كَمْhow often تَشْتَكِيyou complain وَتَقُولُand you say إِنَّكَthat you are مُعْدِمُdestitute
كَمْ تَشْتَكِي وَتَقُولُ إِنَّكَ مُعْدِمُ
وَالْأَرْضُand the earth مِلْكُكَyour possession وَالسَّمَاand the sky وَالْأَنْجُمُand the stars؟
وَالْأَرْضُ مِلْكُكَ وَالسَّمَا وَالْأَنْجُمُ؟
How often you complain and say you are destitute,
How often you complain and say you are desolate,
How often you complain, claiming you are destitute,
Though the earth is yours, and the sky and stars!
Yet the earth is your kingdom, and the sky and the stars too.
When the earth is yours, as are the sky and the stars?
وَلَكَand yours are الْحُقُولُthe fields وَزَهْرُهَاand their flowers وَأَرِيجُهَاand their fragrance
وَلَكَ الْحُقُولُ وَزَهْرُهَا وَأَرِيجُهَا
وَنَسِيمُهَاand their breeze وَالْبُلْبُلُand the nightingale الْمُتَرَنِّمُsinging
وَنَسِيمُهَا وَالْبُلْبُلُ الْمُتَرَنِّمُ
Yours are the fields, their flowers and their fragrance,
The meadows are yours, and their flowers and fragrances,
The fields are yours, with their flowers and fragrance,
Their breeze, and the singing nightingale.
Their breeze, and the melodious nightingale.
And their breeze, and the chanting nightingale.
وَالْمَاءُand the water حَوْلَكَaround you فِضَّةٌsilver رَقْرَاقَةٌshimmering
وَالْمَاءُ حَوْلَكَ فِضَّةٌ رَقْرَاقَةٌ
وَالشَّمْسُand the sun فَوْقَكَabove you عَسْجَدٌgold يَتَضَرَّمُblazes
وَالشَّمْسُ فَوْقَكَ عَسْجَدٌ يَتَضَرَّمُ
The water around you is shimmering silver,
The water around you is silver, rippling,
The water around you is a shimmering silver,
And the sun above you is gold ablaze.
And the sun above you is radiant, beaming.
And the sun above you is blazing gold.
وَالنُّورُand the light يَبْنِيbuilds فِيon السُّفُوحِthe slopes وَفِيand on الذُّرَىthe peaks
وَالنُّورُ يَبْنِي فِي السُّفُوحِ وَفِي الذُّرَى
دُورًاhouses مُزَخْرَفَةًornamented وَحِينًاand at times يَهْدِمُdemolishes
دُورًا مُزَخْرَفَةً وَحِينًا يَهْدِمُ
And light builds on the slopes and on the peaks
And light builds in the slopes and the hills
The light builds, upon the slopes and peaks,
Ornamented houses, and at times tears them down.
Adorned mansions, though at times it destroys.
Ornate palaces, which at times it tears down.
فَكَأَنَّهُso as though it were الْفَنَّانُthe artist يَعْرِضُdisplays عَابِثًاplayfully
فَكَأَنَّهُ الْفَنَّانُ يَعْرِضُ عَابِثًا
آيَاتِهِhis masterpieces قُدَّامَbefore مَنْone who يَتَعَلَّمُlearns
آيَاتِهِ قُدَّامَ مَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُ
As though it were an artist, playfully displaying
It is as though the Artist displays whimsically
As though it were an artist, playfully displaying
His masterpieces before one who is learning.
His signs before one who wishes to learn.
His masterpieces before one who seeks to learn.
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though it were لِصَفَائِهِfor its clarity وَسَنَائِهِand its radiance
وَكَأَنَّهُ لِصَفَائِهِ وَسَنَائِهِ
بَحْرٌa sea تَعُومُswim بِهِin it الطُّيُورُthe birds الْحُوَّمُcircling
بَحْرٌ تَعُومُ بِهِ الطُّيُورُ الْحُوَّمُ
And as though, in its clarity and radiance,
And it is as though, for its clarity and brightness,
It is as if, in its clarity and brilliance,
It were a sea where circling birds swim.
