أَزَفَّ الرَحيلُ وَحانَ أَن نَتَفَرَّقا

أَزَفَّ الرَحيلُ وَحانَ أَن نَتَفَرَّقا

فَإِلى اللِقا يا صاحِبَيَّ إِلى اللِقا

فَإِلى اللِقا يا صاحِبَيَّ إِلى اللِقا

Departure draws near, and the time has come for us to part.

The time of parting has drawn near, it is time for us to separate

Departure is imminent, and the time has come for us to part,

So, until we meet, my two friends, until we meet.

Farewell my companion, until we meet again

So farewell, O my two friends, farewell,

إِن تَبكِيا فَلَقَد بَكَيتُ مِنَ الأَسى

إِن تَبكِيا فَلَقَد بَكَيتُ مِنَ الأَسى

حَتّى لَكِدتُ بِأَدمُعي أَن أَغرَقا

حَتّى لَكِدتُ بِأَدمُعي أَن أَغرَقا

If you two weep, I have indeed wept from sorrow,

If you weep, I have wept profusely from sorrow

If you weep, know that I have already wept from sorrow,

Until I all but drowned in my tears.

I almost drowned in my tears and flooded

Until I nearly drowned in my own tears.

وَتَسَعَّرَت عِندَ الوَداعِ أَضالِعي

وَتَسَعَّرَت عِندَ الوَداعِ أَضالِعي

ناراً خَشيتُ بِحَرّها أَن أَحرَقا

ناراً خَشيتُ بِحَرّها أَن أَحرَقا

And at farewell my ribs blazed

My ribs burned at the farewell, fearing their heat would ignite me

And my ribs blazed with fire at the farewell,

With a fire whose heat I feared would burn me.

I've always dreaded separation before it happened

A fire whose heat I feared would burn me to ash.

ما زِلتُ أَخشى البَينَ قَبلَ وُقوعِهِ

ما زِلتُ أَخشى البَينَ قَبلَ وُقوعِهِ

حَتّى غَدَوتُ وَلَيسَ لي أَن أُفرَقَ

حَتّى غَدَوتُ وَلَيسَ لي أَن أُفرَقَ

I kept fearing parting before it came,

Until I resigned myself with no choice but to part

I remained fearful of separation before it occurred,

Until I came to a point where I could fear no more.

The day of parting, how harsh is parting

Until I woke to find myself parted, with no way to stay.

يَومَ النَوى لِلَّهِ ما أَقسى النَوى

يَومَ النَوى لِلَّهِ ما أَقسى النَوى

لَولا النَوى ما أَبغَضَت نَفسي البَقا

لَولا النَوى ما أَبغَضَت نَفسي البَقا

On the day of parting—God, how cruel parting is!

If not for parting I would not have hated remaining alive

The day of distance—by God, how cruel is distance!

Were it not for parting, my soul would not hate living.

We left confused and silent as if

Were it not for distance, my soul would not have hated to remain.

رُحنا حَيارى صامِتينَ كَأَنَّما

رُحنا حَيارى صامِتينَ كَأَنَّما

لِلهَولِ نَحذُرُ عِندَهُ أَن نَنطِقا

لِلهَولِ نَحذُرُ عِندَهُ أَن نَنطِقا

We went bewildered and silent, as though

Fearing speaking in our devastation

We departed bewildered, silent, as though

We feared to speak before it, for dread of the horror.

Our hearts palpitating, our eyes cannot see from crying

Out of terror, we were cautious to utter a word.

أَكبادُنا خَفّاقَةٌ وَعُيونُنا

أَكبادُنا خَفّاقَةٌ وَعُيونُنا

لا تَستَطيعُ مِنَ البُكا أَن تَرمُقا

لا تَستَطيعُ مِنَ البُكا أَن تَرمُقا

Our livers fluttered, and our eyes

Our glances pulling, though they are weak

Our hearts fluttering, and our eyes

Could not gaze for all the weeping.

We restrain our breaths lest they vanish

Unable to glance up due to weeping.

