أَيُّها الشَّعْبُ ليتني كنتُ حطَّاباً

أَيُّها الشَّعْبُ ليتني كنتُ حطَّاباً

فأهوي على الجذوعِ بفأسي

فأهوي على الجذوعِ بفأسي

O people, if only I were a woodcutter,

O people, would that I were a woodcutter

O People, would that I were a woodcutter,

Then I would strike the trunks with my axe.

To strike the trunks with my axe

Striking down the decaying trunks with my axe.

ليتني كنتُ كالسُّيولِ إِذا سالتْ

ليتني كنتُ كالسُّيولِ إِذا سالتْ

تَهُدُّ القبورَ رمساً برمسِ

تَهُدُّ القبورَ رمساً برمسِ

If only I were like torrents when they flow,

Would that I were like torrents when they flow

Would that I were like the torrents when they rush,

Demolishing graves, tomb by tomb.

That would shake graves with cruelty and sting

Demolishing the tombs, grave by grave.

ليتني كنتُ كالرِّياحِ فأطوي

ليتني كنتُ كالرِّياحِ فأطوي

كلَّ مَا يخنقُ الزُّهُورَ بنحسي

كلَّ مَا يخنقُ الزُّهُورَ بنحسي

If only I were like the winds, sweeping away

Would that I were like the winds, so I could bend

Would that I were like the winds, sweeping away

With my blight, all that chokes the flowers.

All that chokes the flowers with my ill omen

All that stifles the flowers with my misery.

ليتني كنتُ كالشِّتاءِ أُغَشِّي

ليتني كنتُ كالشِّتاءِ أُغَشِّي

كلّ مَا أَذْبَلَ الخريفُ بقرسي

كلّ مَا أَذْبَلَ الخريفُ بقرسي

If only I were like winter, covering

Would that I were like winter, covering

Would that I were like the winter, shrouding

With my frost all that autumn has withered.

All that autumn had withered with my harshness

All that autumn withered with my frost.

ليتَ لي قوَّةَ العواصفِ يا شعبي

ليتَ لي قوَّةَ العواصفِ يا شعبي

فأَلقي إليكَ ثَوْرَةَ نفسي

فأَلقي إليكَ ثَوْرَةَ نفسي

If only I had the strength of storms, my people,

If only I had the might of storms, O my people

Would that I held the power of the tempests, O my people,

So I could cast upon you my soul's revolt.

So I could hurl to you the revolt of my soul

To cast upon you the revolution of my soul.

ليتَ لي قوَّةَ الأَعاصيرِ إنْ ضجَّتْ

ليتَ لي قوَّةَ الأَعاصيرِ إنْ ضجَّتْ

فأدعوكَ للحياةِ بنبسي

فأدعوكَ للحياةِ بنبسي

If only I had the strength of hurricanes when they roar,

If only I had the might of tempests when provoked

Would that I held the might of hurricanes when they roar,

To call you to life with my voice.

So I could call you to life with my groan

To summon you to life with my cry.

ليتَ لي قوَّةَ الأَعاصير لكن

ليتَ لي قوَّةَ الأَعاصير لكن

أَنْتَ حيٌّ يقضي الحَيَاة برمسِ

أَنْتَ حيٌّ يقضي الحَيَاة برمسِ

If only I had the strength of hurricanes—but

If only I had the might of tempests, but you

Would that I had the hurricane's might—but alas,

You are a living being spending life in a tomb.

Are alive, life passes you by with insignificance

You are living beings spending life within a tomb.

أَنْتَ روحٌ غَبِيَّةٌ تكره النُّور

أَنْتَ روحٌ غَبِيَّةٌ تكره النُّور

وتقضي الدُّهُور في ليل مَلْسِ

وتقضي الدُّهُور في ليل مَلْسِ

You are a foolish soul that hates the light,

You are an ignorant spirit that hates light

You are a dull spirit that detests the light,

And spends the ages in a pitch-black night.

And spends ages in a night of softness

Passing the ages in a night of smooth darkness.

