سيديmy master أنتyou أيهاO الحقtruth والعزةُand dignity
سيدي أنت أيها الحق والعزةُ
والفخرُand pride والندىand generosity والعَلاءُand eminence
والفخرُ والندى والعَلاءُ
My master, you—O truth and dignity,
My master, you are the truth, might,
And pride, generosity, and eminence—
Pride, dew, and loftiness.
ذُريَتْscattered فيin الهواءthe air ملكاًproperty مشاعاًheld in common
ذُريَتْ في الهواء ملكاً مشاعاً
يتساوىare equal فيهاin it الثرىearth's dust والفضاءand open space
يتساوى فيها الثرى والفضاء
Scattered through the air as a possession shared by all,
You made yourself equally shared in the air,
In which earth's dust and open sky stand equal.
The soil and space are equal under you.
كلُall ماthat نستطيعهُwe can do it لكَfor you حبٌlove
كلُ ما نستطيعهُ لكَ حبٌ
وخشوعand reverence ووقفةand a pause وانحناءand a bow
وخشوع ووقفة وانحناء
All we can offer you is love,
All we can do for you is love,
And reverence, a solemn pause, and a bow,
Reverence, standing still, and bowing down.
واعتبارand reflection المحسنينthe benefactors وإذand when يَحسُنis good
واعتبار المحسنين وإذ يَحسُن
صنعٌa deed وإذand when يُساءُis ill bestowed جزاءrecompense
صنعٌ وإذ يُساءُ جزاء
And reflection on benefactors—when good
And consider good-doers, and when one does good,
Is done, and when recompense is ill bestowed.
It is an act, and when one does evil, a recompense.
ياO لصوقاًone who clings بالأرضto the earth وهوand he وإياand it (continued)
يا لصوقاً بالأرض وهو وإيا
هاit (pronoun ending) انطراحٌprostration ونعمةand blessing ونَماءand growth
ها انطراحٌ ونعمة ونَماء
O earth-clinging one—you and
O so attached to the earth! Yet it and he
It: prostration, blessing, and growth.
Are a recumbence, a grace, and growth.
ياO وديعاًgentle one لوىtwisted منof الأسدthe lion المكلوبrabid
يا وديعاً لوى من الأسد المكلوب
ذيلاa tail فقرso fell silent منهfrom it العُواءthe howling
ذيلا فقر منه العُواء
O gentle one who twisted the rabid lion's
O gentle one who took from the fierce lion
Tail, so that its howling fell silent.
A tail, so the howling weakened.
ياO شُعاعاًa ray منof النبوةprophethood تستهديseeks guidance
يا شُعاعاً من النبوة تستهدي
بهby it الأرضthe earth أرسلتهsent it السماءheaven
به الأرض أرسلته السماء
O ray of prophethood, sought for guidance
O ray from the prophecy that the earth takes guidance from,
By the earth, sent forth by heaven.
That the heaven sent down.
ياO سليلscion of الفجرينthe two dawns بوذاBuddha وكونفشيوسَand Confucius
يا سليل الفجرين بوذا وكونفشيوسَ
منهfrom him سناهماthe radiance of both يُستضاءillumination is sought
منه سناهما يُستضاء
O scion of the two dawns, Buddha and Confucius,
O descendant of the two dawns, Buddha and Confucius,
Through whom their radiance gives light.
From them, their years give light.
ياO رحيماًmerciful one لمَّgathered القلوبَthe hearts علىaround جمرةan ember
يا رحيماً لمَّ القلوبَ على جمرة
حُبٍّof love فذابتso melted away الشحناءrancor
حُبٍّ فذابت الشحناء
O merciful one who gathered hearts around an ember
O merciful one who joined hearts on embers
Of love, so that rancor melted away.
Of love, so enmity melted away.
والتقتand united أمةa nation تفُلblunts سلاحthe weapon of البغيoppression
والتقت أمة تفُل سلاح البغي
وهوwhile it was الوديعةُthe gentle one العزلاءthe unarmed one
وهو الوديعةُ العزلاء
And a nation united, blunting oppression's weapon,
And a nation prone to unsheathe the sword of aggression met,
Though it was gentle and unarmed.
