عشقhe loved المجدglory والهوىand love فكرةٌan idea تنموgrows
عشق المجد والهوى فكرةٌ تنمو
وتسموand uplifts بالروحthe spirit والوجدانand the heart
وتسمو بالروح والوجدان
He loved glory; love is an idea that grows
The love of glory and passion is an idea that grows
and uplifts the spirit and the heart.
And rises with the soul and heart
واجتوىand he loathed الذلabasement كيفhow لاnot وهوwhile he is حرّfree
واجتوى الذل كيف لا وهو حرّ
أيطيقcan they endure? الأحرارfree men عيشa life of الهوانhumiliation
أيطيق الأحرار عيش الهوان
And he loathed abasement—how could he not, being free?
And the humiliation, how can it not be free
Can free men endure a life of humiliation?
Can the free bear the disgrace of living?
ياO! لهfor him (exclamatory) اللَهGod منof (exclamatory) همامٍa valiant man غيورٍzealous
يا له اللَه من همامٍ غيورٍ
صادقsincere العزمresolve ثابتsteadfast الإيمانfaith
صادق العزم ثابت الإيمان
By God, what a valiant, zealous man!
Oh God, what an ardent protector
Sincere in resolve, steadfast in faith.
Sincere in determination, steadfast in faith
حملa lamb قبلbefore أنthat تدولturns الرحىthe millstone لي'lion' begins here (uncertain)
حمل قبل أن تدول الرحى لي
يٌcorrupt continuation, likely of 'lion' إذاwhen أوشكتit draws near قويّstout of الجنانheart
يٌ إذا أوشكت قويّ الجنان
A lamb before the millstone turns; a lion [uncertain reading],
He carried before the mill turned for me
when it draws near, stout of heart.
O you who are about to strengthen the heavens
يتغنىhe sings والموتwhile death منهto him قريبis near
يتغنى والموت منه قريب
بالمنىof hopes والجنديّand the soldier رمزa symbol of التفانيself-sacrifice
بالمنى والجنديّ رمز التفاني
He sings, while death is close to him,
He sings and death is near him
of hopes—and the soldier is a symbol of self-sacrifice.
With wishes and the soldier is the epitome of devotion
أيّwhat وقعimpact فيin النفسthe soul صاحO friend لمرأىat the sight of
أيّ وقع في النفس صاح لمرأى
مستميتone prepared to die يختالstruts proudly فيin الأكفانshrouds
مستميت يختال في الأكفان
What a stir in the soul, my friend, at the sight
What impact does the cry of one who sees have
of one prepared to die, strutting in shrouds!
Desperately swaggering in shrouds
تتراءىappear فيin عينهhis eye صورimages قدhave (perfect marker)
تتراءى في عينه صور قد
أخرستsilenced عبقريّةthe genius of الفنانthe artist
أخرست عبقريّة الفنان
Images appear in his eye that have
Images appear in his eyes that
struck the artist's genius dumb.
Muted the genius of the artist
رسمتهاpainted them بريشةwith the brush of الحزمfirmness والعزand resolve (beginning)
رسمتها بريشة الحزم والعز
مcompletion of 'resolve' يدthe hand of الحقtruth فيin أدقthe subtlest معانmeanings
م يد الحق في أدق معان
They were painted with the brush of firmness and resolve,
She painted them with the brush of resolve and dignity
by the hand of truth, in the subtlest meanings.
The hand of truth in the most subtle meanings
وإذاand when ماever (emphasis) دعاهcalls him قائدهhis commander الباسلthe valiant لبanswered (beginning)
وإذا ما دعاه قائده الباسل لب
ىcompletion of 'answered' بالروحwith the soul لاnot باللسانwith the tongue
ى بالروح لا باللسان
And whenever his valiant commander calls him, he answers
And when his valiant leader called him, he respon
with his soul, not with his tongue.
ded with his soul, not just his tongue
يتخطىhe surmounts الصعابhardships غيرnot مبالcaring
يتخطى الصعاب غير مبال
بزفيرof the snorting of الآلاتthe machines والنيرانand the flames
بزفير الآلات والنيران
He surmounts hardships, heedless
He overcomes difficulties indifferently
of the machines' snorting and the flames.
To the roar of instruments and fire
وزئيرand the roar of الحديدiron فيin أذنيهhis ears
وزئير الحديد في أذنيه
شدوthe song of قيثارةa lyre ورجعand the echo of مثانيrefrains
شدو قيثارة ورجع مثاني
And the roar of iron in his ears
And the moaning of the wounded and the death rattle of the dead are
is a lyre's song and the echo of refrains.
A chant no coward has lived
وأنينand the groans of الجرحىthe wounded وحشرجةand the death-rattle of الموthe dead (beginning)
وأنين الجرحى وحشرجة المو
تىcompletion of 'the dead' هتافٌa cry لاmay not عاشlive كلّevery جبانcoward
تى هتافٌ لا عاش كلّ جبان
And the groans of the wounded and the death-rattle of the dead
And the sailor increases the turmoil of the sea
are a cry: 'May no coward live!'
