قلبٌa heart تقسَّمwas divided بينbetween الوجدlonging والألمand pain
قلبٌ تقسَّم بين الوجد والألم
هلdoes ...? عندwith لبنانَLebanon نجوىwhispered confidences النيلthe Nile والهرمand the Pyramid
هل عند لبنانَ نجوى النيل والهرم
A heart divided between longing and pain.
A heart divided between passion and pain
Does Lebanon hold the whispers of the Nile and the Pyramid?
Does Lebanon have the whispers of the Nile and the pyramids?
أشكوI complain of جوايmy inner anguish إلىto الرُّوحthe soul التيthat احتضنتembraced
أشكو جواي إلى الرُّوح التي احتضنت
ناريmy fire وضمَّتand added إلىto أسقامهاits ailments سقميmy sickness
ناري وضمَّت إلى أسقامها سقمي
I complain of my anguish to the soul that embraced
I complain of my love to the soul that embraced
My fire and added my sickness to its own ailments,
My fire and drew my illness into its own ailments
وقاسمتنيand shared with me الهوىlove حتىuntil إذاwhen رحلتit departed
وقاسمتني الهوى حتى إذا رحلت
ألقتcast فؤاديmy heart بضنكٍinto distress غيرnot مقتسمshared
ألقت فؤادي بضنكٍ غير مقتسم
And shared love with me until, when it departed,
And shared with me passion until when it departed
It cast my heart into unshared distress.
It cast my heart into sorrow not shared
ميثاقناour covenant أسطرٌlines منof مدمعٍtears ودمٍand blood
ميثاقنا أسطرٌ من مدمعٍ ودمٍ
ياO طاهرpure النفحةthe breath اذكرremember طاهرpure القَسمthe oath
يا طاهر النفحة اذكر طاهر القَسم
Our covenant is lines of tears and blood.
Our covenant lines of tears and blood
O you of pure breath, remember one whose oath is pure.
O you of pure breath, remember the pure oath
ياO منyou whom أعاتبI reproach دهريmy time إذas أودِّعهI bid him farewell
يا من أعاتب دهري إذ أودِّعه
وماand not عتابيmy reproach علىagainst الأقدارdestinies والقِسمand allotted lots
وما عتابي على الأقدار والقِسم
O you, as I bid you farewell, I reproach my days,
O you whom I blame my fate when I bid it farewell
Yet my reproach is not against fate and allotted lots.
Yet my blame is not upon destinies and allotment
إنّindeed النوىseparation غرَّبتهexiled him وهيand it عالمةknowing
إنّ النوى غرَّبته وهي عالمة
أنيthat I رجعتI returned أُداريI soothe النارthe fire بالضرمwith flames
أني رجعت أُداري النار بالضرم
Indeed, separation exiled him, knowing
Indeed the intention misguided it though it knew
That I returned to soothing the fire with flames.
That I turned again to set the fire with the flint
ورنَّحَتand made unsteady بعدهafter him خطويmy steps وماand not عرفتI knew
ورنَّحَت بعده خطوي وما عرفت
منfrom عثرةa stumble الحظِّfortune أمor منfrom عثرةa stumble القدمthe foot
من عثرة الحظِّ أم من عثرة القدم
And made my steps reel after his departure; I could not tell
And after it my steps lamented and I knew not
Whether from a stumble of fortune or a stumble of the foot.
Whether from stumbling of fate or stumbling feet
خَلَتgrew empty ورانand settled عليهاover it الصمتsilence وانقلبتand changed
خَلَت وران عليها الصمت وانقلبت
كأنماas though لَفَّهاwrapped it ثوبٌa garment منof العدمnothingness
كأنما لَفَّها ثوبٌ من العدم
It grew empty; silence settled over it, and it changed,
It passed and silence crept over it and it turned
As though a garment of nothingness had enfolded it.
As if a garment of non-existence enfolded it
باللهby God أيامَناour days هلis ...? فيكin you منتَفعٌanything of use
بالله أيامَنا هل فيك منتَفعٌ
ونحنand we منfrom سَأَمٍنمشيweariness; we walk إلىto سَأمweariness
ونحن من سَأَمٍنمشي إلى سَأم
By God, O days of ours, is there anything of use in you,
By God, our days do any benefit from you
While we walk from weariness to weariness?
While we walk from ennui to ennui?
وماand not أُرقِّعI patch ثوباًa garment فيكin you منخرقاًtorn
وما أُرقِّع ثوباً فيك منخرقاً
لكنbut أرقِّعI patch جُرحاًa wound غيرnot ملتئمhealed
لكن أرقِّع جُرحاً غير ملتئم
And I am not patching a torn garment in you,
And I do not patch a torn robe in you
But I am patching a wound that has not healed.
Rather I patch an unhealed wound
Sol 6.1