قدindeed أسمعتكَmade you hear أنينهاtheir groaning الأوطانthe homelands
قد أسمعتكَ أنينها الأوطان
بضعيفwith a feeble صوتvoice ملؤهits fullness الأشجانُsorrows
بضعيف صوت ملؤه الأشجانُ
The homelands have made you hear their groaning
I heard the groans of the homelands
In a feeble voice filled with sorrow.
In a faint voice filled with sorrows
مدَّتstretched out إليكtoward you يدthe hand الشكاةof complaint لأنهاbecause they
مدَّت إليك يد الشكاة لأنها
قدindeed عاثwreaked havoc فيهاin them الظلمoppression والعدوانand aggression
قد عاث فيها الظلم والعدوان
They stretched toward you the hand of complaint, for
She stretched out to you her hand of complaint
Oppression and aggression have ravaged them.
For injustice and aggression did roam her
أدركrescue بهاwithin them الضعفاءthe weak واستعجلand hasten فقدfor indeed
أدرك بها الضعفاء واستعجل فقد
عزَّbecame scarce النصيرthe champion وقلَّتand became few الأعوانthe helpers
عزَّ النصير وقلَّت الأعوان
Rescue the weak within them, and hurry, for
Help the weak ones and make haste
A champion is scarce, and helpers are few.
For the victors are few and the aiders languish
إنif كنتyou are تنصرهاaiding them وتحميand protecting حوضهاtheir basin (domain)
إن كنت تنصرها وتحمي حوضها
عنagainst غاصبٍa usurper فلقدthen indeed أتىhas come الإبَّانُthe opportune time
عن غاصبٍ فلقد أتى الإبَّانُ
If you would aid them and guard their watering place
If you support and guard her banks
Against a usurper, the time has surely come.
Against an usurping invader, the time has come
أدركrescue بنصركwith your aid أمرَthe cause قومِكof your people إنهمfor they
أدرك بنصرك أمرَ قومِك إنهم
ظلمواwere wronged فريعso were terrified الشيبthe gray-haired والشبابand the young
ظلموا فريع الشيب والشباب
Rescue your people's cause with your aid, for they
Give your aid and restore your people’s rule
Have been wronged, and the gray-haired and the young are terrified.
For the young and old were wronged
وجرتand flowed دموعtears الحزنof grief فوقover خدودهمtheir cheeks
وجرت دموع الحزن فوق خدودهم
وتقرحتand grew ulcerated منهمof them بهاfrom them (the tears) الأجفانthe eyelids
وتقرحت منهم بها الأجفان
And tears of grief flowed over their cheeks,
And tears of sorrow streamed down their cheeks
And their eyelids grew ulcerated from those tears.
And their eyelids ulcerated with flowing tears
لاno بدَّescape منfrom أنthat تستهلpour forth دموعهذhis tears (apparent typo)
لا بدَّ من أن تستهل دموعهذ
منwhoever كانwas تضغطpress upon قلبهhis heart الأحزانsorrows
من كان تضغط قلبه الأحزان
Tears must surely pour from him
The sorrowful must shed tears
Whose heart is crushed by sorrows.
For when despair weighs down the heart
قدmay يُستدلbe recognized علىconcerning الحزينthe grieving man بدمعهِby his tears
قد يُستدل على الحزين بدمعهِ
مثلlike الكتابthe book دليلهits identifying sign العنوانthe title
مثل الكتاب دليله العنوان
A grieving man may be recognized by his tears,
One's tears betray the grieved
Just as a book is identified by its title.
Like a title betrays its book
ياO غيرةَjealous zeal اللَهof God ابطشيstrike fiercely بعصابةat a band
يا غيرةَ اللَه ابطشي بعصابة
الهاهمُdistracted them الجبروتarrogant might والطغيانand tyranny
الهاهمُ الجبروت والطغيان
O zeal of God, strike fiercely at a band
O jealous protector rise against
Whom arrogance and tyranny have distracted.
The arrogant gang of injustice and tyranny
فلقدfor indeed أهينwas dishonored العدلjustice فيin ديوانهِits court
فلقد أهين العدل في ديوانهِ
ولقدand indeed أهينwas dishonored العلمlearning والعرفانand knowledge
ولقد أهين العلم والعرفان
For justice has been dishonored in its own court,
For justice is disgraced in its halls
And learning and knowledge have been dishonored.