With the skill of the captain
ويزيدand increases الملاحthe sailor فيamid ثورةthe fury of اليمthe sea
ويزيد الملاح في ثورة اليم
نشاطاvigor مهارةthe skill of الربّانthe captain
نشاطا مهارة الربّان
And amid the sea's fury, the sailor gains
His blood in his veins ignited
vigor through the captain's skill.
The revolution of the spirit so it's boiling
دمهhis blood فيin عروقهhis veins أجّجتهhas set it ablaze
دمه في عروقه أجّجته
ثورةthe revolt of الروحthe spirit فهوand so it is فيin غليانa boil
ثورة الروح فهو في غليان
His blood within his veins has been set ablaze
Shouting at him while he is in the darkest night
by the spirit's revolt, and so it boils.
Among the clouds of smoke
هاتفa calling voice صارخcrying out بهto him وهوwhile he is فيin ليnight (beginning)
هاتف صارخ به وهو في لي
لٍcompletion of 'night' منof النقعbattle-dust بينamid سحبclouds of الدخانsmoke
لٍ من النقع بين سحب الدخان
A voice cries out to him, while he is in a night
And the cups of depravity which illusion revolves around
of battle-dust, amid clouds of smoke.
For the drunkenness of the regretful
وكؤوسand cups of الردىdeath يطوفcirculates بهاwith them الهوterror (beginning)
وكؤوس الردى يطوف بها الهو
لcompletion of 'terror' فللّهso, by God سكرةthe intoxication of الندمانthe drinking companions
ل فللّه سكرة الندمان
And the cups of death are passed around by terror—
Every time the sublime applauds the martyr
so, by God, what intoxication for the boon companions!
Glory chants for the second martyr
كلماwhenever صفّقapplauds العلاgreatness لشهيدfor a martyr
كلما صفّق العلا لشهيد
هتفcalls out المجدglory للشهيدto the martyr الثانيsecond
هتف المجد للشهيد الثاني
Whenever greatness applauds a martyr,
What power like his cup wherever he rose
glory calls out to the second martyr.
Against the enemies like a volcano
أيwhat بأسmight كبأسهlike his might حيثماwherever ثارhe erupts
أي بأس كبأسه حيثما ثار
بوجهin the face of الأعداءthe enemies كالبركانlike a volcano
بوجه الأعداء كالبركان
What might can match his, wherever he erupts
A revolution that shook hearts and souls
in the enemies' faces like a volcano?
So the enemy failed miserably
ثورةan uprising زلزلتshook قلوباhearts وأرواحاand souls
ثورة زلزلت قلوبا وأرواحا
فباءand so came away العدوthe enemy بالخذلانin defeat
فباء العدو بالخذلان
An uprising that shook hearts and souls,
Indeed, truth has power that defeats injustice
and so the enemy came away in defeat.
And brings down tyranny and oppression
إنindeed للحقّtruth has صولةًan onslaught تصرعstrikes down الظلمoppression
إن للحقّ صولةً تصرع الظلم
وتوديand brings ruin بالبغيupon aggression والطغيانand tyranny
وتودي بالبغي والطغيان
Indeed, truth has an onslaught that strikes oppression down
And soldiers empowered by God
and brings ruin upon aggression and tyranny;
And cared for by the eye of affection
وجنوداand soldiers تمدّهمsustains them قوّةthe might of اللGod (beginning)
وجنودا تمدّهم قوّة الل
هِcompletion of 'God' ويرعاهمand He watches over them بعينwith an eye of الحنانcompassion
هِ ويرعاهم بعين الحنان
and soldiers whom the might of God sustains,
And majesty that filled souls was revealed
and He watches over them with an eye of compassion;
In the steadfastness of the old and young
وجلالاًand majesty ملءَfilling النفوسِsouls تجلىwas revealed
وجلالاً ملءَ النفوسِ تجلى
بثباتin the steadfastness of الشيوخthe elders والشبّانand the young men
بثبات الشيوخ والشبّان
and a majesty filling souls, revealed
And beauty contained the highest medal
in the steadfastness of elders and young men;
Adorned with wounds like coral
وجمالاًand beauty حواهheld it أسمىthe noblest وسامmedal
وجمالاً حواه أسمى وسام
رصّعتهstudded it الجروحwounds بالمرجانwith coral
رصّعته الجروح بالمرجان
and beauty borne by the noblest medal,
O son of virgin freedom
which wounds have studded with coral.
You were tested so if they destroy, you will rebuild
إيهgo on! ياO ابنson of الحريّةliberty البكرthe firstborn
إيه يا ابن الحريّة البكر
أبليتyou have fought valiantly فإنso if يهدمواthey tear down فأنتthen you are البانيthe builder
أبليت فإن يهدموا فأنت الباني
Go on, O liberty's firstborn son!
Peace be upon you, alive or dead
You have fought valiantly; if they tear down, you are the builder.
And accept from us the warmest congratulations
فعليكso upon you السلامpeace حيّاalive وميتاand dead
فعليك السلام حيّا وميتا
وتقبّلand accept منّاfrom us أحرّthe warmest التهانيcongratulations
وتقبّل منّا أحرّ التهاني
So peace be upon you, in life and in death,
and accept from us the warmest congratulations.
Partial English translation: 48 of 50 Arabic lines translated.