تَتَجاذَبُ النَظَراتِ وَهيَ ضَعيفَةٌ

تَتَجاذَبُ النَظَراتِ وَهيَ ضَعيفَةٌ

وَنُغالِبُ الأَنفاسَ كَيلا تُزهَقا

وَنُغالِبُ الأَنفاسَ كَيلا تُزهَقا

They exchanged glances, weak as they were,

If we did not comfort ourselves with the hope of meeting again

Exchanging gazes while they were weak,

And we struggled with our breaths, lest they fail.

Our tears would have nearly gushed out

And struggling against our breaths lest our souls expire.

لَو لَم نُعَلِّل بِاللِقاءِ نُفوسَنا

لَو لَم نُعَلِّل بِاللِقاءِ نُفوسَنا

كادَت مَعَ العَبَراتِ أَن تَتَدَفَّقا

كادَت مَعَ العَبَراتِ أَن تَتَدَفَّقا

Had we not soothed our souls with hope of reunion,

My friend, be patient, perhaps

Had we not soothed our souls with the promise of meeting,

They would have all but flowed away with the tears.

We will return and reunite beautifully

They would have nearly flowed out with the tears.

يا صَحِبَيَّ تَصَبَّرا فَلَرُبَّما

يا صَحِبَيَّ تَصَبَّرا فَلَرُبَّما

عُدنا وَعادَ الشَملُ أَبهى رَونَقا

عُدنا وَعادَ الشَملُ أَبهى رَونَقا

O my two friends, be patient, for perhaps

If the days have not been kind to us

O my two friends, have patience, for perhaps

We shall return, our union restored in brighter splendor.

It is wrong for our souls not to be kind

We shall return, and our reunion will be of splendid luster.

إِن كانَتِ الأَيّامُ لَم تَرفُق بِنا

إِن كانَتِ الأَيّامُ لَم تَرفُق بِنا

فَمِنَ النُهى بِنُفوسِنا أَن ترَفُقا

فَمِنَ النُهى بِنُفوسِنا أَن ترَفُقا

If the days have not been gentle with us,

He who decreed the separation and parting

If the days have not been gentle with us,

Then it is wise for you both to be gentle with our souls.

Can unite those separated

Then it is wisdom that we be gentle with ourselves.

إِنَّ الَّذي قَدَرَ القَطيعَةَ وَالنَوى

إِنَّ الَّذي قَدَرَ القَطيعَةَ وَالنَوى

في وُسعِهِ أَن يَجمَعَ المُتَفَرِّقا

في وُسعِهِ أَن يَجمَعَ المُتَفَرِّقا

Surely he who decreed estrangement and parting

I rode the raging sea howling

Truly, He who decreed the estrangement and the distance,

Has it in his power to reunite the scattered.

Like a lion separated from its cubs, distraught

Is capable of gathering those who are scattered.

وَلَقَد رَكِبتُ البَحرَ يَزأَرُ هائِجاً

وَلَقَد رَكِبتُ البَحرَ يَزأَرُ هائِجاً

كَاللَيثِ فارَقَ شِبلَهُ بَل أَحنَقا

كَاللَيثِ فارَقَ شِبلَهُ بَل أَحنَقا

And I sailed the sea as it roared in fury,

My soul is anxious, yet I do not blame it

And I rode the sea as it roared, raging,

Like a lion parted from its cub—more enraged still.

The sea is the most frightening and avoided

Like a lion separated from its cub, nay, even more enraged.

وَالنَفسُ جازِعَةٌ وَلَستُ أَلومُها

وَالنَفسُ جازِعَةٌ وَلَستُ أَلومُها

فَالبَحرُ أَعظَمُ ما يُخافُ وَيُتَّقى

فَالبَحرُ أَعظَمُ ما يُخافُ وَيُتَّقى

And my soul was terrified; I do not blame it,

I have seen it act wisely and rationally

The soul is anxious, and I do not blame it,

For the sea is the greatest of things feared and guarded against.

And I have seen it act ignorantly and fractured

For the sea is the greatest of what is feared and dreaded.

فَلَقَد شَهِدتُ بِهِ حَكيماً عاقِلاً

فَلَقَد شَهِدتُ بِهِ حَكيماً عاقِلاً

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ بِهِ جَهولاً أَخرَقا

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ بِهِ جَهولاً أَخرَقا

For I have witnessed in it a wise, rational being,

Provoking whatever it wished to toy with us

There I witnessed it act as a wise, rational man,

And in it I have seen an ignorant, reckless fool.