And knowledge and learning dishonored
ولقدand indeed أهينتwas dishonored للمساجدof the mosques حرمةsanctity
ولقد أهينت للمساجد حرمة
وأهينand was dishonored فيin محرابهاtheir prayer niche القرآنthe Qur'an
وأهين في محرابها القرآن
And the sanctity of mosques has been violated,
The sanctity of mosques is disgraced
And the Qur'an dishonored in their prayer niches.
And the Koran dishonored in its altar
جعلواthey made الحكومةgovernment فيin البلادthe land ذريعةan instrument
جعلوا الحكومة في البلاد ذريعة
للغدرfor treachery حتىuntil رجَّتwere shaken البلدانthe lands
للغدر حتى رجَّت البلدان
They made government in the land an instrument
They made the government in the country a ruse
Of treachery, until the lands were shaken.
For treason, shaking the lands
لاno شيءthing يحظىwins favor منfrom قلوبthe hearts سراتهمof their leaders
لا شيء يحظى من قلوب سراتهم
بالحبwith love إلاexcept الأصفرthe yellow metal (gold) الرنانthe ringing
بالحب إلا الأصفر الرنان
Nothing wins, from the hearts of their leaders,
Nothing is dear to the hearts of their elite
Love except the ringing yellow gold.
Except the yellow that jingles
قومa people جفاةhard-hearted مالهمthey have no منany رحمةmercy
قوم جفاة مالهم من رحمة
لوeven if لانsoftened صخرrock جامدٌsolid ماnot لانواthey would soften
لو لان صخر جامدٌ ما لانوا
A hard-hearted people, with no mercy,
A people without mercy, were they
Even if solid rock softened, they would not soften.
Not solid rock they would not have softened
سلبواthey robbed القبائلthe tribes مالهاtheir wealth بوسائلby means
سلبوا القبائل مالها بوسائل
لاnot يستطيعcan كخلقهاthe like of devising them الشيطانthe devil
لا يستطيع كخلقها الشيطان
They robbed the tribes of their wealth by means
They robbed the tribes of their wealth through means
Such as the devil could not devise.
Even Satan cannot fathom
لمdid not يرتضواbe content منfrom بعدafter سلبplundering ثرائهاtheir wealth
لم يرتضوا من بعد سلب ثرائها
إلَّاexcept بأنby the fact that تتهتكbe dishonored النسوانthe women
إلَّا بأن تتهتك النسوان
After plundering their wealth, they were not satisfied
Not content with robbing their riches
Unless the women were dishonored.
Except to dishonor their women
حتىuntil إذاwhen وقفتthey stopped عنfrom استرضائهمappeasing them
حتى إذا وقفت عن استرضائهم
ظنواthey thought بأنthat وقوفهاtheir stopping عصيانrebellion
ظنوا بأن وقوفها عصيان
Until, when the tribes ceased appeasing them,
When the women tired of appeasing them
They deemed that refusal rebellion.
They thought their defiance was rebellion
فتواثبواthen they leapt forth يتصيدونhunting رجالهاtheir men
فتواثبوا يتصيدون رجالها
بقوىwith the force الرصاصof bullets كأنهمas though they were غزلانgazelles
بقوى الرصاص كأنهم غزلان
Then they sprang forward, hunting the tribes' men
So they pounced, hunting their men
With the force of bullets, as though they were gazelles.
With bullets, as if they were deer
وتهاربتand fled in all directions منهاof them البقيةthe remainder خشيةًin fear
وتهاربت منها البقية خشيةً
منof أنthat تنالclaim حياتهاtheir lives النيرانthe gunfire
من أن تنال حياتها النيران
And those remaining fled in fear
The survivors fled in fear
That gunfire might claim their lives.
Of the fires consuming their lives
لمdid not تبقremain فيin تلكthose الديارdwellings أمامهمbefore them
لم تبق في تلك الديار أمامهم
إلاexcept نساءwomen الحيِّof the settlement والولدانand the children
إلا نساء الحيِّ والولدان
None remained in those dwellings before them
None remained in those lands before them
Except the women of the settlement and the children.
