زندfirestick الاسىsorrow بينbetween الجوانحthe ribs قدindeed ورىstruck fire
زند الاسى بين الجوانح قد ورى
لماwhen تأخرfell back ذوone possessing الأمامthe foremost position إلىto وراthe rear
لما تأخر ذو الأمام إلى ورا
Sorrow's firestick has struck fire between the ribs,
Sorrow lives in my heart for he who was delayed
When the foremost fell back to the rear.
The one with high aspirations though now humbled and small
أينwhere الوفاfidelity والغدرand treachery قدindeed عمspread throughout الورىhumankind
أين الوفا والغدر قد عم الورى
ولقدand indeed يشقis grievous علىto النواظرthe eyes إنif ترىthey see
ولقد يشق على النواظر إن ترى
Where is fidelity, when treachery has spread through humankind?
The noble individual is now disconnected and exposed
And grievous indeed it is for the eyes, should they behold
Due to what a struggler hopes for beyond the era
ذاone endowed with همةٍhigh resolve فيin ذلةٍabasement وصِغارand humiliation
ذا همةٍ في ذلةٍ وصِغار
أضحىhas become النبيلthe nobleman الفردthe peerless one منفصمsevered العرىthe bonds
أضحى النبيل الفرد منفصم العرى
A man of high resolve in abasement and humiliation.
Oh how a bitter soul is from what it was exposed to
The peerless nobleman, his bonds broken, is now cut off
I did not prefer to witness or see
مماfrom what يؤملhe hopes for جاهداًstriving hard فوقupon العراthe open ground
مما يؤمل جاهداً فوق العرا
ياO لهفanguish نفسٍa soul مرةٍembittered مماfrom what عرىbefell
يا لهف نفسٍ مرةٍ مما عرى
From what he earnestly hopes for upon the open ground.
The elders of a people in the palms of the young
O the anguish of an embittered soul at what has befallen!
For time is an enemy when its sides are revealed
ماnot كنتI was أؤثرI prefer أنto أشاهدI witness أوor أرىI see
ما كنت أؤثر أن أشاهد أو أرى
كبراءَgreat men قومa people فيin أكفhands صغارlesser men
كبراءَ قوم في أكف صغار
I did not wish to witness or see
And when the era reverts, so too do its morals
A people's great men in the hands of lesser men.
It robbed the leadership from the hands of the virtuous
فالدهرfor time خصمa foe إنif بداappears أطراقهits bowing of the head
فالدهر خصم إن بدا أطراقه
وإذاand when الزمانtime تراجعتdeclined أخلاقهits morals
وإذا الزمان تراجعت أخلاقه
For time is a foe, even if its head seems bowed;
Time played with us and will not be unfair
And when time's morals decline,
To the valiant it distinguishes from the treacherous
سلبtook away الرئاسةleadership منfrom يدthe hand الأحرارthe free men
سلب الرئاسة من يد الأحرار
لعبtoyed الزمانtime بناwith us فليسso it is not بغادرleaving behind
لعب الزمان بنا فليس بغادر
It wrests leadership from the hands of free men.
Oh you who seek a sun in a treacherous night
Time has toyed with us, leaving no
What do you hope for from an unjust era
شهماًa gallant man يميزhe distinguishes عاذراًone who excuses منfrom غادرِa traitor
شهماً يميز عاذراً من غادرِ
ياO طالباًone seeking شمساًa sun بليلٍin a night غادرِtreacherous
يا طالباً شمساً بليلٍ غادرِ
Gallant man who can distinguish the forgiving from the treacherous.
That has placed the righteous in the grip of the wicked
O seeker of a sun in a treacherous night,
ماذاwhat تؤملdo you hope for منfrom زمانٍan age جائرِunjust
ماذا تؤمل من زمانٍ جائرِ
جعلplaced الخيارthe good بقبضةin the grasp of الأشرارthe wicked
جعل الخيار بقبضة الأشرار
What do you hope for from an unjust age
That has placed the good in the grasp of the wicked?
Partial English translation: 15 of 18 Arabic lines translated.