Lecture 1

نعمَ النساء
رُويَّ أن أحد الملوك، عندما غزا مدينة خارج بلاده، طلب من قواده أن يسمحوا للنساء بالخروج من المدينة حاملات من الأمتعة كل واحدة منهن بحسب طاقتها. وعندما فتِحَ باب المدينة لخروج النساء، شاهد الجند منظراً عجباً... لقد رأوا أن كل امرأة كانت تحمل زوجها على ظهرها وتخرج به. دُهِشَ الملك من ولاء هؤلاء الزوجات وعلى الأثر عفا عن المدينة ومنحها الأمان. أما أنتن يا ماجدات وخنساوات غزة، فكل لغات العالم تعجز عن وصف صمودكن الأسطوري.
What Great Women!
The Best (Bravest) Women
It was narrated that, when invading a city outside his kingdom (country, dominion, domain), a certain king ordered (asked, commanded) his commanders (army officers) to allow (permit, let) women leave that city with whatever belongings (luggage) they could carry (take) with them. When the city gate was wide open for the women to flee (leave, escape, run away, make off), the soldiers saw (came to see, noticed, spotted, caught the sight of) something strange (Unfamiliar, odd, funny)… They saw that each and every woman was shouldering her husband and making away with him. The king (monarch) admired (got astonished / got amazed b)\y) the wives’ (women’s) loyalty (devotion, faithfulness, constancy) and so he immediately ordered that the offensive (attack, assault) against the city be ended (concluded, brought to a close) so it regains security (granted the city general pardon (amnesty) and peace (security).
But as far as you are concerned, oh the exalted (dignified, honorable) mothers and sisters of martyrs (Khansawat) in Gaza, all the languages of the world come short when telling (describing) your heroic (legendary, unprecedented, exceptional) steadfastness (bravery, courage

Lecture 2

الهجرة
ليست الهجرة ظاهرة طبيعية مقصورة على الإنسان وحده، فالطيور تهاجر إلى بلاد بعيدة عن مواطنها الأصلية التماساً للدفء أو الغذاء، على أنّ هجرة الإنسان تتميز بأنها أشد تنوعاً وتبايناً، فقد تكون هجرة دائمة لا رجعة بعدها، وقد يعبر المهاجر حدود بلده إلى مكان إقامة آخر فتعرف هجرته بالهجرة الداخلية. وقد يجبر الإنسان على الهجرة نتيجة لحرب ضروس تأتي على الأخضر واليابس، لكننا شهدنا مؤخراً أنّ أبناء غزة الصامدة يتشبثون بموطنهم رغم الحرب البربرية التي تخوضها الدولة اللقيطة عليهم.
Immigration
(Settling in a Foreign Country)
Immigration (migration) is a natural phenomenon and it is not confined to humans only. Birds, for example, migrate to habitats (homelands) far away from their original ones to seek warmth and food (nutrition). On the contrary (in contrast) human immigration is more diverse and of more types and it may be for life (eternal) without there being a chance for returning to one’s original homeland. An immigrant may leave his country to live in a second state (nation) and such immigration is known as external (international, world) immigration. Likewise, such a person may move within the borders of his own country to go and live in another city and this type of immigration can be referred to as internal (home, inner) immigration. Moreover, one may be forced to leave one’s homeland due to a horrendous (severely-waged) war. But different to this, we have lately (recently) witnessed that the heroic (stead-fast) people of Gaza did not quit their homeland despite of barbaric (immoral) war waged against then by that bastard (Zionist, waif-like, rogue) state (entity).