أَنْتَ لا تدركُ الحقائقَ إن طافتْ

أَنْتَ لا تدركُ الحقائقَ إن طافتْ

حواليكَ دون مسٍّ وجَبَّسِ

حواليكَ دون مسٍّ وجَبَّسِ

You do not grasp truths, even if they circle

You do not perceive truths though they hover

You do not grasp the truths that float

Around you, without touch and feeling by hand.

Around you without touch and determination

Around you, unless they be felt and hardened.

في صباحِ الحَيَاةِ ضَمَّخْتُ أَكوابي

في صباحِ الحَيَاةِ ضَمَّخْتُ أَكوابي

وأَترعتُها بخمرَةِ نفسي

وأَترعتُها بخمرَةِ نفسي

In the morning of life, I perfumed my cups,

In the morn of life I soaked my cups

In the morning of life, I perfumed my goblets,

And filled them to the brim with the wine of my soul.

And imbibed them with the wine of my soul

And filled them to the brim with the wine of my soul.

ثمَّ قَدَّمْتُها إليكَ فأَهرقْتَ

ثمَّ قَدَّمْتُها إليكَ فأَهرقْتَ

رحيقي ودُستَ يا شعبُ كأسي

رحيقي ودُستَ يا شعبُ كأسي

Then I offered them to you, but you spilled

Then presented them to you, but you spilled

Then I offered them to you, but you spilled

My nectar and trampled my cup, O people.

My drink and trampled my cup, O people

My nectar, and trampled, O people, upon my cup.

فتأَلَّمتُ ثمَّ أسْكَتُّ آلامي

فتأَلَّمتُ ثمَّ أسْكَتُّ آلامي

وكَفْكَفْتُ من شعوري وحسّي

وكَفْكَفْتُ من شعوري وحسّي

So I suffered, then silenced my pain,

So I suffered, then silenced my pain

I suffered, then I silenced my pain,

And restrained my feeling and sensibility.

And stifled my feelings and senses

And held back the flow of my feelings and sense.

ثمَّ نَضَّدْتُ من أَزاهيرِ قلبي

ثمَّ نَضَّدْتُ من أَزاهيرِ قلبي

باقةً لمْ يمسَّها أيُّ إنْسِي

باقةً لمْ يمسَّها أيُّ إنْسِي

Then, from the blossoms of my heart, I arranged

Then I picked from my heart’s flowers

Then I wove from the blossoms of my heart

A bouquet that no human being had touched.

A bouquet that no human had touched

A bouquet untouched by any human hand.

ثمَّ قَدَّْمتُها إليكَ فمزَّقْتَ

ثمَّ قَدَّْمتُها إليكَ فمزَّقْتَ

ورودي ودُسْتَهَا أَيَّ دَوْسِ

ورودي ودُسْتَهَا أَيَّ دَوْسِ

Then I offered it to you, but you tore apart

Yet you tore my roses and crushed them

Then I offered it to you, but you shredded

My roses and trampled them utterly.

With a crushing like no other crushing

My roses, and trampled them with utter scorn.

ثمَّ أَلبسْتَني منَ الحُزْنِ ثوباً

ثمَّ أَلبسْتَني منَ الحُزْنِ ثوباً

وبِشَوكِ الجبالِ تَوَّجْتَ رأسي

وبِشَوكِ الجبالِ تَوَّجْتَ رأسي

Then you clothed me in a garment of sorrow,

Then you clothed me in a robe of sorrow

Then you clothed me in a garment of sorrow,

And crowned my head with the thorns of the mountains.

And crowned my head with mountains' thorns

And crowned my head with the thorns of the mountains.

إنَّني ذاهبٌ إلى الغابِ يا شعبي

إنَّني ذاهبٌ إلى الغابِ يا شعبي

لأقضي الحَيَاةَ وحدي بيأسِ

لأقضي الحَيَاةَ وحدي بيأسِ

I am going to the forest, my people,

I am going to the forest, O my people

I am departing for the forest, O my people,

To spend my life alone in despair.

To spend my life alone in misery

To spend my life alone in my despair.

إنَّني ذاهبٌ إلى الغابِ علِّي

إنَّني ذاهبٌ إلى الغابِ علِّي

في صميم الغاباتِ أَدفنُ بؤسي

في صميم الغاباتِ أَدفنُ بؤسي

I am going to the forest; perhaps

I am going to the forest, so I can

I am departing for the forest, that perhaps

In the heart of the woods I may bury my misery.

