دوالَيْكَone turn after another for you منfrom دهرٍan age يواليكَcontinually favors you بالنُّجْحِwith success
دوالَيْكَ من دهرٍ يواليكَ بالنُّجْحِ
ففتحٌso a conquest إِلَىto عيدٍa festival وعيدٌand a festival إِلَىto فتحِa conquest
ففتحٌ إِلَى عيدٍ وعيدٌ إِلَى فتحِ
One turn after another comes to you from an age that favors you with success;
Your fortunes follow you through the ages with success,
So a conquest leads to a festival, and a festival to a conquest.
Opening into a festival, a festival opening into triumph,
كماjust as بَشَّرَتْgave glad tidings بالغيثِof rain بارِقَةُthe lightning flash الحَياof life-giving rain
كما بَشَّرَتْ بالغيثِ بارِقَةُ الحَيا
ووأَسفرand unveiled عنfrom شمسِthe sun of الضحىmidmorning فَلَقُthe breaking of الصُّبْحِdawn
ووأَسفر عن شمسِ الضحى فَلَقُ الصُّبْحِ
As rain-bearing lightning heralded the rain,
As lightning heralds the rain, dawn discloses the sun,
And daybreak unveiled the midmorning sun.
And morning’s breeze disperses the darkness.
وريحٌand a wind منof الإِقبالِgood fortune تعصِفُstorms بالعِدىagainst the foes
وريحٌ من الإِقبالِ تعصِفُ بالعِدى
وتنشأُand arises للإِسلامِfor Islam بالوابِلِwith a downpour السَّحِّpouring in torrents
وتنشأُ للإِسلامِ بالوابِلِ السَّحِّ
And a wind of good fortune storms against the foes,
By the abundant rain Islam thrives anew,
And rises for Islam bearing a streaming downpour.
Through you, O reviver of religion and guidance!
حياًlife-giving rain منكَfrom you يَاO يحيىYahya عَلَىupon الدينِreligion والهدىand guidance
حياً منكَ يَا يحيى عَلَى الدينِ والهدى
بوارِقُهُits lightning flashes فِيamid الكفرِunbelief خاطفَةُsnatching اللَّمْحِsight
بوارِقُهُ فِي الكفرِ خاطفَةُ اللَّمْحِ
Life-giving rain from you, O Yahya, upon religion and guidance,
Its gleaming banners in the infidels’ darkness
Its lightning flashes amid unbelief, snatching away sight.
Are like the wings the Yemen’s birds spread in exultation.
جديرُworthy of الندىgenerosity أنthat تُتْبِعَyou follow up المَنَّfavors بالمُنىwith wishes
جديرُ الندى أن تُتْبِعَ المَنَّ بالمُنى
وسُمُّand a poison to العِدىthe foes أَنthat تنكأَyou reopen القرحَthe wound بالقرحِwith a wound
وسُمُّ العِدى أَن تنكأَ القرحَ بالقرحِ
It befits your generosity to follow favors with wishes fulfilled,
It sails on every tumultuous sea
And it is poison to foes when you reopen wounds with wounds.
With glorifiers praising the name of its Lord.
فَوُفِّيتَso you were fully rewarded منfrom سعْيِthe striving of الجهادِjihad تجارةًa trade
فَوُفِّيتَ من سعْيِ الجهادِ تجارةً
مضاعَفَةَmultiplied الأَضعافِmany times نامِيَةَgrowing in الرِّبْحِprofit
مضاعَفَةَ الأَضعافِ نامِيَةَ الرِّبْحِ
So you were fully rewarded for your striving in jihad with a trade,
In the fray, amidst the havoc of war,
Multiplied many times over, with ever-growing profit.
The heroes are reminded of Bilqis in her lofty palace,
كماjust as بشّرتgave glad tidings بالغيثِof rain بارقةthe lightning flash الحياof life-giving rain
كما بشّرت بالغيثِ بارقة الحيا
ووأَسفرَand unveiled عنfrom شمسthe sun of الضحىmidmorning فلقُthe breaking of الصبحِdawn
ووأَسفرَ عن شمس الضحى فلقُ الصبحِ
As rain-bearing lightning heralded the rain,
While your sword serves the necks and markets,
And daybreak unveiled the midmorning sun.
Like Solomon’s blade enforcing God’s writ,
رفعتَyou raised لَهَاfor it أَعلامَbanners of نَصرٍvictory كَأَنَّماas though
رفعتَ لَهَا أَعلامَ نَصرٍ كَأَنَّما
كستهاclothed them طيورُthe birds of اليُمْنِgood fortune أَجنِحَةَthe wings of النُّجْحِsuccess
كستها طيورُ اليُمْنِ أَجنِحَةَ النُّجْحِ
You raised for it banners of victory, as though
Flashing in the battle’s heat a deadly stroke
Birds of good fortune had clothed them in the wings of success.
