لَم يَبقَ ما يُسليكَ غَيرُ الكاسِ

لَم يَبقَ ما يُسليكَ غَيرُ الكاسِ

فَاِشرَب وَدَع لِلناسِ ما لِلناسِ

فَاِشرَب وَدَع لِلناسِ ما لِلناسِ

Nothing remains to console you but the cup.

No solace left but the wine cups' brims

Nothing remains to console you but the cup,

So drink, and leave to people what belongs to people.

So drink and leave the people's affairs to themselves

So drink, and leave the concerns of people to the people.

ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ عَلى الشُجون تَبُثُّها

ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ عَلى الشُجون تَبُثُّها

لِأَخٍ مُؤاسٍ أَو لِغَيرِ مُؤاسِ

لِأَخٍ مُؤاسٍ أَو لِغَيرِ مُؤاسِ

Your youth passed in sorrows you poured out

Youth is gone, lost in griefs aired

Youth has vanished in the sorrows you pour out,

To a consoling brother, or to one who offered no comfort,

To a sympathetic brother or unsympathetic ear

To a consoling friend or to one who cares not.

وَعَلى الحَياةِ تَحارُ في أَطوارِها

وَعَلى الحَياةِ تَحارُ في أَطوارِها

وَتَحارُ في تَعليلِ كُلِّ نَطاسي

وَتَحارُ في تَعليلِ كُلِّ نَطاسي

And in pondering life, bewildered by its changing phases,

Perplexed, observing life's phases

And in life, bewildered by its shifting phases,

And baffled by every learned physician's explanation.

Perplexed, excusing every weakling

And baffled by the diagnosis of every physician,

ثُمَّ اِستَفَقتَ وَلَيسَ في رَوضِ المُنى

ثُمَّ اِستَفَقتَ وَلَيسَ في رَوضِ المُنى

إِلّا الضَبابُ وَغَيرُ شَوكِ الياسِ

إِلّا الضَبابُ وَغَيرُ شَوكِ الياسِ

Then you awoke, and in the garden of wishes there was

Then you awoke finding no flowers in the garden of bliss

Then you awakened, finding in the garden of wishes

Only mist and nothing but the thorns of despair,

Only mist and the barbs of despair

Nothing but mist and the thorns of despair.

وَجِراحُ نَفسٍ يَنظُرُ الآسي لَها

وَجِراحُ نَفسٍ يَنظُرُ الآسي لَها

فَيَعودُ مُحتاجاً لِئاخَرَ آسِ

فَيَعودُ مُحتاجاً لِئاخَرَ آسِ

And wounds of a soul that a healer examines,

And a wounded soul whose pain the wretched beholds

And wounds of the soul which the healer tends,

Then returns needing another healer.

So he returns needing one last solace

Only to return in need of a healer himself.

الحِسُّ مَجلَبَةُ الكَآبَةِ وَالأَسى

الحِسُّ مَجلَبَةُ الكَآبَةِ وَالأَسى

قُم نَنطَلِق مِن عالَمِ

قُم نَنطَلِق مِن عالَمِ

Sensitivity brings melancholy and sorrow.

Feeling is the shackle of gloom and sorrow

Sensation is the bringer of melancholy and grief;

Rise; let us depart from a world of...

Rise, let us leave this world

Rise, let us depart from this world,

وَأَرى السَعادَةَ لا وُصولَ لِعَرشِها

وَأَرى السَعادَةَ لا وُصولَ لِعَرشِها

إِلّا بِأَجنِحَةٍ مِنَ الوَسواسِ

إِلّا بِأَجنِحَةٍ مِنَ الوَسواسِ

And I see no way to reach happiness's throne

And I see that reaching happiness' throne

For I see that there is no reaching the throne of happiness

Except on wings of delusive fancies.

Is only with wings of obsession

Except upon the wings of delusion.

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ صورَةٌ زَيتِيَّةٌ

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ صورَةٌ زَيتِيَّةٌ

لِلشَطِّ فيهِ مَراكِبٌ وَمَراسي

لِلشَطِّ فيهِ مَراكِبٌ وَمَراسي

For it is as though it were an oil painting

It's like an oil painting of the shore where ships and anchors lie

It is as if it were an oil painting

Of a shore with boats and moorings.

