رفَّتfluttered عليهover it مورقاتُleafy الغصونْboughs
رفَّت عليه مورقاتُ الغصونْ
وحفَّهُand surrounded it العُشْبُthe grass بنوَّارِهِwith its blossoms
وحفَّهُ العُشْبُ بنوَّارِهِ
Leafy boughs fluttered above it,
The branches softly rustled over it,
and grass encircled it with its blossoms.
The grass covered it with its blossoms.
ذلكthat قبرٌa grave لمdid not تَشِدْهُbuild it المنونْdeath
ذلك قبرٌ لم تَشِدْهُ المنونْ
بلrather شادهُbuilt it الشعرpoetry بآثارِهِwith its works
بل شادهُ الشعر بآثارِهِ
That is a grave Death did not build;
This is a grave untouched by death,
rather, poetry built it with its works.
Rather the poetry built it with its traces.
أقامهraised it منfrom لبناتbricks الفنونْthe arts
أقامه من لبنات الفنونْ
وزانهُand adorned it المجدُglory بأحجارِهِwith its stones
وزانهُ المجدُ بأحجارِهِ
It raised it from the bricks of the arts,
It was made from the bricks of arts,
and glory adorned it with its stones.
Adorned by glory with its stones.
ألقىlaid down بهin it الشاعرُthe poet عبءَthe burden الشجونْof sorrows
ألقى به الشاعرُ عبءَ الشجونْ
وأودعَand deposited القلبَthe heart بأسرارِهِwith its secrets
وأودعَ القلبَ بأسرارِهِ
There the poet laid down the burden of sorrows,
The poet unloaded his burden of yearning in it,
and laid his heart within, with its secrets.
And deposited his heart with its secrets.
وجاورتْهُand stood beside it نخلةٌa palm باسِقَةْtowering
وجاورتْهُ نخلةٌ باسِقَةْ
تجثمُcrouches فيin الواديthe valley إلىat جنبِهِits side
تجثمُ في الوادي إلى جنبِهِ
And a towering palm stood beside it,
A tall palm tree neighbored it,
crouching in the valley at its side,
Crouching in the valley next to it.
كأنهاas though it were الثاكلةُthe bereaved mother الوامِقَةْloving
كأنها الثاكلةُ الوامِقَةْ
تقضيspends مدىthe span of العمرlife إلىat قربِهِits nearness
تقضي مدى العمر إلى قربِهِ
as though it were a loving, bereaved mother,
As if it was the bereaved woman,
spending her whole life close to it.
Spending a lifetime near it.
تئنُّmoans فيهاin it النسمةُthe breeze الخافِقَةْfluttering
تئنُّ فيها النسمةُ الخافِقَةْ
كأنَّماas though تخفقُthrobs عنfrom قلبِهِhis heart
كأنَّما تخفقُ عن قلبِهِ
Within it the fluttering breeze moans,
The fluttering breeze moans in it,
as though throbbing from his heart.
As if it flaps about its heart.
وتُرسلُand sends forth الأغنيةَthe song الشائِقَةْenchanting
وتُرسلُ الأغنيةَ الشائِقَةْ
قمريةٌa turtledove ظلَّتْremained علىin حبِّهِlove for him
قمريةٌ ظلَّتْ على حبِّهِ
And an enchanting song is sent forth
And sends the yearning melody,
by a turtledove that still loves him.
Moonlike, shaded over his love.
ويقبلُand approaches الفجرُdawn الرقيقُdelicate الإهابْof skin
ويقبلُ الفجرُ الرقيقُ الإهابْ
يحنوbends tenderly علىover القبرthe grave بأضوَائِهِwith its lights
يحنو على القبر بأضوَائِهِ
And dawn approaches, delicate of skin,
And the delicate dawn kisses it,
bending tenderly over the grave with its lights,
Inclining over the grave with its lights.
كأنَّماas though ينْشُدُseeks تحتbeneath الترابْthe earth
كأنَّما ينْشُدُ تحت الترابْ
لؤلؤةًa pearl تُزريdoes discredit بلألَائِهِto its radiance
لؤلؤةً تُزري بلألَائِهِ
as though seeking beneath the earth
As if it is reciting under the soil,
a pearl that puts its radiance to shame.
For a pearl that glitters with its glittering.
