نفديwe give our lives for النزيلthe guest ونكرمنand we shall surely honor
نفدي النزيل ونكرمن
إنif لمnot نكرمهwe honor him فمنthen who?
إن لم نكرمه فمن
We would give our lives for the guest, and surely honor him;
We welcome the guest and honor him
if we do not honor him, who will?
If we do not honor him, who will?
ياO ضيفguest of مصرEgypt أقمstay مقاresidence (beginning of مقام)
يا ضيف مصر أقم مقا
مcompletion of مقام (residence) الأهلthe family وانزلand settle فيin وطنa homeland
م الأهل وانزل في وطن
O guest of Egypt, stay as
O guest of Egypt, stay awhile
one of the family, and settle in a homeland.
Among the family, and dwell in the homeland
إناindeed we اشتركناwe shared فيin الأماhopes (beginning of الأماني)
إنا اشتركنا في الأما
نيcompletion of الأماني (hopes) والتقيناand we met فيin المحنhardships
ني والتقينا في المحن
We have shared our
We have shared faith
hopes, and met in adversity.
And met during tribulations
فمنso from الشآمal-Sham إلىto العراIraq (beginning of العراق)
فمن الشآم إلى العرا
قِcompletion of العراق (Iraq) إلىto الحجازthe Hijaz إلىto اليمنYemen
قِ إلى الحجاز إلى اليمن
So, from al-Sham to
From Syria to Iraq, to Hejaz, to Yemen
Iraq, to the Hijaz, to Yemen,
A great cry like a tidal wave echoes in the ear
والصرخةand the cry الكبرىthe great كموlike waves (beginning of كموج)
والصرخة الكبرى كمو
جِcompletion of موج (waves) البحرthe sea تدويresounds فيin الأذنthe ear
جِ البحر تدوي في الأذن
the great cry, like the
Voices differ in it, heedless of cost
sea's waves, resounds in the ear.
We want life, and what is life but following time?
تتباينdiffer الأصواتthe voices فيin
تتباين الأصوات في
هاit لاnot تباليcares بالثمنabout the price
ها لا تبالي بالثمن
The voices differ within
Fate is fickle, how
it, heedless of the price.
Can we scoop water from a mirage?
نبغيwe seek الحياةlife وماand ... is not الحياlife (beginning of الحياة)
نبغي الحياة وما الحيا
ةcompletion of الحياة (life) سوىother than مماشاةkeeping pace with الزمنtime
ة سوى مماشاة الزمن
We seek life, and life is nothing
The age is the age of the foremost
but keeping pace with time.
To the lofty peaks and tribulations
الدهرtime دفاقgushing فكيso how (beginning of فكيف)
الدهر دفاق فكي
فَcompletion of كيف (how) نعبّwe gulp منfrom ماءٍwater أسنstagnant
فَ نعبّ من ماءٍ أسن
Time gushes forth; how, then,
No age of the infatuated with
can we gulp down stagnant water?
Dreams, drowned in idolatry
العصرthe age عصرan age of السابقيthose racing ahead (beginning of السابقين)
العصر عصر السابقي
نَcompletion of السابقين (those racing ahead) إلىtoward الشواهقthe lofty heights والفتنand trials
نَ إلى الشواهق والفتن
This age belongs to those who race
And shackled to the earth
toward the heights and trials,
Between cowardice and weakness
لاnot عصرan age of مفتتنينthose enthralled بالby the
لا عصر مفتتنين بال
أحلامdreams غرقىdrowning فيin الوثنthe idol
أحلام غرقى في الوثن
not to those enthralled by
O East that is called to calm down and be reassured
dreams, drowning in idolatry,
We are coming to you and to the youth with a message that does not compromise
ومقيّدينand those chained إلىto الثرىthe earth
ومقيّدين إلى الثرى
بينbetween التخاذلfaltering والوهنand weakness
بين التخاذل والوهن
and chained to the earth,
We stood up for it, each one
amid faltering and weakness.
A harbinger of the trusted Messenger
ياO أيهاyou الشرقthe East الذيwho
يا أيها الشرق الذي
يدعوcalls out رويدكtake your time واطمئنand rest assured
يدعو رويدك واطمئن
O East, you who
Among our vanguards are neither the weak nor the submissive coward
call out—be patient and rest assured.
Nor is spitefulness or resentment among our natures
إناindeed we إليكto you وللشباand for the youth (beginning of وللشباب)
إنا إليك وللشبا
بِcompletion of الشباب (youth) رسالةa message لاnot تمتهنis scorned
بِ رسالة لا تمتهن
We are, for you and for
We are soldiers of light, of
the young, a message not to be scorned.