Lecture 3

يبدو من الرجوع إلى تاريخ الأمم القديمة أنّ الرياضيات نشأت من حاجات الإنسان العملية، فالحساب وليد الحاجة إلى المقايضة أي التجارة، والهندسة نشأت من الحاجة إلى تقسيم الأراضي، والفلك من الحاجة إلى معرفة الكواكب واستخدام حركاتها في الرحلات والأسفار. وقد امتزجت هذه الحاجات العملية بحاجات سحرية ودينية لا مجال لشرحها هنا. ولكنّ الرياضيات بالمعنى الحقيقي لم تنشئ إلا عندما استقلت استقلالاً تاماًَ عن الواقع وعن السحر وأصبحت موضع علم قائم بذاته، وكان للعرب أثرٌ كبير وحاسم في وضعه.
Reading in Ancient Nations’ History
By reading in (consulting, examining, referring to) the chronicles (history, records) of ancient nations, we can see that mathematics resulted (originated, came) from Man’s professional (real, practical) necessities (requirements, needs). For example, arithmetic ensured from the need for bartering, that is, trade (buying and selling). Geometry emerged from the need to divide lands, and astronomy came from the need for knowing the stars (planets) and making use of their movement when travelling and journeying. These professional necessities had been associated (joined, mingled, blended, combined) with magical and theological necessities that need not be illustrated (explained) here. Mathematics, in its strict (minute) meaning, originated only when it completely broke away from reality and magic and became a science by itself. The Arabs played a great and decisive role in developing (advancing, creating, inventing) it.

Lecture 4

ماهية الشعر
الشعر تعبير وتصوير لمشاعر الشعراء وأفكارهم سواء كانت التجربة واقعية أو من نسج خيال الشاعر. وفي كلتا الحالتين فإنّ التجربة صادقة، لأنه حتى لو كانت التجربة غير واقعية _أي خيالية فإن الشاعر يعيش فيها مدة طويلة قبل أن ينظم شعره يحس فيها في نبضات قلبه ويشعرها تسري في دمائه... مع هذا فإن علينا ألا ننسى المقولة الشهيرة: "والشعراء يتبعهم الغاوون."
What Is Poetry?
(The Nature of Poetry)
I. (A Fairly Literal Translation):
Poetry is an expression and description of the feelings of poets and their thoughts, whether the experience be real or from the fabric of the poet’s imagination. And in both cases, the experience is true, because even if the experience is not real – that is, imaginary- the poet lives in it for a long time before he composes his poetry, sensing it in the pulses of his heart and feeling it flow in his blood. Yet, regardless of this, we needn’t forget the well-known saying: “The poets are followed by those who go astray.” (Ash-shu’raa, verse 224.)

II. (An Idiomatic Translation):
Poetry is an experience of the thoughts and feelings of the poet. Whether the experience be real or imaginary, it is true in the sense that the poet has spent a great deal of time experiencing it internally before composing his poetry. Despite such a conclusion, one mustn’t forget (overlook) (one must remember) that Qur’anic verse which reads: “And the poets, it is those straying in Evil, who follow them.” (Ash-Shu’raa, 224.)

Lecture 5

الأب
أيها الملاك الذي يقصده كل اللذين أتعبهم السفر، لولاك ما كانت الحياة جميلة، ولا كانت لها ذلك المعنى... بماذا أصفك وكل الكلمات تقف حائرة... وكل التعابير ليست بمقدورها الوصول إليك... وأنت أسمى من كل الكلمات وأرقى من كل التعابير.
أنت وحدك تبعث السعادة في نفسي وتجدد الأمل فيّ، فأرى الحياة تزهو بثوب السعادة... أنت الذي جعلتني أحب الحياة وأعشق الطبيعة وتمتزج روحي بكل جميل فيها.
إليك أكتب ومن أجلك أخوض وأغوص في عمق المعاني... أيها الإنسان العظيم يا نبع الحان والعطف يا رمز العطاء والتفاني.
Father!
Father! You are the angel (harbor, haven) sought by all those who got fatigued (exhausted) by travelling (being on the move). Hadn’t you been there, life wouldn’t have been so beautiful and it would have become meaningless. How can I describe you an all language comes to be in vain and all words (phrases, expressions) prove unable to portray you? Father! You are more sublime than any portrayal and higher than all description. Father! You are the only one who makes me happy (who brings happiness to my heart) and enlivens hope in my heart so I see that life is exciting and desirable (glamorous). You are the one who made (makes) me love (adore) life and be mad about (be crazy about, worship, idolize, glorify) nature to the degree that my soul permeates (merges, mingles, fuses, combines) with all the beautiful things it has (will all its beauty, gorgeousness, splendor, magnificence). Father! It is to you that I say (write, address) these words and do whatever possible (save no pains) to come up with the gorgeous portrayal (vignette, image) that is your due. [wade and dive in the ocean (sea) of language to get you the best of its pearls (gems).] Father! You are the greatest man. You are a spring (fountain, source) of tenderness and compassion (gentleness, kindness, kindheartedness, caring, affection, warmth). Father! You are a symbol (an emblem, an example) of freehandedness (generosity, openhandedness, liberality, bounty, charity, benevolence, persistent, vigorous) effort].

