تُذَكِّرُني وَحَقِّكَ ما نَسيتُ

تُذَكِّرُني وَحَقِّكَ ما نَسيتُ

وَهَل أَنسى شُجونَكَ ما حَييتُ

وَهَل أَنسى شُجونَكَ ما حَييتُ

You remind me; by your honor, I have not forgotten.

You remind me, and by your right I've not forgotten

And could I forget your sorrows as long as I live?

Nor will I forget your sorrows as long as I live

أُحِسُّكَ في الحَرارَةِ مِن حَنيني

أُحِسُّكَ في الحَرارَةِ مِن حَنيني

كَأَنَّكَ في غَليلِ دَمي تَبيتُ

كَأَنَّكَ في غَليلِ دَمي تَبيتُ

I feel you in the heat of my longing,

I feel you in the warmth of my yearning

as though you spend the night in my blood's burning thirst.

As if you're lodged in the heat of my blood

وَأَسمَعُ مِنكَ ما أَسمَعتَ قَلبي

وَأَسمَعُ مِنكَ ما أَسمَعتَ قَلبي

وَقَد غَدَرَ الحَبيبُ المُستَميتُ

وَقَد غَدَرَ الحَبيبُ المُستَميتُ

And from you I hear what you made my heart hear

And I hear from you what I’ve heard my heart say

when the beloved, devoted unto death, proved false.

When the beloved betrayed and died

يُغَرِّقُ مِن عُيونكَ في عُيوني

يُغَرِّقُ مِن عُيونكَ في عُيوني

هَوً ساهٍ وَوِجدانٌ شَتيتُ

هَوً ساهٍ وَوِجدانٌ شَتيتُ

From your eyes into mine come flooding

You let your eyes drown in my eyes

a heedless love and a feeling torn apart.

Heedless and scattered consciousness

تَقولُ أَرى عَلى وَقبَيكَ خَمراً

تَقولُ أَرى عَلى وَقبَيكَ خَمراً

إِذا وُصِفَت تَنَكَّرَتِ النعوتُ

إِذا وُصِفَت تَنَكَّرَتِ النعوتُ

You say: I see wine upon your eye hollows;

You say you see wine on my cheeks

when it is described, the epithets grow unrecognizable.

When described, qualities are denied

أَخافُ عَلَيكَ مِن دَمِها فَإِنّي

أَخافُ عَلَيكَ مِن دَمِها فَإِنّي

بَذَلتُ لَها الحَياةَ وَما رَويتُ

بَذَلتُ لَها الحَياةَ وَما رَويتُ

I fear for you because of its blood, for I

I fear for you from its blood, for I

gave it my life, yet never quenched my thirst.

Spent my life on it and was not sated

هَواكَ هَوايَ قَلبُكَ مِثلُ قَلبي

هَواكَ هَوايَ قَلبُكَ مِثلُ قَلبي

كَما تَهوى عَلى مَضمَضٍ هَويتُ

كَما تَهوى عَلى مَضمَضٍ هَويتُ

Your love is my love; your heart is like my heart.

Your love is my love, your heart like my heart

As you love, I too have loved in anguish.

As I yearned for the lips I kissed

سَلَكنا مُعضِلَ الدُنيا وَلكِن

سَلَكنا مُعضِلَ الدُنيا وَلكِن

شُفيتَ مِنَ الشَقاءِ وَما شُفيتُ

شُفيتَ مِنَ الشَقاءِ وَما شُفيتُ

We traveled the world's tangled way, but

We trod the trying world, but

you were healed of suffering, while I was not.

You were cured, while I was not cured

تُرابُ القَبرِ أَسلَمُ مِن فِراشٍ

تُرابُ القَبرِ أَسلَمُ مِن فِراشٍ

عَلى جَنبَيهِ ثُعبانٌ وَحوتُ

عَلى جَنبَيهِ ثُعبانٌ وَحوتُ

The grave's earth is safer than a bed

Grave dust is safer than a bed

with a serpent and a whale at its sides.

