حَلِمتُ بِدُنيا لَيتَها لا تَبدَّدُ

حَلِمتُ بِدُنيا لَيتَها لا تَبدَّدُ

لَذائِذُ أَحلامي وَلا كانَ لي غُدُ

لَذائِذُ أَحلامي وَلا كانَ لي غُدُ

I dreamed of a world—would that they never faded,

I dreamed of a world that would not fade away

The delights of my dreams, and that no tomorrow were mine.

The delights of my dreams, if only I had a future

أَظُنُّ بِإِنشادي عَلى الناسِ سِحرَها

أَظُنُّ بِإِنشادي عَلى الناسِ سِحرَها

وَهَل في الوَرى أُذُنٌ إِذا قمتُ أُنشدُ

وَهَل في الوَرى أُذُنٌ إِذا قمتُ أُنشدُ

I imagine casting its spell upon people through my singing;

I thought my singing to people had magic

And is there an ear among humankind when I rise to sing?

Is there in the world an ear when I rise up to sing?

وَأُوقظتُ مَذعوراً إِلى شَرِّ هاجِسٍ

وَأُوقظتُ مَذعوراً إِلى شَرِّ هاجِسٍ

كَأَنِّيَ روح في جُثامٍ مُشَرَّدُ

كَأَنِّيَ روح في جُثامٍ مُشَرَّدُ

And I was awakened, terrified, to the evil of a haunting thought,

And I awoke terrified to the evil of an anxious feeling

As though I were an exiled soul within a nightmare.

As if I were a soul in a discarded body

نُفيقُ من الحُلمِ الشَهِيِّ إِلى رُؤىً

نُفيقُ من الحُلمِ الشَهِيِّ إِلى رُؤىً

كَوابيس في يَقظاتُها تَتَسَرَّدُ

كَوابيس في يَقظاتُها تَتَسَرَّدُ

We wake from the delicious dream to visions—

I awake from the noble dream to visions

Nightmares unfolding in their waking moments.

Like nightmares in their wakefulness running amok

قَرَأتُ عَلَيهِ أَحرُفاً خَطَّها اللَظى

قَرَأتُ عَلَيهِ أَحرُفاً خَطَّها اللَظى

يَروعُك مِنها اِثنان سجنٌ مُؤَبَّدُ

يَروعُك مِنها اِثنان سجنٌ مُؤَبَّدُ

I read upon it words inscribed by flame;

I read on it letters etched by misery

Two of them terrify you: 'prison,' 'eternal.'

Two of them terrify you: life imprisonment

فَطَوَّفتُ في عُمرٍ مِن اللَيلِ وَالخنا

فَطَوَّفتُ في عُمرٍ مِن اللَيلِ وَالخنا

يعربد وَالأَرجاسِ ترغي وَتُزبدُ

يعربد وَالأَرجاسِ ترغي وَتُزبدُ

So I wandered through a lifetime of night, while lewdness

So I wandered in a lifetime of gloom and taverns

Caroused and filth foamed and frothed.

Where drunks babble and bells ring and foam swells

وَلِلحَمَأ الغالي نَشيشٌ وَرَغوَةٌ

وَلِلحَمَأ الغالي نَشيشٌ وَرَغوَةٌ

كَأَنَّ الوَرى مُستَنقَعٌ يَتَنَهَّدُ

كَأَنَّ الوَرى مُستَنقَعٌ يَتَنَهَّدُ

And the boiling mire gave off hissing and foam,

And for the precious intoxication there is a stir and froth

As though humankind were a sighing swamp.

As if the world were a moaning swamp

وَأَغمَدتُ في صُلبِ الدَجِنَّةِ ناظِري

وَأَغمَدتُ في صُلبِ الدَجِنَّةِ ناظِري

وَفي كُلِّ جَفنٍ لي من الهَدبِ مبردُ

وَفي كُلِّ جَفنٍ لي من الهَدبِ مبردُ

And I sheathed my gaze in the core of darkness,

And I sheathed my gaze in the darkness of gloom

And in each eyelid of mine was a file of lashes.

