غيدَ باريسَ ليس فيكِ هُيامي

غيدَ باريسَ ليس فيكِ هُيامي

بل بهذي الأَوراقِ والأقلامِ

بل بهذي الأَوراقِ والأقلامِ

Fair women of Paris, my passion is not for you,

Paris did not captivate me,

but for these sheets of paper and pens.

Only these papers and pens,

فهي أَوفى منكنَّ عهدَ ودادٍ

فهي أَوفى منكنَّ عهدَ ودادٍ

وغرامي بها أَلذُّ غرامِ

وغرامي بها أَلذُّ غرامِ

They are truer than you to a pledge of affection,

For they are more loyal to the covenant of love,

and my passion for them is the sweetest passion.

And my passion for them is sweeter than passion.

فاحفظي هذه السهامَ لغيري

فاحفظي هذه السهامَ لغيري

ما بقلبي من موضعٍ لسهامِ

ما بقلبي من موضعٍ لسهامِ

So save these arrows for someone other than me;

So keep these arrows for someone else,

there is no place in my heart for arrows.

My heart has no room for arrows.

كان لي في الهوى مرامٌ فأَمسى

كان لي في الهوى مرامٌ فأَمسى

في طِلابِ العلومِ كلُّ مرامي

في طِلابِ العلومِ كلُّ مرامي

I once had an aim in love, but now

I once had a passion for youth, which passed,

all my ambition lies in pursuing the sciences.

Among the students and books.

لهفَ قلبي على شبابٍ تقضَّى

لهفَ قلبي على شبابٍ تقضَّى

بين ذاك اللَّمى وهذا القوامِ

بين ذاك اللَّمى وهذا القوامِ

How my heart grieves for youth spent

My heart lamented the passing days,

between those dusky lips and this shapely form,

Between that sin and piety.

وليالٍ سهرتُها في قبيحٍ

وليالٍ سهرتُها في قبيحٍ

حَسَنٍ وجهُهُ مليحِ الكلامِ

حَسَنٍ وجهُهُ مليحِ الكلامِ

and nights I spent awake for someone vile,

And nights I spent awake in the ugly,

handsome of face and charming in speech.

With a face whose beauty is pleasing in speech.

ذاك عهدٌ للهوِ فات وهدا

ذاك عهدٌ للهوِ فات وهدا

زمنُ الجدِّ والمساعي الجسامِ

زمنُ الجدِّ والمساعي الجسامِ

That was an age of diversion, now past; this is

That was an era of passion which is past,

the time for earnest work and mighty endeavors.

A time of earnestness and formidable deeds.

فلأَستَبدِلنَّ عمراً جديداً

فلأَستَبدِلنَّ عمراً جديداً

بقديم يضيِّعُ الأَيامِ

بقديم يضيِّعُ الأَيامِ

So I shall surely take a new life in exchange

So I will take a new life,

for an old one that wastes the days.

In place of the old wasting time.

ولأَستقبِلَنَّ كلَّ عسيرٍ

ولأَستقبِلَنَّ كلَّ عسيرٍ

في سبيل العُلى بعزم الهُمامِ

في سبيل العُلى بعزم الهُمامِ

And I shall surely face every hardship

And I will meet every difficulty,

on the path to greatness, with a hero's resolve.

On the path to sublimity, with the determination of the courageous.

كلُّ مستصحبٍ يهون على مَن

كلُّ مستصحبٍ يهون على مَن

كان ذا همَّةٍ وذا إِقدامِ

كان ذا همَّةٍ وذا إِقدامِ

All that is carried grows light for one

All who take companions find them a burden,

who has ambition and boldness.

Except those with the determination and boldness.

والذي عونهُ النجيبُ ابو ال

والذي عونهُ النجيبُ ابو ال

فضل يرى النجمَ موطئَ الاقدامِ

فضل يرى النجمَ موطئَ الاقدامِ

And one whose helper is Najib Abu al-

And the noble man whose aid I seek

Fadl sees the star as a foothold.

Sees the stars as a foothold for his feet.

إنا من مجدهِ تعلَّمتُ مجداً

إنا من مجدهِ تعلَّمتُ مجداً

وعلى عزمه بنيتُ اعتزامي

وعلى عزمه بنيتُ اعتزامي

I learned glory from his glory,

Verily from his glory I have learned glory,

and on his resolve I built my determination.