It is a sea in which carefree birds circle.
It is a sea wherein the hovering birds swim.
هَشَّتْwelcomed gladly لَكَfor you الدُّنْيَاthe world فَمَاso what لَكَis with you وَاجِمًاglum
هَشَّتْ لَكَ الدُّنْيَا فَمَا لَكَ وَاجِمًا
وَتَبَسَّمَتْand it smiled فَعَلَامَso why لَاnot تَتَبَسَّمُyou smile
وَتَبَسَّمَتْ فَعَلَامَ لَا تَتَبَسَّمُ
The world has welcomed you gladly—why are you glum?
The world blossomed for you, so why are you gloomy,
The world has beamed at you, so why do you gloom?
And smiled—so why do you not smile?
And it smiled, so why do you not smile?
It has smiled, so why do you not smile back?
إِنْif كُنْتَyou were مُكْتَئِبًاdepressed لِعِزٍّover glory قَدْalready مَضَىpassed
إِنْ كُنْتَ مُكْتَئِبًا لِعِزٍّ قَدْ مَضَى
هَيْهَاتَnever يُرْجِعُهُbrings it back إِلَيْكَto you تَنَدُّمُregret
هَيْهَاتَ يُرْجِعُهُ إِلَيْكَ تَنَدُّمُ
If you are depressed over glory that has passed,
If you are dejected for glory now past,
If you are depressed over glory that has passed,
Regret can never bring it back to you.
Alas! Regret will not bring it back to you.
Regret, alas, will never bring it back to you.
أَوْor كُنْتَyou were تُشْفِقُyou fear مِنْof حُلُولِthe onset of مُصِيبَةٍa calamity
أَوْ كُنْتَ تُشْفِقُ مِنْ حُلُولِ مُصِيبَةٍ
هَيْهَاتَnever يَمْنَعُprevents أَنْthat تَحِلَّit occurs تَجَهُّمُscowling
هَيْهَاتَ يَمْنَعُ أَنْ تَحِلَّ تَجَهُّمُ
Or if you fear the coming of a calamity,
Or were you fearful of some affliction befalling,
Or if you fear the arrival of some calamity,
A scowl can never keep it from coming.
Alas! Fretting will not prevent it from happening.
Scowling will never prevent it from occurring.
أَوْor كُنْتَyou were جَاوَزْتَyou passed beyond الشَّبَابَyouth فَلَاthen do not تَقُلْsay
أَوْ كُنْتَ جَاوَزْتَ الشَّبَابَ فَلَا تَقُلْ
شَاخَhas grown old الزَّمَانُtime فَإِنَّهُfor it لَاnot يَهْرَمُages
شَاخَ الزَّمَانُ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَهْرَمُ
Or if you have passed beyond youth, do not say,
Or had you passed your youth, yet do not say
Or if you have passed your youth, do not say:
"Time has grown old"—for it does not age.
Time has withered, for it does not grow old.
"Time has grown old," for Time never ages.
انْظُرْlook فَمَاso not زَالَتْceased تُطِلُّemerge مِنَfrom الثَّرَىthe soil
انْظُرْ فَمَا زَالَتْ تُطِلُّ مِنَ الثَّرَى
صُوَرٌforms تَكَادُalmost لِحُسْنِهَاbecause of their beauty تَتَكَلَّمُspeak
صُوَرٌ تَكَادُ لِحُسْنِهَا تَتَكَلَّمُ
Look—there still emerge from the soil
Look! Forms still rise from the earth
Look! From the soil there still gaze up
Forms that almost speak, so great is their beauty,
Whose beauty is such, they seem about to speak.
