متى الأرحُلُ مَحْطُوطَه

متى الأرحُلُ مَحْطُوطَه

وعِيرُ الشَّوْقِ مَرْبُوطَهْ

وعِيرُ الشَّوْقِ مَرْبُوطَهْ

When will the saddles be set down,

When will my camels be loaded up

and longing's caravan be tethered,

And my yearning tied with ropes

بأعلى ديرِ مرَّانَ

بأعلى ديرِ مرَّانَ

فدارَيَّا إلى الغُوطَه

فدارَيَّا إلى الغُوطَه

on the heights of Dayr Marran,

To the summit of Marran's monastery -

then at Darayya, as far as the Ghouta,

So I head to Al-Ghotah from Daryaa.

فشطَّيْ بردى في حَيْ

فشطَّيْ بردى في حَيْ

ثُ بُسْطُ الرَّوضِ مَبْسُوطَه

ثُ بُسْطُ الرَّوضِ مَبْسُوطَه

and on Barada's two banks, where

I sped my camel through the valley

the garden's carpets are spread out?

Where the garden's expanse is outstretched,

وأعلامُ الأزاهي ك

وأعلامُ الأزاهي ك

دماءِ البُدْنِ مَعْبوطَه

دماءِ البُدْنِ مَعْبوطَه

And the banners of blossoms are like

And the standards of flowers like

the freshly shed blood of sacrificial camels.

The slain's blood clots congealed.

رباعٌ تهبطُ الأنها

رباعٌ تهبطُ الأنها

رُ منها خَيْرُ مَهبوطَه

رُ منها خَيْرُ مَهبوطَه

Dwellings from which the rivers descend—

Arable lands where the rivers

the finest dwellings to alight in.

Of goodness cascade down,

وروضٌ أحْسَنَتْ تكتي

وروضٌ أحْسَنَتْ تكتي

بَهُ المزنُ وتَنْقِيطَه

بَهُ المزنُ وتَنْقِيطَه

And a garden whose inscription

And a garden the April clouds

and dotting the rainclouds perfected.

Have perfumed with their drizzling.

ومَدَّ الوردُ والآسُ

ومَدَّ الوردُ والآسُ

حِفَافَيْهِ فَساطيطَه

حِفَافَيْهِ فَساطيطَه

And rose and myrtle spread

The roses and myrtles have extended

their tents along its two sides.

Their hems, laying out their carpets,

ووالى طيرُهُ تَرْجي

ووالى طيرُهُ تَرْجي

عهُ فيه وتمطيطه

عهُ فيه وتمطيطه

And its birds kept up their trilling

And its birds always soar about it

within it, drawing out their notes.

Chirping within and fluttering.

وراعينا به الوحْشَ

وراعينا به الوحْشَ

يراعي سِرْبُه خِيطَه

يراعي سِرْبُه خِيطَه

And we watched the wild game there,

Our shepherd there herds the wildlife -

its herd keeping its flock in view.

Each group tends to its own thread.

دع الحائطَ بلْ دَعْهُ

دع الحائطَ بلْ دَعْهُ

إِن استغربتَ تَحْويطَه

إِن استغربتَ تَحْويطَه

Leave the wall aside—indeed, leave it—

Leave the wall be - leave it -

if you find its enclosure extraordinary.

If its plan intrigues you.

وَصِفْ تقديره إن كن

وَصِفْ تقديره إن كن

تَ ذا وصفٍ وتمشيطه

تَ ذا وصفٍ وتمشيطه

Describe its proportions—if you are

Describe its design if you are

gifted in description—and its grooming.

Of description and arrangement.

صفِ المحرابَ صف تشني

صفِ المحرابَ صف تشني

فَ بانيه وتقريطه

فَ بانيه وتقريطه

Describe the prayer niche; describe the ear jewels

Describe the prayer niche - describe the one

its builder gave it, and its earrings.

Who built it and its decoration.

أَما يخشى إِمامٌ قا

أَما يخشى إِمامٌ قا

م في المحرابِ تغليطه

م في المحرابِ تغليطه

Does not an imam, standing

Does not an imam fear -

in the prayer niche, fear being led into error?

Standing in the niche - his deceit?

ووسَّطْ طَرْفكَ القِبْلَ

ووسَّطْ طَرْفكَ القِبْلَ

ةَ إن حاولتَ توسيطَهْ

ةَ إن حاولتَ توسيطَهْ

And center your gaze on the qibla,

Focus your eyes on the qiblah

if you seek to center it.

If you attempt its centering.

