عَيْنَاكَyour two eyes بالدَّمْعِwith tears –مِثْلَlike المُزْنِrainclouds تَنْسَجِمُstream
عَيْنَاكَ بالدَّمْعِ –مِثْلَ المُزْنِ تَنْسَجِمُ
وَنَارُand the fire شَوْقِكَyour longing فيin الأحشَاءِthe entrails تَضْطَرِمُblazes
وَنَارُ شَوْقِكَ في الأحشَاءِ تَضْطَرِمُ
Your eyes stream with tears, like rainclouds;
And the fire of your longing blazes in your depths.
فَهَلْso, will...? سُيُطْفِئُwill quench دَمْعُtears العيْنِthe eye نَارَa fire حشاًthe inner depths
فَهَلْ سُيُطْفِئُ دَمْعُ العيْنِ نَارَ حشاً
كَمَاas طَفَتْquenched لَوعَةًanguish بالتُّربَةِin the soil الديَمُsteady rains؟
كَمَا طَفَتْ لَوعَةً بالتُّربَةِ الديَمُ؟
So will the eye's tears quench a fire within,
As steady rains quenched the soil's anguish?
أطْفَتْquenched فَأَحْيَتْand so revived مَواتاًdead ground بَعْدَafter طُولِa long stretch of ضنَىsuffering
أطْفَتْ فَأَحْيَتْ مَواتاً بَعْدَ طُولِ ضنَى
فَهَلْso, will...? بِدَمْعِكَthrough your tears يَحْيَىcome alive –مِثْلَهَاlike it الحُلُمُthe dream؟
فَهَلْ بِدَمْعِكَ يَحْيَى –مِثْلَهَا الحُلُمُ؟
They quenched it and revived dead ground after long suffering;
So will the dream, like that earth, come alive through your tears?
وَهَلْand will...? يُقَرِّبُbring nearer آفَاقاًhorizons تحَاوِلُهَاyou strive for them
وَهَلْ يُقَرِّبُ آفَاقاً تحَاوِلُهَا
أَمْor هَلْwill...? يَرُدُّbring back فقِيداًa lost one ضَمَّهُembraced him العَدَمُnothingness؟
أَمْ هَلْ يَرُدُّ فقِيداً ضَمَّهُ العَدَمُ؟
And will it bring nearer the horizons you strive for,
Or restore a lost one whom nothingness has embraced?
نَعَمْyes، يَرُدُّbrings back لنَاto us مِنْfrom طَيْفِهِhis phantom أَثَراًa trace
نَعَمْ، يَرُدُّ لنَا مِنْ طَيْفِهِ أَثَراً
ويَبْعَثُand awakens الحُلْمَthe dream مِنْfrom طيَّاتِهِits folds الأَلَمُpain
ويَبْعَثُ الحُلْمَ مِنْ طيَّاتِهِ الأَلَمُ
Yes, it restores to us a trace of his phantom,
And pain awakens the dream from its folds.
نَبْكِيwe weep لِنُطْفِئَto quench نَاراًa fire فيin الحشاthe inner depths اتَّقَدَتْblazed
نَبْكِي لِنُطْفِئَ نَاراً في الحشا اتَّقَدَتْ
وكَيْand in order to نُبِينَexpress ourselves بِهَاthrough them إِنْif أُحْصِرَare stifled الكَلِمُwords
وكَيْ نُبِينَ بِهَا إِنْ أُحْصِرَ الكَلِمُ
We weep to quench a fire kindled in our depths,
And to express ourselves through tears when words are stifled.
وَفِيand in الدُّمُوعِtears بَيَانٌeloquence لاnot يَقُومُdoes justice بهِto it
وَفِي الدُّمُوعِ بَيَانٌ لا يَقُومُ بهِ
لَفْظُthe utterance اللِّسَانِthe tongue ولاnor مَاwhat يَرْسُمُinscribes القَلَمُthe pen
لَفْظُ اللِّسَانِ ولا مَا يَرْسُمُ القَلَمُ
In tears is an eloquence that cannot be conveyed
By the tongue's utterance or what the pen inscribes.
مَاذَاwhat رَأَىsaw فِيكin you هذاthis الدَّهْرُage حينَwhen عَدَاassailed
مَاذَا رَأَى فِيك هذا الدَّهْرُ حينَ عَدَا
عَلَيْكagainst you مِنْfrom دونِapart from كلِّall النَّاسِpeople يَنْتَقِمُtakes revenge
عَلَيْك مِنْ دونِ كلِّ النَّاسِ يَنْتَقِمُ
What did this age see in you when it turned
Against you, singling you out from all people for revenge?
