نَبَأٌnews، فيin لحظةٍa moment أوor لحظتينْtwo moments،
نَبَأٌ، في لحظةٍ أو لحظتينْ،
طافَswept بالدنياthrough the world وهزَّand shook المشرقينْthe two Easts
طافَ بالدنيا وهزَّ المشرقينْ
News, in a moment or two,
News, in a moment or two,
swept through the world and shook the two Easts.
Circulated the world and shook the two easts
نبأٌnews، لوif كانَit were همسَa whisper الشفتينْthe two lips
نبأٌ، لو كانَ همسَ الشفتينْ
منذsince عامٍa year، قِيلَit was said: إرجافٌalarmist rumor ومَيْنْand falsehood!
منذ عامٍ، قِيلَ: إرجافٌ ومَيْنْ!
News that, had it been a whisper on the lips
News, if it were the whisper of two lips
a year ago, would have been called alarmist rumor and falsehood!
A year ago, it was said: commotion and calamity!
وتراهand sees it أمةٌa nation بالضفتينْon both banks
وتراه أمةٌ بالضفتينْ
أنَّهُthat it كانَwas جنينَthe unborn child of «العلمينْEl Alamein»
أنَّهُ كانَ جنينَ «العلمينْ»
And a nation on both banks sees
And you see a nation on both banks
that it was the unborn child of El Alamein.
That it was the fetus of “both worlds”
موسُلينيMussolini! أينwhere أنتَyou اليومtoday؟ أينْwhere؟
موسُليني! أين أنتَ اليوم؟ أينْ؟
حلمٌa dream؟ أمor قصةٌa tale؟ أمor بينَbetween بينْbetween؟
حلمٌ؟ أم قصةٌ؟ أم بينَ بينْ؟
Mussolini! Where are you today? Where?
Mussolini! Where are you today? Where?
A dream? Or a tale? Or something in between?
A dream? Or a story? Or in between?
قَصْرُpalace «فينيسياVenezia» إليكto you اليومtoday يُهديoffers
قَصْرُ «فينيسيا» إليك اليوم يُهدي
لعنةَthe curse of «الشُّرفَةِthe balcony» فيin قربٍnearness وبُعدِand distance
لعنةَ «الشُّرفَةِ» في قربٍ وبُعدِ
Venezia Palace offers you today
The palace of “Venice” dedicates to you today
the balcony's curse, near and far.
The curse of the “balcony” in proximity and distance
عجبًاhow strange! ياO أيُّهذاyou there المتحدِّيthe defiant one
عجبًا! يا أيُّهذا المتحدِّي
كيفَhow ساموكَthey subjected you to سقوطَthe fall of المتردِّيone falling headlong؟
كيفَ ساموكَ سقوطَ المتردِّي؟
How strange, O defiant one!
Strange! O you challenger
How did they subject you to a headlong fall?
How did the fall of the rebel elevate you?
إمبراطورُكَyour emperor فيin هَمٍّdistress وسُهدِand sleeplessness
إمبراطورُكَ في هَمٍّ وسُهدِ
صائحًاcrying out فيin ليلهِhis night لوif كانَit were يُجدِيof use:
صائحًا في ليلهِ لو كانَ يُجدِي:
Your emperor is in distress and sleeplessness,
Your emperor is worried and sleepy
crying out in his night, if it could do any good:
Shouting in his night as if it would help:
أينwhere، ياO «فاروسُPharos»، ولَّيْتَhave you gone بَجنديwith my soldiers؟
أين، يا «فاروسُ»، ولَّيْتَ بَجندي؟
أينwhere ولَّيْتhave you gone بسلطانيwith my sovereignty ومجديand my glory؟
أين ولَّيْت بسلطاني ومجدي؟
Where, O Pharos, have you gone with my soldiers?
Where, O “Knight”, I wish you were a soldier?
Where have you gone with my sovereignty and my glory?
Where, I wish you were my sultan and glory?
اعتَزلتَdid you relinquish الحكمَrule؟ أمor كانَwas it فراراflight
اعتَزلتَ الحكمَ؟ أم كانَ فرارا
بعدَafter أنthat ألفيتَyou found حوليْكَaround you الدَّمارَاthe destruction
بعدَ أن ألفيتَ حوليْكَ الدَّمارَا
Did you relinquish rule, or was it flight,
Did you give up power? Or was it an escape
after you found destruction all around you?
After you surrounded me with destruction?
سُقتَyou drove للمجزرةِto the slaughter الزُّغبَthe downy ones الصِّغاراthe young
سُقتَ للمجزرةِ الزُّغبَ الصِّغارا
بعدafter أنthat أفْنَيْتَyou annihilated فيin الحربِthe war الكِباراthe grown men
بعد أن أفْنَيْتَ في الحربِ الكِبارا
You drove the downy young to the slaughter,
You were led to the small massacre
after you had annihilated the grown men in war.