Bury my wretchedness deep in the forests

In the heart of the woods, I might bury my misery.

ثم أنساك ما استطعت فما أنت

ثم أنساك ما استطعت فما أنت

بأهل لخمرتي ولكأسي

بأهل لخمرتي ولكأسي

Then forget you as much as I can, for you are not

Then forget you as much as I can, for you

And there I shall forget you as best I can, for you are not

Worthy of my wine and my cup.

Are not worthy of my wine or my cup

Worthy of my wine nor of my cup.

سوف أَتلو على الطُّيور أَناشيدي

سوف أَتلو على الطُّيور أَناشيدي

وأُفضِي لها بأشواقِ نفسي

وأُفضِي لها بأشواقِ نفسي

I shall recite my songs to the birds,

I will recite my songs to the birds

I shall recite my anthems to the birds,

And confide to them the longings of my soul.

And confide to them the longing of my soul

And confide in them the yearnings of my soul.

فَهْي تدري معنى الحَيَاة وتدري

فَهْي تدري معنى الحَيَاة وتدري

أنَّ مجدَ النُّفوسِ يَقْظَةُ حِسِّ

أنَّ مجدَ النُّفوسِ يَقْظَةُ حِسِّ

For they know the meaning of life, and know

For they know the meaning of life and know

For they know the meaning of life, and they know

That the glory of souls is the awakening of feeling.

That the glory of souls is in awareness and feeling

That the glory of the soul lies in the awakening of sense.

ثمَّ أقضي هناكَ في ظلمةِ اللَّيل

ثمَّ أقضي هناكَ في ظلمةِ اللَّيل

وأُلقي إلى الوُجُودِ بيأسي

وأُلقي إلى الوُجُودِ بيأسي

Then I shall die there in the darkness of night,

Then I will spend there in the darkness of night

Then I shall pass away there in the darkness of the night,

And cast my despair into existence.

Casting my despair into existence

Casting my despair into the void of existence.

ثمَّ تحتَ الصّنَوْبَر النَّاضر الحلو

ثمَّ تحتَ الصّنَوْبَر النَّاضر الحلو

تَخُطُّ السَّيولُ حُفْرَةَ رمسي

تَخُطُّ السَّيولُ حُفْرَةَ رمسي

Then beneath the sweet, verdant pines,

Then under the soft, verdant pine tree

Then beneath the lush, sweet pine trees,

The torrents will carve the hollow of my grave.

The torrents will dig my grave

The torrents shall carve out the pit of my grave.

وتظَلُّ الطُّيورُ تلغو على قَبْرِيَ

وتظَلُّ الطُّيورُ تلغو على قَبْرِيَ

ويشدو النَّسيمُ فوقي بهمسِ

ويشدو النَّسيمُ فوقي بهمسِ

And the birds will keep chattering upon my grave,

While the birds twitter over my tomb

And the birds shall continue to chatter over my tomb,

And the breeze will sing above me in a whisper.

And the breeze sings over me in a whisper

While the breeze sings above me in a whisper.

وتظلُّ الفُصولُ تمشي حوالَيَّ

وتظلُّ الفُصولُ تمشي حوالَيَّ

كما كُنَّ في غَضَارَةِ أَمسي

كما كُنَّ في غَضَارَةِ أَمسي

And the seasons will keep passing around me,

The seasons will go on walking around me

And the seasons shall continue to pass around me,

As they did in the bloom of my yesterday.

As they were in the freshness of my past evening

Just as they did in the freshness of my past.

أَيُّها الشَّعْبُ أَنْتَ طِفْلٌ صغيرٌ

أَيُّها الشَّعْبُ أَنْتَ طِفْلٌ صغيرٌ

لاعبٌ بالتُّرابِ والليلُ مُغْسِ

لاعبٌ بالتُّرابِ والليلُ مُغْسِ

O people, you are a little child,

O people, you are a little child

O People, you are but a small child,

Playing with dust while night grows dark.

Playing with dust while night falls murky

Playing with the dust while the night grows dark.

