بورِكَ الصَمّامُ مِن حَكَمِ

بورِكَ الصَمّامُ مِن حَكَمِ

بَينَ مَحكومٍ وَمُحتَكِمِ

بَينَ مَحكومٍ وَمُحتَكِمِ

Blessed be the keen sword as arbiter

The arbitrator was blessed with wisdom

Blessed be the cutting sword as a decisive judge,

between the ruled and the ruler.

Between the ruled and the ruler

Standing between the ruled and the ruler.

إِنَّني بُعتُ اليَراعَ بِهِ

إِنَّني بُعتُ اليَراعَ بِهِ

لا أَبيعُ الصَيفَ بِالقَلَمِ

لا أَبيعُ الصَيفَ بِالقَلَمِ

Indeed, I sold the reed pen for it;

I was sold cheaply out of ignorance

Indeed, I have traded the reed pen for it;

I do not sell summer for the pen.

I do not sell summer with my pen

I do not barter the sword for the quill.

صاحِ إِنَّ العِزَّ مُمتَنِعٌ

صاحِ إِنَّ العِزَّ مُمتَنِعٌ

نَيلُهُ إِلّا عَلى الخَذمِ

نَيلُهُ إِلّا عَلى الخَذمِ

Friend, glory cannot be

Cry out! Glory is unobtainable

My friend, true glory is forbidden,

attained except through keen-edged swords.

None can attain it but the steadfast

Its attainment is impossible save by the sharp blade.

إِنَّما الضِرغامُ سَوَّدَهُ

إِنَّما الضِرغامُ سَوَّدَهُ

نابُهُ المَرهوبُ في البُهُمِ

نابُهُ المَرهوبُ في البُهُمِ

The lion was made lord only by

The horse was darkened

The lion is only granted mastery,

its fang, feared among the beasts.

By the terrified flash of its teeth in the night

By his dreaded fang among the beasts.

لَو يُسَمّى السَيفُ ثانِيَةً

لَو يُسَمّى السَيفُ ثانِيَةً

باتَ يُدعى مِنقِذَ الأُمَمِ

باتَ يُدعى مِنقِذَ الأُمَمِ

Were the sword to be named anew,

If the sword were called savior again

If the sword were to be named anew,

it would be called the savior of nations.

It would come to be called rescuer of nations

It would be called the Savior of Nations.

فَلَهُ في الغَربِ مَأثِرَةٌ

فَلَهُ في الغَربِ مَأثِرَةٌ

مِثلَها في التُركِ وَالعَجَمِ

مِثلَها في التُركِ وَالعَجَمِ

For it has a glorious deed in the West,

In the West it has glorious feats

For it possesses a glorious feat in the West,

and its like among the Turks and Persians.

The likes of which among the Turks and Persians

Matched by similar ones among the Turks and Persians.

ضَيفَ سالونيكَ ما لَكَ في

ضَيفَ سالونيكَ ما لَكَ في

سِجنَها ضَيفٌ سِوى السَأَمِ

سِجنَها ضَيفٌ سِوى السَأَمِ

O guest of Salonika, you have in

Guest of Salonika, what pains you

O guest of Salonika, you have within

its prison no guest but boredom.

In its prison but boredom, guest?

Its prison no companion but boredom.

ذاكَ ضَيفٌ غَيرُ مُحتَشِمٍ

ذاكَ ضَيفٌ غَيرُ مُحتَشِمٍ

إِن تُحاوِل طَردَهُ يَقُمِ

إِن تُحاوِل طَردَهُ يَقُمِ

That is a shameless guest;

That guest has no shame

That is a guest who observes no modesty;

if you try to drive it out, it stays.

If you try to expel him, he resists

If you attempt to expel him, he insists on staying.

قَد خَلَت يَلديزُ مِنكَ وَما

قَد خَلَت يَلديزُ مِنكَ وَما

ذِكرُها يُخليكَ مِن أَلَمِ

ذِكرُها يُخليكَ مِن أَلَمِ

Yildiz is now empty of you, yet

Yildiz has washed its hands of you

Yildiz Palace has become empty of you, yet

its memory does not free you from pain.

Yet its mention does not relieve your pain

Its memory does not leave you empty of pain.

زِلتَ عَنها وَهيَ باقَِةٌ

زِلتَ عَنها وَهيَ باقَِةٌ

عِظَةً لِلخَلقِ كُلِّهِمِ

عِظَةً لِلخَلقِ كُلِّهِمِ

You have left it, while it remains,

You slipped from it, and it remains

You have departed from it, but it remains

a lesson to all creation.

