كُلَّevery يَومٍday مِهرَجانٌa festival كَلَّلواthey crowned
كُلَّ يَومٍ مِهرَجانٌ كَلَّلوا
فيهِin it مَيتاًa dead man بِرَياحينَwith fragrant flowers of الثَناءpraise
فيهِ مَيتاً بِرَياحينَ الثَناء
Every day, a festival: they crowned
Every day a festival they crowned
A dead man there with the fragrant blossoms of praise.
Within it a dead man with praise scents
لَمnot يُعَلِّمhe taught قَومَهُhis people حَرفاًa letter وَلَمand not
لَم يُعَلِّم قَومَهُ حَرفاً وَلَم
يُضِىءِhe lit الأَرضَthe earth بِنورِwith the light of الكَهرُباءelectricity
يُضِىءِ الأَرضَ بِنورِ الكَهرُباء
He taught his people not a letter, nor
He did not teach his people a craft, nor
Lit the earth with the light of electricity.
Illuminate the earth with the light bulb
جومِلَwere flattered الأَحياءُthe living فيهِthrough him وَقَضىand fulfilled
جومِلَ الأَحياءُ فيهِ وَقَضى
شَهَواتَthe desires of أَهلِهِhis family وَالأَصدِقاءand friends
شَهَواتَ أَهلِهِ وَالأَصدِقاء
Through him the living were flattered, and he fulfilled
His living loved ones gathered in it and fulfilled
The desires of his family and friends.
The desires of his family and friends
ماhow أَضَلَّmisguided الناسَpeople حَتّىeven المَوتُdeath لَمnot
ما أَضَلَّ الناسَ حَتّى المَوتُ لَم
يَخلُbe free مِنof زورٍfalsehood لَهُمof theirs أَوor مِنof رِياءhypocrisy
يَخلُ مِن زورٍ لَهُم أَو مِن رِياء
How misguided people are! Even death has not
He did not mislead people until death
Been free of their falsehood or hypocrisy.
Was empty of lies for them or hypocrisy
إِنَّماonly يُبكىis mourned شُعاعٌa ray نابِغٌbrilliant
إِنَّما يُبكى شُعاعٌ نابِغٌ
كُلَّماwhenever مَرَpassed بِهِover it الدَهرُtime أَضاءshone
كُلَّما مَرَ بِهِ الدَهرُ أَضاء
Only a ray of genius is mourned,
It is only a brilliant ray wept over
Whenever time passes over it, it shines.
Whenever time passed by it illuminated
مَلَأَfilled الأَفواهَthe mouths وَالأَسماعَand the ears فيamid
مَلَأَ الأَفواهَ وَالأَسماعَ في
ضَجَّةِthe clamor of المَحياlife وَفيand in صَمتِthe silence of الفَناءdeath
ضَجَّةِ المَحيا وَفي صَمتِ الفَناء
He filled mouths and ears amid
It filled mouths and ears amidst
Life's clamor and the silence of death.
The clamor of the alive and the silence of demise
حائِطُguardian of الفَنِّart وَبانيand builder of رُكنِهِits pillar
حائِطُ الفَنِّ وَباني رُكنِهِ
مَعبَدُMa'bad الأَلحانِmelodies إِسحَقُIshaq الغِناءsong
مَعبَدُ الأَلحانِ إِسحَقُ الغِناء
Art's guardian, and builder of its pillar,
The wall of art and its pillar’s builder
The Ma'bad of melodies, the Ishaq of song.
The temple of melodies is Isaac, the singing
مِنamong أُناسٍpeople كَالدَراريlike brilliant stars جُدُدٍnew
مِن أُناسٍ كَالدَراري جُدُدٍ
فيin سَمَواتِthe heavens of اللَياليthe nights قُدَماءancient
في سَمَواتِ اللَيالي قُدَماء
Among people like brilliant stars, new
Of people like the Pleiades renewed
In the heavens of the nights, yet ancient.