Ships seem to float to your eyes

Of a shore with boats and anchors;

تَبدو لِعَينَيكَ السَفائِنُ عُوَّماً

تَبدو لِعَينَيكَ السَفائِنُ عُوَّماً

وَتَكادُ تَسمَعُ رَعشَةَ الأَمراسِ

وَتَكادُ تَسمَعُ رَعشَةَ الأَمراسِ

To your eyes the ships appear afloat,

And you almost hear the flutter of the sails

The ships appear afloat before your eyes,

And you can almost hear the tremor of the ropes.

But if you drew closer and touched it

And you can almost hear the trembling of the rigging,

لَكِن إِذا أَدنَيتَها وَلَمَستَها

لَكِن إِذا أَدنَيتَها وَلَمَستَها

لَم تَلقَ غَيرَ الصِبغِ وَالقِرطاسِ

لَم تَلقَ غَيرَ الصِبغِ وَالقِرطاسِ

But when you bring it close and touch it,

You'd find only paint and canvas

But if you draw near and touch it,

You find nothing but pigment and paper.

A deceitful world and a tasting fate

You find nothing but pigment and canvas.

دُنيا مُزَيَّفَةٌ وَدَهرٌ ماذِقٌ

دُنيا مُزَيَّفَةٌ وَدَهرٌ ماذِقٌ

ما في اِنفِلاتِكَ مِنهُما مِن باسِ

ما في اِنفِلاتِكَ مِنهُما مِن باسِ

A counterfeit world and a deceitful age—

You gain nothing by escaping them

A counterfeit world and a treacherous age;

There is no harm in escaping them both.

The pleasures you wasted

There is no harm in escaping from them both.

إِنَّ اللَذاذاتِ الَّتي ضَيَّعتَها

إِنَّ اللَذاذاتِ الَّتي ضَيَّعتَها

رَجِعَت إِلَيكَ عُصارَةً في الكاسِ

رَجِعَت إِلَيكَ عُصارَةً في الكاسِ

The pleasures that you squandered

Came back to you distilled in the cup

Indeed, the pleasures you have lost

Have returned to you, their essence in the cup.

So tint your vision with them to seem golden

Have returned to you, distilled within the cup.

فَاِصبِغ رُؤاكَ بِها تَعُد ذَهَبِيَّةً

فَاِصبِغ رُؤاكَ بِها تَعُد ذَهَبِيَّةً

عطِريَّةَ الأَلوانِ وَالأَنفاسِ

عطِريَّةَ الأَلوانِ وَالأَنفاسِ

So color your visions with it; they will turn golden,

Fragrant in colors and breaths

So dye your visions with it, and they shall turn golden again,

With fragrant colors and breaths.

And create with wine for yourself a paradise

Fragrant in their colors and their breaths.

وَاِخلِق لِنَفسِكَ بِالمُدامَةِ جَنَّةً

وَاِخلِق لِنَفسِكَ بِالمُدامَةِ جَنَّةً

في الأَربُعِ المَهجورَةِ الأَدراسِ

في الأَربُعِ المَهجورَةِ الأَدراسِ

And create for yourself, with wine, a paradise

In the four abandoned places

Create for yourself, with wine, a paradise

In deserted, timeworn dwellings.

Where love is a nightingale and a vine

Amidst the abandoned, obliterated ruins,

الحُبُّ فيها بُلبُلٌ وَخَميلَةٌ

الحُبُّ فيها بُلبُلٌ وَخَميلَةٌ

وَنَدىً وَأَضواءٌ عَلى الأَغراسِ

وَنَدىً وَأَضواءٌ عَلى الأَغراسِ

Love there is a nightingale and a grove,

Dew and lights upon the trees

Where love is a nightingale and a lush thicket,

And dew, and lights upon the planted trees.

Your imagination gives the palace you create a sublimeness

And dew and light fall upon the saplings.

