وَكَيفَ بِأَن يُلقى سلاحيَ مَتنَهُ

وَكَيفَ بِأَن يُلقى سلاحيَ مَتنَهُ

لِأَسيافِ إِفرِنج وَأَقلامِ أَقباطِ

لِأَسيافِ إِفرِنج وَأَقلامِ أَقباطِ

And how could my weapon’s back be exposed

How can I lay down my arms

To the swords of Franks and the pens of Copts?

Before the swords of Franks and pens of Copts?

تُوَطَّأُ أَعناقٌ فَتَنمي حُقودُها

تُوَطَّأُ أَعناقٌ فَتَنمي حُقودُها

وَهَل هِيَ بِالمَوطوءِ ما فَعَلَ الواطي

وَهَل هِيَ بِالمَوطوءِ ما فَعَلَ الواطي

Necks are trampled, and their rancor grows;

Necks are trodden so their rancor grows,

And is that rancor in the trampled the trampler’s doing?

As if the trodden did the treading.

تَقاذَفَ أَمواجُ البِلادِ بِأَهلِها

تَقاذَفَ أَمواجُ البِلادِ بِأَهلِها

فَلا الناسُ في قَعرٍ وَلا الأَمرُ في شاطي

فَلا الناسُ في قَعرٍ وَلا الأَمرُ في شاطي

The waves of the land have tossed its people about;

The waves of the country toss its people about,

So the people are not in the depths, nor are affairs ashore.

With no shelter on shore or at sea.

تَعَطَّلَ مَسئولٌ لَدَيهِم وَسائِلٌ

تَعَطَّلَ مَسئولٌ لَدَيهِم وَسائِلٌ

فَلا اليَدُ مِن مُعطٍ وَلا الخَيرُ مِن عاطِ

فَلا اليَدُ مِن مُعطٍ وَلا الخَيرُ مِن عاطِ

Both the petitioned and the petitioner among them have fallen idle;

Those responsible are disabled, though means exist,

So no helping hand comes from a giver, nor any good from a taker.

As neither the generous hand gives nor the good heart feels compassion.

فَثوبوا لَها إِنَّ القِيامَةَ قَد دَنَت

فَثوبوا لَها إِنَّ القِيامَةَ قَد دَنَت

وَجاءَت بِأَشراطٍ عَلى إِثرِ أَشراطِ

وَجاءَت بِأَشراطٍ عَلى إِثرِ أَشراطِ

So rally to it, for the Resurrection has drawn near,

Return, for the day of reckoning has drawn near

And has come with portent after portent.

And one apocalypse follows another.

صَحِبتُ عَلى الحالَينِ دَهري بِحالَةٍ

صَحِبتُ عَلى الحالَينِ دَهري بِحالَةٍ

فَما سَرَّ إِرضائي وَلا ساءَ إِسخاطي

فَما سَرَّ إِرضائي وَلا ساءَ إِسخاطي

Through both conditions, I kept company with my days in one unchanging state;

Throughout my life my state has been the same,

So neither being pleased delighted me nor being angered distressed me.

Pleasing me doesn't bring joy, displeasing me doesn't cause misery.

وَبَسطاً لِعُذري في المَقالِ فَإِنَّها

وَبَسطاً لِعُذري في المَقالِ فَإِنَّها

خَواطِرُ مَفروطٍ وَأَفكارُ إِفراطِ

خَواطِرُ مَفروطٍ وَأَفكارُ إِفراطِ

And to set forth my excuse for these words: they are

Excuse my outspokenness, for these are

The musings of one left behind, and thoughts of excess.

The thoughts of one carried away and the ideas of an extremist.