آذارMarch أقبلhas arrived قمrise بناwith us ياO صاحfriend
آذار أقبل قم بنا يا صاح
حىّgreet الربيعspring حديقةthe garden of الأرواحsouls
حىّ الربيع حديقة الأرواح
March has come; rise with us, my friend.
March has come, so rise with us, O companion,
Greet spring, the garden of souls.
And revive the garden of souls with spring,
واجمعand gather ندامىboon companions of الظرفwit تحتbeneath لوائهits banner
واجمع ندامى الظرف تحت لوائه
وانشرand spread بساحتهin its grounds بساطthe carpet of الرياحthe winds
وانشر بساحته بساط الرياح
And gather companions of wit beneath its banner,
And gather the boon friends under its banner,
And spread the carpet of the winds across its grounds.
And spread out on its ground the carpets of wind.
صفوserenity أُتيحwas granted فخذso take لنفسكfor yourself قسطهاits share
صفو أُتيح فخذ لنفسك قسطها
فالصفوfor serenity ليسis not علىover المدىthe span of time بمتاحavailable
فالصفو ليس على المدى بمتاح
Serenity has been granted; take your own share,
Take your share of pure wine while it's allowed,
For serenity is not forever available.
As pure wine is not always readily available,
واجلسand sit بضاحكةin the smiling part of الرياضthe gardens مصفقاclapping
واجلس بضاحكة الرياض مصفقا
لتجاوبto answer الأوتارthe strings والأقداحand the goblets
لتجاوب الأوتار والأقداح
And sit amid the smiling gardens, clapping,
And sit happily in the garden's laughter,
To answer the strings and the goblets.
Responding to the rhythm of strings and goblets.
واستأنسّand seek companionship منamong السقاةthe cupbearers برفقةwith a company
واستأنسّ من السقاة برفقة
غرbright-faced كأمثالlike the counterparts of النجومthe stars صباحhandsome
غر كأمثال النجوم صباح
And seek congenial company among the cupbearers,
Befriend the cupbearers with kindness,
Bright-faced and fair, like the stars.
Dazzling like the stars in the morning.
ربتwere nurtured كندمانlike the boon companions of الملوكkings خلالهمtheir virtues
ربت كندمان الملوك خلالهم
وتجملواand they adorned themselves بمروءةwith chivalry وسماحand generosity
وتجملوا بمروءة وسماح
Their manners were nurtured like those of kings' companions,
They were raised like the guests of kings among them,
And they adorned themselves with chivalry and generosity.
Beautified with chivalry and generosity.
واجعلand make صبوحكyour morning draught فيin البكورthe early morning سليلةa daughter
واجعل صبوحك في البكور سليلة
للمنجَبينof the two noble progenitors الكرمthe grapevine والتفاحand the apple
للمنجَبين الكرم والتفاح
And make your early morning draught a daughter
Let your mornings in the prime of youth be descendants,
Of two noble parents, the grapevine and the apple.
Of the noble and the fruits of generosity.
مهماwhenever فضضتyou unsealed دنانهاher wine jars فاستضحكتand she smiled
مهما فضضت دنانها فاستضحكت
ملئwas filled المكانthe place سناradiance وطيبand fragrance نُفاحwafting
ملئ المكان سنا وطيب نُفاح
Whenever you unseal her jars and she smiles,
However much its involucres burst into laughter,
The place fills with radiance and sweet, wafting fragrance.
Filling the place with sparkling and fragrant breath.
تطغىshe grows unruly فإنbut if ذكرتshe recalled كريمthe nobility of أصولهاher origins
تطغى فإن ذكرت كريم أصولها
خلعتshe bestowed علىupon النشوانthe drunkard حليةthe adornment of صاحىa sober person
خلعت على النشوان حلية صاحى
She grows unruly; but if she recalls her noble lineage,
It boasts, so if you recall its noble origins,
She robes the drunkard in a sober person's adornment.
It adorns the branches with the jewel of dawn.
فرعونPharaoh خبأهاhe stored her away ليومfor the day of فتوحهhis conquests
فرعون خبأها ليوم فتوحه
وأعدand he prepared منهاsome of her قربةan offering لفتاحto Ptah
وأعد منها قربة لفتاح
Pharaoh stored her away for the day of his conquests,
Pharaoh hid it for the day of its conquest,
And prepared some of her as an offering to Ptah.
And prepared a vessel for its opener.
