تعريف — الميداني بن صالح

عرفناهم, وتعرفهم, ونعرفهم

تذكَّر أيها الساهم

We knew them, and you know them, and we know them.

Remember, O pensive one.

وأنت الشاهد الفاهم ..

حميتهمُ, حميناهم

And you are the witness who understands.

You protected them; we protected them.

وكم كنا حميناهم

بليل , شره داهم

And how often we had protected them

in a night whose evil was overwhelming.

فبالدم , كم حميناهم ؟.....

وعبَّدنا ثناياهم ..

So with blood, how often did we protect them?

And we paved their mountain passes.

لقد كنا جسورهم على الأعناق شِلناهم

لساح النصر قُدناهم

Indeed, we were their bridges; we carried them on our necks.

We led them to the field of victory.

تذكر أيها الساهم ...!

حسبناهم, وتحسبهم

Remember, O pensive one!

We deemed them, and you deem them,

وقد كنا حسبناهم

بدورا في مسيرتنا ..

and we had indeed deemed them

full moons on our journey,

وروّادا لنهضتنا....

نجوما عبر واحتنا ..

and pioneers of our renaissance,

stars across our oasis,

سواري صرح عزتنا ..

وألحانا لصحوتنا ..

pillars of the edifice of our glory,

and melodies for our awakening,

وحراسا لثروتنا ..

ورتَّلنا وصاياهم ...

and guardians of our wealth.

And we chanted their commandments

بليل شره داهم ..

فلا تحزن , إذا غابوا

in a night whose evil was overwhelming.

So do not grieve if they are gone,

ولا تفرح لرؤياهم

لقد جُعنا, وما جاعوا كما جعتم ...!

nor rejoice at the sight of them.

Indeed, we went hungry; they did not go hungry as you all did!

لقد جعنا وما شبعوا

وغنينا فما طربوا

Indeed, we went hungry, and they were not sated.

And we sang, but they felt no delight.

وأُنهكنا , فما تعبوا

ونادينا , فما سمعوا

And we were exhausted, but they did not tire.

And we called out, but they did not hear.

قد احتجوا .. فما اقتربوا ....

ولا ذهبوا ..ولا عن دربنا انسحبوا

They did protest, but they did not draw near.

Nor did they leave, nor did they withdraw from our path.

وتعرف , كم رجوناهم ...؟!

فأبلى الدهر مسراهم ....

And you know how often we implored them!

So time wore away their nighttime path.

سمعناهم , وكم قد كنت تسمعهم ..؟!

وقد كنا سمعناهم ..

We heard them—and how often you used to hear them!

And we had indeed heard them.

ورتلنا وصاياهم ..

تسابَقْنا , تَنَاديْنا ,

And we chanted their commandments.

We raced one another; we called to one another.

نداء الأرض لبينا

بليل الشك ضحينا

We answered the earth's call.

In the night of doubt, we made sacrifices.

نذورا , نحن أهدينا

دما من شعبنا طاهر

As votive offerings, we ourselves gave

pure blood from our people.

وصفقنا , وغنينا , لبسمة فجرنا الزاهر

وصفقنا , ونادينا ..

And we applauded and sang for the smile of our radiant dawn.

And we applauded and called out.

هزمنا القهر والقاهرْ ..

عرفناهم, وتعرفهم, ونعرفهم

We defeated oppression and the oppressor.

We knew them, and you know them, and we know them.

تذكر أيها الساهم

وأنت الشاهد الفاهم ..

Remember, O pensive one.

And you are the witness who understands.

غرسنا, نخل واحتهم .,....

سقينا, ورد جنتهم ..

We planted the date palms of their oasis.

We watered the roses of their garden.

غزلنا, وشْي كُسوتهم ...

نسجنا, نجم عزتهم ...

We spun the brocade of their clothing.

We wove the star of their glory.

وَشِدْنا سور قلعتهم ...

وطرّزنا حشاياهم ...

And we built the wall of their fortress.

And we embroidered their cushions.

وجمّعنا هداياهم ...

فأصبحنا, وأصبحتم ..

And we gathered their gifts.

So we became, and you all became,

جموعا من ضحاياهم ..

قطيعا من رعاياهم ..

throngs of their victims,

a herd of their subjects.

تذكر أيها الساهم ..

فأنت الفهم والفاهم ..

Remember, O pensive one.

For you are understanding and the one who understands.

مدى جيل خَبِرْناهم ... خبرتهمُ,

وكم كنا خبرناهم ....؟

For a generation we knew them firsthand; you knew them firsthand,

and how well we had come to know them!

خبرنا سرَّ نجواهم

وأدركنا نواياهم

We knew the secret of their private talk.

And we understood their intentions.

هو التاريخ يعرفهم ...

وتعرفهم, ونعرفهم ,

It is history that knows them,

and you know them, and we know them.

سينصفهم .... بما كالوا ...

كما اكتالوا ... بما فعلوا ..

It will give them their due for what they meted out,

as for what they took by measure, for what they did

وما قالوا.. هو التاريخ هادينا..

وحافظ سر ماضينا ..

and what they said. History is our guide,

and keeper of the secret of our past.

نحمّله , أمانينا ..

وندفعه , ليعطينا ..

We load it with our hopes,

and we press it to give to us,

فينصفنا , وينصفهم ..

بما كسبوا بمسعاهم ..

so it gives us our due and gives them theirs,

for what they earned through their striving.

ويبعث كل موتاهم ..

لينصف كل من ساهم .

And it raises all their dead,

to do justice to everyone who contributed.

سنذكرهم .. سننساهم ..

فلا تحزن إذا غابوا ..

We will remember them; we will forget them.

So do not grieve if they are gone,

ولا تفرح لرؤياهم ...

حروف الدهر تنهكنا ,

nor rejoice at the sight of them.

The letters of time exhaust us,

وتصرفهم.. وباب الصرف فتْواهم

ودار الصرف مأواهم

and turn them away; the chapter on inflection is their ruling.

And the house of exchange is their refuge,

وبين الترب مثواهم ..

ونحن الشعب , أسئلة

and amid the dust is their resting place.

And we, the people, are questions,

وأجوبة , وأحلام وأخيلة ..

ونحن الفهم والفاهم .

and answers, and dreams, and imaginings.

And we are understanding and the one who understands.