Forms so beautiful they almost speak,
مَاwhat is بَيْنَbetween أَشْجَارٍtrees كَأَنَّas though غُصُونَهَاtheir branches
مَا بَيْنَ أَشْجَارٍ كَأَنَّ غُصُونَهَا
أَيْدٍhands تُصَفِّقُclap تَارَةًat times وَتُسَلِّمُand greet
أَيْدٍ تُصَفِّقُ تَارَةً وَتُسَلِّمُ
Among trees whose branches seem
What lies between trees is like hands
Amidst trees whose branches seem like
Hands that clap at times and wave in greeting;
Clapping at times, waving at others.
Hands that clap at times, and at others wave hello.
وَعُيُونِand springs of مَاءٍwater دَافِقَاتٍgushing فِيin الثَّرَىthe soil
وَعُيُونِ مَاءٍ دَافِقَاتٍ فِي الثَّرَى
تَشْفِيheal السَّقِيمَthe sick كَأَنَّمَاas though هِيَthey زَمْزَمُZamzam
تَشْفِي السَّقِيمَ كَأَنَّمَا هِيَ زَمْزَمُ
And springs of water gushing through the earth,
And gushing springs in the ground
And springs of water gushing from the earth,
Healing the sick as though they were Zamzam;
Heal the ailing, as though they were Zamzam.
Healing the sick as though they were Zamzam's well.
وَمَسَارِحٍand meadows فَتَنَenchanted النَّسِيمَthe breeze جَمَالُهَاtheir beauty
وَمَسَارِحٍ فَتَنَ النَّسِيمَ جَمَالُهَا
فَسَرَىso it drifted يُدَنْدِنُhums تَارَةًat times وَيُهَمْهِمُand murmurs
فَسَرَى يُدَنْدِنُ تَارَةً وَيُهَمْهِمُ
And meadows whose beauty has enchanted the breeze,
And theaters - the breeze's beauty seduced them,
And open meadows whose beauty has charmed the breeze,
So it drifted along, humming at times and murmuring.
So it crept, humming at times, whispering at others.
So it wanders through them, humming and murmuring,
فَكَأَنَّهُso as though it were صَبٌّa lovesick lover بِبَابِat the door of حَبِيبَةٍa beloved woman
فَكَأَنَّهُ صَبٌّ بِبَابِ حَبِيبَةٍ
مُتَوَسِّلٌpleading مُسْتَعْطِفٌseeking sympathy مُسْتَرْحِمُbegging for mercy
مُتَوَسِّلٌ مُسْتَعْطِفٌ مُسْتَرْحِمُ
As though it were a lovesick lover at a beloved's door,
It is like a lover at his beloved's door,
Like a lover standing at his beloved's door,
Pleading, seeking sympathy, begging for mercy.
Entreating, conciliatory, seeking favor.
Pleading, seeking affection, begging for mercy.
وَالْجَدْوَلُand the brook الْجَذْلَانُmerry يَضْحَكُlaughs لَاهِيًاplayfully
وَالْجَدْوَلُ الْجَذْلَانُ يَضْحَكُ لَاهِيًا
وَالنَّرْجِسُand the narcissus الْوَلْهَانُlovesick مُغْفٍdozing يَحْلُمُdreams
وَالنَّرْجِسُ الْوَلْهَانُ مُغْفٍ يَحْلُمُ
And the merry brook laughs playfully,
The playful, vivacious stream laughs lightheartedly,
While the joyful stream laughs in play,
And the lovesick narcissus dozes, dreaming.
While the bashful narcissus forgives, dreaming.
And the love-struck narcissus dozes and dreams.
وَعَلَىand over الصَّعِيدِthe ground مُلَاءَةٌa mantle مِنْof سُنْدُسٍfine silk
وَعَلَى الصَّعِيدِ مُلَاءَةٌ مِنْ سُنْدُسٍ
وَعَلَىand on الْهِضَابِthe hills لِكُلِّfor every حُسْنٍbeauty مِيسَمُa mark
وَعَلَى الْهِضَابِ لِكُلِّ حُسْنٍ مِيسَمُ
And over the ground lies a mantle of fine silk,
And on the meadow, a carpet of lilies,
Upon the highlands lies a mantle of green silk,
And on the hills is a mark of every beauty.
