أَيْنَ يا شعبُ قلبُكَ الخافقُ الحسَّاسُ

أَيْنَ يا شعبُ قلبُكَ الخافقُ الحسَّاسُ

أَيْنَ الطُّموحُ والأَحْلامُ

أَيْنَ الطُّموحُ والأَحْلامُ

Where, O people, is your beating, sensitive heart?

Where, O people, is your beating, feeling heart?

Where are ambition and dreams?

Where are the ambitions and the dreams?

أَيْنَ يا شعبُ رُوحُك الشَّاعرُ الفنَّانُ

أَيْنَ يا شعبُ رُوحُك الشَّاعرُ الفنَّانُ

أَيْنَ الخيالُ والإِلهامُ

أَيْنَ الخيالُ والإِلهامُ

Where, O people, is your poetic, artistic spirit?

Where, O people, is your poetic, artist soul?

Where are imagination and inspiration?

Where are the imagination and the inspiration?

أَيْنَ يا شعبُ فنُّكَ السَّاحرُ الخلاّقُ

أَيْنَ يا شعبُ فنُّكَ السَّاحرُ الخلاّقُ

أَيْنَ الرُّسومُ والأَنغامُ

أَيْنَ الرُّسومُ والأَنغامُ

Where, O people, is your enchanting, creative art?

Where, O people, is your enchanting, creative art?

Where are drawings and melodies?

Where are the paintings and the melodies?

أَيْنَ يمَّ الحَيَاةِ يَدْوي حوالَيْكَ

أَيْنَ يمَّ الحَيَاةِ يَدْوي حوالَيْكَ

فأَينَ المُغامِرُ المِقْدامُ

فأَينَ المُغامِرُ المِقْدامُ

Where is life's sea, roaring around you?

Where is the sea of life thundering around you?

Then where is the daring adventurer?

So where is the bold, intrepid adventurer?

أَيْنَ عَزْمُ الحَيَاةِ لا شيءَ إلاَّ

أَيْنَ عَزْمُ الحَيَاةِ لا شيءَ إلاَّ

الموتُ والصَّمْتُ والأَسى والظَّلامُ

الموتُ والصَّمْتُ والأَسى والظَّلامُ

Where is life's resolve? There is nothing but

Where is the resolve of life? There is nothing but

Death, silence, sorrow, and darkness.

Death, silence, sorrow, and the dark.

عُمُرٌ مَيِّتٌ وقلبٌ خَواءٌ

عُمُرٌ مَيِّتٌ وقلبٌ خَواءٌ

ودمٌ لا تُثيرُهُ الآلامُ

ودمٌ لا تُثيرُهُ الآلامُ

A dead lifetime, an empty heart,

A dead existence and a hollow heart,

And blood that pains do not stir.

And blood that pain no longer stirs,

وحياةٌ تَنامُ في ظُلْمة الوادي

وحياةٌ تَنامُ في ظُلْمة الوادي

وتنمو في فوقها الأَوهامُ

وتنمو في فوقها الأَوهامُ

And a life sleeping in the valley's darkness,

A life that sleeps in the valley’s gloom,

And illusions growing above it.

While overhead the illusions bloom.

أَيُّ عيشٍ هذا وأَيُّ حياةٍ

أَيُّ عيشٍ هذا وأَيُّ حياةٍ

رُبَّ عيشٍ أَخَفُّ منه الحِمَامُ

رُبَّ عيشٍ أَخَفُّ منه الحِمَامُ

What existence is this, and what life?

What manner of living is this, what sort of life?

Many a life weighs heavier than death.

Truly, death itself would be a lighter burden.

قَدْ مشتْ حولكَ الفُصولُ وغَنَّتْكَ

قَدْ مشتْ حولكَ الفُصولُ وغَنَّتْكَ

فلمْ تبتهج ولمْ تترنَّمْ

فلمْ تبتهج ولمْ تترنَّمْ

The seasons have passed around you and sung to you,

The seasons have walked about you and sung to you,

Yet you neither rejoiced nor sang.