That cleaves the devil’s liver with a gaping wound.
تمورُsurge بِهَاwith them فِيin كُلِّevery بحرٍsea منof الوغىbattle
تمورُ بِهَا فِي كُلِّ بحرٍ من الوغى
سوابِحُswimming steeds محمودٌpraised لَهَاfor them شِيَمُthe ways of السَّبْحِswimming
سوابِحُ محمودٌ لَهَا شِيَمُ السَّبْحِ
With them, in every sea of battle, surge
In black night’s wings you made it shine at dawn,
Swimming steeds, praised for their swimming ways.
Dispelling the night of sorrow brooding low.
إِذِwhen الحربُwar بالأَبطالِwith the champions فِيin لُجَّةِthe abyss of الرَّدىdeath
إِذِ الحربُ بالأَبطالِ فِي لُجَّةِ الرَّدى
تُذَكِّرُهُمْreminds them of بَلْقيسَBilqis فِيin لُجَّةِthe watery depths of الصَّرْحِthe palace
تُذَكِّرُهُمْ بَلْقيسَ فِي لُجَّةِ الصَّرْحِ
When war, with its champions in death's abyss,
What mother of unbelief have you not vanquished
Reminds them of Bilqis in the palace's watery depths.
Striking her sons, victorious, in the highlands?
وسيفُكَand your sword فِيamong الأعناقِthe necks والسُّوقِand shanks مُقْتَدٍfollowing the example
وسيفُكَ فِي الأعناقِ والسُّوقِ مُقْتَدٍ
بسيفِof the sword of سليمانَSolomon المُوَكَّلِentrusted بالمَسْحِwith hewing
بسيفِ سليمانَ المُوَكَّلِ بالمَسْحِ
And your sword, among necks and shanks, follows the example
How many infidels’ nests were laid waste
Of Solomon's sword, entrusted with hewing.
By your blows, when hands proffered nothing!
لَمَعْتَyou flashed بِهِwith it فِيin جوِّthe air of ناجِرَNajir لمعةًa flash
لَمَعْتَ بِهِ فِي جوِّ ناجِرَ لمعةً
ثَنَتْbent كَبِدَthe liver of الشيطانِSatan دامِيَةَbleeding الجُرْحِfrom the wound
ثَنَتْ كَبِدَ الشيطانِ دامِيَةَ الجُرْحِ
You flashed it through Najir's air, a flash
You ignored equals, though faces paraded their charms,
That bent Satan's liver, its wound bleeding.
Grew deaf to suitors, though they rode high.
وصبَّحْتَهاand you raided it at dawn فِيin جنحthe wing of ليلٍa night منof القَناspears
وصبَّحْتَها فِي جنح ليلٍ من القَنا
أَحَلَّbrought down بِهَاupon it ليلَthe night of الأَسىgrief مُطْبِقَclosing tightly الجُنْحِthe wings
أَحَلَّ بِهَا ليلَ الأَسى مُطْبِقَ الجُنْحِ
And you raided it at dawn beneath the wing of a night of spears,
Soon you displayed them, marching to war unfurled,
That brought upon it grief's night, its wings shut tight.
As beauties who rise to make dawn glow,
فأَيَّةُso what a أُمٍّmother للضلالِof error قَهَرْتَهاyou subdued her
فأَيَّةُ أُمٍّ للضلالِ قَهَرْتَها
بَنِيهاher sons بضربٍwith striking فِيupon الطُّلىthe necks فائِزِwinning القِدْحِthe lot-arrow
بَنِيها بضربٍ فِي الطُّلى فائِزِ القِدْحِ
So what a mother of error you subdued—
Canopied by banners as though they were gazelles
Her sons—with neck-strikes that drew the winning lot!
Grazing freely in a meadow’s shade.
وبيضةِand a stronghold (an egg) كفرٍof unbelief كمhow many وكمand how many لكَto you أَسْمَحَتْyielded freely
وبيضةِ كفرٍ كم وكم لكَ أَسْمَحَتْ
ببيضةِwith a maiden (an egg) خِدْرٍa bower لاnot تُواتيyields to يَدَthe hand of السَّمحِthe generous giver
ببيضةِ خِدْرٍ لا تُواتي يَدَ السَّمحِ
And many, many an egg of unbelief freely yielded you
Not houris, but planets whose brilliance
A bower's egg—a maiden no generous hand could win.
