لَمْdid not يَكْفِهِsuffice him مَاwhat كَانَhad been حَتَّىuntil جَاءَهُcame to him
لَمْ يَكْفِهِ مَا كَانَ حَتَّى جَاءَهُ
مَاwhat فَوْقَbeyond غَلِّthe fetter of الْجِيدِthe neck وَالإِحْصَارِand confinement
مَا فَوْقَ غَلِّ الْجِيدِ وَالإِحْصَارِ
What had already befallen him was not enough, until there came to him
What he had endured was not enough, until there came to him
something beyond the fetter's shackle and confinement.
Something worse than the neck's shackles and confinement.
أَلنَّفيُexile بَعْدَafter السَّجنِprison تِلْكَthat عُقُوبَةٌa punishment
أَلنَّفيُ بَعْدَ السَّجنِ تِلْكَ عُقُوبَةٌ
أَعْلَىloftier وَأَغْلَىand dearer صَفْقَةًa bargain للشَّارِيfor the buyer
أَعْلَى وَأَغْلَى صَفْقَةً للشَّارِي
Is exile after prison—that punishment—
Exile after prison—that is a punishment
a higher, dearer bargain for its buyer?
Loftier and dearer as a bargain for the buyer.
يَسْمُواrises بِهَاthrough it السَّجْنُthe prison الْقَرِيبُclose جِدَارُهits wall
يَسْمُوا بِهَا السَّجْنُ الْقَرِيبُ جِدَارُه
شَرَفاًin honor إِلىto سِجْنٍa prison بِغَيْرِwithout جِدَارِa wall
شَرَفاً إِلى سِجْنٍ بِغَيْرِ جِدَارِ
By it, the prison whose wall stands close rises
Through it, the prison whose wall is close rises
in honor above a prison without walls.
In honor to a prison without walls.
لاَnot يَتْرُكُhe leaves الْجَارِيin force عَلَيْهِupon him حُكْمَهُits sentence
لاَ يَتْرُكُ الْجَارِي عَلَيْهِ حُكْمَهُ
إِلاَّexcept لِيُدْرِكَهُso that it overtakes him الْقَضَاءُthe decree الْجَارِيcontinuing
إِلاَّ لِيُدْرِكَهُ الْقَضَاءُ الْجَارِي
The condemned man cannot linger or turn back—
He does not leave the prison whose sentence binds him
pursuing doom will only overtake him.
Except to be overtaken by the continuing decree.
أَيَّwhat السَّفائِنِthe ships يَسْتقِلُّhe boards كَأَنَّهاas though it were
أَيَّ السَّفائِنِ يَسْتقِلُّ كَأَنَّها
إِحْدَىone of الْمَدَائِنِthe cities سُيِّرَتْwas set in motion بِبُخارِby steam
إِحْدَى الْمَدَائِنِ سُيِّرَتْ بِبُخارِ
What ship carries him, as though it were
What a ship he boards—as though it were
one of the cities, set in motion by steam?
One of the cities set in motion by steam!
يَنأَىhe draws away بِهَاin it عنْfrom أَهْلِهِhis family وَرِفَاقِهِand his companions
يَنأَى بِهَا عنْ أَهْلِهِ وَرِفَاقِهِ
دَامِيbleeding الْفُؤادِthe heart وَشِيكُclose to الاسْتِعْبَارِweeping
دَامِي الْفُؤادِ وَشِيكُ الاسْتِعْبَارِ
On it he is borne far from family and companions,
In it he draws away from his family and companions,
his heart bleeding, on the verge of tears.
Bleeding at heart, close to weeping.
يَنْبُوspurns ذَرَاthe shelter of الْبَلَدِthe land الأَمِيْنِsecure بِمِثْلِهِone like him
يَنْبُو ذَرَا الْبَلَدِ الأَمِيْنِ بِمِثْلِهِ
وَالزَّاحِفَاتُand creeping creatures أَمِيْنَةُsafe in الأَجْحَارِthe burrows
وَالزَّاحِفَاتُ أَمِيْنَةُ الأَجْحَارِ
The heights of the safe homeland recoil from one like him,
The shelter of the secure land spurns one like him,
while barefoot creatures are secure in their burrows.
While creeping creatures are safe in their burrows.
مُتَلَفِّتاًlooking back حِيْنَat the time of الْوَدَاعِfarewell وَفِيand in الْحَشَىthe breast
مُتَلَفِّتاً حِيْنَ الْوَدَاعِ وَفِي الْحَشَى
مَاwhat فِيهِis within it مِنْof غُصَصٍchoking griefs وَمِنْand of أَكْدَارِsorrows
مَا فِيهِ مِنْ غُصَصٍ وَمِنْ أَكْدَارِ
Turning back at the hour of farewell, while in his breast
Looking back at farewell, while in his breast
are choking griefs and dark troubles.
Are all its choking griefs and sorrows.
تَتَغَيَّبvanish الأَوْطَانُthe homelands عَنْfrom جُثْمَانِهِhis body
تَتَغَيَّب الأَوْطَانُ عَنْ جُثْمَانِهِ
وَالْقَلْبُand the heart يَشْهَدُهَاbeholds them بِالاسْتِحْضَارِby recollection
وَالْقَلْبُ يَشْهَدُهَا بِالاسْتِحْضَارِ
The homelands disappear from before his body,
His homelands vanish from his physical sight,
while his heart beholds them by summoning them present.
