الغربthe West مركبهits mount البخاsteam (first fragment)
الغرب مركبه البخا
رcompletion of 'steam' أوor الهواءthe air أوor الأثيرthe ether
ر أو الهواء أو الأثير
The West's mount is steam,
The West rides the wind
or air, or ether.
or air or ether
وركوبةand the mount الشرقthe East الهجيthe crossbred steed (first fragment)
وركوبة الشرق الهجي
نcompletion of 'crossbred steed' أوor الحمارthe donkey أوor البعيرthe camel
ن أو الحمار أو البعير
And the East's mount is a crossbred steed,
While the East rides
or a donkey, or a camel.
ignorance or donkey or camel
والدهرand time للرجلfor the man القويstrong
والدهر للرجل القوي
يcontinuation of 'strong' علىin صلابتهhis steadfastness ظهيرan ally
ي على صلابته ظهير
And time, for the strong man,
And time backs the strong man
is an ally in his steadfastness.
with its firmness
والدهرand time يخذلforsakes منwhoever ينيslackens
والدهر يخذل من يني
والدهرand time يصفعslaps منwhoever يخورfalters
والدهر يصفع من يخور
And time forsakes whoever slackens;
While time lets down those who covet
and time slaps whoever falters.
And time slaps those who cower
ولمنand for whoever تقدمadvanced باسمsmiling
ولمن تقدم باسم
ولمنand for whoever تأخرfell behind قمطريرgrim
ولمن تأخر قمطرير
For whoever advances, it smiles;
For those who step forward - prosperity
for whoever falls behind, it is grim.
For those who step back - affliction
هذاthis one يثبطهholds him back الحجاveiling (first fragment)
هذا يثبطه الحجا
بcompletion of 'veiling' وذاكand that one يحفزهspurs him on السفورunveiling
ب وذاك يحفزه السفور
This one is held back by veiling;
This one is discouraged by the veil
and that one is spurred on by unveiling.
While that one is provoked by debauchery
وكأنماand as though المتحجباveiled women (first fragment)
وكأنما المتحجبا
تcompletion of 'veiled women' بكلin every مملكةkingdom قبورgraves
ت بكل مملكة قبور
And it is as though veiled women
It's as if the veiled ones in every kingdom are tombs
are graves in every kingdom.
Debauchery does no harm to those raised by culture
ماthere is no فيin السفورunveiling لمنfor whoever ترfirst fragment of 'nurtured her'
ما في السفور لمن تر
بتهاcompletion of 'nurtured her' الثقافةculture ماanything that يضيرharms
بتها الثقافة ما يضير
There is nothing in unveiling, for a woman nurtured
But the veil causes corruption and evils to spread
by culture, that can do harm.
Why do those bright stars set?
اماas for الحجابveiling فمنهthen from it تذunclear first fragment of 'spring forth'
اما الحجاب فمنه تذ
بعثspring forth (final fragment) المفاسدforms of corruption والشرورand evils
بعث المفاسد والشرور
As for veiling, from it
It may hinder achieving our noble goals
spring corruption and evils.
Are you alone, oh intolerant zealot
ماwhat بالis the matter with هاتيكthose النجوstars (first fragment)
ما بال هاتيك النجو
مcompletion of 'stars' علىdespite وضاءتهاtheir radiance تغورsink from sight
م على وضاءتها تغور
Why do those stars,
The circles of justice will eventually turn on the oppressor
for all their radiance, sink from sight?
On earth souls may perish but the sky does not change
ولقدand indeed يعوقhinders منfrom الوصوreaching (first fragment)
ولقد يعوق من الوصو
لcompletion of 'reaching' لغايناto our goal (irregular spelling) الجدfortune العثورstumbling
ل لغاينا الجد العثور
And we may indeed be kept from reaching
Women were late so men advanced
our goal by stumbling fortune.
Happier to travel
هلquestion marker انتyou وحدكyou alone ايهاO
هل انت وحدك ايها
المتعصبthe fanatic العاتيoverbearing غيورprotective of honor
المتعصب العاتي غيور
Are you alone, O
to fulfill her needs she walks
overbearing fanatic, protective of honor?
Protected by her dignity
الدائراتturns of fate وانand though حبتcrept
الدائرات وان حبت
مهلاslowly علىagainst الباغيthe oppressor تدورturn
مهلا على الباغي تدور
The turns of fate, though they creep
and chastity her guardian
slowly, turn against the oppressor.
Mothers are the source
فيon الارضthe earth تزهقperish انفسsouls
في الارض تزهق انفس
اماas for السماءthe sky فلاso not تمورtremble
اما السماء فلا تمور
On earth, lives are lost,
Their children are their flowers
but the sky does not tremble.
Mothers are stars
ولقدand indeed تأخرتfell behind الاناfemales (first fragment)
ولقد تأخرت الانا
ثcompletion of 'females' فماso not تقدمتadvanced الذكرthe males
ث فما تقدمت الذكر
And women have indeed fallen behind;
Radiance and the son is light
so men have made no progress.
Mothers are schools From them conscience grows
اسعدhow happy! بامwith a mother سافرunveiled
اسعد بام سافر
لقضاءto fulfill حاجتهاher need تسيرshe walks
لقضاء حاجتها تسير
How happy is an unveiled mother,
who walks to attend to her needs,
محميةprotected بوقارهاby her dignity
محمية بوقارها
ومنand from العفافchastity لهاfor her خفيرa guard
ومن العفاف لها خفير
protected by her dignity,
with chastity as her guard!
الامهاتmothers منابتseedbeds
الامهات منابت
اولادهنtheir children لهاfor them زهورflowers
اولادهن لها زهور
Mothers are seedbeds;
their children are their flowers.
والامهاتand mothers كواكبstars
والامهات كواكب
وضاءةradiant والولدand the child نورlight
وضاءة والولد نور
And mothers are stars,
radiant, and a child is light.
والامهاتand mothers مدارسschools
والامهات مدارس
منهمfrom them بهاwithin them ينموgrows الشعورawareness
منهم بها ينمو الشعور
And mothers are schools;
from them, within them, awareness grows.
Partial English translation: 30 of 40 Arabic lines translated.