يَا مُرْجِعَ المَاضِينَ مِنْ أَرْمَاسِهِمْ

يَا مُرْجِعَ المَاضِينَ مِنْ أَرْمَاسِهِمْ

فِي العَصْرِ مَا يَكْفِيهِ لِلأمْتَاعِ

فِي العَصْرِ مَا يَكْفِيهِ لِلأمْتَاعِ

O you who bring the departed back from their graves,

O you who bring back the past to those longing for it

the present age has enough to entertain it.

In this age, there is enough to preoccupy them

أَتُعِيدُهُمْ لِيَفِيدَ أَرْبَابُ الحِجَى

أَتُعِيدُهُمْ لِيَفِيدَ أَرْبَابُ الحِجَى

بِطَرَائِفٍ مِنْ رُويَةٍ وَسَمَاعٍ

بِطَرَائِفٍ مِنْ رُويَةٍ وَسَمَاعٍ

Do you bring them back so that the wise may benefit

Do you return them so the erudite may benefit

from novelties of sight and hearing?

From varieties of sight and hearing?

وَإذَا أَجَدْتَ فَهْلُ مَرَامُكَ فوْقَ أَنْ

وَإذَا أَجَدْتَ فَهْلُ مَرَامُكَ فوْقَ أَنْ

يَصِفُوكَ بِالإِتْقانِ وَالإبْدَاعِ

يَصِفُوكَ بِالإِتْقانِ وَالإبْدَاعِ

And if you excel, does your aim go beyond

If you are talented, does your aim rise above

their calling you masterful and creative?

Being described as accomplished and creative?

لِمَ عَوْدُ أُوتِللو وَعُقْبَى حَالِهِ

لِمَ عَوْدُ أُوتِللو وَعُقْبَى حَالِهِ

مَوْتُ الغَشُومِ وَصَرْعَةُ الخَدَّاعِ

مَوْتُ الغَشُومِ وَصَرْعَةُ الخَدَّاعِ

Why bring Othello back, when his ultimate fate is

Why a return of Othello and his fortunes

the ruthless man's death and the deceiver's downfall?

Death of deceivers and downfall of the crafty?

أَوْ عَوْدُ هَمْلِتَ وَالقَضَاءُ رَمَي بِهِ

أَوْ عَوْدُ هَمْلِتَ وَالقَضَاءُ رَمَي بِهِ

فأَصَابَ مُهْجَةَ عَمهِ المِطْمَاعِ

فأَصَابَ مُهْجَةَ عَمهِ المِطْمَاعِ

Or bring Hamlet back, when fate hurled him

Or Hamlet’s return and the decree which struck him down

and he struck his greedy uncle's heart?

Hitting the core of his greedy uncle?

أَوْ رُوِميُو وَهْوَ الدَّمُ المَهْدُورُ فِي

أَوْ رُوِميُو وَهْوَ الدَّمُ المَهْدُورُ فِي

ثارٍ تخَلَّفَ عَنْ قَدِيمِ نِزَاعِ

ثارٍ تخَلَّفَ عَنْ قَدِيمِ نِزَاعِ

Or Romeo, whose blood is shed in vain in

Or Romeo whose blood was wasted in

a vendetta left over from an ancient quarrel?

Revenge for an old feud

أَوْ وِليَمُ الوَافِي بِنَذْرِ اللهِ فِي

أَوْ وِليَمُ الوَافِي بِنَذْرِ اللهِ فِي

مُتطَاحَنِ الأَدْيَانِ وَالأَشْيَاعِ

مُتطَاحَنِ الأَدْيَانِ وَالأَشْيَاعِ

Or William, faithful to his vow to God amid

Or William fulfilling his vow to God amidst

the clash of religions and factions?

The infighting of religions and sects

أَوْ ذَلِكَ الفَادِي أَباهُ بِحُبِّهِ

أَوْ ذَلِكَ الفَادِي أَباهُ بِحُبِّهِ

لذْريِقُ خيْرُ ابْنٍ وَخيْرُ شُجَاعِ

لذْريِقُ خيْرُ ابْنٍ وَخيْرُ شُجَاعِ

Or that one who redeems his father with his love,

Or that redeemer who sacrificed his father out of

Rodrigue, the finest son and the bravest of men?

Love, the best of sons and the bravest of the valiant

أَضْحِكْ جمُوعَك تارةً أَوْ أَبْكِهِمْ

أَضْحِكْ جمُوعَك تارةً أَوْ أَبْكِهِمْ

أَوْ أَرْضِهِمْ بِمَحاسِنِ الإيقَاعِ

أَوْ أَرْضِهِمْ بِمَحاسِنِ الإيقَاعِ

Make your crowds laugh at times, or make them weep,

Make your audiences laugh at times or make them cry

or please them with the beauties of rhythm.

Or please them with rhythmic compositions

وأَعِدْ إِليْهِمْ مَا مَضى بِرِجَالِهِ

وأَعِدْ إِليْهِمْ مَا مَضى بِرِجَالِهِ

وَأُصُولِهِ وَحِلاَهُ وَالأَوْضاعِ

وَأُصُولِهِ وَحِلاَهُ وَالأَوْضاعِ

And restore to them the past, with its men,

Bring back to them the past with its men

and its roots, its adornments, and its circumstances.

Its principles, solutions, and norms

وَاهْوَ الفضِيلَةَ عنْ هوىً أَوْ أَغْرِهِمْ

وَاهْوَ الفضِيلَةَ عنْ هوىً أَوْ أَغْرِهِمْ

بِغرَامِهَا وَتَغَالَ فِي الإِقْنَاعِ

بِغرَامِهَا وَتَغَالَ فِي الإِقْنَاعِ

And love virtue out of passion, or entice them

Glamorize virtue, do not let desire sway you

to ardent love of it, and go to extremes in persuasion.

Or make them fall for it and overdo persuasion

إِنِّي أَرَى التَّمثِيلَ بَعْثاً وَاعِظاً

إِنِّي أَرَى التَّمثِيلَ بَعْثاً وَاعِظاً

فِي فِتْنَةِ الأَبْصَارِ وَالأسْمَاعِ

فِي فِتْنَةِ الأَبْصَارِ وَالأسْمَاعِ

Indeed, I see acting as a resurrection that admonishes

I see theatre as moral education

amid the enchantment of eyes and ears.

Amidst the tribulations of sights and sounds