You eclipsed with the sword and spear’s ray.
جَلَلْنَthey were exalted عنabove الأَكفاءِtheir equals قدراًin rank وأَوجُهاand in countenance
جَلَلْنَ عن الأَكفاءِ قدراً وأَوجُها
فأُصْمِمْنَso they were made deaf عنto خِطْبٍa suitor وأُخْرِسْنَand made mute عنto نِكْحِa marriage match
فأُصْمِمْنَ عن خِطْبٍ وأُخْرِسْنَ عن نِكْحِ
They surpassed their peers in rank and countenance,
Their eyes in return rain down upon us from your arrows
So they were made deaf to suitors and mute to marriage matches.
Love’s shafts, which promise union and peace.
فسرعانَso how swiftly مَاthat أَبرزْتَyou brought forth منهنَّfrom among them للفلاto the wastes
فسرعانَ مَا أَبرزْتَ منهنَّ للفلا
غدائِرَbraids تُمْسِيenter evening فِيin سناthe radiance of أَوْجُهٍfaces تُضْحِيenter midmorning
غدائِرَ تُمْسِي فِي سنا أَوْجُهٍ تُضْحِي
So how swiftly you brought forth from among them into the wastes
They reveal, beneath the blood their swords shed,
Braids growing dusky in the glow of faces brightening into morn,
Beauty’s essence, all grace and loveliness.
مُظَلَّلَةًshaded بالخافِقاتِby fluttering banners كَأَنَّهاas though they were
مُظَلَّلَةً بالخافِقاتِ كَأَنَّها
ظِباءٌgazelles تَهادىsway gracefully فِيin ذرَاthe shelter of الأَيْكِgroves والطَّلْحِand acacias
ظِباءٌ تَهادى فِي ذرَا الأَيْكِ والطَّلْحِ
Shaded by fluttering banners, as though they were
This mother of unbelief, after her routing,
Gazelles swaying gracefully in the shelter of groves and acacias.
Is darkness without stars, night without dawn.
كواعِبُbudding-breasted maidens إِلّاexcept أَنَّهُنَّthat they are كواكِبٌstars
كواعِبُ إِلّا أَنَّهُنَّ كواكِبٌ
جَلَوْتَyou unveiled سناهاtheir radiance منfrom سَناthe gleam of السيفِthe sword والرُّمْحِand the spear
جَلَوْتَ سناها من سَنا السيفِ والرُّمْحِ
Budding-breasted maidens—yet they are stars,
Clad in glory’s raiment, you left her
You brought their radiance forth from the gleam of sword and spear.
Huddled in rags, vile, scorned, abased,
تردُّsend back إِليناto us عنin exchange for سهامِكَyour arrows فِيهِمُamong them
تردُّ إِلينا عن سهامِكَ فِيهِمُ
سهامَthe arrows of عيونٍeyes حربُهاtheir war موشِكُnearing الصُّلحِpeace
سهامَ عيونٍ حربُها موشِكُ الصُّلحِ
They send back to us, in exchange for your arrows among them,
Weeping for the nobles whose lives your blades took—
Arrows of eyes whose war will soon give way to peace.
Swords that rent beauty and wit asunder.
وتُسْفِرُand reveal عنlikenesses of أَشباهِwhat مَاsplashed نَضَحَتْwith it بِهِwith it
وتُسْفِرُ عن أَشباهِ مَا نَضَحَتْ بِهِ
سيوفٌswords سَبَتْهَاcaptured them منof دَمٍblood شَرِقِbrimming النّضْحِspray
سيوفٌ سَبَتْهَا من دَمٍ شَرِقِ النّضْحِ
And reveal likenesses of what was splashed by
Every mourning woman casting her eye
The swords that captured them—a brimming spray of blood.
Toward the horizon hears only, “Begone!”
فهاتيكَso there is that أُمُّthe mother of الكفرِunbelief ناجِرُNajir بَعْدَهاafter it
فهاتيكَ أُمُّ الكفرِ ناجِرُ بَعْدَها
ظلاماًdarkness بلاwithout نجمٍa star وليلاًand night بلاwithout صُبحِa dawn
ظلاماً بلا نجمٍ وليلاً بلا صُبحِ
So there is Najir, mother of unbelief, after that:
And every aborted nest of sedition
Darkness without a star, and night without a dawn.
Will be left, thanks to you, wrecked shells.