Gentle whenever it wished to be gentle

And there I saw it act as an ignorant, clumsy fool.

مُستَوفِزٌ ما شاءَ أَن يَلهو بِنا

مُستَوفِزٌ ما شاءَ أَن يَلهو بِنا

مُتَرفِّقٌ ما شاءَ أَن يَتَرَفَّقا

مُتَرفِّقٌ ما شاءَ أَن يَتَرَفَّقا

Poised to spring whenever it chooses to toy with us,

Its waves battling each other

Poised to strike when it wished to toy with us,

Gentle whenever it chooses to be gentle.

Arguing over ignorance just as we argue over remaining alive

Gentle when it wished to show kindness.

تَتَنازَعُ الأَمواجُ فيهِ بَعضَها

تَتَنازَعُ الأَمواجُ فيهِ بَعضَها

بَعضاً عَلى جَهلٍ تُنازِعُنا البَقا

بَعضاً عَلى جَهلٍ تُنازِعُنا البَقا

The waves within it struggle, some against

While the eye sees it as erect walls

The waves inside it struggle against one another,

Others, blindly contesting our survival.

It transforms into trenches

A struggle born of ignorance, while they dispute our survival.

بَينا يَراها الطَرفُ سوراً قائِماً

بَينا يَراها الطَرفُ سوراً قائِماً

فَإِذا بِها حالَت فَصارَت خَندَقا

فَإِذا بِها حالَت فَصارَت خَندَقا

Just as the eye sees them as a standing wall,

The ship flowing, splitting its foam

One moment the eye sees them as a standing wall,

Suddenly they change and become a trench.

As if tearing a loose robe

Then suddenly they shift and become a trench.

وَالفُلكُ جارِيَةٌ تَشُقُّ عُبابَهُ

وَالفُلكُ جارِيَةٌ تَشُقُّ عُبابَهُ

شَقّاً كَما تَفري رِداءً أَخلَقا

شَقّاً كَما تَفري رِداءً أَخلَقا

And the ship sails on, cleaving its surging waters,

It rises and we reckon it intends good upon us

And the ship runs, cleaving its tumultuous expanse,

Cleaving as you would tear a threadbare cloak.

And thinks we are flying aloft

Tearing through, as one tears a worn-out garment.

تَعلو فَنَحسَبُحا تَأُمُّ بِنا السَما

تَعلو فَنَحسَبُحا تَأُمُّ بِنا السَما

وَتَظَنُّ أَنّا راكِبونَ مُحَلَّقا

وَتَظَنُّ أَنّا راكِبونَ مُحَلَّقا

It rises, and we think it is taking us toward the sky,

Until when it lowers us into an abyss

It rises, and we think it seeks the heavens with us,

And you think we are riding something in flight.

I was certain death stared upon us

And you would think we were riding a flying spirit.

حَتّى إِذا هَبَطَت بِنا في لُجَّةٍ

حَتّى إِذا هَبَطَت بِنا في لُجَّةٍ

أَيقَنتُ أَنَّ المَوتَ فينا أَحدَقا

أَيقَنتُ أَنَّ المَوتَ فينا أَحدَقا

Until, when it plunged with us into the deep,

The horizon has covered its leather curtain

Until, when it descends with us into the abyss,

I knew for certain that death had hemmed us in.

As if obscured ink has flooded

I became certain that death had encircled us.

وَالأُفقُ قَد غَطّى الَبابُ أَديمَهُ

وَالأُفقُ قَد غَطّى الَبابُ أَديمَهُ

فَكَأَنَّما غَشِيَ المِدادَ امُهرَقا

فَكَأَنَّما غَشِيَ المِدادَ امُهرَقا

And fog has covered the horizon's face,

Neither does the sun shine in the morning nor do we see

The fog had covered the skin of the horizon,

As though it were shrouded in spilled ink.

Either the night has been prolonged or a shining full moon

As if spilled ink had overwhelmed it.

