أطْبِقْclose in دُجىdarkness ، أطْبِقْclose in ضَبابُfog
أطْبِقْ دُجى ، أطْبِقْ ضَبابُ
أطْبقْclose in جَهاماًrainless ياO سَحابُclouds
أطْبقْ جَهاماً يا سَحابُ
Close in, darkness; close in, fog.
Enshroud the gloom, enshroud the mist,
Close in, rainless, O clouds.
Enshroud obscurity, O cloud!
أطبقclose in دخانُsmoke منfrom الضميرthe conscience
أطبق دخانُ من الضمير
مُحَرَّقاًscorched أطبقclose in ، عَذابtorment
مُحَرَّقاً أطبق ، عَذاب
Close in, smoke from the conscience,
Enshroud the smoke of conscience
Scorched; close in, torment.
Scorched, enshroud, torment!
أطبقclose in دَمارُdestruction علىupon حُماةِthe guardians of
أطبق دَمارُ على حُماةِ
دمارِهمtheir destruction ، أطبقclose in تَبابruin
دمارِهم ، أطبق تَباب
Close in, destruction, upon the guardians
Enshroud ruin upon protectors
Of their own destruction; close in, ruin.
Of their ruin, enshroud punishment!
أطبقclose in جَزاءُretribution علىupon بُناةِthe builders of
أطبق جَزاءُ على بُناةِ
قُبورِهمtheir graves أطبقclose in عِقابpunishment
قُبورِهم أطبق عِقاب
Close in, retribution, upon the builders
Enshroud the due of the builders
Of their own graves; close in, punishment.
Of their graves, enshroud retribution!
أطبقclose in نعيبُcroaking ، يُجِبْmay answer صداكَyour echo
أطبق نعيبُ ، يُجِبْ صداكَ
البُومُthe owls ، أطبقclose in ياO خَرابdesolation
البُومُ ، أطبق يا خَراب
Close in, croaking; let your echo be answered
Enshroud my cries, let your echo answer,
By the owls; close in, O desolation.
Enshroud, O devastation!
أطبقclose in علىupon مُتَبلِّدينَthe apathetic
أطبق على مُتَبلِّدينَ
شكاcomplained of خُمولَهمُtheir lethargy الذُّبابthe flies
شكا خُمولَهمُ الذُّباب
Close in upon the apathetic,
Enshroud upon the apathetic
Whose lethargy the flies have complained of.
Whose indolence bothers flies!
لمdid not يَعرِفواthey know لونَthe color of السماءِthe sky
لم يَعرِفوا لونَ السماءِ
لِفَرْطِbecause of the excess ماthat انحنَتbowed الرقابthe necks
لِفَرْطِ ما انحنَت الرقاب
They never knew the color of the sky,
They know not the color of the sky
So deeply had their necks bowed,
For their necks are so bent,
ولفرطِand because of the excess ماthat دِيسَتْwere trampled رؤوسهمُtheir heads
ولفرطِ ما دِيسَتْ رؤوسهمُ
كماas دِيسَwas trampled الترابthe dust
كما دِيسَ التراب
And so thoroughly had their heads been trampled,
And for their heads so trampled
As the dust is trampled.
Like the dust, like the sand.
أطبقclose in علىupon المِعزىthe she-goats يُرادُis sought
أطبق على المِعزى يُرادُ
بهاfrom them علىdespite الجوعِhunger احتِلابmilking
بها على الجوعِ احتِلاب
Close in upon the she-goats, from whom they seek
Enshroud upon the helpless meant
Milk despite their hunger.
To be fodder for hunger’s greed!
أطبقclose in علىupon هذيthese المُسوخmonstrosities
أطبق على هذي المُسوخ
تَعافُdisdain عيشتَهاtheir life الكلابthe dogs
تَعافُ عيشتَها الكلاب
Close in upon these monstrosities,
Enshroud upon these downtrodden
Whose lives even dogs disdain.
Whose life even dogs disdain!
فيin كلّevery جارحةٍlimb يلوحُgleams
في كلّ جارحةٍ يلوحُ
لجارحٍfor a predator ظُفرٌa claw ونابand a fang
لجارحٍ ظُفرٌ وناب
In every limb there gleam
In each limb lurks a claw
A predator's claw and fang.