أَنْتَ في الكونِ قوَّةً لو تَسُسْها

أَنْتَ في الكونِ قوَّةً لو تَسُسْها

فكرةٌ عبقريَّةٌ ذاتُ بأسِ

فكرةٌ عبقريَّةٌ ذاتُ بأسِ

You are a force in the universe—if only it were guided

In this universe you are a force - if

You are a force in the universe, if only guided

By a brilliant idea endowed with might.

An ingenious idea would seize and shake you

By a genius thought possessed of might.

أَنْتَ في الكونِ قوَّةً كبَّلتْها

أَنْتَ في الكونِ قوَّةً كبَّلتْها

ظُلُماتُ العُصور مِنْ أمس أمسِ

ظُلُماتُ العُصور مِنْ أمس أمسِ

You are a force in the universe, shackled

In this universe you are a force - shackled

You are a force in the universe, shackled

By the darkness of ages, since yesterday's yesterday.

By darkness of ages past far past

By the darkness of ages from the deepest past.

والشقيُّ الشقيُّ من كانَ مثلي

والشقيُّ الشقيُّ من كانَ مثلي

في حَسَاسِيَّتي ورقَّةِ نفسي

في حَسَاسِيَّتي ورقَّةِ نفسي

And wretched, truly wretched, is whoever is like me

Wretched, wretched is he who is like me

And wretched, truly wretched, is he who is like me,

In my sensitivity and the tenderness of my soul.

In my sensitivity and fragility of soul

In my sensitivity and the frailty of my soul.

هكذا قالَ شاعرٌ ناولَ النَّاسَ

هكذا قالَ شاعرٌ ناولَ النَّاسَ

رحيقَ الحَيَاةِ في خيرِ كأسِ

رحيقَ الحَيَاةِ في خيرِ كأسِ

Thus spoke a poet who offered people

Thus spoke a poet who handed people

Thus spoke a poet who offered to the people

The nectar of life in the finest cup.

The wine of life in the best of cups

The nectar of life in the finest cup.

فأَشاحوا عنها ومرُّوا غضاباً

فأَشاحوا عنها ومرُّوا غضاباً

واستخفُّوا به وقالوا بيأْسِ

واستخفُّوا به وقالوا بيأْسِ

But they turned away from it and passed by in anger,

But they turned away sullenly

But they turned away and passed by in anger,

And scorned him and said in despair:

Mocked him and said in misery

Mocking him, and saying with scorn:

قَدْ أَضاعَ الرَّشادَ في ملعبِ الجِنِّ

قَدْ أَضاعَ الرَّشادَ في ملعبِ الجِنِّ

فيا بؤسَهُ أُصيبَ بمَسِّ

فيا بؤسَهُ أُصيبَ بمَسِّ

“He has lost his good sense in the playground of the jinn;

He has lost his wisdom in the jinn's playground

"He has lost his wits in the playground of the Jinn;

So alas for him—he has been possessed!

Oh his misery - he is afflicted with touch

Woe to him, he is touched by madness."

طالما خاطَبَ العواطفَ في اللَّيلِ

طالما خاطَبَ العواطفَ في اللَّيلِ

وناجى الأَمواتَ مِنْ كلِّ جِنْسِ

وناجى الأَمواتَ مِنْ كلِّ جِنْسِ

How often he addressed the emotions at night,

He always talked to feelings in the night

"Long has he addressed the spirits in the night,

And communed with the dead of every kind.

Conversed with the dead of every kind

And communed with the dead of every kind."

طالما رافق الظلام إلى الغاب

طالما رافق الظلام إلى الغاب

ونادى الأرواح من كل جنس

ونادى الأرواح من كل جنس

How often he accompanied darkness into the forest,

He always accompanied darkness to the forest

"Long has he walked with darkness into the forest,

And called upon spirits of every kind.

Called out to spirits of every kind

And called out to spirits of every race."

طالما حدَّثَ الشياطين في الوادي

طالما حدَّثَ الشياطين في الوادي

وغنَّى مع الرِّياح بجَرْسِ

وغنَّى مع الرِّياح بجَرْسِ

How often he spoke with devils in the valley,

He always chatted with devils in the valley

"Long has he spoken to demons in the valley,

And sang with the winds in ringing tones.