Lecture 6

فضائح الإدارة الأمريكية
يشكل توالي الفضائح في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية انعكاساً طبيعياً لنشر كمٍ هائلِ من الأخبار الكاذبة والملفقة عن الحرب في العراق من قبل الإدارة الأمريكية عبر ما يعرف بمكاتب العلاقات العامة الدعائية التي تقوم بإنتاج أخبار كاذبة وبتلفيق قصص وهمية لحفظ ماء وجه الإدارة الأمريكية وبدفع أموال طائلة تقوم تلك الوكالات بدفع بعض الممثلين ليلعبوا أدوار صحفيين ينقلون أخباراً وهمية كاذبة لتذاع بعدها في وسائل الإعلان بأساليب ومشاهد ذكية لا يمكن كشفها وكأنّ الأحداث تدور في العراق وبالطبع فقد أدهشت هذه القصص المشاهدين حول العالم، كما أدهشت المشاهدين في بريطانيا خاصة لما تحمله من قيم بائسة لديمقراطية الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.
Scandals of (the) American Administration
The sequence (succession, torrent, flood, string, row, series) of scandals (rumor mongering, rumormongering, hearsays) in the United States of America is a logical result of the large number of (tremendous) false and fabricated (untrue, fictitious, fake) news about the war in (on) Iraq that are released by the American Administration by what is known as propagandist “Public Relations” press agencies. The agencies that produce (circulate) fabricated news and unreal accounts concerning the Iraq war just to improve the image of the American Administration. Likewise, these press agencies pay generously (large sums of money [cash]) to drive (encourage, employ) some actors to act as journalists (reporters), who report (circulate) false news that will be broadcast after that in a very practical way which could convince viewers (spectators) that the news is coming from [or the events are taking place in] Iraq. Of course, such stories stunned (shocked, upset, offended) the viewers around the world, especially in Britain, as they showed (demonstrated) the miserable values of the American democracy.

Lecture 7

مواصفات الحزب الناجح
كتب مصطفى أمين في صحيفة الشرق الأوسط يوم الحادي والعشرين من أيلول عام 1990 مقالة يقول فيها:" في استطاعة أي حزب أن ينجح إذا دافع عن قضية الحرية وحقوق الإنسان، إذا احتضن كل مظلوم، إذا قاوم الفساد، إذا ضرب الأمثلة في القدوة الصالحة، إذا حول الكلمات إلى أفعال والوعود إلى حقائق. كل حزب يقف إلى جانب الشعب، يقف الشعب إلى جانبه، يحيط به عندما توجه إلى ظهره الخناجر وإلى صدره المدافع والسيوف."
1. Literal Translation:
What Makes a Part Successful?
[Defining (Distinctive) Characteristics (Features) of a Successful Party]
In a newspaper article published by Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (September 21st, 1982), Mustafa Ameen says:” It is possible for any political party to succeed if it supports and defends (stands up for, protects) the issue of freedom [freedom of expression] and human rights, if it embraces every unjustly treated person, if it opposes corruption, if it sets the highest standards in upright behavior, if it changes words into deeds and promises into facts. Every party which stands by the people will find that the people stand by it, surrounding it when daggers are aimed at its back and guns and swords at its front (chest).”
2. Idiomatic Translation:
Ina newspaper article published by Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (September 21st, 1982), Mustafa Ameen says: “For any political party to succeed, it must be prepared to stand up for freedom of expression and human rights, to protect the weak, to oppose corruption, to set itself the highest standards, and to act according to these standards.” Any party which supports and defends the people will find that it is supported and defended by the people.
[non-metaphorical translation ما تحته خط هو ترجمة غير حرفية للنص الأصلي]
[Every party which stands beside the people, the people stand beside it, surrounding it when daggers are aimed at its back, and guns and swords at its chest.]
بينما هذه ترجمة حرفية للنص الأصلي.

