مُنذُsince اِفتَرَقناwe parted لَمnot أَذُقI have tasted وَسَناslumber
مُنذُ اِفتَرَقنا لَم أَذُق وَسَنا
لِلَّهِby God! ماwhat صَنَعَhas done الفِراقُparting بِناto us
لِلَّهِ ما صَنَعَ الفِراقُ بِنا
Since we parted, I have not tasted slumber.
Since we parted, I have not tasted pleasure,
Since we parted, I have known no slumber,
By God, what parting has done to us!
Oh God, what separation has done to us!
God knows what separation has done to us.
قُلsay لِلخَلِيِّينَto the carefree الثَناءَpraise لَكُمfor you
قُل لِلخَلِيِّينَ الثَناءَ لَكُم
الحُبُّlove قَدindeed خَلَقَcreated العَذابَtorment لَناfor us
الحُبُّ قَد خَلَقَ العَذابَ لَنا
Tell the carefree: praise is yours;
Tell those who blame that praise be to you,
Say to the carefree: Praise be yours,
love has created torment for us.
Love has created torment for us.
For love has created torment for us.
لَمnot أَنسَI have forgotten قَولَتَهاher utterance الَّتيwhich مَلَأَتfilled
لَم أَنسَ قَولَتَها الَّتي مَلَأَت
نَفسيmy soul أَسىًgrief وَجَوانِحيand my breast شَجَناsorrow
نَفسي أَسىً وَجَوانِحي شَجَنا
I have not forgotten her words, which filled
I cannot forget her words that filled
I have not forgotten her words that filled
my soul with grief and my breast with sorrow:
My soul with sorrow and my being with melancholy.
My soul with sorrow and my heart with grief:
ماذاwhat جَنَيناhave we done wrong كَيso that تُفارِقَناyou leave us
ماذا جَنَينا كَي تُفارِقَنا
أَملَلتَناhave you tired of us? وَسَإِمتَand grown weary صُحبَتَناour company
أَملَلتَنا وَسَإِمتَ صُحبَتَنا
What have we done wrong, that you should leave us?
What wrong did we commit that you left us?
"What crime have we committed that you should leave us?
Have you tired of us and grown weary of our company?
Did we bore you and tire of our company?
Have you grown tired of us and weary of our company?"
فَأَجَبتُهاso I answered her بِلِسانِin the voice of مُعتَذِرٍone apologizing
فَأَجَبتُها بِلِسانِ مُعتَذِرٍ
لَمnot تَجنيyou did wrong أَنتِyou وَلاnor مَلَلتُI grew weary أَناI
لَم تَجني أَنتِ وَلا مَلَلتُ أَنا
So I answered her in an apologetic voice:
I answered her with apologies:
So I answered her with an apologetic tongue:
You have done no wrong, nor have I grown weary.
You did no wrong, nor did I grow weary.
"You have committed no wrong, nor have I grown weary.
لَكِنbut رَأَيتُI saw الماءَthe water مُنطَلِقاًflowing freely
لَكِن رَأَيتُ الماءَ مُنطَلِقاً
رَياًthirst-quenching فَإِنbut if هُوَit لَمnot يَسِرflows أَجَناturns stale
رَياً فَإِن هُوَ لَم يَسِر أَجَنا
But I have seen water, freely flowing,
But I saw water flowing,
But I have observed that flowing water
quench thirst; if it does not flow, it turns stale.
Irrigating, though it did not flow gently.
Remains sweet, but if it ceases to move, it stagnates.
وَالسَيفُand the sword إِنif طالَlasts long الثَواءُrest بِهِfor it
وَالسَيفُ إِن طالَ الثَواءُ بِهِ
يَصدَءit rusts وَيُصبِحُand becomes حَدُّهُits edge خَشِناrough
يَصدَء وَيُصبِحُ حَدُّهُ خَشِنا
And if a sword lies idle too long,
A sword, if worn too long in its sheath
And the sword, if it lingers too long in its sheath,
it rusts, and its edge grows rough.
Grows dull, and its edge becomes blunt.
