هزناstirred us الفنart فيin كمنجةviolin ساميSami
هزنا الفن في كمنجة سامي
وهوand it فيin اميرهاits prince الجحجاحillustrious
وهو في اميرها الجحجاح
The art in Sami’s violin stirred us,
The art in Sami's violin stirred us,
and in its realm he is the mighty master.
And it is in the violin's illustrious prince.
حبذاhow lovely الموسيقىmusic وحسبكand sufficient for you منهاfrom it
حبذا الموسيقى وحسبك منها
لغةa language فيin غموضهاits mystery افصاحclear expression
لغة في غموضها افصاح
How lovely music is! It is praise enough
How lovely is music! Enough that it is
that it is a language whose obscurity is eloquence.
A language whose mystery speaks clearly.
لغهa language ليسdoes not يفهمunderstand العقلthe mind ماwhat يسمعit hears
لغه ليس يفهم العقل ما يسمع
منهاfrom it وتفهمand understand الارواحsouls
منها وتفهم الارواح
A language—the mind cannot understand what it hears
A language: the mind does not understand what it hears
from it, yet spirits understand.
From it, yet souls understand.
وترa string جامدinert ورقand parchment بلاwithout حسfeeling
وتر جامد ورق بلا حس
فمنthen from اينwhere جاءcame هذاthis النواحwailing
فمن اين جاء هذا النواح
An inert string, and paper devoid of feeling—
An inert string and parchment without feeling—
whence, then, came this lament?
Where, then, did this wailing come from?
وكأنand as though الاوتارthe strings تحتbeneath يديهhis two hands
وكأن الاوتار تحت يديه
السنtongues تشرحexplain الغرامpassion فصاحeloquent
السن تشرح الغرام فصاح
It is as though the strings beneath his hands
And it is as though the strings beneath his hands
were eloquent tongues expounding passion.
Were eloquent tongues unfolding passion.
كلماwhenever جستهاtouched them الاناملthe fingertips منهof his
كلما جستها الانامل منه
شملتenveloped ارواحاsouls لناof ours الافراحjoys
شملت ارواحا لنا الافراح
Whenever his fingers touched them,
Whenever his fingertips touch them,
joys enveloped our spirits.
Joys envelop our souls.
واذاand when ماemphatic particle ارادhe wishes فالامرthen the matter جدّseriousness
واذا ما اراد فالامر جدّ
واذاand when ماemphatic particle ارادhe wishes فهوthen it مزاحjesting
واذا ما اراد فهو مزاح
When he wishes, the matter turns solemn;
And when he wishes, the matter is serious;
and when he wishes, it turns playful.
And when he wishes, it is jest.
اغنمواseize فرصةthe opportunity السماعlistening اليهto him
اغنموا فرصة السماع اليه
فهيfor it فيon كلevery مرةoccasion لاnot تتاحis available
فهي في كل مرة لا تتاح
Seize the chance to listen to him,
Seize the chance to listen to him,
for such a chance is not always afforded.
For it is not offered on every occasion.
انindeed فيin لحنهhis melody جمالاbeauty اليهtoward it
ان في لحنه جمالا اليه
كلevery نفسsoul حساسةsensitive ترتاحfinds comfort
كل نفس حساسة ترتاح
Within his melody is a beauty toward which
Indeed, his melody holds a beauty in which
every sensitive soul finds repose.
Every sensitive soul finds comfort.
نغماتnotes فاضتoverflowed علىover الجوthe air حتىuntil
نغمات فاضت على الجو حتى
ملأتهfilled it كماjust as يفيضoverflows الصباحmorning
ملأته كما يفيض الصباح
Notes overflowed the air until
Notes overflowed into the air until
they filled it as morning overflows.
They filled it, as morning overflows.
نغماتnotes لهاfor them الخلودimmortality فلاso not تذstart of 'vanish'
نغمات لها الخلود فلا تذ
هبend of 'vanish' فيin هباتgusts بهنwith them الرياحthe winds
هب في هبات بهن الرياح
Notes possessed of immortality do not vanish
Notes are immortal, and so they do not
in the gusts with which the winds assail them.
Vanish in the gusts of wind that carry them.
هيthey نورa light للتائهينfor the lost مبينclear
هي نور للتائهين مبين
وهيand they ماءwater للظامئينfor the thirsty قراحpure
وهي ماء للظامئين قراح
They are a clear light for those who wander lost,
They are a clear light for the lost,
and pure water for the thirsty.
And pure water for the thirsty.
انماonly الفنart للبقاءto endure فلاso not يجتاحهravages it
انما الفن للبقاء فلا يجتاحه
مثلlike غيرهother than it المجتاحthe ravager
مثل غيره المجتاح
Art alone is made to endure; the scourge cannot sweep it away
Art is meant only to endure; it is not ravaged,
as it sweeps away everything else.
As other things are, by the ravager.
خلبcaptivated الفنart انفسsouls السامعيهits listeners
خلب الفن انفس السامعيه
ايهاO الفنArt انتyou سحرmagic مباحpermitted
ايها الفن انت سحر مباح
Art has immortalized the listeners’ souls.
Art captivated the souls of its listeners.
O art, you are permissible magic.
O Art, you are lawful magic!
هلquestion particle عليناupon us اذاif صبوناwe yearn الىtoward السحرmagic
هل علينا اذا صبونا الى السحر
كماas يدّعىclaim اناسsome people جناحsin
كما يدّعى اناس جناح
Is there any sin upon us if we yearn for magic,
Do we incur, if we yearn for magic,
as some people claim?
As some people claim, any sin?
Sol 6.1