يا حابسين صحيفة الأحرار

يا حابسين صحيفة الأحرار

 هل يمنع القيد استعار النار

هل يمنع القيد استعار النار

O you who imprison the newspaper Al-Ahrar,

O you who detain the newspaper of the free

O you who imprison the newspaper of the free,

can shackles prevent the flaring of fire?

Can shackles prevent the borrowing of fire?

Does the shackle prevent the fire from igniting?

إن تحجبوها فهي حقد كامن

إن تحجبوها فهي حقد كامن

 بين الضلوع و صرخة استنكار

بين الضلوع و صرخة استنكار

If you suppress it, it is a latent hatred

If you hide it, it is latent hatred

If you veil it, it becomes latent hatred,

between the ribs, and a cry of protest.

Between the ribs and a scream of disavowal

Between the ribs and a cry of condemnation.

بنت الكفاح و كل سطر خالد

بنت الكفاح و كل سطر خالد

 عرق يفور به دم الثوار

عرق يفور به دم الثوار

A daughter of struggle, and every immortal line

The daughter of struggle, every immortal line

Daughter of struggle, and every immortal line,

is a vein in which the revolutionaries' blood seethes.

The blood of rebels foams with sweat

Is a vein in which the blood of revolutionaries boils.

ضم الشتات بها ( فكاوا ) يجتلي

ضم الشتات بها ( فكاوا ) يجتلي

 من عين ( يعرب ) ضحكة استبشار

من عين ( يعرب ) ضحكة استبشار

Through it the scattered were gathered; thus Kawa beholds

It united the diaspora, in it "Fikka" shines

It gathered the scattered, so (Kawa) beholds,

in Ya'rub's eye a smile of gladness.

From the eye of "Yarib" a laugh of jubilation

From the eye of (Ya'rub) a smile of optimism.

و ( القدس ) تشهد كل جرح أنها

و ( القدس ) تشهد كل جرح أنها

 برء يثير مخاوف الأشرار

برء يثير مخاوف الأشرار

And Al-Quds calls every wound to witness that it is

And "Al-Quds" testifies every wound that it

And (Jerusalem) witnesses to every wound that it,

a cure that stirs the evildoers' fears.

Is an innocence that stirs up the fears of the evil

Is a cure that stirs the fears of the wicked.

لم تكب في ساح الجهاد و لا ارتضت

لم تكب في ساح الجهاد و لا ارتضت

 ذلا و لا غفلت عن استعمار

ذلا و لا غفلت عن استعمار

It never stumbled in the field of struggle, nor accepted

It did not weaken in the field of jihad, nor was content

It did not stumble in the arena of jihad, nor did it accept,

humiliation, nor overlooked colonialism.

With humiliation, nor neglected the occupation

Humiliation, nor was it heedless of colonialism.

إن تحجبوها فالليالي شأنها

إن تحجبوها فالليالي شأنها

 ألا يدوم بها سنا الأقمار

ألا يدوم بها سنا الأقمار

If you suppress it, it is the way of nights

If you hide it, nights are of a kind

If you veil it, then the nature of nights is,

that the moons' radiance does not last within them.

That the light of stars does not last in them

That the brilliance of moons does not last within them.

ما إن نخور فليس فينا جاهل

ما إن نخور فليس فينا جاهل

 إن الحياة عطية الأخطار

إن الحياة عطية الأخطار

We never falter, for none among us is ignorant:

We will not despair, there is no ignorant among us

We do not languish, for there is no ignorant one among us,

indeed, life is the gift of dangers.

Life itself is a gift of dangers

[Knowing] that life is the gift of dangers.

إنا لنغمد في اللظى أقدامنا

إنا لنغمد في اللظى أقدامنا

 هيهات نشكو سطوة الأحجار

هيهات نشكو سطوة الأحجار

Indeed, we plunge our feet into the blaze;

We will sheathe our feet in flames

We plunge our feet into the blazing fire,

never will we complain of the stones' onslaught.

Never complain of the tyranny of stones

Far be it that we complain of the hardness of stones.

واحر قلبي يا بلادي أنني

واحر قلبي يا بلادي أنني

 جردت فيك سوى من الأشعار

جردت فيك سوى من الأشعار

Alas for my burning heart, my country, that I

And my ardent heart, my country, that I

Oh the burning of my heart, oh my country, that I,

have been stripped, in you, of all but poetry.

