ياO صاحِبَmaster of الرَوضَةِthe garden الغَنّاءِluxuriant هِجتَyou stirred بِناwithin us
يا صاحِبَ الرَوضَةِ الغَنّاءِ هِجتَ بِنا
كُرىslumber الأَوائِلِthose of old مِنof أَهلٍkin وَجيرانِand neighbors
كُرى الأَوائِلِ مِن أَهلٍ وَجيرانِ
O master of the luxuriant garden, you have stirred within us
the slumber of those of old, of kin and neighbors.
نَشَرتَyou spread abroad فَضلَthe merit of كِرامٍnoble men فيin مَضاجِعِهِمtheir resting places
نَشَرتَ فَضلَ كِرامٍ في مَضاجِعِهِم
جَرَّdragged الزَمانُtime عَلَيهِمover them ذَيلَthe hem of نِسيانِforgetfulness
جَرَّ الزَمانُ عَلَيهِم ذَيلَ نِسيانِ
You spread abroad the merit of noble men in their resting places,
over whom time dragged oblivion's trailing hem.
إِنّيindeed I أُحَيِّيكَsalute you عَنهُمon their behalf فيin جَزيرَتِهِمtheir peninsula
إِنّي أُحَيِّيكَ عَنهُم في جَزيرَتِهِم
وَفيand in العِراقِIraq وَفيand in مِصرٍEgypt وَلُبنانِand Lebanon
وَفي العِراقِ وَفي مِصرٍ وَلُبنانِ
I salute you on their behalf, in their peninsula,
and in Iraq, in Egypt, and in Lebanon.
جَلَوتَyou unveiled لِلغَربِto the West حُسنَthe beauty of الشَرقِthe East فيin حُلَلٍrobes
جَلَوتَ لِلغَربِ حُسنَ الشَرقِ في حُلَلٍ
لاnot يُستَهانُis treated lightly بِهاwith regard to them نَسّاجَO weaver of هِرنانيHernani
لا يُستَهانُ بِها نَسّاجَ هِرناني
You unveiled to the West the East's beauty in robes
not to be disdained, O weaver of Hernani.
ظَنّوكَthey thought you مِنهُمone of them وَقَدand already أَنشَأتَyou began تَخطُبُهُمaddressing them
ظَنّوكَ مِنهُم وَقَد أَنشَأتَ تَخطُبُهُم
بِماwith what عَناyielded لَكَto you مِنof سِحرٍenchantment وَتِبيانِand lucid exposition
بِما عَنا لَكَ مِن سِحرٍ وَتِبيانِ
They thought you one of them when you began addressing them
with the magic and lucid eloquence at your command.
ماnot زِلتَyou ceased تَبهَرُناyou dazzle us طَوراًat one turn وَتَبهَرُهُمand dazzle them
ما زِلتَ تَبهَرُنا طَوراً وَتَبهَرُهُم
حَتّىuntil اِدَّعاكَclaimed you وَحَيّاكَand saluted you الفَريقانِboth sides
حَتّى اِدَّعاكَ وَحَيّاكَ الفَريقانِ
You kept dazzling us at one turn, and dazzling them,
until both sides claimed you and saluted you.
لَولاwere it not for اِسمِرارُكَyour brown complexion فازواthey would have won فيin اِدِّعائِهِمُtheir claim
لَولا اِسمِرارُكَ فازوا في اِدِّعائِهِمُ
بِواصِفٍWasif as their own وَخَسِرناand we would have suffered أَيَّwhat a خُسرانِloss
بِواصِفٍ وَخَسِرنا أَيَّ خُسرانِ
Were it not for your brown complexion, their claim would have won them
Wasif—and what a loss we would have suffered!
