وَقَفْتُI stood وَقَدْand already مَدَّspread السُّكُونُstillness رِوَاقَهُits canopy
وَقَفْتُ وَقَدْ مَدَّ السُّكُونُ رِوَاقَهُ
عَلَيْهَاover them وَغَطَّاهَاand covered them أَصِيلٌlate afternoon مِنَof التِّبْرِraw gold
عَلَيْهَا وَغَطَّاهَا أَصِيلٌ مِنَ التِّبْرِ
I stood while stillness had spread its canopy
I stood, and silence had spread its expanse,
Over them, and a late afternoon of gold had covered them.
Covering it, a night of early darkness.
خَشُوعًاin reverence كَأَنِّيas though I سَاجِدٌprostrate ضِمْنَwithin هَيْكَلٍa temple
خَشُوعًا كَأَنِّي سَاجِدٌ ضِمْنَ هَيْكَلٍ
صَمُوتًاsilent كَأَنِّيas though I مُسْتَقِلٌّstanding upright عَلَىover قَبْرِa grave
صَمُوتًا كَأَنِّي مُسْتَقِلٌّ عَلَى قَبْرِ
In reverence, as though prostrate within a temple,
Humbly, as if prostrating in a temple,
Silent, as though standing over a grave,
Silently, as if alone by a grave.
وَكُلِّيand all of me عُيونٌeyes معْجَباتٌenraptured شواخصٌfixed in a stare
وَكُلِّي عُيونٌ معْجَباتٌ شواخصٌ
مَنَعْنَthey forbade علىto قلبيmy heart التَّنَفُّسَbreathing فِيin صَدْرِيmy breast
مَنَعْنَ على قلبي التَّنَفُّسَ فِي صَدْرِي
And I was all eyes, enraptured and staring,
My eyes were all wondrous, gazing,
They forbade my heart to breathe within my breast.
Forbidding my heart its breath in my chest.
تَنَقَّلْنَthey wandered فِيهَاthrough them وَهْيَwhile they are للمجدِfor glory صفحةٌa page
تَنَقَّلْنَ فِيهَا وَهْيَ للمجدِ صفحةٌ
ذَوَاهِبَpassing مِنْfrom سطرٍa line مجيدٍglorious إِلَىto سَطْرِa line
ذَوَاهِبَ مِنْ سطرٍ مجيدٍ إِلَى سَطْرِ
They wandered over them, a page of glory,
They wandered upon it, and it was a page of glory,
Passing from a glorious line to the next.
Passing from one splendid line to another.
فَيَاso, O لَطُلولٍwhat ruins! لَاnot الزلازلُearthquakes زَعْزَعَتْshook
فَيَا لَطُلولٍ لَا الزلازلُ زَعْزَعَتْ
بُنَاهَاtheir structures وَلَاnor الإِنْسَانُman أَوْor غِيَرُthe vicissitudes of الدَّهْرِtime
بُنَاهَا وَلَا الإِنْسَانُ أَوْ غِيَرُ الدَّهْرِ
Ah, ruins! Earthquakes have not shaken
Oh how lofty, unaffected by tremors,
Their structures, nor have man or time's vicissitudes;
Unshaken by man nor the passing of time.
فَأَبْقَتْso they spared عَلَيْهَاthem مِنْout of قُصُورٍincapacity وَرَهْبَةٍand awe
فَأَبْقَتْ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ قُصُورٍ وَرَهْبَةٍ
وَلَيْسَand not لِتَخْلِيدِto immortalize الصِّنَاعَةِcraftsmanship وَالذِّكْرِand remembrance
وَلَيْسَ لِتَخْلِيدِ الصِّنَاعَةِ وَالذِّكْرِ
So they spared them out of impotence and awe,
It retained its palaces and awesomeness,
And not to immortalize craftsmanship and remembrance.
With no means for immortalizing artistry and fame.
وَأَعْمِدَةٍand columns مِلْءِfilling الفَضَاءِopen space كَأَنَّهَاas though they
وَأَعْمِدَةٍ مِلْءِ الفَضَاءِ كَأَنَّهَا
بِأَعْنَاقِهَاwith their necks تَبْغِيseek مُعَانَقَةَembracing الزُّهْرِthe bright stars
بِأَعْنَاقِهَا تَبْغِي مُعَانَقَةَ الزُّهْرِ
And columns filling the sky, as though
Pillars filling the sky, as if
They sought, with their necks, to embrace the bright stars;
With their necks they sought to embrace the blossoms.