Stripped you of nothing but poetry

Have been stripped in you of all but poetry.

ماذا ظننت بصادق في حبه

ماذا ظننت بصادق في حبه

 لو كان يملك قوة الأقدار

لو كان يملك قوة الأقدار

What would you expect of one sincere in his love,

What did you think of one sincere in his love

What did you think of one truthful in his love,

if he possessed the power of the fates?

If he possessed the power of fate

If he possessed the power of destinies?

هل كان ينفض من نضال كفه

هل كان ينفض من نضال كفه

 أو كان يتركها على القيثار

أو كان يتركها على القيثار

Would he shake his hand free of struggle,

Would he shake off the struggle of his palm

Would he shake his hand free of struggle,

or leave it upon the lyre?

Or would he leave it on the lyre?

Or would he leave it upon the lyre?

و لو استطعت لكنت حزبا ثانيا

و لو استطعت لكنت حزبا ثانيا

 مثل التحرر صادق الآثار

مثل التحرر صادق الآثار

And if I could, I would be a second party,

If I could, I would be a second party

And if I could, I would have been a second party,

like Al-Taharrur, true in its deeds.

Like liberation, sincere in its effects

Like 'Liberation,' truthful in its effects.

أو عدت أجعل من دمائي ثورة

أو عدت أجعل من دمائي ثورة

 تجلو غشاوة هذه الأبصار

تجلو غشاوة هذه الأبصار

Or I would return to make of my blood a revolution

Or I would turn my blood into a revolution

Or I would return to make of my blood a revolution,

that clears the veil from these eyes.

To dispel the cloudiness of these sights

That clears the mist from these eyes.

الشعب يعلم عن يقين أنها

الشعب يعلم عن يقين أنها

 بوق النضال و منبر الأحرار

بوق النضال و منبر الأحرار

The people know for certain that it is

The people know for sure that it is

The people know with certainty that it is,

the trumpet of struggle and the platform of the free.

The horn of struggle and the pulpit of the free

The trumpet of struggle and the pulpit of the free.

حان الكفاح فأنزلتها طعنة

حان الكفاح فأنزلتها طعنة

 حمراء في صدر الحليف الصاري

حمراء في صدر الحليف الصاري

The hour of struggle came, and you delivered it as a stab,

The time of struggle came, so I stabbed it

The time for struggle came, so she landed it as a stab,

red, in the breast of the ally [mastlike?].

A red stab in the chest of the shining ally

Red in the chest of the arrogant ally.

الجو فيك لكل نسر ضيق

الجو فيك لكل نسر ضيق

 رحب لكل ملون المنقار

رحب لكل ملون المنقار

The sky in you is narrow for every eagle,

The atmosphere in you is too narrow for every eagle

The atmosphere in you is narrow for every eagle,

spacious for everyone with a colored beak.

Spacious for every colorful beak

But spacious for every colorful-beaked bird.

قصوا جناح النشر فيه و أطلقوا

قصوا جناح النشر فيه و أطلقوا

 لليوم أجنحة الخنا و العار

لليوم أجنحة الخنا و العار

They clipped the wing of publishing there, and unleashed

They cut off the wing of publishing in it and released

They clipped the wing of publishing within it and unleashed,

for the day the wings of obscenity and shame.

For the day wings of shame and disgrace

Today the wings of obscenity and shame.

و من المهازل أن أوفى صفحة

و من المهازل أن أوفى صفحة

 للشعب تطويها يدا غدار

للشعب تطويها يدا غدار

And among the absurdities is that the page most faithful

And of the absurdities is that the most loyal page

And it is among the farces that the most loyal page,

to the people is folded by a traitor's two hands.

To the people is folded by a treacherous hand

To the people is folded by the hands of a traitor.

ما راش جود الكادحين جناحها

ما راش جود الكادحين جناحها

 حتى يراه مقص الاستعمار

حتى يراه مقص الاستعمار

The toilers' generosity did not feather its wing

The generosity of the toilers did not feather its wing

The generosity of the toilers did not feather its wing,

for colonialism's scissors to catch sight of it.

Until the occupation scissors see it

Only for the scissors of colonialism to see it.