In the heavens of nights ancient
غَرَسَplanted الناسُpeople قَديماًlong ago وَبَنَواand built
غَرَسَ الناسُ قَديماً وَبَنَوا
لَمnot يَدُمendured غَرسٌa planting وَلَمand not يَخلُدlived forever بِناءa building
لَم يَدُم غَرسٌ وَلَم يَخلُد بِناء
People planted long ago and built;
They planted long ago and built
No planting endured, no building lived forever,
No planting lasted nor building immortalized
غَيرَexcept غَرسٍa planting نابِغٍbrilliant أَوor حَجَرٍa stone
غَيرَ غَرسٍ نابِغٍ أَو حَجَرٍ
عَبقَرِيٍّof genius فيهُماin both of them سِرُّthe secret of البَقاءpermanence
عَبقَرِيٍّ فيهُما سِرُّ البَقاء
Except a brilliant planting, or a stone
Except a brilliant planting or a stone
Of genius: in both lies the secret of permanence,
Of a genius in both the secret of survival
مِنfrom يَدٍa hand مَوهوبَةٍgifted مُلهَمَةٍinspired
مِن يَدٍ مَوهوبَةٍ مُلهَمَةٍ
تَغرِسُplants الإِحسانَgoodness أَوor تَبنيbuilds العَلاءgreatness
تَغرِسُ الإِحسانَ أَو تَبني العَلاء
From a gifted, inspired hand
From a gifted inspired hand
That plants goodness or builds greatness.
That plants benevolence or builds sublime
بُلبُلٌa nightingale إِسكَندَرِيٌّAlexandrian أَيكُهُhis grove
بُلبُلٌ إِسكَندَرِيٌّ أَيكُهُ
لَيسَis not فيon الأَرضِearth وَلَكِنbut فيin السَماءheaven
لَيسَ في الأَرضِ وَلَكِن في السَماء
An Alexandrian nightingale, whose grove
A nightingale Alexandrian, is it you
Is not on earth, but in heaven.
Not on earth, but in the sky
هَبَطَdescended to الشاطِئَthe shore مِنfrom رابِيَةٍa hill
هَبَطَ الشاطِئَ مِن رابِيَةٍ
ذاتِwith ظِلٍّshade وَرَياحينَand fragrant flowers وَماءand water
ذاتِ ظِلٍّ وَرَياحينَ وَماء
He descended to the shore from a hill
It descended the coast from a lofty
With shade, fragrant flowers, and water.
Place of shade, fragrance and water
يَحمِلُcarries الفَنَّart نَميراًsweet and refreshing صافِياًclear
يَحمِلُ الفَنَّ نَميراً صافِياً
غَدَقَcopious النَبعِthe spring إِلىto جيلٍa generation ظِماءthirsty
غَدَقَ النَبعِ إِلى جيلٍ ظِماء
Carrying art as sweet, clear water,
Bearing pure, delicate art
Copious from its source, to a thirsty generation.
The spring overflowed to a thirsty generation
حَلَّsettled فيin وادٍa valley عَلىdespite فُسحَتِهِits spaciousness
حَلَّ في وادٍ عَلى فُسحَتِهِ
عَزَّتِwere scarce الطَيرُthe birds بِهِin it إِلّاexcept الحِداءkites (birds)
عَزَّتِ الطَيرُ بِهِ إِلّا الحِداء
He settled in a valley where, for all its breadth,
It settled in a valley, in its expanse
Birds were scarce, save kites.
All birds were honored by it except the screeching
يَملَأُfills الأَسحارَthe hours before dawn تَغريداًwith warbling إِذاwhen
يَملَأُ الأَسحارَ تَغريداً إِذا
صَرَفَsent الطَيرَthe birds إِلىto الأَيكِthe grove العِشاءnightfall
صَرَفَ الطَيرَ إِلى الأَيكِ العِشاء
He fills the hours before dawn with warbling, when
It fills the dawns with trilling when
Nightfall sends the birds to the grove.