And upon his determination I have built my determination.

قد نكرتُ الكرام حتى أراني

قد نكرتُ الكرام حتى أراني

جودُهُ أَنهُ وحيد الكرامِ

جودُهُ أَنهُ وحيد الكرامِ

I had lost faith in the generous, until I was shown

I disregarded the generous when I saw that

by his bounty that he alone is generous.

His generosity singled me out among people.

وبكيتُ الشرقَ الكئيبَ إلى أن

وبكيتُ الشرقَ الكئيبَ إلى أن

حلَّ من ثغرهِ محلَّ ابتسامِ

حلَّ من ثغرهِ محلَّ ابتسامِ

And I wept for the sorrowful East, until

And I wept over the misery of the East

he became a smile upon its lips.

Until his smile shone from its lips.

ربَّ عصرٍ محجَّبٍ بظلامِ

ربَّ عصرٍ محجَّبٍ بظلامِ

شقَّ فردٌ عنه حجابَ الظلامِ

شقَّ فردٌ عنه حجابَ الظلامِ

Many an age lay veiled in darkness;

Lord of an era obscured by darkness,

one man tore away its veil of darkness.

And he tore apart the veil of darkness.

وبلادٍ سادَ الخمولُ عليها

وبلادٍ سادَ الخمولُ عليها

فاستعزَّت بواحدٍ مقدامِ

فاستعزَّت بواحدٍ مقدامِ

And many a land where obscurity reigned

In a land which laziness prevailed upon,

has gained glory through one daring man.

And which was invigorated by the efforts of a unique one among men.

ليس الأكَ يا نجيبُ هُمامٌ

ليس الأكَ يا نجيبُ هُمامٌ

نحنُ نرجوهُ للخطوبِ العظامِ

نحنُ نرجوهُ للخطوبِ العظامِ

There is no hero but you, Najib,

You are not, O noble one, an ambition,

whom we look to in great calamities,

We hope in you when facing grave tribulations.

ووفيٌ من غيرِ وعدٍ إذا ضاعَ

ووفيٌ من غيرِ وعدٍ إذا ضاعَ

وفاءُ الوعودِ بين الأنامِ

وفاءُ الوعودِ بين الأنامِ

nor one faithful without a pledge, when

And loyal without a pact, when loyalty among men,

the keeping of promises is lost among mankind.

To pacts, has vanished.

كيف أُثني على أياديكَ عندي

كيف أُثني على أياديكَ عندي

وهي أسمى من أن يفيها كلامي

وهي أسمى من أن يفيها كلامي

How can I praise the favors you have done me,

How can I praise your hands, when before me,

when they are too lofty for my words to do them justice?

They are loftier than any eulogy can reach.

انا منها في غبطةٍ ونعيم

انا منها في غبطةٍ ونعيم

لم يتما لشاعرٍ في المنامِ

لم يتما لشاعرٍ في المنامِ

Through them I live in happiness and bliss

I am in felicity and bounty because of them,

such as no poet has attained, even in dreams.

A pleasure no poet has ever dreamt of before.

أَرمُقُ الحادثات وهي عبيدي

أَرمُقُ الحادثات وهي عبيدي

نائِماتٍ في حرمتي وذمامي

نائِماتٍ في حرمتي وذمامي

I watch calamities, and they are my slaves,

I observe events and they are your slaves,

sleeping in my sanctuary and under my protection.

Asleep in my security and my fortresses.

شعراءَ الملوكِ لا يزدهيكُمُ

شعراءَ الملوكِ لا يزدهيكُمُ

ما لتيجانهم من الإِعظامِ

ما لتيجانهم من الإِعظامِ

Poets of kings, do not be dazzled

The poets of kings do not esteem you,

by the veneration bestowed upon their crowns.

For their crowns are lesser than the tears of orphans.

إِن أحجارَها أَقلُ سناءً

إِن أحجارَها أَقلُ سناءً

وصفاءً من أدمع الأيتامِ

وصفاءً من أدمع الأيتامِ

Their jewels are indeed less radiant

And with it the poet of the noble one boasts,

and less pure than the tears of orphans.

Over every crown and every lofty seat.

