ياO قلبُheart كمْhow many فيكَwithin you مِنْof دُناworlds محجَّبَةٍveiled
يا قلبُ كمْ فيكَ مِنْ دُنا محجَّبَةٍ
كأَنَّهاas though they were حينwhen يبدوappears فجرُهاtheir dawn إرَمُIram
كأَنَّها حين يبدو فجرُها إرَمُ
O heart, how many veiled worlds lie within you,
O heart, within you lies many a hidden world
O heart, how many veiled worlds reside within you,
As though they were Iram when their dawn appears!
That when its dawn breaks through, the morn seems dim,
Resembling legendary Iram when its dawn appears.
ياO قلبُheart كمْhow many فيكَwithin you مِنْof كونٍa universe قدِindeed اتَّقَدَتْhave blazed
يا قلبُ كمْ فيكَ مِنْ كونٍ قدِ اتَّقَدَتْ
فيهwithin it الشُّموسُthe suns وعاشتْand lived فوقَهُupon it الأُممُthe nations
فيه الشُّموسُ وعاشتْ فوقَهُ الأُممُ
O heart, how many universes within you have blazed
O heart, within you flame so many suns
O heart, how many universes have ignited deep inside,
With suns, while nations lived upon them!
Where civilizations rose and nations thrived,
Where suns have blazed and nations lived and died.
ياO قلبُheart كمْhow many فيكَwithin you مِنْof أُفْقٍa horizon تُنَمِّقُهُadorn it
يا قلبُ كمْ فيكَ مِنْ أُفْقٍ تُنَمِّقُهُ
كواكبٌstars تتجلَّىshine forth ثُمَّthen تَنْعَدِمُcease to exist
كواكبٌ تتجلَّى ثُمَّ تَنْعَدِمُ
O heart, how many horizons within you are adorned
O heart, within you lies unnumbered horizons
O heart, how many horizons are embellished there,
By stars that shine forth, then cease to be!
Where stars shine bright then vanish in a blink,
By stars that shine in glory, then fade into the void.
ياO قلبُheart كمْhow many فيكَwithin you مِنْof غابٍa forest ومنand of جَبَلٍa mountain
يا قلبُ كمْ فيكَ مِنْ غابٍ ومن جَبَلٍ
تَدْويresounds بهِwithin it الرِّيحُthe wind أَوor تسموsoar بهِupon it القممُthe peaks
تَدْوي بهِ الرِّيحُ أَو تسمو بهِ القممُ
O heart, how many forests and mountains lie within you,
O heart, within you roar so many peaks and vales
O heart, how many forests and mountains fill your space,
Where the wind resounds, or the summits soar!
Where winds blow wild or summits pierce the sky,
Where the wind howls loud, or peaks ascend with pride.
ياO قلبُheart كمْhow many فيكَwithin you مِنْof كهفٍa cave قدِindeed انبجستْhave gushed forth
يا قلبُ كمْ فيكَ مِنْ كهفٍ قدِ انبجستْ
منهُfrom it الجداولُthe streams تجريflow مَاnot لهاthey have لُجمُbridles
منهُ الجداولُ تجري مَا لها لُجمُ
O heart, how many caves within you have poured forth
O heart, within you springs burst into being
O heart, how many caverns within you have burst forth,
Streams that flow from them without bridles!
Pouring forth streams that freely, briskly skim,
With rushing streams that flow with no restraint or rein,
تمشيwalk on فتحملُthen carry غُصناًa branch مُزهراًblossoming نَضِراًfresh
تمشي فتحملُ غُصناً مُزهراً نَضِراً
أَوْor وَرْدَةًa rose لمdid not تُشَمِّهْmar حُسنَهاits beauty قَدَمُa foot
أَوْ وَرْدَةً لم تُشَمِّهْ حُسنَها قَدَمُ
They walk on, bearing a fresh, blossoming branch,
Flowing, they carry a blossoming branch, verdant,
Sweeping along a blooming bough, so fresh and green,
Or a rose whose beauty no foot has marred,
Or a rose whose beauty no feet have trod,
Or a lonely rose whose grace no wandering foot has marred,
أَوor نحلَةًa bee جرَّهاdragged it التيَّارُthe current مُنْدَفِعاًrushing
أَو نحلَةً جرَّها التيَّارُ مُنْدَفِعاً
إلىtoward البحارِthe seas تُغنّيsing فوقهاabove them الدِّيَمُthe steady rains
إلى البحارِ تُغنّي فوقها الدِّيَمُ
Or a bee dragged along by the rushing current
Or a bee the current sweeps, swift and heedless
Or a helpless bee, dragged downward by the rushing tide,
Toward the seas, above which steady rains sing,
To the seas where it hums beneath the haze,
Towards the seas where endless rains sing overhead,
أَوor طائراًa bird ساحراًenchanting مَيْتاًdead قَدindeed انْفجرتْhave burst forth
أَو طائراً ساحراً مَيْتاً قَد انْفجرتْ
فيin مُقْلَتَيْهِits two eyes جِراحٌwounds جمَّةٌnumerous وَدَمُand blood
في مُقْلَتَيْهِ جِراحٌ جمَّةٌ وَدَمُ
Or an enchanting, dead bird—there have erupted
Or a wondrous, warbling bird, now lifeless,
Or an enchanting dead bird, within whose glassy eyes
In its eyes many wounds and blood.