جَبَابِرَةٍgiants تَرْنُوgazing بِكِبْرٍwith pride إِلَىat الثَّرَىthe earth
جَبَابِرَةٍ تَرْنُو بِكِبْرٍ إِلَى الثَّرَى
وَتَرْمُقُand eye وَجْهَthe face of الأُفقِthe horizon بِالنَّظَرِwith a gaze الشَّزْرِfierce and sidelong
وَتَرْمُقُ وَجْهَ الأُفقِ بِالنَّظَرِ الشَّزْرِ
Giants gazing proudly down at the earth,
Colossi aspiring haughtily to the ground,
And eyeing the horizon's face with a fierce sidelong stare;
Glancing at the horizon with a teasing gaze.
وَضَخمِand massive حجارٍstones كالجِبَالِlike mountains إِذَاif هَوَتْthey fell
وَضَخمِ حجارٍ كالجِبَالِ إِذَا هَوَتْ
عَلَىupon جَبَلٍa mountain شَقَّتْthey split رَوَابِيهِits hills بِالوَقرِwith weight
عَلَى جَبَلٍ شَقَّتْ رَوَابِيهِ بِالوَقرِ
And massive stones, like mountains, which, should they fall
Massive stones like mountains, when tumbling
Upon a mountain, would split its hills with their weight;
Onto a mountain, splitting its cliffs with heaviness.
عَلَىupon خَالِقٍa creator مَنْصُوبةٍerected عزَّwas difficult خَفْضُهَاlowering them
عَلَى خَالِقٍ مَنْصُوبةٍ عزَّ خَفْضُهَا
تُحَيِّرُbewilder فِيabout كَيْفِيَّةِthe manner of الرفعِlifting والجرِّand dragging
تُحَيِّرُ فِي كَيْفِيَّةِ الرفعِ والجرِّ
Erected upon a creator, difficult to bring down,
Erected to a Creator, lowering them perplexes
Leaving one baffled at how they were lifted and dragged;
How they were raised and moved.
وَمُتْقَنِand finely wrought أَصْنَامٍidols عَفَاvanished الفَنُّthe art قَبْلَمَاbefore
وَمُتْقَنِ أَصْنَامٍ عَفَا الفَنُّ قَبْلَمَا
عَفَاwore away مَاwhat بِهَاin them مِنْof دِقَّةِthe delicacy of النَّقْشِengraving وَالحَفْرِand carving
عَفَا مَا بِهَا مِنْ دِقَّةِ النَّقْشِ وَالحَفْرِ
And finely wrought idols: the art died out before
And skilled idols whose artistry expired before
The delicacy of their engraving and carving wore away;
The precision of their carving and engraving faded.
خَلَتْpassed أَعْصُرٌages كُثْرٌmany عَلَيْهَاover them وَمَاyet not خَلَتْwere emptied
خَلَتْ أَعْصُرٌ كُثْرٌ عَلَيْهَا وَمَا خَلَتْ
مِنَof المَنْظَرِthe appearance الخَلَّابِcaptivating وَالرَّوْنَقِand the luster النَّضْرِfresh
مِنَ المَنْظَرِ الخَلَّابِ وَالرَّوْنَقِ النَّضْرِ
Many ages have passed over them, yet they have not lost
Eras passed, many, and it did not fade
Their captivating appearance and fresh splendor;
Of beautiful sights and verdant grace.
وَزَاهِيand splendid نُقُوشٍcarvings لَوْif تَفَحَّصْتَyou examined صُنْعَهَاtheir workmanship
وَزَاهِي نُقُوشٍ لَوْ تَفَحَّصْتَ صُنْعَهَا
لَأَكْبَرْتَyou would greatly admire مَاwhat فِيهَاin them مِنَof النَّظْمِverse وَالنَّثْرِand prose
لَأَكْبَرْتَ مَا فِيهَا مِنَ النَّظْمِ وَالنَّثْرِ
And splendid carvings—if you examined their making,
Brilliant motifs, if you observed their making
You would marvel at the verse and prose within them.
You would admire the order and prose within.
ذَوَىwithered الرَّوْضُthe garden مَرَّاتٍrepeatedly وَأَزْهَرَand bloomed بَعْدَهَاafter them
ذَوَى الرَّوْضُ مَرَّاتٍ وَأَزْهَرَ بَعْدَهَا
وَمَاand not زَالَceased غَضًّاfresh مَاwhat تَضُمُّthey contain مِنَof الزَّهْرِblossoms
وَمَا زَالَ غَضًّا مَا تَضُمُّ مِنَ الزَّهْرِ
The garden withered repeatedly, and afterward bloomed,
The garden bloomed times over and blossomed after,
Yet the blossoms they contain have remained fresh;
Yet remains lush with what it holds of flowers.
وَأُسْدٍand lions مِنَof الصَّخْرِrock الأَصَمِّsolid تَخَالُهَاyou imagine them
وَأُسْدٍ مِنَ الصَّخْرِ الأَصَمِّ تَخَالُهَا
تَهِمُّthey prepare بِوَثْبٍto leap ثُمَّthen تَرْبِضُthey crouch عَنْout of كِبْرِpride
تَهِمُّ بِوَثْبٍ ثُمَّ تَرْبِضُ عَنْ كِبْرِ
And lions of solid rock, which you imagine
Lions of deaf rock, their forms posing
About to leap, then crouching out of pride;
To pounce then settle with pride.