After you had destroyed the great in war
ياalas لَهمfor them فيin حَومةِthe thick of الموتِdeath حَيَارَىbewildered
يا لَهم في حَومةِ الموتِ حَيَارَى
ذَهَبُواthey went قَتْلَىslain، وجَرْحَىand wounded، وأُسَارَىand captives
ذَهَبُوا قَتْلَى، وجَرْحَى، وأُسَارَى
Alas for them, bewildered in the thick of death!
Oh how confused they are in the orbit of death
They went, slain, wounded, and captive,
They went as dead, wounded, and prisoners
يملئونَthey fill الجَوَّthe air فيin الرَّكْضِrunning غبَاراdust
يملئونَ الجَوَّ في الرَّكْضِ غبَارا
وقُبُورًاand graves ملئواthey filled وَجْهَthe face of الصحارَىthe deserts
وقُبُورًا ملئوا وَجْهَ الصحارَى
filling the air with dust as they ran,
Filling the air with dust in their run
and with graves they filled the face of the deserts.
And filling the desert with graves
أعلىis it over «الصُّومالِSomalia» أمor «آديسَAddis باباAbaba»
أعلى «الصُّومالِ» أم «آديسَ بابا»
ترفعُyou raise الروايةَthe narrative، أمor تَبنيyou build القِبَاباthe domes
ترفعُ الروايةَ، أم تَبني القِبَابا
Is it over Somalia or Addis Ababa
Did the story elevate over “Somalia” or “Addis Ababa”
that you raise the narrative, or build domes?
Or build domes, or saw mirages of glory on the Nile
أمor عَلَىon «النيلِthe Nile» ضِفَافًاbanks وعُبَابَاand surging waters
أم عَلَى «النيلِ» ضِفَافًا وعُبَابَا
لَمَحَتْglimpsed عَيْنَاكَyour two eyes للمَجْدِof glory سَرَابَاa mirage
لَمَحَتْ عَيْنَاكَ للمَجْدِ سَرَابَا
Or upon the Nile—its banks and surging waters—
Banks and marshes
did your eyes glimpse a mirage of glory?
So you drove the army flags of wonder
فَدَفَعْتَso you drove forward الجيشَthe army أعلامًاbanners عجابَاwondrous
فَدَفَعْتَ الجيشَ أعلامًا عجابَا
ماwhat لِهذاwith this الجيشِarmy، فيin الصحراءِthe desert، ذَابَاmelted away؟
ما لِهذا الجيشِ، في الصحراءِ، ذَابَا؟
So you sent the army forth as wondrous banners.
Why did this army melt away in the desert?
What befell this army, that it melted in the desert?
The sun melted it so it turned to clouds
بَخَّرَتْهُvaporized it الشَّمْسُthe sun فارْتَدَّso it turned back سَحَابَاcloud
بَخَّرَتْهُ الشَّمْسُ فارْتَدَّ سَحَابَا
حينَwhen ظَنَّit thought النصرَvictory منfrom عينيهِits two eyes قابَاa short span
حينَ ظَنَّ النصرَ من عينيهِ قابَا
The sun vaporized it, and it turned back into cloud,
When it thought victory was in its grasp
when it thought victory a mere span from its eyes.
O father of “shirts”, collectively and individually
ياO أباfather of «القُمصانِthe shirts» جمعًاin groups وفُرادىand singly
يا أبا «القُمصانِ» جمعًا وفُرادى
أحَمَتْdid they protect قمصانَكyour shirts السُّودُthe black ones البِلادَاthe land؟
أحَمَتْ قمصانَك السُّودُ البِلادَا؟
O father of the shirts, in groups and singly,
Did your black shirts protect the countries?
did your black shirts protect the land?
Why did you prefer blackness from colors?
لِمَwhy آثَرتَyou preferred منamong اللَّونِcolor السَّوادَاblackness؟
لِمَ آثَرتَ من اللَّونِ السَّوادَا؟
لَونُهَاtheir color كانَwas علىupon الشَّعبِthe people حِدَادَاmourning
لَونُهَا كانَ على الشَّعبِ حِدَادَا
Why, among colors, did you choose black?
Its blackness was like mourning over the people
Their color was mourning for the people.
You came with clothes symbolizing hostility
جِئتَyou came بالأزيَاءِwith costumes تَمثِيلًاa performance مُعَادَاrepeated
جِئتَ بالأزيَاءِ تَمثِيلًا مُعَادَا
أيُّwhat شَعبٍpeople عَزَّgrew mighty بالزِّيِّthrough dress وَسَادَاand ruled
أيُّ شَعبٍ عَزَّ بالزِّيِّ وَسَادَا
You came in costumes, a performance staged anew.