Yet you did not rejoice, nor did you hum along.

ودَوَتْ فوقكَ العَواصفُ والأَنواءُ

ودَوَتْ فوقكَ العَواصفُ والأَنواءُ

حتَّى أَوْشَكَتْ أن تتحطَّمْ

حتَّى أَوْشَكَتْ أن تتحطَّمْ

Storms and tempests thundered above you,

The tempests and storms have roared above your head,

Until they almost shattered.

Until they nearly shattered into pieces.

وأَطافَتْ بكَ الوُحوشُ وناشتْكَ

وأَطافَتْ بكَ الوُحوشُ وناشتْكَ

فلم تَضْطَرِبْ ولم تتألَّمْ

فلم تَضْطَرِبْ ولم تتألَّمْ

And beasts circled you and clawed at you,

The wild beasts circled and sank their claws in you,

Yet you neither trembled nor felt pain.

Yet you did not tremble, nor did you feel the pain.

يا إِلهي أما تحسُّ أَما تشدو

يا إِلهي أما تحسُّ أَما تشدو

أَما تشتكي أَما تتكلَّمْ

أَما تشتكي أَما تتكلَّمْ

My God! Do you not feel? Do you not sing?

My God! Do you not feel? Do you not sing?

Do you not complain? Do you not speak?

Do you not complain? Do you not speak a word?

ملَّ نهرُ الزَّمانِ أَيَّامكَ الموتى

ملَّ نهرُ الزَّمانِ أَيَّامكَ الموتى

وأَنقاضَ عُمرِكَ المتهدِّمْ

وأَنقاضَ عُمرِكَ المتهدِّمْ

The river of time has wearied of your dead days

The river of time has grown weary of your dead days,

And the ruins of your crumbling life.

And of the rubble of your crumbling age.

أَنْتَ لا ميِّتٌ فيبلَى ولا حيٌّ

أَنْتَ لا ميِّتٌ فيبلَى ولا حيٌّ

فيمشي بل كائنٌ لَيْسَ يُفْهَمْ

فيمشي بل كائنٌ لَيْسَ يُفْهَمْ

You are neither dead, to decay, nor alive,

You are neither dead enough to decay, nor alive

To walk, but a being beyond understanding.

Enough to walk; but a creature misunderstood.

أَبداً يرمقُ الفراغَ بطرفٍ

أَبداً يرمقُ الفراغَ بطرفٍ

جامدٍ لا يرى العوالِمَ مُظْلِمْ

جامدٍ لا يرى العوالِمَ مُظْلِمْ

Forever gazing at emptiness with an eye

Forever gazing at the void with a glance

Fixed and dark, seeing none of the worlds.

Frozen and dark, seeing nothing of the worlds.

أَيُّ سِحْرٍ دهاكَ هل أَنْتَ مسحورٌ

أَيُّ سِحْرٍ دهاكَ هل أَنْتَ مسحورٌ

شقيٌّ أَو ماردٌ يَتَهكَّمْ

شقيٌّ أَو ماردٌ يَتَهكَّمْ

What spell has befallen you? Are you bewitched,

What magic has struck you? Are you bewitched,

Wretched—or a demon that mocks?

Some wretched soul, or a mocking demon?

آه بل أَنْتَ في الشُّعوبِ عجوزٌ

آه بل أَنْتَ في الشُّعوبِ عجوزٌ

فيلسوفٌ محطَّمٌ في إهابِهْ

فيلسوفٌ محطَّمٌ في إهابِهْ

Ah, rather, among the peoples you are an old man,

Ah, nay, among the nations you are an old man,

A philosopher, broken within his skin.

A broken philosopher within his own skin.

ماتَ شوقُ الشَّبابِ في قلبِهِ الذَّاوي

ماتَ شوقُ الشَّبابِ في قلبِهِ الذَّاوي

وعزمُ الحَيَاة في أَعصابِهْ

وعزمُ الحَيَاة في أَعصابِهْ

Youth's longing died in his withered heart,

The passion of youth has died in his withering heart,

And life's resolve within his nerves.