ترى سُلطان حُسنٍ لا

ترى سُلطان حُسنٍ لا

يَمَلُّ الطرفُ تسليطه

يَمَلُّ الطرفُ تسليطه

You see a sovereign of beauty; never

You will see a sultan of beauty whom

does the eye tire of granting it sway.

The eyes never tire of unleashing.

وأدى بَرُّهُ يَعْفُو

وأدى بَرُّهُ يَعْفُو

رَه والبحرُ شَبُّوطَه

رَه والبحرُ شَبُّوطَه

And its land offered its young gazelle,

Its righteousness forgives its sins

and the sea its carp.

While the sea is turbulent and choppy.

محلٌّ لا وَنَتْ فيه

محلٌّ لا وَنَتْ فيه

مزَادُ المزنِ مَعْطوطه

مزَادُ المزنِ مَعْطوطه

An abode where never slackened

A place whose April bounty was never

the rainclouds' slit-open waterskins.

Lessened or withheld.

نعمنا في دمشق نع

نعمنا في دمشق نع

مة ليست بمغموطه

مة ليست بمغموطه

We enjoyed in Damascus a blessing

We were blessed in Damascus -

that was not to be slighted.

A blessing that is no illusion.

فيا بهجتها إذ هِ

فيا بهجتها إذ هِ

يَ في البهجة مغطوطه

يَ في البهجة مغطوطه

What splendor is hers, when she

Oh, its bliss, since it

is immersed in splendor!

Is immersed in bliss!

ويا غِبْطَتَها إذ هِ

ويا غِبْطَتَها إذ هِ

يَ بالجامعِ مَغْبوطه

يَ بالجامعِ مَغْبوطه

And what good fortune is hers, when she

Oh, its glory, since it

is envied for her congregational mosque!

Is the mosque's pride!

تأمَّلْهُ تجدْ فيه شروطَ

تأمَّلْهُ تجدْ فيه شروطَ

الحُسْنِ مَشْروطَه

الحُسْنِ مَشْروطَه

Contemplate it: you will find within it the conditions

Contemplate it - you will find in it

of beauty duly laid down.

The prerequisites of beauty conditioned.

ترى إفراط بانٍ يأ

ترى إفراط بانٍ يأ

مَنُ الرَّاؤونَ تفْرِيطه

مَنُ الرَّاؤونَ تفْرِيطه

You see a builder's lavish care,

You see the excess of a builder who

whose neglect the onlookers need never fear.

Secured the observers, leaving no gap.

أَبِحْ ترخيمَهُ فكرَ

أَبِحْ ترخيمَهُ فكرَ

كَ إن شيتَ وَتَبْليطَهْ

كَ إن شيتَ وَتَبْليطَهْ

Grant your mind access to its marblework,

Let your reflection meander

if you wish, and to its paving.

If you wish, to ponder and evaluate.

تجدتفويفَه يَسْتَغ

تجدتفويفَه يَسْتَغ

رِقُ الفكرَ وتَخطِيطَه

رِقُ الفكرَ وتَخطِيطَه

You will find its striped patterns absorbing

You will find it perplexes thinking

the mind, and its linework too.

And occupies the mind's sketching.

إذا المنقوشُ من جَوهَ

إذا المنقوشُ من جَوهَ

رِهِ ضاحَكَ مَخروطَه

رِهِ ضاحَكَ مَخروطَه

When the engraved part of its jewelwork

When the engraved pearl

exchanges smiles with its lathe-turned part,

Smiles convexly from its surface,

ومِن مَقْدودةٍ من قُ

ومِن مَقْدودةٍ من قُ

ضُبِ العقيانِ مَقطُوطَه

ضُبِ العقيانِ مَقطُوطَه

and cut work, fashioned from

And the proportioned, delicate line

rods of pure gold, clipped short,

Of text inscribed with hailstones,

حِفافَيْ أَسطرٍ مكتو

حِفافَيْ أَسطرٍ مكتو

بةٍ بالتبرِ مَنقُوطه

بةٍ بالتبرِ مَنقُوطه

lies along both sides of lines

You see the restless observer

written and dotted in gold,

Who never tires of gazing.

رأيتَ الناظرَ العجلا

رأيتَ الناظرَ العجلا

نَ لا يَسأم تَثبيطَه

نَ لا يَسأم تَثبيطَه

you see the hurried beholder

It is paradise on earth -

never tire of being detained.

Could I be exaggerating paradise?

هو الجنَّة في الأرض

هو الجنَّة في الأرض

أفي الجنَّةِ أُغلُوطَه

أفي الجنَّةِ أُغلُوطَه

It is paradise on earth—

Palaces between which trees

can there be a flaw in paradise?

Line the rivers densely planted.

