ياO عَذبَةَsweet الرُوحthe spirit ياO فتّانَةenchanting الجَسدِthe body
يا عَذبَةَ الرُوح يا فتّانَة الجَسدِ
ياO بنتَdaughter " بيروتَBeirut " ياO أنشودةَsong البَلدِthe city
يا بنتَ " بيروتَ " يا أنشودةَ البَلدِ
O sweet of spirit, O enchanting of body,
O soothing spirit, O alluring body
O daughter of Beirut, O song of the city,
O daughter of "Beirut", O ode of the country
ياO غيمةَcloud الشَعرِthe hair مُلتاثاًentwined علىaround قَمرa moon
يا غيمةَ الشَعرِ مُلتاثاً على قَمر
ياO بَسمةَsmile الثغرthe mouth مفترَّاًparted عنto reveal النَضَدthe even row of teeth
يا بَسمةَ الثغر مفترَّاً عن النَضَد
O cloud of hair, wound around a moon,
O cloud of poetry flowing on the moon
O smile of a mouth parted to reveal its even row of teeth,
O smile of the lips exposing the teeth
ياO رَوعةَsplendor البحرِthe sea فيin العينينِthe two eyes صافيةًclear
يا رَوعةَ البحرِ في العينينِ صافيةً
ياO نشوةَrapture الجبَلِthe mountain الملتّفِenfolded فيin العضُدthe upper arm
يا نشوةَ الجبَلِ الملتّفِ في العضُد
O splendor of the sea, clear in both eyes,
O awe of the sea in the eyes, serene
O rapture of the mountain, enfolded in the upper arm,
O rapture of the wrapped mountain in the arm
ياO قَطرةًa drop منfrom نِطافdroplets الفجرdawn ساقطهاshed it
يا قَطرةً من نِطاف الفجر ساقطها
منfrom among " أرزcedars " لبنانَLebanon خفَّاقُfluttering الظلالِthe shadows ندىdewy
من " أرز " لبنانَ خفَّاقُ الظلالِ ندى
O drop from the droplets of dawn, shed
O a raindrop fallen from the buds of dawn
By a dewy cedar of Lebanon with fluttering shadows,
From the "cedars" of Lebanon, the rustling shadows are dewy
ياO نَبتةplant اللهGod فيin عَلياthe loftiest مَظاهرِهHis manifestations
يا نَبتة الله في عَليا مَظاهرِه
آمنتُI believe باللهin God لمnot لمnot يُولَدwas begotten ولمand not يَلِدbeget
آمنتُ بالله لم لم يُولَد ولم يَلِد
O plant of God in His loftiest manifestations,
O God's plant in the highest of His manifestations
I believe in God, who was not begotten and did not beget.
I believed in God, why was He not born nor gave birth
ياO تلعةَlong-necked one الجيدِthe neck نصَّتهshe raised it فماand never وقَعَتfell
يا تلعةَ الجيدِ نصَّته فما وقَعَت
عَينٌan eye علىupon مِثلهits like يَزدانُis adorned بالجَيَدwith graceful length
عَينٌ على مِثله يَزدانُ بالجَيَد
O long-necked one, holding it high—never has
O curl of the cheek placed on it but did not fall
An eye beheld its like, adorned with such graceful length.
No eye has seen the like adorned with a curl
يُطِلُّrises منهاfrom her بوجهٍwith a face أيِّwhat a مُحْتَملٍburden to bear
يُطِلُّ منها بوجهٍ أيِّ مُحْتَملٍ
ويَستريحُand rests بصدرٍupon a bosom أيِّwhat a مقتعَدresting place
ويَستريحُ بصدرٍ أيِّ مقتعَد
It rises from her, bearing a face—what a splendid burden!
From it emerges a face of whatever is tolerable
And rests upon a bosom—what a resting place!
And rests on a chest of whatever is compliant
ياO جَوهرَessence اللُطفِgrace ياO معنىًa meaning يضيقُis too narrow بهfor it
يا جَوهرَ اللُطفِ يا معنىً يضيقُ به
لَفظa word فيقذِفُهُso they cast it out الشِدقانِthe mouth's two corners كالزَبَدlike foam
لَفظ فيقذِفُهُ الشِدقانِ كالزَبَد
O essence of grace, O meaning for which
O essence of gentleness, O meaning too narrow for words
A word is too narrow, so the mouth's corners cast it out like foam.