On whose sides are snakes and sharks

رَأَيتُكَ تَملَأُ الدُنيا ضِياءً

رَأَيتُكَ تَملَأُ الدُنيا ضِياءً

وَفي عَينَيكَ تَحتَرِقُ الزُيوتُ

وَفي عَينَيكَ تَحتَرِقُ الزُيوتُ

I saw you fill the world with light,

I saw you fill the world with light

while oils burned within your eyes,

And oils burn in your eyes

وَتَفنى في المَحَبَّةِ وَهيَ بِكرٌ

وَتَفنى في المَحَبَّةِ وَهيَ بِكرٌ

وَيَسمَنُ حَولَكَ البُغضُ المَقيتُ

وَيَسمَنُ حَولَكَ البُغضُ المَقيتُ

and perish in love while love was still a virgin,

And passion dies though virgin

as loathsome hatred grew fat around you.

And hatred fattens around you, detestable

وقَلبُ الحُرِّ آفَتُهُ هَواهُ

وقَلبُ الحُرِّ آفَتُهُ هَواهُ

وَآفَةُ وَحيِهِ الأَدَبُ النَحيتُ

وَآفَةُ وَحيِهِ الأَدَبُ النَحيتُ

And the free man's heart is plagued by his love,

The flaw of the freeman is his passion

and his inspiration by contrived literature.

And the flaw of his inspiration—vile literature

فَفيهِ يُحَقَّرُ الخَزُّ المُوَشّى

فَفيهِ يُحَقَّرُ الخَزُّ المُوَشّى

وَيُكرَمُ في سِواهُ العَنكَبوتُ

وَيُكرَمُ في سِواهُ العَنكَبوتُ

For within it embroidered silk is despised,

So the worthless brocade is belittled in it

while elsewhere the spider is honored.

And the spider is honored above all else

تَكَلَّم يا فِليكسُ فَنَحنُ صَرعى

تَكَلَّم يا فِليكسُ فَنَحنُ صَرعى

وَفي أَعماقِنا حُلُمٌ يَموتُ

وَفي أَعماقِنا حُلُمٌ يَموتُ

Speak, Felix, for we lie stricken,

Speak, Felix, for we are mute

and in our depths a dream is dying.

Though in our depths dreams die

وَعَلِّم كَيفَ تُكتَسَبُ المَراقي

وَعَلِّم كَيفَ تُكتَسَبُ المَراقي

وَكَيفَ تُشادُ لِلأُمَمِ البُيوتُ

وَكَيفَ تُشادُ لِلأُمَمِ البُيوتُ

And teach how the heights are attained,

And teach how glories are won

and how houses are raised for nations,

And how homes are built for nations

وَكَيفَ صَواعِقُ الأَفكارِ تَهوي

وَكَيفَ صَواعِقُ الأَفكارِ تَهوي

وَكَيفَ يُجَلجِلُ الشَعبُ الصَموتُ

وَكَيفَ يُجَلجِلُ الشَعبُ الصَموتُ

and how the thunderbolts of thought come crashing down,

And how lightning thoughts come down

and how the silent people thunder.

And how the silent people rumble

أُفَتِّشُ في سُكوتِكَ عَن بَياني

أُفَتِّشُ في سُكوتِكَ عَن بَياني

فَيُخرِسُهُ بِرَوعَتِهِ السُكوتُ

فَيُخرِسُهُ بِرَوعَتِهِ السُكوتُ

I search your silence for my eloquence,

I search your silence for my meaning

and silence, with its splendor, strikes it dumb.

But silence overwhelms with its marvel

وَأَبحَثُ عَن شُعاعِكَ في سِراجي

وَأَبحَثُ عَن شُعاعِكَ في سِراجي

وَلي مِن زَيتِكَ العُلوِيِّ قوتُ

وَلي مِن زَيتِكَ العُلوِيِّ قوتُ

And I seek your ray within my lamp,

And I seek your aura in my lamp

and I have sustenance from your heavenly oil.

But from your sublime oil comes my strength

سَمِعتُ المِنبَرَ المَحزونَ يَشكو

سَمِعتُ المِنبَرَ المَحزونَ يَشكو

فَتَتَّضِعُ الأَرائِكُ وَالتُخوتُ

فَتَتَّضِعُ الأَرائِكُ وَالتُخوتُ

I heard the sorrowful pulpit lament,

I heard the mournful pulpit complain

so couches and thrones bow low.

