لا تلمه إذا أحبّ الشاما

لا تلمه إذا أحبّ الشاما

طابت الشام مربعا و مقاما

طابت الشام مربعا و مقاما

Do not blame him if he loves Damascus.

Do not blame him if he loves Ash-Sham,

Damascus is delightful as a spring retreat and a home.

For Ash-Sham is a splendid abode and resting place.

ما رأينا الشام إلاّ رأينا

ما رأينا الشام إلاّ رأينا

منزلا طيّبا و أهلا كراما

منزلا طيّبا و أهلا كراما

Never have we seen Damascus without seeing

We have not looked upon Ash-Sham without seeing

a pleasant dwelling and generous people.

A goodly home and a noble people.

بردى و الورود في ضفّتيه

بردى و الورود في ضفّتيه

مصغيات لشعره و الخزامى

مصغيات لشعره و الخزامى

Barada—the roses on its two banks

The Barada river, and the roses on its banks,

are listening to its poetry, and so is the lavender.

Listening to its poetry, alongside the lavender.

هات حدّث عن الشام و حدّث

هات حدّث عن الشام و حدّث

وأطل في الحديث عنها الكلاما

وأطل في الحديث عنها الكلاما

Come, speak of Damascus, and speak again;

Come, speak of Ash-Sham, and speak again,

and speak at length when telling of her.

And prolong the discourse about her.

عن رباها ، عن غيدها سارحات

عن رباها ، عن غيدها سارحات

يتهادين في الحمى آراما

يتهادين في الحمى آراما

Of her hills, of her graceful maidens roaming free,

Of her hills, of her beautiful maidens roaming,

gliding through the preserve like white gazelles.

Swaying gracefully in the sanctuary like white deer.

ما عرفت الغرام لولا رباها

ما عرفت الغرام لولا رباها

من ربى جلّق عرفت الغراما

من ربى جلّق عرفت الغراما

I would not have known love but for her hills;

I would not have known passion were it not for her hills,

from Jilliq's hills I came to know love.

From the hills of Jilliq I learned of passion.

من أغاني طيورها ساجعات

من أغاني طيورها ساجعات

قد تعلّمت هذه الأنغاما

قد تعلّمت هذه الأنغاما

From the songs of her cooing birds

From the songs of her cooing birds,

I have learned these melodies.

I have learned these very melodies.

أعطني في ربوع جلّق يوما

أعطني في ربوع جلّق يوما

يا خليلي و خذ من العمر عاما

يا خليلي و خذ من العمر عاما

Give me a day in Jilliq's lands,

Give me but one day in the domains of Jilliq,

my dear friend, and take a year from my life.

O my friend, and take a year from my life.

و أعد ذكرها رحيقا مصفّى

و أعد ذكرها رحيقا مصفّى

وأدره عليّ جاما فجاما

وأدره عليّ جاما فجاما

And repeat her remembrance as pure, filtered nectar,

And repeat her memory like purified nectar,

and pass it to me, goblet after goblet.

And pass it to me, cup after cup.

يا بني أمّ والحياة زحام

يا بني أمّ والحياة زحام

ذلّ و الله من يخاف الزحاما

ذلّ و الله من يخاف الزحاما

O my mother's sons, life is a jostling throng;

O sons of my mother, life is a crowded struggle,

by God, whoever fears the throng is abased.

Humiliated, by God, is he who fears the crowds.

يابني أمّ هبّة بعد نوم

يابني أمّ هبّة بعد نوم

كشف الصبح بالضياء الظلاما

كشف الصبح بالضياء الظلاما

O my mother's sons, rise after sleep!

O sons of my mother, an awakening after sleep;

Dawn has dispelled the darkness with light.

The morning has unveiled the darkness with its light.

نظرة للشعوب و هي تحيّي

نظرة للشعوب و هي تحيّي

بالأهازيج فجرها البسّاما

بالأهازيج فجرها البسّاما

Look at the peoples as they greet

Cast a glance at the nations as they greet

their smiling dawn with jubilant chants.

With joyous songs their smiling dawn.