And for each of my eyelids from grief a coolness

فَأَبصَرتُ أَطباقاً تُعَمِّدها يَدٌ

فَأَبصَرتُ أَطباقاً تُعَمِّدها يَدٌ

أَصابِع من عَظمٍ وَتصبغُها يَدُ

أَصابِع من عَظمٍ وَتصبغُها يَدُ

Then I saw tiers that a hand baptized,

Then I saw plates a hand was baptizing

With fingers of bone—and a hand stained them.

Fingers of bone which a hand was dyeing

وَشاهَدتُ في الأَطباقِ مُفسِدَةَ الوَرى

وَشاهَدتُ في الأَطباقِ مُفسِدَةَ الوَرى

تَمورُ بِها الديدانُ سُكرى تعربدُ

تَمورُ بِها الديدانُ سُكرى تعربدُ

And in those tiers I saw what corrupts humankind:

And in the plates I saw the corruption of the world

Worms churn within it, drunken and carousing.

Worms drunk with it wander babbling

مقاذِرُ تَمشي في الحَياةِ طُروبَةً

مقاذِرُ تَمشي في الحَياةِ طُروبَةً

تُغَنّي وَأَصداءُ القبور تُرَدَّدُ

تُغَنّي وَأَصداءُ القبور تُرَدَّدُ

Filthy things walk merrily through life,

Filth walking through life happily

Singing while the echoes of graves resound.

Singing while the echoes of graves repeat

هُمُ الناسُ في الدُنيا تهاويلُ حُنِّطَت

هُمُ الناسُ في الدُنيا تهاويلُ حُنِّطَت

بَكيتُ عَلَيهِم في جَحيمي وَعَيَّدوا

بَكيتُ عَلَيهِم في جَحيمي وَعَيَّدوا

They are the people of this world—embalmed horrors;

They are people in the world mummified nonsense

I wept over them in my hell, and they celebrated.

I cried over them in my hell and they blamed me

وَما هذِهِ الدُنيا يذرّي رَمادُها

وَما هذِهِ الدُنيا يذرّي رَمادُها

لِريح الفَنا إِلا جَحيمٌ مرمَّدُ

لِريح الفَنا إِلا جَحيمٌ مرمَّدُ

And this world, whose ashes scatter

And this world whose ashes the wind of oblivion scatters

To the wind of extinction, is nothing but an ashen hell.

Is for the wind of death but a smoldering hell

تَلاشَت بِهِ النيرانُ غَير بَقِيَّةٍ

تَلاشَت بِهِ النيرانُ غَير بَقِيَّةٍ

تَشبُّ لَها في شَهوَةِ الطينِ موقدُ

تَشبُّ لَها في شَهوَةِ الطينِ موقدُ

The fires have vanished within it, save for a remnant

In which fires are extinguished leaving no remains

Whose hearth blazes in the lust of clay.

For which a craving for clay in the hearth glows

فَفي طبق مُستَنقَعٌ في صَقيعِهِ

فَفي طبق مُستَنقَعٌ في صَقيعِهِ

نمت حشراتٌ فاجراتٌ تَوَقَّدُ

نمت حشراتٌ فاجراتٌ تَوَقَّدُ

For in one tier is a swamp; within its frost

So in a plate of swamp in its cold

Wanton insects grew, blazing.

Slept corrupt insects burning with desire

نِساءٌ أَقَلَّت في الصُدورِ مراضعاً

نِساءٌ أَقَلَّت في الصُدورِ مراضعاً

عَلى فَمها الوَردِيِّ لِلإِثمِ موردُ

عَلى فَمها الوَردِيِّ لِلإِثمِ موردُ

Women bearing milk-giving breasts upon their chests,

Women whose breasts lacked suckling

At whose rosy mouths sin has a watering place.

