الشعر ما قاله الكرخيّ عبود

الشعر ما قاله الكرخيّ عبود

ففيه للأدب الشعبي تجديد

ففيه للأدب الشعبي تجديد

Poetry is what Abboud al-Karkhi has uttered;

The poetry of what Al-Karkhiyy Aboud said

for it renews folk literature.

In it, there is a renewal for folk literature

شعر يفيض من القلب المشع له

شعر يفيض من القلب المشع له

على اللسان فما ان فيه تعقيد

على اللسان فما ان فيه تعقيد

Poetry flows from the heart that glows for it

Poetry overflowing from an enlightened heart

onto the tongue, with no complexity at all.

On the tongue, so there is no complexity in it

كالدر يزداد حسنا في تألقه

كالدر يزداد حسنا في تألقه

اذا تحلت به اللبات والجيد

اذا تحلت به اللبات والجيد

Like pearls, it grows more beautiful in its brilliance

Like a pearl increasing in beauty in its brilliance

when throats and necks are adorned with it.

When it is adorned with outfits and excellence

على ابتكار معانيه له حسدوا

على ابتكار معانيه له حسدوا

وكل مبتكر في الشعر محسود

وكل مبتكر في الشعر محسود

They envied him the originality of his meanings,

They envied his innovation of meanings

and every innovator in poetry is envied.

And every innovator in poetry is envied

لا يستوي الناس في اتقان صنعتهم

لا يستوي الناس في اتقان صنعتهم

والقول كالفعل مذموم ومحمود

والقول كالفعل مذموم ومحمود

People are not equal in mastering their craft,

People are not equal in mastering their craft

and speech, like action, may be blamed or praised.

And words, like deeds, are blameworthy and praiseworthy

ما في الذي لم يلن للشعر من صمم

ما في الذي لم يلن للشعر من صمم

وانما عنده الاحساس مفقود

وانما عنده الاحساس مفقود

He who does not soften to poetry is not deaf;

What deafness to poetry in one who has no resolve

rather, it is feeling that he lacks.

And only feeling in him is lost

الشعر ليس بمبق فيه من اثر

الشعر ليس بمبق فيه من اثر

كأنما قلبه في الصدر جلمود

كأنما قلبه في الصدر جلمود

Poetry leaves no trace in him,

Poetry is not lasting in it from impact

as though his heart within his chest were solid rock.

As if his heart in the chest is rigidity

يا حبذا البلبل الشادي بروضته

يا حبذا البلبل الشادي بروضته

وحبذا منه هايتك الاغاريد

وحبذا منه هايتك الاغاريد

How lovely the nightingale singing in its garden,

Oh the happiness of the singing nightingale in its meadow

and how lovely those songs of its!

And the happiness of its passionate singing

عبّود ان عدت الافذاذ في بلد

عبّود ان عدت الافذاذ في بلد

فانت في اول الافذاذ معدود

فانت في اول الافذاذ معدود

Abboud, if a land's exceptional men are counted,

Aboud if you have returned to excellence in the country

you are numbered among the foremost of them.

You are at the forefront of excellence counted

خلدت شعرك اذ جددت كسوته

خلدت شعرك اذ جددت كسوته

من البيان وفي التجدبد تخليد

من البيان وفي التجدبد تخليد

You immortalized your poetry when you renewed its garb

You immortalized your poetry by renewing its attire

of eloquence; in renewal lies immortality.

With rhetoric and in renewal there is eternity

فتحت للشعر ابوابا ولا عجب

فتحت للشعر ابوابا ولا عجب

ففي يمينك للشعر المقاليد

ففي يمينك للشعر المقاليد

You opened doors for poetry—no wonder,

You opened doors for poetry and no wonder

for in your right hand are poetry's keys.

For in your right hand are the keys to poetry

اذا عتبت فنيران مؤججة

اذا عتبت فنيران مؤججة

وان شدوت فاغرود واغرود

وان شدوت فاغرود واغرود

When you reproach, there are blazing fires;

If you blame then blazing fires

and when you sing, it is song upon song.

And if you sing then I chirp and chirp

لا تجزعن اذا ما نكبة حزبت

لا تجزعن اذا ما نكبة حزبت

فانما الدهر ارخاء وتشديد

فانما الدهر ارخاء وتشديد

Do not despair when calamity strikes,

Do not despair if misfortune has grieved you

for time is but loosening and tightening.

For time is only easing and tightening

وربما بات يذوي العود من ظمأ

وربما بات يذوي العود من ظمأ

به وبعد قليل اورق العود

به وبعد قليل اورق العود

And sometimes a branch withers through the night from thirst,

And maybe the stick would melt from thirst

yet soon afterward the branch puts forth leaves.

With it, and shortly after the stick grew leaves

افرح بدنياك ما آنست طيبتها

افرح بدنياك ما آنست طيبتها

فما لياليك فيها كلها سود

فما لياليك فيها كلها سود

Rejoice in your life so long as you find it sweet,

Rejoice in your world for as long as you sensed its goodness

for not all your nights in it are black.

For your nights in it are not all black

ان الزمان عجوز من تقادمه

ان الزمان عجوز من تقادمه

وما على وجهه البسام تجعيد

وما على وجهه البسام تجعيد

Time is old, so long has it endured,

Time is old from its antiquity

yet no wrinkle marks its ever-smiling face.

And on its face there are no signs of aging