So the lips toss it out like foam
أعِيذُI seek protection for وجهَكِyour face أنlest أشْقىI suffer بِرقَّتِهthrough its tenderness
أعِيذُ وجهَكِ أن أشْقى بِرقَّتِه
وفَيْضَand the flood حُسنِكyour beauty إنif يَعياit fails برِيِّat quenching صدىa thirsty one
وفَيْضَ حُسنِك إن يَعيا برِيِّ صدى
I seek protection for your face, lest its tenderness make me suffer,
I seek refuge for your face should I suffer from its softness
And for your beauty's flood, should it fail to quench the thirsty.
And the abundance of your beauty if it wanes to an echo
ولاnor يليقُis fitting بأجفانٍfor eyelids أنشِّرُهاI unfold them
ولا يليقُ بأجفانٍ أنشِّرُها
علىupon جمالكِyour beauty أنto تُطوىbe folded علىupon السُهدsleeplessness
على جمالكِ أن تُطوى على السُهد
Nor does it befit eyelids I unfold
Nor is it fitting for eyelids I unfold
Upon your beauty to be folded over sleeplessness.
Over your beauty to be folded on drowsiness
يَدٌa hand مَسحتُI wiped بهاwith it عَينيmy eye لأغمِضَهاto close it
يَدٌ مَسحتُ بها عَيني لأغمِضَها
علىupon الهوىlove ، ويديand my hand الأخرىthe other علىupon كَبِديmy liver
على الهوى ، ويدي الأخرى على كَبِدي
With one hand I wiped my eye, to close it
A hand I wiped my eyes with to close them
Upon love, while my other hand was upon my liver.
To passion, and my other hand on my chest
وَرَدتُI came to drink عنout of ظمأٍthirst ماءًwater غَصِصتُI choked بهon it
وَرَدتُ عن ظمأٍ ماءً غَصِصتُ به
فليتَso would that أنَّيَthat I لمnot أظَمأْI thirst ولمand not أرِدI come to drink
فليتَ أنَّيَ لم أظَمأْ ولم أرِد
I came thirsting to water and choked on it;
I turned away from thirst some water I sipped
So, if only I had neither thirsted nor come to drink!
Oh, if only I had not thirsted nor wanted
قالَsaid الرِفاقُthe companions ونارُand the fire الحُبِّlove آكلةٌconsuming
قالَ الرِفاقُ ونارُ الحُبِّ آكلةٌ
مِنat وَجنْنتَّيmy cheeks أهذاis this وجهُthe face مُبَترِدone cooled off
مِن وَجنْنتَّي أهذا وجهُ مُبَترِد
The companions said, while love's fire was eating
My friends said, and the fire of love is consuming
At my cheeks: 'Is this the face of one cooled off?'
From my madness, is this the face of one composed?
لمْnot أدرِI know أذكُرُI remember " بيروتاًBeirut " بأيِّكماthrough which of you two
لمْ أدرِ أذكُرُ " بيروتاً " بأيِّكما
أأنتِis it you . أمor لَوعتيmy anguish ياليلةَO night الأحدSunday
أأنتِ . أم لَوعتي ياليلةَ الأحد
I knew not which of you brought Beirut to mind:
I did not know which to mention, “Beirut” with either
Was it you, or my anguish, O Sunday night?
You, or my agony on the Sunday night
عَجّthronged الرصيفُthe pavement بأسرابِwith herds المهاthe oryx وهَفاand fluttered
عَجّ الرصيفُ بأسرابِ المها وهَفا
قلبيmy heart بزفرةِwith a sigh قَنَّصٍa hunter ولمand did not يسِدprevail
قلبي بزفرةِ قَنَّصٍ ولم يسِد
The pavement thronged with herds of oryx, and there fluttered
The pavement was crowded with groups of dalliance and vanity
My heart with a hunter's sigh, yet it did not prevail.