It turns the birds to the nests for supper
رُبَّماat times اِستَلهَمَsought inspiration from ظَلماءَthe darkness of الدُجىnight
رُبَّما اِستَلهَمَ ظَلماءَ الدُجى
وَأَتىand went to الكَوكَبَthe star فَاِستَوحىthen sought inspiration from الضِياءthe light
وَأَتى الكَوكَبَ فَاِستَوحى الضِياء
At times he sought inspiration in the darkness of night,
It may inspire the darkness of night
And went to the star, then drew inspiration from the light.
And comes to the planet so draws illumination
وَرَمىand directed أُذَنيهِhis two ears فيtoward ناحِيَةٍone direction
وَرَمى أُذَنيهِ في ناحِيَةٍ
يَخلِسُsnatches الأَصواتَthe sounds خَلسَas the snatching of البَبَّغاءthe parrot
يَخلِسُ الأَصواتَ خَلسَ البَبَّغاء
And turned his two ears in one direction,
And casts its ears in a direction
Snatching sounds as a parrot does.
To catch voices secretly like the parrot
فَتَلَقّىso he received فيهِماin both of them ماwhat راعَهُstruck him
فَتَلَقّى فيهِما ما راعَهُ
مِنfrom خَفِيِّthe faintness of الهَمسِwhispering أَوor جَهرِthe loudness of النِداءcalling
مِن خَفِيِّ الهَمسِ أَو جَهرِ النِداء
So through them he caught what struck him,
So it receives in them what moves it
From a faint whisper or a loud call.
Of the hidden whispers or loud calling
أَيُّهاO الدَرويشُDarwish قُمrise بُثَّpour out الجَوىpassionate longing
أَيُّها الدَرويشُ قُم بُثَّ الجَوى
وَاِشرَحِand unfold الحُبَّlove وَناجِand commune with الشُهَداءthe martyrs
وَاِشرَحِ الحُبَّ وَناجِ الشُهَداء
O Darwish, rise; pour out your longing,
O dervish, get up and spread the talk
And unfold love, and commune with the martyrs.
And explain love and whisper to the martyrs
اِضرِبِstrum العودَthe oud تَفُهwill speak أَوتارُهُits strings
اِضرِبِ العودَ تَفُه أَوتارُهُ
بِالَّذيof what تَهوىyou love وَتَنطِقُand utter ماwhat تَشاءyou wish
بِالَّذي تَهوى وَتَنطِقُ ما تَشاء
Strum the oud; its strings will speak
Strum the lute, its strings chant
Of what you love, and utter what you wish.
What you desire and speak what you wish
حَرِّكِplay النايَthe reed flute وَنُحand lament فيwithin غابِهِits reeds
حَرِّكِ النايَ وَنُح في غابِهِ
وَتَنَفَّسand breathe فيinto الثُقوبِthe holes الصُعَداءdeep sighs
وَتَنَفَّس في الثُقوبِ الصُعَداء
Play the reed flute, and lament within its reeds,
Move the flute and moan in its forest
And breathe deep sighs into its holes.
And breathe in its steep hollows
وَاِسكُبِand pour العَبرَةَa tear فيinto آماقِهِthe corners of its eyes
وَاِسكُبِ العَبرَةَ في آماقِهِ
مِنfrom تَباريحَanguish وَشَجوٍand sorrow وَعَزاءand consolation
مِن تَباريحَ وَشَجوٍ وَعَزاء
And pour a tear into the corners of its eyes,
And pour sorrow in its depths
From anguish, sorrow, and consolation.
Of crying, passion and mourning
وَاِسمُand rise aloft بِالأَرواحِwith the souls وَاِدفَعهاand propel them إِلىtoward
وَاِسمُ بِالأَرواحِ وَاِدفَعها إِلى
عالَمِthe world of اللُطفِgrace وَأَقطارِand the realms of الصَفاءpurity
عالَمِ اللُطفِ وَأَقطارِ الصَفاء
And lift souls aloft, and urge them toward
And roam with the souls and send them to
The world of grace and the realms of purity.