And sang with the winds with resonance

And sung along with the winds in chime."

إنَّه ساحرٌ تُعَلِّمُهُ السِّحْرُ

إنَّه ساحرٌ تُعَلِّمُهُ السِّحْرُ

الشياطينُ كلَّ مَطْلعِ شَمْسِ

الشياطينُ كلَّ مَطْلعِ شَمْسِ

He is a sorcerer, taught magic

He is a sorcerer taught by sorcery

"He is a sorcerer, taught his magic

By devils at every sunrise.

By devils at every sunrise

By the devils at every rising of the sun."

فابعِدوا الكافرَ الخبيثَ عن الهيكلِ

فابعِدوا الكافرَ الخبيثَ عن الهيكلِ

إنَّ الخَبيثَ منبعُ رِجْسِ

إنَّ الخَبيثَ منبعُ رِجْسِ

So drive the vile unbeliever away from the temple;

Banish the wicked blasphemer from the temple

"So banish the wicked infidel from the temple;

Indeed, the vile one is a source of defilement.

The wicked are a source of vileness

For the wicked one is a font of defilement."

اطردوه ولا تُصيخوا إليه

اطردوه ولا تُصيخوا إليه

فهو روحٌ شريرةٌ ذاتُ نحْسِ

فهو روحٌ شريرةٌ ذاتُ نحْسِ

Drive him out, and do not listen to him,

Expel him and lend no ear to him

"Cast him out and do not heed him,

For he is an evil spirit bearing ill fortune.”

He is an evil spirit of misfortune

For he is an evil spirit, bearing a curse."

هكذا قالَ شاعرٌ فيلسوفٌ

هكذا قالَ شاعرٌ فيلسوفٌ

عاشَ في شعبهِ الغبيِّ بتَعْسِ

عاشَ في شعبهِ الغبيِّ بتَعْسِ

Thus spoke a poet and philosopher,

Thus spoke a foolish people

Thus spoke a philosopher poet,

Who lived in misery among his foolish people.

Who lived with their ignorant poet miserably

Who lived among his dull people in misery.

جَهِلَ النَّاسُ روحَهُ وأغانيها

جَهِلَ النَّاسُ روحَهُ وأغانيها

فَسَاموا شعورَهُ سوْمَ بَخْسِ

فَسَاموا شعورَهُ سوْمَ بَخْسِ

The people did not understand his soul and its songs,

They misunderstood his spirit and his songs

The people knew not his soul nor its songs,

So they valued his feeling at a paltry price.

So they insulted his feelings disdainfully

And they held his feelings cheap and worthless.

فهو في مذهبِ الحَيَاةِ نبيٌّ

فهو في مذهبِ الحَيَاةِ نبيٌّ

وهو في شعبِهِ مُصابٌ بمسِّ

وهو في شعبِهِ مُصابٌ بمسِّ

For in the creed of life he is a prophet,

Though he is a prophet in the doctrine of life

For in the creed of Life, he is a prophet,

Yet among his people he is taken for one possessed.

Among his people he is afflicted with touch

But among his people, he is one touched by madness.

هكذا قالَ ثمَّ سارَ إلى الغابِ

هكذا قالَ ثمَّ سارَ إلى الغابِ

ليحيا حياةَ شِعْرٍ وقُدْسِ

ليحيا حياةَ شِعْرٍ وقُدْسِ

Thus he spoke, then went to the forest

Thus he spoke then walked to the forest

Thus he spoke, then walked into the forest,

To live a life of poetry and holiness.

To live a life of poetry and sanctity

To live a life of poetry and holiness.

وبعيداً هناكَ في معبد الغاب

وبعيداً هناكَ في معبد الغاب

الَّذي لا يُظِلُّهُ أَيُّ بؤْسِ

الَّذي لا يُظِلُّهُ أَيُّ بؤْسِ

And far away, there in the forest's temple,

And far away there in the temple of the forest

And far away there, in the temple of the forest,

Which no misery overshadows,

Untouched by any misery

Upon which no shadow of misery falls,

في ظلال الصَّنَوْبَرِ الحلوِ والزَّيتونِ

في ظلال الصَّنَوْبَرِ الحلوِ والزَّيتونِ

يقضي الحياة حَرْساً بحرْسِ

يقضي الحياة حَرْساً بحرْسِ

In the shade of sweet pines and olive trees,

In the shade of the sweet pine and olive trees

In the shade of the sweet pine and the olive,

He spends his life, one span after another.