لا الشَمسُ تَسطُعُ في الصَباحِ وَلا نَرى

لا الشَمسُ تَسطُعُ في الصَباحِ وَلا نَرى

إِمّا اِستَطالَ اللَيلَ بَدراً مُشرِقا

إِمّا اِستَطالَ اللَيلَ بَدراً مُشرِقا

The sun does not shine in the morning, nor do we see

I spent twenty days or more

No sun shines in the morning, nor do we see,

When night stretches on, a radiant full moon.

How strange were the sights I saw, an abundance of water

Whenever the night grows long, a shining full moon.

عِشرونَ يَوماً أَو تَزيدُ قَضَيتُها

عِشرونَ يَوماً أَو تَزيدُ قَضَيتُها

كَيفَ اِتَفَتُّ رَأَيتُ ماءً مُغدِقا

كَيفَ اِتَفَتُّ رَأَيتُ ماءً مُغدِقا

I spent twenty days, or more,

New York, daughter of steam, we intend to come to you

Twenty days or more I spent,

Whichever way I turned, I saw abundant water.

Perhaps in the West we may forget the East

Wherever I turned, I saw pouring water.

نيويوركُ يا بِنتَ البُخارِ بِنا اِقصُدي

نيويوركُ يا بِنتَ البُخارِ بِنا اِقصُدي

فَلَعَلَّنا بِالغَربِ نَنسى المَشرِقا

فَلَعَلَّنا بِالغَربِ نَنسى المَشرِقا

To New York, O daughter of steam, steer us,

A homeland we wanted out of love for the sublime

New York, O daughter of steam, steer us your way,

So perhaps in the West we shall forget the East.

Yet it refused except withdrawal into seclusion

That perhaps in the West we may forget the East.

وَطَنٌ أَرَدناهُ عَلى حُبِّ العُلى

وَطَنٌ أَرَدناهُ عَلى حُبِّ العُلى

فَأَبى سِوى أَن يَستَكينَ إِلى الشَقا

فَأَبى سِوى أَن يَستَكينَ إِلى الشَقا

A homeland we wished would cherish greatness,

Like a slave who fears after wasting his youth

A homeland we desired for the love of glory,

But it refused all but submission to misery.

That his masters would set him free

But it refused all else but to settle into misery.

كَالعَبدِ يَخشى بَعدَ ما أَفنى الصِبى

كَالعَبدِ يَخشى بَعدَ ما أَفنى الصِبى

يَلهو بِهِ ساداتُهُ أَن يُعتَقا

يَلهو بِهِ ساداتُهُ أَن يُعتَقا

Like a slave who fears, after spending his youth

Or whenever the times bring a reformer

Like a slave who fears—after his youth is wasted—

As his masters' plaything, being set free.

To its people, they say he transgressed and apostatized

While his masters toy with him, that he might be freed.

أَو كُلَّما جاءَ الزَمانُ بِمُصلِحٍ

أَو كُلَّما جاءَ الزَمانُ بِمُصلِحٍ

في أَهلِهِ قالوا طَغى وَتَزَندَقا

في أَهلِهِ قالوا طَغى وَتَزَندَقا

Or whenever time brought a reformer

As if the injustices they committed were not enough

Or whenever time brought forth a reformer

Among its people, they said, 'He has transgressed and become a heretic.'

And as if it were not enough that we have failed

Among its people, they said: "He has transgressed and turned heretic."

فَكَأَنَّما لَم يَكفِهِ ما قَد جَنوا

فَكَأَنَّما لَم يَكفِهِ ما قَد جَنوا

وَكَأَنَّما لَم يَكفِهِم أَن أَخفَقا

وَكَأَنَّما لَم يَكفِهِم أَن أَخفَقا

As though what they had done to him were not enough,

This is the reward of rigidity, the people of refusal in a nation

As if what they had committed was not enough for the land,

And as though his failure were not enough for them.

Rigidity has taken its children hostage

And as if the land's failure was not enough for them.

هَذا جَزاءُ الجُمودِ ذَوي النُهى في أُمَّةٍ

هَذا جَزاءُ الجُمودِ ذَوي النُهى في أُمَّةٍ

أَخَذَ الجُمودُ عَلى بَنيها مَوثِقا

أَخَذَ الجُمودُ عَلى بَنيها مَوثِقا

This is stagnation's reward for people of reason in a nation

A homeland where the free feel cramped

This is the reward of stagnation, O people of intellect, in a nation

Where stagnation has exacted a binding pledge from its sons.