أَis it...? أَنْthat رَآكit saw you أَبِيًّاunyielding ماnot خضَعْتَyou submitted لهto it
أَ أَنْ رَآك أَبِيًّا ما خضَعْتَ له
ولاَnor استَزَلَّكُمُled you all astray عَنْabout شَحْمهits fat الوَرَمُswelling؟
ولاَ استَزَلَّكُمُ عَنْ شَحْمه الوَرَمُ؟
Was it because it saw you unyielding, never submitting to it,
Nor had swelling misled you about its fat?
وَلاnor انْحَنَيْتَyou bowed لأَهْلِto the people of الظُّلْمِoppression مُعْتَذِراًapologizing
وَلا انْحَنَيْتَ لأَهْلِ الظُّلْمِ مُعْتَذِراً
كَيْso that يَرْحَمُوكَthey might show you mercy.. ولاَnor اسْتَجْدَيْتَyou begged for عَطْفَهُمُtheir compassion
كَيْ يَرْحَمُوكَ.. ولاَ اسْتَجْدَيْتَ عَطْفَهُمُ
Nor had you bowed apologetically before the unjust,
So they might have mercy on you; nor had you begged for their compassion.
وَلَاnor أَكَبَّbore down عَلَيْكَupon you السَّوْطُthe whip مِنْfrom يَدِهِits hand
وَلَا أَكَبَّ عَلَيْكَ السَّوْطُ مِنْ يَدِهِ
إلاَّexcept رَآكَit saw you متَىwhen مَاever اشْتَدَّgrew harsher تَبْتَسِمُyou smile
إلاَّ رَآكَ متَى مَا اشْتَدَّ تَبْتَسِمُ
Nor did the whip descend upon you from its hand
Without its seeing you smile whenever the blows grew harsher.
وَحَوْلَكَand around you النَّاسُthe people مَظْلُومٌoppressed وَمُغْتَصَبٌand dispossessed
وَحَوْلَكَ النَّاسُ مَظْلُومٌ وَمُغْتَصَبٌ
يَلُوذُtakes refuge بالصَّمْتِin silence مِنْfrom سَوْطٍa whip وَيَعْتَصِمُand seeks protection
يَلُوذُ بالصَّمْتِ مِنْ سَوْطٍ وَيَعْتَصِمُ
And around you are the people, oppressed and dispossessed,
Taking refuge in silence from the whip, seeking protection.
يَقُولُhe says: لاَno حَوْلَstrength ليfor me.. والنَّاسُand the people كلُّهُمُall of them
يَقُولُ: لاَ حَوْلَ لي.. والنَّاسُ كلُّهُمُ
مثليlike me.. ضِعَافٌweak وسَيْفيand my sword فَلَّهُblunted it القِدَمُage
مثلي.. ضِعَافٌ وسَيْفي فَلَّهُ القِدَمُ
He says: 'I have no strength, and all the people
Are weak like me; age has blunted my sword.
نعيشُwe live فيin هَامِشِthe margins of الدنياthe world فَنَحْنُso we بهاin it
نعيشُ في هَامِشِ الدنيا فَنَحْنُ بها
أَذَلُّthe most abject طائفةٍa group تَسْعىwalks بهاupon it قَدَمُa foot
أَذَلُّ طائفةٍ تَسْعى بها قَدَمُ
We live on the world's margins, and in it we are
The most abject band ever to walk upon it.
كلُّall الوَرَىhumankind سَيْرُهُمْtheir movement نحوَtoward الأَمَامِthe front سِوَىexcept
كلُّ الوَرَى سَيْرُهُمْ نحوَ الأَمَامِ سِوَى
قوميmy people فَضَلُّواْso they went astray.. فَنَحْوَso toward الخلفِthe back سَيْرُهُمُtheir movement
قومي فَضَلُّواْ.. فَنَحْوَ الخلفِ سَيْرُهُمُ
All humankind moves forward, except
My people, who have lost their way and move backward.'
صاحتْcried out بِهِto him الأرضُthe earth والتاريخُand history: وَيْحَهُمُwoe to them
صاحتْ بِهِ الأرضُ والتاريخُ: وَيْحَهُمُ
لَوْif كَانَwere باللهِthrough God هذاthis الحَوْلُstrength مَاnot انهزمواthey were defeated
لَوْ كَانَ باللهِ هذا الحَوْلُ مَا انهزموا
The earth and history cried out to him: 'Woe to them!
Had this strength rested in God, they would not have been defeated.'