لبستَyou donned بِهَاin it ثوبَthe robe of الفخارِglory مُجَدَّداًrenewed
لبستَ بِهَا ثوبَ الفخارِ مُجَدَّداً
وغادَرْتَهاand you left it تلتفُّwrapping itself فِيin خَلَقِthe worn fabric of المِسْحِsackcloth
وغادَرْتَها تلتفُّ فِي خَلَقِ المِسْحِ
There you donned the robe of glory anew,
Consider the swelling poison you quenched
And left it wrapping itself in threadbare sackcloth.
At every spring, curing thirst’s burning pangs,
تُباكِيweeps with صَدىthe owl-cries of الهامِthe skulls الَّتِيwhich تَرَكَتْleft بِهَاin it
تُباكِي صَدى الهامِ الَّتِي تَرَكَتْ بِهَا
سيوفُكَyour swords عنin place of ذاتِa woman possessed of المحاسِنِbeauty والمِلْحِand charm
سيوفُكَ عن ذاتِ المحاسِنِ والمِلْحِ
She weeps with the owl-cries of the skulls left there
Though opened away from its source, the Nile
By your swords in place of a woman of beauty and charm.
Denied it, the lion baring its deadly fangs.
وعَبْرَةِand a tear of ثكلىa bereaved mother مَاnot تقلِّبُshe turns ناظِراًa gaze
وعَبْرَةِ ثكلى مَا تقلِّبُ ناظِراً
إِلَىtoward أُفُقٍa horizon إِلّاexcept يقولُit says لَهَاto her سُحِّيpour forth!
إِلَى أُفُقٍ إِلّا يقولُ لَهَا سُحِّي
And a bereaved mother's tears—she never turns her gaze
What guide led you to each watering place?
Toward a horizon but it tells her, 'Pour forth!'
To what goal did you march each army?
وينعىand announces the death of إِليهاto her كلَّevery بيضَةِegg of فِتْنَةٍstrife
وينعى إِليها كلَّ بيضَةِ فِتْنَةٍ
ستترُكُهاyou will leave it قَيْضاًan eggshell هشِيماًshattered بلاwithout مُحِّyolk
ستترُكُها قَيْضاً هشِيماً بلا مُحِّ
And proclaims to her the doom of every egg of strife
They are homeless throngs no shower can succor,
That you will leave a shattered eggshell, without yolk,
Parched men the dew’s sprinkling cannot revive.
بماbecause of what قَدْindeed رأَىit has seen فِيat كلِّevery ماءٍwater أَمَمْتَهُyou sought it
بما قَدْ رأَى فِي كلِّ ماءٍ أَمَمْتَهُ
لتشْفِيَto soothe منهاfrom it غُلَّةthe burning of الظَّمَأِthirst البَرْحِtormenting
لتشْفِيَ منها غُلَّة الظَّمَأِ البَرْحِ
For what it has seen at every water you have sought
To quench with it the burning of tormenting thirst,
وإِنand even if أُشْرِعَتْwere leveled منfrom دونِbefore مشربِهِits drinking-place القناspears
وإِن أُشْرِعَتْ من دونِ مشربِهِ القنا
وكاشَرَand bared teeth عَنهُin its defense الأسدُthe lions دامِيَةَbloodied الأَلْحِيthe jaws
وكاشَرَ عَنهُ الأسدُ دامِيَةَ الأَلْحِي
And even if spears were leveled before its drinking-place,
And lions bared their teeth in its defense, their jaws bloodied.
فأَيُّso what دلاءِbuckets فِيهِinto it أَدلَيْتَyou lowered ماتِحاًdrawing water
فأَيُّ دلاءِ فِيهِ أَدلَيْتَ ماتِحاً
وأَيَّةَand what أَشْطَانٍropes مَدَدْتَyou stretched إِلَىfor المَتْحِdrawing water
وأَيَّةَ أَشْطَانٍ مَدَدْتَ إِلَى المَتْحِ
Then what buckets you lowered into it, drawing water,
And what ropes you stretched to draw it up!
هوائِمُthirst-maddened بِيضٌwhite blades لاnot يُصَدُّis barred بِهَاwith them الرِّوىfull quenching
هوائِمُ بِيضٌ لا يُصَدُّ بِهَا الرِّوى
وسُمْرٌand brown spears ظِماءٌthirsty لاnot يُعَلَّلْنَare appeased بالنَّشْحِwith scant drops
وسُمْرٌ ظِماءٌ لا يُعَلَّلْنَ بالنَّشْحِ
Thirst-maddened white blades, with which a full draught cannot be barred,
And thirsty brown spears, not appeased by scant drops.
Partial English translation: 52 of 60 Arabic lines translated.