For another limb, fang and bite!
يجريflows الصدِيدُpus مِنfrom الهوانِhumiliation
يجري الصدِيدُ مِن الهوانِ
كأنهas though it were مِسكٌmusk مُلابblended
كأنه مِسكٌ مُلاب
Pus flows from humiliation,
Pus of disgrace flows
As though it were blended musk.
As if it were scented oils!
أطبقclose in علىupon الدِيدانِthe worms
أطبق على الدِيدانِ
ملَّتهاhave tired of them فَيافيكَyour deserts الرِّحابthe vast
ملَّتها فَيافيكَ الرِّحاب
Close in upon the worms;
Enshroud upon the worms
Your vast deserts have tired of them.
That Your plains find too confining!
أطبقclose in علىupon هذيthese الوجوهfaces
أطبق على هذي الوجوه
كأنهاas though they were صُوَرٌimages كِذابfalse
كأنها صُوَرٌ كِذاب
Close in upon these faces,
Enshroud upon these false faces
As though they were false images,
That are like lying portraits!
المُخرَساتُrendered mute بهاin them الغُضونُthe wrinkles
المُخرَساتُ بها الغُضونُ
فلاso no سؤالَquestion ولاand no جوابanswer
فلا سؤالَ ولا جواب
In which the wrinkles are struck dumb,
The silent lilies in them
With no question and no answer.
No question, no answer.
بُلهاًfoolish تدورُroll بهاwithin them العيونُthe eyes
بُلهاً تدورُ بها العيونُ
كأنَّas though صحصَحَهاtheir bare plain سَرابa mirage
كأنَّ صحصَحَها سَراب
Vacantly, eyes roll within them,
Their eyes whirl mindlessly
As though their bare plain were a mirage.
As if a mirage teased them!
ملَّhas wearied الفؤادُthe heart منof الضميرthe conscience
ملَّ الفؤادُ من الضمير
وضجَّand cried out بالرُّوحagainst the soul الإِهابthe skin
وضجَّ بالرُّوح الإِهاب
The heart has wearied of the conscience,
My heart is tired of conscience
And the skin cries out against the soul.
And the soul clamors for reckoning!
أطبقْclose in علىupon مُتفرقّينَthe divided
أطبقْ على مُتفرقّينَ
يَزيدُincreases فُرْقَتَهمtheir division مُصابa calamity
يَزيدُ فُرْقَتَهم مُصاب
Close in upon the divided,
Enshroud upon the divided
Whom calamity divides still further.
Whose plight separation worsens!
يتبجَّحونَthey boast بأنّat the fact that إخوتَهمtheir brothers
يتبجَّحونَ بأنّ إخوتَهم
يحُلُّdescends بهمupon them عَذابtorment
يحُلُّ بهم عَذاب
They boast that their brothers
They boast their brothers
Are visited by torment.
Are tried with torment!
ندِمواthey regretted بأنْfor having طلبواthey asked for أقلَّthe least of
ندِموا بأنْ طلبوا أقلَّ
حقوقهمtheir rights يوماًone day فتابواso they repented
حقوقهم يوماً فتابوا
They regretted having asked for the least
They regret asking for less
Of their rights one day, and repented.
Than their rights, so they repented,
وتأوَّبواand returned للذلِّto abasement يأكلdevours رُوحَهمtheir soul
وتأوَّبوا للذلِّ يأكل رُوحَهم
نِعْمَhow excellent المآبthe return!
نِعْمَ المآب!
And they returned to abasement that devours their souls—
And leaned toward the disgrace that eats their souls!
What a fine homecoming!
What an excellent resort!
أطبقclose in علىupon هذيthese الكرُوشِbellies
أطبق على هذي الكرُوشِ
يَمُطُّهاstretches them شَحْمٌfat مُذابmelted
يَمُطُّها شَحْمٌ مُذاب
Close in upon these bellies,
Enshroud upon the pastures
Stretched by melted fat.