What people became mighty by dress and ruled?
What people ever grew mighty and ruled through dress?
It is the spirit, youthful and ignited
إِنَّهُindeed, it is الرُّوحُthe spirit شُبوبًاflaring واتِّقَادَاand blazing
إِنَّهُ الرُّوحُ شُبوبًا واتِّقَادَا
لاnot اصطِنَاعًاartifice بلbut يقينًاcertainty واعتِقَادَاand conviction
لا اصطِنَاعًا بل يقينًا واعتِقَادَا
It is the spirit, flaring and ablaze,
Not artificially but with certainty and belief
not artifice, but certainty and conviction.
Mussolini! Stand at the gates of Rome
موسُلينيMussolini! قِفْstand عَلَىat أبوَابِthe gates of روماRome
موسُليني! قِفْ عَلَى أبوَابِ روما
وتأمَّلْهَاand contemplate it طلولًاruins وَرسوماand remnants
وتأمَّلْهَا طلولًا وَرسوما
Mussolini! Stand at the gates of Rome,
And observe it long and drawing
and contemplate it, ruins and remnants.
Stand, remember it in the past as stars
قِفْstand تَذَكَّرْهَاremember it علىin الأمسِyesterday نجوماstars
قِفْ تَذَكَّرْهَا على الأمسِ نجوما
وتَنَظَّرْهَاand behold it عَلَىin اليَومِtoday رجومَاhurled stones
وتَنَظَّرْهَا عَلَى اليَومِ رجومَا
Stand; remember it yesterday as stars,
And watch it today as stoning
and behold it today as hurled stones.
You ignited around you in the land the firewood
أضرَمْتَyou set ablaze حَوْلَكَaround you فيin الأرضِthe land التُّخُوماthe borders
أضرَمْتَ حَوْلَكَ في الأرضِ التُّخُوما
تَقْتَفِيyou follow شَيطَانَكَyour devil الفَظَّthe brutal الغَشُومَاthe tyrannical
تَقْتَفِي شَيطَانَكَ الفَظَّ الغَشُومَا
You set the borders around you ablaze across the land,
Chasing your angry and evil devil
following your brutal, tyrannical devil.
Or was that “Rome” or “Sodom”
أوَكانتand was it تلكthat «روماRome» أمor «سدُوماSodom»
أوَكانت تلك «روما» أم «سدُوما»
يَومَthe day ذَاقَتِit tasted بخَطَاياكَthrough your sins الجَحِيمَاhell؟
يَومَ ذَاقَتِ بخَطَاياكَ الجَحِيمَا؟
And was that Rome, or Sodom,
The day it tasted your sins and hell?
the day it tasted hell through your sins?
It tasted from the hand of God a revenge
هِيَit ذَاقَتْtasted مِنْfrom يَدِthe hand of اللهِGod انتقامًاvengeance
هِيَ ذَاقَتْ مِنْ يَدِ اللهِ انتقامًا
لِأثامِfor the sins of «خالدٍKhalid» عامًاa year فَعَامَاthen another year
لِأثامِ «خالدٍ» عامًا فَعَامَا
It tasted vengeance from God's hand
For the sins of “Khalid” year after year
for Khalid's sins, year after year,
The day it poured blood over Beirut
يَومَthe day صَبَّتْit poured فَوْقَover بيروتَBeirut الحِمَامَاdeath
يَومَ صَبَّتْ فَوْقَ بيروتَ الحِمَامَا
لَمْdid not تَذَرْspare شيخًاan old man ولمand did not تَرحَمْshow mercy to غلامَاa boy
لَمْ تَذَرْ شيخًا ولم تَرحَمْ غلامَا
the day it poured death over Beirut,
It did not spare an old man or have mercy on a boy
sparing no old man and showing no mercy to a boy,
From a ship filling the sea with roaring!
مِنْfrom سَفِينٍships يَملأُfills البَحْرَthe sea ضِرَامَاblazing fire!
مِنْ سَفِينٍ يَملأُ البَحْرَ ضِرَامَا!
ذلِكَthat الأسطولُfleet كَمْhow often ثارَit erupted احتِدَامَاin fury
ذلِكَ الأسطولُ كَمْ ثارَ احتِدَامَا
from ships filling the sea with blazing fire!
How much that fleet flared up in fury
That fleet—how often it surged in fury!
Where has it gone today? Did it seek peace?
أينَwhere راحَhas it gone اليومَtoday؟ هَلwhether رامَsought السلاماpeace؟
أينَ راحَ اليومَ؟ هَل رامَ السلاما؟
أمor علىon الشَّاطئِthe shore أغْفَىit dozed ثمَّthen نامَاslept؟
أم على الشَّاطئِ أغْفَى ثمَّ نامَا؟
Where has it gone today? Has it sought peace?