A lesson for all people

A lesson for all of creation.

إِن تَكُن تَبغي الرُجوعَ لَها

إِن تَكُن تَبغي الرُجوعَ لَها

ذاكَ مَقضِيٌّ لَدى الحُلُمُ

ذاكَ مَقضِيٌّ لَدى الحُلُمُ

If you seek to return to it,

If you wish to return to it

If you are wishing for a return to it,

that is granted in dreams alone.

That is destined, by fate

That is decreed only in the realm of dreams.

مَرتَعَ الغيدِ الأَوانِسِ بَل

مَرتَعَ الغيدِ الأَوانِسِ بَل

مَربَعَ الواشينَ وَالتُهَمِ

مَربَعَ الواشينَ وَالتُهَمِ

O haunt of graceful young maidens—rather,

Pasture of the beautiful gazelles

The playground of graceful beauties, nay,

abode of informers and accusations—

Precinct of the guards and the trusted

The breeding ground of informers and accusations.

خَبِّرينا إِنَّ فيكِ لَنا

خَبِّرينا إِنَّ فيكِ لَنا

حِكمَةً تَعلو عَلى الحُكمِ

حِكمَةً تَعلو عَلى الحُكمِ

tell us, for in you there is for us

Tell us, is there in you

Tell us—for in you we find

wisdom loftier than rule.

Wisdom higher than rulership?

A wisdom that rises above the throne—

خَبِّرينا كَيفَ عاقِبَةُ

خَبِّرينا كَيفَ عاقِبَةُ

البَغيِ هَل كانَت سِوى نَدَمِ

البَغيِ هَل كانَت سِوى نَدَمِ

Tell us: what was the outcome

Tell us, how did the aftermath

Tell us, what was the outcome

of tyranny—was it anything but remorse?

Of tyranny turn out but regret?

Of tyranny? Was it anything but regret?

جُرتَ يا عَبدَ الحَميدِ بِنا

جُرتَ يا عَبدَ الحَميدِ بِنا

غَيرَ أَنَّ الجَورَ لَم يَدُمِ

غَيرَ أَنَّ الجَورَ لَم يَدُمِ

You oppressed us, O Abd al-Hamid,

You dragged us, Abdülhamid

You were unjust to us, O Abdul Hamid,

but oppression did not last.

Though oppression did not last

Except that injustice did not endure.

كُنتَ كَالأَيّامِ ما قَصَدَت

كُنتَ كَالأَيّامِ ما قَصَدَت

بِالرَزايا غَيرَ ذي شَمَمِ

بِالرَزايا غَيرَ ذي شَمَمِ

You were like the days, which aimed

You were like the days that intended

You were like the harsh days that intended

their calamities only at those of noble pride.

No harm but had no flair

Calamities only for those of noble pride.

ظَلَّت تُقري الحوتَ مِن جُثَثٍ

ظَلَّت تُقري الحوتَ مِن جُثَثٍ

أَوشَكَت تَبليهِ بِالتُخَمِ

أَوشَكَت تَبليهِ بِالتُخَمِ

They kept feasting the whale on corpses

It kept feeding the whale with corpses

You kept feeding the whale with corpses,

that nearly ruined it with surfeit.

Almost suffocating it with excess

Until they nearly wore it out with indigestion.

نِعَمٌ لِلبَحرِ تَطرَحُها

نِعَمٌ لِلبَحرِ تَطرَحُها

يا لَها في البَرِّ مِن نِقَمِ

يا لَها في البَرِّ مِن نِقَمِ

Blessings you cast to the sea—

Good riddance for the sea—

Blessings they were for the sea as it casts them,

what scourges they were upon the land!

What blame in the land!

Oh, what curses they were upon the land!

وَلَكَم حَلَّلتَ مِن حَرَمٍ

وَلَكَم حَلَّلتَ مِن حَرَمٍ

وَلَكَم أَفسَدتَ مِن ذِمَمِ

وَلَكَم أَفسَدتَ مِن ذِمَمِ

And how many sanctuaries you profaned,

How many unlawful acts you legitimized

How many sanctities did you violate,

and how many consciences you corrupted!

How many reputations you corrupted

And how many covenants did you corrupt?