لِلقَصرِ يَخلُقُهُ خَيالَكَ رَوعَةٌ

لِلقَصرِ يَخلُقُهُ خَيالَكَ رَوعَةٌ

كَالقَصرِ مِن جُدُرٍ وَمِن آسِ

كَالقَصرِ مِن جُدُرٍ وَمِن آسِ

The palace your imagination creates has a splendor

Like a palace of walls and ceiling beams

The palace your imagination builds holds a splendor

Like that of a palace of walls and myrtle.

Oh cupbearer, pass around its cups

Equal to any palace made of walls and stone foundation.

يا أَيُّها الساقي أَدِر كاساتِها

يا أَيُّها الساقي أَدِر كاساتِها

كَمَشاعِلِ الرُهبانِ في الأَغلاسِ

كَمَشاعِلِ الرُهبانِ في الأَغلاسِ

O cupbearer, pass its cups around,

Like the monks' lanterns in the thickets

O Cupbearer, pass the goblets around,

Like monks' torches in the predawn gloom.

Forget your worries, happy is not he who remembers

Like the torches of monks in the darkest hours.

وَاِنسَ الهُمومَ فَلَيسَ يَسعُدُ ذاكِرٌ

وَاِنسَ الهُمومَ فَلَيسَ يَسعُدُ ذاكِرٌ

وَاِسقِ النُجومَ فَإِنَّها جُلّاسي

وَاِسقِ النُجومَ فَإِنَّها جُلّاسي

And forget your worries: no one who remembers is happy.

Serve the stars for they are gossipy

And forget your cares, for he who remembers finds no joy;

And give the stars drink, for they are my companions.

And make the boon companion's mind and heart drunk

And pour drink for the stars, for they are my companions.

وَاِصرَع بِها عَقلَ النَديمِ وَلُبَّهُ

وَاِصرَع بِها عَقلَ النَديمِ وَلُبَّهُ

ما نَغَّصَ الحاسي كَعَقلِ الحاسي

ما نَغَّصَ الحاسي كَعَقلِ الحاسي

And with it strike down the drinking companion's mind and reason:

No sober mind annoyed like a sober mind

With it, strike down the mind and reason of the drinking companion;

Nothing spoils a drinker's pleasure like his own mind.

And leave the discourse of politics and reform

Nothing troubles the drinker like his own intellect.

وَاِهجُر أَحاديثَ السِياسَةِ وَالأُلى

وَاِهجُر أَحاديثَ السِياسَةِ وَالأُلى

يَتَعَلَّقونَ بِحَبلِ كُلِّ سِياسي

يَتَعَلَّقونَ بِحَبلِ كُلِّ سِياسي

And shun talk of politics, and those

They cling to the rope of every politician

Abandon talk of politics and those who

Who cling to every politician's rope.

I cast aside its fruits when I tasted them

Cling to the rope of every politician.

إِنّي نَبَذتُ ثِمارَها مُذ ذُقتُها

إِنّي نَبَذتُ ثِمارَها مُذ ذُقتُها

وَوَجَدتُ طَعمَ الغَدرِ في أَدراسِ

وَوَجَدتُ طَعمَ الغَدرِ في أَدراسِ

I discarded its fruits as soon as I tasted them,

And found the taste of betrayal in the bunches

I have cast aside its fruits since first tasting them,

And found the taste of treachery amid worn remains.

And washed my peace of them, washing it

And finding the taste of treachery in my mouth.

وَغَسَلتُ مِنها راحَتي فَغَسَلتُها

وَغَسَلتُ مِنها راحَتي فَغَسَلتُها

مِن سائِرِ الأَوضارِ وَالأَدناسِ

مِن سائِرِ الأَوضارِ وَالأَدناسِ

And I washed my hand of it, thereby washing it

Of all foulness and filth

I washed my hands of it, and thus cleansed them

Of all grime and filth.

And left them to two fools, a naïve one

Of all other impurities and filth.