Greased with melting fat,
مِنfrom حولِهاaround them بقرٌcattle يَخورُlows
مِن حولِها بقرٌ يَخورُ
وحولَهand around it غَرثىhungry سِغابfamished
وحولَه غَرثى سِغاب
Around them cattle low,
Around them cows growl
And around the herd, the hungry and famished.
And around stirs creeping vermin!
أطبقclose in إلىuntil أنْthat ينتهيends
أطبق إلى أنْ ينتهي
للخاطبينَfor the orators بكَthrough you احتِطابgathering firewood
للخاطبينَ بكَ احتِطاب
Close in until there is an end
Enshroud until those who call on you
To the orators' gathering of firewood through you.
To fuel them are done!
أطبقclose in علىupon مُتنَفِّجينَswaggerers
أطبق على مُتنَفِّجينَ
كماas تَنفَّجتswelled العِيابthe storage sacks
كما تَنفَّجت العِياب
Close in upon the swaggerers,
Enshroud upon the pretentious
Like swollen storage sacks.
As pits subside!
مستنوقِينَturned into she-camels ويزأرونَand they roar
مستنوقِينَ ويزأرونَ
كأنهمas though they were أُسْدٌlions غِلابconquering
كأنهم أُسْدٌ غِلاب
Turned into she-camels, yet roaring
Snorting, roaring,
As though they were conquering lions.
Like conquering lions!
يَزهوهمُmakes them proud عَسَلٌhoney ويُلهيهمand distracts them
يَزهوهمُ عَسَلٌ ويُلهيهم
عنfrom العلياءِglory صابbitter sap
عن العلياءِ صاب
Honey puffs them up, and they are diverted
Sated on honey, distracted
From glory by bitter sap.
From sublime goals by want!
يَمشيmarches مِنof الأمجادthe glories
يَمشي مِن الأمجاد
خَلْفَهُمُbehind them بميسَرةٍin ease رِكابriding camels
خَلْفَهُمُ بميسَرةٍ رِكاب
A camel-train of glories marches
Walking behind them slowly
Behind them, at ease.
Are mounts and riders!
فاذاthen when التقتmet حَلَقُthe rings of البِطانِthe girth
فاذا التقت حَلَقُ البِطانِ
وجدَّتِand grew grave النُوبُthe calamities الصِّعابthe hard
وجدَّتِ النُوبُ الصِّعاب
Then, when the girth-rings met,
When the circles of the inner folk
And hard calamities grew grave,
And the sincere ones meet,
خفَقَتfluttered ظِلالُهمtheir shadows وماعواand they liquefied
خفَقَت ظِلالُهم وماعوا
مِنfrom نُعومَتِهمtheir softness فذابواso they melted
مِن نُعومَتِهم فذابوا
Their shadows fluttered, and they liquefied
Their shadows shudder, they weaken
From their softness, then melted away.
From their softness and melt away!
ونَجَواand they escaped بأنفُسِهمْwith their own lives وراحتand became
ونَجَوا بأنفُسِهمْ وراحت
طُعمَةَfood for النارِthe fire الصحابthe companions
طُعمَةَ النارِ الصحاب
And they escaped with their own lives, while
They save their souls and leave
Their companions became food for the fire.
As fuel for the fire’s maw!
أطبقclose in دُجىdarkness ، لاlet not يَنْبَلِجْbreak forth
أطبق دُجى ، لا يَنْبَلِجْ
صُبْحٌdawn ولاand let not يَخْفِقْflash شِهابa meteor
صُبْحٌ ولا يَخْفِقْ شِهاب
Close in, darkness; let no
Enshroud the gloom, no dawn gleams,
Dawn break, nor any meteor flash.
No shooting star flickers!
أطبقclose in فتحتَfor beneath سماكَyour sky
أطبق فتحتَ سماكَ
خَلقٌa populace فيin بصائرهِits inner vision مُصابstricken
خَلقٌ في بصائرهِ مُصاب
Close in, for beneath your sky
Enshroud, under your sky
Is a populace stricken in its inner sight.
Are a people stricken with blindness!
لاlet not ينفتحْopen خوفاًout of fear عليهfor it !
لا ينفتحْ خوفاً عليه !
مِنfrom العمىblindness للنورto the light بابa door
مِن العمى للنور باب
Let no door open, out of fear for it,
Fearing blindness to light
From blindness into light.