Its eyes still wet with wounds and clotted blood.
Deep wounds have burst, and blood has welled in pain.
ياO قلبُheart إنَّكَindeed you are كونٌa universe مُدْهِشٌastonishing عَجَبٌa marvel
يا قلبُ إنَّكَ كونٌ مُدْهِشٌ عَجَبٌ
إنif يُسأَلَare asked النَّاسُthe people عنabout آفاقِهِits horizons يَجِمواfall silent
إن يُسأَلَ النَّاسُ عن آفاقِهِ يَجِموا
O heart, you are an astonishing universe, a marvel;
O heart, you are an astonishing universe, a wonder -
O heart, you are a universe of wonder and of awe,
If people are asked about its horizons, they fall silent.
If people are asked of its horizons, they are mum,
If men are asked of your horizons, silence binds their tongues.
كأَنَّكَas though you were الأَبدُeternity المجهولُunknown قَدْindeed عَجَزَتْhave failed
كأَنَّكَ الأَبدُ المجهولُ قَدْ عَجَزَتْ
عنكَto comprehend you النُّهىintellects واكْفَهَرَّتْand scowled حولكَaround you الظُّلَمُdarkness
عنكَ النُّهى واكْفَهَرَّتْ حولكَ الظُّلَمُ
As though you were unknown eternity, beyond
As though you are the unknown eternity that flummoxed
As if you are the unknown Eternity that defies
The grasp of reason, with darkness scowling around you.
Reason and around which darkness heaved and swelled.
The grasp of minds, while darkness gathers round your rim.
ياO قلبُheart كمhow many مِنْof مسرَّاتٍjoys وأخْيلةٍand imaginings
يا قلبُ كم مِنْ مسرَّاتٍ وأخْيلةٍ
ولذَّةٍand delight يَتَحَامَىshuns ظِلَّهاits shadow الألمُpain
ولذَّةٍ يَتَحَامَى ظِلَّها الألمُ
O heart, how many joys and imaginings,
O heart, within you lies many a pleasure and fantasy
O heart, how many joys and fleeing fantasies,
And delights whose shadow pain avoids,
And delight whose shadow pain evades,
And pleasures whose soft shadows the pain dares not invade,
غنَّتْsang لفجرِكَfor your dawn صوتاًa voice حالماًdreamy فرِحاًjoyful
غنَّتْ لفجرِكَ صوتاً حالماً فرِحاً
نَشْوانَintoxicated with joy ثمَّthen توارتْvanished وانقضَىand ended النَّغمُthe melody
نَشْوانَ ثمَّ توارتْ وانقضَى النَّغمُ
Have sung for your dawn in a dreamy, joyful voice,
Who sang to your dawn in a voice enchanted, joyous,
Have sang unto your dawn with a dreamy, joyful voice,
Rapturous; then they vanished, and the melody ended.
Delighted and clear, then faded as the tune dimmed.
A drunken song—then vanished, and the melody decayed.
وكمand how often رأىsaw ليلُكَyour night الأَشباحَthe specters هائمةًwandering
وكم رأى ليلُكَ الأَشباحَ هائمةً
مَذْعورةًterrified تتهاوَىtumble down حَوْلَهاaround them الرُّجمُthe hurled stones
مَذْعورةً تتهاوَى حَوْلَها الرُّجمُ
And how often your night saw wandering specters,
And how many phantoms did your night behold, restless,
And how often has your night beheld the wandering ghosts,
Terrified, as hurled stones tumbled around them,
Terrified, crumbling as the stones rained upon them,
In terror, as the falling meteors crash around their flight.