Rusts, and its edge becomes dull and rough.
وَالسُحُبُand the clouds إِنif وَقَفَتstand still وَماand do not هَطَلَتrain
وَالسُحُبُ إِن وَقَفَت وَما هَطَلَت
لَمnot تَروِwater أَودِيَةًvalleys وَلاnor قِنَناpeaks
لَم تَروِ أَودِيَةً وَلا قِنَنا
And if clouds stand still and shed no rain,
Clouds, if they linger without raining,
And the clouds, if they stand still and pour no rain,
they water neither valleys nor peaks.
Bring no valleys or gardens to life.
Will quench neither the valleys nor the mountain peaks.
إِنَّindeed الحَياةَlife مَعَwith الجُمودِstagnation قَذىًgrit in the eye
إِنَّ الحَياةَ مَعَ الجُمودِ قَذىً
وَمَعَand with الحِراكِmovement بَشاشَةًcheerfulness وَهَناand bliss
وَمَعَ الحِراكِ بَشاشَةً وَهَنا
Life with stagnation is grit in the eye,
Life with stillness is misery,
Truly, life in stagnation is a painful speck in the eye,
but with movement, cheerfulness and bliss.
While life with motion is joy and ease.
While in movement, it brings cheer and delight.
لاdo not تَعذِلينيreproach me فَالقُرىfor villages أَرَبيmy desire
لا تَعذِليني فَالقُرى أَرَبي
حَيثُwhere الحَياةُlife رَغائِبٌdesires وَمُنىand hopes
حَيثُ الحَياةُ رَغائِبٌ وَمُنى
Do not reproach me, for villages are my desire,
Do not blame me, for villages are places
Do not blame me, for the villages are my desire,
where life is filled with desires and hopes;
Where life’s pleasures and desires abound,
Where life is full of longing and aspirations.
حَيثُwhere النُجومُthe stars تَلوحُshine سافِرَةًunveiled
حَيثُ النُجومُ تَلوحُ سافِرَةً
لَمnot تَلتَحِفcloak themselves سِتراًa covering وَلاnor كَفَناa shroud
لَم تَلتَحِف سِتراً وَلا كَفَنا
where the stars shine unveiled,
Where stars shine bright in the open,
Where the stars shimmer unveiled,
cloaked in neither a covering nor a shroud;
Uncovered by any veil or shroud.
Cloaked in neither curtain nor shroud.
وَالفَجرُand dawn مِلءُthe fill of جُيوبِهِits pockets أَرَجٌfragrance
وَالفَجرُ مِلءُ جُيوبِهِ أَرَجٌ
وَالطَيرُand the birds يَملَءُfills شَدوُهاtheir song الوُكُناthe nests
وَالطَيرُ يَملَءُ شَدوُها الوُكُنا
and dawn's pockets are filled with fragrance,
Dawn’s pockets are full of fragrances,
And the dawn, with its pockets full of fragrance,
and the birds' song fills the nests;
Birds fill their songs in hidden nests.
While the song of birds fills the nests.
وَعَلىand on الرُبىthe hills الأَظلالُthe shadows راقِصَةٌdancing
وَعَلى الرُبى الأَظلالُ راقِصَةٌ
وَيَدُand the hand النَسيمِof the breeze تُداعِبُcaresses الغُصُناthe branches
وَيَدُ النَسيمِ تُداعِبُ الغُصُنا
and on the hills the shadows dance,
Shadows dance over the hills,
Upon the hills, the shadows dance,
and the breeze's hand caresses the branches.
The hand of the breeze strokes the branches.
And the hand of the breeze caresses the boughs.
وَيحَalas for المَدائِنِthe cities إِنَّindeed ساكِنَهاtheir inhabitant
وَيحَ المَدائِنِ إِنَّ ساكِنَها
كَالمَيتِlike a dead man لَمnot يُطمَرis covered with earth وَلاnor دُفِناburied
كَالمَيتِ لَم يُطمَر وَلا دُفِنا
Alas for the cities! Their inhabitant
But cities’ dwellers are like the dead,
Woe unto the cities! For he who dwells within them
is like a dead man, neither covered with earth nor buried.