He spends his life watching carefully

He passes his life, season upon season.

في الصَّباحِ الجميل يشدو مع الطَّيرِ

في الصَّباحِ الجميل يشدو مع الطَّيرِ

ويَمْشي في نشوةِ المُتَحَسِّي

ويَمْشي في نشوةِ المُتَحَسِّي

In the lovely morning he sings with the birds,

In the beautiful morning he sings with the birds

In the beautiful morning, he sings with the birds,

And walks in a drinker's rapture,

And walks in the bliss of awareness

And walks in the ecstasy of one who feels deeply.

نافخاً نايَهُ حواليْهِ تهتزُّ

نافخاً نايَهُ حواليْهِ تهتزُّ

ورودُ الرَّبيعِ مِنْ كلِّ قنْسِ

ورودُ الرَّبيعِ مِنْ كلِّ قنْسِ

Blowing his flute; around him sway

Blowing his flute around him the flowers

Playing his reed flute, while around him sway

Spring's roses, of every kind.

Of spring sway from every color

The roses of spring, of every kind.

شَعْرُهُ مُرْسَلٌ تُداعِبُهُ الرِّيحُ

شَعْرُهُ مُرْسَلٌ تُداعِبُهُ الرِّيحُ

على منكبيْه مثلَ الدُّمُقْسِ

على منكبيْه مثلَ الدُّمُقْسِ

His hair hangs loose, caressed by the wind,

His loose hair caressed by the breeze

His hair flows loose, caressed by the wind

Upon his shoulders, like silk.

On his shoulders like branches of the oak

Upon his shoulders like strands of silk.

والطُّيورُ الطِّرابُ تشدو حواليه

والطُّيورُ الطِّرابُ تشدو حواليه

وتلغو في الدَّوحِ مِنْ كلِّ جنْسِ

وتلغو في الدَّوحِ مِنْ كلِّ جنْسِ

And the joyful birds sing all around him,

The warbling birds sing around him

And the rapture-filled birds sing around him,

And chatter in the great trees, of every kind.

Chirping in the valley of every kind

Chirping in the branches, of every species.

وتراهُ عند الأصيلِ لدى الجدول

وتراهُ عند الأصيلِ لدى الجدول

يرنو للطَّائرِ المتحسِّي

يرنو للطَّائرِ المتحسِّي

And you see him in late afternoon beside the brook,

You see him by the stream near the creek

And you see him at twilight by the stream,

Gazing at the bird as it sips.

Yearning to the bird filled with feeling

Gazing at a bird sipping the water.

أَو يغنِّي بَيْنَ الصَّنَوْبَرِ أَو يرنو

أَو يغنِّي بَيْنَ الصَّنَوْبَرِ أَو يرنو

إلى سُدْفَةِ الظَّلامِ المُمَسِّي

إلى سُدْفَةِ الظَّلامِ المُمَسِّي

Or he sings among the pines, or gazes

Or singing between the pines, or yearning

Or singing amidst the pines, or gazing

Toward the dusk of the evening darkness.

To the twilight's sphere, the evening fader

Into the gathering gloom of the night.

فإذا أَقْبَلَ الظَّلامُ وأَمستْ

فإذا أَقْبَلَ الظَّلامُ وأَمستْ

ظلماتُ الوُجُود في الأَرضِ تُغسي

ظلماتُ الوُجُود في الأَرضِ تُغسي

And when darkness comes and, at evening,

Then when darkness comes and

And when the darkness comes, and the shadows

The shadows of existence deepen over the earth,

The darkness of existence covers the land

Of existence descend to cloak the earth,

كانَ في كوخه الجميل مقيماً

كانَ في كوخه الجميل مقيماً

يَسْأَلُ الكونَ في خشوعٍ وهَمْسِ

يَسْأَلُ الكونَ في خشوعٍ وهَمْسِ

He stays in his beautiful hut,

He stays in his lovely hut

He sits within his beautiful hut,

Questioning the universe in reverence and whispers

Asking the universe in humility and whispers

Questioning the universe in a reverent whisper:

عن مصبِّ الحَيَاةِ أَيْنَ مَداهُ

عن مصبِّ الحَيَاةِ أَيْنَ مَداهُ

وصميمِ الوُجُودِ أَيَّان يُرسي

وصميمِ الوُجُودِ أَيَّان يُرسي

About life's estuary—where its furthest reach lies,

About the estuary of life, where is its extent?

