عِنديI have لَكُمfor you نَبَأٌnews عَجيبٌwondrous شَيِّقٌcaptivating
عِندي لَكُم نَبَأٌ عَجيبٌ شَيِّقٌ
سَأَقُصُّهI shall recount it وَعَلَيكُمُand up to you تَفسيرُهُits interpretation
سَأَقُصُّه وَعَلَيكُمُ تَفسيرُهُ
I have wondrous, captivating news for you.
I have wondrous and fascinating news for you
I have for you some strange and captivating news,
I shall recount it; its interpretation is up to you.
I will recount it, and it is for you to interpret
I shall recount it, and it is for you to interpret.
إِنّيindeed I رَأَيتُsaw البَحرَthe sea أَخرَسَmute ساهِياًlost in thought
إِنّي رَأَيتُ البَحرَ أَخرَسَ ساهِياً
كَالشَيخِlike an old man طالَgrew prolonged بِماon what مَضىhas passed تَفكيرُهُhis reflection
كَالشَيخِ طالَ بِما مَضى تَفكيرُهُ
Indeed, I saw the sea mute and lost in thought,
I saw the sea silent and pensive
I saw the sea standing mute and absent-minded,
Like an old man long absorbed in thoughts of the past.
Like an old man, lost in thought of the past
Like an elder lost in long contemplation of the past.
فَسَأَلتُso I asked نَفسيmyself حائِراًbewildered مُتَلَجلِجاًstammering
فَسَأَلتُ نَفسي حائِراً مُتَلَجلِجاً
ياoh لَيتَif only شِعريmy knowledge أَينَwhere ضاعَvanished هَديرُهُits roar
يا لَيتَ شِعري أَينَ ضاعَ هَديرُهُ
So I asked myself, bewildered and stammering:
So I asked myself, confused and restless
So I asked myself, bewildered and stammering,
If only I knew—where has its roar gone?
Oh how I wish I knew, where has its roar gone?
"I wonder, where has its mighty roaring vanished?"
بَِلأَمسِyesterday قالَتsaid مَوجَةٌa wave ثَرثارَةٌchattering
بَِلأَمسِ قالَت مَوجَةٌ ثَرثارَةٌ
وَمَضَتand passed on فَأَكمَلَتِthen completed الحَديثَthe tale صُخورُهُits rocks
وَمَضَت فَأَكمَلَتِ الحَديثَ صُخورُهُ
Yesterday a chattering wave spoke,
Yesterday, a babbling wave said
Yesterday, a chattering wave spoke out,
And passed on; its rocks then finished the tale:
As it passed by, completing the speech of its rocks
And as it passed, the rocks completed the tale:
بِالأَمسِyesterday مَرَّpassed بِناby us فَتىًa young man مِنfrom قَومِكُمyour people
بِالأَمسِ مَرَّ بِنا فَتىً مِن قَومِكُم
رَقَّتgrew gentle شَمائِلُهhis manners وَدَقَّand grew refined شُعورُهُhis feeling
رَقَّت شَمائِلُه وَدَقَّ شُعورُهُ
Yesterday a young man from your people passed by us,
Yesterday, one of your tribe passed us by
"Yesterday, a young man from your people passed us by,
His manners were gentle, his feelings delicate.
His features were delicate, and his feelings were tender
His manners were gentle, and his sensibilities refined.
مُتَرَنِّحٌswaying مِنfrom خَمرَةٍa wine قُدسِيَّةٍsacred
مُتَرَنِّحٌ مِن خَمرَةٍ قُدسِيَّةٍ
فيهاin it الهَوىlove وَفُتونِهand its enchantment وَفُتورُهُand its languor
فيها الهَوى وَفُتونِه وَفُتورُهُ
Swaying from a sacred wine,
Swaying as if drunk on holy wine
Swaying as if drunk on a divine wine,
In which were love, its enchantment, and its languor.
In it desire, charm, and languor
Containing passion, its enchantments, and its languor.
