أَبصَرتُها وَالشَمسُ عِندَ شُروقِها

أَبصَرتُها وَالشَمسُ عِندَ شُروقِها

فَرَأَيتُها مَغمورَةً بِالنارِ

فَرَأَيتُها مَغمورَةً بِالنارِ

I saw her as the sun was rising,

I saw her as the sun rose at dawn

I beheld her as the sun began its rise,

Then saw her bathed in fire.

And I saw her immersed in fire

And saw her submerged in a flood of fire.

وَرَأَيتُها عِندَ الغُروبِ غَريقَةً

وَرَأَيتُها عِندَ الغُروبِ غَريقَةً

في لُجَّةٍ مِن سُندُس وَنُضّارِ

في لُجَّةٍ مِن سُندُس وَنُضّارِ

And I saw her at sunset, drowned

And I saw her at sunset drowning

I saw her at sunset, drowning deep,

In a deep sea of fine silk and gold.

In a sea of silk and blossoms

In a fathomless sea of green silk and gold.

وَرَأَيتُها تَحتَ الدُجى فَرَأَيتُها

وَرَأَيتُها تَحتَ الدُجى فَرَأَيتُها

في بُردَتَينِ سَكينَة وَوَقارِ

في بُردَتَينِ سَكينَة وَوَقارِ

And I saw her beneath the darkness, then saw her

And I saw her under the darkness so I saw her

I saw her beneath the dark of night, and saw her then

In two cloaks—tranquillity and dignity.

In two robes, tranquility and dignity

Cloaked in two mantles: serenity and grace.

فَتَنَبَّهَت في النَفسِ أَحلامُ الصِبى

فَتَنَبَّهَت في النَفسِ أَحلامُ الصِبى

وَغَرِقتُ في بَحرٍ مِنَ التَذكارِ

وَغَرِقتُ في بَحرٍ مِنَ التَذكارِ

Then childhood's dreams awoke within my soul,

So the dreams of the boy were awakened in myself

Then the dreams of youth awakened in my soul,

And I drowned in a sea of remembrance.

And I drowned in a sea of memories

And I sank into a sea of memories.

نَفسي لَها مِن جَنَّةٍ خَلّابَةٍ

نَفسي لَها مِن جَنَّةٍ خَلّابَةٍ

نَسَجَت غَلائِلَها يَدُ الأَمطارِ

نَسَجَت غَلائِلَها يَدُ الأَمطارِ

My soul is hers—what an enchanting paradise,

My soul has for her from an enchanting paradise

My soul yearns for such a captivating paradise,

Whose veils the hand of rain had woven.

Whose vines were woven by the hand of rain

Whose sheer veils were woven by the hands of rain.

أَنّى مَشَيتَ نَشَقتَ مِسكاً أَزفَراً

أَنّى مَشَيتَ نَشَقتَ مِسكاً أَزفَراً

في أَرضِها وَسَمِعتَ صَوتَ هَزارِ

في أَرضِها وَسَمِعتَ صَوتَ هَزارِ

Wherever you walked, you inhaled heady musk

Wherever you walked, musk wafted

Wherever you walk, you inhale the sharp scent of musk,

In her land, and heard a nightingale's voice.

In her land you heard the sound of chatter

In her lands, and hear the nightingale's song.

ذاتَ الجِبالِ الشامِخاتِ إِلى العُلا

ذاتَ الجِبالِ الشامِخاتِ إِلى العُلا

يا لَيتَ في أَعلى جِبالِكِ داري

يا لَيتَ في أَعلى جِبالِكِ داري

O land of mountains towering to the heights,

O mountain peaks reaching into the sky

She who possesses mountains towering toward the heights—

Would that my home were on your highest mountain,

I wish my home was at your highest peak

Oh, how I wish my home were upon your highest peaks.

لِأَرى الغَزالَةَ قَبلَ سُكّانِ الحِمى

لِأَرى الغَزالَةَ قَبلَ سُكّانِ الحِمى

وَأُعانِقُ النَسَماتِ في الأَسحارِ

وَأُعانِقُ النَسَماتِ في الأَسحارِ

To see the sun before the dwellers of the land,

To see the gazelle before the guards of the sanctuary

To see the rising sun before the dwellers of the valley,

And embrace the breezes in the predawn hours;

And embrace the breeze at dawn

And to embrace the breezes in the hours of dawn.