So thrones and cushions wither

يَقولُ رُزِقتُهُ أَشهى طَعامي

يَقولُ رُزِقتُهُ أَشهى طَعامي

وَلَمّا اِشتَدَّ ساعِدُهُ قَويتُ

وَلَمّا اِشتَدَّ ساعِدُهُ قَويتُ

It says: I was granted him, my most delectable food,

It says I fed him my finest food

and when his arm grew strong, I grew strong.

And when his arms grew strong, I was empowered

أَبَرُّ الوُلدِ بِالآباءِ خُلقاً

أَبَرُّ الوُلدِ بِالآباءِ خُلقاً

وَأَقرَبُهُم إِلَيَّ إِذا زُهيتُ

وَأَقرَبُهُم إِلَيَّ إِذا زُهيتُ

The most dutiful of children toward fathers in character,

The most righteous son to fathers in character

and the nearest of them to me when I was proud.

And the closest to me when I become withered

عَلى عُريي نَما أَمَلاً وَلَمّا

عَلى عُريي نَما أَمَلاً وَلَمّا

أَظَلَّتني ذِراعاهُ كُسيتُ

أَظَلَّتني ذِراعاهُ كُسيتُ

Upon my nakedness he grew as hope, and when

Naked I slept, hoping

his two arms shaded me, I was clothed.

And when his arms shaded me, I was clothed

يَلُفُّ وَتينُهُ خَشَبي فَيَحيا

يَلُفُّ وَتينُهُ خَشَبي فَيَحيا

وَيَنبُضُ لي بِهِ شَرَفٌ وَصيتُ

وَيَنبُضُ لي بِهِ شَرَفٌ وَصيتُ

His aorta wraps my wood, and it comes alive,

His wet clay wraps my wood so I live

and through it honor and renown pulse for me.

And through it, glory and reputation come to me

وَكُنتُ أَوَدُّ لَو ذَوّيتَ نَوطاً

وَكُنتُ أَوَدُّ لَو ذَوّيتَ نَوطاً

لَهُ وَإِلى سَريرَتِهِ رَقيتُ

لَهُ وَإِلى سَريرَتِهِ رَقيتُ

And I had wished you would make a medal wither

I wished I had given him a string

for him, and that I might ascend to his innermost self.

And risen to his pillow and bed

وَنَوطُ البَعضِ تُحرَمُهُ الأَعالي

وَنَوطُ البَعضِ تُحرَمُهُ الأَعالي

وَيُمنَحَهُ الزِبانِيَةُ التَحوتُ

وَيُمنَحَهُ الزِبانِيَةُ التَحوتُ

Yet some men's medal is denied to the exalted,

While some are denied heights by string

and granted to the base henchmen.

And granted menial tasks by rabble

سَمِعتُ عَروسَ شِعرِكَ في خَيالي

سَمِعتُ عَروسَ شِعرِكَ في خَيالي

تَقولُ عَشِقتُهُ حَتّى اِشتَهَيتُ

تَقولُ عَشِقتُهُ حَتّى اِشتَهَيتُ

I heard the bride of your poetry in my imagination

I heard the bride of your poetry in my imagination

say: I loved him until I felt desire.

Saying, "I loved him until I craved"

فَفي عَينَيهِ ذَوبُ السِحرِ يُرغي

فَفي عَينَيهِ ذَوبُ السِحرِ يُرغي

وَفي أَهدابِهِ المِسكُ الفَتيتُ

وَفي أَهدابِهِ المِسكُ الفَتيتُ

For molten magic foams in his eyes,

So magic melts in his eyes

and powdered musk lies in his lashes.

And fine musk in his lashes

بَذَلتُ لَهُ الخَطايا مِن عُروقي

بَذَلتُ لَهُ الخَطايا مِن عُروقي

وَحينَ لَمَستُ مِرشَفَهُ نَقيتُ

وَحينَ لَمَستُ مِرشَفَهُ نَقيتُ

I gave him the sins from my veins,

I spent my sins for him from my veins

and when I touched his lips, I grew pure.