وَتَرَكتُها لِاِثنَينِ غُرٍّ ساذَجٍ

وَتَرَكتُها لِاِثنَينِ غُرٍّ ساذَجٍ

وَمُشَعوِذٍ كَذُبذُبٍ دَسّاسِ

وَمُشَعوِذٍ كَذُبذُبٍ دَسّاسِ

And left it to two: a gullible simpleton

And a lying sorcerer, rotten cleaner

I left it to two: the naive fool,

And a charlatan, a habitual liar and schemer,

Who accepts his homeland become colonized

And the charlatan, wavering and plotting.

يَرضى لِمَوطِنِهِ يَصيرُ مُواطِناً

يَرضى لِمَوطِنِهِ يَصيرُ مُواطِناً

وَتَصيرُ أُمَّتُهُ إِلى أَجناسِ

وَتَصيرُ أُمَّتُهُ إِلى أَجناسِ

Who accepts his homeland becoming separate homelands,

And his nation turn into different races

He consents for his homeland to be mere habitation,

And his nation turning into separate peoples,

And sells it for counted coins

While his nation splinters into warring factions.

وَيَبيعُها بِدَراهِمَ مَعدودَةٍ

وَيَبيعُها بِدَراهِمَ مَعدودَةٍ

وَلَوَ اِنَّها جاءَت مِنَ الخَنّاسِ

وَلَوَ اِنَّها جاءَت مِنَ الخَنّاسِ

And sells it for a few dirhams,

Even if they came from a shoe-shiner

Selling it for a few paltry coins,

Even if they came from the lurking devil.

No hypocrite has a deterring conscience

Even if they came from the Devil himself.

ما لِلمُنافِقِ مِن ضَميرٍ رادِعٍ

ما لِلمُنافِقِ مِن ضَميرٍ رادِعٍ

أَيُّ الضَميرِ لِحَيَّةِ الأَجراسِ

أَيُّ الضَميرِ لِحَيَّةِ الأَجراسِ

The hypocrite has no conscience to restrain him;

What conscience does that bell snake have?

The hypocrite possesses no restraining conscience;

What conscience has a rattlesnake?

And perhaps a blamer blames me for

What conscience has the rattlesnake?

وَلَرُبَّ قائِلَةٍ تُعاتُبُني عَلى

وَلَرُبَّ قائِلَةٍ تُعاتُبُني عَلى

صَمتي وَبَعضُ القَولِ حَزُّ مَواسي

صَمتي وَبَعضُ القَولِ حَزُّ مَواسي

And many a woman has reproached me for

My silence, though some speech hurts a sympathizer

And many a woman has reproached me for

My silence—and some speech cuts like razors:

Two I have not faced harsher than

My silence, though some speech cuts like a razor.

إِثنانِ ما لاقَيتُ أَقسى مِنهُما

إِثنانِ ما لاقَيتُ أَقسى مِنهُما

صَمتُ الدُجى وَالشاعِرِ الحَسّاسِ

صَمتُ الدُجى وَالشاعِرِ الحَسّاسِ

Two things—I have met none crueler than them:

The night's silence and the sensitive poet's

Two things I have encountered, none harsher than they:

The silence of deep night and of the sensitive poet.

So I answered her harsher and more dreadful than them

The silence of the deep night, and the sensitive poet.

فَأَجَبتُها أَقسى وَأَهوَلُ مِنهُما

فَأَجَبتُها أَقسى وَأَهوَلُ مِنهُما

في مَسمَعي هَذا العِتابِ القَسي

في مَسمَعي هَذا العِتابِ القَسي

I answered her: crueler and more dreadful than either

Was that harsh reprimand in my hearing

So I answered her: Harsher and more terrible than these

To my ears is this harsh reproach.

You did not know, and it's best you do not know

Is this harsh reproach falling upon my ears.

لَم تَعلَمي وَالخَيرُ أَن لا تَعلَمي

لَم تَعلَمي وَالخَيرُ أَن لا تَعلَمي

كَم في السُكوتِ فَواجِعاً وَمَآسي

كَم في السُكوتِ فَواجِعاً وَمَآسي

You do not know—and it is better that you do not know—

How many horrors and catastrophes lie in silence

You do not know—and it is better you do not know—

How many calamities and tragedies lie in silence.

