لاnot يَأْنَسُfinds solace الطينُclay حتَّىuntil يحضنَembraces الطيناclay
لا يَأْنَسُ الطينُ حتَّى يحضنَ الطينا
فلاso ... not أريدُكِI want you ريحانًاbasil ونسريناand wild rose
فلا أريدُكِ ريحانًا ونسرينا
Clay finds no solace until it embraces clay,
Clay does not become intimate until embracing clay
so I do not want you as basil and wild rose.
So I do not want you to be basil or jasmine
لمdid not ننعقدْwe unite فيin الهوىlove نبضًاas pulse وعاطفةًand feeling
لم ننعقدْ في الهوى نبضًا وعاطفةً
حتَّىuntil انعقدناwe united بهِthrough it خَلْقًاas creation وتكويناand formation
حتَّى انعقدنا بهِ خَلْقًا وتكوينا
We did not unite in love as pulse and feeling
We were not bound in love with a pulse and affection
until through it we united as creation and formation.
Until we were bound by it in nature and creation
مشيئةٌa will فيin ضميرِthe inner heart الغيبِthe unseen واحدةٌone
مشيئةٌ في ضميرِ الغيبِ واحدةٌ
أَوْحَتْrevealed إليناto us معًاtogether: ياO أنتُماyou two كُوناbe, both of you!
أَوْحَتْ إلينا معًا: يا أنتُما كُونا!
A single will in the heart of the unseen
A will in the conscience of the unseen is one
revealed to us together: O you two, be!
It inspired both of us: O you two, exist!
ننحلُّwe dissolve فيin الشوقِlonging أعمارًاlifetimes سواسيةًequal:
ننحلُّ في الشوقِ أعمارًا سواسيةً:
نبضُthe pulse (الثلاثينَthirty) فيin أحشاءِthe entrails (خمسيناfifty)!
نبضُ (الثلاثينَ) في أحشاءِ (خمسينا)!
We dissolve in longing, our years alike:
We spend ages of longing equally:
The pulse of thirty in the entrails of fifty!
The pulse of "thirty" in the bosom of "fifty"!
لناfor us منfrom الحُبِّlove أحلامٌdreams/ملائكةٌangels
لنا من الحُبِّ أحلامٌ/ملائكةٌ
باتتْhave come to تكابدُstruggle with أوهامًاillusions/شياطيناdevils!
باتتْ تكابدُ أوهامًا/شياطينا!
From love we have dreams—angels,
We have from love dreams/angels
that have come to battle illusions—devils!
That have endured illusions/demons!
لاnot أَنْصَفَتْنَاtreated us fairly المقاهيthe cafés فيin صداقتِهاtheir friendship
لا أَنْصَفَتْنَا المقاهي في صداقتِها
بالعاشقينَwith lovers، ولاnor وَفَّتْkept faith (حَوَارِيـalleyways)ـناour
بالعاشقينَ، ولا وَفَّتْ (حَوَارِيـ)ـنا
The cafés have not treated us fairly in their friendship
The cafés did not do us justice in their friendship
with lovers, nor have our alleyways kept faith.
With the lovers, nor were their confidants loyal
فلمso ... have not نزلْceased حيثwhere يَمَّمْنَاwe headed لـموعدِناfor our meeting
فلم نزلْ حيث يَمَّمْنَا لـموعدِنا
نعودُwe return.. لمhave not تكتحلْbecome lined with kohl مِنَّاfrom us مآقيناour eye-corners؟!
نعودُ.. لم تكتحلْ مِنَّا مآقينا؟!
So still, wherever we headed for our meeting,
So we have not stopped where we intended for our appointment
we return—our eye-corners not yet kohled with one another?!
We come back.. Have our torments not been healed from us?!
نعودُwe return كالفتيةِlike youths اللَّاهِينَthe playful ones ماnot برحواthey have ceased
نعودُ كالفتيةِ اللَّاهِينَ ما برحوا
حولَaround الغوايةِtemptation طَوَّافِينَcircling repeatedly سَاعِيناhastening
حولَ الغوايةِ طَوَّافِينَ سَاعِينا
We return like playful youths who have not ceased
We come back like the heedless youths who did not cease
circling temptation, hastening toward it.
