1. Corona raged from the wings of disasters,
Its echo roared in the world like hurricanes.
١. كُرُونَا تَهادَتْ مِنْ جِماحِ القَوارِعِ
وضَجَّ صَداها بالدُّنَى كالزَوابِعِ
2. It harms the serenity that life strives for,
And most pleasures become like prohibitions.
٢. تَضُرُّ بِصَفوٍ يَتعَبُ العيشُ دونَهُ
وجُلُّ مُباحٍ يَستَوي كالمَوانِعِ
3. It severs a connection that was built on love,
No connection can be redeemed by obstacles.
٣. تُقَطِّعُ وَصْلاً كان بالوُدِّ قائِماً
وما كان وَصْلٌ يُفتَدَی بالقَواطِعِ
4. I was confused about the daughter of China - is she
A female conspiracy or a deceitful male?
٤. تَحيَّرتُ ضِمْنًا في ابْنةِ الصينِ هل بِها
دَسِيسَةُ أُنثَى أو ذُكورَةُ خادِعِ؟
5. Until a phone call came from Paris
That you - a name from the horizons of expectations
٥. إلی أَنْ أتَی مِنْ عندِ باريسَ هاتفٌ
بأنَّكِ – إسماً مِنْ رِقاقِ المَطالِعِ
6. So you are not one whose harm is prevented,
Nor are you one who is avoided with excuses.
٦. فلا أنتِ مِمَّن يُمنَعُ الضُّرَ دُونَهُ
ولا أنتِ مِمَّنْ يُتَّقى بالذَّرائِعِ
7. Were you a generous horse whose bridle was removed,
So it escaped, raging through those plains?
٧. أَكُنْتِ جوادًا قد أُميطَ لِجامَهُ
فَأفلَتَ مُهتاجاً بِتلكَ المَرابِعِ؟
8. It tramples a self that takes life away,
So the circles of grief and pain disappear.
٨. يَدُوسُ بنَفْسٍ يَأخُذُ العُمْرَ دُونَها
فَتَذهَبُ أَدراجَ الضَنَى والمَواجِعِ
9. Slow down, daughter of ill-repute, I think
You are a delirium that spreads with tremors.
٩. رُوَيدَكِ مَهلاً يا ابْنَةَ الصِّيْتِ إنني
أَظُنُّكِ وَلْهَى تَنْتَشِي بِالزَعازِعِ
10. Slow your tyranny, how many weak souls have you destroyed,
Without being satisfied, without becoming decent?
١٠. رُوَيدَكِ بَطْشاً كَم فَتَكْتِ بِأنفُسٍ
ضِعَافٍ وَلَمَّا تكتفي وتمانعي
11. Some people distanced themselves wanting isolation,
Was it necessary for you to follow and chase them?
١١. تَباعَدَ أقوامٌ يُريدونَ عُزلَةً
أَكَانَ لِزاماً أن تَلِي وتُتَابِعي
12. Where can I go when doubts wrap around me?
My certainty before was following you.
١٢. إلى أين أمضي والشُّكُوكُ تَلُفُّني؟
وكانَ يَقينِي قَبْلَ ذلكَ تابِعي
13. And we became men who cover their faces in fear,
Never accustomed were men to wear face veils.
١٣. وبِتنا رِجالاً نَستُرُ الوَجهَ خِيفَةً
وما كان عَهدٌ بالرجالِ البراقعِ
14. And we became people who take isolation as a method,
With discipline and control over submissive nostrils.
١٤. وصِرنا أُناساً نأخذُ العزلَ مَنهجاً
وعيدانَ وَخزٍ في الأنوفِ الخَواضِعِ
15. You have taken the suckling of disease naturally,
And you always avoid weaning from the wet nurses.
١٥. أَخذتِ رِضاعَ الداءِ طَبعاً وعادَةً
وتَنْأَيْنَ دَومًا عَن فِطامِ المَراضِعِ
16. If only you were like the past, gone when its deeds pass,
And like the verb, praising it, yet present continuous.
١٦. فليتكِ كالماضي إذا زالَ فِعْلُهُ
وكالفِعلِ مَرفوعا هنا كالمُضَارِعِ
17. Don't you have anything but harm inherently?
And my covenant with the Chinese is abundant benefits.
١٧. أما لَكِ غيرُ الضُرِّ طَبعاً وغايَةً،
وعهدي بِأَهلِ الصينِ كُثْرُ المَنافِعِ
18. Perhaps time will take you in its caravan,
And you will become a memory in shining eyes.
١٨. لعلَّ زَماناً تَذهَبينَ بِرَكبِهِ
وتُمسِينَ ذِكْرَى في العُيُونِ الدَوامِعِ