يَاO مِصْرُEgypt لَوْif تُقْدَرُare measured الأَقْدَارُdegrees of worth بِالكِرَمِby generosity
يَا مِصْرُ لَوْ تُقْدَرُ الأَقْدَارُ بِالكِرَمِ
لَكُنْتِyou would be سَابِقَةَahead of الأَمْصَارthe cities وَالأُمَمِand the nations
لَكُنْتِ سَابِقَةَ الأَمْصَار وَالأُمَمِ
O Egypt, if worth were measured by generosity,
O Egypt, if destinies were judged by generosity,
you would surpass the cities and nations.
You would be foremost among nations and realms.
مَاhow أَشْرَفَnoble الجودَgenerosity لاnot يُبْغَىis sought بِهِthrough it عَوَضٌrecompense
مَا أَشْرَفَ الجودَ لا يُبْغَى بِهِ عَوَضٌ
كَمَاas تَجُودِينَyou give generously عَنْfrom بُعْدٍafar ومنand from أَمَمِnearby
كَمَا تَجُودِينَ عَنْ بُعْدٍ ومن أَمَمِ
How noble is generosity that seeks no recompense,
The most noble generosity needs no recompense,
as you give from afar and from near at hand.
As you give freely from afar and from nearby.
إِنِّيindeed I أَرَىsee مِنْكِfrom you آياتٍsigns تُحَقِّقُconfirm ليfor me
إِنِّي أَرَى مِنْكِ آياتٍ تُحَقِّقُ لي
أَنَّthat النَّدَىgenerosity سَيِّدُmaster الأَخْلاقِmoral qualities وَالشِّيَمِand character traits
أَنَّ النَّدَى سَيِّدُ الأَخْلاقِ وَالشِّيَمِ
I see in you signs that confirm for me
I see in you signs that prove to me
that generosity is the master of virtues and character traits,
That dew is the master of manners and traits.
وَأَنَّهُand that it شممٌdignified pride خَافٍhidden يُعَزُّone is strengthened بِهِby it
وَأَنَّهُ شممٌ خَافٍ يُعَزُّ بِهِ
عَلَىagainst الغُزَاةِthe invaders وَمَاand what يُبْدُونَthey display مِنْof شَمَمِarrogance
عَلَى الغُزَاةِ وَمَا يُبْدُونَ مِنْ شَمَمِ
and that it is hidden pride, by which one is strengthened
And that it is a piercing fragrance with which
against invaders and the arrogance they display.
The invaders and their insolence can be resisted.
أَبْكَاكِmade you weep منout of رَقَّةٍtenderness خَطْبٌa calamity بِهِin it صَمَمٌdeafness
أَبْكَاكِ من رَقَّةٍ خَطْبٌ بِهِ صَمَمٌ
عَمَّنْto those who شكاlamented ولَبِئْسَِand how wretched الخَطْبُthe calamity ذًوpossessing الصَّمَمِdeafness
عَمَّنْ شكا ولَبِئْسَِ الخَطْبُ ذًو الصَّمَمِ
A calamity made you weep from tenderness, though it was deaf
Your tears of tenderness are pleas by which one who complains is rebuffed,
to those who lamented—and wretched is a deaf calamity.
And wretched is the plea of one who is stubborn and deaf.
دَهَىstruck دِمَشْقَDamascus بِنَارٍwith a fire مِنْهُfrom it هَاتِكَةٍviolating
دَهَى دِمَشْقَ بِنَارٍ مِنْهُ هَاتِكَةٍ
نَهَّاشَةِravenously gnawing اللُّسْنِthe tongues للأَعْرَاضِat honor وَالحُرَمِand sanctities
نَهَّاشَةِ اللُّسْنِ للأَعْرَاضِ وَالحُرَمِ
It struck Damascus with its fire, violating
It set Damascus ablaze with a consuming fire
honor and sanctities with ravenous tongues.
That tore into dignities and sanctities.