مُتَرَفِّقٌgentle فيin مَشيِهِhis gait يَطَءُhe treads الثَرىthe earth
مُتَرَفِّقٌ في مَشيِهِ يَطَءُ الثَرى
وَكَأَنَّماand as though بَينَamong النُجومِthe stars مَسيرُهُhis course
وَكَأَنَّما بَينَ النُجومِ مَسيرُهُ
Gentle in his gait, he trod the earth,
Walking gently, barely touching the ground
He walks gently, treading upon the soil,
As though his path lay among the stars.
As if his path were among the stars
As though his path lay amongst the stars.
يَلهوhe plays بِأَوتارِon the strings of الكَمَنجَةthe violin وَالدُجىand darkness
يَلهو بِأَوتارِ الكَمَنجَة وَالدُجى
مَرخِيَّةٌlowered فَوقَabove العُبابِthe surging sea سُتورُهُits curtains
مَرخِيَّةٌ فَوقَ العُبابِ سُتورُهُ
He played upon the violin's strings, while darkness
Toying with the strings of the lute and the dusk
He toys with the strings of the violin, while the darkness
Had its curtains lowered over the surging sea.
His curtain billowing over the mist
Has lowered its curtains over the swelling waves.
يَهديhe offers إِلىto الوَطَنِthe homeland القَديمِold سَلامَهُhis greeting
يَهدي إِلى الوَطَنِ القَديمِ سَلامَهُ
وَيُناشِدُand he implores الوَطَنَthe homeland الَّذيwhich سَيَزورُهُhe will visit it
وَيُناشِدُ الوَطَنَ الَّذي سَيَزورُهُ
He offered his greeting to the old homeland,
Conveying greetings to the ancient homeland
He sends his greetings to the ancient homeland,
And entreated the homeland he would visit.
And singing of the land he will soon visit
And calls out to the land he is destined to visit.
فَشَجاthen saddened الخِضَمَّthe ocean نَشيدُهhis song وَهُتافُهُand his call
فَشَجا الخِضَمَّ نَشيدُه وَهُتافُهُ
فَسَهاso it grew distracted فَضاعَthen vanished هَديرُهits rumble وَزَئيرُهُand its roar
فَسَها فَضاعَ هَديرُه وَزَئيرُهُ
His song and his call moved the ocean to sorrow,
His fervent song and cheers inspired awe
The vast ocean was deeply moved by his song and call,
And it drifted into reverie; its rumble and roar faded away.
So it wandered and its roar and growl were lost
So it drifted into a daze, and its roar and bellow vanished."
أَعَرفتُموهُhave you recognized him? إِنَّهُindeed he هَذاthis الفَتىthe young man
أَعَرفتُموهُ إِنَّهُ هَذا الفَتى
هَذاthis الَّذيthe one whose سَحَرَenchanted الخِضَمَّthe ocean مُرورُهُhis passing
هَذا الَّذي سَحَرَ الخِضَمَّ مُرورُهُ
Have you recognized him? He is this young man,
You know him, this is that youth
Have you recognized him? It is this very youth,
This one whose passing enchanted the ocean.
He whose passing charmed the rocks
The one whose mere passing cast a spell upon the sea.
داوُدDavid وَالمِزمارُand the pipe فيin نَغَماتِهِhis melodies
داوُد وَالمِزمارُ في نَغَماتِهِ
وَالموصِلِيand al-Mawsili وَمَعبَدand Ma'bad وَسَريرُهُand his throne
وَالموصِلِي وَمَعبَد وَسَريرُهُ
David and the pipe are in his melodies,
David and his psalms in his melodies
David and his psalms reside within his melodies,
And al-Mawsili, and Ma'bad, and his throne.
Al-Mawsili, Ma'bad and his bed
As do Al-Mawsili, Ma'bad, and his throne.
ياO ضَيفَناour guest وَالأُنسُand delight أَنتَyou رَسولُهُits messenger
يا ضَيفَنا وَالأُنسُ أَنتَ رَسولُهُ
وَبَشيرُهand its herald وَالفَنُّand art أَنتَyou أَميرُهُits prince
وَبَشيرُه وَالفَنُّ أَنتَ أَميرُهُ
O our guest, you are delight's messenger,
Oh our guest, you are the messenger of companionship
O our guest, for whom joy is the messenger,
And its herald; you are the prince of art.
