1. بيتٌ بَنَتْهُ ليَ الحَيَاةُ من الشَّذَى

    والظِّلِّ والأَضواءِ والأَنغامِ

    A house that life built for me from fragrance,

    And shade and lights and melodies.

  2. بيتٌ من السِّحْرِ الجميلِ مشَيَّدٌ

    للحبِّ والأَحلامِ والإلهامِ

    A house erected from beautiful enchantment,

    For love and dreams and inspiration.

  3. في الغابِ سِحْرٌ رائعٌ متجدِّدٌ

    باقٍ على الأَيَّامِ والأَعوامِ

    In the forest is a wondrous, ever-renewing magic,

    Enduring through the days and years.

  4. وشذًى كأَجنحَةِ الملائكِ غامضٌ

    سَاهٍ يُرفرفُ في سُكونٍ سَامِ

    And a mysterious fragrance, like angels' wings,

    Dreamy, fluttering in sublime stillness.

  5. وجداولٌ تشدو بمعسولِ الغِنا

    وتسيرُ حالمةً بغيرِ نِظامِ

    And streams sing with honeyed song,

    And flow dreamily without order.

  6. ومخارفٌ نَسَجَ الزَّمانُ بساطَها

    مِنْ يابسِ الأَوراقِ والأَكمامِ

    And orchards whose carpet time has woven

    From dry leaves and calyces.

  7. وحَنَا عليها الدَّوْحُ في جَبَروتِهِ

    بالظّلِّ والأَغصانِ والأَنْسامِ

    And the great trees bent tenderly over them in their might,

    With shade and branches and breezes.

  8. في الغابِ في تِلْكَ المخارف والرُّبى

    وعلى التِّلاعِ الخُضْر ولآجامِ

    In the forest, in those orchards and hills,

    And across the green slopes and thickets,

  9. كم مِنْ مشاعِرَ حلوةٍ مجهولةٍ

    سَكْرى ومِنْ فِكَرٍ ومن أوهامِ

    How many sweet, unknown feelings,

    Intoxicated, and thoughts and fancies,

  10. غنَّتْ كأَسرابِ الطُّيورِ ورفرفت

    حولي وذابتْ كالدُّخانِ أَمامي

    Sang like flocks of birds and fluttered

    Around me, and dissolved like smoke before me.

  11. ولَكَمْ أَصَخْتُ إلى أَناشيدِ الأَسى

    وتنهُّدِ الآلامِ والأَسقامِ

    And how often I listened intently to sorrow's songs,

    And the sighing of pains and illnesses,

  12. وإلى الرِّياحِ النَّائحاتِ كأَنَّها

    في الغابِ تبكي ميّت الأَيَّامِ

    And to the wailing winds, as though they were

    In the forest, mourning the days that had died,

  13. وإلى الشَّبابِ مغَنِّياً متَرَنِّماً

    حوْلي بأَلحانِ الغَرامِ الظَّامي

    And to youth, singing and lilting

    Around me with the melodies of thirsting passion.

  14. وسَمِعْتُ للطَّيرِ المغرِّدِ في الفضَا

    والسِّنديانِ الشَّامخِ المتَسامي

    And I listened to the birds warbling in the open air,

    And the lofty, towering oak,

  15. وإلى أَناشيدِ الرُّعاةِ مُرِفَّةً

    في الغابِ شاديةً كسِرْبِ يَمامِ

    And to the shepherds' songs, fluttering

    In the forest, singing like a flock of doves,

  16. وإلى الصَّدى المِمْراحِ يهتُفُ راقصاً

    بَيْنَ الفِجاجِ الفيحِ والآكامِ

    And to the playful echo, calling out and dancing

    Among the wide mountain passes and hills,

  17. حتَّى غَدَا قلبي كنايٍ متْرعٍ

    ثَملٍ من الأَلحانِ والأَنغامِ

    Until my heart became a brimming reed flute,

    Drunk on melodies and notes.

  18. فَشَدَوْتُ باللَّحنِ الغريبِ مجنَّحاً

    بكآبَةِ الأَحلامِ والآلامِ

    So I sang the strange melody, winged

    With the melancholy of dreams and pains.