سَطَتْassailed عَلَىupon مَوْضِعِthe place الأَرْزَاقِlivelihoods مَاnot تَرَكَتْit left
سَطَتْ عَلَى مَوْضِعِ الأَرْزَاقِ مَا تَرَكَتْ
مِنْهَاof them سِوَىexcept كُلِّevery عَافٍeffaced remnant تَحْتَbeneath مُنْهَدِمِcollapsed structure
مِنْهَا سِوَى كُلِّ عَافٍ تَحْتَ مُنْهَدِمِ
It swept over the source of livelihoods, leaving nothing
It stretched over the places of livelihood, leaving
of them but remnants, all effaced beneath collapsed buildings.
Nothing but each horror in ruins.
تَشُبُّit blazes وَwhile الغُوطَةُGhouta الْفَيْحَاءُthe spacious ضَاحِكَةٌlaughing
تَشُبُّ وَ الغُوطَةُ الْفَيْحَاءُ ضَاحِكَةٌ
حِيَالَهَاfacing it ضَحِكَthe laughter المَرْزُوءِone afflicted بِاللَّمَمِwith madness
حِيَالَهَا ضَحِكَ المَرْزُوءِ بِاللَّمَمِ
It blazes, while spacious Ghouta laughs
Al-Ghouta and Zabadani laugh,
before it, with the laughter of one stricken with madness.
Mocking the sneer of the accursed.
يُهْدِيoffers زُمُرُّدُهَاher emerald أَنْوَارَlights نَضْرَتِهِits freshness
يُهْدِي زُمُرُّدُهَا أَنْوَارَ نَضْرَتِهِ
إِلَىto سَعِيرٍa blaze كَذَوْبِlike molten التِّبْرِraw gold مُحْتَدِمِfiercely raging
إِلَى سَعِيرٍ كَذَوْبِ التِّبْرِ مُحْتَدِمِ
Her emerald offers the radiance of its freshness
Its emerald sends its lights of greenness
to a seething blaze like molten gold.
To a blaze as fierce as ignited sulfur.
وَحَوْلَهَاand around her السَّبْعَةُthe seven الأَنْهَارُrivers جَارِيَةٌflowing
وَحَوْلَهَا السَّبْعَةُ الأَنْهَارُ جَارِيَةٌ
مِنْfrom غَيْرِabsence of جَدْوَىbenefit بِذَاكَwith that المَدْمَعِflow of tears الشَّبِمِthe cold
مِنْ غَيْرِ جَدْوَى بِذَاكَ المَدْمَعِ الشَّبِمِ
And around her the seven rivers flow,
And around it the seven rivers flow
without avail, with that cold flow of tears.
Uselessly, in the face of those pouring tears.
نِكَايَةُmalice الدَّهْرِtime لاnot يَفْنَىcomes to an end لَهَاfor it لَعِبٌa game
نِكَايَةُ الدَّهْرِ لا يَفْنَى لَهَا لَعِبٌ
بِالنَّاسِwith people تَلْعَبُهُit plays it فِيin اللَّهْوِmerriment وَالأَلَمِand pain
بِالنَّاسِ تَلْعَبُهُ فِي اللَّهْوِ وَالأَلَمِ
Time's malice has a game that never ends,
Time's reprisal - its play with people, in joy and pain, does not end.
which it plays with humankind, in merriment and pain.
It has brought woe to Damascus, whose aid you know
أَشْقَتْbrought misery to دِمَشْقَDamascus الَّتِيwhich تَدْرُونَyou know نَجْدَتَهَاher valor
أَشْقَتْ دِمَشْقَ الَّتِي تَدْرُونَ نَجْدَتَهَا
إِذْas يَبْتَغِيهَاseeks her جَلالُmajesty المُلْكِkingship مِنْfrom قِدَمْancient times
إِذْ يَبْتَغِيهَا جَلالُ المُلْكِ مِنْ قِدَمْ
It brought misery to Damascus, whose valor you know,
When the glory of the kingdom sought it,
as royal majesty has sought her since ancient times,
And when its people were lions, if they entered
وَإِذْand as بَنُوهَاher sons هُمُthey الآسَادُthe lions إِنْif وَرَدُواthey reach
وَإِذْ بَنُوهَا هُمُ الآسَادُ إِنْ وَرَدُوا
مَوَارِدَwatering places الْحَرْبِwar وَالأَجْوَادُand the generous فِيin السَّلمِpeace
مَوَارِدَ الْحَرْبِ وَالأَجْوَادُ فِي السَّلمِ
and as her sons are lions whenever they reach
The arenas of war, and the most generous in peace.
the watering places of war, and generous men in peace.