لَم تُراعِ قَطُّ ذا صِلَةٍ

لَم تُراعِ قَطُّ ذا صِلَةٍ

لا وَلَم تُشفِق عَلى رَحِمِ

لا وَلَم تُشفِق عَلى رَحِمِ

You never respected anyone bound to you,

You never cared for one bound

You never respected one of kinship,

no, nor showed compassion to kin.

By ties of kinship—no compassion

No, nor did you show mercy to a blood relative.

راعَكَ الدُستورُ مُنتَصِراً

راعَكَ الدُستورُ مُنتَصِراً

فَأَثَرتَ الجُندَ بِالعَمَمِ

فَأَثَرتَ الجُندَ بِالعَمَمِ

The triumphant constitution alarmed you,

The constitution supported you as victor

The Constitution alarmed you when it triumphed,

so you roused the troops with turbans.

Yet you incited the army to blindness

So you stirred up the soldiers with the rabble.

كادَ يَلقى مِنكَ مَصرَعُهُ

كادَ يَلقى مِنكَ مَصرَعُهُ

وَهُوَ لَم يَبلُغ إِلى الحُلُمِ

وَهُوَ لَم يَبلُغ إِلى الحُلُمِ

It nearly met its death at your hands,

The nation almost met its death by you

It almost met its death at your hands,

though it had not yet reached puberty.

While still innocent

Before it had even reached maturity.

رُبَّ لَيلٍ بِتَّ تَرقُبُهُ

رُبَّ لَيلٍ بِتَّ تَرقُبُهُ

رَقبَةَ السَرحانِ لِلغَنَمِ

رَقبَةَ السَرحانِ لِلغَنَمِ

Many a night you spent watching it

Many a night you lay in ambush

Many a night you spent watching it,

as a wolf watches sheep;

For him, watching for the flock’s guardian

As the wolf watches the sheep.

وَنَهارٍ كِدتَ فيهِ لَهُ

وَنَهارٍ كِدتَ فيهِ لَهُ

غَيرَ خاشٍ كَيدَ مُنتَقِمِ

غَيرَ خاشٍ كَيدَ مُنتَقِمِ

and many a day you plotted against it,

Many a day you all but plotted

And many a day you plotted against it,

without fearing an avenger's plot.

Against him, though no vengeful plotter

Unafraid of the avenger's scheme.

أَحَسِبتَ القَومَ قَد غَفِلوا

أَحَسِبتَ القَومَ قَد غَفِلوا

وَنَسَوا ما كانَ في القِدَمِ

وَنَسَوا ما كانَ في القِدَمِ

Did you suppose the people had grown heedless

Did you reckon the people unaware

Did you think the people had become heedless,

and forgotten what happened long ago?

And forgot what happened long ago?

And had forgotten what happened in the past?

أَم ظَنَنتَ الشَعبَ حَنَّ إِلى

أَم ظَنَنتَ الشَعبَ حَنَّ إِلى

إِمرَةِ الخِصيانِ وَالخَدَمِ

إِمرَةِ الخِصيانِ وَالخَدَمِ

Or did you think the people longed for

Or think the populace inclined

Or did you think the nation longed for

the rule of eunuchs and servants?

To serve eunuchs and servants?

The rule of eunuchs and servants?

أَم حَسِبتَ الجَيشَ مُبتَعِداً

أَم حَسِبتَ الجَيشَ مُبتَعِداً

وَهوَ أَدنى مِن يَدٍ لِفَمِ

وَهوَ أَدنى مِن يَدٍ لِفَمِ

Or did you suppose the army far away,

Or imagine the army distant

Or did you reckon the army was far away,

when it was nearer than a hand to a mouth?

While it is closer than a hand to a mouth?

When it was closer than a hand to a mouth?

لَم يَطُق صَبراً عَلى مَضَضٍ

لَم يَطُق صَبراً عَلى مَضَضٍ

فَأَتى يَسعى عَلى قَدَمِ

فَأَتى يَسعى عَلى قَدَمِ

It could not patiently endure the anguish,

It could not patiently bear discomfort

It could not bear patience over the bitterness,

so it came hastening on foot:

So came rushing on foot

So it came rushing forth on foot.

عَلَمٌ مِن خَلفِهِ عَلَمٌ

عَلَمٌ مِن خَلفِهِ عَلَمٌ

وَكَمِيُّ يَقتَفيهِ كَمي

وَكَمِيُّ يَقتَفيهِ كَمي

a banner, with another banner behind it,

Banner after banner

Banner following behind banner,

and an armored warrior followed by another.