Its harbinger, and art is your commander
And the herald; and of Art, you are the prince.
لَوif شاعَbecame known فيin الفِردَوسِParadise أَنَّكَthat you بَينَناamong us
لَو شاعَ في الفِردَوسِ أَنَّكَ بَينَنا
لَمَشَتwould surely walk إِلَيناto us سافِراتٍunveiled حَورُهُits houris
لَمَشَت إِلَينا سافِراتٍ حَورُهُ
If word spread in Paradise that you were among us,
If it were known in Paradise that you are among us
If word spread in Paradise that you are amongst us,
Its houris would walk to us unveiled.
Virgin houris would come to us in caravans
Its celestial maidens would have walked to us unveiled.
ذَهَبَdeparted الرَبيعspring وَجِئتَناand you came to us فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though
ذَهَبَ الرَبيع وَجِئتَنا فَكَأَنَّما
جاءَcame الرَبيعُspring زُهورُهits flowers وَطُيورُهُand its birds
جاءَ الرَبيعُ زُهورُه وَطُيورُهُ
Spring had gone; you came to us, and it was as though
Spring left, and you came, so it is as if
Spring had departed, but when you came to us, it was as if
Spring had come with its flowers and its birds.
Spring returned with its flowers and birds
Spring had returned with all its flowers and birds.
الفَنُّart هَشَّwelcomed joyfully إِلَيكَtoward you فيin أُمَرائِهِits princes
الفَنُّ هَشَّ إِلَيكَ في أُمَرائِهِ
وَتَفَتَّحَتand opened wide لَكَfor you دورُهits houses وَقُصورُهُand its palaces
وَتَفَتَّحَت لَكَ دورُه وَقُصورُهُ
Art, through its princes, greeted you with delight,
Art rushed to you with its princes
Art smiled warmly upon you among its princes,
And its houses and palaces opened wide for you.
And its houses and palaces opened for you
And its mansions and palaces were flung open for you.
إِنَّindeed الجَواهِرَjewels بِالجَواهِرِwith jewels أُنسُهاtheir delight
إِنَّ الجَواهِرَ بِالجَواهِرِ أُنسُها
أَمّاas for التُرابُdust فَبِالتُرابِso with dust حُبورُهُits joy
أَمّا التُرابُ فَبِالتُرابِ حُبورُهُ
Indeed, jewels delight in the company of jewels;
Jewels are comforted by jewels
For truly, gems find their comfort only with other gems,
As for dust, it finds its joy in dust.
As for dust, dust is its comfort
While dust finds its joy only in the dust.
ياO شاعِرَpoet of الأَلحانِmelodies إِنّيindeed I شاعِرٌa poet
يا شاعِرَ الأَلحانِ إِنّي شاعِرٌ
أَمسىbecame ضَئيلاًfaint عِندَbeside نورِكِyour light نورُهُhis light
أَمسى ضَئيلاً عِندَ نورِكِ نورُهُ
O poet of melodies, I am a poet
Oh minstrel of melodies, I am a poet
O poet of melodies, I too am a poet,
Whose light has grown faint beside your light.
Whose light is dim next to your light
Whose light has grown dim in the presence of yours.
أَسمىthe loftiest of الكَلامِspeech الشِعرُpoetry إِلّاexcept أَنَّهُthat it
أَسمى الكَلامِ الشِعرُ إِلّا أَنَّهُ
أَسماهُits loftiest ماwhat أَعياdefied الفَتىthe young man تَصويرُهُits portrayal
أَسماهُ ما أَعيا الفَتى تَصويرُهُ
Poetry is the loftiest of speech; yet
Poetry is the highest speech, except
Poetry is the most sublime of speech, except that
Its loftiest is what a young man cannot portray.
That which the youth's portrayal made higher
Its highest form is that which defies description.