ورَفْرَفَand fluttered الأَلمُpain الدَّاميbleeding بأجنحةٍwith wings
ورَفْرَفَ الأَلمُ الدَّامي بأجنحةٍ
مِنَof اللَّهيبِflame وأَنَّand groaned الحُزْنُgrief والنَّدَمُand remorse
مِنَ اللَّهيبِ وأَنَّ الحُزْنُ والنَّدَمُ
And bleeding pain fluttered with wings
And how pain's bloody wings, aflame, did flutter
And bloody Pain has fluttered there on wings of fire,
Of flame, and grief and remorse groaned.
When sorrow and regret burned fierce within.
Made of the flame, while Sorrow groaned with deep Regret.
وَكَمْand how often مشتْwalked فوقكَover you الدُّنياthe world بأَجمعهاin its entirety
وَكَمْ مشتْ فوقكَ الدُّنيا بأَجمعها
حتَّىuntil توارَتْvanished وسارَand walked on الموتُdeath والعدمُand nothingness
حتَّى توارَتْ وسارَ الموتُ والعدمُ
And how often the whole world walked over you,
And how the whole world walked your surface
How often has the entire world walked over you,
Until it vanished, and death and nothingness walked on.
Until it waned and death and oblivion came,
Until it passed, and Death and Nothingness marched on.
وشيَّدَتْand built حولكَaround you الأَيَّامُthe days أبنيةًbuildings
وشيَّدَتْ حولكَ الأَيَّامُ أبنيةً
مِنَof الأَناشيدِsongs تُبْنَىare built ثُمَّthen تنهدمُcollapse
مِنَ الأَناشيدِ تُبْنَى ثُمَّ تنهدمُ
And the days built buildings around you
And how the days built around you edifices
And Time has raised up mighty structures all around,
Of songs, built up and then collapsing.
Of hymns constructed then collapsed as one.
Constructed out of anthems, built to fall and fade.
تَمضيpasses on الحَيَاةُlife بماضيهاwith its past وحاضرِهاand its present
تَمضي الحَيَاةُ بماضيها وحاضرِها
وتذهَبُand depart الشَّمْسُthe sun والشُّطْآنُand the shores والقِممُand the peaks
وتذهَبُ الشَّمْسُ والشُّطْآنُ والقِممُ
Life passes on with its past and its present,
Life goes on with its past and present
Life moves along with all its past and present days,
And the sun, the shores, and the peaks depart.
While the sun, wadis and peaks all fade away,
And suns and shores and mountain peaks all pass away.
وأَنْتَand you أَنْتَyou الخِضَمُّthe ocean الرَّحْبُvast لاno فَرَحٌjoy
وأَنْتَ أَنْتَ الخِضَمُّ الرَّحْبُ لا فَرَحٌ
يَبْقىremains علىon سطحكَyour surface الطَّاغيsurging ولاnor أَلمُpain
يَبْقى على سطحكَ الطَّاغي ولا أَلمُ
And you—you are the vast ocean; no joy
Yet you remain the same - vast, capacious,
But you remain the vast and boundless ocean deep,
Remains on your surging surface, nor any pain.
No fleeting joy or pain disturb your tide.
Where neither joy nor pain survives your overwhelming sway.
ياO قلبُheart كمhow often قَدْindeed تملَّيتَyou have savored الحَيَاةَlife وَكَمْand how often
يا قلبُ كم قَدْ تملَّيتَ الحَيَاةَ وَكَمْ
رقَّصتَهاyou made it dance مَرَحاًjoyfully مَاnot مسَّكَtouched you السَّأَمُboredom
رقَّصتَها مَرَحاً مَا مسَّكَ السَّأَمُ
O heart, how often you have savored life, and how often
O heart, how you've embraced life and danced with it,
O heart, how you have savored life, and how often
You made it dance for joy; boredom never touched you!
Twirling with delight, unplagued by ennui.
You danced with it in glee, untouched by weariness.