Buried without a grave or funeral.
Is like a corpse neither hidden away nor buried.
كَمhow often رُحتُI went أَستَسقيseeking rain سَحائِبَهاtheir clouds
كَم رُحتُ أَستَسقي سَحائِبَها
فَهَمَتso they poured rain وَلَكِنbut مِحنَةًaffliction وَضَنىand wasting sickness
فَهَمَت وَلَكِن مِحنَةً وَضَنى
How often I sought rain from their clouds,
How often I asked its clouds for rain,
How often have I sought rain from their clouds,
and they poured down—but only affliction and wasting sickness.
Yet they wavered, granting only trials.
And they poured forth—but only hardship and sickness.
وَلَكَمand how often سَهِرتُI kept vigil فَلَمyet did not أَجِدfind قَمَراًa moon
وَلَكَم سَهِرتُ فَلَم أَجِد قَمَراً
وَلَكَمand how often شَدَوتُI sang فَلَمyet did not أَجِدfind أُذُناan ear
وَلَكَم شَدَوتُ فَلَم أَجِد أُذُنا
And how often I kept vigil, yet found no moon;
How often I stayed up but found no moon,
How often have I kept vigil but found no moon,
and how often I sang, yet found no ear.
And how often I sang but found no ear.
And how often have I sung but found no listening ear.
لَوif كانَwere يَألَفُgrow fond of بُلبُلٌa nightingale غَرِدٌtuneful
لَو كانَ يَألَفُ بُلبُلٌ غَرِدٌ
قَفَصاًa cage أَحَبَّwould love الشاعِرُthe poet المُدُناthe cities
قَفَصاً أَحَبَّ الشاعِرُ المُدُنا
If a tuneful nightingale could grow fond of
Had a caged nightingale loved cages,
If a warbling nightingale could ever grow fond
a cage, the poet would love cities.
The poet would have loved cities.
Of a cage, then might the poet love the cities.
كَرِهَhated الوَرىhumankind طولَthe length of المُقامِstaying بِهاin them
كَرِهَ الوَرى طولَ المُقامِ بِها
فَاِستَنبَطواso they invented العَجَلاتِwheels وَالسُفُناand ships
فَاِستَنبَطوا العَجَلاتِ وَالسُفُنا
Humankind hated staying long in them,
They disliked living there for so long
Mankind loathed their long sojourn there,
so they invented wheels and ships.
And invented carts and ships.
So they devised wheels and ships to escape.
وَلَقَدand indeed ظَفِرتُI secured بِمَركَبٍa conveyance لَجِبٍnoisy
وَلَقَد ظَفِرتُ بِمَركَبٍ لَجِبٍ
فَخَرَجتُso I set out أَطويtraversing السَهلَthe plain وَالحُزُناand rugged ground
فَخَرَجتُ أَطوي السَهلَ وَالحُزُنا
And I secured a noisy conveyance,
I managed to obtain a sturdy vessel
And I have secured a clamorous vessel,
so I set out, traversing plains and rugged ground,
And sailed, traversing plains and sorrow.
Setting forth to traverse both plain and rugged terrain.
وَالشَوقُand longing يَدفَعُهُdrives it وَيَدفَعُنيand drives me
وَالشَوقُ يَدفَعُهُ وَيَدفَعُني
حَتّىuntil بَلَغتُI reached المَنزِلَthe abode الحَسَناlovely
حَتّى بَلَغتُ المَنزِلَ الحَسَنا
with longing driving it and driving me,
Yearning drove me and I drove it
Driven by longing, which propels both it and me,
until I reached the lovely abode.
Until I reached a beautiful home.
Until I reached that beautiful abode.
قِفstop ياO قِطارُtrain عَلىat رُبوعِهِمtheir homesteads
قِف يا قِطارُ عَلى رُبوعِهِم
إِنَّindeed الأَحِبَّةَthe loved ones ياO قِطارُtrain هُناhere
إِنَّ الأَحِبَّةَ يا قِطارُ هُنا
Stop, O train, at their homesteads:
Stop, oh train, over their lands,
Halt, O train, at their dwellings!
the loved ones, O train, are here.
