world إِذاif هاناis debased
وَالعِرضُ لا عِزَّ في الدُنيا إِذا هانا
They died, and their honor remains undiminished after them;
They died with abundant honor after them
and if honor is debased, there is no dignity in this world.
For honor is worthless if disgraced
قَوميmy people وَجَلَّتand may be exalted وُجوهُthe faces of القَومِthe people مِصرُEgypt بِكُمthrough you
قَومي وَجَلَّت وُجوهُ القَومِ مِصرُ بِكُم
أَلقَتhas cast عَلىover كُرَماءِthe generous of الدَهرِall time نِسياناoblivion
أَلقَت عَلى كُرَماءِ الدَهرِ نِسيانا
My people—may your faces be exalted!—Egypt, through you,
My people, Egypt's faces darkened forgetting you
has cast oblivion over the generous of all ages.
It cast aside the generous people of this age
لاnot تَسأَلونَyou ask عَنِabout الأَعوانِthe helpers إِنif قَعَدواthey held back
لا تَسأَلونَ عَنِ الأَعوانِ إِن قَعَدوا
وَتَنهَضونَand you rise إِلىto المَلهوفِthe distressed أَعواناas helpers
وَتَنهَضونَ إِلى المَلهوفِ أَعوانا
You do not ask about helpers when they hang back,
You don't ask why allies deserted
but rise as helpers to the distressed.
You rise to aid the anguished as allies
أَكُلَّماis it whenever هَزَّكُمroused you داعٍa caller لِصالِحَةٍto a good deed
أَكُلَّما هَزَّكُم داعٍ لِصالِحَةٍ
قُمتُمyou rose كُهولاًmature men إِلىto الداعيthe caller وَفِتياناand youths
قُمتُم كُهولاً إِلى الداعي وَفِتيانا
Do you, whenever a caller rouses you to a good deed,
Whenever called for a good cause
rise to meet the caller, mature men and youths alike?
You stood, elders and youths, to the caller
لَوif صُوِّرَwere portrayed الشَرقُthe East إِنساناًas a man أَخاpossessing كَرَمٍgenerosity
لَو صُوِّرَ الشَرقُ إِنساناً أَخا كَرَمٍ
لَكُنتُمُthen you would be الروحَthe soul وَالأَقوامُand the peoples جُثماناa body
لَكُنتُمُ الروحَ وَالأَقوامُ جُثمانا
If the East were portrayed as a man of generosity,
Had the East been depicted as a noble brother
you would be its soul, and the peoples its body.
You'd be its soul and people its body
إِذاwhen هُزِزتُمyou were roused تَلاقىcame together السَيفُthe sword مُنصَلِتاًunsheathed
إِذا هُزِزتُم تَلاقى السَيفُ مُنصَلِتاً
وَالريحُand the wind مُرسَلَةًunleashed وَالغَيثُand the rain هَتّاناpouring down
وَالريحُ مُرسَلَةً وَالغَيثُ هَتّانا
When you are roused, together come the unsheathed sword,
When shaken, swords clash
the wind unleashed, and the rain pouring down.
Winds blow free and rain pounds
إِذاwhen المَكارِمُnoble deeds فيin الدُنياthe world أُشيدَpraise was proclaimed بِهاabout them
إِذا المَكارِمُ في الدُنيا أُشيدَ بِها
كانَتthey were كِتاباًa book وَكُنّاand we were نَحنُwe ourselves عُنواناa title
كانَت كِتاباً وَكُنّا نَحنُ عُنوانا
When noble deeds are celebrated in this world,
When virtues are extolled in life
they are a book, and we ourselves its title.
We'd be the text and you the title
إِنَّindeed الحَياةَlife نَهارٌa day أَوor سَحابَتُهُits cloud
إِنَّ الحَياةَ نَهارٌ أَو سَحابَتُهُ
فَعِشso live نَهارَكَyour day مِنof دُنياكَyour earthly life إِنساناas a human being
فَعِش نَهارَكَ مِن دُنياكَ إِنسانا
Life is a day, or its passing cloud;
Life is a day or its clouds
so live your day in this world as a human being.
So live your share of life as a human
أَرىI see الكَريمَthe generous person بِوِجدانٍwith conscience وَعاطِفَةٍand feeling
أَرى الكَريمَ بِوِجدانٍ وَعاطِفَةٍ
وَلاand not أَرىI see لِبَخيلِfor the miser of القَومِthe people وُجداناa conscience
وَلا أَرى لِبَخيلِ القَومِ وُجدانا
I see the generous endowed with conscience and feeling,
I see the generous with passion and empathy
but find no conscience in the miser among the people.
But see no empathy in the miserly
هَذاthis الهِلالُthe crescent الَّذيwhich تُحيونَyou celebrate لَيلَتَهُits night
هَذا الهِلالُ الَّذي تُحيونَ لَيلَتَهُ
أَبهىthe most splendid الأَهِلَّةِthe crescents عِندَin the sight of اللَهِGod أَلواناin hue
أَبهى الأَهِلَّةِ عِندَ اللَهِ أَلوانا
This crescent, whose night you celebrate,
This crescent you celebrate
is the loveliest-hued of crescents in God's eyes.