  19. في الغابِ دنيا للخيالِ وللرُّؤى

    والشِّعرِ والتفكيرِ والأَحلامِ

    In the forest is a world for imagination and visions,

    And poetry and thought and dreams.

  20. للهِ يومَ مضيتُ أوَّلَ مرَّةٍ

    للغابِ أَرزحُ تَحْتَ عبءِ سَقامي

    O God, what a day it was when I first went

    To the forest, bowed beneath the burden of my sickness.

  21. ودخَلتُهُ وحدي وحوْلي موكبٌ

    هَزِجٌ من الأَحلامِ والأَوهامِ

    And I entered it alone, while around me was a procession,

    Lilting, of dreams and fancies.

  22. ومشيتُ تَحْتَ ظِلالهِ متَهَيِّباً

    كالطِّفلِ في صَمْتٍ وفي استسلامِ

    And I walked beneath its shade, awestruck,

    Like a child, in silence and surrender.

  23. أَرنو إلى الأَدواحِ في جبروتها

    فأخالُها عَمَدَ السَّماءِ أَمامي

    I gaze at the great trees in their might,

    And imagine them the pillars of heaven before me.

  24. قَدْ مسَّها سِحْرُ الحَيَاةِ فأَوْرَقَتْ

    وتَمَايَلَتْ في جنَّةِ الأَحلامِ

    Life's magic has touched them, and they have leafed out,

    And swayed in the paradise of dreams.

  25. وأُصيخُ للصَّمتِ المفكِّرِ هاتفاً

    في مِسمعي بغرائبِ الأَنغامِ

    And I listen to the thoughtful silence, calling

    In my ear with wondrous melodies.

  26. فإذا أَنا في نشوَةٍ شِعريَّةٍ

    فيَّاضَةٍ بالوحيِ والإِلهامِ

    And suddenly I am in a poetic rapture,

    Overflowing with revelation and inspiration.

  27. ومشاعري في يقظة مسحورة

    وَسْنَى كيقظةِ آدَمٍ لمَّا سَرَى

    And my feelings are in an enchanted awakening,

    Drowsy, like Adam's awakening when there coursed

  28. في جسمهِ روحُ الحَيَاة النَّامي

    وَشَجتْهُ موسيقى الوُجُودِ وعانقتْ

    Through his body the growing spirit of life.

    And existence's music stirred him and embraced

  29. أَحلامَهُ في رقَّةٍ وسَلامِ

    ورأى الفَراديسَ الأَنيقَةَ تنثني

    His dreams with tenderness and peace.

    And he saw the graceful paradises sway

  30. في متْرَفِ الأَزهارِ والأَكمامِ

    ورأى الملائكَ كالأَشعَّةِ في الفَضَا

    Amid luxuriant flowers and calyces.

    And he saw the angels, like rays in the open air,

  31. تَنْسابُ سابحةً بغيرِ نظامِ

    وأَحسَّ روحَ الكونِ تخفقُ حولهُ

    Gliding, floating without order.

    And he felt the spirit of the universe pulsing around him,

  32. في الظِّلِّ والأَضواءِ والأَنسامِ

    والكَائِناتِ تحوطُهُ بحَنانها

    In shade and lights and breezes,

    And all beings surrounding him with their tenderness,

  33. وبحبِّها الرَّحْبِ العميقِ الطَّامي

    حتَّى تَمَلأ بالحَيَاةِ كيانُهُ

    And with their vast, deep, overflowing love,

    Until his being brimmed with life,

  34. وسعى وراءَ مواكبِ الأَيَّامِ

    ولَرُبَّ صُبْحٍ غائمٍ متحجِّبٍ

    And he followed the processions of the days.

    And on many a cloudy morning, veiled

  35. في كِلَّةٍ من زَعْزَعٍ وغَمامِ

    تتنَفَّسُ الدُّنيا ضَباباً هائماً

    In a curtain of gusts and clouds,

    The world breathes out drifting mist,

  36. متدفِّعاً في أُفْقهِ المُتَرامي

    والرِّيحُ تخفقُ في الفَضَاءِ وفي الثَّرى

    Surging across its far-reaching horizon.