Except the children and women
فتفرَّقthen scattered العادونthe aggressors بينamong بيوتهاtheir houses
فتفرَّق العادون بين بيوتها
وأتواand committed فظائعatrocities جمةmany وأهانواand humiliated
وأتوا فظائع جمة وأهانوا
Then the aggressors scattered among their houses
The aggressors scattered amongst their homes
And committed many atrocities and inflicted humiliation.
Committing atrocities, disgracing
ياO ويلهاwoe to them بالمالwith money منهمfrom them ماnot نجتthey escaped
يا ويلها بالمال منهم ما نجت
هذاthis لعمرby the life أبيof my father هوit is الخسرانruin
هذا لعمر أبي هو الخسران
Alas for them! Money did not save them from those men.
Alas, their wealth could not save them
This, by my father's life, is utter ruin.
By God, this is utter loss
ويحalas for المواطنthe homelands إنهاindeed they لبستhave donned بهمthrough them
ويح المواطن إنها لبست بهم
ثوبthe garment الخرابof ruin فماso there is no بهاin them عمرانprosperity
ثوب الخراب فما بها عمران
Alas for the homelands! Through those men, they have donned
Woe to the citizens, they wore
The garment of ruin; no prosperity remains in them.
The garb of ruin, no trace of home
محقورةdespised فيin عينهمtheir eyes لاnot أهلهاtheir people
محقورة في عينهم لا أهلها
أهلpeople ولاnor إنسانهاtheir human inhabitants إنسانhuman
أهل ولا إنسانها إنسان
Despised in their eyes: their people are not
Despised in their eyes, neither people nor humans
People, nor are their inhabitants human.
By God, their greed sucked our blood
تاللَهby God ياO طمعgreed الولاةof the governors عَرَقتناyou gnawed us bare
تاللَه يا طمع الولاة عَرَقتنا
وأكلتand you ate ماwhat لاnot يأكلeats الغرثانthe famished man
وأكلت ما لا يأكل الغرثان
By God, O governors' greed, you have gnawed us to the bone,
And ate what even worms won't eat
And eaten what a starving man would not eat.
O justice, we love you indeed
ياO عدلJustice إنكindeed you أنتyou yourself محبوبbeloved لناto us
يا عدل إنك أنت محبوب لنا
حتامَuntil when هذاthis الصدُّrejection والهِجرانand abandonment
حتامَ هذا الصدُّ والهِجران
O Justice, you are beloved by us.
This estrangement and avoidance must end
How long this rejection and abandonment?
O justice, despair plagues our souls
ياO عدلُJustice ألقىhas cast الياسdespair فيinto أرواحناour souls
يا عدلُ ألقى الياس في أرواحنا
ياO عدلJustice منكfrom you المطلُstalling والليانُand delay
يا عدل منك المطلُ والليانُ
O Justice, despair has been cast into our souls—
O justice, we look to you for affection and solace
O Justice, by your stalling and delay.
O justice, since you shunned us of wealth
ياO عدلJustice منذsince صددتyou turned away عناfrom us مالناwe have no
يا عدل منذ صددت عنا مالنا
ياO عدلJustice عنكaway from you بحالةin a state of سلوانconsolation; forgetting
يا عدل عنك بحالة سلوان
O Justice, since you turned from us, we have had no
O justice, we are in dire need of you
O Justice, consolation away from you.
O justice, we parted like souls and bodies part
ياO عدلJustice إناindeed we قدalready تفارقناwe have parted كماas
يا عدل إنا قد تفارقنا كما
تتفارقpart from one another الأرواحsouls والأبدانand bodies
تتفارق الأرواح والأبدان
O Justice, we have indeed parted, just as
Lord, corruption spreads as you see
Souls and bodies part.
And the pillars of your faith demolished
ياO ربّLord قدindeed شاعhas spread الفسادcorruption كماas ترىyou see
يا ربّ قد شاع الفساد كما ترى
وتهدمتand have crumbled منof دينكyour religion الأركانthe pillars
وتهدمت من دينك الأركان
O Lord, corruption has spread, as you see,
Lord, the rights of our weak were sold
And the pillars of your religion have crumbled.
