أَطالَhas grown long? اللَيلُthe night أَمor طالَlasted long المَقامُthe stay
أَطالَ اللَيلُ أَم طالَ المَقامُ
أَمِor المَحزونُthe sorrowful one شَمَرَهُstirred him الهِيامُlove's madness
أَمِ المَحزونُ شَمَرَهُ الهِيامُ
Has the night grown long, or has the stay grown long?
Has the night grown long, or has the sojourn dragged on,
Has the night grown long, or has the sojourn stretched on? Or has passion stirred the sorrowful one?
Or has love's madness stirred the sorrowful one?
Or has the melancholic one counted it endless through his sorrow?
He spent the night heaving sighs of deep affection, and when he wailed, the doves joined his lament.
فَباتَso he spent the night يُصَعِّدُsending up الزَفَراتِsighs وَجداًin longing
فَباتَ يُصَعِّدُ الزَفَراتِ وَجداً
وَإِمّاand whenever ناحَhe lamented أَسعَدَهُaided him الحِمامُthe doves
وَإِمّا ناحَ أَسعَدَهُ الحِمامُ
So he spent the night sending up sighs of longing,
So he spent the night sighing heavily in anguish,
His body grew so accustomed to sickness that he began to fear the sickness might depart.
And whenever he lamented, the doves joined his mourning.
While, on the other hand, the doves were delighted.
He enticed his eyelids with wakefulness, until he dreaded that slumber might visit them.
تَعَوَّدَgrew accustomed to جِسمُهُhis body الأَسقامَailments حَتّىuntil
تَعَوَّدَ جِسمُهُ الأَسقامَ حَتّى
لَيَحذَرُhe indeed fears أَنthat يُزايِلَهُit might leave him السَقامُsickness
لَيَحذَرُ أَن يُزايِلَهُ السَقامُ
His body grew accustomed to ailments, until
His body grew accustomed to illnesses until,
Cares gathered upon him in succession, just as grazing herds gather at the water.
He even fears that sickness might leave him.
He fears that well-being may leave him.
He lacked a helper to bear his affliction, and his night lacked the light of a full moon.
وَأَغرىand he enticed جَفنَهُhis eyelid بِالسُهدَinto sleeplessness حَتّىuntil
وَأَغرى جَفنَهُ بِالسُهدَ حَتّى
لِيُشفِقَso that he fears أَنthat يُطيفَmight hover بِهِaround him المَنامُsleep
لِيُشفِقَ أَن يُطيفَ بِهِ المَنامُ
And he enticed his eyelid into sleeplessness, until
And he allured his eyelids with wakefulness until,
His heart grew too weary to bear the distress, and the darkness grew weary of his burden and of him.
He fears that sleep might hover around him.
He dreads that sleep may come to him.
It is as though the stars are the eyelids of one weeping, as though the night itself is a lovestruck admirer.
تَجَمَّعَتِgathered الهُمومُsorrows عَلَيهِupon him تَترىone after another
تَجَمَّعَتِ الهُمومُ عَلَيهِ تَترى
كَماjust as اِجتَمَعَتgathered عَلىat الماءِthe water السُوامُgrazing herds
كَما اِجتَمَعَت عَلى الماءِ السُوامُ
Sorrows gathered upon him, one after another,
Worries gathered upon him in succession,
The moons have refused rest just as I have; they are like me, attempting to sleep yet finding no slumber.
As grazing herds gather at the water.
As the crows gather upon the water.
They insisted on silence while I spent the night complaining; yet how can concealment ever accompany deep passion?
وَأَعوَزَهُand he lacked عَلىagainst البَلوىaffliction مُعينٌa helper
وَأَعوَزَهُ عَلى البَلوى مُعينٌ
وَأَعوَزَand lacked لَيلَهُhis night القَمَرُthe moon التَمامُfull
وَأَعوَزَ لَيلَهُ القَمَرُ التَمامُ
And he lacked a helper against affliction,
In his affliction, he lacked a helper,
Their silence is of no use to me, nor would speech be of any use to the shooting stars.
And his night lacked the full moon.
And his night lacked the full moon.
I am like a reader, and the night is a tome—one that has a beginning but no end.
فَضاقَso grew overwhelmed فُؤادُهُhis heart بَِلهَمِّby grief ذَرعاًin endurance
فَضاقَ فُؤادُهُ بَِلهَمِّ ذَرعاً
وَضاقَand grew overwhelmed بِهَمِّهِby his grief وَبِهِand by him الظَلامُthe darkness
وَضاقَ بِهَمِّهِ وَبِهِ الظَلامُ
So his heart could no longer bear its grief,
So his heart was sorely troubled,
Such is sorrow: it appears most severe when the darkness falls silent and all people sleep.