The world of subtlety and lands of serenity
لاdo not تُرِقshed دَمَعاًtears عَلىfor الفَنِّart فَلَنfor never
لا تُرِق دَمَعاً عَلى الفَنِّ فَلَن
يَعدِمَlack الفَنُّart الرُعاةَthe guardians الأُمَناءtrustworthy
يَعدِمَ الفَنُّ الرُعاةَ الأُمَناء
Shed no tears for art, for never
Do not shed a tear for art, for it will not
Will art lack trustworthy guardians.
Lack shepherds and caretakers
هُوَit طَيرُthe bird of اللَهِGod فيupon رَبوَتِهِits hill
هُوَ طَيرُ اللَهِ في رَبوَتِهِ
يَبعَثُHe sends الماءَwater إِلَيهِto it وَالغِذاءand food
يَبعَثُ الماءَ إِلَيهِ وَالغِذاء
It is God's bird upon its hill;
It is God’s bird in His care
He sends it water and food.
He sends it water and food
رَوَّحَbrought refreshment اللهُGod عَلىto الدُنياthe world بِهِthrough it
رَوَّحَ اللهُ عَلى الدُنيا بِهِ
فَهيَso it مِثلُlike الدارِthe house وَالفَنُّand art الفِناءthe courtyard
فَهيَ مِثلُ الدارِ وَالفَنُّ الفِناء
God refreshed the world through it,
God breezed over the world through it
So it is like a house, and art the courtyard.
So it is like the house and art perishes
تَكتَسيclothes itself مِنهُfrom it وَمِنand from آذارِهِits March
تَكتَسي مِنهُ وَمِن آذارِهِ
نَفحَةَa breath of الطيبِfragrance وَإِشراقِand the radiance of البَهاءsplendor
نَفحَةَ الطيبِ وَإِشراقِ البَهاء
From it and from its March, the world robes itself
It dresses in its fragrance
In a breath of fragrance and the radiance of splendor.
And the splendor of beauty
وَإِذاand when ماever حُرِمَتit is deprived of رِقَّتَهُits tenderness
وَإِذا ما حُرِمَت رِقَّتَهُ
فَشَتِspread القَسوَةُcruelty فيهاwithin it وَالجَفاءand harshness
فَشَتِ القَسوَةُ فيها وَالجَفاء
And whenever it is deprived of art's tenderness,
And if deprived of its tenderness
Cruelty and harshness spread within it.
Harshness and aridity spread in it
وَإِذاand when ماever سَئِمَتit grows weary أَوor سَقِمَتit falls ill
وَإِذا ما سَئِمَت أَو سَقِمَت
طافَcircled كَالشَمسِlike the sun عَلَيهاover it وَالهَواءand the air
طافَ كَالشَمسِ عَلَيها وَالهَواء
And whenever it grows weary or falls ill,
And if it grew bored or sick
Art circles it like the sun and the air.
It circulated like the sun and air over it
وَإِذاand when الفَنُّart عَلىupon المُلكِthe kingdom مَشىwalked
وَإِذا الفَنُّ عَلى المُلكِ مَشى
ظَهَرَappeared الحُسنُbeauty عَلَيهِupon it وَالرُواءand splendor
ظَهَرَ الحُسنُ عَلَيهِ وَالرُواء
And when art walks over a kingdom,
And if art walked with the kingdom
Beauty and splendor appear upon it.
Beauty and prosperity appeared through it
قَدindeed كَساclothed الكَرنَكُKarnak مِصراًEgypt ماwhat كَساit clothed
قَد كَسا الكَرنَكُ مِصراً ما كَسا
مِنof سَنىًradiance أَبلىwore out اللَياليthe nights وَسَناءand grandeur
مِن سَنىً أَبلى اللَيالي وَسَناء
Karnak has clothed Egypt in all it has bestowed:
The karnak dressed Egypt like no
Radiance that has worn out the nights, and grandeur.