Over their rosy mouths for sin a conduit

عواهِرُ أَفنَت في الفُجورِ شَبابِها

عواهِرُ أَفنَت في الفُجورِ شَبابِها

فَما روحُها إِلّا عَجوز تَقوُّدُ

فَما روحُها إِلّا عَجوز تَقوُّدُ

Whores who spent their youth in debauchery;

Harlots who wasted their youth in vice

So their soul is nothing but an aged procuress.

So their spirit is but an old woman warming herself

مَراضِعُها فَطساءُ فَهيَ ضَفادِعٌ

مَراضِعُها فَطساءُ فَهيَ ضَفادِعٌ

عَلى ما بِها مِن شَهوَة النارِ تَجلِدُ

عَلى ما بِها مِن شَهوَة النارِ تَجلِدُ

Their breasts are snub-nosed, so they are frogs,

Their sucklings are bloated frogs

Which freeze despite the fiery lust within them.

In the fire of their desire they are scorched

وَداعاً عَذارى الحُبُّ في خِيَم الهَوى

وَداعاً عَذارى الحُبُّ في خِيَم الهَوى

جَمالُكِ مَحظور وَعدنكِ مَوصَدُ

جَمالُكِ مَحظور وَعدنكِ مَوصَدُ

Farewell, maidens of love in the tents of passion;

Farewell, virgins, love in the tents of passion

Your beauty is forbidden, and your Eden sealed.

Your beauty is forbidden and your Eden locked

فَقَدتُكِ حَتّى في أَغانيَ مَزهري

فَقَدتُكِ حَتّى في أَغانيَ مَزهري

وَكانَ لِشِعري مِنكِ ما يَتَجَوَّدُ

وَكانَ لِشِعري مِنكِ ما يَتَجَوَّدُ

I lost you even in the songs of my lute,

I lost you even in the songs of my floweriness

And my poetry had drawn from you what made it fine.

And my poetry for you had what flowed

أَلا أَغلِقي الفِردوس في وَجه شاعِر

أَلا أَغلِقي الفِردوس في وَجه شاعِر

يضمُّ طَنابير الجَحيم وَيُنشِدُ

يضمُّ طَنابير الجَحيم وَيُنشِدُ

Ah, close Paradise in the face of a poet

Do close paradise to a poet

Who embraces the lutes of hell and sings.

Who gathers the locusts of hell and sings

لَئِن تَكُ نارُ البَغضِ تَلظى بِعَينِه

لَئِن تَكُ نارُ البَغضِ تَلظى بِعَينِه

فَفي قَلبِهِ النُوّار لِلحُبِّ مزودُ

فَفي قَلبِهِ النُوّار لِلحُبِّ مزودُ

Even if hatred's fire blazes in his eye,

If the fire of hatred blazes in his eye

Yet in his heart, blossoms are love's provision-bag.

In his heart for love the light burns

يحسُّ فَراديس الحَياةِ بِروحِهِ

يحسُّ فَراديس الحَياةِ بِروحِهِ

وَليسَ يَرى إِلا جَحيماً يُهَدِّدُ

وَليسَ يَرى إِلا جَحيماً يُهَدِّدُ

He feels life's paradises with his soul,

He feels the solitudes of life in his soul

Yet sees nothing but a threatening hell.