أن يحجبوها فهي في أرواحنا

أن يحجبوها فهي في أرواحنا

 و ضحاه تنشرها يد التذكار

و ضحاه تنشرها يد التذكار

If they suppress it, it is in our souls,

If they hide it, it is in our souls

If they veil it, it remains in our souls,

and at its dawn the hand of remembrance spreads it.

And its light, the hand of remembrance spreads it

And its morning light is spread by the hand of remembrance.

أو طاب يوم ( الخائنات ) بيومها

أو طاب يوم ( الخائنات ) بيومها

 فالخائنات قصيرة الأعمار

فالخائنات قصيرة الأعمار

Or if the treacherous ones' day prospers at its day's expense,

Or the day of "the traitors" was good in its day

Or if the day of the (traitresses) was pleasant because of its day,

the treacherous ones are short-lived.

The traitors have short lives

Then the traitresses are short-lived.

إن المصاب و إن خلا من فرحة

إن المصاب و إن خلا من فرحة

 لم يخل من عظة و من انذار

لم يخل من عظة و من انذار

Indeed, the calamity, though devoid of joy,

The afflicted, even if devoid of joy

Indeed the calamity, even if devoid of joy,

is not devoid of a lesson and a warning.

Did not lack a lesson and a warning

Is not devoid of a lesson and a warning.

فالطاعن الصدر الأبي بسيفه

فالطاعن الصدر الأبي بسيفه

 سق الستار بطعنة استهتار

سق الستار بطعنة استهتار

For he who stabs the defiant breast with his sword

So the backstabber of the unwavering chest with his sword

For the one stabbing the proud chest with his sword,

has [torn] the curtain with a reckless thrust.

Dropped the curtain with a stab of recklessness

Tore the curtain with a stab of recklessness.

فإذا العيون ترى و في أهدابها

فإذا العيون ترى و في أهدابها

 لمح الدماء خبيثة ( الثرثار )

لمح الدماء خبيثة ( الثرثار )

And now the eyes see—with their lashes bearing

And so the eyes see, and in their eyelids

And behold, the eyes see, and in their eyelashes,

the glint of blood—the chatterer's vile deed:

A glimpse of the vile blood of "the blatherer"

Is the glint of blood, malicious and (chattering).

يجثو على فرش الحرير و دونه

يجثو على فرش الحرير و دونه

 جسم الطعين على التراب العاري

جسم الطعين على التراب العاري

he kneels on beds of silk, and below him

Crouching on the silk carpets, and beneath him

He kneels upon mattresses of silk, while beneath him,

lies the stabbed man's body upon the bare earth.

The stabbed body on the bare soil

Is the body of the stabbed one upon the bare soil.

فالطرف يمسك بالكؤوس و رجله

فالطرف يمسك بالكؤوس و رجله

 بالطرس و الكغان بالدينار

بالطرس و الكغان بالدينار

So the gaze clings to goblets, and his foot

So the glance holds the cups, and his leg

The hand grasps the cups, and his foot,

to parchment, and [the two hands] to the dinar.

Holds the mats, and the jugs the dinars

Is on the scroll, and the Khan is sold for the dinar.

لو باركته يدا ( سفير ) ساعة

لو باركته يدا ( سفير ) ساعة

 باع النضال بحلفة ( استيزار )

باع النضال بحلفة ( استيزار )

If an ambassador's two hands blessed him for an hour,

Had the hands of an "ambassador" blessed him an hour

If the hands of an (ambassador) blessed him for an hour,

he would sell the struggle for an oath to gain ministerial office.

He would have sold the struggle for a "tip"

He sold the struggle for an oath of ministry.

يا من يشيد لكل حر محبسا

يا من يشيد لكل حر محبسا

 خوفا على كرسيه المنهار

خوفا على كرسيه المنهار

O you who build a prison for every free person,

O you who build a prison for every free man

O you who build a prison for every free man,

fearing for his collapsing seat,

Fearing for his crumbling throne

In fear for his collapsing chair.

إن الظلام إذا تناهى غيه

إن الظلام إذا تناهى غيه

 زاد العيون صدى إلى الأنوار

زاد العيون صدى إلى الأنوار

indeed, when darkness's waywardness reaches its utmost,

When darkness reaches its limits

Indeed, when darkness reaches the limit of its transgression,

it increases the eyes' thirst for light.