And you see it even narrower than the free

Where stagnation has taken a solemn oath upon its sons.

وَطَنٌ يَضيقُ الحُرُّ ذَرعاً عِندَهُ

وَطَنٌ يَضيقُ الحُرُّ ذَرعاً عِندَهُ

وَتَراهُ بِالأَحرارِ ذَرعاً أَضيَقا

وَتَراهُ بِالأَحرارِ ذَرعاً أَضيَقا

A homeland that exhausts the free man's patience,

I did not see in it a prosperous intellectual

A homeland where the free man feels his patience narrow,

And you find it even less patient with free men.

Nor an ignorant sycophant

And you see it feeling even more narrowed by the free men.

ما إِن رَأَيتُ بِهِ أَديباً موسَراً

ما إِن رَأَيتُ بِهِ أَديباً موسَراً

فيما رَأَيتُ وَلا جَهولاً مُملِقا

فيما رَأَيتُ وَلا جَهولاً مُملِقا

Never have I seen in it a prosperous man of letters,

Ignorance has spread in it dragging its tail

I never saw a wealthy man of letters within it,

In all I have seen, nor a destitute ignoramus.

Aimlessly, while knowledge walks dejected

In all I saw, nor did I see a destitute fool.

مَشَتِ الجَهالَةُ فيهِ تَسحَبُ ذَيلَها

مَشَتِ الجَهالَةُ فيهِ تَسحَبُ ذَيلَها

تيهاً وَراحَ العِلمُ يَمشي مُطرِقا

تيهاً وَراحَ العِلمُ يَمشي مُطرِقا

Ignorance walked there, dragging its train,

Its people have become in a condition

Ignorance walked through it, dragging its skirts

Haughtily, while knowledge went about with bowed head.

That if it exposed the inanimate, they would have pitied

In arrogance, while Knowledge went walking with head bowed low.

أَمسى وَأَمسى أَهلُهُ في حالَةٍ

أَمسى وَأَمسى أَهلُهُ في حالَةٍ

لَو أَنَّها تَعرو الجَمادَ لَأَشفَقا

لَو أَنَّها تَعرو الجَمادَ لَأَشفَقا

It and its people have come to a state

A people as fragmented as abandonment and whims desired

It and its people ended up in a condition

That even lifeless matter would dread, were it to befall it.

Nearly torn apart and about to be shredded

That, were it to afflict inanimate stone, it would feel pity.

شَعبٌ كَما شاءَ التَخاذُلُ وَالهَوى

شَعبٌ كَما شاءَ التَخاذُلُ وَالهَوى

مُتَفَرِّقٌ وَيَكادُ أَن يَتَمَزَّقا

مُتَفَرِّقٌ وَيَكادُ أَن يَتَمَزَّقا

A people, as mutual desertion and caprice have willed,

It does not accept the united religion of God

A people, as defeatism and whim desired,

Divided, and on the verge of being torn apart.

Yet it accepts the fragmented religion of God

Divided, and on the verge of being torn to shreds.

لا يَرتَضي دينَ الإِلَهُ مُوَفَّقاً

لا يَرتَضي دينَ الإِلَهُ مُوَفَّقاً

بَينَ القُلوبِ وَيَرتَضيهِ مُفَرَّقا

بَينَ القُلوبِ وَيَرتَضيهِ مُفَرَّقا

They do not accept God's religion as a reconciler

Annoyed with the devout and the pious

They are not pleased with God's religion when it reconciles

Of hearts, yet accept it as a divider.

While evil is between devotion and piety

Between hearts, but they are pleased with it when it divides.

كَلِفٌ بِأَصحابِ التَعَبُّدِ وَالتُقى

كَلِفٌ بِأَصحابِ التَعَبُّدِ وَالتُقى

وَالشَرُّ ما بَينَ التَعَبُّدِ وَالتُقى

وَالشَرُّ ما بَينَ التَعَبُّدِ وَالتُقى

Infatuated with the followers of worship and piety,

Weakened unless it flatters one day

Infatuated with the people of outward worship and piety,

And evil lies between worship and piety.

Hoping to see a flatterer

While evil lies between that worship and that piety.