ماwhat lies بينbetween شادa singer فيin المجالسthe gatherings أيكهhis grove
ما بين شاد في المجالس أيكه
ومحجباتand the veiled females of الأيكthe grove فيin الأدواحthe great trees
ومحجبات الأيك في الأدواح
Between a singer whose grove is the gathering-hall
Among the gatherings it cheers between,
And the grove's veiled songstresses in the great trees,
And the veiled women during siestas.
غردa melodious singer علىupon أوتارهhis strings يوحىsends inspiration إلىto
غرد على أوتاره يوحى إلى
غردa melodious singer علىupon أغصانهhis branches صداحfull-voiced
غرد على أغصانه صداح
A singer at his strings sends inspiration to
It sings to its strings evoking,
A full-voiced singer upon his branches.
It trills to its branches chirping.
بيضwhite القلانسthe caps فيin سوادthe blackness of جلاببrobes
بيض القلانس في سواد جلابب
حُلينthey were adorned بالأطواقwith neck-rings والأوضاحand silver ornaments
حُلين بالأطواق والأوضاح
White-capped, in black robes,
White veils amidst black gowns
Adorned with neck-rings and silver ornaments,
Adorned with buckles and bracelets.
رتّلنthey chanted فيamid أوراقهنtheir leaves ملاحناmelodies
رتّلن في أوراقهن ملاحنا
كالراهباتlike nuns صبيحةthe morning of الإفصاحEaster
كالراهبات صبيحة الإفصاح
They chant melodies amid their leaves,
They chant melodies in their leaves
Like nuns on Easter morning.
Like nuns at the dawn of revelation.
يخطرنthey sway gracefully بينamong أرائكcouches ومنابرand pulpits
يخطرن بين أرائك ومنابر
فيin هيكلa sanctuary منof سندسfine silk فياحspacious
في هيكل من سندس فياح
They sway among couches and pulpits,
They wander between couches and pulpits
In a spacious sanctuary of fine silk.
In a temple of silky transparency.
ملكking of النباتthe plants فكلso every أرضland دارهhis abode
ملك النبات فكل أرض داره
تلقاهgreets him بالأعراسwith weddings والأفراحand rejoicing
تلقاه بالأعراس والأفراح
King of the plants, every land is his abode,
The king of plants, so every land of his,
Greeting him with weddings and rejoicing.
Receives him with weddings and joys.
منشورةunfurled أعلامهhis banners منof أحمرred
منشورة أعلامه من أحمر
قانdeep crimson وأبيضَand white فيon الربىthe hills لماحflashing
قان وأبيضَ في الربى لماح
His banners are unfurled in red,
His red, yellow and white flags in the vegetation fluttering,
Deep crimson, and flashing white upon the hills.
The meadows wore for his arrival horses and ornaments.
لبستdonned لمقدمهfor his arrival الخمائلthe thickets وشيهاtheir brocade
لبست لمقدمه الخمائل وشيها
ومرحنand they frolicked فيin كنفshelter لهhis وجناحand a wing
ومرحن في كنف له وجناح
The thickets donned their brocade for his arrival,
And kissed his feet the beauties and adorned them,
And frolicked in his shelter and beneath his wing.
And frolicked in shelter and wing.
يغشىvisits المنازلthe dwellings منthrough لواحظglances of نرجسnarcissus
يغشى المنازل من لواحظ نرجس
آناat one time وآناand at another منthrough ثغورmouths of أقاحdaisies
آنا وآنا من ثغور أقاح
He visits the dwellings through narcissus glances,
The fragrance of narcissus from the crenels of his porches wafts,
At times, and at others through the mouths of daisies.
Moment by moment from the embrasures of buds.
ورؤوسand heads of منثورstock flowers خفضنthey lowered لعزهbefore his majesty
ورؤوس منثور خفضن لعزه
تيجانهنtheir crowns عواطرfragrant الأرواحthe scents
تيجانهن عواطر الأرواح
And heads of stock flowers lowered, before his majesty,
And bow their plumed heads in his glory,
Their crowns, fragrant with perfume.
Their tiaras being the fancies of souls.
الوردthe rose فيon سُرُرthe couches of الغصونthe branches مفتحblooming
الورد في سُرُر الغصون مفتح
متقابلfacing one another يثنىpraises علىupon الفتاحthe Opener
متقابل يثنى على الفتاح
The rose blooms on the boughs' couches,
The roses in the bowers of branches blossom,
Facing its fellows, praising the Opener.
Facing each other folding to the creator.