And sees only a threatening hell

كَما يَثبتُ الصَفصافُ في عاصِفِ الدُجى

كَما يَثبتُ الصَفصافُ في عاصِفِ الدُجى

وَلِلأُفقِ وَجه هابِط الغيمِ أَربَدُ

وَلِلأُفقِ وَجه هابِط الغيمِ أَربَدُ

As the willow stands firm in the storm of darkness,

As the poplar stands firm in the storm of gloom

And the horizon wears a dusky face of lowering clouds,

And for the horizon a face descending clouds is cold

وَلِلرّيحِ في الغاباتِ زعق كَأَنَّهُ

وَلِلرّيحِ في الغاباتِ زعق كَأَنَّهُ

صَدى الجِنّ في وادي الجَحيم يزغردُ

صَدى الجِنّ في وادي الجَحيم يزغردُ

And the wind screams in the forests, as though it were

And for the wind in the forests a cry as if

The echo of jinn ululating in the valley of hell,

It were the echo of jinn in the valley of hell singing

كَذلكَ يَبقى في دُجى النَفس ثابِتاً

كَذلكَ يَبقى في دُجى النَفس ثابِتاً

جَمالٌ لَهُ في قُبَّةِ النَفسِ فَرقَدُ

جَمالٌ لَهُ في قُبَّةِ النَفسِ فَرقَدُ

So, in the soul's darkness, there remains steadfast

So remains steadfast in the gloom of the soul

A beauty with a Farqad star in the soul's dome.

A beauty which in the dome of the soul lies still

وَفي طَبَق وادٍ تكدَّر ماؤُهُ

وَفي طَبَق وادٍ تكدَّر ماؤُهُ

فَلا عشبَة تَنمو وَلا غُصنَ يُنقَدُ

فَلا عشبَة تَنمو وَلا غُصنَ يُنقَدُ

And in one tier is a valley whose water has turned foul,

And in a plate a valley whose water is turbid

So no grass grows, and no branch buds.

No grass grows there and no branch buds

وَلا تَسمَعُ الأَرواح في شَعَفاتِه

وَلا تَسمَعُ الأَرواح في شَعَفاتِه

خَلِيّاً يُغني أَو هزاراً يُغَرِّدُ

خَلِيّاً يُغني أَو هزاراً يُغَرِّدُ

Nor do the spirits hear upon its heights

And in its folds the spirits do not hear

A carefree man singing, or a nightingale warbling.

A partridge singing or a lark trilling

فَثِمَّة جرذانٌ تَرى النورَ آفَة

فَثِمَّة جرذانٌ تَرى النورَ آفَة

فَتُؤثِرُ أوجارَ الظَلامِ وَتلبدُ

فَتُؤثِرُ أوجارَ الظَلامِ وَتلبدُ

For there are rats that see the light as a plague,

There you see rats who see light as a curse

So they prefer the dens of darkness and lie low.

So they prefer the trees of darkness and go dark

مُلوكٌ يُقاضونَ النُفوسَ إِلى السَما

مُلوكٌ يُقاضونَ النُفوسَ إِلى السَما

وَيَنهي بِأَيديهِم ضَميرٌ مدوّدُ

وَيَنهي بِأَيديهِم ضَميرٌ مدوّدُ

Kings who bring souls to trial before heaven,

Kings who buy souls to go to heaven

While a worm-eaten conscience issues bans through their hands.

And their extended conscience is subdued

عَلى فَمِهم سَفر السَماواتِ مُشرَعٌ

عَلى فَمِهم سَفر السَماواتِ مُشرَعٌ

وَفي روحِهِم سَيفُ الجَحيمِ مُجَرَّدُ

وَفي روحِهِم سَيفُ الجَحيمِ مُجَرَّدُ

On their lips the book of the heavens lies open,

The scripture of heavens lies open on their mouths

And in their soul the sword of hell is unsheathed.

And in their spirits a naked sword of hell

إِذا ما لحاهُم مُؤمِنٌ فَهو فاجِر

إِذا ما لحاهُم مُؤمِنٌ فَهو فاجِر

وَإِن نَدَّ من أَغلالِهِم فَهو ملحدُ

وَإِن نَدَّ من أَغلالِهِم فَهو ملحدُ

If a believer ever rebukes them, he is a sinner,

If a believer meets them he is profane

And if he escapes their fetters, he is an atheist.

And if he clashes with their shackles he is an atheist

وَثَمَّ خَفافيشٌ مَواليدُ بُؤرَة

وَثَمَّ خَفافيشٌ مَواليدُ بُؤرَة

إِذا غارَ فيها سَيِّدٌ بان سَيِّدُ

إِذا غارَ فيها سَيِّدٌ بان سَيِّدُ

And there are bats, offspring of a pit;

And there are bats born in a sanctum

When a master sinks into it, another master appears.