ضَلَّwent astray اللِّسَانُthe tongue وضَلَّand went astray الدمعُtears وانْتَكَسَتْand were overturned
ضَلَّ اللِّسَانُ وضَلَّ الدمعُ وانْتَكَسَتْ
أقلامُكَyour pens اليومَtoday.. والأمثالُand the proverbs الحِكَمُwise sayings
أقلامُكَ اليومَ.. والأمثالُ الحِكَمُ
The tongue has gone astray, tears have gone astray, and overturned are
Your pens today, and the proverbs—the words of wisdom.
كُلُّall اللغاتِlanguages أمامَbefore الصَّمْتِsilence عَاجِزَةٌpowerless
كُلُّ اللغاتِ أمامَ الصَّمْتِ عَاجِزَةٌ
عَنِof البَيَانِexpression.. فسَاوَىso equaled كَوْنَهَاtheir existence العَدَمُnothingness
عَنِ البَيَانِ.. فسَاوَى كَوْنَهَا العَدَمُ
All languages, faced with silence, are powerless
To give expression; their existence is no different from nothingness.
فَأَفْصَحُso the most eloquent النَّاسِpeople طُرّاًall of them مَنْone who بِهِin him خَرَسٌmuteness
فَأَفْصَحُ النَّاسِ طُرّاً مَنْ بِهِ خَرَسٌ
وأَكْمَلُand the most perfect النَّاسِpeople عقلاًin intellect مَنْone who بِهِin him صَمَمُdeafness
وأَكْمَلُ النَّاسِ عقلاً مَنْ بِهِ صَمَمُ
Thus the most eloquent of all people is one who is mute,
And the soundest in intellect is one who is deaf.
وَمَاand what انْتِفَاعُbenefit أَخِيa man of الدُّنْيَاthe world بِمَنْطِقِهِthrough his speech
وَمَا انْتِفَاعُ أَخِي الدُّنْيَا بِمَنْطِقِهِ
إذَاwhen اسْتَوَىare equal العُرْبُArabs فيin ذاthis العِيِّinarticulacy والعَجَمُand non-Arabs
إذَا اسْتَوَى العُرْبُ في ذا العِيِّ والعَجَمُ
And what does a man of this world gain from his speech
When Arabs and non-Arabs are alike in this inarticulacy?
أَضْحَىhas become العَيِيُّthe inarticulate man إِمَاماًa leader فيin البَيَانِeloquence.. إذَاwhen
أَضْحَى العَيِيُّ إِمَاماً في البَيَانِ.. إذَا
مَاever قَالَhe says قَوْلاًan utterance فَكُلُّthen all العَالَمِينَthe world's people فَمُa mouth
مَا قَالَ قَوْلاً فَكُلُّ العَالَمِينَ فَمُ
The inarticulate man has become a master of eloquence; whenever
He utters a word, all the world becomes a mouth.
إذَاwhen تَكَلَّمَhe speaks جَارَىvied with النَّاسُpeople بَعْضَهُمُone another
إذَا تَكَلَّمَ جَارَى النَّاسُ بَعْضَهُمُ
مُؤَوِّلِينَinterpreting وَحَارُواand were bewildered فِيهِover it وَاخْتَصَمُواand quarreled
مُؤَوِّلِينَ وَحَارُوا فِيهِ وَاخْتَصَمُوا
When he speaks, people vie with one another,
Interpreting, bewildered by his words, and quarreling.
والشاعرُand the poet الحقُّtrue لاَnot تُلْقِيgives لَهُto him أُذُنٌan ear
والشاعرُ الحقُّ لاَ تُلْقِي لَهُ أُذُنٌ
بَالاًheed.. وَلَيْسَand there is not لهُfor him بَيْنَamong الوَرَىhumankind رَحِمُkinship
بَالاً.. وَلَيْسَ لهُ بَيْنَ الوَرَى رَحِمُ
But to the true poet no ear gives
Heed, and among humankind he has no kin.
يَمْشِيhe walks غَرِيباًa stranger طَريداًan outcast لَيْسَthere is not نَاصِرَهُhis champion
يَمْشِي غَرِيباً طَريداً لَيْسَ نَاصِرَهُ
إلاَّexcept القَوَافيrhymes وإِلاَّand except السَّهْلُthe plain والعَلَمُand the mountain
إلاَّ القَوَافي وإِلاَّ السَّهْلُ والعَلَمُ
He walks a stranger, an outcast, with none to champion him
Except rhymes, and the plain and the mountain.