And the resolve of life within his nerves.

فمضى يَنْشُدُ السَّلامَ بعيداً

فمضى يَنْشُدُ السَّلامَ بعيداً

في قبورِ الزَّمانِ خَلْفَ هضابِهْ

في قبورِ الزَّمانِ خَلْفَ هضابِهْ

So he went seeking peace far away,

So he went seeking peace far away,

In time's graves, beyond its hills.

In the graves of time, beyond its hills.

وهناكَ اصطفى البقاءَ مع الأَموات

وهناكَ اصطفى البقاءَ مع الأَموات

في قبرِ أَمسِهِ غيرَ آبِهْ

في قبرِ أَمسِهِ غيرَ آبِهْ

And there he chose to remain with the dead,

There he chose to dwell among the dead,

In the grave of his yesterday, unconcerned.

In the tomb of his yesterday, heedless of all else.

وارتضى القبرَ مسكناً تتلاشى

وارتضى القبرَ مسكناً تتلاشى

فيه أيَّامُ عُمرِهِ المتشابِهْ

فيه أيَّامُ عُمرِهِ المتشابِهْ

And accepted the grave as a dwelling, in which fade

Content with the grave as a home where fade

The monotonous days of his life.

The identical days of his lifespan.

وتناسى الحَيَاةَ والزَّمنَ الدَّاوي

وتناسى الحَيَاةَ والزَّمنَ الدَّاوي

وما كانَ مِنْ قديمِ رِغَابِهْ

وما كانَ مِنْ قديمِ رِغَابِهْ

And made himself forget life and resounding time,

He forgot life and the thundering time,

And all that once belonged to his old desires.

And all that remained of his ancient desires.

فالْزَمِ القبر فهوَ بيتٌ شبيهٌ بكَ

فالْزَمِ القبر فهوَ بيتٌ شبيهٌ بكَ

في صَمْتِ قلبِه وخرابِهْ

في صَمْتِ قلبِه وخرابِهْ

So keep to the grave: it is a house like you

So cleave to the grave, for it is a house suited to you,

In its heart's silence and its ruin.

In the silence of its heart and its desolation.

واعبدِ الأَمسَ وادَّكِرْ صُوَرَ الماضي

واعبدِ الأَمسَ وادَّكِرْ صُوَرَ الماضي

فدُنْيا العجوزِ ذِكرى شبابِهْ

فدُنْيا العجوزِ ذِكرى شبابِهْ

And worship yesterday, and recall the images of the past;

Worship Yesterday, and recall the images of the past,

For an old man's world is the memory of his youth.

For an old man's world is the memory of his youth.

وإذا مرَّتِ الحَيَاةُ حوالَيْكَ

وإذا مرَّتِ الحَيَاةُ حوالَيْكَ

جَميلاً كالزَّهْرِ غضًّا صِباها

جَميلاً كالزَّهْرِ غضًّا صِباها

And when life passes all around you,

And if life should pass you by,

Its youth beautiful as flowers, tender and fresh,

Beautiful as a flower, fresh in its youth,

تتغنَّى الحَيَاةُ بالشَّوقِ والعزمِ

تتغنَّى الحَيَاةُ بالشَّوقِ والعزمِ

فيُحْيي قلبَ الجمادِ غِنَاها

فيُحْيي قلبَ الجمادِ غِنَاها

Life sings with longing and resolve,

Life singing with passion and resolve,

And its song revives the heart of lifeless matter.