Or has it slept then napped on the coast?
Or did it doze upon the shore, then sleep?
What soft appearance aggression
أيُّwhat عدوانٍaggression زَرِيِّvile المَظهَرِin appearance
أيُّ عدوانٍ زَرِيِّ المَظهَرِ
بِدَمٍwith blood قانٍcrimson ودَمْعٍand tears مُهدَرِshed in vain
بِدَمٍ قانٍ ودَمْعٍ مُهدَرِ
What a vile-looking act of aggression,
With shedding forbidden blood and tears
with crimson blood and tears shed in vain,
When your flying squadrons circled feverishly over (Alexandria)
حينَwhen طَافَتْcircled بِحِمَىaround the domain of (الإِسْكَنْدَرِAlexander)
حينَ طَافَتْ بِحِمَى (الإِسْكَنْدَرِ)
أَجْنحٌwings منfrom طَيرِكَyour birds المستنسرِaping eagles
أَجْنحٌ من طَيرِكَ المستنسرِ
when around Alexander's domain wheeled
Spreading death in a moonlit night!
wings from your birds that aped the eagle,
Oh for Egypt! Do you see it did not take revenge
تَنْشُرُspreading المَوتَdeath بلَيلٍon a night مقمِرِmoonlit!
تَنْشُرُ المَوتَ بلَيلٍ مقمِرِ!
ياO لِمِصْرَfor Egypt!ٍ أترَىdo you think لَمْdid not تَثْأَرِtake vengeance
يا لِمِصْرَ!ٍ أترَى لَمْ تَثْأَرِ
spreading death on a moonlit night!
With the hand of the arrogant avenger?
Ah, Egypt! Do you think she has not avenged herself
Do you see it remembers? Or has it not recalled?!
بِيَدِby the hand of المنتَقِمِthe avenger المُسْتَكْبِرِthe haughty؟
بِيَدِ المنتَقِمِ المُسْتَكْبِرِ؟
أَتَرىdo you think تَذكُرُyou remember؟ أَمْor لَمْdid not تَذْكُرِyou remember؟!
أَتَرى تَذكُرُ؟ أَمْ لَمْ تَذْكُرِ؟!
by the hand of the haughty avenger?
Mussolini! You are not from a distant past
Do you remember, I wonder—or do you not?
So remember “al-Mukhtar” and the martyred people
موسُلِينيMussolini! لَسْتَyou are not مِنْfrom أمسٍyesterday بعيدَاfar
موسُلِيني! لَسْتَ مِنْ أمسٍ بعيدَا
فاذكرِso remember «المُختارَal-Mukhtar» والشَّعبَand the people الشَّهيدَاthe martyred
فاذكرِ «المُختارَ» والشَّعبَ الشَّهيدَا
Mussolini! You are not far removed from yesterday,
It is a spirit filling the East with anthem
so remember al-Mukhtar and the martyred people.
And calling you, not stopping threats:
هوَhe روحٌa spirit يَملأfills الشَّرقَthe East نشِيدَاwith song
هوَ روحٌ يَملأ الشَّرقَ نشِيدَا
وَيُنادِيكَand calls to you، ولاand does not يألوstint وَعِيدَاthreats:
وَيُنادِيكَ، ولا يألو وَعِيدَا:
He is a spirit filling the East with song,
Mussolini! Take in your iron palms
and calls to you, unstinting in threats:
The shackles prepared for your legs
موسُلينيMussolini! خُذtake بكفَّيْكَwith your two hands الحَدِيدَاiron
موسُليني! خُذ بكفَّيْكَ الحَدِيدَا
وَصُغْand forge القَيْدَthe fetter لِسَاقَيْكَfor your two legs عَتِيدَاready
وَصُغْ القَيْدَ لِسَاقَيْكَ عَتِيدَا
Mussolini! Take iron with your two hands,
Or place from you on the blade a vein
and forge a fetter ready for both your legs,
So my blood chokes you today hunted!!
أوor فَضَعْthen lay منكَof yours علىupon النَّصْلِthe blade وَرِيدَاa vein
أو فَضَعْ منكَ على النَّصْلِ وَرِيدَا
فَدَمِيfor my blood يَخْنُقُكَchokes you اليَوْمَtoday طَرِيدَاa hunted fugitive!!
فَدَمِي يَخْنُقُكَ اليَوْمَ طَرِيدَا!!
or lay a vein of yours upon the blade,
for my blood chokes you today, a hunted fugitive!
Partial English translation: 70 of 72 Arabic lines translated.