لِأَرى رُعاتَكِ في المُروج وَفي الرُبى

لِأَرى رُعاتَكِ في المُروج وَفي الرُبى

وَالشِتاءَ سارِحَةً مَعَ الأَبقارِ

وَالشِتاءَ سارِحَةً مَعَ الأَبقارِ

To see your shepherds in the meadows and on the hills,

To see your shepherds in the meadows and on the hills

To see your shepherds in the meadows and on the hills,

And the sheep roaming with the cows;

While winter wanders with the cows

And the flocks grazing alongside the herds.

لِأَرى الطُيورَ الواقِعاتِ عَلى الثَرى

لِأَرى الطُيورَ الواقِعاتِ عَلى الثَرى

وَالنَخلَ حائِمَةً عَلى الأَزهارِ

وَالنَخلَ حائِمَةً عَلى الأَزهارِ

To see the birds alighting on the soil,

To see the birds fallen on the ground

To see the birds alighting upon the soil,

And the bees hovering over the flowers;

And the palms hovering over the flowers

And the bees hovering over the blooms.

لِأُساجِلَ الوَرقاءَ في تَغريدِها

لِأُساجِلَ الوَرقاءَ في تَغريدِها

وَتَهُزُّ روحي نَفحَةُ المِزمارِ

وَتَهُزُّ روحي نَفحَةُ المِزمارِ

To vie with the gray dove in her song,

To compete with the swallows in their singing

To vie with the dove in her crooning melody,

While the flute's breath shakes my soul;

And my soul stirs to the breath of the flute

While the breath of the flute stirs my very spirit.

لِأُسامِرَ الأَقمارَ في أَفلاكِها

لِأُسامِرَ الأَقمارَ في أَفلاكِها

تَحتَ الظَلامِ إِذا غَفا سُمّاري

تَحتَ الظَلامِ إِذا غَفا سُمّاري

To converse by night with the moons in their orbits,

To chat with the moons in their orbits

To converse with the moons in their orbits,

Beneath the darkness, when my evening companions sleep;

Under the darkness when my friend sleeps

Under the darkness, when my companions drift to sleep.

لِأُراقِبَ الدَلوارَ في جَرَيانِهِ

لِأُراقِبَ الدَلوارَ في جَرَيانِهِ

وَأَرى خَيالَ البَدرِ في الالدَلوارِ

وَأَرى خَيالَ البَدرِ في الالدَلوارِ

To watch the Delaware flowing,

To observe the water wheel in its flow

To watch the Delaware River in its flowing course,

And see the full moon's reflection in the Delaware.

And see the image of the moon in the water wheel

And see the phantom of the full moon in the Delaware.

بِئسَ المَدينَةُ إِنَّها سِجنُ النُهى

بِئسَ المَدينَةُ إِنَّها سِجنُ النُهى

وَذَوي النُهى وَجَهَنَّمُ الأَحرارِ

وَذَوي النُهى وَجَهَنَّمُ الأَحرارِ

Wretched is the city: it is a prison for reason

How wretched is the city, it is truly prison of prohibitions

Wretched is the city! It is a prison for the mind,

And those with reason, and a hell for the free.

And for those prohibited and hell for the free

And for men of intellect; it is a hell for the free.

لا يَملُكُ الإِنسانَ فيها نَفسَهُ

لا يَملُكُ الإِنسانَ فيها نَفسَهُ

حَتّى يُرَوِّعُهُ ضَجيجُ قِطارِ

حَتّى يُرَوِّعُهُ ضَجيجُ قِطارِ

Scarcely does a person gain command of himself there

One cannot own himself in it

Man does not possess his own soul therein,

Before a train's clamor terrifies him.

Until the screeching of trains terrifies him

Before the roar of a train terrifies him.

وَجَدَت بِها نَفسي المَفاسِد وَالأَذى

وَجَدَت بِها نَفسي المَفاسِد وَالأَذى

في كُلِّ زاوِيَة وَكُلِّ جِدارِ

في كُلِّ زاوِيَة وَكُلِّ جِدارِ

My soul found corruption and harm there,

My soul found in it corruption and harm

My soul found within it corruption and harm,

In every corner and on every wall.

In every corner and every wall

In every corner and upon every wall.

