1. قَعَدَت شُعوبُ الشَرقِ عَن

    كَسبِ المَحامِدِ وَالمَفاخِر

    The peoples of the East held back from

    winning praise and glory.

  2. فَوَنَت وَفي شَرعِ التَنا

    حُرِ مَن وَنى لا شَكَّ خاسِر

    So they grew slack; and under the law of

    strife, whoever falters is doubtless a loser.

  3. تَمشي الشُعوبُ لِقَصدِها

    قُدُماً وَشَعبُ النيلِ آخِر

    The peoples march toward their goal,

    forward, while the people of the Nile come last.

  4. كَم في الكِنانَةِ مِن فَتىً

    نَدبٍ وَكَم في الشَأمِ قادِر

    How many a youth in Kinana

    is valiant, and how many a man in al-Sham is capable!

  5. لَكِنَّهُم لَم يُرزَقوا

    رَأياً وَلَم يَرِدوا المَخاطِر

    But they were not granted

    sound judgment, nor did they venture into danger.

  6. هَذا يَطيرُ مَعَ الخَيا

    لِ وَذاكَ يَرتَجِلُ النَوادِر

    This one flies with

    fancy, and that one improvises witty anecdotes.

  7. جَهِلوا الحَياةَ وَما الحَيا

    ةُ لِغَيرِ كَدّاحٍ مُغامِر

    They did not understand life; and there is no

    life for anyone but a tireless, daring worker,

  8. يَجتابُ أَجوازَ القِفا

    رِ وَيَمتَطي مَتنَ الزَواخِر

    who traverses the depths of

    the deserts and rides the backs of surging seas;

  9. لا يَستَشيرُ سِوى العَزيـ

    ـمَةِ في المَوارِدِ وَالمَصادِر

    he consults nothing but

    resolve in his comings and goings.

  10. يَرمي وَراءَ الباقِيا

    تِ بِنَفسِهِ رَميَ المُقامِر

    He casts himself in pursuit of

    lasting deeds, with a gambler's throw.

  11. ما هَدَّ عَزمَ القادِريـ

    ـنَ بِمِصرَ إِلّا قَولُ باكِر

    Nothing sapped the resolve of

    the capable men in Egypt but the word 'Tomorrow.'

  12. كَم ذا نُحيلُ عَلى غَدٍ

    وَغَدٌ مَصيرَ اليَومِ صائِر

    How long shall we defer until tomorrow,

    when tomorrow will meet today's fate?

  13. خَوَتِ الدِيارُ فَلا اِختِرا

    عَ وَلا اِقتِصادَ وَلا ذَخائِر

    The land lies desolate: there is no

    invention, no economy, and no reserves.

  14. دَع ما يُجَشِّمُها الجُمو

    دُ وَما يَجُرُّ مِنَ الجَرائِر

    Leave aside the burdens laid upon it by

    stagnation, and the evils it drags in its wake.

  15. في الإِقتِصادِ حَياتُنا

    وَبَقاؤُنا رَغمَ المُكابِر

    Our life lies in the economy,

    and our survival, despite the gainsayer.

  16. تَربو بِهِ فينا المَصا

    نِعُ وَالمَزارِعُ وَالمَتاجِر

    Through it, there grow among us

    factories, farms, and shops.

  17. سَل حِشمَتاً عَنهُ فَهَـ

    ـذا حِشمَتٌ في الجَمعِ حاضِر

    Ask Hishmat about it, for here

    is Hishmat, present in the assembly.

  18. أَحيا الصِناعَةَ وَالتِجا

    رَةَ مِثلَما أَحيا الضَمائِر

    He revived industry and

    commerce, just as he revived consciences.