مُستَضعَفٌ إِن لَم يُصَب مُتَمَلِّقا

مُستَضعَفٌ إِن لَم يُصَب مُتَمَلِّقا

يَوماً تَمَلَّقَ أَن يَرى مُتَمَلِّقا

يَوماً تَمَلَّقَ أَن يَرى مُتَمَلِّقا

Downtrodden; if they find no flatterer

It does not believe in science which is truth

Weak; if he is not found to be a sycophant,

One day, they flatter in hopes of seeing one.

Rather, it believes in talismans and folk remedies

One day, he flatters just to see a flatterer.

لَم يَعتَقِد بِالعِلمِ وَهوَ حَقائِقٌ

لَم يَعتَقِد بِالعِلمِ وَهوَ حَقائِقٌ

لَكِنَّهُ اِعتَقَدَ التَمائِمَ وَالرُقى

لَكِنَّهُ اِعتَقَدَ التَمائِمَ وَالرُقى

They did not believe in science, though it consists of facts,

Perhaps it dislikes rigidity, but it is difficult

He did not believe in science, which is the truth,

But they believed in amulets and spells.

For a human to change his nature

But he believed in amulets and incantations.

وَلَرُبَّما كَرِهَ الجُمودَ وَإِنَّما

وَلَرُبَّما كَرِهَ الجُمودَ وَإِنَّما

صَعبٌ عَلى الإِنسانِ أَن يَتَخَلَّقا

صَعبٌ عَلى الإِنسانِ أَن يَتَخَلَّقا

And perhaps they hated stagnation, yet

A government no sooner deposes a fool

And perhaps he hated stagnation, but truly

It is hard for a person to change their character.

Than it installs a fool

It is difficult for a human to change his nature.

وَحُكومَةٌ ما إِن تُزَحزِحُ أَحمَقاً

وَحُكومَةٌ ما إِن تُزَحزِحُ أَحمَقاً

عَن رَأسِها حَتّى تُوَلِّيَ أَحمَقا

عَن رَأسِها حَتّى تُوَلِّيَ أَحمَقا

And a government that never dislodges a fool

It has antagonized us as if

And a government that never budges a fool

From its head until it appoints another fool.

We have come to betray or committed some grave iniquity

From its leadership, until it appoints another fool.

راحَت تُناصِبُنا العِداءَ كَأَنَّما

راحَت تُناصِبُنا العِداءَ كَأَنَّما

جِئنا فَرِيّاً أَو رَكِبنا موبِقا

جِئنا فَرِيّاً أَو رَكِبنا موبِقا

It set itself against us in enmity, as though

And it has refused except to exhaust us as if

It went on declaring hostility against us, as if

We had committed an outrage or a ruinous sin.

All justice to it is that we be exhausted

We had committed a great slander or rode a mortal sin.

وَأَبَتَ سِوى إِرهاقِنا فَكَأَنَّما

وَأَبَتَ سِوى إِرهاقِنا فَكَأَنَّما

كُلُّ العَدالَةِ عِندَها أَن نُرهَقا

كُلُّ العَدالَةِ عِندَها أَن نُرهَقا

And it would do nothing but oppress us, as though

While foreigners roam it as if

And it refused all but to exhaust us, as if

All justice, in its eyes, meant our being oppressed.

The morning breeze played with the branches of saplings

All justice, in its view, is that we be exhausted.

بَينا الأَجانِبُ يَعبَزونَ بِها كَما

بَينا الأَجانِبُ يَعبَزونَ بِها كَما

عَبِثَ الصَبا سَحَراً بِأَغصانِ النَقا

عَبِثَ الصَبا سَحَراً بِأَغصانِ النَقا

While foreigners toy with it, as

Baghdad is in danger and Egypt a captive

While foreigners toy with it, just as

The east wind played at dawn with branches on the dune.

Tomorrow the hands of greed will snatch them

The east wind toys at dawn with the branches of the dunes.

بَغدادُ في خَطَرٍ وَمِصرُ رَهينَةٌ

بَغدادُ في خَطَرٍ وَمِصرُ رَهينَةٌ

وَغَداً تَنالُ يَدُ المَطامِعِ جِلَّقا

وَغَداً تَنالُ يَدُ المَطامِعِ جِلَّقا

Baghdad is in danger, and Egypt is held hostage,

Its pillars have weakened, it does not realize

Baghdad is in danger, and Egypt is a hostage,

And tomorrow the hand of greed will reach Jilliq.