Knowledge, manners and art
قمناwe rose لهاfor it كلeach of us بناin a region (beginning of بناحية)
قمنا لها كل بنا
حيةcompletion of ناحية (region) رسولa messenger مؤتمنtrusted
حية رسول مؤتمن
We rose to serve it—each in a
Killers of ignorance like
region, a trusted messenger.
An owl nesting amid rubble
ماthere is no فيin طلائعناour advance ranks الضعيthe weak (beginning of الضعيف)
ما في طلائعنا الضعي
فcompletion of الضعيف (the weak) ولاnor الذليلthe abject المستكنthe cowering
ف ولا الذليل المستكن
In our vanguard there is no
We are the enemies of stagnation
weakling, nor anyone abject and cowering.
And are putting it in its shroud
ماthere is no فيin طبائعناour natures الخصاquarreling (beginning of الخصام)
ما في طبائعنا الخصا
مcompletion of الخصام (quarreling) ولاnor الحفيظةresentment والضغنand malice
م ولا الحفيظة والضغن
In our natures there is no
O dear noble guest
quarreling, no resentment or malice.
Blessed are you with good living
إناindeed we جنودsoldiers النورlight منfrom
إنا جنود النور من
علمknowledge ومنand from أدبliterature وفنand art
علم ومن أدب وفن
We are soldiers of the light of
O companion of the Egyptian in
knowledge, literature, and art,
Aleppo, we do not forget favors
القاتلونthe slayers of الجهلignorance مثlike (beginning of مثل)
القاتلون الجهل مث
لcompletion of مثل (like) البومthe owls عششnested فيin الدمنthe dung heaps
ل البوم عشش في الدمن
who slay ignorance, which, like
Syria's bosom is affectionate to you and if Egypt knew, she would yearn
owls, has nested in dung heaps.
Her farms, youths, gardens and singing birds
إناindeed we لأعداءsurely enemies of الجموstagnation (beginning of الجمود)
إنا لأعداء الجمو
دcompletion of الجمود (stagnation) وواضعوهand those who lay it فيin الكفنthe shroud
د وواضعوه في الكفن
We are indeed the enemies of
Her cedars, great calm mountains
stagnation, and we lay it in its shroud.
And your Nile is our river, and what
ياO أيهاyou الضيفthe guest العزيdear (beginning of العزيز)
يا أيها الضيف العزي
زcompletion of العزيز (dear) نعمتmay you enjoy بالعيشin life الحسنpleasant
ز نعمت بالعيش الحسن
O dear guest,
Remains of the vineyards and arts
may you enjoy a pleasant life.
And the people are family, the villages
ياO مؤنسcompanion to المصريthe Egyptian فيin
يا مؤنس المصري في
حلبAleppo وماand ... not ننسىwe forget المننthe favors
حلب وما ننسى المنن
O companion to the Egyptian in
A homeland, affectionate cities
Aleppo—we do not forget favors.
صدرthe breast of الشآمal-Sham حناleaned tenderly عَليover (beginning of عليك)
صدر الشآم حنا عَلي
كyou (ending of عليك) ومصرand Egypt لوif تدريyou knew أحنّmore tender
ك ومصر لو تدري أحنّ
The breast of al-Sham leaned tenderly over
you; Egypt, if you knew, is tenderer still.
بردىBarada لناours وصباهand its east wind والand the
بردى لنا وصباه وال
جنّاتgardens والطيرand the birds المرنwarbling
جنّات والطير المرن
Barada is ours, with its east wind and the
gardens, and the warbling birds,
والأرزand the cedars والطودand the mountain المعصcrowned (beginning of المعصّب)
والأرز والطود المعص
صَبcompletion of المعصّب (crowned) بالجلالwith majesty المطمئنtranquil
صَب بالجلال المطمئن
and the cedars, and the mountain
crowned with tranquil majesty.
والنيلand the Nile نهركمyour river وماand whatever
والنيل نهركم وما
زانadorned الخميلةthe leafy thicket والفننand the bough
زان الخميلة والفنن
And the Nile is your river, and yours is all
that adorns the thicket and the bough.
والقومand the people أهلfamily والقرىand the villages
والقوم أهل والقرى
وطنa homeland عطوفloving والمدنand the cities
وطن عطوف والمدن
And the people are family, and the villages
a loving homeland, and the cities too.
Partial English translation: 41 of 52 Arabic lines translated.