And on the plateaus, the seat of every beauty.
And on the hills, beauty leaves its mark everywhere.
فَهُنَاso here مَكَانٌa place بِالْأَرِيجِwith fragrance مُعَطَّرٌperfumed
فَهُنَا مَكَانٌ بِالْأَرِيجِ مُعَطَّرٌ
وَهُنَاكَand there طَوْدٌa mountain بِالشُّعَاعِwith rays of light مُعَمَّمُturbaned
وَهُنَاكَ طَوْدٌ بِالشُّعَاعِ مُعَمَّمُ
Here is a place perfumed with fragrance,
And over there a hillock capped with rays.
Here is a spot perfumed with fragrance,
And there, a mountain turbaned with rays of light.
Images and signs pouring with vitality,
And there, a mountain turbaned in rays of light.
صُوَرٌforms وَآيَاتٌand wonders تَفِيضُoverflow بَشَاشَةًwith cheer
صُوَرٌ وَآيَاتٌ تَفِيضُ بَشَاشَةً
حَتَّىso much so that كَأَنَّas though اللهَGod فِيهَاin them يَبْسِمُsmiles
حَتَّى كَأَنَّ اللهَ فِيهَا يَبْسِمُ
Forms and wonders overflowing with cheer,
As though God Himself smiles through them.
Images and signs overflowing with cheer,
So much so that God seems to smile within them.
So walk above them, pondering,
As if God Himself were smiling through them.
فَامْشِso walk بِعَقْلِكَwith your mind فَوْقَهَاover them مُتَفَهِّمًاseeking understanding
فَامْشِ بِعَقْلِكَ فَوْقَهَا مُتَفَهِّمًا
إِنَّindeed الْمَلَاحَةَbeauty مِلْكُthe possession of مَنْwhoever يَتَفَهَّمُunderstands
إِنَّ الْمَلَاحَةَ مِلْكُ مَنْ يَتَفَهَّمُ
So walk over them with your mind, seeking understanding;
For discernment is the possession of one who ponders.
So traverse them with your mind, seeking understanding;
Beauty belongs to those who understand.
Does your soul visit a paradise and miss it
For true beauty belongs to those who understand.
أَتَزُورُdoes it visit? رُوحُكَyour soul جَنَّةًa paradise فَتَفُوتُهَاthen passes it by
أَتَزُورُ رُوحُكَ جَنَّةً فَتَفُوتُهَا
كَيْمَاso that تَزُورَكَvisits you بِالظُّنُونِthrough misgivings جَهَنَّمُHell؟
كَيْمَا تَزُورَكَ بِالظُّنُونِ جَهَنَّمُ؟
Does your soul visit a paradise, only to pass it by,
While hell visits you with delusions?
Does your soul visit a paradise only to miss it,
So that Hell may visit you through misgivings?
And you see Truth embodied,
So that hell may visit you through your dark thoughts?
وَتَرَىand you see الْحَقِيقَةَthe truth هَيْكَلًاa form مُتَجَسِّدًاembodied
وَتَرَى الْحَقِيقَةَ هَيْكَلًا مُتَجَسِّدًا
فَتَعَافُهَاyet you shun it لِوَسَاوِسٍbecause of misgivings تُتَوَهَّمُare imagined
فَتَعَافُهَا لِوَسَاوِسٍ تُتَوَهَّمُ
And you see truth in embodied form,
Yet spurn it for suspicions you imagine?
You see the truth as an embodied temple,
Yet shun it because of imagined misgivings.
O you who yearns for a tomorrow in his day!
Yet you shun it for delusions you imagine.