So if a master is absent in it a master appears

سَلاطينُ حُفَّت بِالسِياطِ عُروشُهُم

سَلاطينُ حُفَّت بِالسِياطِ عُروشُهُم

فَسَيِّدُهُم هولَ الصَعاليكُ مجلدُ

فَسَيِّدُهُم هولَ الصَعاليكُ مجلدُ

Sultans whose thrones are ringed with whips;

Sultans whose thrones are surrounded by whips

Their lord is a terror, a scourger of the paupers.

And their leader is the brave of thugs

تَرى مِنهُمُ العاتي يَقيء نخاعَه

تَرى مِنهُمُ العاتي يَقيء نخاعَه

صَباغاً عَلى شَسع الغُزاةِ وَيسجدُ

صَباغاً عَلى شَسع الغُزاةِ وَيسجدُ

You see the tyrant among them spew his marrow

You see among them the rebel vomiting his marrow

As dye upon the invaders' sandal-thong, and prostrate himself.

A dye on the Chosroes’ throne from prostrating

وَثَمَّ جَراداتٌ عطاشٌ غَوارِث

وَثَمَّ جَراداتٌ عطاشٌ غَوارِث

ينكِّرها وَهجُ الجناحِ فَتَمردُ

ينكِّرها وَهجُ الجناحِ فَتَمردُ

And there are locusts, thirsty and famished;

And there are locusts thirsty destroyers

Their wings' glare disguises them, and they grow insolent.

Whose wings’ blaze denies them

محبَّرة الأَردان مَفجوعَة الحَشا

محبَّرة الأَردان مَفجوعَة الحَشا

تَوابيتَ يُطليها لُجين وَعسجدُ

تَوابيتَ يُطليها لُجين وَعسجدُ

Their sleeves adorned, their hearts bereaved—

Adorned with turbans, distressed faces,

Coffins coated with silver and gold.

Coffins colored with tar and bitumen

لَها في مَقاصير السَماء مَطامِحٌ

لَها في مَقاصير السَماء مَطامِحٌ

وَلَيسَ لَها في مَسلَكَ الجَوِّ مُقودُ

وَلَيسَ لَها في مَسلَكَ الجَوِّ مُقودُ

They aspire to the inner chambers of heaven,

In the mansions of the sky their aspirations

Yet on the air's pathways they have no guiding rein.

With no guiding reins in the path of the air

تفرَّش فيه وُقَّحُ الوَجهِ وَالسَما

تفرَّش فيه وُقَّحُ الوَجهِ وَالسَما

لِأنسرها لا لِلصَّراصيرِ مصعدُ

لِأنسرها لا لِلصَّراصيرِ مصعدُ

The brazen-faced spread their wings there, while the sky

In it the scabby of face and sky recline

Is a path upward for its eagles, not for cockroaches.

Not for the ants an elevator

قَياصِرَةٌ عور المَلاحِم زُيِّفَت

قَياصِرَةٌ عور المَلاحِم زُيِّفَت

يَواقيت في تيجانِهِم وَزُمرُّد

يَواقيت في تيجانِهِم وَزُمرُّد

Caesars, one-eyed in the epics, with counterfeit

Petty tyrants of ugly traits forged

Rubies and emeralds in their crowns.

As rubies on their crowns and emeralds

مَجانينُ تستافُ البلى من خَيالَهم

مَجانينُ تستافُ البلى من خَيالَهم

يُناط بِهِم مِن نَسلِ عَبقَرَ سُؤددُ

يُناط بِهِم مِن نَسلِ عَبقَرَ سُؤددُ

Madmen, from whose imaginings you scent decay,

Madmen who draw perdition from their imagination

To whom the glory of Abqar's lineage is ascribed.