ضاحيsunlit المواكبthe processions فيin الرياضthe gardens مميزdistinguished
ضاحي المواكب في الرياض مميز
دونapart from الزهورthe flowers بشوكةby a thorn وسلاحand a weapon
دون الزهور بشوكة وسلاح
Sunlit in its garden processions, it stands apart
Distinguishing itself among the flowers with thorns and arms,
From the other flowers by its thorn and weapon.
Is the proud procession in the gardens.
مرpassed النسيمthe breeze بصفحتيهover its two cheeks مقبلاkissing
مر النسيم بصفحتيه مقبلا
مرlike the passing of الشفاهlips علىover خدودthe cheeks of ملاحbeauties
مر الشفاه على خدود ملاح
The breeze passed over its two cheeks, kissing them,
The breeze passed with its pages coming and going,
As lips pass over the cheeks of beauties.
And mouths passed on blushing cheeks.
هتكtore away الردىdeath منfrom حسنهits beauty وبهائهand its splendor
هتك الردى من حسنه وبهائه
بالليلby night ماwhat نسجتwove يدthe hand of الإصباحdawn
بالليل ما نسجت يد الإصباح
Death tore away from its beauty and splendor
It stripped the veil of its beauty and splendor by night,
By night what the hand of dawn had woven.
Of what the hands of dawn had woven.
ينبيكtells you مصرعهits downfall وكلand every زائلpassing thing
ينبيك مصرعه وكل زائل
أنthat الحياةlife كغدوةlike a morning outing ورواحand an evening return
أن الحياة كغدوة ورواح
Its fall, and every passing thing, tells you
Its death warns you and all that passes away,
That life is like a morning outing and an evening return.
That life is but a morning and an evening.
ويقائقand delicate petals (unclear spelling) النَّسرينwild roses فيon أغصانهاtheir branches
ويقائق النَّسرين في أغصانها
كالدرlike pearls ركبwere set فيupon صدورthe heads of رماحspears
كالدر ركب في صدور رماح
And the wild roses' delicate petals on their branches
And the warbling of starlings in their branches,
Are like pearls set upon spearheads.
Is like scattered pearls in the breasts of lances.
والياسمينand jasmine لطيفةdelicate ونقيهand its pure blossoms
والياسمين لطيفة ونقيه
كسريرةlike the inner soul of المتنزهthe virtuous man المسماحthe generous one
كسريرة المتنزه المسماح
And jasmine, delicate and pure,
And sweet, pure jasmine
Is like the heart of a virtuous, generous man.
Like the terrace of the walked promenade.
متألِقglittering خللamid الغصونthe branches كأنهas though it were
متألِق خلل الغصون كأنه
فيin بلُجِةِthe brightness of (unclear wording) الأفنانِthe boughs ضوءthe light of صباحmorning
في بلُجِةِ الأفنانِ ضوء صباح
Glittering amid the branches, as though it were
Gleaming through the branches as if it were,
Amid the brightness of the boughs, the light of morning.
In the clarity of dawns a morning light.
وand الجُلِّنارpomegranate blossom دمblood علىupon أوراقهِits leaves
و الجُلِّنار دم على أوراقهِ
قانيcrimson الحروفِin lettering كخاتمlike the seal of السفاحthe blood-shedder
قاني الحروفِ كخاتم السفاح
And pomegranate blossom is blood upon its leaves,
And the rose laurel blood on its leaves,
Crimson in its lettering, like the blood-shedder's seal.
Red script like the ring of a warrior.
وكأنand as though محزونsorrowful البنفسجِthe violet ثاكلone bereaved of a child
وكأن محزون البنفسجِ ثاكل
يلقىmeets القضاءfate بخشيةٍwith reverence وصلاحand righteousness
يلقى القضاء بخشيةٍ وصلاح
And the sorrowful violet seems a bereaved parent,
And as if the sullen violet muttering,
Meeting fate with reverence and righteousness.
Submitting to fate timidly and rightly.
وعلىand upon الخواطرthe thoughts رقةtenderness وكابةand melancholy
وعلى الخواطر رقة وكابة
كخواطرlike the thoughts of الشعراءpoets فيin الأتراحsorrows
كخواطر الشعراء في الأتراح
And over its thoughts lie tenderness and melancholy,
And to the spirit's tenderness and grief,
Like poets' thoughts in times of sorrow.
Like the spirit of poets in solitude.
والسَروand the cypress فيin الحِبَرِstriped robes السوابِغflowing كاشفbaring
والسَرو في الحِبَرِ السوابِغ كاشف
عنfrom ساقهِits leg كمليحةِlike a lovely woman مِفراحmerry
عن ساقهِ كمليحةِ مِفراح
And the cypress, in flowing striped robes, bares
And the cypress revealing from its thick foliage,
Its leg, like a lovely, merry woman.