My heart with the sigh of a hunter, and was not sated
فمِنso among مُوافيةٍone keeping وعداًa promise ، وراقبةٍand one awaiting
فمِن مُوافيةٍ وعداً ، وراقبةٍ
وعداًa promise ، وأينand where التيshe who وَّفتfulfilled ولمand did not تَعِدpromise؟
وعداً ، وأين التي وَّفت ولم تَعِد؟
So some were keeping a promise, and others awaiting
With the fulfilling of a promise, and the waiting
A promise—but where is she who kept faith without promising?
For a promise, and where is she who fulfilled and did not promise?
فُويقَjust above صدرِكِyour chest منout of رفقtender care الشبابِyouth بهtoward it
فُويقَ صدرِكِ من رفق الشبابِ به
أشهىmost desirable وأعنفُand fiercest ماwhat يُعطىis given لمنتهدto a swelling bosom
أشهى وأعنفُ ما يُعطى لمنتهد
Just above your chest, through youth's tender care for it,
The calmness of youth in your chest is more delectable
Lies the most desirable and fiercest gift to a swelling bosom:
And violent than what is given to one who strives
كنزانِtwo treasures مِنamong مُتَعdelights الدُنياthe world يُقِلُّهُماbears them both
كنزانِ مِن مُتَع الدُنيا يُقِلُّهُما
جمُّabundant الندىgenerosity سَرِفٌextravagant فيin زيِّthe garb مُقتَصِدone frugal
جمُّ الندى سَرِفٌ في زيِّ مُقتَصِد
Two treasures among the world's delights, borne
Two treasures of the delights of life, both lessened
By one lavishly generous, extravagant in a frugal guise.
By the plenty of dew, extravagance in the garb of thrift
قالواthey said تَشاغَلَhe diverted himself عنfrom أهلٍfamily وعنand from ولَدٍa child
قالوا تَشاغَلَ عن أهلٍ وعن ولَدٍ
فقالthen said نهداكyour two breasts : لمnot يَشغَلهْoccupied him منat all أحدanyone
فقال نهداك : لم يَشغَلهْ من أحد
They said, 'He has turned away from family and child.'
They said he was preoccupied from family and children
Then your two breasts said, 'No one has occupied him
So her breasts said: No one preoccupied him but someone
سوىexcept رَضيِعيtwo sucklings لبانٍbreast milk توأمٍtwin حُبِساwere confined
سوى رَضيِعي لبانٍ توأمٍ حُبِسا
رهنَheld hostage الغِلالةthe thin garment إشفاقاًout of fear مِنof الحَسَدenvy
رهنَ الغِلالة إشفاقاً مِن الحَسَد
Except two milk-fed twins, held
Other than my two suckling babies of tender sweetness
Hostage by the thin garment, for fear of envy.'
Held hostage to shackles out of envy
راجَعتُI took stock of نَفسيmyself بماconcerning what أبقىleft الشبابُyouth لهاfor it
راجَعتُ نَفسي بما أبقى الشبابُ لها
وماand what تخلَّفremained منof أسئارهits leavings بِيديin my hand
وما تخلَّف من أسئاره بِيدي
I took stock of myself—of what youth had left me,
I reviewed myself for what youth left for it
And what remained of its leavings in my hand.
And what was left of its traces in my hands
فماso how أمرَّbitter وأقسىand harsh ماwhat خرجتُI came away بهwith it
فما أمرَّ وأقسى ما خرجتُ به
لولاbut for بَقيةُa remnant قلبٍa heart فيَّwithin me مُتَّقِدablaze
لولا بَقيةُ قلبٍ فيَّ مُتَّقِد
How bitter and harsh would have been what I came away with,
So how bitter and harsh what I came out with
But for a remnant of a heart still ablaze within me.
If not for the remnants of a heart kindled in me
أمسىmy yesterday مَضىpassed بلُباناتwith the longings الهوىlove . وأتىand came
أمسى مَضى بلُبانات الهوى . وأتى
يَوميmy today يُمهِّدpaves the way باديinitial بَدءةٍbeginning لِغَديfor my tomorrow
يَومي يُمهِّد بادي بَدءةٍ لِغَدي
My yesterday passed with love's longings, and came
The affection of love has passed. And my day has come
My today, paving the way from the outset for my tomorrow.
Paving my wilderness with a beginning for my tomorrow
Sol 6.1