أمم تكسر القيود و أخرى

أمم تكسر القيود و أخرى

يرهف القين سيفها الصمصاما

يرهف القين سيفها الصمصاما

Nations break their chains, while for others

Nations shattering their chains, and others

the smith sharpens their unbending sword.

Whose blacksmiths sharpen the steadfast swords.

طالبت بالحياة طعنا و ضربا

طالبت بالحياة طعنا و ضربا

بعد أن طالبت بها استرحاما

بعد أن طالبت بها استرحاما

They demanded life with thrusts and blows,

They demanded life through stabbing and striking,

after they had begged for it in supplication.

After having demanded it through pleading.

لا تظنّوا السلام في الأرض حيّا

لا تظنّوا السلام في الأرض حيّا

بعد أن طالبت بها إسترحاما

بعد أن طالبت بها إسترحاما

Do not imagine peace alive on earth,

Do not think that peace on earth is alive,

after they had begged for it in supplication.

After having demanded it through pleading.

طمع لو أطاق ? فاخشوا أذاه

طمع لو أطاق ? فاخشوا أذاه

حبس النور عنكم و الغماما

حبس النور عنكم و الغماما

Greed, if it could—so fear its harm—

Greed, if it had the power—so fear its harm—

would withhold from you the light and the clouds.

Would withhold the light from you, and the clouds.

ليش شعري و للسياسة دين

ليش شعري و للسياسة دين

يرسل النار حجّة و الحساما

يرسل النار حجّة و الحساما

Why my verse, when politics has a creed

I wish I knew! Politics has a creed

that sends fire and the sword as its argument?

That sends fire and the sword as its argument.

أيعدّون قتل شعب حلالا

أيعدّون قتل شعب حلالا

و يعدّون قتل فردا حراما

و يعدّون قتل فردا حراما

Do they deem the killing of a people lawful,

Do they consider the killing of a whole nation lawful,

yet deem the killing of an individual forbidden?

While considering the killing of a single individual a crime?

عبثوا بالنظام بغيا و قالوا

عبثوا بالنظام بغيا و قالوا

قد اتيناكم لنحمي النظاما

قد اتيناكم لنحمي النظاما

They tampered tyrannically with order, and said:

They tampered with order out of tyranny, and said:

"We have come to you to protect order."

"We have come to you to protect the order."

حطّموا المرهفات و هي رقاق

حطّموا المرهفات و هي رقاق

ثمّ شاؤوا فحطّموا الأقلاما

ثمّ شاؤوا فحطّموا الأقلاما

They shattered the keen-edged swords, slender as they were;

They shattered the slender, sharpened swords,

then, at their whim, they shattered the pens.

Then, as they pleased, they shattered the pens.

يالشكوى تغصّ دجلة بالدمع

يالشكوى تغصّ دجلة بالدمع

حنانا و تحزن الأهراما

حنانا و تحزن الأهراما

What a lament! It chokes the Tigris with tears

Oh, what a complaint! The Tigris chokes with tears

of compassion, and saddens the Pyramids.

Out of tender pity, and brings sorrow to the Pyramids.

لو تلاها بأرض يثرب حاد

لو تلاها بأرض يثرب حاد

أبكت الركن و الصفا و المقاما

أبكت الركن و الصفا و المقاما

Were a chanting camel-driver to recite it in Yathrib's land,

If a caravan driver were to recite it in the land of Yathrib,

it would make the Corner, al-Safa, and the Station weep.

It would make the Corner, As-Safa, and the Station weep.

أيّها الأقوياء لينا و عطفا

أيّها الأقوياء لينا و عطفا

أشعوبها ترعونها أم سواما

أشعوبها ترعونها أم سواما

O mighty ones, show gentleness and compassion!

O you who are strong, show gentleness and compassion;

Do you shepherd its peoples, or grazing herds?

Are these its peoples you herd, or grazing livestock?

في رماد الضعيف نار فمهلا

في رماد الضعيف نار فمهلا

أن ظلم القويّ يذكي الضراما

أن ظلم القويّ يذكي الضراما

Fire lies in the ashes of the weak—so take care:

In the ashes of the weak lies a fire, so tread carefully,

for the oppression of the strong fans the blaze.