Its song reviving the heart of stone,

والرَّبيعُ الجميلُ يرقُصُ فَوْقَ

والرَّبيعُ الجميلُ يرقُصُ فَوْقَ

الوردِ والعُشْبِ منْشِداً تيَّاها

الوردِ والعُشْبِ منْشِداً تيَّاها

And lovely spring dances over

And the beautiful Spring dances above

The roses and grass, singing proudly;

The roses and grass, chanting proudly,

ومشى النَّاسُ خلفَهَا يتَمَلَّوْنَ

ومشى النَّاسُ خلفَهَا يتَمَلَّوْنَ

جمالَ الوُجُودِ في مرآها

جمالَ الوُجُودِ في مرآها

And people follow it, feasting their eyes on

And people walk behind it, gazing in wonder

The beauty of existence in its appearance—

At the beauty of existence in its vision,

فاحذرِ السِّحْرَ أَيُّها النَّاسكُ القِدِّيسُ

فاحذرِ السِّحْرَ أَيُّها النَّاسكُ القِدِّيسُ

إنَّ الحَيَاةَ يُغوي بَهاها

إنَّ الحَيَاةَ يُغوي بَهاها

Then beware the enchantment, O saintly ascetic!

So beware the magic, O holy ascetic,

Indeed, life's splendor beguiles.

For life’s splendor is a seductive snare.

والرَّبيعُ الفنَّانُ شاعِرُها المفتونُ

والرَّبيعُ الفنَّانُ شاعِرُها المفتونُ

يُغْري بحبِّها وهواها

يُغْري بحبِّها وهواها

And spring, the artist, its enraptured poet,

And the artistic Spring, its captivated poet,

Entices you to love and desire it.

Tempts one with her love and affection.

وتَمَلَّ الجمالَ في رِممِ الموتَى

وتَمَلَّ الجمالَ في رِممِ الموتَى

بعيداً عَنْ سِحْرِها وصَداها

بعيداً عَنْ سِحْرِها وصَداها

And feast your eyes on beauty in the decayed remains of the dead,

Gaze instead upon beauty in the rotting dead,

Far from its enchantment and its echo.

Far from her magic and her echoing call.

وتَغَزَّلْ بسِحْرِ أَيَّامِكَ الأولى

وتَغَزَّلْ بسِحْرِ أَيَّامِكَ الأولى

وخَلِّ الحَيَاةَ تخطو خطاها

وخَلِّ الحَيَاةَ تخطو خطاها

And sing love verses about the magic of your earliest days,

Romance the magic of your earliest days,

And let life take its own steps.

And let life march onward in its path.

وإذا هبَّتِ الطُّيورُ مع الفجرِ

وإذا هبَّتِ الطُّيورُ مع الفجرِ

تُغنِّي بَيْنَ المروجِ الجميلهْ

تُغنِّي بَيْنَ المروجِ الجميلهْ

And when birds rise with the dawn,

And if the birds rise with the dawn,

Singing amid the lovely meadows,

Singing amidst the lovely meadows,

وتُحَيِّي الحَيَاةَ والعالَمَ الحيَّ

وتُحَيِّي الحَيَاةَ والعالَمَ الحيَّ

بصَوْتِ المحبَّةِ المعسولهْ

بصَوْتِ المحبَّةِ المعسولهْ

And greeting life and the living world

Greeting life and the living world

With the voice of honeyed love;

With the voice of honeyed love,

والفَراشُ الجميلُ رَفْرَفَ في الرَّوْضِ

والفَراشُ الجميلُ رَفْرَفَ في الرَّوْضِ

يناجي زهورَهُ المطلولهْ

يناجي زهورَهُ المطلولهْ

And lovely butterflies flutter in the garden,

And the beautiful butterflies flutter in the garden,

Whispering to its dew-moistened flowers;

Whispering to its dew-kissed flowers,

وأَفاقَ الوُجُودُ للعملِ المجْدِي

وأَفاقَ الوُجُودُ للعملِ المجْدِي

وللسَّعيِ والمعاني الجليلهْ

وللسَّعيِ والمعاني الجليلهْ

And existence awakens to fruitful work

And existence wakes to fruitful toil,

And to striving and lofty ideals;