Upon whom from the offspring of monkeys a burden is placed

مَواليدُ فِردَوسٍ أَراغوا نُفوسَهُم

مَواليدُ فِردَوسٍ أَراغوا نُفوسَهُم

فَلَم يَبقَ لِلوِجدانِ فَيهِنَّ مولدُ

فَلَم يَبقَ لِلوِجدانِ فَيهِنَّ مولدُ

Children of Paradise, they deceived their souls,

Born in paradise they have wasted their souls

So no birthplace for feeling remained within them.

So nothing pure in their conscience remains engendered

عَذيرُكَ مِن نورِ الفَراديسِ عَبقَرُ

عَذيرُكَ مِن نورِ الفَراديسِ عَبقَرُ

وَمغناكَ في مِتنِ السماكِ مُشَيَّدُ

وَمغناكَ في مِتنِ السماكِ مُشَيَّدُ

Your champion is Abqar, from the light of paradises,

Your excuse is the light of paradise, pure one

And your dwelling is built upon Simak's back.

And your crooning in the expanse of the sky erected

وَتُشعل في عَينَيكَ نارٌ نَقِيَّة

وَتُشعل في عَينَيكَ نارٌ نَقِيَّة

بِمَقدَسِها طيف السَماءِ مجسَّدُ

بِمَقدَسِها طيف السَماءِ مجسَّدُ

And in your eyes a pure fire is kindled,

And in your eyes a pure fire burns

In whose sanctuary heaven's phantom is embodied.

In its sanctuary the phantom of the sky embodied

وَصدغُكَ مَدهونٌ بزيت مطهَّر

وَصدغُكَ مَدهونٌ بزيت مطهَّر

وَبِالبَلسَمِ الشافي هَواكَ مضمَّدُ

وَبِالبَلسَمِ الشافي هَواكَ مضمَّدُ

And your temple is anointed with purified oil,

And your temple anointed with purified oil

And your love is bandaged with healing balsam.

And with healing balm your love bandaged

رَأَيتُكَ تَمشي في المَساخِر شاعِراً

رَأَيتُكَ تَمشي في المَساخِر شاعِراً

وَتاجُك مَحطوم عَلَيك مكَمَّدُ

وَتاجُك مَحطوم عَلَيك مكَمَّدُ

I saw you walking as a poet amid mockeries,

I saw you walking in the brothels a poet

And your crown was shattered upon you, darkened.

And your crown broken upon you crumpled

وَروحُكَ مَمسوخ وَنورُكَ ذاهِلٌ

وَروحُكَ مَمسوخ وَنورُكَ ذاهِلٌ

وَشِعرُكَ بِالغَلِّ الدَنيءِ مصفَّدُ

وَشِعرُكَ بِالغَلِّ الدَنيءِ مصفَّدُ

And your soul was disfigured, your light bewildered,

And your soul tormented and your light faded

And your verse was shackled in a vile fetter.

And your poetry in base chains fettered

وَشاهَدتُ أَشباحَ السَماءِ كَئيبَةً

وَشاهَدتُ أَشباحَ السَماءِ كَئيبَةً

عَلَيكَ بِأَسواطِ الأَراجيفِ تُطرَدُ

عَلَيكَ بِأَسواطِ الأَراجيفِ تُطرَدُ

And I saw the phantoms of heaven grieving

And I saw the phantoms of the sky sadly

Over you, driven off with the whips of false rumors.

Upon you with the whips of demons driven away

فَفيمَ أَزغتَ النَفسَ عَن نَهج قدسها

فَفيمَ أَزغتَ النَفسَ عَن نَهج قدسها

فَصارَت مغاراً سافِلاً وَهيَ معبدُ

فَصارَت مغاراً سافِلاً وَهيَ معبدُ

Why, then, did you turn the soul from the path of its sanctity,

So why did you deviate the soul from the path of its holiness

So it became a debased cavern, though it is a temple?

And it became a lowly cave though it was a temple?