الفن روض يمر القاطفون به

الفن روض يمر القاطفون به

والسارقون جماعات ووحدانا

والسارقون جماعات ووحدانا

Art is a garden through which its harvesters pass,

Art is a garden through which the gatherers pass,

and thieves as well, in groups and one by one.

And thieves, in groups and singly.

أولى الرجال به في الدهر مخترع

أولى الرجال به في الدهر مخترع

قد زاده جدولا أو زاد ريحانا

قد زاده جدولا أو زاد ريحانا

The man most entitled to it throughout the ages is an innovator

Of men, the most deserving of it through the ages is an innovator,

who has added a brook to it, or added sweet basil.

Who has added a brook to it, or added sweet basil.

لا تسأل الله فنا كل آونة

لا تسأل الله فنا كل آونة

واسأله في فترات الدهر فنانا

واسأله في فترات الدهر فنانا

Do not ask God for an art at every moment;

Do not ask God for an art at every moment;

ask Him, at intervals in time, for an artist.

And ask Him, at intervals through the ages, for an artist.

يا واحد الفن في أزجى معازفه

يا واحد الفن في أزجى معازفه

هذا أوان الثناء العدل قد آنا

هذا أوان الثناء العدل قد آنا

O peerless master of art in its choicest strains,

O art's peerless master, in its most flowing strains,

now the hour of rightful praise has come.

This is the hour of just praise; it has come.

يا رب ليل سمرنا الراح فاختلفت

يا رب ليل سمرنا الراح فاختلفت

على بنانك للسمار ألحانا

على بنانك للسمار ألحانا

Many a night the wine entertained us, then improvised

How many a night we kept company with wine, and it took changing forms

upon your fingertips melodies for the evening revelers.

On your fingertips, as melodies for the night companions.

تلك اللعيبة من عود ومن وتر

تلك اللعيبة من عود ومن وتر

لولا بنانك لم تجعل لها شانا

لولا بنانك لم تجعل لها شانا

That little plaything of wood and string—

That little plaything of wood and string—

but for your fingertips, it would have gained no distinction.

But for your fingertips, you would have given it no standing.

قد آنست رحمة في الصدر فاتكأت

قد آنست رحمة في الصدر فاتكأت

بجانب الأذن تستوحيك شيطانا

بجانب الأذن تستوحيك شيطانا

It sensed tenderness in your breast and nestled

It sensed compassion in the breast, and leaned

beside your ear, seeking inspiration from you as from a spirit of genius.

Beside the ear, seeking inspiration from you as from a demon.

كأنها عش طير هاج آهله

كأنها عش طير هاج آهله

من كل ناحية ينساب أشجانا

من كل ناحية ينساب أشجانا

As though it were a bird’s nest whose brood had stirred,

As though it were a bird's nest, its dwellers stirred,

from every side streaming forth in plaintive strains.

From every side it streams forth sorrows.

ضمتها وتواصت راحتاك بها

ضمتها وتواصت راحتاك بها

ضم الوليدة إشفاقا وإحسانا

ضم الوليدة إشفاقا وإحسانا

You clasped it, and your two palms charged each other with its care,

Your two palms embraced it, each urging the other to care for it,

as one clasps a newborn girl, with tenderness and kindness.

As one embraces a little girl, with tenderness and kindness.

تملى عليها الذي يوحى إليك به

تملى عليها الذي يوحى إليك به

كأن داوود والمزمار ما بانا

كأن داوود والمزمار ما بانا

You dictate to it that which is inspired to you,

You dictate to it what is revealed to you,

as though David and the reed-pipe had never parted.

As though David and the flute had never departed.

حركتها فأتاها الروح فاندفعت

حركتها فأتاها الروح فاندفعت

تبكى وتضحك أوتارا وعيدانا

تبكى وتضحك أوتارا وعيدانا

You stirred it; spirit came to it, and it burst forth,

You moved it; the spirit came to it, and it burst forth,

weeping and laughing through strings and lutes.

Weeping and laughing in strings and wood.

يا طيبها حين تحدوها بحنجرة

يا طيبها حين تحدوها بحنجرة

كخرطم النحل أرواحا وألوانا

كخرطم النحل أرواحا وألوانا

How sweet it is when you urge it onward with a voice

How sweet it is when you urge it on with a throat

like the bee’s proboscis, distilling essences and colors—

Like a bee's proboscis, in fragrances and colors.

مصرية النبر وهّابية عذبت

مصرية النبر وهّابية عذبت

شدوا ونوحا وترجيعا وتحنانا

شدوا ونوحا وترجيعا وتحنانا

Egyptian in accent, Wahhābian in style, sweetening

Egyptian in accent, Wahhabian, it grew sweet

song and lament, refrain and tender yearning.

In song, lament, melodic turns, and tender yearning.

ذكّرت خلقا وراء البحر مغتربا

ذكّرت خلقا وراء البحر مغتربا

مآلفا وصبابات وأوطانا

مآلفا وصبابات وأوطانا

You reminded a people exiled beyond the sea

You reminded a people, far from home beyond the sea,

of familiar haunts, ardent longings, and homelands.

Of familiar haunts, love's longings, and homelands.

غنيتهم بأغاني المهد فالتمسوا

غنيتهم بأغاني المهد فالتمسوا

في ملتقى القوس والأوتار لبنانا

في ملتقى القوس والأوتار لبنانا

You sang them cradle songs, and they sought

You sang them songs of the cradle, and they sought

Lebanon where bow and strings meet.

Lebanon where bow and strings meet.

ولو هتفت ببتهوفان ما انصرفت

ولو هتفت ببتهوفان ما انصرفت

لك القلوب وإن صادفت آذانا

لك القلوب وإن صادفت آذانا

Had you sung out with Beethoven, hearts would not have turned

Had you sung out with Beethoven, there would not have turned

to you, though you might have found ears.

Toward you any hearts, even if you had found ears.

سقيتهم من سلاف طالما دخلت

سقيتهم من سلاف طالما دخلت

عليهم المهد أعنابا وألبانا

عليهم المهد أعنابا وألبانا

You gave them to drink of a choice wine that had so often entered

You gave them a draught of pure wine that had so often come

their cradle as grapes and milk—

To them in the cradle as grapes and milk.

فن تعطل منه الشرق آونة

فن تعطل منه الشرق آونة

وكان شغل بني العباس أزمانا

وكان شغل بني العباس أزمانا

an art of which the East had for a time been bereft,

An art the East had gone without for a time,

though it had occupied the Abbasids for ages.

And which was the sons of Abbas's pursuit for ages.