For loved ones, oh train, are here.
For the beloved ones, O train, are here.
هَذيthese مَنازِلُهُمtheir homes تَهَشُّsmile in welcome لَناto us
هَذي مَنازِلُهُم تَهَشُّ لَنا
أَخطَأتَyou are mistaken بَلrather هَذيthese مَنازِلُناour homes
أَخطَأتَ بَل هَذي مَنازِلُنا
These are their homes, smiling in welcome to us—
These are their homes beckoning us!
These are their homes, smiling to welcome us—
you are mistaken: rather, these are our homes.
No, these are our homes!
Nay, I was mistaken; these are *our* homes.
ماnot حَلَّsettled مِنهُمof them مَوضِعاًin a place أَحَدٌanyone
ما حَلَّ مِنهُم مَوضِعاً أَحَدٌ
إِلّاexcept وَصارَand it became لِكُلِّناfor all of us وَطَناa homeland
إِلّا وَصارَ لِكُلِّنا وَطَنا
Not one of them has settled in a place
None of them occupied a place
For not one of them settles in a place
without its becoming a homeland for us all.
That did not become a homeland for us all.
Without it becoming a homeland for us all.
سورِيَّةٌSyria فيin كانتٍKant نَغَمٌa melody
سورِيَّةٌ في كانتٍ نَغَمٌ
عَذبٌsweet وَلِبنانٌand Lebanon شَذىًfragrance وَسَناand radiance
عَذبٌ وَلِبنانٌ شَذىً وَسَنا
Syria in Kant is a melody,
Syria is a tender melody in an oud,
Syria is therein a sweet melody,
sweet; and Lebanon is fragrance and radiance.
Lebanon is fragrant and delight.
And Lebanon is fragrance and radiance.
إِنif تَنطَفِئgo out زُهُرُthe bright ones النُجومِof the stars فَفيthen in
إِن تَنطَفِئ زُهُرُ النُجومِ فَفي
هَذيthese الوُجوهِfaces عَنِwithout النُجومِthe stars غِنىsufficiency
هَذي الوُجوهِ عَنِ النُجومِ غِنى
If the bright stars go out, then in
If the flowers of stars lose their light,
If the blossoming stars should lose their light,
these faces lies all we need instead of stars.
In these faces the stars find their radiance.
In these faces is a brilliance that replaces the stars.
وَإِذاand if الحَياةُlife طَوَتfolds away مَحاسِنَهاits beauties
وَإِذا الحَياةُ طَوَت مَحاسِنَها
عَنّيfrom me وَصارَand becomes نَعيمُهاits bliss مِحَناafflictions
عَنّي وَصارَ نَعيمُها مِحَنا
And if life folds away its beauties
And if life concealed its beauty from me
And if life should withdraw its beauties
from me, and its bliss turns to affliction,
And its bliss became torment,
From me, and its bliss turn to tribulation,
مَثَّلتُهُمI pictured them فيin خاطِريmy mind فَإِذاand suddenly
مَثَّلتُهُم في خاطِري فَإِذا
دُنيايَmy world فيهاwithin it لِلسُرورِfor joy دُنىworlds
دُنيايَ فيها لِلسُرورِ دُنى
I picture them in my mind, and suddenly
I imagined them in my mind, and found
I picture them in my mind, and behold:
my world contains worlds of joy.
My world filled again with joy.
My world contains worlds of joy within.
ياO قَومُpeople هَذاthis اليَومُday يَومَكُموyour day
يا قَومُ هَذا اليَومُ يَومَكُمو
مَنwhoever يَنتَهِزهُseizes it يَنَلgains رِضىًapproval وَثَناand praise
مَن يَنتَهِزهُ يَنَل رِضىً وَثَنا
O people, this day is yours;
O people, today is your day,
O people, this day is truly yours;
whoever seizes it will gain approval and praise.
Seize it and you will gain satisfaction and praise.
He who seizes it shall win contentment and praise.