The flowers of their glories and prides
زُهْرٌradiant مَآثِرُهُمْtheir noble deeds زَهْرٌflowers مَفَاخِرُهُمْtheir glories
زُهْرٌ مَآثِرُهُمْ زَهْرٌ مَفَاخِرُهُمْ
فِيin مُجْتَلَىa place of beholding الْحِلْمِforbearance أَوْor فِيin مُجْتَنَىa place of harvesting الْحِكَمِwise sayings
فِي مُجْتَلَى الْحِلْمِ أَوْ فِي مُجْتَنَى الْحِكَمِ
Their noble deeds are radiant; their glories are flowers,
Were in the cream of wisdom or essence of governance -
where forbearance is beheld, or where wisdom is harvested.
The virtuous midst of valor, manners and magnanimity,
خِلالُqualities بَأْسٍvalor وَآدَابٍand refinement وَمَكْرُمَةٍand nobility
خِلالُ بَأْسٍ وَآدَابٍ وَمَكْرُمَةٍ
آثَارُهُماthe traces of both الغُرُّthe radiant فِيin الأَعْقَابِlater generations لَمْdid not تَرِمِvanish
آثَارُهُما الغُرُّ فِي الأَعْقَابِ لَمْ تَرِمِ
Qualities of valor, refinement, and nobility—
Whose fragrance in tracing footsteps did not vanish.
the radiant legacies of both endure in later generations.
By God, when they were overthrown in their abodes,
للهِGod help مَنْthose who نُكِبُواwere stricken فِيin دُورِهِمْtheir homes فَأَوَىso sought refuge
للهِ مَنْ نُكِبُوا فِي دُورِهِمْ فَأَوَى
سَوَادُهُمْtheir multitudes بَعْدَafter أَنْthat بَادَتْthey perished إِلَىinto الظُّلْمِdarkness
سَوَادُهُمْ بَعْدَ أَنْ بَادَتْ إِلَى الظُّلْمِ
God help those stricken in their homes, who sought refuge—
Their throngs vanished after the darkness came.
their multitudes, after the homes had perished—in darkness.
None quenching the heat of their souls’ fire,
لاnot مُطْفِيءٌa quencher بَرَدَىBarada حَرّاًheat بِأَنْفُسِهِمْwithin their souls
لا مُطْفِيءٌ بَرَدَى حَرّاً بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ
وَلاnor مُعِينٌa helper عَلَىagainst الطَّاغِيthe raging مِنَof الضَّرَمِthe blaze
وَلا مُعِينٌ عَلَى الطَّاغِي مِنَ الضَّرَمِ
Barada does not quench the heat within their souls,
And none aiding against the tyrant.
nor is there a helper against the raging blaze.
But your great kindness has come to their aid
لَكِنْbut تَدَارَكَهُمْcame to their rescue مِنْfrom فَضْلِكُمْyour bounty عَمَمٌabundance
لَكِنْ تَدَارَكَهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِكُمْ عَمَمٌ
يَأْسُوit heals جِرَاحَاتِthe wounds ذَاكَthat الكَارِثِcalamity العَمَمِall-encompassing
يَأْسُو جِرَاحَاتِ ذَاكَ الكَارِثِ العَمَمِ
Yet an abundance of your bounty came to their rescue,
Binding the wounds of that immense calamity.
healing the wounds of that all-encompassing calamity.
So God bless these faces and
فَبَارَكَso may He bless اللهُGod فِيin هَذِيthese الْوُجُوهِthe faces وَفِيand in
فَبَارَكَ اللهُ فِي هَذِي الْوُجُوهِ وَفِي
هَذِيthese الْقُلُوبِthe hearts وَمَاand what أَسْدَتْthey bestowed مِنَof النِّعَمِblessings
هَذِي الْقُلُوبِ وَمَا أَسْدَتْ مِنَ النِّعَمِ
So may God bless these faces, and
These hearts, and what they have offered of blessings.
these hearts, and the blessings they have bestowed.
Partial English translation: 37 of 38 Arabic lines translated.