It is the lonely legacy.
ياO زعيماًa leader آخىbefriended as brothers الصعاليكَthe destitute
يا زعيماً آخى الصعاليكَ
والتمتand gathered عليهaround him تحوزهembracing him الفقراءthe poor
والتمت عليه تحوزه الفقراء
O leader who took the destitute as brothers,
O leader who bonded the riffraff,
And the poor gathered around him, enfolding him.
And the destitute clung to him, protected by the poor.
ياO هتوفاًone who cries out بالبشرwith gladness لمnot تُخْرِسsilence
يا هتوفاً بالبشر لم تُخْرِس
الضحكةَthe laughter منهfrom him بليَّةٌa calamity وعناءand hardship
الضحكةَ منه بليَّةٌ وعناء
O herald of gladness—never did
O shouts at humanity that did not make
Affliction or hardship silence your laughter.
The smile silent from it, but calamity and hardship.
أيهاO الكوكبُthe star الذيwhich انحسرتreceded عنهfrom it
أيها الكوكبُ الذي انحسرت عنه
منof البؤسmisery هالةٌa halo غبراءdust-gray
من البؤس هالةٌ غبراء
O star from which receded
O planet that the murky halo of misery
A dust-gray halo of misery.
Receded from.
والتوىand bent السيفthe sword وانزوىand withdrew العنفُviolence وانفكّتand were freed
والتوى السيف وانزوى العنفُ وانفكّت
رقابٌnecks ولمand not تُطَلَّbe shed in vain دماءblood
رقابٌ ولم تُطَلَّ دماء
And the sword bent, violence withdrew, and freed
And the sword sheathed, and violence retreated, and necks unchained,
Were necks, with no blood spilled in vain.
And blood was not spilled.
قلتَyou said كونيbe! شيئاsomething مئاتِhundreds of الملايينِthe millions
قلتَ كوني شيئا مئاتِ الملايينِ
فكانتso they became، وخيرand the best شيءthing يُشاءcould be wished for
فكانت، وخير شيء يُشاء
You told the hundreds of millions, 'Be something,'
You said "Be something" to hundreds of millions,
And they were—the best thing one could wish for.
So they became, and the best thing to will.
نَبتتْgrew فيin مجاهلthe wilderness of البؤسِmisery والذلةِand humiliation
نَبتتْ في مجاهل البؤسِ والذلةِ
فيin الشرقthe East واحةٌan oasis غنّاءlush
في الشرق واحةٌ غنّاء
There grew in the wilderness of misery and humiliation,
In the ignorant East grew an orchard singing praise,
In the East, a lush oasis.
Watered with the dew of good and mercy.
وارتوتْand drank its fill بالندىwith dew ندىthe dew of الخيرgoodness والرحمةand mercy
وارتوتْ بالندى ندى الخير والرحمة
والعزand dignity تربةٌsoil جرداءbarren
والعز تربةٌ جرداء
And watered with dew—the dew of goodness and mercy
Then Delhi, Peking called, so it answered them,
And dignity—was barren soil.
And it echoed the call back from them.
ثمthen نادتcalled " دلهيDelhi " " بكينَBeijing " فلبتهاso it answered her
ثم نادت " دلهي " " بكينَ " فلبتها
وردَّand answered النداءَthe call منهاfrom it النداءthe call
وردَّ النداءَ منها النداء
Then Delhi called Beijing, and Beijing answered,
Then it rumbled here, and though it deafens hearing
And a call from there answered the call.
In the East, echoes crawl.
ثمthen دوَّتresounded هناhere ولمّاand not yet تُصمّdeafen السمعَthe hearing
ثم دوَّت هنا ولمّا تُصمّ السمعَ
فيin الشرقthe East زاحفاًadvancing اصداءechoes
في الشرق زاحفاً اصداء
Then here resounded—though not yet deafening the ear—
You're not the wondrous magician they claimed,
Echoes in the advancing East.
But a will and a determination.
لستَyou are not بالساحرthe magician العجيبwondrous كماas قالواthey said
لستَ بالساحر العجيب كما قالوا
ولكنbut إرداةٌwill وَمَضَاءand resolve
ولكن إرداةٌ وَمَضَاء
You are not the wondrous magician, as they said,
And capable of miracles is a conscience
But will and resolve.
