كَمَنجَةيَ الشَوّا عَلَيكِ السَلام

كَمَنجَةيَ الشَوّا عَلَيكِ السَلام

بِهَيكَلِ الوَحيِ وَعَرشِ الغَرام

بِهَيكَلِ الوَحيِ وَعَرشِ الغَرام

O my violin of al-Shawwa, peace be upon you,

O violin of Al-Shawwa, peace be upon you,

In the temple of inspiration and on the throne of love.

In the temple of revelation and upon the throne of love.

فيكِ اِلتَقَت أَرواحُ أَهلِ الهَوى

فيكِ اِلتَقَت أَرواحُ أَهلِ الهَوى

نَجوى وَشَكوى وَبُكا وَاِبتِسام

نَجوى وَشَكوى وَبُكا وَاِبتِسام

Within you the souls of lovers met:

Within you, the souls of those who love have converged,

In whispers, lament, weeping, and smiles.

As intimate whispers, complaints, weeping, and smiles.

وَأَودَعَت فيكِ الصَبا هَمسُها

وَأَودَعَت فيكِ الصَبا هَمسُها

وَخَبَّأَ الأَسرارَ فيكِ الظَلام

وَخَبَّأَ الأَسرارَ فيكِ الظَلام

And the east wind entrusted its whispers to you,

The zephyr has deposited its whispers within you,

And darkness hid its secrets within you.

And darkness has concealed its secrets in your depths.

وَذابَ فيكِ الحُبُّ ذَوبَ النَدى

وَذابَ فيكِ الحُبُّ ذَوبَ النَدى

في مَبسِمِ الوِردِ وَجَفنِ الخُزام

في مَبسِمِ الوِردِ وَجَفنِ الخُزام

And love melted within you as dew melts

And love has melted within you like the dissolving dew,

In the rose's smiling mouth and lavender's eyelid.

Upon the smiling lips of the rose and the eyelids of the lavender.

رُدّي إِلَينا اليَومَ دُنيا الرُأى

رُدّي إِلَينا اليَومَ دُنيا الرُأى

فَإِنَّنا نَشقى بِدُنيا الحُطام

فَإِنَّنا نَشقى بِدُنيا الحُطام

Restore to us today the world of visions,

Restore to us today the realm of visions,

For we suffer in the world of material possessions.

For we are miserable in this world of wreckage.

أَجنِحَةُ الأَشواقِ مَقصوصَةٌ

أَجنِحَةُ الأَشواقِ مَقصوصَةٌ

أَو موثَقاتٌ وَالأَماني رِمام

أَو موثَقاتٌ وَالأَماني رِمام

The wings of longing are clipped,

The wings of our longings are clipped,

Or bound, and hopes are decayed remains.

Or fettered tight, and our hopes are crumbling bones.

قَدِ اِنقَضى العُمرُ وَأَرواحُنا

قَدِ اِنقَضى العُمرُ وَأَرواحُنا

مَفطومَةٌ بِالحِرصِ بِئسَ الفِطام

مَفطومَةٌ بِالحِرصِ بِئسَ الفِطام

Life has already passed, while our souls

A lifetime has passed, yet our souls remain

Are weaned by greed—what a wretched weaning!

Weaned on greed—what a wretched weaning indeed.

نَنأى عَنِ الحُسنِ وَنَشتاقُهُ

نَنأى عَنِ الحُسنِ وَنَشتاقُهُ

وَنَهجُرُ الماءَ وَنَشكو الأُوام

وَنَهجُرُ الماءَ وَنَشكو الأُوام

We turn away from beauty, yet long for it,

We distance ourselves from beauty though we yearn for it,

And forsake water, yet complain of burning thirst.

And we abandon the water while complaining of thirst.

وَيَبعَثُ الحَقلُ إِلَينا الشَذى

وَيَبعَثُ الحَقلُ إِلَينا الشَذى

وَنَحنُ لا نَنشُقُ إِلّا الرَغام

وَنَحنُ لا نَنشُقُ إِلّا الرَغام

And the field sends its fragrance to us,

The field wafts its fragrance towards us,

Yet we inhale nothing but dust.

Yet we inhale nothing but dust.

