تأبط رسم الأرض يبغي ابتياعه

تأبط رسم الأرض يبغي ابتياعه

فلم يلق من ألقى إليه سماعه

فلم يلق من ألقى إليه سماعه

He tucked the land deed under his arm, hoping someone would buy it.

The sketch of the land he wished to buy,

But he found no one who would lend him an ear.

But found none who lent an ear.

فألقاه في الأيدي عسى يقبلونه

فألقاه في الأيدي عسى يقبلونه

ولو هبة تعطى لمن مد باعه

ولو هبة تعطى لمن مد باعه

So he put it into their hands, hoping they would accept it,

So into hands he cast it, hoping they’d accept it,

Even as a gift given to whoever stretched out his arms.

Even as a gift handed to outstretched palms.

فأعرض عنه القوم والكل مثله

فأعرض عنه القوم والكل مثله

يفضل من خوف المآل ضياعه

يفضل من خوف المآل ضياعه

But the people turned away from it, and each, like him,

Yet the people spurned it, all alike,

Preferred losing it, for fear of what might follow.

Preferring loss to fate's unknown.

فأصبح رسم الأرض عبثا مثقلا

فأصبح رسم الأرض عبثا مثقلا

عليه الادا الدولي ألقى شراعه

عليه الادا الدولي ألقى شراعه

So the land deed became a useless, burdened thing;

The land's sketch thus became a burden,

Over it the state levy had cast its sail.

On which international law had set its sail.

فسبحان من قد صبر الأرض أجمة

فسبحان من قد صبر الأرض أجمة

وسلط عمن حل فيها سباعه

وسلط عمن حل فيها سباعه

Glory, then, to the one who has [made] the land a thicket,

Glory to Him who patiently bore the land's mass,

And unleashed his beasts of prey [upon] whoever dwelt there.

And gave power over those who entered it to its beasts.

فمن ذا الذي اختار العرائن مسكنا

فمن ذا الذي اختار العرائن مسكنا

وآسادها بالباب تهوى ابتلاعه

وآسادها بالباب تهوى ابتلاعه

Who, then, would choose the lions' dens as a dwelling,

So who chose ruins as a dwelling place,

While their lions at the door long to swallow him?

With lions at the doors craving to devour?

إذا كان يعشي العين نور تمدن

إذا كان يعشي العين نور تمدن

تخفشت حتى لا تريني شعاعه

تخفشت حتى لا تريني شعاعه

If civilization's light dazzles the eye,

If civilization's light gives joy to the eye,

I would squint, so my eye would not show me its ray.

It takes away the ability to see its rays.

بني وطني كونوا الأعزة بينهم

بني وطني كونوا الأعزة بينهم

فلا مؤمن يكتال بالذل صاعه

فلا مؤمن يكتال بالذل صاعه

Sons of my homeland, be dignified among them;

My countrymen, be the proudest among them,

For no believer receives his measure in humiliation.

No believer bears dishonor in his bowl.