No door from darkness opens!
أطبقclose in إلىuntil يومِthe day of النشورresurrection
أطبق إلى يومِ النشور
ويومَand the day يكتملُis completed النصابthe required total
ويومَ يكتملُ النصاب
Close in until the Day of Resurrection,
Enshroud till resurrection day
And the day the full number is reached.
When the count is complete!
أطبقclose in دُجىdarkness حتَّىuntil يقئَvomits up خُمولَthe torpor of
أطبق دُجى حتَّى يقئَ خُمولَ
أهلِthe dwellers of الغابthe forest غابa forest
أهلِ الغاب غاب
Close in, darkness, until the forest vomits up the torpor
Enshroud the gloom until the sloth
Of the forest's dwellers.
Of the forest people vomits darkness!
أطيقI can endure دُجىdarkness : حتىuntil يَمَلَّtires
أطيق دُجى : حتى يَمَلَّ
منof السوادِblackness بهِwithin it الغُرابthe raven
من السوادِ بهِ الغُراب
I can endure darkness until
Bear the gloom until crows
The raven tires of the blackness within it.
Sick of blackness take wing!
أطيقI can endure دُجىdarkness : حتىuntil يُحَلِّقَsoars
أطيق دُجى : حتى يُحَلِّقَ
فيin سماواتٍheavens عُقابan eagle
في سماواتٍ عُقاب
I can endure darkness until there soars
Bear the gloom until they circle
An eagle through the heavens,
In skies where hawks swoop down,
غضبانَangry أنْthat لمdid not تحمِyou protect أعشاشاًnests
غضبانَ أنْ لم تحمِ أعشاشاً
لهاbelonging to them طيرbirds غِضابangry
لها طير غِضاب
Angry that you did not protect nests
Angry that they have not nests
Whose birds are angry.
For hawks to brood!
أطبقclose in دُجىdarkness : يَسْرَحْroams
أطبق دُجى : يَسْرَحْ
بظلّكin your shade ناعماًat ease عارdisgrace وعابand blemish
بظلّك ناعماً عار وعاب
Close in, darkness; let them roam
Enshroud the gloom, let
At ease in your shade—disgrace and blemish.
Your shadow gently embrace disgrace and shame!
منof لونكyour color الداجيthe dusky رِياءٌostentation
من لونك الداجي رِياءٌ
وارتياعٌand alarm وارتيابand suspicion
وارتياعٌ وارتياب
From your dusky hue come ostentation,
From your obscuring color come
And alarm, and suspicion.
Sanctimony, unease, and doubt!
ياO عِصمةَrefuge of الجانيthe criminal وياand O
يا عِصمةَ الجاني ويا
سرحاًa grove تلوذُtake refuge بهin it الذئابthe wolves
سرحاً تلوذُ به الذئاب
O refuge of the criminal, and O
You are refuge for the sinner, and
Grove where wolves take shelter,
A pasture sheltering wolves!
ياO مَنone who مشتْwalked بدمائهاwith their blood
يا مَن مشتْ بدمائها
فيهin it الخناجرُthe daggers والحِرابand the spears
فيه الخناجرُ والحِراب
O you through whom, bearing their blood,
You are one in whose blood
Daggers and spears have walked,
Daggers and swords were washed!
ياO مَنone who يضِجُّroars منfrom الشرورِthe evils
يا مَن يضِجُّ من الشرورِ
الماخراتِthe sailing ones بهthrough it العُبابthe billows
الماخراتِ به العُباب
O you whose billows roar with the evils
You are one whose evils
That sail through you,
Seethe with creeping insects!
ياO مَنone who تَضيقُgrow cramped منfrom الهوامthe vermin
يا مَن تَضيقُ من الهوام
الزاحفاتِthe crawling ones بهthrough it الشعابthe ravines
الزاحفاتِ به الشعاب
O you whose ravines choke with vermin
You are one who is too narrow
That crawl through you,
For the crawling reptiles!
كُنbe سِتْرَa veil for مُجرمِةٍa female criminal تهاوَتْfell away
كُن سِتْرَ مُجرمِةٍ تهاوَتْ
عنfrom جريمتِهاher crime الثبابgarments (probable typo)
عن جريمتِها الثباب
Be a criminal woman's veil; the garments have fallen
Be a veil for the criminal who has
Away from her crime.