نَسيرُ وَالأَضواءُ مِن حَولِنا

نَسيرُ وَالأَضواءُ مِن حَولِنا

كَأَنَّنا في هَبوَةٍ أَو قَتام

كَأَنَّنا في هَبوَةٍ أَو قَتام

We walk with lights all around us,

We walk with lights shining all around us,

As though in a dust cloud or dusty gloom.

As though we are trapped in a haze or gloom.

وَالماءُ يَجري حَولَنا كَوثَراً

وَالماءُ يَجري حَولَنا كَوثَراً

وَنَحنُ نَستَسقي السَحابَ الجَهام

وَنَحنُ نَستَسقي السَحابَ الجَهام

And water flows around us like Kawthar,

While water flows around us like a heavenly spring,

Yet we ask rainless clouds for rain.

We seek rain from barren, waterless clouds.

وَنَسهَرُ اللَيلَ لِغَيرِ الهَوى

وَنَسهَرُ اللَيلَ لِغَيرِ الهَوى

ما تَنفَعُ اليَقَظَةُ وَالقَلبُ نام

ما تَنفَعُ اليَقَظَةُ وَالقَلبُ نام

And we keep vigil through the night for something other than love;

We keep vigil at night for things other than love,

What good is wakefulness when the heart has fallen asleep?

Of what use is wakefulness when the heart sleeps?

حَتّى نَسَينا كَيفَ لَونُ الضُحى

حَتّى نَسَينا كَيفَ لَونُ الضُحى

وَلَم نَعُد نَذكُرُ سَجعَ الحِمام

وَلَم نَعُد نَذكُرُ سَجعَ الحِمام

Until we forgot what color the morning light was,

Until we have forgotten the color of the morning light,

And no longer remembered the cooing of doves.

And no longer recall the cooing of the doves.

خَيرٌ مِنَ اليَقَظَةِ عِندِيَ الكَرى

خَيرٌ مِنَ اليَقَظَةِ عِندِيَ الكَرى

إِن كانَتِ الغَبطَةُ بِنتَ المَنام

إِن كانَتِ الغَبطَةُ بِنتَ المَنام

To me, slumber is better than wakefulness,

To me, slumber is better than wakefulness,

If bliss is the daughter of dreams.

If bliss is truly the child of dreams.

خِلنا الهَوى تَرجِعُ أَيّامُهُ

خِلنا الهَوى تَرجِعُ أَيّامُهُ

لَم يَرجِعِ الحُبُّ وَلا المالُ دام

لَم يَرجِعِ الحُبُّ وَلا المالُ دام

We thought love's days would return;

We imagined that the days of love might return,

Love did not return, nor did wealth endure.

But love did not return, nor did wealth endure.

فَيا فَتى الشَهباءِ يا شاعِراً

فَيا فَتى الشَهباءِ يا شاعِراً

قَد رَفَعَ الفَنَّ لِأَسمى مُقام

قَد رَفَعَ الفَنَّ لِأَسمى مُقام

So, O youth of al-Shahba, O poet,

O son of Aleppo, O poet,

Who has indeed raised art to the loftiest station,

Who has elevated art to the highest station.

رَجِعتَ بِالسِحرِ وَكانَ اِنطَوى

رَجِعتَ بِالسِحرِ وَكانَ اِنطَوى

وَجِئتَنا بِالوَحيِ في غَيرِ جام

وَجِئتَنا بِالوَحيِ في غَيرِ جام

You returned with magic after it had vanished,

You brought back magic after it had vanished,

And brought us inspiration in something other than a goblet.

And brought us inspiration without need of a wine cup.

هَذا عَصيرُ الوَحيِ في آلَةٍ

هَذا عَصيرُ الوَحيِ في آلَةٍ

خَرساءَ يَجري فِتَناً لِلأَنام

خَرساءَ يَجري فِتَناً لِلأَنام

This is the juice of inspiration in an instrument,

This is the essence of revelation within an instrument,

Mute—flowing as enchantments for humankind.

A mute object that pours forth enchantment for mankind.