Its plight until it passes away and perishes

And tomorrow the hand of greed will reach Damascus.

ضَعُفَت قَوائِمُها وَلَمّا تَرعَوي

ضَعُفَت قَوائِمُها وَلَمّا تَرعَوي

عَن غَيِّها حَتّى تَزولَ وَتُمحَقا

عَن غَيِّها حَتّى تَزولَ وَتُمحَقا

Its pillars have weakened, yet it still will not desist

It was said love it, I said nothing remains for us

Its pillars have weakened, yet it does not refrain

From its error until it vanishes and is annihilated.

With which to love and become impassioned

From its error, until it vanishes and is effaced.

قيلَ اِعشَقوها قُلتُ لَم يَبقَ لَنا

قيلَ اِعشَقوها قُلتُ لَم يَبقَ لَنا

مَعَها قُلوبٌ كَي نُحِبَّ وَنَعشَقا

مَعَها قُلوبٌ كَي نُحِبَّ وَنَعشَقا

It was said, 'Love her.' I said, 'We no longer have

If the motherland is not affectionate

It was said, "Love her." I said, "We have no remaining

Hearts left with her, to love and adore.'

Alas, it will not find affection from its children

Hearts for her, that we might love and adore."

إِن لَم تَكُن ذاتُ البَنينِ شَفيقَةً

إِن لَم تَكُن ذاتُ البَنينِ شَفيقَةً

هَيهاتَ تَلقى مِن بَنيها مُشفِقا

هَيهاتَ تَلقى مِن بَنيها مُشفِقا

If a mother of sons is not compassionate,

I have come where the soul does not fear harm

If the mother of sons is not compassionate,

How unlikely she is to find a caring one among her sons.

Ever, and where the mind roams freely every morning

Far be it that she finds a compassionate one among her sons.

أَصبَحتُ حَيثُ النَفسُ لا تَخشى أَذىً

أَصبَحتُ حَيثُ النَفسُ لا تَخشى أَذىً

أَبَداً وَحَيثُ الفِكرُ يَغدو مُطلَقا

أَبَداً وَحَيثُ الفِكرُ يَغدو مُطلَقا

I now live where the soul fears no harm,

My soul, eternalize yourself and leave yearning behind

I have reached a place where the soul fears no harm

Ever, and where thought is unfettered.

For it is ignorance today for you to long

Ever, and where thought runs free and unbound.

نَفسي اِخلُدي وَدَعي الحَنينَ فَإِنَّما

نَفسي اِخلُدي وَدَعي الحَنينَ فَإِنَّما

جَهلٌ بُعَيدَ اليَومِ أَن تَتَشَوَّقا

جَهلٌ بُعَيدَ اليَومِ أَن تَتَشَوَّقا

My soul, rest and abandon longing, for

How the light of knowledge radiates in it

O my soul, find peace and leave nostalgia behind, for it is

It is folly, after today, to yearn.

I have guaranteed you a delightful life

Ignorance, after today, to yearn for the past.

هَذي هِيَ الدُنيا الجَديدَةُ فَاِنظُري

هَذي هِيَ الدُنيا الجَديدَةُ فَاِنظُري

فيها ضِياءَ العِلمِ كَيفَ تَأَلَّقا

فيها ضِياءَ العِلمِ كَيفَ تَأَلَّقا

This is the New World, so look

Among its people, and the most beautifully blossoming living

This is the New World, so behold

Within it at the light of knowledge—how it gleams!

Within it, how the light of knowledge sparkles.

إِنّي ضَمِنتُ لَكِ الحَياةَ شَهِيَّةً

إِنّي ضَمِنتُ لَكِ الحَياةَ شَهِيَّةً

في أَهلِها وَالعَيشَ أَزهَرَ مونِقا

في أَهلِها وَالعَيشَ أَزهَرَ مونِقا

I have guaranteed you a delightful life

I have guaranteed for you a life that is sweet

Among its people, and a bright, beautiful existence.

Among its people, and a living that is blooming and bright.