قصورٌ بينها الأشجا

قصورٌ بينها الأشجا

رُ بالأنهارِ مَغطوطَه

رُ بالأنهارِ مَغطوطَه

Palaces, with trees between them

So from a palace beauty donned

immersed in rivers.

Its walls and spread across its surface,

فمن قصرٍ كسا تَقْبِيَ

فمن قصرٍ كسا تَقْبِيَ

هُ الحسنُ وتَسْفِيطه

هُ الحسنُ وتَسْفِيطه

From a palace whose vaulting

To a boulder as though pearls

and cofferwork beauty has clothed,

Coat its surface with their coating.

إلى صخرٍ كأنَّ الدرّ

إلى صخرٍ كأنَّ الدرّ

يكسُو ليطُهُ ليطه

يكسُو ليطُهُ ليطه

to rock, as though pearls

Come, look at the colors

clothe its surface with their own.

Mixed with the lights in fusion.

تعالَ انظرْ إلى الألوا

تعالَ انظرْ إلى الألوا

نِ بالأنوارِ مَخْلوطه

نِ بالأنوارِ مَخْلوطه

Come, look at the colors

At mosques not

mingled with the lights,

Of reality outside the imaginary.

إلى فُسَيفسٍ ليست

إلى فُسَيفسٍ ليست

بغيرِ الوَهمِ مَضْبوطَه

بغيرِ الوَهمِ مَضْبوطَه

at mosaics that cannot

You will find in it the legends

be grasped except in imagination.

Of vegetation and myths.

تجد فيها أَباطيلَ

تجد فيها أَباطيلَ

نباتٍ وأَغاليطه

نباتٍ وأَغاليطه

You find there the illusions

So the trees therein have bunches

of vegetation, and its tricks.

Of beauty tightly packed,

فللأشجار فيها جُ

فللأشجار فيها جُ

مُمٌ بالحُسْنِ ممشوطَه

مُمٌ بالحُسْنِ ممشوطَه

For the trees there have tresses

And the fruits therein have an elegance

combed by beauty;

The glance flings down loosely.

وللأثمار فيها طُ

وللأثمار فيها طُ

رَفٌ بالطَّرْف مَلْقوطه

رَفٌ بالطَّرْف مَلْقوطه

and the fruits there have delights

You see the excess of a builder who

plucked by the eye.

Secured the observers, leaving no gap.

ترى إِفراط بانٍ يأ

ترى إِفراط بانٍ يأ

مَنُ الرَّاؤونَ تَفْريطَه

مَنُ الرَّاؤونَ تَفْريطَه

You see a builder's lavish care,

Types between sweetest fig

whose neglect the onlookers need never fear.

And smoothest apricot.

صُنوفٌ بين مُلْوٍ قِنْ

صُنوفٌ بين مُلْوٍ قِنْ

وه أو مُسْبِلٍ خوطَه

وه أو مُسْبِلٍ خوطَه

Varieties, from one bending its date-cluster

So from a palm tree and from a cypress

to one letting its bough droop.

That competes with the other in height.

فمنْ نخلٍ ومن سروٍ

فمنْ نخلٍ ومن سروٍ

يباهي عِيطُهُ عِيطَه

يباهي عِيطُهُ عِيطَه

Some are palms, and some cypresses,

And from pomegranate groves

the tall ones of each vying with the other's.

Lined up along the walls.

ومنْ أفنانِ رمّانٍ

ومنْ أفنانِ رمّانٍ

على الحيطانِ مَحْطُوطَه

على الحيطانِ مَحْطُوطَه

And pomegranate boughs,

And from an apple of ruby-red

set upon the walls;

Topped with a cone.

ومن تفاحةٍ منْ أَح

ومن تفاحةٍ منْ أَح

مر الياقوتِ مخروطه

مر الياقوتِ مخروطه

and an apple of red

And from a jujube of yellow

ruby, turned to shape;

Inscribed with saffron lines.

ومن أترجة من اس

ومن أترجة من اس

فر العسجدِ مخطوطه

فر العسجدِ مخطوطه

and a citron of yellow

It saddened the doves of Yemen

gold, drawn in outline.

And their ring-necked turtledoves.

به حُزْنا شماليلَ الت

به حُزْنا شماليلَ الت

مني وشماطيطَه

مني وشماطيطَه

There we gained the scattered shreds of wishing

Our life was not locked out

and its stray scraps.

From the gates of paradise.

وما عيشتنا بابَ ال

وما عيشتنا بابَ ال

فراديس بمسخوطه

فراديس بمسخوطه

Nor was our life at Bab al-Faradis

Nor were we poured at the door

a life to resent;

Of Gihon such affliction.