فَإِن تَجِدنا حَولَها عُكَّفاً

فَإِن تَجِدنا حَولَها عُكَّفاً

فَالمَنهَلُ العَذبُ كَثيرُ الزِحام

فَالمَنهَلُ العَذبُ كَثيرُ الزِحام

So if you find us gathered devotedly around it,

So if you find us gathered devotedly around it,

For a sweet spring draws great crowds.

Know that the sweet spring attracts the greatest crowds.

فَدَغدِغِ الأَوتارَ لا تَكتَرِث

فَدَغدِغِ الأَوتارَ لا تَكتَرِث

أَن تَذهَبَ الفِتنَةُ بِالاِحتِشام

أَن تَذهَبَ الفِتنَةُ بِالاِحتِشام

So tickle the strings; do not worry

So caress the strings and do not worry

That enchantment sweeps restraint away.

If their enchantment sweeps away our restraint.

سَعادَةُ الأَنفُسِ في نَشوَةٍ

سَعادَةُ الأَنفُسِ في نَشوَةٍ

مِن صورَةٍ أَو نَغَمٍ أَو مُدام

مِن صورَةٍ أَو نَغَمٍ أَو مُدام

The happiness of souls lies in ecstasy

The happiness of souls lies in the rapture,

From an image, a melody, or wine.

Born of an image, a melody, or wine.

وَقُل لِمَن يَحذُرُ أَن يَشتَكي

وَقُل لِمَن يَحذُرُ أَن يَشتَكي

وَيَحبِسُ الدَمعَ لِأَلّا يُلام

وَيَحبِسُ الدَمعَ لِأَلّا يُلام

And tell whoever is afraid to lament

And tell him who is afraid to voice his complaint,

And holds back tears lest he be blamed:

And holds back his tears to escape blame:

إِسمَع فَهَذا وَتَرٌ نائِحٌ

إِسمَع فَهَذا وَتَرٌ نائِحٌ

وَاِنظُر فَهَذا خَشَبٌ مُستَهام

وَاِنظُر فَهَذا خَشَبٌ مُستَهام

Listen, for this is a wailing string,

Listen, for this is a weeping string,

And look, for this is love-stricken wood.

And look, for this is mere wood struck with passion.

نيويوركَ يا ذاتَ البُروجِ الَّتي

نيويوركَ يا ذاتَ البُروجِ الَّتي

سَمَت وَطالَت كَي تَمُسَّ الغَمام

سَمَت وَطالَت كَي تَمُسَّ الغَمام

New York, O city of towers that

O New York, mistress of towers that

Have risen high and grown tall to touch the clouds,

Have risen and stretched to touch the clouds,

لَن تَبلُغي وَاللَهِ بابَ السَما

لَن تَبلُغي وَاللَهِ بابَ السَما

إِلّا بِأَوتارٍ كَنارِ الشَآم

إِلّا بِأَوتارٍ كَنارِ الشَآم

By God, you will never reach heaven's gate

By God, you will never reach the gates of Heaven

Except through the strings of al-Sham's canary.

Except through strings burning like the fire of the Levant.

فَاِصغي إِلى أَلحانِهِ لَحذَةً

فَاِصغي إِلى أَلحانِهِ لَحذَةً

تَحتَقِري كُلَّ صُنوفِ الكَلام

تَحتَقِري كُلَّ صُنوفِ الكَلام

So listen to his melodies for a moment,

So listen to his melodies for a moment,

And you will scorn every kind of speech,

And you will come to disdain all forms of speech,

وَتُدرِكي أَنَّ قُصورَ المُنى

وَتُدرِكي أَنَّ قُصورَ المُنى

تَبقى وَنَهَدُّ قُصورُ الرِجام

تَبقى وَنَهَدُّ قُصورُ الرِجام

And realize that the palaces of dreams

And you will realize that the palaces of dreams

Endure, while we demolish palaces of stone.

Endure, while palaces of stone collapse.

فَرَحِّبي مَعَنا بِهِ وَاِهتُفي

فَرَحِّبي مَعَنا بِهِ وَاِهتُفي

هَذا أَميرُ الفَنِّ هَذا الإِمام

هَذا أَميرُ الفَنِّ هَذا الإِمام

So welcome him with us, and cry:

So welcome him with us and proclaim:

This is the prince of art; this is the master!

This is the Prince of Art; this is the master.