She said she thought I'd forgotten, so I said: No,

What tragedies and disasters dwell within silence.

قالَت أَظُنُّكَ قَد نَسيتَ فَقُلتُ لا

قالَت أَظُنُّكَ قَد نَسيتَ فَقُلتُ لا

ما كُنتُ بِالناسي وَلا المُتَناسي

ما كُنتُ بِالناسي وَلا المُتَناسي

She said, 'I think you have forgotten.' I said, 'No.'

I was neither forgetful nor forgetter

She said, "I think you have forgotten." I said, "No,"

I have neither forgotten nor pretended to forget.

But a wound, whenever I treated it

"I am neither forgetful nor feigning oblivion."

لَكِنَّ جُرحاً كُلَّما عالَجتَهُ

لَكِنَّ جُرحاً كُلَّما عالَجتَهُ

غَمَرَ القُنوطَ جَوارِحي وَحَواسي

غَمَرَ القُنوطَ جَوارِحي وَحَواسي

But there is a wound that, whenever you treat it,

Despondency flooded my senses and perceptions

"But there is a wound that, whenever I tend to it,"

Despair engulfs my limbs and senses.

And had it been in my head, I would have bandaged it

"Floods my limbs and senses with despair."

وَلَوَ اِنَّهُ في الرَأسِ كُنتُ ضَمَدتُهُ

وَلَوَ اِنَّهُ في الرَأسِ كُنتُ ضَمَدتُهُ

لَكِنَّهُ في القَلبِ لا في الراسِ

لَكِنَّهُ في القَلبِ لا في الراسِ

Had it been in the head, I would have bandaged it,

But it is in the heart, not in the head

"Had it been in the head, I would have bandaged it,"

But it is in the heart, not in the head.

The reformers, I used to aim below them

"But it lies in the heart, not in the head."

إِنَّ الأُلى قَد كُنتُ أَرمي دونَهُم

إِنَّ الأُلى قَد كُنتُ أَرمي دونَهُم

غَلّوا يَدَيَّ وَحَطَّموا أَقواسي

غَلّوا يَدَيَّ وَحَطَّموا أَقواسي

Those I once defended with my arrows

They bound my hands and smashed my bow

Those for whom I once fought and defended,

Shackled my hands and shattered my bows,

And replaced my sword with wooden swords

Have shackled my hands and shattered my bows.

وَاِستَبدَلوا سَيفي الجِرازَ بِأَسيُفٍ

وَاِستَبدَلوا سَيفي الجِرازَ بِأَسيُفٍ

خُشبٍ وَباعوا عَسجَدي بِنُحاسِ

خُشبٍ وَباعوا عَسجَدي بِنُحاسِ

And exchanged my keen-edged sword for swords

And sold my bow for copper

They exchanged my sharp sword for blades

Of wood, and sold my gold for copper.

Fools are no different, though they

Of wood, and sold my gold for copper.

وَالطَلُّ غَيرِ الماسِ إِلّا أَنَّهُم

وَالطَلُّ غَيرِ الماسِ إِلّا أَنَّهُم

خُدِعوا بِرَقرَقَةَ النَدى عَن ماسي

خُدِعوا بِرَقرَقَةَ النَدى عَن ماسي

Dew is not diamond, yet they

Were fooled by the shimmer of dew over copper

Dew is not diamond, yet they

Were deceived by the dew's shimmer and turned from my diamond.

And if you thought the garden's image

Were deceived by the shimmering dew, mistaking it for my diamonds.

وَإِذا حَسِبتَ الرَوضَ تُغَنّي صورَةٌ

وَإِذا حَسِبتَ الرَوضَ تُغَنّي صورَةٌ

عَنهُ فَذَلِكَ مُنتَهى الإِفلاسِ

عَنهُ فَذَلِكَ مُنتَهى الإِفلاسِ

And if you think a picture can replace a garden,

Would suffice, that is the utmost bankruptcy

And if you think a mere picture can sing for the garden,

That is the height of bankruptcy.

A marble lion, though its shape depicts

Then that is the very height of spiritual bankruptcy.