استلَّdrew out منهاfrom it الموتُdeath ذاكthat الشهابْshooting star
استلَّ منها الموتُ ذاك الشهابْ
غيرَexcept for شعاعٍa ray، فيin الدجىdarkness تَائِهِlost
غيرَ شعاعٍ، في الدجى تَائِهِ
Death drew that shooting star out of it,
Death took from it that flame,
save for a ray astray in the darkness,
Except for a ray, wandering in the darkness.
يَظَلُّkeeps يهفوhovering فوقabove تلكthose الشعابْravines
يَظَلُّ يهفو فوق تلك الشعابْ
يطوفcircles باليَنبوعaround the wellspring منof مَائِهِhis water
يطوف باليَنبوع من مَائِهِ
that keeps hovering above those ravines,
It remains hovering over those cliffs,
circling the wellspring of his waters.
Circling the spring from its water.
ويذهبُand departs النُّورُlight ويأتيand comes الظلَامْdarkness
ويذهبُ النُّورُ ويأتي الظلَامْ
وتبزغand rise الأنجمُthe stars فيin نسْقِهِits ordered array
وتبزغ الأنجمُ في نسْقِهِ
And light departs and darkness comes,
The light goes and the darkness comes,
and the stars rise in its ordered array,
And the stars shine in their positions.
حيرىbewildered تحومcircle الليلَthe night كالمستهَامْlike a lovesick one
حيرى تحوم الليلَ كالمستهَامْ
أسهرهُkept him awake الثائرُthe surge منof شوْقِهِhis longing
أسهرهُ الثائرُ من شوْقِهِ
bewildered, circling through the night like a lovesick soul
Bewildered, they hover around the night,
whom the surge of his longing has kept awake.
Kept awake by the passionate longing for him.
تبحثُsearch عنfor نجمٍa star بتلكamong those الرجَامْstones
تبحثُ عن نجمٍ بتلك الرجَامْ
هوتْplunged بهwith it الأقدارُthe fates عنfrom أفْقِهِits horizon
هوتْ به الأقدارُ عن أفْقِهِ
They seek a star among those stones,
They search for a star in those sands,
which the fates hurled from its horizon—
Fate made it fall from its horizon.
أخٌa brother لهاof theirs فيon الأرضِthe earth ودَّdesired المقَامْdwelling
أخٌ لها في الأرضِ ودَّ المقَامْ
وآثرand preferred الغربَsetting فيin شرْقِهِhis rising
وآثر الغربَ في شرْقِهِ
a brother of theirs who wished to dwell on earth,
A brother to it in the land, he preferred the West over his East.
and chose to set while still rising.
And at dawn the birds sing their morning song
ويُطلقُand lets loose الطيرُthe bird نشيدthe hymn الصبَاحْof morning
ويُطلقُ الطيرُ نشيد الصبَاحْ
بنغمةٍin a melody تصدرissues عنfrom حزْنِهِits sorrow
بنغمةٍ تصدر عن حزْنِهِ
And the bird lets loose the morning hymn,
In a melody issuing from their sadness.
in a melody issuing from its sorrow.
They spread their wings over his grave
يَمُدُّspreads فوقَabove القبرِthe grave منهfrom itself الجنَاحْthe wing
يَمُدُّ فوقَ القبرِ منه الجنَاحْ
ويرسلand extends المنقارَthe beak فيinto ركْنِهِits corner
ويرسل المنقارَ في ركْنِهِ
It spreads its wing above the grave,
And thrust their beaks into its corner.
and extends its beak into a corner of it.
They pour out their laments for the sleeper in it,
أفضىconfided إلىto الراقدِthe sleeper فيهwithin it وبَاحْand disclosed
أفضى إلى الراقدِ فيه وبَاحْ
بأنَّهُthat it is الملهمُinspired منby فَنِّهِhis art
بأنَّهُ الملهمُ من فَنِّهِ
It confided in the sleeper there and confessed
That he was the inspirer of their art.
that it is inspired by his art.
From his rhymes the elegies drew,
فمنfor from قوافيهِhis rhymes استمدَّit drew النواحْlamentation
فمن قوافيهِ استمدَّ النواحْ
ومنand from أغانيهhis songs صدىthe echo لحْنِهِof its melody
ومن أغانيه صدى لحْنِهِ
For from his rhymes it drew its lament,
And from his songs the echo of his melody.
and from his songs, the echo of its melody.
