لِمَن يَضوعُ العَبيرُ

لِمَن يَضوعُ العَبيرُ

لِمَن تُغَنّي الطُيورُ

لِمَن تُغَنّي الطُيورُ

For whom does the fragrance waft?

For whom does the fragrance waft?

For whom do the birds sing?

For whom do the birds sing?

لِمَن تُصَفُّ القَناني

لِمَن تُصَفُّ القَناني

لِمَن تُصَبُّ الخُمورُ

لِمَن تُصَبُّ الخُمورُ

For whom are the bottles lined up?

For whom are the bottles arrayed?

For whom are the wines poured?

For whom is the wine poured out?

وَلا جَمالٌ أَنيقٌ

وَلا جَمالٌ أَنيقٌ

وَلا شَبابٌ نَضيرُ

وَلا شَبابٌ نَضيرُ

And no graceful beauty,

When there is no elegant beauty,

And no blooming youth,

Nor any blooming youth,

بَل مومِياتٌ عَلَيها

بَل مومِياتٌ عَلَيها

أَطالِس وَحَريرُ

أَطالِس وَحَريرُ

Rather, mummies clad

But rather mummies, draped in

In satins and silk.

Satins and silks.

راحَت تُقَعقِعُ حَولي

راحَت تُقَعقِعُ حَولي

فَكادَ عَقلي يَطيرُ

فَكادَ عَقلي يَطيرُ

They began rattling around me,

They began clattering about me

So my mind nearly took flight.

Until my mind nearly took flight,

وَلاذَ قَلبي بِصَدري

وَلاذَ قَلبي بِصَدري

كَأَنَهُ عُصفورُ

كَأَنَهُ عُصفورُ

And my heart sought refuge in my breast,

And my heart sought refuge in my chest

As though it were a sparrow

As though it were a frightened sparrow,

لاحَت لَهُ في الأَعالي

لاحَت لَهُ في الأَعالي

بَواشِق وَصُقورُ

بَواشِق وَصُقورُ

That had glimpsed high above

To whom had appeared, in the heights,

Sparrowhawks and falcons.

Sparrowhawks and falcons.

وَقالَ ضويِقتَ فَاِهرِب

وَقالَ ضويِقتَ فَاِهرِب

قُلتُ الفَرارُ عَسيرُ

قُلتُ الفَرارُ عَسيرُ

And said, 'You are beset—flee!'

It said, "You are cornered, so flee!"

I said, 'Escape is hard.'

I replied, "Escape is impossible;"

ما لي جَناح وَلا لي

ما لي جَناح وَلا لي

سَيّارَةٌ أَو بَعيرُ

سَيّارَةٌ أَو بَعيرُ

I have no wing, nor have I

"I possess no wing, nor do I have"

A car or a camel.

"An automobile or a camel."

صَبراً فَهَذا بَلاءٌ

صَبراً فَهَذا بَلاءٌ

مُقَدَّرٌ مَسطورُ

مُقَدَّرٌ مَسطورُ

Patience, for this is an affliction,

"Patience, for this is a tribulation"

Decreed and written down.

"Ordained and written by fate."

وَرُحتُ أَسأَلُ رَبّي

وَرُحتُ أَسأَلُ رَبّي

وَهُوَ اللَطيفُ الخَبيرُ

وَهُوَ اللَطيفُ الخَبيرُ

And I began to ask my Lord,

And I went asking my Lord—

And He is the Gentle, the All-Aware:

He is the Subtle, the All-Aware—

أَينَ الحِسانُ الصَبايا

أَينَ الحِسانُ الصَبايا

إِن كانَ هَذا النُشورُ

إِن كانَ هَذا النُشورُ

Where are the beautiful young women,

"Where are the beautiful young maidens,"

If this is the resurrection?

"If this is indeed the Resurrection?"

