هَذَا الحِصَارُ الرَّهِيبُ المُتْعِبُ القَاسِي

هَذَا الحِصَارُ الرَّهِيبُ المُتْعِبُ القَاسِي

حَتَّامَ يَضْرِبُ فِي جَنْبَيَّ كَالفَاسِ؟!

حَتَّامَ يَضْرِبُ فِي جَنْبَيَّ كَالفَاسِ؟!

This terrifying, exhausting, cruel siege—

This stifling, wearying, cruel siege

How long will it strike my two sides like an axe?!

How long will it pound me like an axe?!

هَذَا الحِصَارُ الَّذِي مَا زَالَ يَضْرِبُهُ

هَذَا الحِصَارُ الَّذِي مَا زَالَ يَضْرِبُهُ

حَوْلِي العَبِيدُ بِأَوْهَامٍ وَأَمْرَاسِ

حَوْلِي العَبِيدُ بِأَوْهَامٍ وَأَمْرَاسِ

This siege, which is still being imposed

This siege that slaves still strike against me

Around me by the slaves, with delusions and ropes.

With delusions and prop picks all around

لَوْ كَانَ حَوْلَ الجِبَالِ الصُّمِّ لاَنْفَطَرَتْ

لَوْ كَانَ حَوْلَ الجِبَالِ الصُّمِّ لاَنْفَطَرَتْ

مِنْهُ الصُّخُورُ، وَخَرَّ الشَّامِخُ الرَّاسِي

مِنْهُ الصُّخُورُ، وَخَرَّ الشَّامِخُ الرَّاسِي

Had it encircled the solid mountains, it would have split

Had it been around mute mountains, the rocks

Their rocks, and the towering, firmly rooted peak would have fallen.

Would have cracked from it, and toppled what stood tall

لَوْ كَانَ حَوْلَ أُسُودِ الغَابِ لاَرْتَعَدَتْ

لَوْ كَانَ حَوْلَ أُسُودِ الغَابِ لاَرْتَعَدَتْ

وَأَسْلَسَتْ بَعْدَ كِبْرٍ أَيَّ إِسْلاَسِ

وَأَسْلَسَتْ بَعْدَ كِبْرٍ أَيَّ إِسْلاَسِ

Had it encircled the lions of the forest, they would have trembled,

Had it been around the beasts of the forest, they would have

And, after their pride, yielded in utter submission.

Trembled and slipped, after such composure, so smoothly

هَذَا الحِصَارُ حِصَارٌ فَاجِرٌ شَرِسٌ

هَذَا الحِصَارُ حِصَارٌ فَاجِرٌ شَرِسٌ

يُرِيدُ تَصْفِيَتِي، أَوْ كَتْمَ أَنْفَاسِي

يُرِيدُ تَصْفِيَتِي، أَوْ كَتْمَ أَنْفَاسِي

This siege is a wicked, ferocious siege;

This is a wicked, vicious siege

It seeks to eliminate me, or stifle my breath.

Wanting to finish me, or suffocate my breath

إِنِّي أَرَاهُ يَقِينًا، حَيْثُمَا رَحَلَتْ

إِنِّي أَرَاهُ يَقِينًا، حَيْثُمَا رَحَلَتْ

خَوَاطِرِي عَبْرَ آفَاقٍ وَأَجْنَاسِ

خَوَاطِرِي عَبْرَ آفَاقٍ وَأَجْنَاسِ

I see it with certainty, wherever they wander—

I see it for certain, wherever my thoughts have traveled

My thoughts, across horizons and peoples.

Across horizons and breeds

كَأَنَّنِي ضَائِعٌ فِي غَابَةٍ، طَمِعَتْ

كَأَنَّنِي ضَائِعٌ فِي غَابَةٍ، طَمِعَتْ

بِهِ الوُحُوشُ، وُحُوشٌ دُونَ إِحْسَاسِ

بِهِ الوُحُوشُ، وُحُوشٌ دُونَ إِحْسَاسِ

As though I were a lost man in a forest, coveted

It's as if I’m lost in a forest, craved

By beasts—beasts without feeling.

By beasts, beasts without any feeling

فَمَا يُمَزِّقُ مِنْ حَوْلِي مَكَايِدَهُمْ

فَمَا يُمَزِّقُ مِنْ حَوْلِي مَكَايِدَهُمْ

إِلاَّ الَّذِي فِيَّ مِنْ صَبْرٍ وَأَقْبَاسِ

إِلاَّ الَّذِي فِيَّ مِنْ صَبْرٍ وَأَقْبَاسِ

So nothing tears apart their plots around me

Nothing shreds their cunning around me

Except the patience and sparks of light within me.