لا يَخدَعَنَّ الناظِرينَ بِروجُها

لا يَخدَعَنَّ الناظِرينَ بِروجُها

تِلكَ البُروجُ مَخابِئٌ لِلعارِ

تِلكَ البُروجُ مَخابِئٌ لِلعارِ

Let not its towers deceive the onlookers:

Its towers do not deceive the onlookers

Let not its towers deceive the beholders;

Those towers are hiding places for shame.

Those towers are hiding places for shame

Those towers are but hiding places for shame.

لَو أَنَّ حاسِدَ أَهلِها لاقى الَّذي

لَو أَنَّ حاسِدَ أَهلِها لاقى الَّذي

لاقَيتُ لَم يَحسُد سِوى بَشّارِ

لاقَيتُ لَم يَحسُد سِوى بَشّارِ

Had one who envied its people encountered what

If the envious of its people met those

If one envious of its people encountered what I have met,

I encountered, he would have envied only Bashshar.

I have met, he would envy only good news

He would envy no one but the blind poet Bashar.

غُفرانَكَ اللَهُمَّ ما أَنا كافِرٌ

غُفرانَكَ اللَهُمَّ ما أَنا كافِرٌ

فَلِمَ تُعَذِّبُ مُهجَتي بِالنارِ

فَلِمَ تُعَذِّبُ مُهجَتي بِالنارِ

Your forgiveness, O God! I am no unbeliever;

Forgive me God, I am no unbeliever

Your forgiveness, O God, I am no unbeliever,

Then why do you torment my heart with fire?

Why then do you torture my mind with fire?

So why do You torment my soul with this fire?

لِلَّهِ ما أَشهى القُرى وَأَحَبَّها

لِلَّهِ ما أَشهى القُرى وَأَحَبَّها

لِفَتىً بَعيدِ مَطارِحِ الأَفكارِ

لِفَتىً بَعيدِ مَطارِحِ الأَفكارِ

By God, how delightful and dear the villages are

By God, I do not desire cities or love them

By God, how delightful are the villages, and how dear,

To a young man whose thoughts range far!

For a young man far from thoughts

To a youth whose thoughts wander to distant realms.

إِن شِئتَ تَعرى مِن قُيودِكَ كُلَّها

إِن شِئتَ تَعرى مِن قُيودِكَ كُلَّها

فَاِنظُر إِلى صَدرِ السَماءِ العاري

فَاِنظُر إِلى صَدرِ السَماءِ العاري

If you wish to cast off all your shackles,

If you want to strip away all your shackles

If you wish to be stripped of all your chains,

Then look upon the sky's bare breast,

Then look to the bare chest of the sky

Then look to the bare chest of the sky.

وَاِمشِ عَلى ضَوءِ الصَباحِ فَإِن خَبا

وَاِمشِ عَلى ضَوءِ الصَباحِ فَإِن خَبا

فَاِمشِ عَلى ضَوءِ الهِلالِ الساري

فَاِمشِ عَلى ضَوءِ الهِلالِ الساري

And walk by the morning's light; if it fades,

And walk in the light of dawn, and if it wanes

Walk by the light of the morning, and if it fades,

Then walk by the light of the wandering crescent.

Then walk in the light of the rising crescent

Then walk by the light of the traveling crescent moon.

عِش في الخَلاءِ تَعِش خَلِيّاً هانِئً

عِش في الخَلاءِ تَعِش خَلِيّاً هانِئً

كَاطَيرِ حُرّاً كَالغَديرِ الجاري

كَاطَيرِ حُرّاً كَالغَديرِ الجاري

Live in the open: you will live carefree and content,

Live in the wilderness and you will live happy

Live in the open void; you will live free and content,

Like a bird, free as a flowing brook.

Like a free bird, like a flowing stream

Like a free bird, like the flowing stream.

عِش في الخَلاءِ كَما تَعيشُ طُيورُهُ

عِش في الخَلاءِ كَما تَعيشُ طُيورُهُ

الحُرُّ يَأبى العَيشَ تَحتَ سِتارِ

الحُرُّ يَأبى العَيشَ تَحتَ سِتارِ

Live in the open as its birds live;

Live in the wilderness as its birds live

Live in the wild as its birds live;

The free refuse to live beneath a veil.

The free soul refuses to live behind a veil

The free soul refuses to live beneath a veil.