غَرَستَyou planted مِنfrom زَهَراتِthe blossoms of الشَرقِthe East طائِفَةٍa cluster
غَرَستَ مِن زَهَراتِ الشَرقِ طائِفَةٍ
فيin أَرضِthe land of هيجوHugo فَجاءَتso it became طُرفَةَa rare delight for الجانيthe gatherer
في أَرضِ هيجو فَجاءَت طُرفَةَ الجاني
You planted a cluster of the East's blossoms
in Hugo's soil, and it became a rare delight for the gatherer:
حَديقَةًa garden لَكَof yours لَمnot نَعهَدwe have known لَهاfor it شَبَهاًa likeness
حَديقَةً لَكَ لَم نَعهَد لَها شَبَهاً
بَينَamong الحَدائِقِthe gardens فيin زَهرٍblossoms وَأَفنانِand boughs
بَينَ الحَدائِقِ في زَهرٍ وَأَفنانِ
a garden of yours whose like we have never known
among gardens, in blossoms and boughs.
يُحييrevives شَذاهاits fragrance نُفوسَthe souls of الوافِدينَthe visitors وَماand not
يُحيي شَذاها نُفوسَ الوافِدينَ وَما
مَرّواthey passed بِوَردٍby roses وَلاand not طافواthey wandered بِرَيحانِamong sweet basil
مَرّوا بِوَردٍ وَلا طافوا بِرَيحانِ
Its fragrance revives the souls of visitors, though they
have passed no roses and wandered among no sweet basil.
لَكِنَّهاbut it مِنfrom أَزاهيرِthe blossoms of النُهىthe intellect جَمَعَتhas gathered
لَكِنَّها مِن أَزاهيرِ النُهى جَمَعَت
ماwhat لاnot تُنافِحُهُcan rival it in fragrance أَزهارُthe flowers of بُستانِa garden
ما لا تُنافِحُهُ أَزهارُ بُستانِ
Rather, from the blossoms of the intellect it has gathered
what no garden flowers can rival in fragrance.
بِالأَمسِyesterday كانَthere was لَهاfor it شَرقٌan East تَضوعُit spreads fragrance بِهِin it
بِالأَمسِ كانَ لَها شَرقٌ تَضوعُ بِهِ
وَاليَومَand today صارَthere came to be لَهاfor it بِالغَربِin the West شَرقانِtwo Easts
وَاليَومَ صارَ لَها بِالغَربِ شَرقانِ
Yesterday it had an East in which its fragrance spread;
today, in the West, it has two Easts.
أَسمَعتَهُمyou made them hear مِنsome of نَسيبِthe love poetry of القَومِthe people فَاِنطَلَقَتso there flowed
أَسمَعتَهُم مِن نَسيبِ القَومِ فَاِنطَلَقَت
شُؤونُthe tear ducts of كُلِّevery شَجِيِّsorrowful القَلبِheart وَلهانِlove-distraught
شُؤونُ كُلِّ شَجِيِّ القَلبِ وَلهانِ
You let them hear the people's love poetry, and there flowed
the tears of every sorrow-hearted, love-distraught soul.
وَزِدتَهُمand you gave them more مِنof كَلامِthe verse of البُحتُريal-Buhturi قِطَعاًpassages
وَزِدتَهُم مِن كَلامِ البُحتُري قِطَعاً
مِثلَlike الرِياضِmeadows كَسَتهاclothed them كَفُّthe hand of نَيسانِApril
مِثلَ الرِياضِ كَسَتها كَفُّ نَيسانِ
And you gave them more: passages from al-Buhturi's verse,
like meadows clothed by April's hand.
سَلask أَلفَريدَAlfred وَلامَرتينَand Lamartine هَلwhether جَرَياthey both raced
سَل أَلفَريدَ وَلامَرتينَ هَل جَرَيا
مَعَwith الوَليدِal-Walid أَوِor الطائيal-Ta'i بِمَيدانِin an arena
مَعَ الوَليدِ أَوِ الطائي بِمَيدانِ
Ask Alfred and Lamartine whether they have raced
with al-Walid or al-Ta'i in any arena;
وَهَلand whether هُماthe two فيin سَماءِthe sky of الشِعرِpoetry قَدalready بَلَغاthey both reached
وَهَل هُما في سَماءِ الشِعرِ قَد بَلَغا
شَأوَthe reach of النَواسِيِّal-Nuwasi فيin صَوغٍcrafting وَإِتقانِand mastery
شَأوَ النَواسِيِّ في صَوغٍ وَإِتقانِ
and whether, in poetry's sky, they have attained
al-Nuwasi's reach in craftsmanship and mastery.
