فيon عيدِthe celebration ميلادِهِof his birth خانَتْهُbetrayed him أَشْمُعُهُhis candles
في عيدِ ميلادِهِ خانَتْهُ أَشْمُعُهُ
فسارَعَتْso hastened لتُضِيءَto light العيدَthe celebration أَدْمُعُهُhis tears
فسارَعَتْ لتُضِيءَ العيدَ أَدْمُعُهُ
On his birthday, his candles betrayed him,
On his birthday, his candle betrayed him,
so his tears hastened to light the celebration.
So his tears hurried to light up the feast.
كأنَّas though عينيهِhis two eyes ..فيin شوطِthe race الوفاءِof faithfulness لهُto him ..
كأنَّ عينيهِ ..في شوطِ الوفاءِ لهُ ..
تَسابَقانِrace each other.. وأوفَىand the most faithful الدمعِtears أَسْرَعُهُthe swiftest of them !
تَسابَقانِ.. وأوفَى الدمعِ أَسْرَعُهُ !
As though his eyes, in the race of faithfulness to him,
As if his two eyes... were competing in loyalty to him,
were competing—and the most faithful tears are the swiftest!
Racing... and the fastest tear was the most loyal!
رَاعَتْهُterrified him منfrom صفحةِthe page التقويمِof the calendar مقصلةٌa guillotine
رَاعَتْهُ من صفحةِ التقويمِ مقصلةٌ
أَهْوَتْplunged down علىupon عُنُقِthe neck الأيَّامِof the days تقطعُهُsevers it
أَهْوَتْ على عُنُقِ الأيَّامِ تقطعُهُ
From the calendar's page, a guillotine terrified him;
A scissor lurked on the calendar page,
it plunged down upon the neck of days, severing it.
Plunging at the neck of the days, cutting them off.
فيin الشمعدانِthe candelabrum رأىhe saw أعوامَهُhis years جُثَثاًcorpses
في الشمعدانِ رأى أعوامَهُ جُثَثاً
صرعَىfallen dead فمالso he leaned علىover نعشٍa bier يُشَيِّعُهُescorting it to burial
صرعَى فمال على نعشٍ يُشَيِّعُهُ
In the candelabrum he saw his years as corpses,
In the candelabra he saw his years as corpses,
fallen dead; he bent over a bier, accompanying it to burial.
Slain, so he leaned on a bier to bid them farewell.
ماnot استقبلَتْهُwelcomed him (الموسيقاmusic) كيso as to تُحَصِّنَهُshield him
ما استقبلَتْهُ (الموسيقا) كي تُحَصِّنَهُ
ضدَّagainst الزمانِtime ولاnor قامَتْrose تُوَدِّعُهُto bid him farewell
ضدَّ الزمانِ ولا قامَتْ تُوَدِّعُهُ
Music did not welcome him to shield him
Music did not welcome him to fortify him,
against time, nor did it rise to bid him farewell.
Against time, nor did it stand to say goodbye.
ليتَif only المراياthe mirrors وقدand already شَظَّتْsplintered ملامحَهُhis features
ليتَ المرايا وقد شَظَّتْ ملامحَهُ
تُحصيcount الوجوهَthe faces التيthat باتَتْcame to تُقَنِّعُهُmask him
تُحصي الوجوهَ التي باتَتْ تُقَنِّعُهُ
If only the mirrors, having splintered his features,
If only the mirrors, after his features were shattered,
would count the faces that had come to mask him.
Could count the faces that spent the night deceiving him!
فيon عيدِthe celebration ميلادِهِof his birth غابَتْwas absent حبيبتُهُhis beloved
في عيدِ ميلادِهِ غابَتْ حبيبتُهُ
وقَلْبُهُand his heart فائضُoverflowing with الإكسيرِthe elixir مُتْرَعُهُfull of it
وقَلْبُهُ فائضُ الإكسيرِ مُتْرَعُهُ
On his birthday, his beloved was absent,
On his birthday, his beloved was absent,
and his heart overflowed with elixir, brimming with it.
While his heart brimmed with elixir, intoxicating it.
فاهتزَّso he shook عنfrom ثورةٍa revolt فيin روحِهِhis soul انْدَلَعَتْerupted
فاهتزَّ عن ثورةٍ في روحِهِ انْدَلَعَتْ
شوقاًin longing إلىfor وردةٍa rose بالحُبِّwith love تَقْمَعُهُsubdues him
شوقاً إلى وردةٍ بالحُبِّ تَقْمَعُهُ
So he shook with a revolt that erupted in his soul,
It shook with a rebellion flaming up in his soul,
longing for a rose to subdue him with love,
Yearning for a rose to suppress it with love!