And the darkness could bear neither his grief nor him.
And the darkness and his worries narrowed around him.
My soul yearns for the lands of the Levant; O regions of Sham, may the rain clouds greet you!
كَأَنَّas though نُجومَهُits stars أَجفانُeyelids of باكٍa weeper
كَأَنَّ نُجومَهُ أَجفانُ باكٍ
كَأَنَّas though اللَيلَthe night صَبٌّa lovesick lover مُستَهامُcrazed with longing
كَأَنَّ اللَيلَ صَبٌّ مُستَهامُ
As though its stars were a weeper's eyelids,
As if its stars were the eyelids of a weeping man,
We have no heart's desire other than the Levant and its people, even if the Levant is far away.
As though the night were a lover crazed with longing.
As if the night were a torrent rushing headlong.
Were my residence not in Egypt, then by your father's life, I would not have tarried so long.
أَباO father of الأَقمارِthe moons ماwhat بيails me فَهِيَfor they مِثليlike me
أَبا الأَقمارِ ما بي فَهِيَ مِثلي
تُحاوِلُthey try أَنto تَنامَsleep فَلاbut do not تَنامُsleep
تُحاوِلُ أَن تَنامَ فَلا تَنامُ
O father of moons, what ails me? For they, like me,
O father of the full moons, none are like me,
A year has passed over me in the land of Egypt, another is here, and yet another will come.
Try to sleep, but cannot sleep.
Attempting to sleep but unable to sleep.
It is not the land of Egypt itself that has possessed my heart, but rather that its people are a noble folk.
أَبَتthey refused إِلّاexcept السُكوتَsilence وَبِتُّand I spent the night أَشكوcomplaining
أَبَت إِلّا السُكوتَ وَبِتُّ أَشكو
وَأَنّىand how يَصحَبُcan accompany الوَجدَlonging اِكتِتامُconcealment
وَأَنّى يَصحَبُ الوَجدَ اِكتِتامُ
They would accept only silence, while I spent the night complaining,
I insisted on silence and spent the night complaining,
Their affection endures throughout the days, and their neighbor is cherished, never suffering wrong.
And how can concealment accompany longing?
But how can silence accompany fervent passion?
Among their virtues is a gentleness of spirit, smooth as wine when wine claims the attribute of softness.
وَلَيسَand is not بِنافِعيof use to me مِنهاfrom them سُكوتٌsilence
وَلَيسَ بِنافِعي مِنها سُكوتٌ
وَلَيسَand is not بِنافِعِof use to الشُهبِthe bright stars الكَلامُspeech
وَلَيسَ بِنافِعِ الشُهبِ الكَلامُ
Silence from them does me no good,
Neither its silence benefits me,
You perceive in their hearts a patient wisdom, even when reason is overwhelmed by dispute.
Nor does speech do the bright stars any good.
Nor does talking benefit the stars.
The nights sought only to oppose them, yet they did not despair at dawn, nor did they surrender to sleep.
كَأَنّيas if I قارِئٌa reader وَاللَيلُand the night سِفرٌa book
كَأَنّي قارِئٌ وَاللَيلُ سِفرٌ
لَهُit has بَدءٌa beginning وَلَيسَand there is no لَهُfor it خِتامُan end
لَهُ بَدءٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ خِتامُ
It is as if I were a reader, and the night a book,
It is as if I were a reader and the night a book,
Those greedy for the land of Egypt wish that they could remain within it forever.
With a beginning, but no end.
With a beginning but without an end.
It is no wonder if they betray a covenant; the tyrannical oppressor holds no pact sacred.
كَذكَso too الهَمُّgrief أَعسَرُhardest ماwhen تَراهُyou see it
كَذكَ الهَمُّ أَعسَرُ ما تَراهُ
إِذاwhen سَكَتَfalls silent الدُجىdarkness وَغَفىand sleeps الأَنامُhumankind
إِذا سَكَتَ الدُجى وَغَفى الأَنامُ
Thus you see grief at its hardest
Thus is sorrow - the most difficult thing one faces
We are blamed for speaking out though we struck the truth, while they strayed from justice yet face no blame.
When darkness falls silent and humankind sleeps.
When the darkness falls quiet and people fall asleep.