وَدّاthey both wished وَقَدand indeed شَهِداthey both testified بِالحَقِّto the truth أَنَّهُماthat they both
وَدّا وَقَد شَهِدا بِالحَقِّ أَنَّهُما
فيin بَيتِthe house of أَحمَدَAhmad لَوif يَرضىhe consents نَديمانِtwo boon companions
في بَيتِ أَحمَدَ لَو يَرضى نَديمانِ
Both wished, having borne witness to the truth, that they
might be Ahmad's boon companions in his house, if he consented.
أَمسىhas become كِتابُكَyour book كَالسيماlike the cinema يُعيدُbrings back لَهُمto them
أَمسى كِتابُكَ كَالسيما يُعيدُ لَهُم
مَرأىthe sight of الحَوادِثِevents مَرَّتpassed مُنذُsince أَزمانِages
مَرأى الحَوادِثِ مَرَّت مُنذُ أَزمانِ
Your book has become like the cinema, bringing back to them
the sight of events that passed long ages ago.
قَدindeed شاهَداthey both saw فيهِin it تَحتَbeneath النَقعِthe battle dust عَنتَرَةًAntarah
قَد شاهَدا فيهِ تَحتَ النَقعِ عَنتَرَةً
يُصارِعُwrestling with المَوتَdeath عَنon behalf of عَبسٍAbs وَذُبيانِand Dhubyan
يُصارِعُ المَوتَ عَن عَبسٍ وَذُبيانِ
There the two saw Antarah beneath the battle dust,
wrestling with death for Abs and Dhubyan.
وَشاهَدواand they saw أَسَداًa lion يَمشيadvancing إِلىtoward أَسَدٍa lion
وَشاهَدوا أَسَداً يَمشي إِلى أَسَدٍ
كِلاهُماboth of them غَيرُnot هَيّابٍfearful وَلاnor وانيfaltering
كِلاهُما غَيرُ هَيّابٍ وَلا واني
And they saw a lion advancing toward a lion,
neither of them fearful or faltering.
هَذاthis one مِنَfrom العُربِthe Arabs لاnot يُلويturns aside بِهِhim فَزَعٌterror
هَذا مِنَ العُربِ لا يُلوي بِهِ فَزَعٌ
وَذاكَand that one أَروَعُmore fearsome مِنthan آسادِthe lions of خَفّانِKhaffan
وَذاكَ أَروَعُ مِن آسادِ خَفّانِ
This one an Arab, whom no terror turns aside;
that one more fearsome than the lions of Khaffan.
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّthe excellence of يَراعٍa pen أَنتَyou حامِلُهُits bearer
لِلَّهِ دَرُّ يَراعٍ أَنتَ حامِلُهُ
لَوif كانَit were فيin أَنمُليmy fingers يَوماًfor a day لَأَغنانيit would surely enrich me
لَو كانَ في أَنمُلي يَوماً لَأَغناني
God bless the pen you wield!
Had it been in my fingers for a day, it would have enriched me.
وَقَفتَyou stood تَدفَعُrepelling عَنfrom آدابِناour literature تُهَماًaccusations
وَقَفتَ تَدفَعُ عَن آدابِنا تُهَماً
كادَتthey nearly تُقَوِّضُdemolished مِنهاwithin it كُلَّevery بُنيانِedifice
كادَت تُقَوِّضُ مِنها كُلَّ بُنيانِ
You stood defending our literature against charges
that nearly razed every edifice within it.
فَكُنتَso you were أَوَّلَthe first مِصرِيٍّEgyptian أَقامَwho established لَهُمfor them
فَكُنتَ أَوَّلَ مِصرِيٍّ أَقامَ لَهُم
عَلىconcerning نَبالَةِthe nobility of مِصرٍEgypt أَلفَa thousand بُرهانِproofs
عَلى نَبالَةِ مِصرٍ أَلفَ بُرهانِ
Thus you were the first Egyptian to furnish them
with a thousand proofs of Egypt's nobility.
