ياO جُنودَsoldiers البَرِّthe land وَالبحرِand the sea اشهَدواbear witness
يا جُنودَ البَرِّ وَالبحرِ اشهَدوا
وَاِسمَعواand listen منّيfrom me كُلَيماتٍa few words فِصاحeloquent
وَاِسمَعوا منّي كُلَيماتٍ فِصاح
O soldiers of land and sea, bear witness,
O soldiers of land and sea, bear witness
and hear from me a few eloquent words.
And hear from me well-chosen words
ذيthis يديmy hand قَدindeed مزَّقتهاtore it apart لُقَمٌmorsels
ذي يدي قَد مزَّقتها لُقَمٌ
تُجتَنىare plucked منfrom فَوقِabove أَطرافِthe tips الرماحthe spears
تُجتَنى من فَوقِ أَطرافِ الرماح
This is my hand, torn apart by morsels
With hands torn by bites
plucked from atop the tips of spears.
Taken from spear-tips.
ذاكَthat جسميmy body رَسمَetched الدهرُtime علىupon
ذاكَ جسمي رَسمَ الدهرُ على
كلِّevery عضوٍlimb منهof it أهوالَthe terrors الكفاحof struggle
كلِّ عضوٍ منه أهوالَ الكفاح
That is my body: time has etched upon
Thus has time inscribed upon my body
every limb of it the terrors of struggle.
On each limb, the rigors of struggle.
إنَّنيindeed I عِفتُhave come to loathe تكاليفَthe burdens العُلاof eminence
إنَّني عِفتُ تكاليفَ العُلا
بينكمamong you وَالعَيشَand life فيin ظلِّthe shadow الصِفاحof sword blades
بينكم وَالعَيشَ في ظلِّ الصِفاح
Indeed, I have come to loathe the burdens of eminence
I have known the demands of greatness,
among you, and life in the shadow of sword blades.
Among you, and living in the shade of swords.
رحِمَmay have mercy اللَهُGod وَزيراًa minister عاملاًwho labored
رحِمَ اللَهُ وَزيراً عاملاً
مُلِئَتwere filled فخراًwith pride يداهُhis two hands فَاِستَراحso he rested
مُلِئَت فخراً يداهُ فَاِستَراح
May God have mercy on a minister who labored:
God have mercy on the statesman and servant
his hands were filled with pride, and so he rested.
Whose honored hands are filled, and so find rest.