لَيتَ الحُضورَ غِيابٌ

لَيتَ الحُضورَ غِيابٌ

وَالغائِبينَ حُضورُ

وَالغائِبينَ حُضورُ

Would that those present were absent,

"Would that those present were absent,"

And those absent were present!

"And the absent ones were present."

بَل لَيتَ كُلَّ نَسيجٍ

بَل لَيتَ كُلَّ نَسيجٍ

بَراقِع وَسُتورُ

بَراقِع وَسُتورُ

Rather, would that every fabric

"Nay, would that every woven fabric"

Were face veils and curtains!

"Were thick veils and curtains,"

فَقَد أَضَر وَآذى

فَقَد أَضَر وَآذى

عَينَيَّ هَذا السُفورُ

عَينَيَّ هَذا السُفورُ

For it has harmed and hurt

"For it has harmed and offended"

My eyes, this unveiling.

"My eyes, this unveiling."

هَذي العُصورُ الخَوالي

هَذي العُصورُ الخَوالي

تَطوفُ بي وَتَدورُ

تَطوفُ بي وَتَدورُ

These ages long past

These ancient eras

Circle and wheel around me,

Circle and revolve around me

مِن كُلِّ شَمطاءَ وَلّى

مِن كُلِّ شَمطاءَ وَلّى

شَبابُها وَالغُرورُ

شَبابُها وَالغُرورُ

In every gray-haired woman whose

In the form of every gray-haired woman,

Youth and vanity have fled.

Whose youth and vanity have fled.

كَأَنَّما الفَمُ مِنها

كَأَنَّما الفَمُ مِنها

مُقَطَّبٌ مَزرورُ

مُقَطَّبٌ مَزرورُ

As though her mouth

It is as if her mouth

Were puckered, buttoned shut;

Is puckered tight and buttoned shut;

كيسٌ عَلى غَيرِ شَيءٍ

كيسٌ عَلى غَيرِ شَيءٍ

مِنَ الحِلى مَصرورُ

مِنَ الحِلى مَصرورُ

A pouch, containing nothing

A pouch containing nothing,

Of jewels, cinched shut.

Tied up to hold invisible jewels.

كَأَنَّما هُوَ جُرحٌ

كَأَنَّما هُوَ جُرحٌ

مَرَّت عَلَيهِ شُهورُ

مَرَّت عَلَيهِ شُهورُ

As though it were a wound

It is as if it is a wound

Over which months have passed.

Over which months have passed.

يا طالِبَ الشَهدِ أَقصِر

يا طالِبَ الشَهدِ أَقصِر

لَم يَبقَ إِلّا القَفيرُ

لَم يَبقَ إِلّا القَفيرُ

O seeker of honey, desist!

O seeker of honey, desist;

Nothing remains but the hive.

Nothing remains but the empty hive.

كَأَنَّما الوَجهُ مِنها

كَأَنَّما الوَجهُ مِنها

قَد عَضَّهُ الزَمهَريرُ

قَد عَضَّهُ الزَمهَريرُ

As though her face

It is as if her face

Had been bitten by bitter cold;

Has been bitten by the bitterest frost;

كَالبَدرِ حينَ تَراهُ

كَالبَدرِ حينَ تَراهُ

يُعينَكَ الناذورُ

يُعينَكَ الناذورُ

Like the full moon when you see it

Like the full moon when you view it

With a telescope to aid you:

Aided by a telescope:

تَبدو لِعَينَيكَ فيهِ

تَبدو لِعَينَيكَ فيهِ

بَرازِخ وَبُحورُ

بَرازِخ وَبُحورُ

To your eyes there appear upon it

There appear to your eyes within it

Isthmuses and seas,

Dry isthmuses and seas,

وَأَنجُد وَوِهادٌ

وَأَنجُد وَوِهادٌ

لَكِنَّهُ مَهجورُ

لَكِنَّهُ مَهجورُ

And uplands and hollows,

And highlands and deep ravines,

Yet it is deserted.

Yet it is entirely desolate.