When the winds of autumn pass,
وحينand when تمضيpass نسماتُbreezes الخرِيفْof autumn
وحين تمضي نسماتُ الخرِيفْ
وتملأand fill الأرضَthe earth رياحُwinds الشِّتَاءْof winter
وتملأ الأرضَ رياحُ الشِّتَاءْ
And when autumn's breezes pass,
And the gales of winter fill the land.
and winter's winds fill the earth,
When the frightening dark night comes,
ويقبلُand approaches الليلُnight الدُّجىdark المخِيفْfrightening
ويقبلُ الليلُ الدُّجى المخِيفْ
فلاand so not ترىyou see نجمًاa star ينيرُlighting السَّمَاءْthe sky
فلا ترى نجمًا ينيرُ السَّمَاءْ
and the dark, frightening night approaches,
And no star lights up the sky.
so you see no star lighting the sky,
No branch rustles over it,
هناكthere لاno غصنَbough عليهabove it ورِيفْlush
هناك لا غصنَ عليه ورِيفْ
يهفوflutters، ولاnor طيرٌa bird يثيرُstirs up الْغِنَاءْsong
يهفو، ولا طيرٌ يثيرُ الْغِنَاءْ
there, no lush bough above it
Nor does any bird arouse song.
flutters, nor does a bird stir up song.
The dense darkness shades the land,
يظللُovershadows الأرضَthe earth الظلامُdarkness الكثيفْdense
يظللُ الأرضَ الظلامُ الكثيفْ
كأنماas though تُمسيit passes the evening بواديin the valley الْفَنَاءْof annihilation
كأنما تُمسي بوادي الْفَنَاءْ
Dense darkness overshadows the earth,
As if it descends into the valley of annihilation.
as though at evening it lay in the valley of annihilation.
O poet, neither the stars of night nor sun of day,
ياO شاعرًاpoet ماnot جمعتنيbrought me together بِهِwith him
يا شاعرًا ما جمعتني بِهِ
كواكبُthe stars الليلof night وشمسُand the sun النهَارْof day
كواكبُ الليل وشمسُ النهَارْ
O poet, with whom I was never united
Brought me together with you.
by the stars of night or the sun of day,
But you are the East, and in my love for you,
لكنَّهbut it is الشرقُthe East وفيand in حبِّهِits love
لكنَّه الشرقُ وفي حبِّهِ
ينأىgoes far بناwith us الشوقُlonging وتدنوand draw near الديَارْhomelands
ينأى بنا الشوقُ وتدنو الديَارْ
but it is the East, and in its love
Yearning draws me near and the homelands grow close.
longing carries us far, and homelands draw near.
You poured from your longing into its heart,
سكبتَyou poured منsome of شجوكَyour sorrow فيinto قلْبِهِits heart
سكبتَ من شجوكَ في قلْبِهِ
ومنand from مآقيكَyour eye-corners الدموعَtears الغزَارْcopious
ومن مآقيكَ الدموعَ الغزَارْ
You poured some of your sorrow into its heart,
And from your tragedies copious tears.
and from the corners of your eyes, abundant tears;
He wished that if only he had slept in its soil,
فودَّso it wished أنْthat لوif only نمتyou had slept فيin ترْبِهِits soil
فودَّ أنْ لو نمت في ترْبِهِ
ليشفَيto heal النفسَthe soul بهذاthrough this الجوَارْnearness
ليشفَي النفسَ بهذا الجوَارْ
so it wished that you had slept in its soil,
To find solace in this companionship.
to heal the soul through this nearness.
You portrayed for me the grave into which you descend,
صوَّرَpictured ليfor me القبرَthe grave الذيwhich تنزلُyou dwell in
صوَّرَ لي القبرَ الذي تنزلُ
تَخَيُّلُthe imagining الشعرِof poetry ووحيُand the inspiration الشعُورْof feeling
تَخَيُّلُ الشعرِ ووحيُ الشعُورْ
The grave where you dwell was pictured for me
The imagination of poetry and the intuition of emotion.
by poetry's imagining and feeling's inspiration.
