1. Fate insisted on challenging me throughout my life
And I have continued until today in the battle of life

2. I have carried on my back the cross of misery
And I have not tasted anything sweet from my cup except bitterness and gall

3. They say about me that I am an extremist
And I am proud of the blind principle I hold

4. And I only compose poetry so that
My status may be elevated through poetry

5. But where is the extremism they attribute to me?
The guide of my thought is honesty both in private and public

6. And what do people want from me? For I see
Some of them ridiculing me

7. Shall I muzzle my tongue from speaking the truth?
Or shall I restrain myself or sell them my thoughts?

8. I am a free man following the guidance
Of my conscience, desiring nothing but freedom

9. I have built with the free a fortified bridge
Let me in God's name walk on my bridge

10. I do not disregard the words and opinion of the wise
Nor do I turn my back on the advice of the sincere advisor

11. And I do not compose poetry for glory and loftiness
But the sorrows of the soul frolic in my chest

12. The breath of sorrow passes over my lyre
So a melody of poetry rises from its strings

13. My eyes have seen the world and shed their tears
And how could my eyes see horrors and not shed tears?

14. If I speak the truth, though it is a virtue
The daughter of ignorance accuses me of blasphemy

15. And I have not seen in this world an excuse
To defend the plain truth except the rider of the rugged ship

16. Everyone avoids him because he is virtuous
And virtue has no mention in the universe

17. Come, girl of love, let's avoid vanity
For the vanity of injustice and deceit has prevailed in the world

18. Come, in your eyes is the phantom of my happiness
Accompanying my journey through life to the grave

19. And bring me the lyre, companion of my solitude
So my soul may float above its red strings

20. Cutting through the night of life with companionship and song
And ascend the towers of the stars at dawn

21. Leave others intoxicated with the wine of ignorance
Searching in filth for a place of purity

22. Leave him, leave him and follow me proudly
We soar in the air of imagination with the eagles

23. There, where apple blossoms comfort our love
And we erect monuments to the elements and flowers

24. And we do not trample the plain truth with our feet
Or earn money through injustice and betrayal

25. There you will see honesty flourishing in its meadow
So you may pluck from it the most beautiful flowers for love

26. And when that happens I will throw myself into your arms
And cast my heart upon your ten fingers

27. Come, come, for all the angels
Distill in your eyelids a flask of sorcery

28. And if darkness overtakes us in love
We will take the glow of the full moon as our torch

29. The youth of the Orient, and basil grows in the Orient
Scattering its aromatic leaves in the air

30. You have long been faithful, and long
Have you vowed your love, and fulfilled the vow

31. I saw you in Baghdad, a sorrowful soul
Gazing out on Lebanon from the crevice of time

32. Shedding tears of sorrow in a drop of dew
Which spirits bring from that drop

33. My beloved, you have melted away half my heart
And how many times have you melted my heart in a line

34. Have you not seen Lebanon moaning and complaining
And living impatiently in the flames

35. Indeed it was fierce in battle and victorious
Yet now it is a fierce lion without victory

36. That is why I weep for it without patience
Were you not weeping in Iraq without patience?