For the oppression of the strong ignites the blaze.

أنا أخشى من الضعيف عليكم

أنا أخشى من الضعيف عليكم

بعد حين تمرّدا و انتقاما

بعد حين تمرّدا و انتقاما

I fear the weak may bring upon you

I fear for you from the weak,

in time, rebellion and vengeance.

After a time, a rebellion and a vengeance.

أنا أخشى من الضعيف عليكم

أنا أخشى من الضعيف عليكم

ثورة تبعث الخطوب الجساما

ثورة تبعث الخطوب الجساما

I fear the weak may bring upon you

I fear for you from the weak,

a revolution that unleashes immense calamities:

A revolution that brings about massive calamities;

ثورة تهدم القصور و تبني

ثورة تهدم القصور و تبني

فوقها الكوخ عاليا و الخياما

فوقها الكوخ عاليا و الخياما

a revolution that tears down palaces and builds

A revolution that demolishes palaces and builds

above them the hut, raised high, and the tents;

Above them the high hut and the tents;

ثورة تترك المتوّج عبدا

ثورة تترك المتوّج عبدا

و أخا الرّق سيدا قمقاما

و أخا الرّق سيدا قمقاما

a revolution that leaves the crowned one a slave,

A revolution that leaves the crowned one a slave,

and the bondsman a mighty lord.

And makes the brother of bondage a mighty master.

شدّة البغي و الأذى علّمته

شدّة البغي و الأذى علّمته

كيف يغشى يوم الصدام الصداما

كيف يغشى يوم الصدام الصداما

The severity of oppression and harm has taught him

The severity of tyranny and harm has taught him

how, on the day of battle, to plunge into battle.

How to plunge into the clash on the day of collision.

أرهقونا ما شئتم و اظلمونا

أرهقونا ما شئتم و اظلمونا

و امنعونا حتى الكرى و الطعاما

و امنعونا حتى الكرى و الطعاما

Wear us down as you will, and oppress us;

Exhaust us as you please, and wrong us,

and deny us even sleep and food.

And deny us even slumber and food.

و اسلبوا ما ترونه من حطام

و اسلبوا ما ترونه من حطام

لكم وحدكم جمعنا الحطاما

لكم وحدكم جمعنا الحطاما

And plunder whatever worldly goods you see;

And plunder whatever you see of worldly debris,

for you alone we gathered worldly goods.

For you alone have we gathered this debris.

و املأوا هذه السجون إلى أن

و املأوا هذه السجون إلى أن

تشتكي من ضيوفها الازدحاما

تشتكي من ضيوفها الازدحاما

And fill these prisons until

And fill these prisons until

they complain of overcrowding by their guests.

They complain of the overcrowding of their guests.

ثمّ سوموا السجود كبرا و تيها

ثمّ سوموا السجود كبرا و تيها

إذ تمرّون : شيخنا و الغلاما

إذ تمرّون : شيخنا و الغلاما

Then demand prostration, in arrogance and conceit,

Then exact prostration out of arrogance and haughtiness,

from our elder and the boy as you pass.

As you pass by: from our elders and our youth.

و احكموا بالعسف حتّى كأنّا

و احكموا بالعسف حتّى كأنّا

قد مثلنا أمامكم أنعاما

قد مثلنا أمامكم أنعاما

And rule by tyranny, till it is as though

And rule with tyranny until it is as though we

we stood before you as cattle.

Have been presented before you like cattle.

لا إخال الأرواح تكسر قيد الأسر

لا إخال الأرواح تكسر قيد الأسر

إن لم تعذّبوا الأجساما

إن لم تعذّبوا الأجساما

I do not think souls will break captivity's chain

I do not think souls can break the chain of captivity

unless you torture bodies.

If you do not torture the bodies.

يفتك الظلم بالضعيف و يردى

يفتك الظلم بالضعيف و يردى

بعد حين بشؤمه الظلاّما

بعد حين بشؤمه الظلاّما

Oppression ravages the weak and brings down

Oppression destroys the weak, but it will cast down,

the oppressor in time, through its own evil.

After a time, by its ill omen, the oppressor.