    And the wind beats through the air and over the earth,

  37. وعلى الجبالِ الشُّمِّ والآكامِ

    باكَرْتُ فيهِ الغابَ موهونَ القُوَى

    And over lofty mountains and hills.

    I came early to the forest then, my strength enfeebled,

  38. متخاذِلَ الخُطُواتِ والأَقدامِ

    وجلستُ تَحْتَ السِّنديانَةِ واجماً

    With faltering steps and feet.

    And I sat beneath the oak, downcast,

  39. أرنو إلى الأُفُقِ الكئيبِ أَمامي

    فأَرى المبانيَ في الضَّبابِ كأَنَّها

    Gazing at the gloomy horizon before me.

    Then I see the buildings in the mist as though they were

  40. فِكْرٌ بأَرضِ الشَّكِّ والإِبهامِ

    أَو عالَمٌ مَا زالَ يولَدُ في فضا

    A thought in the land of doubt and obscurity,

    Or a world still being born in the vastness

  41. ءِ الكونِ بَيْنَ غياهبٍ وسدامِ

    وأرى الفِجاجَ الدَّامِساتِ خلالَهُ

    Of the universe, amid deep darkness and mist.

    And I see the dark mountain passes through it,

  42. ومشاهدَ الوديانِ والآجامِ

    فكأَنَّها شُعَبُ الجَحيمِ رهيبةً

    And vistas of valleys and thickets.

    As though they were branches of hell, terrifying,

  43. ملفوفةً قي غُبْشَةً وظَلامِ

    صُوَرٌ من الفنِّ المروِّعِ أعجزتْ

    Wrapped in dimness and darkness.

    Images of terrifying art that baffled

  44. وَحْي القريض وريشَةَ الرَّسَّامِ

    ولَكَمْ مَسَاءٍ حالمٍ متوشِّحٍ

    The inspiration of verse and the painter's brush.

    And on how many a dreamy evening, draped

  45. بالظِّلِّ والضَّوءِ الحزينِ الدَّامي

    قَدْ سِرْتُ في غابي كفِكْرٍ هائمٍ

    In shade and sorrowful, bleeding light,

    I have walked in my forest like a wandering thought,

  46. في نَشْوَةِ الأَحلامِ والإِلهامِ

    شِعري وأَفكاري وكُلُّ مشاعري

    In the rapture of dreams and inspiration.

    My poetry, my thoughts, and all my feelings

  47. مَنْشورةٌ للنُّورِ والأَنْسامِ

    والأُفْقُ يزخَرُ بالأَشعَّةِ والشَّذى

    Spread open to the light and breezes.

    And the horizon brims with rays and fragrance,

  48. والأَرضُ بالأَعشابِ والأَكمامِ

    والغابُ ساجٍ والحياةُ مُصِيخةٌ

    And the earth with grasses and calyces.

    And the forest is still, and life listens intently,

  49. والأفْقُ والشَّفَقُ الجميلُ أَمامي

    وعروسُ أحلامي تُداعبُ عُودَهَا

    And the horizon and beautiful afterglow lie before me.

    And the bride of my dreams plays her oud,

  50. فيرنُّ قلبي بالصَّدى وعظامي

    روحٌ أَنا مسحورةٌ في عَالمٍ

    So my heart and my bones ring with the echo.

    I am an enchanted spirit in a world

  51. فَوْقَ الزَّمانِ الزَّاخرِ الدَّوَّامِ

    في الغابِ في الغابِ الحبيبِ وإنَّهُ

    Above surging, ever-turning time.

    In the forest, in the beloved forest—and indeed it is

  52. حَرَمُ الطَّبيعَةِ والجمالِ السَّامي

    طهَّرْتُ في نارِ الجمالِ مَشاعري

    The sanctuary of nature and sublime beauty.

    I purified my feelings in the fire of beauty,

  53. ولقيتُ في دنيا الخَيالِ سَلامي

    ونسيت دنيا الناس فهي سخافة

    And found my peace in the world of imagination.

