إحلمْ لكيْ تحْيا ولا تسْتَعْظمِ

إحلمْ لكيْ تحْيا ولا تسْتَعْظمِ

حُلْمًا تراءى بعدُ لمَّا تحلمِ  

حُلْمًا تراءى بعدُ لمَّا تحلمِ

Dream so that you may live, and do not deem too great

Dream so that you may live, do not think your dreams too grand,

a dream that appeared afterward, though you had not yet dreamed it.

A dream you will see fulfilled if you just keep dreaming.

واخرُجْ إليهِ قاتلًا من دونِهِ

واخرُجْ إليهِ قاتلًا من دونِهِ

أوهامَ خُسْرانٍ ولا تترحَّمِ

أوهامَ خُسْرانٍ ولا تترحَّمِ

And go forth toward it, slaying in its defense

Go after it fighting off hopelessness and despair,

illusions of loss, and invoke no mercy upon them.

Do not mourn lost illusions but be glad you dreamed.

أحلاُمنا يا صاحِ أنفاسُ الحيا

أحلاُمنا يا صاحِ أنفاسُ الحيا

ةِ فأعطِها من حُلمِكَ المُسْتَعْظَمِ

ةِ فأعطِها من حُلمِكَ المُسْتَعْظَمِ

Our dreams, my friend, are the breaths of life;

Our dreams are the breath of life so give them some of your courage,

so give her a share of your dream, which you deem too great.

Let them breathe and grow strong on the gifts of your dreaming.

فإذا جرَتْ في صدْرِهِ أنفاسُها

فإذا جرَتْ في صدْرِهِ أنفاسُها

أمسىْ لها قوتًا فأطعِمْ وارحَمِ

أمسىْ لها قوتًا فأطعِمْ وارحَمِ

Then, when her breaths flow within its breast,

And if you nourish them with care and compassion

it becomes her sustenance—so feed her and show mercy.

They will reward you in turn, fill you with abundance.

فإذا ربتْ أخذَتْ تردُّ إليكَ ما

فإذا ربتْ أخذَتْ تردُّ إليكَ ما

قدَّمْتَ أضعافًا فأغْنِمْ واغنمِ

قدَّمْتَ أضعافًا فأغْنِمْ واغنمِ

Then, when she grows, she begins returning to you what

Dream on till you believe that you owe them nothing

you gave, manyfold—so enrich her, and reap your gains,

Compared to how they nourish you, surround you with wonder.

حتّى تظنَّ بأنّها لمْ تجتنيْ

حتّى تظنَّ بأنّها لمْ تجتنيْ

شيئًا يليقُ بما حبَتْ منْ أنعُمِ

شيئًا يليقُ بما حبَتْ منْ أنعُمِ

until you think that she has not reaped

This is the way life gives when your dreaming is bold,

anything to match the blessings she has bestowed.

You keep growing together, you don't hold your dreams back.

صِفةُ الحياةِ إذا سمَحْتَ بحُلِمكَ

صِفةُ الحياةِ إذا سمَحْتَ بحُلِمكَ

سمَحتْ بما ملكَتْ ولمْ تسْتَعْظمِ

سمَحتْ بما ملكَتْ ولمْ تسْتَعْظمِ

Such is life's nature: if you give freely of your dream,

she gives freely of what she owns, and deems nothing too great.