To striving and to noble meanings,

ومَشَى النَّاسُ في الشِّعابِ وفي الغابِ

ومَشَى النَّاسُ في الشِّعابِ وفي الغابِ

وفوقَ المسالكِ المجهولهْ

وفوقَ المسالكِ المجهولهْ

And people walk through mountain passes and forests,

And people walk in the ravines and woods,

And along unknown paths,

And upon the unknown trails,

يَنْشُدُونَ الجمالَ والنُّورَ والأَفراحَ

يَنْشُدُونَ الجمالَ والنُّورَ والأَفراحَ

والمجدَ والحَيَاةَ النبيلهْ

والمجدَ والحَيَاةَ النبيلهْ

Seeking beauty, light, and joys,

Seeking beauty, light, and joys,

And glory and a noble life—

Glory, and a noble life,

فاغضُضِ الطَّرفَ في الظَّلامِ وحاذِرْ

فاغضُضِ الطَّرفَ في الظَّلامِ وحاذِرْ

فتنَةَ النُّورِ فهيَ رُؤْيا مَهُولهْ

فتنَةَ النُّورِ فهيَ رُؤْيا مَهُولهْ

Then lower your gaze in the darkness, and beware

So lower your gaze in the darkness and beware

The allure of light, for it is a terrifying vision.

The allure of light, for it is a terrifying vision.

وصَباحُ الحَيَاةِ لا يُوقِظُ الموْتَى

وصَباحُ الحَيَاةِ لا يُوقِظُ الموْتَى

ولا يَرْحَمُ الجفونَ الكليلهْ

ولا يَرْحَمُ الجفونَ الكليلهْ

And life's morning does not wake the dead,

The morning of life does not wake the dead,

Nor pity weary eyelids.

Nor does it show mercy to weary eyelids.

كلُّ شيءٍ يُعاطِفُ العالَم الحيَّ

كلُّ شيءٍ يُعاطِفُ العالَم الحيَّ

ويُذكِي حياته ويُفيدُهْ

ويُذكِي حياته ويُفيدُهْ

Everything is in sympathy with the living world

Everything sympathizes with the living world,

And kindles its life and benefits it.

Fueling its life and bringing it gain.

والذي لا يُجاوِبُ الكونَ بالإِحساسِ

والذي لا يُجاوِبُ الكونَ بالإِحساسِ

عِبْءٌ على الوُجُودِ وُجُودُهْ

عِبْءٌ على الوُجُودِ وُجُودُهْ

And whoever does not answer the universe with feeling—

He who answers not the universe with feeling

His existence is a burden upon existence.

Is a burden on existence by his very being.

كلُّ شيءٍ يُسايِرُ الزَّمنَ الماشي

كلُّ شيءٍ يُسايِرُ الزَّمنَ الماشي

بعزمٍ حتَّى التُّرابُ ودُودُهْ

بعزمٍ حتَّى التُّرابُ ودُودُهْ

Everything keeps pace with advancing time

Everything keeps pace with marching time

With resolve—even the dust and its worms.

With resolve, even the soil and its worms.

كلُّ شيءٍ إِلاّكَ حَيٌّ عَطوفٌ

كلُّ شيءٍ إِلاّكَ حَيٌّ عَطوفٌ

يُؤْنِسُ الكونَ شَوْقُهُ ونَشيدُهْ

يُؤْنِسُ الكونَ شَوْقُهُ ونَشيدُهْ

Everything but you is alive and loving;

Everything but you is alive and kind,

Its longing and its song gladden the universe.

Its longing and anthem comfort the universe.

فلماذا تعيش في الكونِ يا صاحِ

فلماذا تعيش في الكونِ يا صاحِ

وما فيكَ من جنًى يستفيدُهْ

وما فيكَ من جنًى يستفيدُهْ

Why, then, do you live in the universe, my friend,

So why do you exist in this universe, my friend,

With no fruit in you from which it can profit?

When you offer no harvest for it to reap?

لستَ يا شيخُ للحياةِ بأَهْلٍ

لستَ يا شيخُ للحياةِ بأَهْلٍ

أَنْتَ داءٌ يُبيدُها وتُبيدُهْ

أَنْتَ داءٌ يُبيدُها وتُبيدُهْ

You, old man, are not fit for life;

You, O ancient one, are not fit for life;

You are a disease that destroys it and is destroyed by it.

