ويم الدردنيل زقا صداه

ويم الدردنيل زقا صداه

وصرّ فأَودع الآذان وقرا

وصرّ فأَودع الآذان وقرا

And the echo of the Dardanelles' sea cried shrilly,

The rumble of the Dardanelles shook loudly,

and screeched, burdening the ears with deafness.

And the echoes penetrated the ears.

ففيه بوارج الحلفاء شامخات

ففيه بوارج الحلفاء شامخات

تناطح منه طوداً مشمخرا

تناطح منه طوداً مشمخرا

For within it the Allies' towering battleships

In it, the allies' ships loomed high,

locked horns with a lofty mountain rising from it.

Jostling peaks foaming with rage.

مجانقها رمته ولم يكن ما

مجانقها رمته ولم يكن ما

رمته به حصىً بل كان جمرا

رمته به حصىً بل كان جمرا

Their catapults bombarded it; and it was not

Their artillery bombarded but did not throw

pebbles they hurled at it, but burning coals.

Pebbles - rather, embers - at what they bombed.

قذائف لو أصبن صميم صخر

قذائف لو أصبن صميم صخر

أصم أذَبنه سحقاً وصهرا

أصم أذَبنه سحقاً وصهرا

Shells that, had they struck the heart of rock

Shells that, had they hit the heart of a boulder,

unyielding, would have pulverized and melted it.

Would have pulverized and melted it utterly.

دككن حصونه الاولى فباتت

دككن حصونه الاولى فباتت

على عبريه للرائين اثرا

على عبريه للرائين اثرا

They razed its first forts, which then became

They pounded its outer fortresses until they became

mere traces on its two banks for onlookers.

Traces for onlookers.

واوغلت الدوارع فيه تمشي

واوغلت الدوارع فيه تمشي

الى ابراجه الوسطى السبّطري

الى ابراجه الوسطى السبّطري

And the ironclads pressed deep into it, striding

The ironclads advanced into it, walking

toward its middle towers with a swagger.

Toward its middle towers.

واصلتها قنابل ماطرات

واصلتها قنابل ماطرات

لها بالنار والفولاذ مطرا

لها بالنار والفولاذ مطرا

And shells scorched them, pouring

Torrential bombs poured down on them

upon them a rain of fire and steel.

A rain of fire and steel.

فقاضتها واذ كادت تذيقُ ال

فقاضتها واذ كادت تذيقُ ال

أخيرةَ ضربها الاحمى الاحرّا

أخيرةَ ضربها الاحمى الاحرّا

So they demolished them; and when they were about to make the

They destroyed them. And when the last

last towers taste their fiercest, hottest blows,

Was about to taste the blow, the fiercest struck.

أصابت بعضها متفجراتٌ

أصابت بعضها متفجراتٌ

من الألغام فيه بُذرنَ بذرا

من الألغام فيه بُذرنَ بذرا

explosives struck some of them,

Some mines planted within it exploded,

from mines sown within it like seed.

Scattered about like seeds.

فكنَّ ككهرباءَ يشعُّ منها ال

فكنَّ ككهرباءَ يشعُّ منها ال

ضياءُ اذا لها لامستَ زرَّا

ضياءُ اذا لها لامستَ زرَّا

So they were like electricity, from which the

They were like electricity, radiating

light shines when you touch its button.

Light when sparking a little.

وذلك الانفجارُ حمى عبور ال

وذلك الانفجارُ حمى عبور ال

مضيق وعن فروقَ الخوفَ سرى

مضيق وعن فروقَ الخوفَ سرى

And that explosion barred passage through the

That explosion heated the passage

strait, and dispelled fear from Faruq.

Of the strait, and dread was dispelled.

بهِ نُسفت ثلثُ مدرَّعاتٍ

بهِ نُسفت ثلثُ مدرَّعاتٍ

كمثل عصافةٍ بالريح تُذرى

كمثل عصافةٍ بالريح تُذرى

By it, a third of the armored ships were blown up,

With it, a third of the armored ships were blasted

like chaff scattered by the wind.

Like chaff blown away in the wind.

وكان الخطبُ للحلفا نذيراً

وكان الخطبُ للحلفا نذيراً

بان وراءهُ شرًّا شمرا

بان وراءهُ شرًّا شمرا

And the calamity was a warning to the Allies

And it was an omen to the Allies

that evil behind it had girded itself for action.

That behind it lurked evil ready to be unleashed.

وأعوزهم على العسرِ اصطبارٌ

وأعوزهم على العسرِ اصطبارٌ

ولو صبروا قليلاً صار يسرا

ولو صبروا قليلاً صار يسرا

And they lacked the patience to endure hardship;

Impatience under difficulty failed them

and had they held out a little longer, it would have turned to ease.

When a little endurance would have brought ease.

فظل الدردنيل كما نراهُ

فظل الدردنيل كما نراهُ

طليقاً من قيود الاسر حرَّا

طليقاً من قيود الاسر حرَّا

So the Dardanelles remained, as we see it,

So the Dardanelles remains as we see it:

unfettered by captivity's chains, free.

Free of the shackles of captivity.