مِثلُ المِسَن وَلَكِن

مِثلُ المِسَن وَلَكِن

لا ماءَ فيهِ يَمورُ

لا ماءَ فيهِ يَمورُ

Like a whetstone, but

Like a whetstone, and yet

No water swirls within it.

No water flows within it.

ما لِلبَعوضَةِ فيهِ

ما لِلبَعوضَةِ فيهِ

قوتٌ بَلِ التَضوِرُ

قوتٌ بَلِ التَضوِرُ

For a mosquito, it holds no

A mosquito would find there

Nourishment, only gnawing hunger.

No sustenance, only starvation.

وَلا يُؤَثِّرُ فيهِ

وَلا يُؤَثِّرُ فيهِ

ناب وَلا أُظفورُ

ناب وَلا أُظفورُ

Nor can it be marked

It is unaffected by

By fang or claw.

Either fang or claw.

وَلِليَدَينِ اِرتِعاشٌ

وَلِليَدَينِ اِرتِعاشٌ

وَلِلعِظامِ صَريرُ

وَلِلعِظامِ صَريرُ

And their hands tremble,

Their hands possess a tremor,

And their bones creak.

And their bones, a creaking sound.

أَما العُيونُ فَغارَت

أَما العُيونُ فَغارَت

وَلا تَزالُ تَغورُ

وَلا تَزالُ تَغورُ

As for the eyes, they have sunk

As for their eyes, they have sunken,

And keep on sinking:

And they continue to recede;

مَغاوِرٌ بَل صَحارى

مَغاوِرٌ بَل صَحارى

بَل أَكهُفٌ بَل قُبورُ

بَل أَكهُفٌ بَل قُبورُ

Caverns—no, deserts,

They are caverns, nay, deserts,

No, caves—no, graves.

Nay, hollows, nay, graves.

وَالخَصرُ عَفواً وَ

وَالخَصرُ عَفواً وَ

صَفحاً لَهُنَّ خُصورُ

صَفحاً لَهُنَّ خُصورُ

And the waist—pardon me, and

And the waist—begging your pardon and

Forgive me—they have waists!

Forgiveness—do they even have waists?

هُنَّ السَعالى وَلَكِن

هُنَّ السَعالى وَلَكِن

سُعالُهُنَّ كَثيرُ

سُعالُهُنَّ كَثيرُ

They are she-ghouls, but

They are ogresses, except that

They cough so much.

Their coughing is incessant.

حَديثُهُنَّ اِنتِفاضٌ

حَديثُهُنَّ اِنتِفاضٌ

وَضِحكُهُنَّ حَريرُ

وَضِحكُهُنَّ حَريرُ

Their speech is a shudder,

Their conversation is a shudder,

And their laughter a rasp;

And their laughter is a wheeze.

وَمَشيُهُنَّ اِرتِباكٌ

وَمَشيُهُنَّ اِرتِباكٌ

وَتارَةً تَقديرُ

وَتارَةً تَقديرُ

And their gait is stumbling,

Their walk is a stumbling confusion,

And sometimes a measured tread.

And at times, a calculated shuffle.

يَغضَبنَ إِن مالَ ظِلٌّ

يَغضَبنَ إِن مالَ ظِلٌّ

وَإِن شَدا شُحرورُ

وَإِن شَدا شُحرورُ

They grow angry if a shadow leans,

They grow angry if a shadow shifts,

And if a blackbird sings,

Or if a blackbird sings,

وَإِن تَهادَت غُصونٌ

وَإِن تَهادَت غُصونٌ

وَإِن تَسارى عَبيرُ

وَإِن تَسارى عَبيرُ

And if branches sway gently,

Or if branches sway gently,

And if a fragrance steals by,

Or if fragrance wafts through the night,

وَإِن تَمايَلَ عُشبٌ

وَإِن تَمايَلَ عُشبٌ

وَإِن تَماوَجَ نورُ

وَإِن تَماوَجَ نورُ

And if grass sways,

Or if the grass dances,

And if light ripples.

