1. يا ابن الخصاصة حين تحسب عزة

    وابن الكفاح على المدى قهارا

    O son of poverty, when it is counted an honor,

    and son of struggle, all-conquering through time.

  2. في ظلمة الكوخ الحقير تشربت

    روح لك النورا النبيل مرارا

    In the darkness of the lowly hut was steeped

    your spirit, time and again, in noble light.

  3. فنشأت كالراعي الشفيق على الورى

    تستلهم الآلام والأكدارا

    So you grew like a shepherd compassionate toward humankind,

    drawing inspiration from pain and sorrow.

  4. وكدحت طفلا في الحقول وبعدها

    في الليل تكدح دارسا صبارا

    And you toiled as a child in the fields, and afterward

    at night you toiled, studying with steadfast patience.

  5. فإذا نبوغك في الطفولة ساطع

    مثل الضحى نورا أغر ونارا

    Then behold, your genius in childhood shone,

    like the morning, a radiant light and fire.

  6. وإذا شبابك في فصاحة مدره

    بهر الكبار وملك الإكبارا

    And behold, your youth, with a skilled orator's eloquence,

    dazzled the great and won admiration.

  7. وبعثت مندوبا لندوة أمة

    قدرت نبوغا فيك لا يتوارى

    And you were sent as a delegate to the assembly of a nation

    that prized the genius in you that would not hide.

  8. دافعت فيها عن كرامة من هووا

    في الرق واعتنقوا الأذى والعارا

    There you defended the dignity of those who had fallen

    into slavery and embraced suffering and shame.

  9. ناديت لن تبقى الغداة حكومة

    فخرا وزدت جلاله أعمارا

    You proclaimed: no government shall remain tomorrow,

    glory, and you added lifetimes to its majesty.

  10. هيهات غير الحق يخلق قوة

    هيهات مهما يخلب الأنظارا

    Never can anything but justice create strength;

    never, however much it dazzles the eyes.

  11. لنطلق الأسرى وهم أخواننا

    في الرق قد وجدوا الحياة يوارا

    Let us free the captives, for they are our brothers;

    in bondage they had found life a ruin [probable reading].

  12. وبلغت أعلى منصب قد زدته

    فخرا وزدت جلاله أعمارا

    And you attained the highest office, to which you added

    glory, and you added lifetimes to its majesty.

  13. لولا التعصب في الجنوب أثاره

    زعماؤه في حمقهم إعصارا

    Were it not for fanaticism in the South, stirred up

    by its leaders in their folly into a hurricane,

  14. وأبوا سوى الحرب الأثيمة وحدها

    ردّا وغير جموحهم أنصارا

    and they would accept nothing but sinful war alone

    as a reply, and no allies but their own recklessness.

  15. فجعلت تحرير العبيد سياسة

    وتخذت توحيد البلاد منارا

    So you made the liberation of slaves your policy,

    and took the unification of the country as your beacon.

  16. حتى إذا انتصرت جيوشك لم تعد

    إلا زعيم بلادك الغفارا

    Until, when your armies triumphed, you were no longer

    anything but your country's ever-forgiving leader.

  17. وأخذت تبني من جديد حظّها

    كالغيث يطلع في الربى النوارا

    And you began rebuilding its fortune anew,

    like rain bringing blossoms forth upon the hills.

  18. ويدا الرجاء من الرماد كأنه

    بعث أعاد خلائقا وديارا

    And hope appeared [probable reading] from the ashes, as though it were

    a resurrection that restored people and homes.

  19. فإذا القضاء مهيئ لك مصرعا

    واها له والنصر صار معارا

    And behold, fate was preparing a violent death for you.

    Alas for it, with victory now merely on loan!

  20. كلا وكلا ما قتلت لميتة

    بل للخلود مكرّرا وجهارا

    No, and no again! You were not killed for death,

    but for immortality, repeatedly and openly.

  21. عمّدت بالدم أيها الفادي لنا

    مثلا على الأدهار سوف تجارى

    You were baptized in blood, O our redeemer,

    an example to be emulated throughout the ages.

  22. ما أن مظلوم وضحى ماجد

    إلا وكنت له لظى وشرارا

    No wronged man groaned, nor noble man made sacrifice,

    without your being for him a blaze and sparks;

  23. ورآك في أحلامه ويقينه

    أبدا فهمّ يصارع الجبّار

    and he saw you in his dreams and his certainty,

    ever, and so resolved to wrestle the tyrant.