وَأُحِبُّand I love أَزهارِflowers of الحَدائِقِthe gardens وَردَهاtheir roses
وَأُحِبُّ أَزهارِ الحَدائِقِ وَردَها
وَأُحِبُّand I love مِنof وَردِthe roses of الرِياضِthe gardens عَبيرُهُits fragrance
وَأُحِبُّ مِن وَردِ الرِياضِ عَبيرُهُ
And I love the gardens' flowers—their roses,
And I love the roses of gardens, their scent
And of all garden blooms, I love the roses best,
And of the garden roses I love their fragrance.
Is what I love most of the garden's roses
And of the meadow's roses, I cherish their fragrance most.
أَنتَyou الفَتىthe young man لَكَyours فيin النَسيمِthe breeze حَفيفُهُits rustle
أَنتَ الفَتى لَكَ في النَسيمِ حَفيفُهُ
وَلَكَand yours الغَديرُthe pool صَفائُهits clarity وَخَريرُهُand its murmuring
وَلَكَ الغَديرُ صَفائُه وَخَريرُهُ
You are the youth; the breeze's rustle is yours,
You are the youth, the breeze whispers for you
You are the youth who holds the rustle of the breeze,
And yours are the pool's clarity and murmur.
The stream's clarity and murmur are for you
And the clarity and murmur of the running brook.
القَومُthe people صاغِيَةٌlistening إِلَيكَto you قُلُبَهُمtheir hearts
القَومُ صاغِيَةٌ إِلَيكَ قُلُبَهُم
وَاللَيلُand the night مُنصِتَةٌlistening silently إِلَيكَto you بُدورُهُits full moons
وَاللَيلُ مُنصِتَةٌ إِلَيكَ بُدورُهُ
The people's hearts are listening to you,
The people's hearts are moldable by you
The hearts of the people incline toward you listening,
And the night's full moons listen to you in silence.
And the night listens to you in its homes
And the full moons of the night are silent in attention.
وَبِهَذِهِand in these الأَوتارِstrings سِحرٌmagic جائِلٌwandering
وَبِهَذِهِ الأَوتارِ سِحرٌ جائِلٌ
مُتَمَلمِلٌrestless كَالوَحيِlike revelation حانَhas come ظُهورُهُits emergence
مُتَمَلمِلٌ كَالوَحيِ حانَ ظُهورُهُ
And in these strings a spell is wandering,
With these strings there is irresistible magic
Within these strings lies a wandering magic,
Restless as revelation whose time to appear has come.
Undulating like revelation at its appearance
Restless as a divine revelation whose time to appear has come.
إِنif كُنتَyou are لاnot تَهتاجَهyou rouse it وَتُثيرُهُand stir it
إِن كُنتَ لا تَهتاجَه وَتُثيرُهُ
فَمَنِthen who الَّذيthe one who يَهتاجَهrouses it وَيُثيرُهُand stirs it
فَمَنِ الَّذي يَهتاجَه وَيُثيرُهُ
If you do not rouse it and stir it,
If you do not inspire and arouse it
If you do not stir it and provoke it,
Then who will rouse it and stir it?
Then who can inspire and arouse it?
Then who else is there to awaken and ignite it?
دَغدِغtickle بِريشَتِكَwith your bow الكَمَنجَةَthe violin يَنطَلِقit will break free
دَغدِغ بِريشَتِكَ الكَمَنجَةَ يَنطَلِق
وَيَدُبُّand creeps فيthrough أَرواحِناour souls تَأثيرُهُits influence
وَيَدُبُّ في أَرواحِنا تَأثيرُهُ
Tickle the violin with your bow; it will break free,
Strum your lute, and it bursts forth
Caress the violin with your bow, and let its magic soar,
And its influence will steal through our souls.
Flowing into our souls with its influence
Letting its influence creep deep into our souls.
وَاِمشِand walk بِناwith us فيthrough كُلِّevery لَحنٍmelody فاتِنٍenchanting
وَاِمشِ بِنا في كُلِّ لَحنٍ فاتِنٍ
كَالماءِlike water يَجريflows فيthrough الغُصونِthe branches طُهورُهُits purity
كَالماءِ يَجري في الغُصونِ طُهورُهُ
And walk with us through every enchanting melody,
Walk with us in every charming melody
Guide us through every enchanting melody,
Like water whose purity flows through the branches.
