بالأمس كان خطيبَنا بالنادي

بالأمس كان خطيبَنا بالنادي

واليومَ مصرعُه حديث الوادي

واليومَ مصرعُه حديث الوادي

Yesterday he was our orator at the club;

Yesterday our orator was at the club,

and today his death is the talk of the valley.

And today his death is the talk of the valley.

أنحيطُ في النادي بمنبرهِ دجىً

أنحيطُ في النادي بمنبرهِ دجىً

والصبحُ نحملهُ على الأعوادِ

والصبحُ نحملهُ على الأعوادِ

Do we surround his pulpit at the club by night,

I used to surround him at the club with his pulpit in the darkness,

and at dawn carry him upon the wooden bier?

And this morning we carry him on the bier.

تصفيق إعجابٍ تحوّل فجأةً

تصفيق إعجابٍ تحوّل فجأةً

لطماً بأيدٍ جئن بالأضدادِ

لطماً بأيدٍ جئن بالأضدادِ

Applause of admiration suddenly turned

Applause of admiration suddenly turned

to mourning slaps, by hands performing opposite acts.

To slaps by hands that came with adversaries.

أمست بمرآهُ العيونُ قريرة

أمست بمرآهُ العيونُ قريرة

وغدت أسى بِنَواه رهن سهادِ

وغدت أسى بِنَواه رهن سهادِ

At evening, eyes were gladdened by the sight of him;

In the evening eyes were cheerful with his mirror,

and by morning, grieving his departure, they were captive to sleeplessness.

And in the morning they were in mourning under pillows.

ما بين إزهارِ الحياة لقاسم

ما بين إزهارِ الحياة لقاسم

وذبولها إلا كقدْحِ زنادِ

وذبولها إلا كقدْحِ زنادِ

Between life's blossoming for Qasim

Between the blossoming of life for Qasim

and its withering lay only the time to strike a flint.

And its wilting was only like the flint of tinder.

لم تشكُ من ألمٍ ولم تك كبرةً

لم تشكُ من ألمٍ ولم تك كبرةً

ما بال نارك حولت لرمادِ

ما بال نارك حولت لرمادِ

You did not complain of pain, nor were you old;

You did not complain of pain and you were not an old woman,

why was your fire turned to ash?

So what made your fire turn to ashes?

هلا عدَتْكَ إلى سواكِ منيةٌ

هلا عدَتْكَ إلى سواكِ منيةٌ

ممن عثَوا في مصر بالإفسادِ

ممن عثَوا في مصر بالإفسادِ

Why did death not pass you by for someone else,

If only death had brought you back to your solitude

among those who spread corruption in Egypt?

Away from those corrupting in Egypt.

كم هادم لبنائها متطلع

كم هادم لبنائها متطلع

لفنائها متربص لجلادِ

لفنائها متربص لجلادِ

How many a destroyer of its edifice yearns

How many destroyers of its construction are hoping

for its ruin, lying in wait for combat!

For its ruin, lurking for executioners.

ولكَم بها من راتع في لهوه

ولكَم بها من راتع في لهوه

مسترسل في غيّه متمادِ

مسترسل في غيّه متمادِ

And how many there revel in their idle pleasures,

And how many revelers in its entertainment

unrestrained in their waywardness, persisting in it!

Are unrestrained in their ignorance, persistent.

ولكم بهذا القطر باغى فتنة

ولكم بهذا القطر باغى فتنة

هو رائح لشبوبها أو غادِ

هو رائح لشبوبها أو غادِ

And how many a seeker of strife in this land

And how many dissenters in this country

goes forth at evening or dawn to kindle its flames!

Are set on sedition or have departed.

ومخاتل يسعى بكل وسيلةٍ

ومخاتل يسعى بكل وسيلةٍ

للمال يقنصهُ من الأفرادِ

للمال يقنصهُ من الأفرادِ

And a deceiver who strives by every means

And how many swindlers strive by every means

for money, which he snares from individuals;

To hunt money from individuals.

ومعمر سئم الحياة وملّه

ومعمر سئم الحياة وملّه

أهلوه واستحيى من الأحفادِ

أهلوه واستحيى من الأحفادِ

and a long-lived man, weary of life, whom

And the weary of life have tired of it

his family has tired of, and who feels shame before his grandchildren!

Though they were coddled and shy of descendants.

ما بالهم ضل الحِمامُ سبيلَهم

ما بالهم ضل الحِمامُ سبيلَهم

فتمكنوا في الأرض كالأوتادِ

فتمكنوا في الأرض كالأوتادِ

Why has death lost the way to them,

Why did they lose their way

so they stand firm in the earth like stakes?

And take hold in the land like pegs?

لك حكمة يا ربِ تعلم سرها

لك حكمة يا ربِ تعلم سرها

دقتْ على النُّظار والنُّقادِ

دقتْ على النُّظار والنُّقادِ

Yours is a wisdom, O Lord, whose secret You know,

You have wisdom, O Lord, the secret of which

too subtle for thinkers and critics to fathom.

Is obscure to observers and critics.