شَلّالُ مِلفِرد لا يَقَرُّ قَرارَهُ

شَلّالُ مِلفِرد لا يَقَرُّ قَرارَهُ

وَأَنا لِشَوقي لا يَقِرُّ قَراري

وَأَنا لِشَوقي لا يَقِرُّ قَراري

Milford's waterfall never comes to rest,

Like a waterfall whose sparkle is like

The Milford Waterfall finds no resting place,

And I, through longing, never come to rest.

The polished sword, and it has the clamor of racing rocks

And I, for my longing, find no rest.

فيهِ مِنَ السَيفِ الصَقيلِ بَريقُهُ

فيهِ مِنَ السَيفِ الصَقيلِ بَريقُهُ

وَلَهُ ضَجيجُ صُخورَهُ الجَرّارِ

وَلَهُ ضَجيجُ صُخورَهُ الجَرّارِ

It has the gleam of a polished sword,

It eternally sprinkles its rocks with its tears

In it is the glitter of a polished sword,

And it has the mighty clamor of its rocks.

As if to wash them of sins

And it possesses the roar of dragging boulders.

أَبَداً يَرُشُّ صُخورَهُ بِدُموعِهِ

أَبَداً يَرُشُّ صُخورَهُ بِدُموعِهِ

أَتُراهُ يَغسِلُها مِنَ الأَوزارِ

أَتُراهُ يَغسِلُها مِنَ الأَوزارِ

Forever it sprinkles its rocks with its tears;

So that when its groans scatter dispersed

Forever it sprinkles its rocks with its tears;

Do you think it washes them clean of sins?

You see around the base something like dust

Do you suppose it is washing them of sins?

فَإِذا تَطايَرَ مَأوهُ مُتَناثِراً

فَإِذا تَطايَرَ مَأوهُ مُتَناثِراً

أَبصَرتَ حَولَ السَفحِ شِبهَ غُبارِ

أَبصَرتَ حَولَ السَفحِ شِبهَ غُبارِ

And when its water flies in scattered spray,

Like the sea with current, it pushes its foam

And when its water flies, scattering apart,

You see around the slope something like dust.

And rages like the roaring beast with claws

You see around the foothills something like dust.

كَالبَحرِ ذي التَيّارِ يَدفَعُ بَحضَهُ

كَالبَحرِ ذي التَيّارِ يَدفَعُ بَحضَهُ

وَيَصولُ كَالضِرغامِ ذي الأَظفارِ

وَيَصولُ كَالضِرغامِ ذي الأَظفارِ

Like the sea in spate, it thrusts part of itself onward,

From a peak like a bosom which youth has seen

Like a sea with a current driving itself,

And charges like a lion armed with claws,

A bosom overflowing with streaming brightness?

Attacking like a lion with bared claws.

مِن قِمَّةٍ كَالنَهدِ أَيُّ فَتىً رَأى

مِن قِمَّةٍ كَالنَهدِ أَيُّ فَتىً رَأى

نَهداً يَفيضُ بِعارِضٍ مِدرارِ

نَهداً يَفيضُ بِعارِضٍ مِدرارِ

From a summit like a breast—what young man has seen

It is as though it is a pulpit and he is

From a peak shaped like a breast—what youth has ever seen

A breast gushing forth a cloud of pouring rain?

A prayer niche between the ranks of revolutionaries

A breast overflowing with such torrential rain?

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ مِنبَر وَكَأَنَّهُ

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ مِنبَر وَكَأَنَّهُ

ميرابُ بَينَ عَصائِبِ الثُوّارِ

ميرابُ بَينَ عَصائِبِ الثُوّارِ

As though the summit were a pulpit, and he were

Whoever has not witnessed it in its moments of outburst

It is as if the peak is a pulpit, and the waterfall

Mirabeau among bands of rebels.

Does not know how the arrogant rage

Is Mirabeau standing among bands of revolutionaries.

مَن لَم يُشاهِد ساعَة وَثَباتِهِ

مَن لَم يُشاهِد ساعَة وَثَباتِهِ

لَم يَدرِ كَيفَ تَغَطرُسُ الجَبّارِ

لَم يَدرِ كَيفَ تَغَطرُسُ الجَبّارِ

Whoever has not watched its leaps for an hour

I always assumed every silence wise

He who has not witnessed the hour of its leap

Does not know how a mighty one can swagger.

Until I saw that blabbermouth

Does not know how the mighty display their pride.