Do they call their fetters a "law," when the muzzle has forced men into the silence of the veiled?
تَحُنُّyearns إِلىfor بِلادِthe lands of الشامِal-Sham نَفسيmy soul
تَحُنُّ إِلى بِلادِ الشامِ نَفسي
أَقطُرَO regions of الشامِal-Sham حَيّاكِmay they greet you الغَمامُthe clouds
أَقطُرَ الشامِ حَيّاكِ الغَمامُ
My soul yearns for the lands of al-Sham.
My soul yearns for the lands of Syria,
How long shall Egypt be denied a constitution, when even Siam has nearly achieved one?
O lands of al-Sham, may the clouds greet you!
May the clouds water you, O Syria!
O Sons of Egypt, have patience with these events, for clouds must gather before the sky clears.
وَماand nothing غَيرُbut الشَآمِal-Sham وَساكِنيهِand its inhabitants
وَما غَيرُ الشَآمِ وَساكِنيهِ
لَبانَتناour heart's desire وَإِنand even if بَعدَis far away الشَآمُal-Sham
لَبانَتنا وَإِن بَعدَ الشَآمُ
Nothing but al-Sham and its inhabitants
And none but Syria and its inhabitants
Let no weariness overtake you, for I have seen that injustice does not endure forever.
Is our heart's desire, though al-Sham is far away.
Would console me, even if Syria were far.
For the night is always followed by the morning, and the final outcome of war is peace.
وَلَولاand were it not for أَنthe fact that فيin مِصرَEgypt مُقاميmy abode
وَلَولا أَن في مِصرَ مُقامي
لَعَمرُby the life of أَبيكَyour father ماnot طالَlasted long المُقامُthe stay
لَعَمرُ أَبيكَ ما طالَ المُقامُ
Were it not that my abode is in Egypt,
And were it not for my staying in Egypt,
By your father's life, my stay would not have been long.
By your father, my stay would not have dragged on!
مَضىpassed عامٌa year عَلَيَّover me بِأَرضِin the land of مِصرٍEgypt
مَضى عامٌ عَلَيَّ بِأَرضِ مِصرٍ
وَذاand this عامٌa year وَسَوفَand will يَجيءُcome عامُa year
وَذا عامٌ وَسَوفَ يَجيءُ عامُ
A year has passed over me in the land of Egypt,
A year has passed over me in the land of Egypt,
And here is another year, and yet another will come.
And another year is coming.
وَماand it is not مِصرُEgypt الَّتيthat مَلَكَتcaptured فُؤاديmy heart
وَما مِصرُ الَّتي مَلَكَت فُؤادي
وَلَكِنand yet أَهلُهاits people قَومٌa folk كِرامُnoble
وَلَكِن أَهلُها قَومٌ كِرامُ
It is not Egypt that has captured my heart,
Yet it is not Egypt that has captured my heart,
But its people are a noble folk.
But its people are generous folk.
وِدادُهُمtheir affection عَلىthrough الأَيّامِthe days باقٍlasting
وِدادُهُم عَلى الأَيّامِ باقٍ
وَجارُهُمand their neighbor عَزيزٌhonored لاnot يُضامُis wronged
وَجارُهُم عَزيزٌ لا يُضامُ
Their affection endures through the days,
Their affection remains over the days,
And their neighbor is honored, never wronged.
And their neighbor is inviolable, unharmed.
وَمِنand among أَخلاقِهِمtheir traits لينُthe gentleness of الحُمَيّاwine's warmth
وَمِن أَخلاقِهِم لينُ الحُمَيّا
إِذاif اِنتَسَبَتclaims kinship إِلىwith اللينِgentleness المُدامُwine
إِذا اِنتَسَبَت إِلى اللينِ المُدامُ
And among their traits is the gentleness of wine's warmth,
Among their traits is the softness of dispositions
If wine may claim kinship with gentleness.
When they originate from an affection ever flowing.
وَتُبصِرُand you see فيin صُدورِهِمtheir breasts أَناةًforbearance
وَتُبصِرُ في صُدورِهِم أَناةً
إِذاwhen الأَحلامُsound judgment طاعَyielded بِهاthrough it الخِصامُstrife
إِذا الأَحلامُ طاعَ بِها الخِصامُ
And you see forbearance in their breasts
And you see in their breasts a patience
When strife yields to sound judgment.
When dreams obey through it discordance.