Asking of Life's destination, where its limit lies,

And the heart of existence—when it comes to anchor;

The heart of existence, where does it anchor?

And of the heart of Existence, where it shall anchor;

وأَريجِ الورودِ في كلِّ وادٍ

وأَريجِ الورودِ في كلِّ وادٍ

ونَشيدِ الطُّيورِ حين تمسِّي

ونَشيدِ الطُّيورِ حين تمسِّي

And the fragrance of roses in every valley,

The scent of roses in every valley

Asking of the fragrance of roses in every valley,

And the song of birds when evening comes,

The birds' melody as they vesper

And the song of the birds as evening falls;

وهزيمِ الرِّياح في كلِّ فَجٍّ

وهزيمِ الرِّياح في كلِّ فَجٍّ

ورُسُومِ الحَيَاةِ من أمس أمْسِ

ورُسُومِ الحَيَاةِ من أمس أمْسِ

And the roar of winds in every mountain pass,

The defeat of winds in every ravine

And the roaring of winds in every gorge,

And life's traces from yesterday's yesterday;

The forms of life from past far past

And the traces of life from the ancient past;

وأغاني الرُّعاة أَيْنَ يُواريها

وأغاني الرُّعاة أَيْنَ يُواريها

سُكُونُ الفَضا وأَيَّانَ تُمْسي

سُكُونُ الفَضا وأَيَّانَ تُمْسي

And shepherds' songs—where they are hidden

Where do the shepherd's songs conceal them

And the songs of the shepherds—where does the silence

By the stillness of space, and when they pass into evening.

The stillness of space and when do they vesper?

Of the void hide them, and where do they rest?

هكذا يَصْرِفُ الحَيَاةَ ويُفْني

هكذا يَصْرِفُ الحَيَاةَ ويُفْني

حَلَقَاتِ السِّنينِ حَرْساً بحَرْسِ

حَلَقَاتِ السِّنينِ حَرْساً بحَرْسِ

Thus he spends his life and exhausts

Thus he spends life and ends

Thus he spends his life, and wears away

The cycles of years, one span after another.

The rings of years carefully watching

The cycles of the years, epoch by epoch.

يا لها مِنْ معيشةٍ في صميمِ الغابِ

يا لها مِنْ معيشةٍ في صميمِ الغابِ

تُضْحي بَيْنَ الطُّيورِ وتُمْسي

تُضْحي بَيْنَ الطُّيورِ وتُمْسي

Oh, what a life in the heart of the forest,

What a life deep in the forest

Oh, what a life in the heart of the forest,

With mornings and evenings spent among birds!

Lived amongst birds as they vesper

Waking and sleeping amongst the birds!

يا لها مِنْ معيشةٍ لم تُدَنّسْهَا

يا لها مِنْ معيشةٍ لم تُدَنّسْهَا

نفوسُ الوَرَى بخُبْثٍ ورِجْسِ

نفوسُ الوَرَى بخُبْثٍ ورِجْسِ

Oh, what a life, never defiled

What a life undefiled

Oh, what a life, undefiled by the souls

By human souls with malice and defilement!

By the people's wickedness and vileness

Of men with their malice and their filth!

يا لها مِنْ معيشةٍ هيَ في الكونِ

يا لها مِنْ معيشةٍ هيَ في الكونِ

حياةٌ غريبةٌ ذاتُ قُدْسِ

حياةٌ غريبةٌ ذاتُ قُدْسِ

Oh, what a life—in the universe it is

What a life - in the universe

Oh, what a life! It is, within this universe,

A strange life endowed with holiness!

A strange life of sanctity

A strange existence, possessed of holiness.