ما زِلتُ أَحسَبُ كُلَّ صَمتٍ حِكمَةً

ما زِلتُ أَحسَبُ كُلَّ صَمتٍ حِكمَةً

حَتّى بَصُرتُ بِذَلِكَ الثَرثارِ

حَتّى بَصُرتُ بِذَلِكَ الثَرثارِ

I had always counted every silence as wisdom,

Before seeing him I prepared a fleeting stand

I used to deem every silence to be wisdom,

Until I beheld that chatterbox.

For an ignoramus, but it became a stand of insolence

Until I set eyes upon that chatterbox.

أَعدَدتُ قَبلَ أَراهُ وَقفَةَ عابِرٍ

أَعدَدتُ قَبلَ أَراهُ وَقفَةَ عابِرٍ

لاهٍ فَكانَت وِقفَةَ اِستِعبارِ

لاهٍ فَكانَت وِقفَةَ اِستِعبارِ

Before seeing it, I had planned a passerby's pause,

O sister of the eternal abode, O mother of villages

I prepared, before seeing it, the stance of a passerby,

Heedless—but it became a pause of tears.

O goddess of forests and rivers

Careless, but it became a stance of weeping awe.

يا أُختَ دارِ الخُلدِ يا أُمَّ القُرى

يا أُختَ دارِ الخُلدِ يا أُمَّ القُرى

يا رَبَّةَ الغابات وَالأَنهارِ

يا رَبَّةَ الغابات وَالأَنهارِ

O sister of the eternal abode, O mother of villages,

By God, I have spent a day in you

O sister of the Abode of Eternity, O mother of villages,

O mistress of the forests and the rivers!

With the finest group of supporters

O mistress of the forests and the rivers.

لِلَّهِ يَومٌ فيكِ قَد قَضَّيتُهُ

لِلَّهِ يَومٌ فيكِ قَد قَضَّيتُهُ

مَعَ عُصبَةٍ مِن خيرَةِ الأَنصارِ

مَعَ عُصبَةٍ مِن خيرَةِ الأَنصارِ

By God, what a day I spent in you,

We walked on those plateaus while below us

By God, a day I spent within you,

With a band of the finest companions!

Was a sea of trees and vegetation

With a band of the finest companions...

نَمشي عَلى تِلكَ الهِضاب وَدونَنا

نَمشي عَلى تِلكَ الهِضاب وَدونَنا

بَحرٌ مِنَ الأَغراس وَالأَشجارِ

بَحرٌ مِنَ الأَغراس وَالأَشجارِ

We walk upon those hills, and below us lies

In it the eye flows between brooks

We walk upon those plateaus, while below us

A sea of saplings and trees.

And creeks, paths and houses

Lies a sea of saplings and trees.

تَنسابُ فيهِ العَينُ بَينَ جَداوِلٌ

تَنسابُ فيهِ العَينُ بَينَ جَداوِلٌ

وَخَمائِل وَمَسالِك وَدِيارِ

وَخَمائِل وَمَسالِك وَدِيارِ

The eye glides through it, among streams

Now on an impregnable, firm mountain

The eye glides within it, between streams,

And groves and paths and dwellings.

Now on a cliff slipping down

And thickets, and pathways, and dwellings.

آناً عَلى جَبَلٍ مَكينٍ راسِخٍ

آناً عَلى جَبَلٍ مَكينٍ راسِخٍ

راس وَآناً فَوقَ جُرفٍ هارِ

راس وَآناً فَوقَ جُرفٍ هارِ

Now on a mountain, solid and firmly rooted,

The rocks plummet beneath us by the Creator

At times upon a firm, rooted mountain,

Steadfast; now above a crumbling cliff.

And we almost plummet with the rocks

And at times above a crumbling cliff.

تَهوي الحِجارَةُ تَحتَنا مِن خالِقٍ

تَهوي الحِجارَةُ تَحتَنا مِن خالِقٍ

وَنَكادُ أَن نَهوي مَعَ الأَحجارِ

وَنَكادُ أَن نَهوي مَعَ الأَحجارِ

The stones tumble beneath us from a lofty height,

Had you seen us plunging from the heights

Stones fall beneath us from the precipice,

And we nearly fall with the stones.

You would have laughed at us the laughter of ridicule

And we nearly fall along with the stones.

لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَنا نُهَروِلُ مِن عَلٍ

لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَنا نُهَروِلُ مِن عَلٍ

لَضَحَكتَ مِنّا ضِحكَةَ اِستِهتارِ

لَضَحَكتَ مِنّا ضِحكَةَ اِستِهتارِ

Had you seen us hurrying down from on high,

The wind still and we reckon we are

Had you seen us rushing down from on high,

You would have laughed at us with scornful laughter.

Plunging ahead with the hurricane

You would have laughed at us with reckless mockery.

الريحُ ساكِنَة وَنَحنُ نَظُنُّنا

الريحُ ساكِنَة وَنَحنُ نَظُنُّنا

لِلخَوفِ مُندَفِعينَ مَع إِعصارِ

لِلخَوفِ مُندَفِعينَ مَع إِعصارِ

The wind is still, yet we imagine ourselves

And the earth fixed and we imagine it

The wind is still, yet we imagine ourselves,

From fear, swept along by a whirlwind.

Shuddering with the blow of the passing breeze

Out of fear, being driven by a hurricane.

وَالأَرضُ ثابِتَة وَنَحنُ نَخالُها

وَالأَرضُ ثابِتَة وَنَحنُ نَخالُها

تَهتَزُّ مَع دَفعِ النَسيمِ الساري

تَهتَزُّ مَع دَفعِ النَسيمِ الساري

And the earth is steady, yet we imagine it

We continued to support each other as

The earth is fixed, yet we fancy it

Shaking under the passing breeze's thrust.

Travelers cling together on journeys

Trembling with the push of the passing breeze.

ما زالَ يَسنُدُ بَعضُنا بَعضاً كَما

ما زالَ يَسنُدُ بَعضُنا بَعضاً كَما

يَتَماسَكُ الرُوّادُ في الأَسفارِ

يَتَماسَكُ الرُوّادُ في الأَسفارِ

We kept supporting one another, as

And this one braces another by his buttons

We continued to support one another, just as

Explorers hold together on their journeys.

So the other braces me by my buttons

Pioneers hold together in their travels.

وَيَشُدُّ هَذا ذاكَ مِن أَزرارِهِ

وَيَشُدُّ هَذا ذاكَ مِن أَزرارِهِ

فَيَشُدُّني ذَيّاكَ مِن أَزراري

فَيَشُدُّني ذَيّاكَ مِن أَزراري

And this one tugs that one by his buttons,

Until we returned safe and sound, had not

This one pulls that one by his buttons,

Then that fellow tugs me by my buttons,

God extended our lifespans

And that one pulls me by mine.

حَتّى رَجَعنا سالِمين وَلَم نَعُد

حَتّى رَجَعنا سالِمين وَلَم نَعُد

لَو لَم يَمُدَّ اللَهُ في الأَعمارِ

لَو لَم يَمُدَّ اللَهُ في الأَعمارِ

Until we returned safe—and would not have returned

And I have stood facing your river at dawn

Until we returned safe—and we would not have returned

Had God not prolonged our lives.

While the birds were in nests and dens

Had God not extended our spans of life.

وَلَقَد وَقَفتُ حَيالَ نَهرِكِ بُكرَةً

وَلَقَد وَقَفتُ حَيالَ نَهرِكِ بُكرَةً

وَالطَيرُ في الوَكَنات وَالأَوكارِ

وَالطَيرُ في الوَكَنات وَالأَوكارِ

Indeed, I stood facing your river at dawn,

Awed, as though I were in a temple

I stood before your river in the early morning,

While the birds were in their roosts and nests,

And it was a scripture of scriptures

While the birds were still in their nests and dens.

مُتَهَيِّباً فَكَأَنَّني في هَيكَلٍ

مُتَهَيِّباً فَكَأَنَّني في هَيكَلٍ

وَكَأَنَّهُ سِفرٌ مِنَ الأَسفارِ

وَكَأَنَّهُ سِفرٌ مِنَ الأَسفارِ

Awestruck, as though I were in a temple,

I was not one who loves silence, but

Filled with awe, as if I were in a temple,

And it were a book among books.

My tongue was tied by awe of eras

And as if it were a scripture from the holy books.

ما كُنتُ مَن يَهوى السُكوت وَإِنَّما

ما كُنتُ مَن يَهوى السُكوت وَإِنَّما

عَقَلَت لِساني رَهبَةُ الأَدهارِ

عَقَلَت لِساني رَهبَةُ الأَدهارِ

I was not one who loved silence; rather,

The breeze passed by it, so my pen passed

I was never one to love silence, yet

The awe of the ages had bound my tongue.