Circling around temptation hastening
نحنُwe الذينَwho سَفَحْنَاwe spilled روحَthe soul قهوتِناour coffee
نحنُ الذينَ سَفَحْنَا روحَ قهوتِنا
فيin الانتظارِwaiting، وعَذَّبْنَاand we tormented الفناجيناthe cups
في الانتظارِ، وعَذَّبْنَا الفناجينا
We are the ones who spilled the soul of our coffee
We who spilled the spirit of our coffee
in waiting, and tormented the cups.
In waiting, and tortured our cups
بئسَwretched are المواعيدُthe rendezvous رَتَّبْنَاwe arranged الهواءَthe air لهاfor them
بئسَ المواعيدُ رَتَّبْنَا الهواءَ لها
ثُمَّthen التقيناwe met مجازًاfiguratively فيin قوافيناour rhymes
ثُمَّ التقينا مجازًا في قوافينا
Wretched are the rendezvous! We arranged the air for them,
Evil are the appointments we arranged for them
then met, figuratively, in our rhymes.
Then we met metaphorically in our rhymes
فيin البُعدِseparation نقدحُwe kindle نجواناour secret converse كماjust as انْقَدَحَتْwere kindled
في البُعدِ نقدحُ نجوانا كما انْقَدَحَتْ
منfrom شُعلةِthe flame الغيبِthe unseen أحلامُthe dreams المُرِيدِيناthe seekers
من شُعلةِ الغيبِ أحلامُ المُرِيدِينا
In separation we kindle our secret converse, just as were kindled
In absence we ignite our companions as they ignited
from the flame of the unseen the dreams of seekers.
From the flame of the unseen, the dreams of our devotees
نشكوwe lament الأسَىsorrow فـتُعَزِّينَاso they console us قصائدُناour poems
نشكو الأسَى فـتُعَزِّينَا قصائدُنا
حيثُfor القصائدُpoems مِنْamong أشجَىthe most poignant المُعَزِّيناconsolers
حيثُ القصائدُ مِنْ أشجَى المُعَزِّينا
We lament sorrow, so our poems console us,
We complain of sorrow, so our poems console us
for poems are among the most poignant consolers.
Where poems are among the most consoling consolers
والأرضُand the earth رانَsettled عليهاupon it رُعبُthe terror معدنِهاits metal
والأرضُ رانَ عليها رُعبُ معدنِها
فراحَso it began يُثْخِـنَto grievously wound فيin الأُفْقِthe horizon الحساسيناthe goldfinches
فراحَ يُثْخِـنَ في الأُفْقِ الحساسينا
And the earth was overshadowed by the terror of its metal,
And the earth was overwhelmed by the terror of its mines
so it began grievously wounding the goldfinches on the horizon.
So it began to thicken the sensitive in the horizon
ماwhat ضَرَّناwould harm us لوif صَقَلْنَاwe polished بعضَناone another شَغَفًاwith passion؟!
ما ضَرَّنا لو صَقَلْنَا بعضَنا شَغَفًا؟!
فلمfor ... has not تزلْceased تصقلُhones السِّكِّينُthe knife سِكِّيناa knife!
فلم تزلْ تصقلُ السِّكِّينُ سِكِّينا!
What harm would it do us to polish one another with passion?!
What would harm us if we honed some of our passion?!
For the knife has never stopped honing another knife!
The knife continues to hone the knife!
زنزانةُthe prison cell العُمرِlife ضاقتْgrew cramped دونَwithout أُغنيةٍa song..
زنزانةُ العُمرِ ضاقتْ دونَ أُغنيةٍ..
إنَّindeed الأغانيsongs يُوَسِّعْنَthey widen الزَّنازيناthe prison cells!
إنَّ الأغاني يُوَسِّعْنَ الزَّنازينا!
Life's prison cell grew cramped without a song...
The prison of life narrowed without a song..
Indeed, songs widen prison cells!
Songs expand prisons!
يسموrises بناwith us الذوقُtaste حيثُfor الذوقُtaste سَلْطَنَةٌa sultanate
يسمو بنا الذوقُ حيثُ الذوقُ سَلْطَنَةٌ
تُحِيلُنَاtransforms us بينَbetween كَفَّيْهَاits two palms سلاطيناsultans
تُحِيلُنَا بينَ كَفَّيْهَا سلاطينا
Taste elevates us, for taste is a sultanate
Taste elevates us where taste is a sultanate
that turns us, between its two palms, into sultans.