ماnot زِلتَyou ceased تُلقيpresenting عَلىto أَسماعِهِمtheir ears حُجَجاًarguments
ما زِلتَ تُلقي عَلى أَسماعِهِم حُجَجاً
فيin كُلِّevery نادٍgathering وَتَأتيهِمand you come to them بِسُلطانِwith decisive proof
في كُلِّ نادٍ وَتَأتيهِم بِسُلطانِ
You kept pouring arguments into their ears
in every gathering, bringing them decisive proof,
حَتّىuntil اِنثَنَيتَyou turned away وَماand not لِلعُربِagainst the Arabs مُجتَرِئٌanyone daring
حَتّى اِنثَنَيتَ وَما لِلعُربِ مُجتَرِئٌ
عَلىagainst البِناءِthe edifice وَلاnor زارٍa disparager عَلىof البانيthe builder
عَلى البِناءِ وَلا زارٍ عَلى الباني
until you turned away, with none daring to attack the Arabs'
edifice, nor anyone to disparage its builder.
مَحَوتَyou erased ماwhat كَتَبواthey wrote عَنّاabout us بِقاطِعَةٍwith a decisive argument
مَحَوتَ ما كَتَبوا عَنّا بِقاطِعَةٍ
مِنَof البَراهينِthe proofs فَلَّتblunted قَولَthe claim of رينانِRenan
مِنَ البَراهينِ فَلَّت قَولَ رينانِ
You erased what they had written about us with decisive
proofs that broke the force of Renan's claim.
أَنحىhe assailed عَلىagainst الأَدَبِliterature الشَرقِيِّEastern مُفتَرِياًfabricating
أَنحى عَلى الأَدَبِ الشَرقِيِّ مُفتَرِياً
عَلَيهِagainst it ماwhatever شاءَhe wished مِنof زورٍfalsehood وَبُهتانِand slander
عَلَيهِ ما شاءَ مِن زورٍ وَبُهتانِ
He assailed Eastern literature, fabricating
against it whatever falsehood and slander he pleased.
ظَنَّhe thought الحَقيقَةَtruth فيin الأَشعارِpoetry تَنقُصُناwas lacking in us
ظَنَّ الحَقيقَةَ في الأَشعارِ تَنقُصُنا
وَاللَفظَand diction وَالقَصدَand purpose وَالتَصويرَand imagery فيat آنِone time
وَاللَفظَ وَالقَصدَ وَالتَصويرَ في آنِ
He thought our verse lacked truth,
and diction, purpose, and imagery all at once;
وَأَنَّناand that we لَمnot نَصِلhad reached فيهاin it إِلىto مِئَةٍa hundred
وَأَنَّنا لَم نَصِل فيها إِلى مِئَةٍ
عَدّاًin number وَذاكَand that لِعَيٍّthrough inarticulacy أَوor لِنُقصانِthrough deficiency
عَدّاً وَذاكَ لِعَيٍّ أَو لِنُقصانِ
and that in it we had not reached a hundred
in number, owing to inarticulacy or inadequacy.
وَلَوand if رَأىhe saw اِبنَthe son of جُرَيجٍJurayj فيin قَصائِدِهِhis poems
وَلَو رَأى اِبنَ جُرَيجٍ في قَصائِدِهِ
لَقالَhe would have said آمَنتُI believe فيin سِرّيmy privacy وَإِعلانيand my public avowal
لَقالَ آمَنتُ في سِرّي وَإِعلاني
Had he seen Ibn Jurayj in his poems,
he would have said, 'I believe, in private and in public.'
ماليwhy do I أُفاخِرُboast بِالمَوتىof the dead وَبَينَand between يَديmy hands
مالي أُفاخِرُ بِالمَوتى وَبَينَ يَدي
مِنof شِعرِthe poetry of أَحيائِناour living poets ماthat which لَيسَis not بِالفانيperishable
مِن شِعرِ أَحيائِنا ما لَيسَ بِالفاني
Why do I boast of the dead, when before me
is verse by our living poets that will never perish?
فيin شِعرِthe verse of شَوقيShawqi وَصَبريand Sabri ماthat which نَتيهُwe boast بِهِof it
في شِعرِ شَوقي وَصَبري ما نَتيهُ بِهِ
عَلىover نَوابِغِهِمtheir geniuses دَعleave aside شِعرَthe verse of مُطرانِMutran
عَلى نَوابِغِهِم دَع شِعرَ مُطرانِ
In Shawqi's verse and Sabri's we have cause to boast
over their geniuses—to say nothing of Mutran's verse.