ولا صبوتنا في با

ولا صبوتنا في با

بِ جيرون بأنشوطة

بِ جيرون بأنشوطة

nor was our youthful passion at

No spies provoke the lazy

Bab Jayrun a slipknot.

To wake or rouse them.

مغانٍ ما تني تبع

مغانٍ ما تني تبع

ثُ للكسلانِ تنشيطه

ثُ للكسلانِ تنشيطه

Haunts that never cease to stir

They are cloaked from April

the idle into vigor.

With countless unmatched covers.

تَغَشَّتْها من المزنِ

تَغَشَّتْها من المزنِ

غواشٍ غيرُ مقْشوطَه

غواشٍ غيرُ مقْشوطَه

Rainclouds spread over them

So how much my life was mixed

coverings never stripped away.

By one I loved and their meddling!

فكم خلَّط عيشي ثَمَّ

فكم خلَّط عيشي ثَمَّ

مَن أَهوى تخاليطه

مَن أَهوى تخاليطه

How often my life there was entwined

And how much my soul was marked

in the entanglements of the one I love!

By someone I knew not to mark!

وكم نوَّط روحي ر

وكم نوَّط روحي ر

شأٌ ما عِفتُ تَنْويطه

شأٌ ما عِفتُ تَنْويطه

And how often a fawn suspended my soul—

Dragging the train of my gown

I never loathed his suspending it—

In their courtyards with gathered skirts.

جَرورَ الذيل في أَفيا

جَرورَ الذيل في أَفيا

ئها مُنسحِبَ الفُوطه

ئها مُنسحِبَ الفُوطه

as I trailed my hem in their shades,

Obeying the command of a soul

my waistcloth dragging behind,

To kill - lethal and knotted.

مُطيعاً أمرَ نفسٍ ب

مُطيعاً أمرَ نفسٍ ب

علاطِ القَتْل معلوطه

علاطِ القَتْل معلوطه

obedient to the command of a soul

Until old age sufficed me -

branded with death's neck-mark,

Content without embalming.

إلى أن سامني تكفي

إلى أن سامني تكفي

نَهُ الشيبُ وتحنيطَه

نَهُ الشيبُ وتحنيطَه

until gray hair imposed its shrouding

My cheerfulness withered

and its embalming upon me.

Or not - so twist it!

وآضتْ بُسْرَتي خَرُّو

وآضتْ بُسْرَتي خَرُّو

بةً أو لا فبَلُّوطه

بةً أو لا فبَلُّوطه

And my unripe date became a carob pod,

I stripped myself of reason's

or else an acorn.

Bridle, frayed and unraveled.

تَعرَّيتُ فنفسي من

تَعرَّيتُ فنفسي من

عقالِ الهمِّ مَنشوطه

عقالِ الهمِّ مَنشوطه

I stripped myself bare, and my soul

So beware implicating me

is loosed from sorrow's tether.

In what I hate to be implicated!

فإِياكَ وتوريط

فإِياكَ وتوريط

يَ ما أكرهُ توريطَه

يَ ما أكرهُ توريطَه

So beware of embroiling me

How much has time disappointed me,

in what I detest being embroiled in.

Yet I have not accepted its disappointment!

فكم قَنَّطني الدهرُ

فكم قَنَّطني الدهرُ

فما باليتُ تقنيطه

فما باليتُ تقنيطه

How often Time drove me to despair,

For neither were souls created

yet I paid no heed to its discouragement.

To be beaten down with the stick of humiliation.

فلا كانت نفوسٌ ب

فلا كانت نفوسٌ ب

عصا الذلّة مَخْبوطه

عصا الذلّة مَخْبوطه

May there be no souls

Nor were hides created

beaten with humiliation's rod,

To be branded with the marks of disgrace.

ولا كانتْ جلودٌ بِ

ولا كانتْ جلودٌ بِ

سماتِ الذلِّ مَسْمُوطَه

سماتِ الذلِّ مَسْمُوطَه

nor any skins

My chastity refused for me

seared with the brands of humiliation.

To enjoy such a life or tie its knot.

أبتْ لي عفتي تحل

أبتْ لي عفتي تحل

ل ذا العيش وتَزْييطَه

ل ذا العيش وتَزْييطَه

My chastity refused to let me

And my asceticism from the dinars of wealth -

indulge this life and its noisy revelry,

So leave off its cents!

وزُهْدي في قناطيرِ ال

وزُهْدي في قناطيرِ ال

غنى فاترُكْ قراريطَه

غنى فاترُكْ قراريطَه

and I disdain qintars of

wealth—so leave its qirats aside.