    And forgot the world of people, for it is folly,

  54. سكرى من الأوهام والآثام

    وقَبسْتُ من عَطْفِ الوُجُودِ وحُبِّهِ

    Drunk on illusions and sins.

    And I took from existence's tenderness and love

  55. وجمالهِ قبساً أَضاءَ ظلامي

    فرأيتُ أَلوانَ الحَيَاةِ نضيرةً

    And its beauty a spark that lit my darkness.

    So I saw the colors of life fresh and radiant,

  56. كنضارَةِ الزَّهرِ الجميلِ النَّامي

    ووجدتُ سحرَ الكونِ أَسمى عنصراً

    Like the freshness of beautiful, growing flowers.

    And found the universe's magic loftier in essence

  57. وأَجلَّ من حُزْني ومِنْ آلامي

    فأَهَبْتُ مسحورَ المشاعر حالماً

    And grander than my sorrow and my pains.

    So I called out, my feelings enchanted, dreaming,

  58. نشوانَ بالقلبِ الكئيب الدَّامي

    أَلمعبدُ الحيُّ المقدَّسُ ها هنا

    Ecstatic, to my sorrowful, bleeding heart:

    The living, sacred temple is right here,

  59. يا كاهِنَ الأَحزانِ والآلامِ

    فاخلعْ مُسُوحَ الحزنِ تَحْتَ ظِلالِهِ

    O priest of sorrows and pains.

    So take off sorrow's sackcloth beneath its shade,

  60. والبسْ رِداءَ الشِّعرِ والأَحلامِ

    وارفعْ صَلاتَكَ للجمالِ عَميقةً

    And put on the robe of poetry and dreams.

    And raise your prayer to beauty, profound,

  61. مشبوبةً بحرارَةِ الإِلهامِ

    واصدَحْ بأَلحان الحياة جميلةً

    Ablaze with the heat of inspiration.

    And sing out life's melodies, beautiful

  62. كجمال هذا العالَم البسَّامِ

    واخفقْ مع العِطْر المرفرفِ في الفضا

    As the beauty of this smiling world.

    And flutter with the fragrance that flutters in the air,

  63. وارقصْ مع الأَضواءِ والأَنسامِ

    ومع الينابيع الطليقة والصدى

    And dance with the lights and breezes,

    And with the free-flowing springs and the echo.

  64. وذَرَوْتُ أَفكاري الحزينَةُ للدُّجى

    ونَثَرْتُها لعواصِفِ الأَيَّامِ

    And I scattered my sorrowful thoughts into the darkness,

    And strewed them to the tempests of the days.

  65. ومَضَيْتُ أَشدو للأشعَّةِ ساحراً

    من صوت أحزاني وبطش سقامي

    And went on singing to the rays, conjuring enchantment

    From my sorrows' voice and my illness's violence.

  66. وهتفتُ يا روحَ الجمالِ تَدَفَّقي

    كالنَّهرِ في فِكري وفي أَحلامي

    And I cried: O spirit of beauty, pour forth

    Like a river through my thought and through my dreams,

  67. وتغلغلي كالنُّورِ في روحي التي

    ذَبُلَتْ من الأَحزانِ والآلامِ

    And permeate like light my soul, which

    Has withered from sorrows and pains.

  68. أَنتِ الشُّعورُ الحيُّ يزخَرُ دافقاً

    كالنَّارِ في روحِ الوُجُودِ النَّامي

    You are the living feeling that surges, pouring forth

    Like fire in the spirit of growing existence,

  69. ويَصُوغُ أَحلامَ الطَّبيعَةِ فاجعلي

    عُمُري نشيداً ساحرَ الأَنغامِ

    And shapes nature's dreams; so make

    My life a song of enchanting melodies,

  70. وشذًى يَضوعُ مع الأَشعَّةِ والرُّؤى

    في معبدِ الحقِّ الجليلِ السَّامي

    And a fragrance wafting with rays and visions

    In the temple of majestic, sublime truth.