Like water flowing through branches, pure
Like pure water flowing through the branches.
وَأَدرِand circulate عَلىamong الجَلّاسِthe seated guests أَكوابَcups of الهَوىlove
وَأَدرِ عَلى الجَلّاسِ أَكوابَ الهَوى
فيin راحَتَيكَyour two palms سُلافُهits choicest wine وَعَصيرُهُand its juice
في راحَتَيكَ سُلافُه وَعَصيرُهُ
And pass among the seated guests the cups of love;
Pass around to those seated cups of passion
And pass the cups of passion among those seated,
In your two palms are its choicest wine and its juice.
In your hands its drink and its juice
For in your hands lie its vintage and its extract.
فَيَخُفُّthen lightens فيin الرَجُلِthe man الحَليمِthe self-possessed وَقارُهُhis solemnity
فَيَخُفُّ في الرَجُلِ الحَليمِ وَقارُهُ
وَيُراجِعُand returns to الشَيخَthe old man المُسِنَّaged غُرورُهُhis vanity
وَيُراجِعُ الشَيخَ المُسِنَّ غُرورُهُ
Then the self-possessed man's solemnity will lighten,
So the dignified man's composure slips away
So the solemn man feels his dignity lighten,
And the elderly man's vanity will return to him.
And the old man reconsiders his pride
And the elderly sheikh revisits his youthful pride.
وَتَنامُand sleep فيin صَدرِthe breast of الشَجِيِّthe sorrowful هُمومُهُhis worries
وَتَنامُ في صَدرِ الشَجِيِّ هُمومُهُ
وَيُفيقُand awakens فيin قَلبِthe heart of الحَزينِthe sad سُرورُهُhis joy
وَيُفيقُ في قَلبِ الحَزينِ سُرورُهُ
And the sorrowful man's worries will sleep within his breast,
The anxious man's worries fall asleep
And the worries in the sorrowful breast are lulled to sleep,
And the sad man's joy will awaken in his heart.
And joy awakens in the heart of the sad one
While joy awakens within the grieving heart.
هَذيthese الجُموعُcrowds الآنَnow شَخصٌa person واحِدٌone
هَذي الجُموعُ الآنَ شَخصٌ واحِدٌ
لَكَyours حُكمُهcommand over him وَكَماand as تَشاءُyou wish مَصيرُهُhis fate
لَكَ حُكمُه وَكَما تَشاءُ مَصيرُهُ
These crowds are now a single person;
These crowds are now one person
These crowds have now become a single entity,
You command him, and his fate is as you wish.
Yours to command, and however you wish is their fate
Yours is the command over it, and its destiny is as you will.
إِنif شِئتَyou wish طالَlasts long هُتافُهhis cheering وَنَشيدُهُand his singing
إِن شِئتَ طالَ هُتافُه وَنَشيدُهُ
أَوor شِئتَyou wish دامَendures نُواحُهhis wailing وَزَفيرُهُand his sighing
أَو شِئتَ دامَ نُواحُه وَزَفيرُهُ
If you wish, his cheering and his singing will go on,
If you want, their cheers and singing last
If you wish, its cheers and anthems are prolonged,
Or, if you wish, his wailing and his sighing will endure.
Or you want, their wailing and growling persist
Or if you wish, its wailing and sighing endure.
إِنّاindeed we وَهَبناكَwe have given you القُلوبthe hearts وَلَمand did not نَهَبwe give
إِنّا وَهَبناكَ القُلوب وَلَم نَهَب
إِلّاexcept الَّذيthat which لَكَyours قَبلَناbefore us تَدبيرُهُits governance
إِلّا الَّذي لَكَ قَبلَنا تَدبيرُهُ
We have given you our hearts, and have given nothing
We have given you our hearts and taken nothing
We have bestowed upon you our hearts, yet we have only given
Except what was yours to govern before us.
Except what was yours before we arranged it
That which was already under your sway before we offered it.
Sol 6.1