هلمواcome, all of you خفافاlight-footed بنيchildren of المكتبthe school
هلموا خفافا بني المكتب
فهذاfor this is الأوانthe time إلىfor اللعبplay
فهذا الأوان إلى اللعب
Come light-footed, schoolboys!
Come softly my friends to the school
For now is the time for play.
For now is the time for play
سراعاquickly صفوفاin ranks كمثلjust like الجنودthe soldiers
سراعا صفوفا كمثل الجنود
وهاتواand bring السلاحthe weapons منmade of الخشبwood
وهاتوا السلاح من الخشب
Quickly, in ranks, like soldiers,
Quickly in rows like soldiers
And bring weapons made of wood.
Bring your wooden weapons
فنحنfor we الصغارthe little ones ونحكيand we imitate الكبارthe grown-ups
فنحن الصغار ونحكي الكبار
وقدand indeed كانwas مثليlike me الصغيرsmall أبيmy father
وقد كان مثلي الصغير أبي
For we are little ones, and we imitate the grown-ups.
Though we are small we mimic the great
And my father was once small like me.
My little self was like my father
فهذاso this is لوائيmy banner وإنيand indeed I الكفيلthe one responsible
فهذا لوائي وإني الكفيل
بحملهfor carrying it وحديby myself ويحفظand it is safeguarded بيby me
بحمله وحدي ويحفظ بي
So this is my banner, and I take responsibility
This is my flag and I’m responsible
For carrying it alone; it is kept safe by me.
To carry it myself and protect it
ألستam I not الشجاعthe brave one ولوand even if كنتI am طفلاa child
ألست الشجاع ولو كنت طفلا
وأصليand my ancestry الكريمnoble منfrom العربthe Arabs
وأصلي الكريم من العرب
Am I not the brave one, even though I am a child?
Am I not brave though a child?
And my noble ancestry is Arab.
My origins are noble Arabs
إلىtoward رفاقيmy companions نحثwe hasten المسيرthe march
إلى رفاقي نحث المسير
معwith البعضsome of us بعضاothers علىat خببa trot
مع البعض بعضا على خبب
Onward, my companions! Let us hasten our march,
To my friends I urge, let's march
With one another, at a trot.
Together, one with another
فهذاso this الغلامthe boy جبانa coward فانيfor I
فهذا الغلام جبان فاني
رأيتهI saw him مالturned الىtoward الهربflight
رأيته مال الى الهرب
So this boy is a coward, for I
This boy is a coward, so I see
Saw him turn to flee.
I saw him retreat and flee
ولوand if كانhe were ثليlike me (likely مثلي) لأقدمhe would advance يسعىrunning
ولو كان ثلي لأقدم يسعى
كسعييlike my running إليهtoward him علىon الركبthe knees
كسعيي إليه على الركب
And if he were like me, he would advance at a run,
Had he been my equal, he'd move forward
As I rush toward him on my knees.
Striding as I do in the troop
وماand ... not أناI أحببتloved أحمدAhmad الاexcept
وما أنا أحببت أحمد الا
لكونهbecause he لبىresponded إلىto مطلبيmy request
لكونه لبى إلى مطلبي
And I loved Ahmad only
None but Ahmed have I loved
Because he answered my request.
For heeding my call
تعيشlong live بلاديmy country وعاشand long live بنوهاher sons
تعيش بلادي وعاش بنوها
وبلغهاand may he bring her to منتهىthe utmost of الأربdesire
وبلغها منتهى الأرب
Long live my country, and long live her sons,
Long live my country and its people
And may she attain her utmost desire.
And may it reach the highest glory
وعاشتand long live رفاقيmy companions الكرامthe noble وعشناand may we live
وعاشت رفاقي الكرام وعشنا
جميعاall together إلىfor العلمlearning والأدبand refinement
جميعا إلى العلم والأدب
And long live my noble companions; may we live
Long live my noble friends, and long may we live
All together for learning and refinement.
To learning and literature inclined
وماand ... not نحنwe إلاexcept الكرامthe noble الأباةthe unbowed
وما نحن إلا الكرام الأباة
ولاand may ... not عاشlive منwhoever كانis غيرnot أبيunbowed
ولا عاش من كان غير أبي
And we are none but the noble and unbowed,
We're only the proud and noble
And may no one live who is not unbowed.
None lives but he who's like my father