Cast off her crime and fled!
أطبقclose in : فأينthen where تفِرُّwill they flee إنْif
أطبق : فأين تفِرُّ إنْ
تُسفرْyou brighten وينحدرِand falls النِقابthe veil؟!
تُسفرْ وينحدرِ النِقاب؟!
Close in: where could they flee if
Enshroud, for where can she escape
You brightened and the veil fell away?!
If you recede and masks fall?
هذيthese الغَباواتstupidities الكريمةُnoble !
هذي الغَباوات الكريمةُ !
والجمودُand stagnation المُستطابdeemed pleasant !
والجمودُ المُستطاب !
These noble stupidities!
These are noble idiocies!
And this pleasing stagnation!
This is solidified hypocrisy!
هذاthis النفاقُhypocrisy تَرُبهُnurture it
هذا النفاقُ تَرُبهُ
صُحُفٌnewspapers ويُسْمِنُهand fattens it كِتابa book!
صُحُفٌ ويُسْمِنُه كِتاب!
This hypocrisy, nurtured by
The clay that nourishes it
Newspapers and fattened by a book!
Is scriptures and books!
أطبقclose in دُجىdarkness ، حتىuntil تجولَroam
أطبق دُجى ، حتى تجولَ
كأنهاas though they were خيلٌhorses عرابArabian
كأنها خيلٌ عراب
Close in, darkness, until they roam
Enshroud the gloom until they roam
As though they were Arabian horses:
Like Arab steeds!
هذيthese المعرَّاتdisgraces الهِجانُpurebred
هذي المعرَّات الهِجانُ
لهاthey have لظُلمتِكto your darkness انتسابlineage
لها لظُلمتِك انتساب
These purebred disgraces,
These outrages claim lineage
Whose lineage is from your darkness.
From your darkness!
أطبقclose in : فأنتَfor you are لهذهfor these السوءاتِshameful parts
أطبق : فأنتَ لهذه السوءاتِ
عاريةًnaked حجابa veil
عاريةً حجاب
Close in: for these shameful parts you are
Enshroud, for you are to these immoralities
A veil when they are bare.
A robe when bare!
أطبقclose in : فأنتfor you are لهذهfor these الأنيابِfangs
أطبق : فأنت لهذه الأنيابِ
مُشحذةًsharpened قرابa sheath
مُشحذةً قراب
Close in: for these fangs you are
Enshroud, for you are to these fangs
A sheath when they are sharpened.
A file when blunt!
أطبقclose in : فأنتfor you are لهذهfor these الآثامِsins
أطبق : فأنت لهذه الآثامِ
شامخةًtowering شبابyouth
شامخةً شباب
Close in: for these sins you are
Enshroud, for you are to these sins
Their youth as they tower high.
Full vitality when withered!
أطبقclose in : فأنتfor you are لصِبغةٍfor a tint منهاof them إذاwhen
أطبق : فأنت لصِبغةٍ منها إذا
نصَلَتْfades خِضابa dye
نصَلَتْ خِضاب
Close in: for a tint of theirs, when
Enshroud, for you are to a hue that if
It fades, you are a dye.
It dyed would be makeup!
كُنْbe سِتْرَهاtheir veil لاlet not يَنبلِجْbreak forth
كُنْ سِتْرَها لا يَنبلِجْ
صُبحٌdawn ولاand let not يَخْفِقْflash شهابa meteor
صُبحٌ ولا يَخْفِقْ شهاب
Be their veil; let no
Be their veil, no dawn gleams,
Dawn break, nor any meteor flash.
No shooting star flickers!
أطبقclose in دُجىdarkness : أطبقclose in ضَبابfog
أطبق دُجى : أطبق ضَباب
أطبقclose in جَهاماًrainless ياO سحابclouds ُ
أطبق جَهاماً يا سحاب ُ
Close in, darkness; close in, fog.
Enshroud the gloom, enshroud the mist,
Close in, rainless, O clouds.
Enshroud obscurity, O cloud!
Sol 6.1