And regiment chasing regiment

And warrior following warrior.

حاطَ يَلديزا فَكانَ لَها

حاطَ يَلديزا فَكانَ لَها

كَسِوارٍ غَيرِ مُنفَصِمِ

كَسِوارٍ غَيرِ مُنفَصِمِ

It encircled Yildiz, closing around it

It surrounded Yildiz and became

It surrounded Yildiz until it became to it

like an unbroken bracelet.

An unbroken bracelet for it

Like a bracelet that cannot be broken.

وَرَأَت عَيناكَ غَضبَتُهُ

وَرَأَت عَيناكَ غَضبَتُهُ

فَبَكَت خَوفَ الرَدى بِدَمِ

فَبَكَت خَوفَ الرَدى بِدَمِ

Your eyes beheld its wrath,

Your eyes saw its wrath

Your eyes saw its anger,

so they wept blood for fear of death.

And wept, fearing harm, in blood

And wept blood in fear of death.

شَلَّ مِنكَ التاجَ مُهتَضِماً

شَلَّ مِنكَ التاجَ مُهتَضِماً

مَن يُعادِ الشَعبَ يُهتَضَمِ

مَن يُعادِ الشَعبَ يُهتَضَمِ

It tore the crown from you, bringing you low;

It tore the crown violently from you—

It stripped the crown from you, crushing you;

whoever opposes the people is brought low.

He who repels the people is torn down!

Whoever opposes the people is crushed.

بِتَّ لا جَيشَ وَلا عَلَمٌ

بِتَّ لا جَيشَ وَلا عَلَمٌ

يا صَريعَ الجَيشِ وَالعَلَمِ

يا صَريعَ الجَيشِ وَالعَلَمِ

You were left with neither army nor banner,

You remained with neither army nor banner

You ended up with neither army nor flag,

O you felled by army and banner!

O felled by army and banner!

O victim of the army and the flag.

وَفَشى ما كُنتَ تَضمُرُهُ

وَفَشى ما كُنتَ تَضمُرُهُ

فَعَرَفنا ناقِضَ القَسَمِ

فَعَرَفنا ناقِضَ القَسَمِ

And what you had concealed became public,

What you harbored spread

And what you were concealing was exposed,

so we recognized the oath-breaker.

And we recognized oath-breaker

So we recognized the breaker of oaths.

كُنتَ مَسلوبَ الكَرى حَذِراً

كُنتَ مَسلوبَ الكَرى حَذِراً

وَلَقَد أَعطَيتَهُ فَنَمِ

وَلَقَد أَعطَيتَهُ فَنَمِ

You were robbed of slumber by fear;

You were deprived of will, cautious

You used to be sleepless and cautious;

and you have been granted it—so sleep.

Yet still you fell asleep

Now you have been given sleep, so sleep.

وَدَعِ الدُنيا وَبَهجَتَها

وَدَعِ الدُنيا وَبَهجَتَها

ما أَرى الحَسناءَ لِلهَرَمِ

ما أَرى الحَسناءَ لِلهَرَمِ

And leave the world and its splendor;

Leave this world and its delights

And leave the world and its splendor;

I do not think the fair one is for the aged.

I do not see it suiting old age

I see no beauty for the senile.

لَستَ مِن طِرسي وَلا قَلَمي

لَستَ مِن طِرسي وَلا قَلَمي

إِن كَبا في حَلبَةٍ قَلمي

إِن كَبا في حَلبَةٍ قَلمي

I disown my parchment and my pen,

You are not of my mettle or pen

You are not of my scroll nor my pen,

if my pen should falter in an arena.

If my pen falters in battle

Even if my pen stumbles in the arena.

قُل لِمَن راموا مُساجَلَتي

قُل لِمَن راموا مُساجَلَتي

لَيسَ غَيري تاجِرَ الكَلَمِ

لَيسَ غَيري تاجِرَ الكَلَمِ

Tell those who sought to rival me:

Say to those who would debate me

Say to those who sought to compete with me:

none but I is a merchant of words.

None but me trades in words

There is no one but me who is the merchant of words.

يا رَشادَ المُلكِ تَهنِأَةً

يا رَشادَ المُلكِ تَهنِأَةً

بِالَّذي أوتيتَ مِن نِعَمِ

بِالَّذي أوتيتَ مِن نِعَمِ

O Rashad of the realm, congratulations

O Rashad, blessings

O Reshad of the Kingdom, congratulations

on the blessings you have been granted.