أَسَدُ الرُخامِ وَإِن حَكى في شَكلِهِ

أَسَدُ الرُخامِ وَإِن حَكى في شَكلِهِ

شَكلَ الغَضَنفَرِ لَيسَ بِالفَرّاسِ

شَكلَ الغَضَنفَرِ لَيسَ بِالفَرّاسِ

A marble lion, though in its form it imitates

The shape of a snarling lion, it is no gallant lion

The marble lion, though it mimics the shape

A mighty lion's shape, does not rend prey.

I had a beautiful, genteel dream

Of the wild beast, cannot hunt.

قَد كانَ لي حُلُمٌ جَميلٌ مونِقٌ

قَد كانَ لي حُلُمٌ جَميلٌ مونِقٌ

فَأَضَعتُهُ لَمّا أَضَعتُ نُعاسي

فَأَضَعتُهُ لَمّا أَضَعتُ نُعاسي

I once had a beautiful, delightful dream,

But I lost it when I lost my sleep

I once held a beautiful, elegant dream,

And lost it when I lost my slumber.

I thought of what we are as a nation

Which I lost the moment I lost my slumber.

فَكَّرتُ في ما نَحنُ فيهِ كَأُمَّةٍ

فَكَّرتُ في ما نَحنُ فيهِ كَأُمَّةٍ

وَضَرَبتُ أَخماسي إِلى أَسداسي

وَضَرَبتُ أَخماسي إِلى أَسداسي

I thought about our condition as a nation

And clapped my palms to my cheeks

I reflected on our state as a nation,

And set my fives against my sixes, bewildered.

So I returned as disappointed as could be

And I was lost in utter bewilderment.

فَرَجَعتُ أَخيَبَ ما يَكونُ مُؤَمِّلٌ

فَرَجَعتُ أَخيَبَ ما يَكونُ مُؤَمِّلٌ

راجٍ وَأَخسَرَ ما يَكونُ الخاسي

راجٍ وَأَخسَرَ ما يَكونُ الخاسي

I returned as disappointed as a hopeful man could be,

With high hopes, and as losing as the loser

I returned, as disappointed as a hopeful man can be,

An expectant man—and as ruined as any humbled wretch.

We hope for salvation from an oppressor by an oppressor

And as wretched as the greatest loser.

نَرجو الخَلاصَ بِغاشِمٍ مِن غاشِمٍ

نَرجو الخَلاصَ بِغاشِمٍ مِن غاشِمٍ

لا يُنقَذُ النَخّاسَ مِن نَخّاسِ

لا يُنقَذُ النَخّاسَ مِن نَخّاسِ

We hope for deliverance from one tyrant through another;

A thief is not saved by a thief

We seek deliverance from one tyrant through another;

No slave trader rescues us from another slave trader.

And we judge between Pleiades and dirt

But no slave-master saves us from another slave-master.

وَنَقيسُ ما بَينَ الثُرَيّا وَالثَرى

وَنَقيسُ ما بَينَ الثُرَيّا وَالثَرى

وَأُمورُنا تَجري بِغَيرِ قِياسِ

وَأُمورُنا تَجري بِغَيرِ قِياسِ

We measure the distance between the Pleiades and the dust,

While our affairs run without measure

We measure the distance between the stars and the dust,

While our affairs proceed without any measure.

We invade other nations seeking glory

Yet our own affairs run without measure or logic.

نَغشى بِلادَ الناسِ في طَلَبِ العُلى

نَغشى بِلادَ الناسِ في طَلَبِ العُلى

وَبِلادَنا مَتروكَةٌ لِلناسِ

وَبِلادَنا مَتروكَةٌ لِلناسِ

We go to other people's lands in pursuit of eminence,

While our nation is left to people

We roam the lands of others seeking glory,

While our lands are left to others.

We almost flatten ourselves on the ground, while in our land

While our own lands are abandoned to strangers.

