هتف العابثون بالسلم للسلم

هتف العابثون بالسلم للسلم

كأن السلام هذا الكلام

كأن السلام هذا الكلام

The reckless cried out for peace—for peace,

The rioters chanted "peace" for peace

As though peace were this talk.

As if this word was peace

وأطاروا الرصاص يردى به الخلق

وأطاروا الرصاص يردى به الخلق

وقالوا الحمام هذا الحمام

وقالوا الحمام هذا الحمام

And they sent bullets flying, by which people were slain,

And they fired bullets which destroyed people

And they called this death 'doves.'

And they said "this is love"

قال لي ناصحي الصديق ابن

قال لي ناصحي الصديق ابن

صباغ تأمل فللطغاة ابتسام

صباغ تأمل فللطغاة ابتسام

My adviser said to me—my friend Ibn

My friend Ibn Sabbagh said to me "Look

Sabbagh—'Reflect, for tyrants have a smile.'

The tyrants smile

يرهقون الشعوب قتلا

يرهقون الشعوب قتلا

وتعذيبا ويشكون أنها لا تنام

وتعذيبا ويشكون أنها لا تنام

They wear the peoples down with killing

They exhaust the people, killing

And torture, and complain that they do not sleep.

And torturing, and complain that they don't sleep

والشقاء الشقاء في قومهم

والشقاء الشقاء في قومهم

شب وأضحى أخف منه الضرام

شب وأضحى أخف منه الضرام

And misery—misery among their people—

And misery, misery among their people

Blazed up, and blazing fire became milder than it.

Young and old, lighter than feathers

هرب الطير حينما عجز

هرب الطير حينما عجز

الخلق ومات النبات بل والرغام

الخلق ومات النبات بل والرغام

The birds fled when helpless grew

The birds fled when the people were helpless

Humankind, and the plants died—nay, even the dust.

And the plants died, even the pigeons

رب عيش أخف منه الحمام

رب عيش أخف منه الحمام

هو عيش يفر منه الحمام

هو عيش يفر منه الحمام

Many a life is harder to bear than death;

A living lighter than pigeons

It is a life from which doves flee.

Is a living that pigeons flee from