سَئِمتُ الكَونَ في مِصرٍ وَكَفرِ

سَئِمتُ الكَونَ في مِصرٍ وَكَفرِ

وَمَن لي أَن أُحَلَّ جَنوبَ قَفرِ

وَمَن لي أَن أُحَلَّ جَنوبَ قَفرِ

I am weary of dwelling in city and village.

I grew weary of the world in Egypt and unbelief

And who will let me settle south of a wilderness?

And who can take me to the south, the barren wilderness?

أُعَلِّل حينَ أَغرَثُ بِالخُزامى

أُعَلِّل حينَ أَغرَثُ بِالخُزامى

وَأَشرَبُ إِن ظَمِئتُ نَزيعَ جَفرِ

وَأَشرَبُ إِن ظَمِئتُ نَزيعَ جَفرِ

I soothe myself, when hungry, with lavender,

I will make do when destitute with scraps

And drink, if thirsty, water drawn from a wide well.

And drink, when thirsty, the oozing of wounds.

أَرى الأَيّامَ أَنضاءَ البَرايا

أَرى الأَيّامَ أَنضاءَ البَرايا

عَلَيها مِنهُمُ أَشباحُ سَفرِ

عَلَيها مِنهُمُ أَشباحُ سَفرِ

I see the days as humankind's worn-out mounts;

I see the days, the smooth sands -

On them ride human figures, a band of travelers.

Upon them ghosts of journeys.

فَما يَبرَقنَ مِن زَولٍ عَجيبٍ

فَما يَبرَقنَ مِن زَولٍ عَجيبٍ

وَلا يَفرَقنَ مِن صُبحٍ وَنفرِ

وَلا يَفرَقنَ مِن صُبحٍ وَنفرِ

So they are not startled by a strange figure,

They do not glitter with a wondrous departure

Nor do they fear dawn or a troop of men.

Nor scatter in the morn and departure.

يَسِرنَ بِما حَمَلنَ الدَهرَ حَتّى

يَسِرنَ بِما حَمَلنَ الدَهرَ حَتّى

يُنَخنَ بِهِم إِلى أَبياتِ حَفرِ

يُنَخنَ بِهِم إِلى أَبياتِ حَفرِ

They journey through time with what they carry, until

They journey with what fate has carried

They are made to kneel with them at dwellings in graves.

Until buried in the pits of graves.

فَما فَرعُ الفَتاةِ إِذا تَوارَت

فَما فَرعُ الفَتاةِ إِذا تَوارَت

بِمُفتَقِرٍ إِلى سَرحٍ وَضَفرِ

بِمُفتَقِرٍ إِلى سَرحٍ وَضَفرِ

So a maiden's tresses, once she has vanished,

So the girl's youth once hidden

Have no need of combing or braiding.

Left in need of freedom and deliverance.

يُفارِقُها الفَتى وَالدَمعُ جارٍ

يُفارِقُها الفَتى وَالدَمعُ جارٍ

كَذاكَ جَرَت عَوائِدُ أُمُّ دَفرِ

كَذاكَ جَرَت عَوائِدُ أُمُّ دَفرِ

The young man parts from her, his tears flowing;

The boy leaves her with tears flowing -

Such have been the ways of the Mother of Stench—the world.

Thus go the ways of mother time.

تُحِدُّ شِفارَها لِرِدى بَنيها

تُحِدُّ شِفارَها لِرِدى بَنيها

وَما تُرجى كَرامَتُها لِشِفرِ

وَما تُرجى كَرامَتُها لِشِفرِ

She sharpens her blades for her sons' destruction,

She grits her teeth at the folly of her sons

And none may hope for kindness from her.

And her dignity cannot be hoped for from a sword.

غَفَرنا بَينَ أَمراضِ الدَنايا

غَفَرنا بَينَ أَمراضِ الدَنايا

وَرَبُّكَ أَهلُ إِحسانٍ وَغَفرِ

وَرَبُّكَ أَهلُ إِحسانٍ وَغَفرِ

We have relapsed amid the maladies of baseness,

We sought forgiveness amid the illnesses of this life

And your Lord bestows goodness and forgiveness.

And your Lord is deserving of benevolence and pardon.

سَأَترُكُها مُوَفَّرَةً لِقومٍ

سَأَترُكُها مُوَفَّرَةً لِقومٍ

وَهَل سَمَحَت لِمُرتَحِلٍ بِوَفرِ

وَهَل سَمَحَت لِمُرتَحِلٍ بِوَفرِ

I shall leave her undiminished for others;

I will leave it populated for a people,

And has she ever granted wealth to one departing?

But did she allow a transient to populate?

أَلا هَذا اليَقينُ فَخُذهُ مِنّي

أَلا هَذا اليَقينُ فَخُذهُ مِنّي

وَدَع لِمُمَوِّهٍ ما باتَ يَفري

وَدَع لِمُمَوِّهٍ ما باتَ يَفري

Behold, this is certainty; take it from me,

Take this certainty from me -

And leave to the deceiver what he spent the night fabricating.

Leave the doubter to his doubting.