Among God's symbols, the loveliest
أَراهُI see it مِنfrom بَينِamong أَعلامِthe banners of الوَغىwar مَلَكاًas an angel
أَراهُ مِن بَينِ أَعلامِ الوَغى مَلَكاً
وَماand whatever سِواهُis other than it مِنَof الأَعلامِthe banners شَيطاناas a devil
وَما سِواهُ مِنَ الأَعلامِ شَيطانا
I see it, among the banners of war, as an angel,
I see it between the flags of turmoil an angel
and any other banner as a devil.
With all else flags, a devil
فانٍmortal فَفيهِso in it مِنَof الجَرحىthe wounded مُشاكَلَةٌa likeness
فانٍ فَفيهِ مِنَ الجَرحى مُشاكَلَةٌ
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen قيلَit is said ماتواthey died اِخضَرَّit turned green رَيحاناas sweet basil
حَتّى إِذا قيلَ ماتوا اِخضَرَّ رَيحانا
Mortal, it bears a likeness to the wounded,
A banner in which the wounded struggle
until, when they are pronounced dead, it turns green as basil.
Until told dead, it flourished like basil
لِحامِليهِfor its bearers جَلالٌmajesty مِنهُfrom it مُقتَبَسٌborrowed
لِحامِليهِ جَلالٌ مِنهُ مُقتَبَسٌ
كَأَنَّماas though رَفَعواthey raised لِلناسِfor the people قُرآناa Qur'an
كَأَنَّما رَفَعوا لِلناسِ قُرآنا
Its bearers have a majesty borrowed from it,
Its bearers have a majesty from it derived
as though they had raised a Qur'an for the people.
As though for people raising the Quran
كَأَنَّas though ماwhat اِحمَرَّturned red مِنهُof it حَولَaround غُرَّتِهِits white blaze
كَأَنَّ ما اِحمَرَّ مِنهُ حَولَ غُرَّتِهِ
دَمُthe blood of البَريءِthe innocent one ذَكِيِّgleaming الشَيبِgray hair عُثماناUthman
دَمُ البَريءِ ذَكِيِّ الشَيبِ عُثمانا
As though the red around its white blaze
As if its redness around its curve
were the blood of innocent Uthman, whose gray hair gleamed;
Were the blood of innocent, elderly Osman
كَأَنَّas though ماwhat اِبيَضَّturned white فيin أَثناءِthe midst of حُمرَتِهِits redness
كَأَنَّ ما اِبيَضَّ في أَثناءِ حُمرَتِهِ
نورُthe light of الشَهيدِthe martyr الَّذيwho قَدhad ماتَdied ظَمآناthirsty
نورُ الشَهيدِ الَّذي قَد ماتَ ظَمآنا
as though the white amid its redness
As if its whiteness amid the redness
were the light of the martyr who died thirsty.
Were the martyr's light who died thirsty
كَأَنَّهُas though it شَفَقٌa sunset glow تَسموrise العُيونُthe eyes لَهُtoward it
كَأَنَّهُ شَفَقٌ تَسمو العُيونُ لَهُ
قَدhas قَلَّدَgarlanded الأُفقَthe horizon ياقوتاًrubies وَمُرجاناand coral
قَد قَلَّدَ الأُفقَ ياقوتاً وَمُرجانا
As though it were a sunset glow toward which eyes rise,
As if it were sunset, eyes exalted
garlanding the horizon with rubies and coral.
Adorning the horizon with ruby and coral
كَأَنَّهُas though it مِنwith دَمِthe blood of العُشّاقِlovers مُختَضَبٌdyed
كَأَنَّهُ مِن دَمِ العُشّاقِ مُختَضَبٌ
يُثيرُstirs حَيثُwherever بَداit appeared وَجداًlonging وَأَشجاناand sorrows
يُثيرُ حَيثُ بَدا وَجداً وَأَشجانا
As though it were dyed with lovers' blood,
As if dyed by lovers' blood
stirring longing and sorrows wherever it appears.
Stirring fervor and passion where it appears
كَأَنَّهُas though it مِنin جَمالٍbeauty رائِعٍwondrous وَهُدىًand guidance
كَأَنَّهُ مِن جَمالٍ رائِعٍ وَهُدىً
خُدودُthe cheeks of يوسُفَYusuf لَمّاwhen عَفَّhe remained chaste وَلهاناlovesick
خُدودُ يوسُفَ لَمّا عَفَّ وَلهانا
As though it were, in wondrous beauty and guidance,
As if of gorgeous beauty and guidance
Yusuf's cheeks when he kept chaste, though lovesick.
Joseph's blushing cheeks when he bent shyly
كَأَنَّهُas though it وَردَةٌa rose حَمراءُred زاهِيَةٌradiant
كَأَنَّهُ وَردَةٌ حَمراءُ زاهِيَةٌ
فيin الخُلدِParadise قَدhas فُتِّحَتbeen opened فيin كَفِّthe palm of رُضواناRidwan
في الخُلدِ قَد فُتِّحَت في كَفِّ رُضوانا
As though it were a radiant red rose,
As if a blooming red rose
brought to bloom in Paradise, in Ridwan's palm.
Opened in the eternal garden by God's approval