وبها شاعر النجيبِ يباهي

وبها شاعر النجيبِ يباهي

كلَّ تاجٍ وكلَّ عرشٍ سامِ

كلَّ تاجٍ وكلَّ عرشٍ سامِ

And with them Najib's poet vies proudly

My master and chief, but more than that, my beloved one,

with every crown and every lofty throne.

And he is to me the dearest of these names.

يا أميري وسيدي بل حبيبي

يا أميري وسيدي بل حبيبي

وهو عندي أحبُّ هذي الاسامي

وهو عندي أحبُّ هذي الاسامي

O my prince and my master—rather, my beloved—

Verses said for other than celebrating your praise,

and that, to me, is the dearest of these names.

Are forbidden to me, a thousand times forbidden.

إِن شعراً يقالُ في غير مد

إِن شعراً يقالُ في غير مد

حيك حرامٌ عندي وأَلفُ حرامِ

حيك حرامٌ عندي وأَلفُ حرامِ

Indeed, poetry uttered in anything but your

Indeed, for my life, those who gained praises gained them,

praise is forbidden to me—a thousand times forbidden.

Because of you, in place of inspiration.

لقد لعمري نال المدائحَ قومٌ

لقد لعمري نال المدائحَ قومٌ

أنت منهم قدراً مكان إِلهامِ

أنت منهم قدراً مكان إِلهامِ

Indeed, by my life, men have received praises;

How many compositions are gifted to one who does not know,

you, in rank among them, occupy inspiration's seat.

Whether it is praise or dispraise.

كم قريضٍ يهدى لمن ليس يدري

كم قريضٍ يهدى لمن ليس يدري

أبمدحٍ نفحته ام بذامِ

أبمدحٍ نفحته ام بذامِ

How much verse is offered to one who does not know

If I could monopolize the rhymes,

whether you have gifted him praise or blame!

Disdaining to subject them to the rabble.

فلو استطعتُ لاحتكرتُ القوافي

فلو استطعتُ لاحتكرتُ القوافي

أَنفاً من تعريضها للطغامِ

أَنفاً من تعريضها للطغامِ

So, if I could, I would monopolize the rhymes,

I would send them as missives travelling the horizons,

disdaining to expose them to the rabble.

To gift your praise to the people.

ولأرسلتها جوائِبَ في الآ

ولأرسلتها جوائِبَ في الآ

فاقِ تُهدي ثناك للأقوامِ

فاقِ تُهدي ثناك للأقوامِ

And I would send them roaming across the

Every verse more precious than the news of reunion,

horizons, bringing your praise to the peoples.

To the ear of the youth struck with separation.

كلُّ بيتٍ أَرقُّ من خبر ال

كلُّ بيتٍ أَرقُّ من خبر ال

وصل على مسمعِ الفتى المستهامِ

وصل على مسمعِ الفتى المستهامِ

Each verse is more tender than the news of

I knew not the envious before they came to me,

union in the hearing of a lovesick youth.

From your hand, towards the clouds.

ما عرفتُ الحسّادَ من قبلُ حتى

ما عرفتُ الحسّادَ من قبلُ حتى

جادني من يديكَ صَوبُ الغمامِ

جادني من يديكَ صَوبُ الغمامِ

I had never known the envious before, until

I was grazing with eyes that before them,

the clouds' downpour showered me from your hands.

Their people had no matter in dreams.

بتُّ أُرعى بأعينٍ لم أكن عندَ

بتُّ أُرعى بأعينٍ لم أكن عندَ

ذويها أَمرٌ في الأحلامِ

ذويها أَمرٌ في الأحلامِ

I am now watched by eyes; I was never, to

I was like a pearl covered in dirt,

their owners, a matter of concern even in dreams.

Your hands plucked me from the dirt.

كنتُ كالدرُّ قد علاه رُغامٌ

كنتُ كالدرُّ قد علاه رُغامٌ

نشلتهُ يداك من ذا الرغامِ

نشلتهُ يداك من ذا الرغامِ

I was like a pearl that dust had covered;

If I live I will shine brighter,

your hands lifted it from this dust.

With you, blinding the eyes of the wicked.

ولئَن عشتُ سوفَ ازداد نوراً

ولئَن عشتُ سوفَ ازداد نوراً

بك تعمى بهِ عيونُ اللئامِ

بك تعمى بهِ عيونُ اللئامِ

And if I live on, I shall grow brighter still

through you, with light that blinds the eyes of the ignoble.