إِذَاif فَاتَهَاeluded them مِنْfrom لَيْثِa lion غَابٍthe forest زَئِيرُهُits roar
إِذَا فَاتَهَا مِنْ لَيْثِ غَابٍ زَئِيرُهُ
فَمَاyet not فَاتَهَاeluded them أَنْto تَمْلَأَfill القَلْبَthe heart بِالذُّعْرِwith terror
فَمَا فَاتَهَا أَنْ تَمْلَأَ القَلْبَ بِالذُّعْرِ
If they lack the roar of a lion of the forest,
If the roar of a prowling lion eludes them,
They do not fail to fill the heart with terror.
They never fail to fill the heart with dread.
وَمَاand not رَاعَنِيstartled me فِيهَاin them سِوَىexcept صَوْتِthe sound of بُومَةٍan owl
وَمَا رَاعَنِي فِيهَا سِوَى صَوْتِ بُومَةٍ
نَعُوبٍhooting عَلَىon الأَطْلَالِthe ruins تَفْحَصُscratches بِالظِّفْرِwith its claw
نَعُوبٍ عَلَى الأَطْلَالِ تَفْحَصُ بِالظِّفْرِ
And nothing there startled me but the sound of an owl,
And nothing startled me but the hoot of an owl
Hooting on the ruins, scratching with its claw.
Crying over ruins, searching with claws.
وَكَانَand there was سُكُوتٌsilence ثُمَّthen أَلْقَىcast جَنَاحَهُits wing
وَكَانَ سُكُوتٌ ثُمَّ أَلْقَى جَنَاحَهُ
فَأَلْقَىand so cast عَلَىover رُوحِيmy soul جَنَاحًاa wing مِنَof السِّحْرِenchantment
فَأَلْقَى عَلَى رُوحِي جَنَاحًا مِنَ السِّحْرِ
And there was silence; then it spread its wing,
There was silence, then it spread its wing
And cast over my soul a wing of enchantment,
Casting a wing of sorcery over my soul.
وَطَارَand flew بِهَاwith it فِيinto عَالَمٍa world غَيْرِother than عَالَمِيmy world
وَطَارَ بِهَا فِي عَالَمٍ غَيْرِ عَالَمِي
يُطِلُّlooking out عَلَىupon المَاضِيthe past المُمَنْطَقِgirdled بِالسِّرِّwith mystery
يُطِلُّ عَلَى المَاضِي المُمَنْطَقِ بِالسِّرِّ
And flew with it into a world unlike my own,
It flew with it to a world not my own
Looking out upon the mystery-girdled past.
Overlooking the past, clad in mystery.
فَهَامَتْso it wandered بِهِthrough it تطوِيfolding up العُصُورَthe ages بِلَحْظَةٍin an instant
فَهَامَتْ بِهِ تطوِي العُصُورَ بِلَحْظَةٍ
وَتَنْشُرُهَاand unfolds them بَيْنَbetween النَّوَاظِرِthe eyes وَالفِكْرِand thought
وَتَنْشُرُهَا بَيْنَ النَّوَاظِرِ وَالفِكْرِ
So it wandered there, folding the ages into an instant,
With it I spanned eras in an instant,
And unfolding them between the eyes and thought.
Spreading and folding them between insights and thoughts.
وَخُيِّلَand it seemed لِيto me أَنِّيthat I مِنَof الحُلْمِa dream فِيin دُجًىdarkness
وَخُيِّلَ لِي أَنِّي مِنَ الحُلْمِ فِي دُجًى
أَوَor انِّيthat I غَرِيقٌdrowning فِيin عُبَابٍsurging waters مِنَof السُّكْرِintoxication
أَوَ انِّي غَرِيقٌ فِي عُبَابٍ مِنَ السُّكْرِ
And it seemed to me I was in a dream's dark gloom,
I fancied I was in a dream’s haze,
Or that I was drowning in a surging sea of intoxication.
Or drowning in intoxicating bewilderment.
فَأَبْصَرْتُthen I saw مَاwhat حَوْلِيaround me اسْتَعَادَregained رُوَاءَهُits beauty
فَأَبْصَرْتُ مَا حَوْلِي اسْتَعَادَ رُوَاءَهُ
وَعَادَand returned إِلَيْهِto it زَهْوُthe splendor of أَيَّامِهِits days الخُضْرِverdant
وَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ زَهْوُ أَيَّامِهِ الخُضْرِ
Then I saw what surrounded me regain its beauty,
Then I saw, regaining consciousness around me,
And the splendor of its verdant days returned to it.