Eyes reflect more towards the light

It increases the eyes' thirst for the lights.

و الحابس الأبطال عن أن يزأروا

و الحابس الأبطال عن أن يزأروا

 ظن الزئير قضى قتل إسار

ظن الزئير قضى قتل إسار

And he who imprisons heroes to prevent their roaring

And he who imprisons the heroes from roaring

And the one imprisoning heroes to keep them from roaring,

thought the roar had died, slain by captivity,

Thought the roar had killed the captive

Thought that roaring was ended by the killing of captivity.

حتى تكشف عن سراب ظنه

حتى تكشف عن سراب ظنه

 و انفض جوف الصمت عن إعصار

و انفض جوف الصمت عن إعصار

until his belief was exposed as a mirage,

Until it reveals the mirage of his assumption

Until the mirage of his thought was revealed,

and the hollow of silence burst open upon a hurricane.

And the belly of silence erupts into a storm

And the hollow of silence shook off a hurricane.

فإذا الحناجر و الزمازم تنبري

فإذا الحناجر و الزمازم تنبري

 غضبى تجوز عليه عقر الدار

غضبى تجوز عليه عقر الدار

Then the throats and rumblings spring forth,

So the larynxes and throats cry out

Then behold, throats and roaring chants step forward,

furious, sweeping over him into the heart of his house.

My wrath passes over it, uprooting the house

Angrily traversing against him the center of his abode.

هيهات تغلب كل كف شأنها

هيهات تغلب كل كف شأنها

 لمس الحرير تدفق التيار

لمس الحرير تدفق التيار

Never can any hand whose business is

Never can each palm, its trait is

Far be it that every hand whose nature is,

touching silk overcome the current's surge.

To touch silk, dam the torrent

Touching silk could overcome the flow of the current.

هيهات يصرع كل فكر ملؤه

هيهات يصرع كل فكر ملؤه

 همس الطغاة صوارخ الأنكار

همس الطغاة صوارخ الأنكار

Never can any mind filled with

Never can every idea filled

Far be it that every thought filled with,

the whispers of tyrants vanquish the cries of protest.

With the tyrants' whispers defeat the screams of rejection

The whispers of tyrants could strike down the shouts of disapproval.

ما دام بعض دم الضحية دافقا

ما دام بعض دم الضحية دافقا

 فيها فلا ركنت إلى الأظفار

فيها فلا ركنت إلى الأظفار

So long as some of the victim's blood keeps flowing

As long as some of the victim's blood flows

As long as some of the victim's blood flows,

within them, may they never put their trust in claws.

Through it, it will not resort to claws

Within, then she has not surrendered to the claws.

يا شعب أنت غد فإن لم يؤمنوا

يا شعب أنت غد فإن لم يؤمنوا

 بالكادحين فلست للكفار

بالكادحين فلست للكفار

O people, you are tomorrow; if they do not believe

O people, tomorrow, if they do not believe

O People, you are tomorrow; so if they do not believe,

in the toilers, you are not for the unbelievers.

In the toilers, you do not belong to the infidels

In the toilers, then you do not belong to the disbelievers.

إن الطغاة نجوم ليل ترتدي

إن الطغاة نجوم ليل ترتدي

 ثوب المغيب و أنت شمس نهار

ثوب المغيب و أنت شمس نهار

The tyrants are stars of night, wearing

The tyrants are stars of a night dressed

Indeed, tyrants are stars of the night that wear,

the robe of setting, while you are the sun of day.

In the garb of sunset, and you are the sun of daytime

The robe of setting, while you are the sun of the day.

أنت اندفعت إلى العلاء و غلغلوا

أنت اندفعت إلى العلاء و غلغلوا

 في هوة  لا تنتهي بقرار

في هوة لا تنتهي بقرار

You surged toward the heights, while they burrowed

You surged to the heights while they wallowed

You surged towards the heights, while they penetrated deep,

into an abyss that reaches no bottom.

In an endless abyss

Into an abyss that ends in no bottom.

لا يستوي الجيلان هذا مقبل

لا يستوي الجيلان هذا مقبل

 نحو الحياة و ذاك في إدبار

نحو الحياة و ذاك في إدبار

The two generations are not alike: this one advances

The two generations are not equal, this one heading

The two generations are not equal: this one is approaching,

toward life, while that one retreats.