Lecture 8

هنا غزة
الحجارة تتلكم. وقع الخطى يتكلم. الغضب يتكلم، والحرب تمضي، وفي العيون، يا هول ما في العيون. دهشة بحجم الفضاء. تقول سيدة أجنبية:" لا أصدق" وقلت لها:" يا عزيزتي، صدقي أو لا تصدقي فإنّ هذا ما فعله الصهاينة في القنيطرة" (ويفعلونه الآن في غزة هاشم). وتقول أخرى بفرنسية ترن احتجاجاً:" هذا أفظع مما فعله النازيون." وتجيبها عربية، قلبها على وطنها،:" العنصرية نازية أبدا... كل هذا التدمير ولم يرتوا الحقد الصهيوني."
بتصرف من (كنت في مجدل شمس لنجاح العطار)
This is Gaza
Stones tell about (talk), footsteps tell about, and wrath (anger) tells about the great destruction. The war goes on while there is in the eyes, if only you knew what is in the eyes, a question as big as the glob (sky, space) is. A foreign lady said (says): "I don't believe it!" I addressed (address, told, tell) her: "Dear friend! Believe it or not, this is what the Zionists did to Al-Qunaytera [and are doing now to Gaza.] Another foreign woman protests in French: "It is more horrendous than what the Nazis did." An Arab woman, who so much loves her homeland, responds: "Racism is always a kind of Nazism. All this destruction and the Zionist hatred is not satisfied yet!"
Freely extracted from I Have Been to Majdal Shams by Najah Al-Atar.

Lecture 9

شروق الشمس
حين يفتقد الإنسان لمسة الحنان، يبحث عن ملاذ يشعره بالأمان، وعن حضن يأوي إليه، ويمنحه بصيص ودفقة من الشجاعة. وأنا كنت تائهة في دنياي ضالة في ظلمات الليل، أبحث عن بريق يخترق تلك العتمة التي خيمت على قلبي، وأغلقت الباب على أحلامي، فجائتني عروساً تمد لي يداها بكل حب لتأسر بإطلالتها عيني ولتحمل قلبي إلى عالم النسيان، تتدفق بين ثناياها أمواج الدفء والحنان، إنها عروس السماء التي بدت لي جوهرة تنشر في بريقها جو الحياة، فتعكس عبر ضيائها دنيا مليئة بالألوان، وتضفي على الأرض مسحة السرور.
The Rise of the Sun
When one feels unwanted and not treated with tenderness, he/she will look for a place (shelter, refuge, haven) to enjoy peace of mind (to feel at ease) and welcoming open arms that receive him/her warmly. He/she will be looking for such a bosom that makes him/her a little bit hopeful (that gives him a glimpse or a ray(glow) of hope) and a surge (rush, flow, gush) of bravery. I had experienced great chaos and confusion in my past life. I drifted away (went astray) in the darkness of the night (in the wilderness) looking for a light that penetrates (puts an end to, fends off) that darkness which pervaded (encompassed) my heart (mind, thought) and shut off all my dreams. While I was still suffering such a situation (state, condition), a muze (bride, swain, nymph) gave me her affectionate hand just to dazzle my eyes with her lustrous (magnificent, shiny) beauty and to carry me (my heart) to oblivion. Her heart and eyes were radiating (glowing/shining) with waves of warmth and impulses of compassion. She was a muze from heaven that looked like a gorgeous pearl (diamond) that dazzles with its brightness and beauty. A pearl that reflects a life full of colors and endows the Earth with a flood of pleasures (fills the Earth with joy and bliss).