Its trunk like a beautiful wild cow.
والنخلand the palms ممشوقslender القدودِin figure معصَّبturbaned
والنخل ممشوق القدودِ معصَّب
متزينadorned بمناطقِwith girdles ووِشاحand a sash
متزين بمناطقِ ووِشاح
And the palms, slender of figure and turbaned,
And the palm adorned with belts and scarves,
Are adorned with girdles and a sash,
Like Pharaoh’s daughters who witnessed processions
كبناتِlike the daughters of فرعونٍPharaoh شهدنthey watched مواكباprocessions
كبناتِ فرعونٍ شهدن مواكبا
تحتunder المراوحthe fans فيon نهارٍa day ضاحsunlit
تحت المراوح في نهارٍ ضاح
Like Pharaoh's daughters watching processions
Under shades in a hot day.
Beneath fans on a sunlit day.
And you see the sky like a marble wall,
وترىand you see الفضاءthe sky كحائطlike a wall منof مرمرٍmarble
وترى الفضاء كحائط من مرمرٍ
نَضِدتwere arranged عليهupon it بدائِعwondrous الألواحpanels
نَضِدت عليه بدائِع الألواح
And you see the sky as a marble wall
On which masterpieces of panels were inlaid.
On which wondrous panels have been arranged.
The clouds on it like ostrich with fat humps,
الغيمthe clouds فيهin it كالنعامlike ostriches بدينةheavy-bodied
الغيم فيه كالنعام بدينة
بركتknelt وأخرىand another حلقتsoared بجناحon a wing
بركت وأخرى حلقت بجناح
The clouds there are like ostriches: one, heavy-bodied,
Some knelt and others circled with wings.
Has knelt, while another soars on its wing.
And the sun brighter than a bride who veiled,
والشمسand the sun أبهىmore radiant منthan عروسٍa bride برقعتwas veiled
والشمس أبهى من عروسٍ برقعت
يومon the day of الزفافthe wedding بمسجدٍin a mosque وضاحradiant
يوم الزفاف بمسجدٍ وضاح
And the sun is more radiant than a veiled bride
Her wedding day in a shining mosque.
On her wedding day, in a shining mosque.
And the valley’s water seeming like conduits
والماءand the water بالوادىin the valley يخالis imagined مسارباchannels
والماء بالوادى يخال مساربا
منof زئبقٍmercury أوor ملقياتِlaid-out صِفاحِmetal plates
من زئبقٍ أو ملقياتِ صِفاحِ
And the valley's water seems like channels
Of mercury or large mirrors.
Of mercury, or metal plates laid down.
The sun of day sent it rays,
بعثتsent لهto it شمسthe sun of النهارdaytime أشعةrays
بعثت له شمس النهار أشعة
كانتbecame حُلَىthe ornaments of النيلوفرwater lilies السباحfloating
كانت حُلَى النيلوفر السباح
The daytime sun has sent it rays
Which were water-lily’s swimming jewelry.
That became the ornaments of floating water lilies.
It blooms on the leaves of branches abundance,
يزهوgleams علىon ورقِthe leaves of الغصونthe branches نثيرهاtheir scattered light
يزهو على ورقِ الغصون نثيرها
زهوlike the gleaming of الجواهرِjewels فيin بطونthe hollows of الرّاحpalms
زهو الجواهرِ في بطون الرّاح
Their scattered light gleams upon the boughs' leaves,
Like the luster of gems in the mounts of wind.
As jewels gleam in the hollows of palms.
And canals ran like herons in the villages,
وجرتand turned سواقٍwaterwheels كالنوادبlike mourners بالقرىin the villages
وجرت سواقٍ كالنوادب بالقرى
رعنthey startled الشجىّthe sorrowful one بأنهٍwith a moan ونواحand lamentation
رعن الشجىّ بأنهٍ ونواح
And waterwheels turn like village mourners,
Grazing the darkness with cares and sorrows.
Startling the sorrowful with moans and lamentation.
The complainers who never knew youthfulness,
الشاكياتthe complainers وماand not عرفنthey knew صبابةlove's longing
الشاكيات وما عرفن صبابة
الباكياتthe weepers بمدمعwith a tearful eye سحاحstreaming abundantly
الباكيات بمدمع سحاح
Complaining, though they have never known love's longing,
The criers with shedding tears.