Except my patience and determination

فَيَرْجِعُونَ خَزَايَا، لاَ نَصِيبَ لَهُمْ

فَيَرْجِعُونَ خَزَايَا، لاَ نَصِيبَ لَهُمْ

مِمَّا يُرِيدُونَ مِنِّي غَيْرَ إِفْلاَسِ

مِمَّا يُرِيدُونَ مِنِّي غَيْرَ إِفْلاَسِ

So they return disgraced, with no share

So they return disappointed, with no gain

Of what they seek from me, save bankruptcy.

Of what they wanted from me, besides destitution

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •

Betrayal and poverty and banishment I know

• • •

And I do not forget shackles and chains among people

الغَدْرُ وَالفَقْرُ وَالتَّشْرِيدُ أَعْرِفُهَا

الغَدْرُ وَالفَقْرُ وَالتَّشْرِيدُ أَعْرِفُهَا

وَلَسْتُ لِلْقَهْرِ وَالأَغْلاَلِ بِالنَّاسِي

وَلَسْتُ لِلْقَهْرِ وَالأَغْلاَلِ بِالنَّاسِي

Betrayal, poverty, and forced displacement—I know them;

My family, tomorrow, my children, they have

Nor am I one to forget oppression and shackles.

A Lord who consoles, whether He relents or aids the desperate

وَالأَهْلُ، وَالغَدُ، وَالأَطْفَالُ، إِنَّ لَهُمْ

وَالأَهْلُ، وَالغَدُ، وَالأَطْفَالُ، إِنَّ لَهُمْ

رَبًّا يُوَاسِي، أَبَى أَمْ أَسْعَفَ الآسِي

رَبًّا يُوَاسِي، أَبَى أَمْ أَسْعَفَ الآسِي

And family, tomorrow, and children—surely they have

I laugh at my death and watch for it

A Lord who comforts, whether the healer refuses or helps.

Without dread, and live like a torch

إِنِّي لأَضْحَكُ مِنْ مَوْتِي وَأَرْقُبُهُ

إِنِّي لأَضْحَكُ مِنْ مَوْتِي وَأَرْقُبُهُ

بِغَيْرِ ذُعْرٍ، وَأَحْيَا مِثْلَ نِبْرَاسِ

بِغَيْرِ ذُعْرٍ، وَأَحْيَا مِثْلَ نِبْرَاسِ

I do indeed laugh at my death and watch for it

I became ascetic with earthly life, this asceticism frightened them

Without dread, and live like a beacon.

And disgusted them amid temptation and lurking

زَهِدْتُ بِالأَرْضِ، هَذَا الزُّهُدُ أَرْعَبَهُمْ

زَهِدْتُ بِالأَرْضِ، هَذَا الزُّهُدُ أَرْعَبَهُمْ

وَعَافَهُمْ بَيْنَ وَسْوَاسٍ وَخَنَّاسِ

وَعَافَهُمْ بَيْنَ وَسْوَاسٍ وَخَنَّاسِ

I renounced the earth; this renunciation terrified them,

He released all the strings from their fingers

And left them between a whispering tempter and a slinking one.

So the people strike out blindly with clubs

سَلَّ الخُيُوطَ جَمِيعًا مِنْ أَصَابِعِهِمْ

سَلَّ الخُيُوطَ جَمِيعًا مِنْ أَصَابِعِهِمْ

فَيَضْرِبُ القَوْمُ أَخْمَاسًا بِأَسْدَاسِ

فَيَضْرِبُ القَوْمُ أَخْمَاسًا بِأَسْدَاسِ

It pulled every thread from their fingers,

I do not boast of my steadfastness, I am a man

So the people strike fives against sixes in bewilderment.

Whose nearness to God has made me needless of people

لاَ أَزْدَهِي بِثَبَاتِي، إِنَّنِي رَجُلٌ

لاَ أَزْدَهِي بِثَبَاتِي، إِنَّنِي رَجُلٌ

قُرْبِي مِنَ اللهِ أَغْنَانِي عَنِ النَّاسِ

قُرْبِي مِنَ اللهِ أَغْنَانِي عَنِ النَّاسِ

I do not boast of my steadfastness; I am a man

Whose nearness to God has freed me from dependence on people.