And when I touched his lips, I was purified

وَأَطلَقتُ الرَوِيَّ لَهُ جَواري

وَأَطلَقتُ الرَوِيَّ لَهُ جَواري

قيانٌ في مَزاهِرِها رَبيتُ

قيانٌ في مَزاهِرِها رَبيتُ

And I released rhyme for him as slave girls—

And I released my damssels to him

singing girls, among whose lutes I grew up.

Chaste girls I had raised in my meadows

سَمِعتُ بِلادَكَ الثَكلى تُنادي

سَمِعتُ بِلادَكَ الثَكلى تُنادي

ليَ الغِطريفُ وَالرجُلُ الثَبيتُ

ليَ الغِطريفُ وَالرجُلُ الثَبيتُ

I heard your bereaved homeland cry out:

I heard your bereaved homeland call to me

Mine is the noble lord, and the steadfast man;

"To me belongs resolve and the firm footing man

ليَ الأَنوارُ في عَنَتِ اللَيالي

ليَ الأَنوارُ في عَنَتِ اللَيالي

إِذا ما راغَتِ الدُنيا العَنوتُ

إِذا ما راغَتِ الدُنيا العَنوتُ

mine are the lights amid the nights' affliction,

To me belongs the lights in the gloom of nights

when the cruel world plays false.

When the world wraps itself in spiderwebs

ليَ الفُصحى عَلى أَدَبٍ بَليغٍ

ليَ الفُصحى عَلى أَدَبٍ بَليغٍ

وَمِن أَليانِ ثَديَيها سُقيتُ

وَمِن أَليانِ ثَديَيها سُقيتُ

Mine is classical Arabic in eloquent literature,

To me belongs eloquence with elegant literature

and I was given drink from the milk of her two breasts.

And from her teats I was suckled

وَلَيسَ ليَ الضَواري في خُدوري

وَلَيسَ ليَ الضَواري في خُدوري

تَسَرَّتني وَكَالسِلَعِ اِقتُنيتُ

تَسَرَّتني وَكَالسِلَعِ اِقتُنيتُ

And the predators in my secluded chambers are not mine:

I have no humiliating women in my rooms

they took me as a concubine, and I was acquired like merchandise.

Who have delighted me and I collected like wares

يُقَعقِعُ في مَشافِرِها سَميجٌ

يُقَعقِعُ في مَشافِرِها سَميجٌ

وَأَدرَدُ أَشنَعُ الدَعوى هَريتُ

وَأَدرَدُ أَشنَعُ الدَعوى هَريتُ

A vile fellow rattles in their jowls,

There rattles in their claws someone depraved

and a toothless, wide-mouthed one, foulest in his claims.

And I bellow—the ugliest claim is folly

عَذيري مِن مَماليكٍ مَوالٍ

عَذيري مِن مَماليكٍ مَوالٍ

لَهُم خُطَطٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُم سُموتُ

لَهُم خُطَطٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُم سُموتُ

Who will vindicate me against slave retainers

My excuse is from slaves who've become masters

who hold offices but have no dignified bearing?

With schemes but no loftiness

سَمِعتُ القَبرَ يَنفُثُ مِن دُجاهُ

سَمِعتُ القَبرَ يَنفُثُ مِن دُجاهُ

حَديثاً فيهِ أَشجاني الخُفوتُ

حَديثاً فيهِ أَشجاني الخُفوتُ

I heard the grave breathe out from its darkness

I heard the grave exhale from its gloom

a tale whose hush stirred my sorrow.

Conversation that saddened me with its whispers

يَقولُ إِلَيَّ يَأتي كُلُّ حَيٍّ

يَقولُ إِلَيَّ يَأتي كُلُّ حَيٍّ

وَيَبقى في تُرابي ما بَقيتُ

وَيَبقى في تُرابي ما بَقيتُ

It says: Every living being comes to me,

Saying, "To me comes every living thing

and remains in my earth as long as I remain.

And remains in my dust when I persist

يُقيمُ اِثنانِ في دُنيا سُكوني

يُقيمُ اِثنانِ في دُنيا سُكوني

فَتىً يَفنى وَآخَرُ لا يَموتُ

فَتىً يَفنى وَآخَرُ لا يَموتُ

Two dwell in the world of my stillness:

Two remain in the stillness of my world

a youth who perishes, and another who does not die.

One perishes and the other dies not"