Towards life, and that one in retreat

Towards life, and that one is in retreat.

ظنونك سخرية الزمان و نهزه

ظنونك سخرية الزمان و نهزه

 للطامعين و لعبة الأغرار

للطامعين و لعبة الأغرار

[They thought you] time's laughingstock and an opportunity

Your speculations are the mockery of time and its shaking

They thought you were the mockery of time and its opportunity,

for the covetous, and the plaything of the gullible,

For the greedy and the foolish

For the covetous, and the plaything of the inexperienced.

حتى أبنت عن اللظى في ملمس

حتى أبنت عن اللظى في ملمس

 و كشفت في شرب عن الأكدار

و كشفت في شرب عن الأكدار

until you disclosed the blaze within a touch,

Until you revealed from the flames in touch

Until you revealed the blazing fire in the touch,

and uncovered the dregs in a draught.

And uncovered in a sip the sediments

And uncovered the turbidity in the drink.

أنت العباب سجا و أغفى حاجبا

أنت العباب سجا و أغفى حاجبا

 خلف السجو منية البحار

خلف السجو منية البحار

You are the surging sea, grown still and dozing, concealing

You are the heavy seas, frowning

You are the surging sea that calmed and dozed, concealing,

behind its stillness the sailor's death.

Behind the frown, the intention of the seas

Behind the calmness the death of the seas.

أنت الزمان صفا ليهوي سيفه

أنت الزمان صفا ليهوي سيفه

 بعد الصفاء على يدي جبار

بعد الصفاء على يدي جبار

You are time, grown serene so its sword may descend

You are time, clear for its sword to plunge

You are Time that cleared, so that its sword might fall,

after the serenity upon a tyrant's two hands.

After the clarity, into the hand of the tyrant

After the clarity, upon the hands of a tyrant.

إن الشعوب شكون داء واحدا

إن الشعوب شكون داء واحدا

 رغم التنائي و اختلاف الدار

رغم التنائي و اختلاف الدار

Indeed, the peoples have complained of one disease,

The nations complain of one disease

Indeed, the peoples have complained of a single disease,

despite their distance and their different homelands.

Despite the distance and difference of homes

Despite the distance and the difference of abode.

أغلالهن مجمعات في يد

أغلالهن مجمعات في يد

 رعناء تنشرها على الأقطار

رعناء تنشرها على الأقطار

Their fetters are gathered in a hand,

Their shackles gathered in one hand

Their shackles are gathered in a hand,

reckless, that spreads them across the lands.

Of shepherds who spread them over countries

Reckless, spreading them across the regions.

فإذا حطمت فلست وحدك حاطما

فإذا حطمت فلست وحدك حاطما

 تلك القيود غنيت بالأنصار

تلك القيود غنيت بالأنصار

So if you shatter them, you are not alone in shattering

So if you shattered them, you are not alone a breaker

So if you shatter them, you are not alone in shattering,

those chains; you are rich in supporters.

Of those chains, you chanted with supporters

Those chains; you have become rich in supporters.

لاوفق الأشرار في أن يخرقوا

لاوفق الأشرار في أن يخرقوا

 قلب النضال بكاذب الأخبار

قلب النضال بكاذب الأخبار

May the evildoers find no success in piercing

The evildoers will not succeed in stabbing

May the wicked find no success in piercing,

the heart of struggle with false reports.

The heart of the struggle with the lying news

The heart of struggle with false news.

هل يأمن المطعون من جلاده

هل يأمن المطعون من جلاده

 إلا لقاء الصارم البتار

إلا لقاء الصارم البتار

Can the stabbed man be safe from his executioner

Will the stabbed feel safe from his executioner

Does the stabbed one expect safety from his executioner,

except through an encounter with the keen, cleaving sword?

Except by meeting the cutting sword?

Except for the meeting of the sharp, cutting sword?

و الأرض ليس لها من غاسل

و الأرض ليس لها من غاسل

 رجس الطغاة سوى دم الثوار

رجس الطغاة سوى دم الثوار

And the earth has no cleanser for

And the earth has no one to wash

And the earth has no washer for,

the tyrants' filth except the revolutionaries' blood.

The filth of tyrants but the blood of revolutionaries

The filth of tyrants except the blood of revolutionaries.