وَمُدَّعِيand the pretender to الشِّعْرِpoetry مَزْهُوٌّproud بِشُهْرَتِهof his fame
وَمُدَّعِي الشِّعْرِ مَزْهُوٌّ بِشُهْرَتِه
قَدْindeed حَفَّهُsurrounded him الصَّحْبُcompanions والخُدَّامُand servants والحشَمُand retainers
قَدْ حَفَّهُ الصَّحْبُ والخُدَّامُ والحشَمُ
While the pretender to poetry is proud of his fame,
Surrounded by companions, servants, and retainers.
لَوْif كَانَthere were لِلشِّعْرِfor poetry حُكْمٌa judgment فِيهِمَاconcerning them both اسْتَوَيَاthe two would be equal
لَوْ كَانَ لِلشِّعْرِ حُكْمٌ فِيهِمَا اسْتَوَيَا
إذَاif البُزَاةُhawks اسْتَوَتْbecame equal فيin العِزِّhonor والرَّخَمُand vultures
إذَا البُزَاةُ اسْتَوَتْ في العِزِّ والرَّخَمُ
Were poetry to judge, these two would be equals
Only if hawks and vultures were equal in honor.
قَدْmay يُنْزِلُplace الشِّعْرَpoetry قَوْمٌsome people غَيْرَother than مَنْزِلِهِits place
قَدْ يُنْزِلُ الشِّعْرَ قَوْمٌ غَيْرَ مَنْزِلِهِ
وَيْرَتَدِيand wears تَاجَهُits crown مَنْwhoever لَمْnot يَكُنْwas لَهُمُfor them
وَيْرَتَدِي تَاجَهُ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمُ
Some may place poetry where it does not belong,
And those to whom its crown never belonged wear it.
ويَدَّعِيand claims وَصْلَهُa bond with it قَومٌsome people بِلاَwithout نَسَبٍkinship
ويَدَّعِي وَصْلَهُ قَومٌ بِلاَ نَسَبٍ
إلىto البيانِeloquence.. فَيَرْضَىso accepts النَّاسُpeople قَوْلَهُمُtheir words
إلى البيانِ.. فَيَرْضَى النَّاسُ قَوْلَهُمُ
And some claim a bond with it, without any kinship
To eloquence, and people accept their words.
كمْhow many حُرَّةٍa free woman سُبِيَتْwas taken captive منfrom بَيْتِthe house of عِزَّتِهَاher honor
كمْ حُرَّةٍ سُبِيَتْ من بَيْتِ عِزَّتِهَا
والحُرُّand the free man حُرٌّfree وإنْand even if يَغْدِرْacts treacherously بِهِagainst him الخَدَمُservants
والحُرُّ حُرٌّ وإنْ يَغْدِرْ بِهِ الخَدَمُ
How many a free woman has been carried captive from her honored home!
Yet a free man is free, even if servants betray him;
والشِّعْرُand poetry شِعْرٌpoetry وإنْand even if جَافَتْهُshunned it أُمَّتُهُits nation
والشِّعْرُ شِعْرٌ وإنْ جَافَتْهُ أُمَّتُهُ
وَالعِيُّand inarticulacy عِيٌّinarticulacy وإنْand even if دَانَتْprofessed belief بِهِin it الأُمَمُnations
وَالعِيُّ عِيٌّ وإنْ دَانَتْ بِهِ الأُمَمُ
And poetry is poetry, even if its nation shuns it;
And inarticulacy is inarticulacy, even if nations make it their creed.
يَاO سَيِّدَmaster of الشِّعْرِpoetry لاَnot تَحْزَنْgrieve.. إذَاif انْصَرَفَتْturned away
يَا سَيِّدَ الشِّعْرِ لاَ تَحْزَنْ.. إذَا انْصَرَفَتْ
عَنْكَfrom you القُلُوبُhearts إلىtoward مَنْone who نَظْمُهُhis verse شَبِمُcold
عَنْكَ القُلُوبُ إلى مَنْ نَظْمُهُ شَبِمُ
O master of poetry, do not grieve if there is a turning
Of hearts away from you toward one whose verse is cold.
هَذَاthis الزمانُage كَأَهْلِيهِlike its people أَخُوa bearer of مَرَضٍdisease
هَذَا الزمانُ كَأَهْلِيهِ أَخُو مَرَضٍ
هَلْcan...? يُبْصِرُperceive الحَقَّthe truth مَنْone who فيin قَلْبِهِhis heart سَقَمُsickness؟
هَلْ يُبْصِرُ الحَقَّ مَنْ في قَلْبِهِ سَقَمُ؟
This age, like its people, is afflicted with disease.
Can one with sickness in his heart perceive the truth?