That turns us between its palms into sultans
لاno شيءَthing منof كَذِبِfalsehood الأيامِthe days يملؤُناfills us
لا شيءَ من كَذِبِ الأيامِ يملؤُنا
بالصِّدقِwith truth غيرَexcept أكاذيبِlies المُغَنِّيناthe singers
بالصِّدقِ غيرَ أكاذيبِ المُغَنِّينا
Nothing of the days' deceit fills us
Nothing of the lies of days fills us
with truth except the singers' lies.
With truth except the lies of the singers
جئناwe came منfrom الشوكِthorns.. منfrom ميراثِthe legacy قسوتِهِits cruelty..
جئنا من الشوكِ.. من ميراثِ قسوتِهِ..
مُضَمَّدِينَbandaged بأوهامٍwith illusions تُدَاوِيناheal us
مُضَمَّدِينَ بأوهامٍ تُدَاوِينا
We came from thorns—from the legacy of their cruelty—
We came from thorns.. from the legacy of its harshness..
bandaged with illusions that heal us.
Bandaged with delusions that heal us
نحنُwe البريدُthe mail الذيwhich أقدامُهُits feet نَفِدَتْran out
نحنُ البريدُ الذي أقدامُهُ نَفِدَتْ
منof الوقودِfuel ولمand ... not يَلْقَfound العناويناthe addresses
من الوقودِ ولم يَلْقَ العناوينا
We are the mail whose feet have run out
We are the mail whose feet ran out
of fuel, and which has never found the addresses.
Of fuel and did not find our addresses
نمشيwe walk بأطولِalong the longest ماwhat فيon الأرضِearth منof طُرُقٍroads
نمشي بأطولِ ما في الأرضِ من طُرُقٍ
ذاكthat الطريقُroad إلىto نسيانِforgetting ماضيناour past
ذاك الطريقُ إلى نسيانِ ماضينا
We walk the longest of the roads on earth:
We walk the longest of what is on earth of roads
that road to forgetting our past.
That road to forgetting our past
ماno ثَمَّthere خوفٌfear دَخَلْنَاwe entered فيinto غياهبِهِits dark depths
ما ثَمَّ خوفٌ دَخَلْنَا في غياهبِهِ
إلاexcept حَسِبْنَاهُwe deemed it منفًىa place of exile منamong منافيناour places of exile
إلا حَسِبْنَاهُ منفًى من منافينا
There is no fear into whose dark depths we entered
There is no fear we entered its darkness
without deeming it a place of exile among our exiles.
Except we reckoned it an exile from our exiles
والخُلْدُand Paradise ماnot سَرَقَتْstole أفعاهُits serpent منof فَرَحٍjoy
والخُلْدُ ما سَرَقَتْ أفعاهُ من فَرَحٍ
معشارَa tenth ماwhat سَرَقَتْstole مِنَّاfrom us أفاعيناour serpents!
معشارَ ما سَرَقَتْ مِنَّا أفاعينا!
And Paradise's serpent stole less joy
And eternity is what its snakes stole of joy
than a tenth of what our serpents stole from us!
A fraction of what they stole from us, our snakes!
تَبَّتْmay ... perish يدُthe hand الخوفِfear! بِتنَاwe have come to be فيin مدائنِهِits cities
تَبَّتْ يدُ الخوفِ! بِتنَا في مدائنِهِ
نكادُwe almost نهربُflee حتَّىeven منfrom أساميناour names
نكادُ نهربُ حتَّى من أسامينا
May the hand of fear perish! We now dwell in its cities;
The hand of fear is severed! We stayed in its cities
we almost flee even from our names.
We almost flee even from our names
نكادُwe almost نغدرُbetray بالمعنىmeaning فماfor ... not بَرِحَتْhas ceased
نكادُ نغدرُ بالمعنى فما بَرِحَتْ
شفاهُناour lips تتلوَّىwrithe عنaway from معانيناour meanings
شفاهُنا تتلوَّى عن معانينا
We almost betray meaning, for still
We almost betray the meaning, our lips have not ceased
our lips writhe away from our meanings.
Twisting away from our meanings
نكادُwe almost –والنظراتُwhile the glances/الشكُّdoubt تلدغُناsting us
نكادُ –والنظراتُ/الشكُّ تلدغُنا
نرىwe see العيونَeyes يُرَبِّينَthey rear الثعابيناthe serpents
نرى العيونَ يُرَبِّينَ الثعابينا
We almost—as glances/doubt sting us—
We almost – and the glances/doubt sting us
see eyes rearing serpents.