On the blessings you were granted

For the blessings you have been granted.

إِن تَكُن ذاكَ السَجينَ فَيا

إِن تَكُن ذاكَ السَجينَ فَيا

رُبَّ عانِ غَيرِ مُجتَرِمِ

رُبَّ عانِ غَيرِ مُجتَرِمِ

If you were that prisoner—ah,

If that prisoner, what a

If you were that prisoner, then oh,

many a captive has committed no crime!

Blameless prisoner!

How many a captive is actually innocent!

أَنتَ كَالصَديقِ أَسكَنَهُ

أَنتَ كَالصَديقِ أَسكَنَهُ

فَضلُهُ في السِجنِ مِن قِدَمِ

فَضلُهُ في السِجنِ مِن قِدَمِ

You are like the Truthful One, whom

You housed him like Joseph

You are like Joseph the Truthful, whom

his virtue lodged in prison long ago.

His excellence in prison is longstanding

Virtue housed in prison in times of old.

كُن لِهاذا الشَعبِ يوسُفُهُ

كُن لِهاذا الشَعبِ يوسُفُهُ

يَنجُ مِن عَدَمٍ وَمِن عَدَمِ

يَنجُ مِن عَدَمٍ وَمِن عَدَمِ

Be this people's Joseph,

Be for these people their Joseph

Be a Joseph to this people,

and it will escape annihilation and want.

Saved from dearth and from dearth

Saving them from ruin and poverty.

لَستَ تَرضى أَن يُقالَ كَبا

لَستَ تَرضى أَن يُقالَ كَبا

دونَ شَعبٍ هامَ بِالصَنَمِ

دونَ شَعبٍ هامَ بِالصَنَمِ

You would not wish it said: 'It lagged

You do not consent to hearing it said

You are not pleased that it be said "he stumbled,"

behind a people enamored of an idol.'

A people roamed confused without a guide

Before a people who wandered blindly after the idol.

أَنتَ لِلشورى نُعَوِّذُها

أَنتَ لِلشورى نُعَوِّذُها

بِكَ مِن عاتٍ وَمِن نَهِمِ

بِكَ مِن عاتٍ وَمِن نَهِمِ

You stand for consultative rule; we seek its protection

You are the one we charge with its care

You belong to the Shura; we seek refuge for it

in you from tyrants and the greedy.

The Shura, from harm and anxiety

Through you, from every tyrant and glutton.

فَتَقَلَّد سَيفَ جَدِّكَ عُث

فَتَقَلَّد سَيفَ جَدِّكَ عُث

مانَ جَدَّ البيضِ وَالخَذَمِ

مانَ جَدَّ البيضِ وَالخَذَمِ

So gird on the sword of your forefather Uth-

Take up the sword of your grandfather, Osman

So gird yourself with the sword of your ancestor Othman,

man, forefather of white swords and keen blades.

Grandsire of the whites and the browns

The ancestor of white blades and sharp swords.

وَتَوَلَّ المُلكَ مِن أُمَمٍ

وَتَوَلَّ المُلكَ مِن أُمَمٍ

وَبِحَبلِ اللَهِ فَاِعتَصِمِ

وَبِحَبلِ اللَهِ فَاِعتَصِمِ

And receive kingship from the nations,

Assume leadership over the nations

And take charge of the Kingdom on behalf of nations,

and hold fast to the rope of God.

And hold fast to God’s rope

And hold fast to the rope of God.

قَد شَفى مَرآكَ مُقلَتُهُ

قَد شَفى مَرآكَ مُقلَتُهُ

مِن عَمىً وَالأُذنَ مِن صَمَمِ

مِن عَمىً وَالأُذنَ مِن صَمَمِ

The sight of you has healed its eye

Your sight has recovered from blindness

Your sight has healed the nation's eye

of blindness, and its ear of deafness.

And your hearing from deafness

Of blindness, and the ear of deafness.

دُمتَ يا خَيرَ المُلوكِ لَهُ

دُمتَ يا خَيرَ المُلوكِ لَهُ

غَيرَ ما هَمٍّ وَلا سَقَمِ

غَيرَ ما هَمٍّ وَلا سَقَمِ

May you endure for it, O best of kings,

May you remain, best of kings

May you remain, O best of kings, for it,

without any worry or sickness.

Without worries or illness

Without any worry or sickness.