فَلتَنبَسِطso let them open أَيديكُموyour hands كَرَماًin generosity
فَلتَنبَسِط أَيديكُمو كَرَماً
السُحبُthe clouds أَنفَعُهاthe most useful of them الَّذيthe one that هَتَناpours rain
السُحبُ أَنفَعُها الَّذي هَتَنا
So let your hands open in generosity;
So extend your hands generously,
So let your hands be outstretched in generosity,
of clouds, the most useful is the one that pours rain.
The clouds that are seized bring rainfall.
For the most useful clouds are those that pour rain.
أَناI لاdo not أَرىsee مِثلَlike البَخيلِthe miser فَتىًa young man
أَنا لا أَرى مِثلَ البَخيلِ فَتىً
يَضويwastes away وَيَهزُلُِand grows lean كُلَّماwhenever سَمُناhe grows fat
يَضوي وَيَهزُلُِ كُلَّما سَمُنا
I see no young man like the miser,
I see no youth like the miser
I see no one like the miserly man,
who wastes away and grows lean whenever he grows fat.
Wasting away and withering whenever he grows fat.
Who wastes away and grows frail the fatter he gets.
مَنwhoever لاdoes not يُشيدُbuild بِمالِهِwith his wealth أَثَراًa monument
مَن لا يُشيدُ بِمالِهِ أَثَراً
أَوor يَستَفيدُgains بِمالِهِwith his wealth مِنَناfavors
أَو يَستَفيدُ بِمالِهِ مِنَنا
Whoever does not build a monument with his wealth,
One who does not build with his money
He who does not raise a monument with his wealth,
or gain favors with his wealth,
Or benefit us with his wealth,
Or use his fortune to earn gratitude,
وَيَعيشُand lives مِثلَlike العَنكَبوتِthe spider يَعِشwill live
وَيَعيشُ مِثلَ العَنكَبوتِ يَعِش
فيamong الناسِpeople مَذموماًblamed وَمُمتَهِناand despised
في الناسِ مَذموماً وَمُمتَهِنا
and lives like a spider, will live
Who lives like a spider, despised and disgraced among men.
Living as the spider lives—
among people, blamed and despised.
So build and construct, and you will be honored,
He remains among men, blamed and despised.
فَاِبنواso build وَشيدواand raise high تُكرَمواyou honor (contextual reading) رَجُلاًa man
فَاِبنوا وَشيدوا تُكرَموا رَجُلاً
كَمhow often قَدindeed سَعىhe labored مِنfor أَجلِكُمyour sake وَبَنىand built
كَم قَد سَعى مِن أَجلِكُم وَبَنى
So build and raise high, to honor a man
For one who strove for your sake and built.
So build and construct, to honor a man
who has so often labored for you and built.
A nation and people seeking refuge in you -
Who has long striven and built for your sake.
وَطَنٌa homeland وَأَهلٌand a people لائِذونَseeking refuge بِكُمwith you
وَطَنٌ وَأَهلٌ لائِذونَ بِكُم
أَفَتَخذِلونَwill you then forsake? الأَهلَthe people وَالوَطَناand the homeland
أَفَتَخذِلونَ الأَهلَ وَالوَطَنا
A homeland and a people seek refuge with you:
Will you abandon your people and nation?
A homeland and kin serve as your refuge;
will you then forsake the people and the homeland?
Your children, O Cotton, have awakened today,
Will you then forsake your kin and your land?
قَطَناQatana بَنوكِyour sons اليَومَtoday قَدindeed نَهَضواhave risen
قَطَنا بَنوكِ اليَومَ قَد نَهَضوا
فَتَجَمَّديso freeze (probably a typo for 'so glory') بِبَنيكِthrough your sons ياO قَطَناQatana
فَتَجَمَّدي بِبَنيكِ يا قَطَنا
Qatana, your sons have risen today;
So stand tall and proud with your children, O Cotton.
O Qatana, your sons have risen today;
so glory in your sons, O Qatana (probable intended reading).
So stand tall and proud with your sons, O Qatana.
Partial English translation: 69 of 70 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1