See the eyes nurturing the snakes
هذيthese المدائنُcities منfrom فرطِexcess الوداعِfarewell بهاwithin them
هذي المدائنُ من فرطِ الوداعِ بها
جَفَّتْdried up، وجَفَّتْand dried up منfrom التلويحِwaving أيديناour hands
جَفَّتْ، وجَفَّتْ من التلويحِ أيدينا
These cities, from the sheer excess of farewells within them,
These cities are dried, from excess farewell in them
have dried up, and our hands have dried up from waving.
And dried from the waving of our hands
مُرِّيpass علىby الشجرthe trees العاريnaked لـنمنحَهُso we may give it
مُرِّي على الشجر العاري لـنمنحَهُ
منof المُنىwishes ماthat which يُطَرِّزْنَthey embroider الأفانيناthe branches
من المُنى ما يُطَرِّزْنَ الأفانينا
Pass by the naked trees, so we may give them
Pass by the barren tree to grant it
wishes that embroider the branches.
From wishes what adorns our cups
لاno دورَrole فيin الحبِّlove يُهدِينَاgives us بطولتَهُits heroism
لا دورَ في الحبِّ يُهدِينَا بطولتَهُ
ماas long as لمnot نُجَسِّدْهُwe embody it أبطالاًas heroes قرابيناsacrificial offerings!
ما لم نُجَسِّدْهُ أبطالاً قرابينا!
No role in love gives us its heroism
No role in love grants us its length
unless we embody it as heroes, as sacrificial offerings!
Unless we embody it as our ritual sacrifices!
الحبُّlove شدَّbound بأيديناto our hands بيارقَهُits banners
الحبُّ شدَّ بأيدينا بيارقَهُ
فـرافقينيso accompany me لـنجتاحَso we may storm المياديناthe squares
فـرافقيني لـنجتاحَ الميادينا
Love has bound its banners to our hands;
Love held our flags in our hands
so accompany me, that we may storm the squares.
So accompany me to conquer the fields
آلامُناour pains تتربَّىgrow up فيin حناجرِناour throats
آلامُنا تتربَّى في حناجرِنا
بينamong المواويلِthe mawwal folk songs أطفالاًas children وسيميناhandsome
بين المواويلِ أطفالاً وسيمينا
Our pains grow up in our throats
Our pains mature in our throats
among the mawwals, as handsome children.
As handsome children in lullabies
حَسْبُenough for الشوارعِthe streets أنthat ْنكسوwe clothe ملامحَهاtheir features
حَسْبُ الشوارعِ أن ْنكسو ملامحَها
ملامحَthe features الحبِّlove كيso that تغدوthey become بساتيناgardens
ملامحَ الحبِّ كي تغدو بساتينا
It is enough for the streets that we clothe their features
It’s enough for the streets that we adorn their features
in love's features, so that they become gardens.
With the features of love so they become our gardens
قُوميrise، نُمَشِّطُlet us comb إحساسَthe sense الرصيفِthe pavement بـناof us
قُومي، نُمَشِّطُ إحساسَ الرصيفِ بـنا
إذاwhen عبرناهُwe cross it ثُوَّارًاas rebels مجانيناmadmen
إذا عبرناهُ ثُوَّارًا مجانينا
Rise; let us comb the pavement's sense of us
Rise, we comb the sidewalk’s feeling with us
when we cross it as mad rebels.
When we cross it rebels insane
نحياwe live فُروسِيَّةَthe chivalry العُشَّاقِlovers إنْif حَمِيَتْgrew heated
نحيا فُروسِيَّةَ العُشَّاقِ إنْ حَمِيَتْ
أشواقُناour longings.. إنَّindeed للأشواقِfor longings (حِطِّينَاHattin)!
أشواقُنا.. إنَّ للأشواقِ (حِطِّينَا)!
We live the chivalry of lovers when aflame
We live the chivalry of lovers if
are our longings—indeed, longings have their Hattin!
Our passions blaze - passions have their clay!
سِيَّانِall the same –والحبُّwhile love لمhas not يبرحْceased يُطَيِّرُناmakes us fly
سِيَّانِ –والحبُّ لم يبرحْ يُطَيِّرُنا
طِرنَاwe flew عصافيرَas sparrows أوor طِرنَاwe flew بَوَالِيناas balloons!
طِرنَا عصافيرَ أو طِرنَا بَوَالِينا!
It is all the same—love has never stopped sending us flying—
It’s all the same – and love does not cease making us fly
whether we fly as sparrows or fly as balloons!
Whether it sends us sparrows or crickets!
Sol 6.1