Of purity, essence, and serenity.
وكفيلٌand a guarantor بالمعجزاتof miracles ضميرٌa conscience
وكفيلٌ بالمعجزات ضميرٌ
ونقاءand purity وجوهرٌand essence وصفاءand clarity
ونقاء وجوهرٌ وصفاء
And sure to work miracles are conscience,
You're not the wondrous magician, but
Purity, substance, and clarity.
A decree whose time came and fate.
لستَyou are not بالساحرthe magician العجيبِwondrous ولكنbut
لستَ بالساحر العجيبِ ولكن
قَدَرٌdestiny حانhas come due وعدهُits promise وقضاءand fate
قَدَرٌ حان وعدهُ وقضاء
You are not the wondrous magician, but
You were in it the conscience of those millions,
Destiny whose promised hour has come, and fate.
They awoke, and the veil lifted from them.
كنتَyou were فيهin it ضميرَthe conscience of تلكthose الملايينِmillions
كنتَ فيه ضميرَ تلك الملايينِ
أفاقتawoke وانزاحand lifted عنهاfrom them الغشاءthe veil
أفاقت وانزاح عنها الغشاء
You were therein the conscience of those millions,
And faithful to their great message,
Who awoke, and from whom the veil fell away,
And its duty was due and the performance.
وأميناand a trusted guardian علىover رسالتهاtheir mission الكبرىthe great
وأمينا على رسالتها الكبرى
وقدand indeed حانthe time had come فرضُهاits imposition والأداءand fulfillment
وقد حان فرضُها والأداء
And a faithful guardian of their great mission,
O beautiful in chest, boasting of the treasure
And the time had come to impose it and fulfill it.
Within it, his lucid conscience.
ياO مليحاًfair صدراًbreast يفاخرtakes pride بالمكنونin what is hidden
يا مليحاً صدراً يفاخر بالمكنون
منهwithin it ضميرُهhis conscience الوضّاءradiant
منه ضميرُه الوضّاء
O fair of heart—proud of what lies hidden
Gandhi protected the blood of the masses and protected
Within it is your radiant conscience.
India, so the ravenous would not ravage it.
صانprotected غانديGandhi دمَthe blood of الجموعthe multitudes وصانَand protected
صان غاندي دمَ الجموع وصانَ
الهندIndia أنْthat تستبيحَهاravage it شعواءa savage war
الهند أنْ تستبيحَها شعواء
Gandhi preserved the blood of the multitudes, and shielded
And he sheltered birds and beasts from slaughter,
India from the ravages of a savage war.
And an lenient law stood upright.
وحمىand protected الطيرَthe birds والسوامَand grazing livestock منfrom الذبحslaughter
وحمى الطيرَ والسوامَ من الذبح
وقامتand arose شريعةٌa law سمحاءmerciful
وقامت شريعةٌ سمحاء
And protected birds and grazing livestock from slaughter,
Does his shrine spill
And a merciful law took hold.
Stains of his blood, red?
أفَمحرابُهis it then his sanctuary? تسيلflow عليهover it
أفَمحرابُه تسيل عليه
بقعstains منof دمائهhis blood حمراءred
بقع من دمائه حمراء
Is it his sanctuary, then, over which flow
O East, you still have passions
Red stains of his blood?
That rebelled, and diseases still.
أيهاO الشرقthe East لمnot تزلcease بكin you أهواءٌpassions
أيها الشرق لم تزل بك أهواءٌ
تعاصتhave grown obstinate ولمand not تزلcease أدواءmaladies
تعاصت ولم تزل أدواء
O East, within you still linger passions
And peace be upon the prophet who supported him
That have grown unruly, and maladies still remain.
With a soul from where the prophets are.
وسلامٌand peace علىupon النبيthe prophet أمدتهendowed him
وسلامٌ على النبي أمدته
بروحwith a spirit منfrom عندهاtheir own presence الأنبياءthe prophets
بروح من عندها الأنبياء
And peace upon the prophet, whom they endowed
With a spirit of their own—the prophets.
Partial English translation: 58 of 60 Arabic lines translated.