So I came to the grave with what adorns it,
فجئتُso I came للقبرto the grave بماwith what يجملُis beautiful
فجئتُ للقبر بما يجملُ
منamong صُوَرِimages الدنياof the world الفَتونِbeguiling الغَرورْdeceitful
من صُوَرِ الدنيا الفَتونِ الغَرورْ
So I came to the grave with what is beautiful
From the charming images of the world, the deceitful luxuries.
among the images of the beguiling, deceitful world.
Tell me, by the right of death, what does death do,
قلtell ليme بحقِّby the sanctity of الموتِdeath ماwhat يفعلُdoes
قل لي بحقِّ الموتِ ما يفعلُ
بالشاعرِto the poet الموتُdeath وهذيand these القبورْgraves؟
بالشاعرِ الموتُ وهذي القبورْ؟
Tell me, by death's sanctity, what is done
To the poet, and what do these graves do?
to the poet by death and these graves?
And is there beyond death what we do not know,
وهلand is there وراءَbeyond الموتِdeath ماwhat نجهلُwe do not know
وهل وراءَ الموتِ ما نجهلُ
منof عالمthe world الرُّجعىof return ويومand the day النشورْof resurrection؟
من عالم الرُّجعى ويوم النشورْ؟
And is there, beyond death, something we do not know
Of the world of return and the Day of Resurrection?
of the world of return and the day of resurrection?
Your death alarmed me, my poet,
قدindeed راعنيalarmed me موتُكَyour death، ياO شاعريmy poet
قد راعني موتُكَ، يا شاعري
فيin ميعةِthe prime العمرِof life وفجرِand the dawn الشبابْof youth
في ميعةِ العمرِ وفجرِ الشبابْ
Your death alarmed me, O my poet,
In the prime of life and the dawn of youth.
in life's prime and youth's dawn.
And it shook me, what overflowed from your mind,
وهزَّنيand stirred me ماwhat فاضَoverflowed منfrom خاطرِa mind
وهزَّني ما فاضَ من خاطرِ
كانwas ينابيعَwellsprings البيانِof eloquence العذابْsweet
كان ينابيعَ البيانِ العذابْ
And I was stirred by what overflowed from a mind
It was the fountains of eloquence, agony.
that was the sweet wellsprings of eloquence,
And the breaths of the magic pen,
ونفثاتُand the breathings القلمof the pen الساحرِenchanting
ونفثاتُ القلم الساحرِ
فيin جوبكَyour traversing الأفقthe horizon وطيِّand folding السحابْthe clouds
في جوبكَ الأفق وطيِّ السحابْ
and the breathings of the spellbinding pen
In your horizon's breadth, and the folding of the clouds.
as you crossed the horizon and folded the clouds,
And it stood with the wandering planet,
ووقفهand its stopping بالكوكبِby the star الحائرِbewildered
ووقفه بالكوكبِ الحائرِ
رأىsaw بساطَthe carpet الريحof wind يدنوdrawing near فهابْand grew afraid
رأى بساطَ الريح يدنو فهابْ
and its halt beside the bewildered star
It saw the carpet of wind approach, so it shied away.
that saw the carpet of wind draw near and grew afraid.
But your poetry still does not cease,
لكنَّهُyet it is شعركَyour poetry لمَّاnot yet يَزَلْceased
لكنَّهُ شعركَ لمَّا يَزَلْ
يُردِّدُechoes الكونُthe universe أناشيدَهُits songs
يُردِّدُ الكونُ أناشيدَهُ
Yet your poetry lives on—
For the universe to echo back its hymns.
the universe echoes its songs.
Poetry, wherever it descended like rain clouds,
شعرٌpoetry كصوبِlike a downpour of الغيثِrain أنَّىwherever نزَلْit fell
شعرٌ كصوبِ الغيثِ أنَّى نزَلْ
أرقصَmade dance فيin الروضthe garden أماليدَهُits tender shoots
أرقصَ في الروض أماليدَهُ
Poetry like a downpour of rain: wherever it fell,
Danced its tunes in the meadow.
it made the garden's tender shoots dance,
And it taught the birds love and courtship,
وعلَّمand taught الطيرَthe birds الهوىpassion والغزَلْand courtship
وعلَّم الطيرَ الهوى والغزَلْ
فأسمعَso made hear الزهرَthe flowers أغاريدَهُits warblings
فأسمعَ الزهرَ أغاريدَهُ
and taught the birds passion and courtship,
So it made the flowers hear its songs.
so they let the flowers hear their warblings;
And the wind sang it on the mountain,
وَغَنَّتِand sang الريحُthe wind بهwith it فيon الْجَبَلْthe mountain
وَغَنَّتِ الريحُ به في الْجَبَلْ
فحركتْso stirred منهُof it جلاميدَهُits boulders
فحركتْ منهُ جلاميدَهُ
and the wind sang it on the mountain,
Stirring its stillness.
so it stirred the mountain's boulders.