Or if the light ripples.

فَكُلُّ شَيءٍ قَبيحٌ

فَكُلُّ شَيءٍ قَبيحٌ

وَكُلُّ شَيءٍ حَقيرُ

وَكُلُّ شَيءٍ حَقيرُ

For everything is ugly,

For everything is ugly,

And everything contemptible.

And everything is despicable to them.

وَكَيفَ يَفرَحُ قَلبٌ

وَكَيفَ يَفرَحُ قَلبٌ

رَجائُهُ مَدحورُ

رَجائُهُ مَدحورُ

And how can a heart rejoice

And how can a heart rejoice

Whose hope is vanquished?

When its hope is utterly defeated?

ما لِلرَمادِ لَهيبٌ

ما لِلرَمادِ لَهيبٌ

ما لِلجَليدِ خَريرُ

ما لِلجَليدِ خَريرُ

Ashes have no flame;

Ashes possess no flame,

Ice has no murmuring flow.

And ice possesses no murmur.

مِن حَولِهِنَّ الأَقاحي

مِن حَولِهِنَّ الأَقاحي

وَالوَرد وَالمَنثورُ

وَالوَرد وَالمَنثورُ

Around them are daisies,

Around them bloom the daisies,

And roses and stock flowers;

The roses and the gillyflowers,

وَهُنَّ مُكتَإِباتٌ

وَهُنَّ مُكتَإِباتٌ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ صُخورُ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ صُخورُ

Yet they are downcast,

Yet they sit in deep gloom,

As though they were rocks.

As though they were stones.

لا يَبتَسِمنَ لِشَيءٍ

لا يَبتَسِمنَ لِشَيءٍ

أَما لَهُنَّ ثُغورُ

أَما لَهُنَّ ثُغورُ

They smile at nothing.

They do not smile at anything;

Have they no mouths?

Do they possess no mouths?

بَلى لَهُنَّ ثُغورٌ

بَلى لَهُنَّ ثُغورٌ

وَإِنَّما لا شُعورُ

وَإِنَّما لا شُعورُ

Yes, they have mouths,

Indeed, they have mouths,

But no feeling.

But they possess no feeling.

كَأَنَّما الحُسنُ في الأَر

كَأَنَّما الحُسنُ في الأَر

ضِ كُلُّهُ تَزويرُ

ضِ كُلُّهُ تَزويرُ

As though beauty on the earth

It is as if all beauty on earth

Were all a sham.

Is merely a deception.

في فُندُقٍ أَنا فيهِ ضَيفٌ

في فُندُقٍ أَنا فيهِ ضَيفٌ

جَهَنَّمٍ مَحشورُ

جَهَنَّمٍ مَحشورُ

In a hotel, I am a guest

In a hotel where I am a guest,

Of Hell, herded in.

Or rather, corralled in Hell,

وَهَل أَنا فيهِ ضَيفٌ

وَهَل أَنا فيهِ ضَيفٌ

لِساعَةٍ أَم أَسيرُ

لِساعَةٍ أَم أَسيرُ

And am I there a guest

Am I truly a guest here

For an hour, or a prisoner?

For an hour, or a prisoner?

يا لَيتَني لَم أَزُرهُ

يا لَيتَني لَم أَزُرهُ

وَلَيتَهُ مَهجورُ

وَلَيتَهُ مَهجورُ

Oh, would that I had never visited it,

I wish I had never visited it,

And would that it were deserted!

And I wish it were abandoned.

فَلَيسَ يَهنَءُ فيهِ

فَلَيسَ يَهنَءُ فيهِ

إِلّا الأَصَمُّ الَريرُ

إِلّا الأَصَمُّ الَريرُ

For none finds ease in it

For no one finds joy therein

Except one deaf and [blind].

Save the deaf and the blind.