يَاO مَنْyou who يَحِنُّlongs إِلَىfor غَدٍtomorrow فِيin يَوْمِهِhis day
يَا مَنْ يَحِنُّ إِلَى غَدٍ فِي يَوْمِهِ
قَدْalready بِعْتَyou have sold مَاwhat تَدْرِيyou know بِمَاfor what لَاnot تَعْلَمُyou know
قَدْ بِعْتَ مَا تَدْرِي بِمَا لَا تَعْلَمُ
O you who long for tomorrow in your present day,
You sell what you know not for what you know not.
O you who yearn for tomorrow while yet in today,
You have sold what you know for what you do not know.
Rush to enjoy pleasures before they are gone,
You have traded what you know for what you do not know.
قُمْrise بَادِرِhasten to اللَّذَّاتِpleasures قَبْلَbefore فَوَاتِهَاtheir passing
قُمْ بَادِرِ اللَّذَّاتِ قَبْلَ فَوَاتِهَا
مَاnot كُلُّevery يَوْمٍday مِثْلُlike هَذَاthis مَوْسِمُa season
مَا كُلُّ يَوْمٍ مِثْلُ هَذَا مَوْسِمُ
Rise; hasten to pleasures before they are lost;
Not every day is a season like this.
Arise and seize the pleasures before they pass;
Not every day is a season like this.
And secretly drink the strength of your youth’s secret,
Not every day is a season such as this.
وَاشْرَبْand drink بِسِرٍّin secret حِصْنَthe fortress of سِرِّthe secret of شَبَابِهِhis youth
وَاشْرَبْ بِسِرٍّ حِصْنَ سِرِّ شَبَابِهِ
وَارْوِand recount أَحَادِيثَtales of الْمُرُوءَةِnoble character عَنْهُمُabout them
وَارْوِ أَحَادِيثَ الْمُرُوءَةِ عَنْهُمُ
And drink in secret the fortress of his youth's secret [wording unclear].
And shun in their gatherings the talk of dignity.
And drink deep from the secret fortress of their youth,
And recount tales of their noble character,
Those who shun disgrace - when a voice says “Onwards
And recount the tales of their chivalry.
الْمُعْرِضِينَthose who turn away عَنِfrom الْخَنَاobscenity فَإِذَاthen whenever عَلَاrises
الْمُعْرِضِينَ عَنِ الْخَنَا فَإِذَا عَلَا
صَوْتٌa voice يَقُولُsays: «إِلَىto الْمَكَارِمِnoble deeds» أَقْدَمُواthey stepped forward
صَوْتٌ يَقُولُ: «إِلَى الْمَكَارِمِ» أَقْدَمُوا
Those who shun obscenity; and whenever there rises
to greatness!”, step forward!
Those who turn away from obscenity, yet when
A voice saying, "To noble deeds!" they step forward.
Those who do good, not out of greed
A voice calls out "To noble deeds!" they charge forward.
الْفَاعِلِينَthose who do الْخَيْرَgood لَاnot لِطَمَاعَةٍout of greed
الْفَاعِلِينَ الْخَيْرَ لَا لِطَمَاعَةٍ
فِيfor مَغْنَمٍgain إِنَّindeed الْجَمِيلَgoodness الْمَغْنَمُthe gain
فِي مَغْنَمٍ إِنَّ الْجَمِيلَ الْمَغْنَمُ
Those who do good, not out of greed
For spoils - for the beautiful is the gain!
Those who do good, not out of greed
For gain: goodness itself is the gain.
You are wealthy when you find among them a comrade,
For profit—for the beautiful deed itself is the prize.
أَنْتَyou الْغَنِيُّthe rich one إِذَاif ظَفِرْتَyou have gained بِصَاحِبٍa friend
أَنْتَ الْغَنِيُّ إِذَا ظَفِرْتَ بِصَاحِبٍ
مِنْهُمْfrom among them وَعِنْدَكَand you have لِلْعَوَاطِفِfor affections مَنْجَمُa mine
مِنْهُمْ وَعِنْدَكَ لِلْعَوَاطِفِ مَنْجَمُ
You are rich if you win a friend
And you have within you a constellation of emotions.