شوقاًin longing إلىfor امرأةٍa woman أدنَىthe most basic عقيدتهِاher creed
شوقاً إلى امرأةٍ أدنَى عقيدتهِا
أنَّthat الهوَىpassion للهوَىfor passion عَقْدٌa pact يُشَرِّعُهُsanctions it !
أنَّ الهوَى للهوَى عَقْدٌ يُشَرِّعُهُ !
longing for a woman whose most basic belief
Yearning for a woman whose creed deemed
is that passion is a pact which passion itself sanctions!
That passion for passion sanctions it!
**
**
**
**
**
On his birthday... the memories crept
**
Like the steps of the clock's hands, incessantly stinging him.
فيon عيدِthe celebration ميلادِهِof his birth.. والذكرياتُand the memories سَرَتْcrept
في عيدِ ميلادِهِ.. والذكرياتُ سَرَتْ
مسرَىthe course العقاربِof scorpions لاnot تنفكُّcease تَلْسَعُهُsting him
مسرَى العقاربِ لا تنفكُّ تَلْسَعُهُ
On his birthday, as memories crept
He recalled the beginnings... no midwife greeted him,
along the course of scorpions, never ceasing to sting him,
To watch over destiny, no wet nurse suckled him.
طافَhe roamed البداياتِthe beginnings.. لاnot أَشْجَتْهُsaddened him قابلةٌa midwife
طافَ البداياتِ.. لا أَشْجَتْهُ قابلةٌ
ترعىtends المشيئةَthe divine will.. لاnot أَشْجاَهُsaddened him مَرْضَعُهُhis nursing breast
ترعى المشيئةَ.. لا أَشْجاَهُ مَرْضَعُهُ
he roamed the beginnings; no midwife saddened him,
Weeping over his mother: Did the pain of divorce
tending the divine will; nor did the breast he suckled sadden him.
Equal what the days now torment him with?!
باكٍweeping علىfor أُمِّهِhis mother : هلwhether كانhad أَوْجَعَهاhurt her
باكٍ على أُمِّهِ : هل كان أَوْجَعَها
فيin الطَّلْقِlabor مقدارَthe extent of ماwhat الأيَّامُthe days تُوجِعُهُhurt him؟!
في الطَّلْقِ مقدارَ ما الأيَّامُ تُوجِعُهُ؟!
Weeping for his mother: had he hurt her
On his birthday... a voice rumbled in his mouth,
in labor as much as the days hurt him?!
But from the gut its source:
**
**
**
**
**
"Unbridle my camel... I have a journey
**
To myself, whose wellspring in the depths is not yet dry!"
فيon عيدِthe celebration ميلادِهِof his birth.. دَوَّىrang out علىupon فَمِهِhis mouth
في عيدِ ميلادِهِ.. دَوَّى على فَمِهِ
صوتٌa voice ولكنْbut منfrom الأحشاءِthe entrails مَطْلَعُهُits source :
صوتٌ ولكنْ من الأحشاءِ مَطْلَعُهُ :
On his birthday, there resounded upon his lips
He roamed the unseen like a bird seeking
a voice—but from his entrails it arose:
A bullet of consciousness to strike him down.
فُكُّواunfasten عقالَthe hobble بعيريof my camel.. إِنَّindeed بِيwithin me سَفَراًa journey
فُكُّوا عقالَ بعيري.. إِنَّ بِي سَفَراً
إِلَيَّto myself.. ماnot جَفَّdried up فيin الأعماقِthe depths مَنْبَعُهُits wellspring !
إِلَيَّ.. ما جَفَّ في الأعماقِ مَنْبَعُهُ !
‘Unfasten my camel's hobble; within me is a journey
The shackles of illusion kept suspending him
to myself; its wellspring in the depths has not run dry!’
To the wind - how can the wind blow to slap him!
تباdamnation لهُto him طائراًflying فيin الغيبِthe unseen مُلْتَمِساًseeking
تبا لهُ طائراً في الغيبِ مُلْتَمِساً
رصاصةًa bullet منfrom رصاصbullets الوعيِof awareness تصرعُهُstrikes him down
رصاصةً من رصاص الوعيِ تصرعُهُ
Damn him, flying in the unseen, seeking
He found life a shirt... riddled with holes,
a bullet from the bullets of awareness to strike him down.
So he kept mending it with meaning.