Line after line on lines from it

The awe of the ages bound my tongue.

مَرَّ النَسيمُ بِهِ فَمَرَّت مُقلَتي

مَرَّ النَسيمُ بِهِ فَمَرَّت مُقلَتي

مِنهُ بِأَسطارٍ عَلى أَسطارِ

مِنهُ بِأَسطارٍ عَلى أَسطارِ

The breeze passed over it, and my eye passed

So the heart is busy with its memories

The breeze passed over it, and so my eye passed

Over its lines, line upon line.

And vision hurtling with the current

Over it, reading line after line.

فَالقَلبُ مُنشَغِلٌ بِتَذكاراتِهِ

فَالقَلبُ مُنشَغِلٌ بِتَذكاراتِهِ

وَالطَرفُ مُندَفِعٌ مَعَ التَيّارِ

وَالطَرفُ مُندَفِعٌ مَعَ التَيّارِ

So the heart is absorbed in its memories,

Until above those hills rose

The heart is occupied with its memories,

And the gaze is swept along with the current,

The sun of dawn gleaming like a gold coin

And the gaze rushes forth with the current.

حَتّى تَجَلَّت فَوقَ هاتيكَ الرُبى

حَتّى تَجَلَّت فَوقَ هاتيكَ الرُبى

شَمسُ الصَباحِ تَلوحُ كَالدينارِ

شَمسُ الصَباحِ تَلوحُ كَالدينارِ

Until above those hills appeared

On its banks is a purple cloak

Until there appeared above those hills

The morning sun, shining like a dinar.

And on its vanishing point a cloak of springtime

The morning sun, looming like a gold dinar.

فَعَلى جَوانِبِهِ وِشاحُ زَبَرجَدٍ

فَعَلى جَوانِبِهِ وِشاحُ زَبَرجَدٍ

وَعَلى غَوارِبِهِ وِشاحِ بَهارِ

وَعَلى غَوارِبِهِ وِشاحِ بَهارِ

Then along its banks lay a sash of chrysolite,

Had your eyes seen in it their fantasy

Upon its banks lies a sash of emerald,

And upon its crests, a sash of yellow blossoms.

You would have seen a mirror without frame

And upon its crests, a sash of blossoms.

لَو أَبصَرَت عَيناكَ فيهِ خَيالَها

لَو أَبصَرَت عَيناكَ فيهِ خَيالَها

لَرَأَيتَ مِرآةً بِغَيرِ إِطارِ

لَرَأَيتَ مِرآةً بِغَيرِ إِطارِ

If your eyes saw her reflection in it,

I confided my secrets to it at dawn

If your eyes beheld its reflection therein,

You would see a mirror without a frame.

And I retreated into its depths with my secrets

You would have seen a mirror without a frame.

يَمَّمتُهُ سَحرا وَأَسراري مَعي

يَمَّمتُهُ سَحرا وَأَسراري مَعي

وَرَجَعتُ في أَعماقِهِ أَسراري

وَرَجَعتُ في أَعماقِهِ أَسراري

I headed for it before dawn, my secrets with me,

I have envied the people of villages for villages

I sought it at dawn, my secrets with me,

And returned, my secrets in its depths.

And congratulated even the flute player

And I returned, leaving my secrets in its depths.

إِنّي حَسَدتُ عَلى القُرى أَهلَ القُرى

إِنّي حَسَدتُ عَلى القُرى أَهلَ القُرى

وَغَبَطتُ حَتّى نافِخَ المِزمارِ

وَغَبَطتُ حَتّى نافِخَ المِزمارِ

Indeed, I envied the village folk their villages,

A night and morning between brethren of purity

I envied the village folk for their villages,

And coveted even the flute player's good fortune.

Was not more beautiful than my night and day

And I envied even the blower of the flute.

لَيل وَصُبحٌ بَينَ إِخوانِ الصَفا

لَيل وَصُبحٌ بَينَ إِخوانِ الصَفا

ما كانَ أَجمَلَ لَيلَتي وَنَهار

ما كانَ أَجمَلَ لَيلَتي وَنَهار

A night and a morning among brethren of purity—

A night and a morning among the Brethren of Purity—

How beautiful were my night and day!

How beautiful were my night and my day!