أَبَتrefused إِلّاanything but عِنادُهُمdefying them اللَياليthe nights
أَبَت إِلّا عِنادُهُم اللَيالي
فَماyet not يَإِسواthey despaired الغَداةَat dawn وَلاand not اِستَنامواthey grew complacent
فَما يَإِسوا الغَداةَ وَلا اِستَناموا
The nights insisted on defying them,
Through their perseverance the nights insisted
Yet at dawn they neither despaired nor grew complacent.
Without ever despairing of tomorrow or sleeping.
يَوَدُّwish الطامِعونَthose who covet بِأَرضِthe land of مِصرٍEgypt
يَوَدُّ الطامِعونَ بِأَرضِ مِصرٍ
لَوif أَنَّهُمthat they بِهاin it أَبَداًforever أَقامواthey remained
لَو أَنَّهُم بِها أَبَداً أَقاموا
Those who covet the land of Egypt wish
Those coveting the land of Egypt
That they could remain there forever.
Wish they in it forever resided.
فَلاso no عَجَبٌwonder إِذاif خَفَرواthey broke ذِماماًa pledge
فَلا عَجَبٌ إِذا خَفَروا ذِماماً
شَديدُone fierce in البَطشِviolence لَيسَthere is not لَهُfor him ذَمامُhonor
شَديدُ البَطشِ لَيسَ لَهُ ذَمامُ
No wonder, then, if they break a pledge:
No wonder, then, they bridled the reins
One ruthless in violence has no honor.
Of one severe in might, having no peer.
نُلامُwe are blamed عَلىfor الكَلامِspeaking وَقَدand indeed أَصَبناwe were right
نُلامُ عَلى الكَلامِ وَقَد أَصَبنا
وَقَدand indeed ضَلّواthey strayed from الصَوابَwhat is right فَلاyet not يُلامواthey are blamed
وَقَد ضَلّوا الصَوابَ فَلا يُلاموا
We are blamed for speaking, though we were right,
We blame speech, and yet have slipped,
While they have strayed from what is right, yet are not blamed.
And they strayed from right, but blameless they remain.
أَقانوناًa law? قُيودُهُمُtheir shackles تُسَمّىare called
أَقانوناً قُيودُهُمُ تُسَمّى
إِذاwhen قَدindeed أَنَّثَhas made feminine الرَجُلَthe man اللِثامُthe face-veil
إِذا قَد أَنَّثَ الرَجُلَ اللِثامُ
Are their shackles to be called law,
Their constitution they call laws
When the face-veil has made a woman of the man?
When the veil has feminized the man.
إِلىuntil ماwhen تُمنَعُis denied الدُستورَthe constitution مِصرٌEgypt
إِلى ما تُمنَعُ الدُستورَ مِصرٌ
وَقَدand already كادَتhas nearly تَفوزُwon بِهِit سِيامُSiam
وَقَد كادَت تَفوزُ بِهِ سِيامُ
How long is Egypt to be denied a constitution,
To what prevents Egypt’s constitution,
While Siam has almost won one?
The pens were about to win through.
بَنيO sons of مِصرَEgypt عَلىin the face of الأَحداثِcalamities صَبراًbe patient
بَني مِصرَ عَلى الأَحداثِ صَبراً
فَقَبلَfor before الصَحوِclear weather يَجتَمِعُgather الغَمامُthe clouds
فَقَبلَ الصَحوِ يَجتَمِعُ الغَمامُ
Sons of Egypt, bear calamities patiently:
O Egyptians, be patient with events,
For clouds gather before clear skies.
For before daybreak the clouds will gather.
وَلاand let no يَلحَقُovertake بِكُمyou ضَجَرٌimpatience فَإِنّيfor indeed I
وَلا يَلحَقُ بِكُم ضَجَرٌ فَإِنّي
رَأَيتُI have seen الظُلمَoppression لَهُit has دَوامُendurance
رَأَيتُ الظُلمَ لَهُ دَوامُ
And let no impatience overtake you, for I
And no frustration will befall you, for I
Have seen that oppression endures.
Saw injustice - it has always had a course.
فَإِنَّfor indeed اللَيلَthe night يَعقُبُهُfollows it صَباحٌmorning
فَإِنَّ اللَيلَ يَعقُبُهُ صَباحٌ
وَإِنَّand indeed الحَربَwar آخِرُهاits end سَلامُpeace
وَإِنَّ الحَربَ آخِرُها سَلامُ
For the night is followed by morning,
For the night is followed by dawn,
And war's end is peace.
And the end of war is peace.
Partial English translation: 30 of 60 Arabic lines translated.