وَمَنْand whoever يَكُis السُّقْمُsickness فيin فِيهِhis mouth فَمَطْعَمُهُthen his food
وَمَنْ يَكُ السُّقْمُ في فِيهِ فَمَطْعَمُهُ
مُرٌّbitter.. وَإِنْand even if تَحْلُtaste sweet فيin فيthe mouth of غَيْرِهِsomeone other than him اللُّقَمُmorsels
مُرٌّ.. وَإِنْ تَحْلُ في في غَيْرِهِ اللُّقَمُ
And whoever has sickness in his mouth finds his food
Bitter, though morsels taste sweet in another's mouth.
أَبْدِعْcreate قَصِيدَكَyour verse لاَnot يُحْزِنْكَsadden you إنْif نَفِرُواthey turn away
أَبْدِعْ قَصِيدَكَ لاَ يُحْزِنْكَ إنْ نَفِرُوا
قَدْmay يُنْفِرُdrive away النَّاسَpeople مِمَّاfrom what قُلْتَyou said جَهْلُهُمُtheir ignorance
قَدْ يُنْفِرُ النَّاسَ مِمَّا قُلْتَ جَهْلُهُمُ
Create your verse; do not grieve if they turn away.
Their ignorance may drive people away from what you have said.
واكْتُبْand write لِجِيلٍfor a generation سَيَأْتيwill come.. بَعْدَafter مَوْتِهِمُtheir death
واكْتُبْ لِجِيلٍ سَيَأْتي.. بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِمُ
يَحْدُوurge on with song بِهin it النَّاسُpeople نحوَtoward الشِّعْرِpoetry عِيسَهُمُtheir pale camels
يَحْدُو بِه النَّاسُ نحوَ الشِّعْرِ عِيسَهُمُ
And write for a generation that will come after their death,
In which people will sing their pale camels onward toward poetry.
لاَnot يَحْكُمُgoverns الناسَpeople فيهِin it غَيْرُother than عَقْلِهِمُtheir reason
لاَ يَحْكُمُ الناسَ فيهِ غَيْرُ عَقْلِهِمُ
ولاَand not تعَلَّقُcling فيto غيرِother than العُلاَthe heights الهِمَمُaspirations
ولاَ تعَلَّقُ في غيرِ العُلاَ الهِمَمُ
In it, nothing will govern people but their reason,
And aspirations will cling to nothing but the heights.
فَاكْتُبْso write لِذَاكَfor that وَدَعْand leave لِلنَّاسِto people عَصْرَهُمُtheir age
فَاكْتُبْ لِذَاكَ وَدَعْ لِلنَّاسِ عَصْرَهُمُ
وَاقْنَعْand be content.. فَكُلُّfor every شَهيرٍfamous person فيهِin it مُتَّهَمُsuspect
وَاقْنَعْ.. فَكُلُّ شَهيرٍ فيهِ مُتَّهَمُ
So write for that generation, and leave people their age.
And be content, for everyone famous in it is suspect.
وَدَعْand leave دَعِيًّاa pretender عَوَىhowled فَالحُرُّfor the free man مُمْتَحَنٌtested
وَدَعْ دَعِيًّا عَوَى فَالحُرُّ مُمْتَحَنٌ
والعبدُand the slave مِنْagainst رَبِّهِhis master بالحقدِthrough hatred يَنْتَقِمُtakes revenge
والعبدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ بالحقدِ يَنْتَقِمُ
And leave the howling pretender alone, for the free man is tested,
And the slave takes revenge on his master through hatred.
كُلُّall الوَرَىhumankind يَنْشُدُونَseek الخُلْدَimmortality مُذْsince وُجِدُواْthey came into being
كُلُّ الوَرَى يَنْشُدُونَ الخُلْدَ مُذْ وُجِدُواْ
وَيَصْطَفِيand chooses الخُلْدُimmortality أمْضَاهُمْthe most resolute of them إذَاwhen عَزَمُواْthey resolve
وَيَصْطَفِي الخُلْدُ أمْضَاهُمْ إذَا عَزَمُواْ
All humankind has sought immortality since coming into being,
And immortality chooses the most resolute of them when they resolve.
فَاخْتَرْso choose طَرِيقَكَyour path.. دربُthe road of الحزْمِresolve يَسْلُكُهُtravels it
فَاخْتَرْ طَرِيقَكَ.. دربُ الحزْمِ يَسْلُكُهُ
نَاسٌpeople قَلِيلٌfew.. ودَرْبُand the road of الوَهْمِillusion مُزْدَحِمُcrowded
نَاسٌ قَلِيلٌ.. ودَرْبُ الوَهْمِ مُزْدَحِمُ
So choose your path: the road of resolve is traveled by
Few people, while the road of illusion is crowded.
Sol 6.1