مشابكُthe clothespins الوَهْمِof illusion لمnot تبرحْceased تُعَلِّقُهُhanging him
مشابكُ الوَهْمِ لم تبرحْ تُعَلِّقُهُ
للريحto the wind.. أنَّىwherever تَهُبُّblows الريحُthe wind تصفعُهُslaps him
للريح.. أنَّى تَهُبُّ الريحُ تصفعُهُ
The clothespins of illusion never stopped hanging him
He walked on suspicion in his soul, so
to the wind; wherever the wind blows, it slaps him.
Legions of ants in his flanks marched after him.
ألفَىhe found الحياةَlife قميصاًa shirt .. والثقوبُand the holes بهِin it
ألفَى الحياةَ قميصاً .. والثقوبُ بهِ
شَتَّىvaried.. فماso did not زالcease بالمعنىَwith meaning يُرَقِّعُهُpatches it
شَتَّى.. فما زال بالمعنىَ يُرَقِّعُهُ
He found life a shirt, with holes in it
Limited of spirit by what his spirit
of many kinds; he kept patching it with meaning.
Bore for the earth, love, which it never ceased distributing.
مَشَىhe walked علىupon ريبةٍa doubt فيin نفسِهِhimself فمَشَتْthen marched
مَشَى على ريبةٍ في نفسِهِ فمَشَتْ
جحافلُlegions النملِof ants فيin جنبيهِhis two flanks تَتْبَعُهُfollowing him
جحافلُ النملِ في جنبيهِ تَتْبَعُهُ
He walked upon a doubt within himself, and there marched
Nothing panicked him more in his darkness
legions of ants within his flanks, following him.
Than a thought in the darkness of his head frightening him.
محدودبhunchbacked الروحin spirit مِمَّاfrom what روحُهُhis soul حمَلَتْcarried
محدودب الروح مِمَّا روحُهُ حمَلَتْ
للأرضِfor the earth حُبّاlove وماand not انْفَكَّتْceased تُوَزِّعُهُdistributing it
للأرضِ حُبّا وما انْفَكَّتْ تُوَزِّعُهُ
Hunchbacked in spirit from what his soul had borne:
If a pen straddled one of his fingers,
love for the earth, which it never ceased to give away.
His finger would gleam with the brilliance of diamond.
لاno شيءَthing أكثرmore فيin ظلمائِهِhis darkness فَزَعاًterror
لا شيءَ أكثر في ظلمائِهِ فَزَعاً
منthan فكرةٍa thought فيin ظلامِthe darkness الرأسِof the head تُفْزِعُهُfrightens him
من فكرةٍ في ظلامِ الرأسِ تُفْزِعُهُ
Nothing in his darkness holds greater terror
On his birthday... he still screams in
than a thought in the darkness of his head that frightens him.
The wilderness of time, but none can hear him.
إذاwhen امتطَىmounted قَلَمٌa pen إحدَىone of أصابعِهِhis fingers
إذا امتطَى قَلَمٌ إحدَى أصابعِهِ
تَأَلَّقَتْgleamed ببريقِwith the brilliance الماسِof diamonds إصبعُهُhis finger
تَأَلَّقَتْ ببريقِ الماسِ إصبعُهُ
When a pen mounts one of his fingers,
He listens to his self attentively, as a convert
his finger gleams with the brilliance of diamonds.
To a new religion, to the one who could convince him.
**
**
**
**
**
I met him on the train of life, and our
**
First ribs intertwined there.
فيon عيدِthe celebration ميلادِهِof his birth.. ماnot زالceased يصرخُcries out فيin
في عيدِ ميلادِهِ.. ما زال يصرخُ في
بَرِّيَّةِthe wilderness الوقتِof time لكنْbut ليسnot تَسْمَعُهُit hears him
بَرِّيَّةِ الوقتِ لكنْ ليس تَسْمَعُهُ
On his birthday, he still cries out in
A riddle seeking its meaning, and they converged
the wilderness of time, but it does not hear him.
Like text converging with its author in longing.
يُصغيhe listens إلىto ذاتِهِhimself إصغاءَwith the listening مُعْتَنِقٍof one embracing
يُصغي إلى ذاتِهِ إصغاءَ مُعْتَنِقٍ
دِيناًa faith جديداًnew إلىto مَنْthe one who كانwas يُقْنِعُهُpersuading him
دِيناً جديداً إلى مَنْ كان يُقْنِعُهُ
He listens to himself as one who has embraced
I met him and we became one, dawn broke
a new faith listens to the one who was persuading him.
