يَقولونَthey say لِلإِسلامِfor Islam نَبغيwe seek سِيادَةsupremacy
يَقولونَ لِلإِسلامِ نَبغي سِيادَة
وَأَعمالهمand their deeds ترميcast هداهits guidance إِلىto الوَرىthe rear
وَأَعمالهم ترمي هداه إِلى الوَرى
They say, "We seek supremacy for Islam,"
Yet their deeds cast its guidance backward.
وَيدلونand they put forward بِالإِصلاحof reform قَولاًwords مزوراfalse
وَيدلون بِالإِصلاح قَولاً مزورا
وَلكنَّهُمbut they بِالفِعلin practice صدواobstructed التطوراprogress
وَلكنَّهُم بِالفِعل صدوا التطورا
And they proclaim reform with deceitful words,
But in practice they have obstructed progress.
وَكَيفَand how يسودprevail المُسلِمونthe Muslims بِأَرضِهِمin their land
وَكَيفَ يسود المُسلِمون بِأَرضِهِم
وَهمwhile they يَجهَلونَare ignorant of المُرتَقىthe ascent وَالمَعابِراand the crossings
وَهم يَجهَلونَ المُرتَقى وَالمَعابِرا
And how can Muslims prevail in their land
While they know neither the way upward nor the crossings?
وَقَدand already أَدرَكَattained الغَيرُothers المرامthe goal بِسَعيهthrough his striving
وَقَد أَدرَكَ الغَيرُ المرام بِسَعيه
فَجاءَso he came إِلىto أَوطانِهِمtheir homelands مُتأزراgirded with strength
فَجاءَ إِلى أَوطانِهِم مُتأزرا
Others have already attained the goal through their striving,
And so have come to the Muslims' homelands, girded with strength.
فَلَمso did not يَبقَremain إِلاexcept أَنto يَكدواthey toil ككدهlike his toil
فَلَم يَبقَ إِلا أَن يَكدوا ككده
إِلىfor المَجدِglory تواقينyearning أَوor يَسكُنواthey dwell الثَّرىthe dust
إِلى المَجدِ تواقين أَو يَسكُنوا الثَّرى
So nothing remains but for them to toil as others toil,
Yearning for glory—or else dwell in the dust.
وَلكِنَّنيbut I مَهماwhatever يَكنmay be لَستI am not يائِساًdespairing
وَلكِنَّني مَهما يَكن لَست يائِساً
فَلاfor there is no بُدescape لِلأَفهامfor understandings أَنthat تَتبلوراcrystallize
فَلا بُد لِلأَفهام أَن تَتبلورا
But whatever may be, I do not despair;
For understanding must crystallize.
وَإِذand since كانَwas حَتماًinevitable أَنthat يَطولgrow long اِنتِظارناour wait
وَإِذ كانَ حَتماً أَن يَطول اِنتِظارنا
فَلاso there is no بدescape حَتماًcertainly أَنthat نجدwe strive وَنَصبِراand we endure
فَلا بد حَتماً أَن نجد وَنَصبِرا
And since our wait is bound to be long,
So we must surely strive and endure.