To the powerful, the prices soared
ياO ربLord قدindeed بيعتwere sold حقوقthe rights ضعافناof our weak
يا رب قد بيعت حقوق ضعافنا
للأقوياءto the powerful وحيزتand were taken الأثمانthe payments
للأقوياء وحيزت الأثمان
O Lord, the rights of our weak have been sold
Lord, truth is lost amongst our elites
To the powerful, and the payments taken.
Lord, lies and slander spread
ياO ربّLord ضاعwas lost الصدقhonesty بينamong سراتناour leaders
يا ربّ ضاع الصدق بين سراتنا
ياO ربLord عمbecame widespread الزُّورfalsehood والبُهتانand slander
يا رب عم الزُّور والبُهتان
O Lord, honesty is lost among our leaders;
No doubt discord chose its abode
O Lord, falsehood and slander prevail.
Amongst Muslims though they are brothers
حتامَuntil when يختارchooses الشقاقُdiscord مقامهits abode
حتامَ يختار الشقاقُ مقامه
فيamong المسلمينthe Muslims وإنهمthough they are إخوانbrothers
في المسلمين وإنهم إخوان
How long will discord choose its abode
No doubt this malice amongst our men
Among the Muslims, though they are brothers?
No doubt this betrayal and abandonment
حتامuntil when هذاthis الحقدrancor بينamong رجالناour men
حتام هذا الحقد بين رجالنا
حتامuntil when هذاthis البغضhatred والخذلانand desertion
حتام هذا البغض والخذلان
How long this rancor among our men?
No doubt the souls will not be reformed
How long this hatred and desertion?
No doubt the minds will not awaken
حتامuntil when لاnot تأتيachieve النفوسsouls صلاحهاtheir own betterment
حتام لا تأتي النفوس صلاحها
حتامuntil when لاnot تتنبهawaken الأذهانminds
حتام لا تتنبه الأذهان
How long will souls fail to mend their ways?
A people, by my life, sleep plunged them into ignorance
How long will minds fail to awaken?
Only evil remains awake amongst them
قومa people لعمريby my life فيin الجهالةignorance نوَّمasleep
قوم لعمري في الجهالة نوَّم
والشرُّand evil فيهمamong them وحدَهit alone يقظانawake
والشرُّ فيهم وحدَه يقظان
A people, by my life, asleep in ignorance,
All peoples made progress in their affairs
And evil alone among them is awake.
While we were deprived of any share
كلall الأنامhumankind تقدمواhave advanced فيin أمرهمtheir affairs
كل الأنام تقدموا في أمرهم
ونصيبناand our share منfrom بينهمamong them حرمانdeprivation
ونصيبنا من بينهم حرمان
All humankind has advanced in its affairs,
Look at Iran, how it slipped
And our share among them is deprivation.
From a malicious plan of harm and humiliation
انظرlook إلىat إيرانIran كيفhow تملصتit freed itself
انظر إلى إيران كيف تملصت
منfrom خطةa course فيهاin it أذىharm وهوانand humiliation
من خطة فيها أذى وهوان
Look at Iran, how it has freed itself
It brought reforms to elevate its standing
From a course beset with harm and humiliation.
Praise God for what Iran has brought
جاءتit came بإصلاحwith reform يعلِّىraises شأنهاits standing
جاءت بإصلاح يعلِّى شأنها
لِلّهِto God (in praise) ماwhat جاءتcame بهwith it إيرانIran
لِلّهِ ما جاءت به إيران
It brought reform that raises its standing.
It instituted consultations and parliament
God be praised for what Iran has brought!
Where the nation's view holds sway
عمدتit turned إلىto الشورىconsultation فسنتso it instituted مجلساًan assembly
عمدت إلى الشورى فسنت مجلساً
فيهِin it لرأيto the opinion الأمةof the nation السلطانauthority
فيهِ لرأي الأمة السلطان
It turned to consultation and instituted an assembly,
It raised the banner of justice over its lands
In which authority belongs to the nation's judgment.
Until pauper and king were leveled
رفعتit raised لواءthe banner العدلof justice فوقover بلادهاits land
رفعت لواء العدل فوق بلادها
حتىuntil استوىbecame equal المسكينthe poor man والخاقانand the khagan (sovereign)
حتى استوى المسكين والخاقان
It raised the banner of justice over its land,
Until the poor man and the khagan were equals.
Partial English translation: 80 of 82 Arabic lines translated.