You are a disease that destroys it, and that it destroys.

أَنْتَ قَفْرٌ جهنَّميٌّ لَعِينٌ

أَنْتَ قَفْرٌ جهنَّميٌّ لَعِينٌ

مُظْلِمٌ قاحلٌ مريعٌ جمودُهْ

مُظْلِمٌ قاحلٌ مريعٌ جمودُهْ

You are an accursed, hellish wasteland,

You are a hellish, accursed wasteland,

Dark and barren, its stagnation dreadful.

Dark, barren, and terrifying in its stagnation.

لا ترفُّ الحَيَاةُ فيهِ فلا طيرَ

لا ترفُّ الحَيَاةُ فيهِ فلا طيرَ

يغنِّي ولا سَحَابَ يجودُهْ

يغنِّي ولا سَحَابَ يجودُهْ

Life does not flutter there: no bird

Life does not flutter there; no bird

Sings, and no cloud showers it with rain.

Sings, nor does any cloud bestow its rain.

أَنْتَ يا كاهِنَ الظَّلامِ حياةٌ

أَنْتَ يا كاهِنَ الظَّلامِ حياةٌ

تعبدُ الموتَ أَنْتَ روحٌ شقيُّ

تعبدُ الموتَ أَنْتَ روحٌ شقيُّ

You, priest of darkness, are a life

You, O priest of darkness, are a life

That worships death; you are a wretched spirit,

That worships death; you are a wretched soul.

كافرٌ بالحَيَاةِ والنُّورِ لا يُصغي

كافرٌ بالحَيَاةِ والنُّورِ لا يُصغي

إلى الكونِ قلبُه الحجريُّ

إلى الكونِ قلبُه الحجريُّ

Faithless toward life and light; unheeding

An infidel to life and light; who does not listen

Of the universe is its heart of stone.

To the universe with his stony heart.

أَنْتَ قلبٌ لا شوقَ فيه ولا عزمٌ

أَنْتَ قلبٌ لا شوقَ فيه ولا عزمٌ

وهذا داءُ الحَيَاةِ الدّويُّ

وهذا داءُ الحَيَاةِ الدّويُّ

You are a heart with neither longing nor resolve,

You are a heart devoid of passion and resolve,

And this is life's grievous disease.

And this is the resounding sickness of life.

أَنْتَ دُنيا يُظلُّها أُفُقُ الماضي

أَنْتَ دُنيا يُظلُّها أُفُقُ الماضي

وليلُ الكآبَةِ الأَبديُّ

وليلُ الكآبَةِ الأَبديُّ

You are a world shaded by the horizon of the past

You are a world shadowed by the horizon of the past,

And the eternal night of melancholy.

And the eternal night of melancholy.

ماتَ فيها الزَّمانُ والكونُ إلاَّ

ماتَ فيها الزَّمانُ والكونُ إلاَّ

أَمسُها الغابرُ القديمُ القَصِيُّ

أَمسُها الغابرُ القديمُ القَصِيُّ

Time and the universe have died within it, save

Where time and the universe have died, save for

Its bygone yesterday, ancient and remote.

Its bygone, ancient, distant yesterday.

والشقيُّ الشقيُّ في الأَرضِ قلبٌ

والشقيُّ الشقيُّ في الأَرضِ قلبٌ

يومُهُ ميِّتٌ ومَاضيهِ حَيُّ

يومُهُ ميِّتٌ ومَاضيهِ حَيُّ

And wretched, truly wretched, on earth is a heart

And the most wretched thing on earth is a heart

Whose day is dead, while its past lives.

Whose present is dead, while its past lives on.

أَنْتَ لا شيءَ في الوُجُودِ فغادِرْهُ

أَنْتَ لا شيءَ في الوُجُودِ فغادِرْهُ

إلى الموتِ فهوَ عنكَ غَنِيُّ

إلى الموتِ فهوَ عنكَ غَنِيُّ

You are nothing in existence, so leave it

You are nothing in this existence, so depart

For death: existence has no need of you.

To death, for the world has no need of you.