نَكادُ نَفتَرِشُ الثَرى وَبِأَرضِنا

نَكادُ نَفتَرِشُ الثَرى وَبِأَرضِنا

لِلأَجنَبِيِّ مَوائِدٌ وَكَراسي

لِلأَجنَبِيِّ مَوائِدٌ وَكَراسي

We almost make the earth our bed, while in our land

Tables and notebooks for foreigners

We nearly sleep upon the dirt, while in our land,

The foreigner has tables and chairs.

And we blame those who emigrate for their forgetfulness

The foreigner enjoys feasts and thrones.

وَنَلومُ هاجِرَها عَلى نِسيانِهِ

وَنَلومُ هاجِرَها عَلى نِسيانِهِ

وَاللائِمِ الناسينَ أَوَّلُ ناسي

وَاللائِمِ الناسينَ أَوَّلُ ناسي

We blame the one who leaves it for his forgetfulness,

But the blamer of the forgetful is the first forgetter

We blame the emigrant for his forgetfulness,

While the reproacher of the forgetful is the first to forget.

And we stay up bragging about blades and spears

Yet he who blames the forgetful is the first to forget.

وَنَبيتُ نَفخَر بِالصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا

وَنَبيتُ نَفخَر بِالصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا

وَرِقابُنا مَمدودَةٌ لِلفاسِ

وَرِقابُنا مَمدودَةٌ لِلفاسِ

We spend the night boasting of keen swords and spears,

While our necks are stretched out for the axe

We spend the night boasting of swords and spears,

While our necks are stretched out for the axe.

How many cries to fate in our ears

While our necks are stretched out beneath the axe.

كَم صَيحَةٍ لِلدَهرِ في آذانِنا

كَم صَيحَةٍ لِلدَهرِ في آذانِنا

مَرَّت كَما مَرَّت عَلى أَرماسِ

مَرَّت كَما مَرَّت عَلى أَرماسِ

How many a cry of Time into our ears

Have passed as they passed over milestones?

How many warnings has Time shouted in our ears,

Has passed as though it passed over graves.

Their sharp tongues and pretty manners

That passed us by as if passing over graves.

تُفنيكَ أَوجُهُهُم وَحُسنُ خَلاقِهِم

تُفنيكَ أَوجُهُهُم وَحُسنُ خَلاقِهِم

عَن كُلِّ وَردٍ في الرِياضِ وَآسِ

عَن كُلِّ وَردٍ في الرِياضِ وَآسِ

Their faces and their fine character consume you,

Distract you from every rose and fir in the gardens

Their faces and their fine character suffice you,

To the exclusion of every rose and myrtle in the gardens.

I am among them a lion who found his den

Replacing every rose and myrtle in the gardens.

أَنا بَينَهُم أَسَدٌ وَجَدتُ عَرينَتي

أَنا بَينَهُم أَسَدٌ وَجَدتُ عَرينَتي

أَنا بَينَهُم ظَبيٌ وَجَدتُ كِناسي

أَنا بَينَهُم ظَبيٌ وَجَدتُ كِناسي

Among them I am a lion: I have found my den.

I am among them a gazelle who found his thicket

Among them I am a lion who has found his den;

Among them I am a gazelle: I have found my covert.

My homeland I love more than all the world

Among them I am a gazelle who has found his cover.

وَطَني أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن كُلِّ الدُنى

وَطَني أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن كُلِّ الدُنى

وَأَعَزُّ ناسٍ في البَرِيَّةِ ناسي

وَأَعَزُّ ناسٍ في البَرِيَّةِ ناسي

My homeland is dearer to me than all the worlds,

And my people are most precious in the wild

My homeland is dearer to me than the whole world,

And my people are the dearest people in creation.

So long live Syria we live for

And the most cherished people in creation are my own.

فَلتَحيَ سورِيّا الَّتي نَحيا لَها

فَلتَحيَ سورِيّا الَّتي نَحيا لَها

وَليَحيى لُبنانُ الأَشَمِّ الراسِ

وَليَحيى لُبنانُ الأَشَمِّ الراسِ

Long live Syria, for which we live,

And long live Lebanon, mark of the head

So long live Syria, for whom we live,

And long live Lebanon, its head held high.

And long live Lebanon, with its proud and towering peak.