The vigor of its verdant days returned to it.
وَعَادَتْand became again مِحَجًّاa pilgrimage site بَعْلَبَكُّBaalbek يَؤُمُّهَاthey seek it
وَعَادَتْ مِحَجًّا بَعْلَبَكُّ يَؤُمُّهَا
بَنُوthe children of الأَرْضِthe earth طُرًّاall لِلعِبَادَةِfor worship وَالنَّذْرِand vows
بَنُو الأَرْضِ طُرًّا لِلعِبَادَةِ وَالنَّذْرِ
And Baalbek became a place of pilgrimage again, sought by
And Baalbek again thronged with pilgrims,
All the children of the earth, for worship and vows.
Earth’s children flocking with vows and offerings.
يَرُوحُgo at evening وَيَغْدُوand go at dawn العَابِدُونَthe worshippers بِسَاحِهَاin its court
يَرُوحُ وَيَغْدُو العَابِدُونَ بِسَاحِهَا
يَمُوجُونَthey surge مَوْجَlike the surging of البَحْرِthe sea بِالمَدِّwith the flood tide وَالجَزْرِand the ebb tide
يَمُوجُونَ مَوْجَ البَحْرِ بِالمَدِّ وَالجَزْرِ
Worshippers move through its court at evening and at dawn,
Worshippers coming and going in its precincts,
Surging like the sea with the flood and the ebb.
Surging like the sea with rises and falls.
فَكِدْتُso I almost لِإِعْجَابِيbecause of my admiration وَشِدَّةِand the intensity of حَيْرَتِيmy bewilderment
فَكِدْتُ لِإِعْجَابِي وَشِدَّةِ حَيْرَتِي
أَخِرُّfall prostrate عَلَىupon وَجْهِيmy face وَأَجْهَرُand profess openly بِالكُفْرِwith unbelief
أَخِرُّ عَلَى وَجْهِي وَأَجْهَرُ بِالكُفْرِ
So, from admiration and my deep bewilderment, I came close to
I nearly in my fascination and utter confusion
Falling upon my face and openly professing unbelief,
Fell upon my face and professed disbelief.
وَأَنْسَىand forget إِلَهِيmy God وَهْوَwhile He فِيin الغَيْبِthe unseen مُضْمَرٌconcealed
وَأَنْسَى إِلَهِي وَهْوَ فِي الغَيْبِ مُضْمَرٌ
وَأَعْبُدُand worship أَصْنَامًاidols هُنَاكَthere مِنَof الصَّخْرِstone
وَأَعْبُدُ أَصْنَامًا هُنَاكَ مِنَ الصَّخْرِ
And forgetting my God, concealed within the unseen,
And forgot my God, while He in hiddenness
And worshipping idols there, made of stone.
And worshipped idols of rock instead.
وَلَمْand not يَمْضِpass حِينٌa while فَاسْتَفَقْتُthen I awoke بِغُصَّةٍwith a choking pang
وَلَمْ يَمْضِ حِينٌ فَاسْتَفَقْتُ بِغُصَّةٍ
أَرَىI see مَاwhat رَأَيْتُI saw الآنَnow أَوْهَامَillusions مُغْتَرِّof one deceived
أَرَى مَا رَأَيْتُ الآنَ أَوْهَامَ مُغْتَرِّ
And scarcely a moment passed before I awoke with a choking pang,
Moments passed and I awoke with a gasp
Now seeing what I had seen as the illusions of one deceived.
To see what I now saw were deluded dreams.
فَيَاso, O لَكِyou! وَكْرًاa nest صَارَbecame لِليَوْمِfor today مَسْرَحًاa stage
فَيَا لَكِ وَكْرًا صَارَ لِليَوْمِ مَسْرَحًا
وَقَدْand once كَانَwas حِصْنًاa fortress لِلهَزَارِfor the nightingale وَللنسْرِand for the eagle!
وَقَدْ كَانَ حِصْنًا لِلهَزَارِ وَللنسْرِ!
Ah, you nest, now become today's stage,
Oh what a den it's become, when once
Though once a fortress for the nightingale and the eagle!
A fortress against plunder and eagles!
وَيَاand O لَكِyou! قَصْرًاa palace كَانَwas لِلفَنِّfor art وَالتُّقَىand piety
وَيَا لَكِ قَصْرًا كَانَ لِلفَنِّ وَالتُّقَى
فَأَصْبَحَand so became قَبْرًاa tomb لِلمَنَاحَةِfor lamentation وَالذِّكْرِand remembrance!
فَأَصْبَحَ قَبْرًا لِلمَنَاحَةِ وَالذِّكْرِ!
And ah, you palace that once served art and piety,
Oh what a palace it was, for arts and devotion,
Now become a tomb for lamentation and remembrance!
Now a tomb for indulgence and remembrance!
Sol 6.1