Weeping with tears that stream in torrents,
From every breast of ribs a suffering prisoner,
منfrom كلeach باديةshowing الضلوعthe ribs غليلةٍparched
من كل بادية الضلوع غليلةٍ
والماءand the water فيin أحشائهاher entrails ملواحthirst-inducing
والماء في أحشائها ملواح
Each with ribs exposed and burning thirst,
And inside it tossing waters.
Though the water in her belly only sharpens thirst.
She cries if accused and laughs when caressed,
تبكىshe weeps إذاwhen ونيتshe slackens وتضحكand she laughs إنif هفتshe speeds
تبكى إذا ونيت وتضحك إن هفت
كالعِيِسlike pale camels بينbetween تنشيطٍurging onward ورزاحand exhaustion
كالعِيِس بين تنشيطٍ ورزاح
She weeps when she slows, and laughs when she speeds,
Like a cub between alertness and comfort.
Like pale camels between urging onward and exhaustion.
She is in chains and shackles and her neighbor,
هيshe فيin السلاسلthe chains والغلولand fetters وجارهاand her neighbor
هي في السلاسل والغلول وجارها
أعمىblind ينوءstrains بنيرهbeneath his yoke الفداحcrushing
أعمى ينوء بنيره الفداح
She is in chains and fetters, while her neighbor,
A blind man groaning from his heavy burden.
Blind, strains beneath his crushing yoke.
When I recall springtime and its beauty,
أنindeed (text unclear) لأذكرI surely recall بالربيعthrough spring وحسنهand its beauty
أن لأذكر بالربيع وحسنه
عهدthe days of الشباyouth وطِرفهand its steed الممراحfrolicsome
عهد الشبا وطِرفه الممراح
I indeed recall, through spring and its beauty,
I recall the era of my youth and its playfulness.
The days of youth and its frolicsome steed.
Was it not but a flower like its flowers,
هلwhether كانit was إلاanything but زهرةa flower كزهورهlike its flowers
هل كان إلا زهرة كزهوره
عجلhastened الفناءperishing لهاfor it بغيرwithout جُناحfault
عجل الفناء لها بغير جُناح
Was it anything but a flower like its flowers,
Which demise hastened without wings?
Whose end came swiftly, through no fault of its own?
It is an epic of Egypt that has no end,
هولHall كينCaine مصرEgypt روايةa tale لاnot تنتهىcomes to an end
هول كين مصر رواية لا تنتهى
منهاwith it يدthe hand of الكتابthe writers والشراحand commentators
منها يد الكتاب والشراح
Hall Caine, Egypt is a tale never exhausted
From which the hands of writers and explainers tire.
By the hands of writers and commentators.
In it from the scrolls, psalms, the bracelet,
فيهاin it منsome of البردىpapyrus والمزمورand psalms والand the
فيها من البردى والمزمور وال
سّوارةbracelet (uncertain in context) والفرقانand the Criterion والإصحاحand the scriptural chapter
سّوارة والفرقان والإصحاح
Within it are papyrus, psalms, and the
And the Criterion and the chapters.
Bracelet [uncertain in context], the Criterion, and the scriptural chapter.
And from us and Memphis to Alexander,
ومناand Mena وقمبيزand Cambyses إلىto إسكندرAlexander
ومنا وقمبيز إلى إسكندر
فالقيصرينthen the two Caesars فذىthen the wearer of الحلالthe robes صلاحSalah
فالقيصرين فذى الحلال صلاح
And Mena and Cambyses, down to Alexander,
So the two Caesars, then the Righteous Caliph.
Then the two Caesars, then Salah, wearer of robes.
Those eras and civilizations are a treasure,
تلكthose الخلائقpeoples والدهورand ages خزانةa treasury
تلك الخلائق والدهور خزانة
فابعثso send forth خيالكyour imagination يأتit will come بالمفتاحwith the key
فابعث خيالك يأت بالمفتاح
Those peoples and ages form a treasury;
So send your imagination to come with the key.
Send forth your imagination: it will bring the key.
The horizons of the country and you among its expanse,
أُفقthe horizon of البلادthe land وأنتwhile you are بينamong ربوعهاits dwellings
أُفق البلاد وأنت بين ربوعها
بالنجمwith the star مزدانadorned وبالمصباحand with the lamp
بالنجم مزدان وبالمصباح
The land's horizon, while you are among its dwellings,
Adorned with stars and lamps.
Is adorned with the star and with the lamp.
Partial English translation: 103 of 104 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1