وَكَمْand how often توَشَّحْتَyou cloaked yourself منof ليلٍnight ومنand of شَفَقٍtwilight
وَكَمْ توَشَّحْتَ من ليلٍ ومن شَفَقٍ
ومِنْand of صَباحٍmorning تُوَشِّيembroider ذيلَهُits hem السُّدُمُthe mists
ومِنْ صَباحٍ تُوَشِّي ذيلَهُ السُّدُمُ
And how often you cloaked yourself in night and twilight,
And how you've donned the dusk and dawn's attire,
How often have you robed yourself in night and twilight,
And in morning whose hem the mists embroider!
The train of sunset's gown trailing behind you.
And in the morn, whose hem the misty clouds caress.
وَكَمْand how often نَسَجْتَyou wove منfrom الأَحلامِdreams أَرديةًrobes
وَكَمْ نَسَجْتَ من الأَحلامِ أَرديةً
قَدْindeed مزَّقَتْهاhave torn them اللَّياليthe nights وهيwhile they تَبْتَسِمُsmile
قَدْ مزَّقَتْها اللَّيالي وهي تَبْتَسِمُ
And how often you wove robes from dreams,
And how of dreams you have sewn gowns
How many cloaks of dreams you wove with tender care,
Which the nights tore apart while smiling!
The nights have shredded while softly grinning.
Which nights have torn to shreds, while smiling all the while.
وَكَمْand how often ضَفَرْتَyou braided أَكاليلاًwreaths مورَّدَةًrose-colored
وَكَمْ ضَفَرْتَ أَكاليلاً مورَّدَةً
طارتْflew off بهاwith them زَعْزَعٌa gale تدويroars وتَحْتَدِمُand rages
طارتْ بها زَعْزَعٌ تدوي وتَحْتَدِمُ
And how often you braided rosy wreaths,
And how you've braided flowered wreaths
How many rosy wreaths and garlands you have braided,
Carried off by a roaring, raging gale!
Borne off by tempest's roar and furious scream.
Snatched by a howling gale that rages and resounds.
وَكَمْand how often رسمتَyou drew رسوماًpictures لاnot تُشابِهُهاresemble them
وَكَمْ رسمتَ رسوماً لا تُشابِهُها
هذيthese العَوالِمُworlds والأَحلامُand dreams والنُّظُمُand systems
هذي العَوالِمُ والأَحلامُ والنُّظُمُ
And how often you drew pictures unlike
And how you've drawn designs unmatched in beauty
How many visions you have drawn, unmatched by aught
These worlds, dreams, and systems!
By these worlds, dreams and harmonious order -
In all these worlds, these systems, or the dreams of men.
كأَنَّهاas though they were ظُلَلُcanopies الفِرْدَوْسِParadise حافِلةًfilled
كأَنَّها ظُلَلُ الفِرْدَوْسِ حافِلةً
بالحُورِwith houris ثمَّthen تلاشتْfaded away واختفىand vanished الحُلُمُthe dream
بالحُورِ ثمَّ تلاشتْ واختفى الحُلُمُ
As though they were the canopies of Paradise, filled
As though they are glimpses of Paradise, brimming
As though they were the shades of Paradise, replete
With houris; then they faded, and the dream vanished.
With maidens, then fading, the vision robbed.
With celestial maidens—then they vanished with the dream.
تبلُوyou test الحَيَاةَlife فتبلِيهاthen wear it out وتخلَعُهاand cast it off
تبلُو الحَيَاةَ فتبلِيها وتخلَعُها
وتستجدُّand take up anew حياةًa life مَاnot لهاit has قِدمُage
وتستجدُّ حياةً مَا لها قِدمُ
You test life, wear it out, and cast it off,
You taste life and test it and then cast it off,
You wear out life, and cast it off like worn-out clothes,
And take on a new life that knows no age.
Seeking a novel life devoid of precedent.
And ever seek a new existence, fresh and young.
وأَنْتَand you أَنْتَyou شبابٌyouth خالدٌeternal نضرٌfresh
وأَنْتَ أَنْتَ شبابٌ خالدٌ نضرٌ
مثلُlike الطَّبيعَةِnature لاno شَيْبٌgray hair ولاnor هرَمُold age
مثلُ الطَّبيعَةِ لا شَيْبٌ ولا هرَمُ
And you—you are youth, eternal and fresh,
You are eternal youth, vitality abounds,
For you—and only you—are youth, eternal, green,
Like nature: neither gray hair nor old age.
Like nature, knowing neither age nor frailty.
Just like the wild Nature, knowing neither age nor gray.
Sol 6.1