You are truly rich if you gain a friend
From among them, and you possess a mine of affection.
They raised the banner of their religion high,
From among them, possessing a goldmine of feeling.
رَفَعُواthey raised لِدِينِهِمُfor their faith لِوَاءًa banner عَالِيًاlofty
رَفَعُوا لِدِينِهِمُ لِوَاءً عَالِيًا
وَلَهُمْand they have لِوَاءٌa banner فِيin الْعُرُوبَةِArab identity مَعْلَمُa landmark
وَلَهُمْ لِوَاءٌ فِي الْعُرُوبَةِ مَعْلَمُ
They have raised a lofty banner for their faith,
And theirs is a banner in Arabism that is a landmark.
They raised a high banner for their faith,
And theirs is a banner that stands as a landmark of Arab identity.
If some people gained a share in supremacy,
And in Arab heritage, they hold a landmark standard.
إِنْif حَازَhas gained بَعْضُsome of النَّاسِthe people سَهْمًاa share فِيin الْعُلَاeminence
إِنْ حَازَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ سَهْمًا فِي الْعُلَا
فَلَهُمْthen theirs are ضُرُوبٌvarieties لَاnot تُعَدُّare counted وَأَسْهُمُand shares
فَلَهُمْ ضُرُوبٌ لَا تُعَدُّ وَأَسْهُمُ
If some people have gained a share of eminence,
Then they have feats beyond count and countless arrows.
If some hold but a single share in glory,
Theirs are countless kinds of distinction and shares in it.
I have no merit should I set out to proclaim their merit
They hold countless varieties and shares.
لَاno فَضْلَmerit لِيfor me إِنْif رُحْتُI set out أُعْلِنُI proclaim فَضْلَهُمْtheir merit
لَا فَضْلَ لِي إِنْ رُحْتُ أُعْلِنُ فَضْلَهُمْ
بِقَصَائِدِيin my poems إِنَّindeed الضُّحَىthe morning light لَاnot يُكْتَمُis concealed
بِقَصَائِدِي إِنَّ الضُّحَى لَا يُكْتَمُ
I earn no merit if I set out to proclaim theirs
In my poems - for the morning cannot be concealed.
I claim no credit for proclaiming their merit
In my poems: the morning light cannot be concealed.
But I fear the remark of one who would say
Through my poems—for the morning sun cannot be hidden.
لَكِنَّنِيbut I أَخْشَىfear مَقَالَةَthe words of قَائِلٍa speaker
لَكِنَّنِي أَخْشَى مَقَالَةَ قَائِلٍ
هَذَاthis one الَّذِيwho يُثْنِيpraises عَلَيْهِمْthem مِنْهُمُone of them
هَذَا الَّذِي يُثْنِي عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْهُمُ
But I fear someone may say,
“This one who praises them - he is one of them!”
Yet I fear the words of a critic saying:
"This man who praises them is one of them."
My loved ones! How beautiful life is with you in it!
"He who praises them is merely one of their kin."
أَحْبَابَنَاour beloved ones مَاhow أَجْمَلَbeautiful الدُّنْيَاthe world بِكُمْwith you
أَحْبَابَنَا مَا أَجْمَلَ الدُّنْيَا بِكُمْ
لَاnot تَقْبُحُis ugly الدُّنْيَاthe world وَفِيهَاand in it أَنْتُمُyou
لَا تَقْبُحُ الدُّنْيَا وَفِيهَا أَنْتُمُ
Our beloved ones, how beautiful the world is with you!
The world is not ugly while you are in it!
O our beloveds, how beautiful the world is with you!
The world cannot be ugly while you are in it.
The world can never be ugly while you are in it.
Partial English translation: 65 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1