بورِكتَblessed are you ياO اِبنَson of الوَزيرِthe minister الحُرِّthe noble مِنwhat a رَجُلٍman
بورِكتَ يا اِبنَ الوَزيرِ الحُرِّ مِن رَجُلٍ
لَمnot يَختَلِفhave disagreed فيهِabout him أَوor فيabout فَصلِهِhis judgment اِثنانِtwo people
لَم يَختَلِف فيهِ أَو في فَصلِهِ اِثنانِ
Blessed are you, son of the noble minister—a man
about whom, or his judgment, no two have disagreed.
بَلِّغconvey إِذاwhen جِئتَyou come to باريزاًParis أَفاضِلَهاits eminent people
بَلِّغ إِذا جِئتَ باريزاً أَفاضِلَها
عَنّاfrom us التَحِيّاتِthe greetings وَاِشفَعهاand supplement them بِشُكرانِwith gratitude
عَنّا التَحِيّاتِ وَاِشفَعها بِشُكرانِ
When you come to Paris, convey to its eminent people
our greetings, and add our thanks.
وَخُصَّand single out كاتِبَهُمtheir writer زولاZola بِأَطيَبِهاwith the warmest of them
وَخُصَّ كاتِبَهُم زولا بِأَطيَبِها
كَيماso that يُقابَلُmay be repaid إِحسانٌkindness بِإِحسانِwith kindness
كَيما يُقابَلُ إِحسانٌ بِإِحسانِ
And single out their writer Zola for the warmest,
so that kindness may be repaid with kindness.
وَاِجعَلand add لِسِفرِكَto your volume ذَيلاًa supplement فيon شَواعِرِناour women poets
وَاِجعَل لِسِفرِكَ ذَيلاً في شَواعِرِنا
وَقِفand take a stand لَهُنَّfor them هُناكَthere المَوقِفَthe stand الثانيsecond
وَقِف لَهُنَّ هُناكَ المَوقِفَ الثاني
And add to your volume a supplement on our women poets,
and take a second stand there on their behalf.
وَاِنثُرand scatter عَلىover الغَربِthe West مِنsome of تِلكَthose الحُلىjewels وَأَشِدand extol
وَاِنثُر عَلى الغَربِ مِن تِلكَ الحُلى وَأَشِد
بِكُلِّin praise of every حُسّانَةَHassana فيناamong us وَحُسّانِand Hassan
بِكُلِّ حُسّانَةَ فينا وَحُسّانِ
Scatter some of those jewels across the West, and sing the praise
of every Hassana and Hassan among us.
وَعُدand return إِلىto الشَرقِthe East عَودَwith the return of الفاتِحينَconquerors لَهُfor it
وَعُد إِلى الشَرقِ عَودَ الفاتِحينَ لَهُ
وَخُذand take مَكانَكَyour place فيهِin it فَوقَabove كيوانِSaturn
وَخُذ مَكانَكَ فيهِ فَوقَ كيوانِ
And return to the East as one who has conquered for it,
and take your place there above Saturn.
وَاِشكُرand give thanks for رِعايَةَthe care of عَبّاسٍAbbas وَمِنَّتَهُand his bounty
وَاِشكُر رِعايَةَ عَبّاسٍ وَمِنَّتَهُ
وَاِشرَحand make plain وَلاءَكَyour loyalty ياO غاليGhali لِعُثمانِto Uthman
وَاِشرَح وَلاءَكَ يا غالي لِعُثمانِ
Give thanks for Abbas's care and bounty,
and make plain your loyalty, O Ghali, to Uthman.
وَاِضرَعand implore إِلىto اللَهِGod أَنthat يَرعىHe may safeguard أَريكَتَناour throne
وَاِضرَع إِلى اللَهِ أَن يَرعى أَريكَتَنا
مَرفوعَةَraised in الشانِhonor ماas long as مَرَّpass الجَديدانِnight and day
مَرفوعَةَ الشانِ ما مَرَّ الجَديدانِ
And implore God to guard our throne,
exalted in honor as long as night and day succeed each other.
Sol 6.1