Smiling on a lightning flash adorning it.
صادَفْتُهُI encountered him فيin قطارthe train العُمْرِof life وَالْتَبَسَتْand became entwined
صادَفْتُهُ في قطار العُمْرِ وَالْتَبَسَتْ
هناكَthere أَضْلُعِيَmy ribs الأُولَىthe first وأَضْلُعُهُand his ribs
هناكَ أَضْلُعِيَ الأُولَى وأَضْلُعُهُ
I met him on the train of life, and they became entwined—
As if when we walked: I and I,
there, my first ribs and his.
A river flowed, and the gurgling of water followed it.
لغزٌa riddle يُفَتِّشُsearches عنfor معناهُits meaning وَالْتَقَياَand the two met
لغزٌ يُفَتِّشُ عن معناهُ وَالْتَقَياَ
كماas التقَىmet فيin الشَّجَىsorrow نصٌّa text ومُبْدِعُهُand its creator
كما التقَى في الشَّجَى نصٌّ ومُبْدِعُهُ
A riddle searching for its meaning—and the two met
What is love? I said - Sum it up, he told me: A bell
as a text and its creator met in sorrow.
In the heart we never learned how to ring.
صادَفْتُهُI encountered him وتَوَحَّدْناَand we became one معاًtogether، وصحاand awoke
صادَفْتُهُ وتَوَحَّدْناَ معاً، وصحا
وجهُthe face السماءِof the sky علىto بَرْقٍlightning يُلَمِّعُهُmakes it gleam
وجهُ السماءِ على بَرْقٍ يُلَمِّعُهُ
I met him, and together we became one; then awoke
The train went on, but it has no eyes
the face of the sky to lightning that made it gleam.
To bend down to the blind track and lift it up.
كأنَّناas though we حينماwhen سِرْناَwe walked : أناI وأناand I
كأنَّنا حينما سِرْناَ : أنا وأنا
نَهْرٌa river جرَىflowed وخريرُand the murmur الماءِof the water يتبعُهُfollows it
نَهْرٌ جرَى وخريرُ الماءِ يتبعُهُ
As though, when we walked—I and I—
And whenever the space narrowed around us,
we were a flowing river, followed by the murmur of water.
We'd seek refuge in a female expansiveness.
ماwhat الحبُّlove؟ قلتُI said: وأَوْجِزْand be brief قالhe said ليto me: جَرَسٌa bell
ما الحبُّ؟ قلتُ: وأَوْجِزْ قال لي: جَرَسٌ
فيin القلبِthe heart لمnot نَتَعَلَّمْwe have learned كيفَhow نَقْرَعُهُwe ring it
في القلبِ لم نَتَعَلَّمْ كيفَ نَقْرَعُهُ
‘What is love?’ I asked. ‘And be brief.’ He told me: ‘A bell
A raven sighed at us, its darkness brimmed
in the heart that we have not learned how to ring.’
With night... wherein a star disputes its position.
سارmoved القطارُthe train ولكنْbut لاno عيونَeyes لهُfor it
سار القطارُ ولكنْ لا عيونَ لهُ
يكبوstumbles علىon السُّكَّةِthe track العمياَthe blind ونرفعُهُand we lift it
يكبو على السُّكَّةِ العمياَ ونرفعُهُ
The train moved on, but it has no eyes;
The raven said: Take from me the ceremonies
it stumbles on the blind track, and we lift it up.
Of your grief, then do as I used to do.
ولمand not نزلْceased كلَّماwhenever ضاقbecame cramped المكانُthe space بناaround us
ولم نزلْ كلَّما ضاق المكانُ بنا
نأويwe seek shelter هناكthere إلىwith أُنثَىa woman تُوَسِّعُهُmakes it spacious
نأوي هناك إلى أُنثَى تُوَسِّعُهُ
And still, whenever space closes in upon us,
We said: Your tenderness has prolonged the road for us
we seek shelter there with a woman who makes it spacious.
Toward absence, so tell us how to return it.
**
**
**
**
**
He said: Plant a shadow behind you to guide you back,
**
For what shadow betrayed those who planted it on earth!
سجاsettled in stillness عليناover us غرابٌa crow ملءُthe fullness of عتمتِهِits darkness
سجا علينا غرابٌ ملءُ عتمتِهِ
ليلٌnight.. يخاصمُquarrels with فيهِin it النجمَthe star مَوْقِعُهُits place
ليلٌ.. يخاصمُ فيهِ النجمَ مَوْقِعُهُ
A crow settled over us, its darkness filled with
We asked and he replied... we relegated the question to
night, in which its place quarrels with the star.