Clothing eroded by nights and years
يُرسِلُsends اللَهُGod بِهِwith it الرُسلَmessengers عَلىat
يُرسِلُ اللَهُ بِهِ الرُسلَ عَلى
فَتَراتٍintervals مِنof ظُهورٍemergence وَخَفاءand concealment
فَتَراتٍ مِن ظُهورٍ وَخَفاء
God sends messengers with it, at
God sends messengers through it at
Intervals of emergence and concealment.
Intervals of appearing and hiding
كُلَّماwhenever أَدّىdelivered رَسولٌa messenger وَمَضىand departed
كُلَّما أَدّى رَسولٌ وَمَضى
جاءَcame مَنone who يوفيrenders fully الرِسالاتِthe messages الأَداءthe delivery
جاءَ مَن يوفي الرِسالاتِ الأَداء
Whenever a messenger has delivered his message and gone,
Whenever a messenger fulfilled and left
One comes to deliver the messages in full.
One who completes the messages came
سَيِّدَmaster of الفَنِّart اِستَرِحrest مِنfrom عالَمٍa world
سَيِّدَ الفَنِّ اِستَرِح مِن عالَمٍ
آخِرُthe last العَهدِexperience بِنُعماهُof its bliss البَلاءaffliction
آخِرُ العَهدِ بِنُعماهُ البَلاء
Master of art, rest from a world
Master of art, rest from a world
Whose blessings end in affliction.
Whose last era afflicted it with ordeals
رُبَّماat times ضِقتَyou felt distressed فَلَمand did not تَنعَمfind joy بِهِin it
رُبَّما ضِقتَ فَلَم تَنعَم بِهِ
وَسَرىand flowed الوَحيُinspiration فَنَسّاكَand so made you forget الشَقاءmisery
وَسَرى الوَحيُ فَنَسّاكَ الشَقاء
At times you were distressed and found no joy in it,
Perhaps you were frustrated so did not enjoy it
And inspiration flowed, making you forget misery.
And revelation flowed, forgetting your misery
لَقَدِindeed اِستَخلَفتَyou appointed as successor فَنّاًan artistic talent نابِغاًbrilliant
لَقَدِ اِستَخلَفتَ فَنّاً نابِغاً
دَفَعَhanded الفَنُّart إِلَيهِto him بِاللِواءwith the banner
دَفَعَ الفَنُّ إِلَيهِ بِاللِواء
You have indeed left a brilliant talent as successor;
You have deputized brilliant art
Art has entrusted him with the banner.
Art handed over the banner to it
إِنَّindeed فيin مُلكِthe reign of فُؤادٍFuad بُلبُلاًa nightingale
إِنَّ في مُلكِ فُؤادٍ بُلبُلاً
لَمnot يُتَحwas granted أَمثالُهُthose like him لِلخُلَفاءto the caliphs
لَم يُتَح أَمثالُهُ لِلخُلَفاء
Indeed, in Fuad's reign there is a nightingale
In the kingdom of a heart is a nightingale
Whose like was not granted to the caliphs.
The likes of it unparalleled by caliphs
ناحِلٌslender كَالكُرَةِlike the sphere الصُغرىthe smaller سَرىtraveled
ناحِلٌ كَالكُرَةِ الصُغرى سَرى
صَوتُهُhis voice فيthrough كُرَةِthe sphere of الأَرضِearth الفَضاءvast
صَوتُهُ في كُرَةِ الأَرضِ الفَضاء
Slender as the smaller sphere—yet there spread
A chanter like the small sphere flowed
His voice through earth's vast sphere.
Its voice in the sphere of the vast space
يَستَحيhe is shy أَنthat يَهتِفَcries out الفَنُart بِهِin his praise
يَستَحي أَن يَهتِفَ الفَنُ بِهِ
وَجَمالُand the beauty of العَبقَرِيّاتِgifts of genius الحَياءmodesty
وَجَمالُ العَبقَرِيّاتِ الحَياء
He is shy of having art acclaim him,
Art is too shy to chant it
And modesty is the beauty of genius.
And the beauty of genius is modesty
Sol 6.1