O grave, my eyes did not see you, nor
ياO قبرُgrave لمdid not تُبصركَsee you عينيmy eye وَلَاnor
يا قبرُ لم تُبصركَ عيني وَلَا
رأتكsaw you إلَّاexcept فيin ثناياthe folds الخيَالْof imagination
رأتك إلَّا في ثنايا الخيَالْ
O grave, my eye has not beheld you, nor
Did they envision you except in the fringes of imagination.
seen you except in the folds of imagination.
You filled an empty heart with awe,
ملأتَyou filled بالروعِwith dread فؤادًاa heart خَلَاempty
ملأتَ بالروعِ فؤادًا خَلَا
إلَّاexcept منof الحُبِّlove ونورِand the light الجمَالْof beauty
إلَّا من الحُبِّ ونورِ الجمَالْ
You filled with dread a heart that held nothing
Empty except for love and the light of beauty.
but love and the light of beauty.
You inspired in me the secret of decay, so
أوحيتَyou revealed ليto me سرَّthe secret الرَّدَىof death فانجلىand so lifted
أوحيتَ لي سرَّ الرَّدَى فانجلى
عنfrom عينيَmy eyes الشكُّdoubt وليلُand the night الضلَالْof error
عن عينيَ الشكُّ وليلُ الضلَالْ
You revealed death's secret to me, and lifted
Doubt cleared from my eyes and the night of misguidance.
from my eyes doubt and the night of error.
Tomorrow, the hands of erosion will fold the heart,
غدًاtomorrow ستطويwill fold up القلبthe heart أيديthe hands البِلَىof decay
غدًا ستطوي القلب أيدي البِلَى
ويقنصُand captures النجمَthe star عقابُthe eagle الليَالْof the nights
ويقنصُ النجمَ عقابُ الليَالْ
Tomorrow the hands of decay will fold up the heart,
And the talons of nights will hunt down the stars.
and the eagle of the nights will capture the star.
And so pass the nights of life,
وهكذاand thus تمضيpass لياليthe nights الحيَاهْof life
وهكذا تمضي ليالي الحيَاهْ
والقبرُand the grave ماnot زالَceased علىin حَالِهِits state
والقبرُ ما زالَ على حَالِهِ
And thus the nights of life pass,
While the grave remains as it was.
and the grave remains as it was.
A world of illusion and a time you see,
دنياa world منof الوهمِillusion ودهرٌand time ترَاهْyou see it
دنيا من الوهمِ ودهرٌ ترَاهْ
يُغرِّرُdeceives القلبَthe heart بآمَالِهِwith its hopes
يُغرِّرُ القلبَ بآمَالِهِ
A world of illusion, and time that you see
That fools the heart with its hopes.
deceiving the heart with its hopes,
It ridicules the smiles of lips,
يسخرُmocks منat مبتسماتthe smiles الشفَاهْof lips
يسخرُ من مبتسمات الشفَاهْ
وجامدِand congealed الدمعtears وسَيَّالِهِand their flowing
وجامدِ الدمع وسَيَّالِهِ
mocking the smiles upon lips,
And the frozen tear and its flowing.
and tears both congealed and flowing;
A time that turned the wheel of well-being on the world,
دهرٌtime علىupon العالمthe world دارتْturned رحَاهْits millstone
دهرٌ على العالم دارتْ رحَاهْ
فلمand so did not تَدَعْleave رسمًاa trace لأطلَالِهِof its ruins
فلم تَدَعْ رسمًا لأطلَالِهِ
time whose millstone has turned upon the world,
Yet left no trace of its ruins.
and left not a trace of its ruins.
Partial English translation: 95 of 96 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1