A doubt, at times dispelling it, at times gathering it.
قالsaid الغرابthe crow: خذواtake عنِّيfrom me مراسِمَrites كُمْyour
قال الغراب: خذوا عنِّي مراسِمَ كُمْ
فيin الحزنِgrief ثُمَّthen اصنعواdo ماwhat كنتُI used to أَصْنَعُهُdo it
في الحزنِ ثُمَّ اصنعوا ما كنتُ أَصْنَعُهُ
The crow said: ‘Take from me your rites
O how the end leaned with our arms
of mourning, then do what I used to do.’
Toward farewell, but its arms could not help it!
قلناwe said: حنانيكَyour mercy قدindeed طالgrew long الطريقُthe road بناfor us
قلنا: حنانيكَ قد طال الطريقُ بنا
نحوtoward الغيابِabsence فحَدِّثْso tell كيفَhow نَرْجِعُهُwe retrace it
نحو الغيابِ فحَدِّثْ كيفَ نَرْجِعُهُ
We said: ‘Have mercy! The road has grown long for us
The train went on, and we declared mourning for it
toward absence; so tell us how we can retrace it.’
Since the space of one of the riders dried up.
قالhe said: ازرعواplant خلفَكُمْbehind you ظِلاa shadow يُدِلُّكُمُguides you
قال: ازرعوا خلفَكُمْ ظِلا يُدِلُّكُمُ
ماnot خانَbetrayed ظِلٌّa shadow بِمَنْagainst whoever فيin الأرضِthe earth يزرعُهُplants it !
ما خانَ ظِلٌّ بِمَنْ في الأرضِ يزرعُهُ !
He said: ‘Plant behind you a shadow to guide you;
O driver of life... we reached our station
no shadow ever betrayed the one who plants it in the earth!’
Of life... is there a fare we can pay?
قلناwe said وقالَand he said.. وأَوكَلْناَand we entrusted السؤالَthe question إلىto
قلنا وقالَ.. وأَوكَلْناَ السؤالَ إلى
شَكٍّa doubt يُبَدِّدُهُscatters it حيناًat times ويجمعُهُand gathers it
شَكٍّ يُبَدِّدُهُ حيناً ويجمعُهُ
We spoke, and he spoke; we entrusted the question to
Stop at the first coffin you pass by,
a doubt that sometimes scatters it and gathers it.
There where we take off the shirt of time.
ياoh للنِّهايةِfor the ending إذْwhen مَالَتْit bent بأَذْرُعِناwith our arms
يا للنِّهايةِ إذْ مَالَتْ بأَذْرُعِنا
نحوtoward الوداعِfarewell فلمand did not تُسْعِفْهُhelp him أَذْرُعُهُhis arms !
نحو الوداعِ فلم تُسْعِفْهُ أَذْرُعُهُ !
Alas for the ending, when it bent our arms
toward farewell, and his arms did not come to his aid!
سارَmoved القطارُthe train وأَعْلَنَّاand we declared الحدادَmourning بهِaboard it
سارَ القطارُ وأَعْلَنَّا الحدادَ بهِ
مُذْsince جَفَّdried up منof أَحَدِone of الرُّكَّابِthe passengers مَوْضِعُهُhis place
مُذْ جَفَّ من أَحَدِ الرُّكَّابِ مَوْضِعُهُ
The train moved on, and we declared mourning aboard it
since one passenger's place had run dry of him.
ياO سائقَdriver of العُمْرlife.. أَدْرَكْناَwe have reached محطَّتَناour station
يا سائقَ العُمْر.. أَدْرَكْناَ محطَّتَنا
منin الحياةِlife.. فهلso is there أَجْرٌa fare فنَدْفَعُهso we pay it ؟
من الحياةِ.. فهل أَجْرٌ فنَدْفَعُه ؟
O driver of life, we have reached our station
in life; is there a fare for us to pay?
قِفْstop عندat أَوَّلِthe first تابوتٍcoffin تَمُرُّyou pass بهِby it
قِفْ عند أَوَّلِ تابوتٍ تَمُرُّ بهِ
هناكَthere حيثwhere قميصُthe shirt الوقتِof time نخلعُهُwe take it off
هناكَ حيث قميصُ الوقتِ نخلعُهُ
Stop at the first coffin you pass by,
there, where we take off the shirt of time.
Partial English translation: 78 of 86 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1