Yet his heart beholds them, calling them to mind.
مُتَشَبِّعاًsating himself مُترَوِّيَاًquenching his thirst مِمَّاfrom what يَرَىhe sees
مُتَشَبِّعاً مُترَوِّيَاً مِمَّا يَرَى
لِشِفاءِto relieve مَسْغَبَةٍhunger بِهِwithin him وَأُوَارِand burning thirst
لِشِفاءِ مَسْغَبَةٍ بِهِ وَأُوَارِ
Taking his fill, drinking deep of all he sees,
Sating himself, drinking his fill of what he sees,
to cure the hunger in him and his burning longing.
To relieve the hunger and burning thirst within him.
يَرْنُوhe gazes إِلىtoward صُفْرِyellow الشَّوَاطِيءِthe shores نُطِقَتْwere girdled
يَرْنُو إِلى صُفْرِ الشَّوَاطِيءِ نُطِقَتْ
أَعْطَافُهَاtheir flanks بِالأَزْرَقِwith the blue الزَّخَّارِsurging
أَعْطَافُهَا بِالأَزْرَقِ الزَّخَّارِ
He gazes toward the shoreline hollows, girdled
He gazes toward the yellow shores, girdled
around their flanks by the surging blue.
Around their flanks by the surging blue.
وَيَذُوبُand he melts قَبْلَbefore الْبَيْنِparting مِنْfrom شَوْقٍlonging إِلىfor
وَيَذُوبُ قَبْلَ الْبَيْنِ مِنْ شَوْقٍ إِلى
وَجْهِthe face of الْحِمَىthe homeland وَجَمَالهِand its beauty السَّحارِbewitching
وَجْهِ الْحِمَى وَجَمَالهِ السَّحارِ
Before parting, he melts with longing for
And before parting he melts with longing for
the homeland's face and its bewitching beauty.
The homeland's face and its bewitching beauty.
يَسْتَافُhe inhales مَاwhat تَأْتِيcomes الصَّباthe east wind بِفُضُولهwith its remnants
يَسْتَافُ مَا تَأْتِي الصَّبا بِفُضُوله
مِنْof طِيبِthe fragrance of تِلْكَthat الْجَنَّةparadise الْمِعْطَارِfragrant
مِنْ طِيبِ تِلْكَ الْجَنَّة الْمِعْطَارِ
He breathes in what the east wind brings in its bounty
He inhales what the east wind brings of lingering traces
of the perfume of that fragrant garden.
Of the fragrance of that perfumed paradise.
وَبِسَمْعِهand in his hearing لَحْنُthe melody of الْعَشيرَةِthe clan جَامِعَاًcombining
وَبِسَمْعِه لَحْنُ الْعَشيرَةِ جَامِعَاً
لُغَةَthe speech of الأَنِيسِfamiliar company إِلىwith لُغَىthe tongues of الأَطْيَارِthe birds
لُغَةَ الأَنِيسِ إِلى لُغَى الأَطْيَارِ
And in his hearing, the clan's melody gathers
And in his hearing is the clan's melody, joining
the speech of intimates with the babble of birds.
The speech of companions with the tongues of birds.
لَهْفِيmy grief عَلَيْهِfor him مُشَرَّداًcast out قَبْلَbefore الرَّدَىdeath
لَهْفِي عَلَيْهِ مُشَرَّداً قَبْلَ الرَّدَى
سَيَهِيمُhe will wander فِيin الدُّنْيَاthe world بِغَيْرِwithout قَرَارِa resting place
سَيَهِيمُ فِي الدُّنْيَا بِغَيْرِ قَرَارِ
Alas for him, made homeless before death;
How I grieve for him, cast out before death!
he will roam the world without repose.
He will wander through the world without a resting place.
مِنْfor أَجْلِthe sake of مِصْرَEgypt يَؤُمُّhe heads for كُلَّevery مُيَمَّمٍdestination
مِنْ أَجْلِ مِصْرَ يَؤُمُّ كُلَّ مُيَمَّمٍ
فِيamong قَوْمِهhis people وَيَزُورُand he visits كُلَّevery مَزَارِplace of visitation
فِي قَوْمِه وَيَزُورُ كُلَّ مَزَارِ
For Egypt's sake, he makes for every destination
For Egypt's sake he heads for every destination
among his people, and visits every place of visitation.
Among his people, and visits every place of visitation.
لاَno يَوْمَday يَسْكُنُhe rests فِيهِon it مِنْfrom وََْثبٍleaping وَمَنْand who
لاَ يَوْمَ يَسْكُنُ فِيهِ مِنْ وََْثبٍ وَمَنْ
بِسَكِينَةٍwith stillness لِلْكَوْكبِfor the planet السَّيارِwandering
بِسَكِينَةٍ لِلْكَوْكبِ السَّيارِ
Not for a day does he cease from bounding onward—and who
Not a day does he rest from his leaps—and who
can grant stillness to a wandering star?
Can bring stillness to the wandering planet?
فِيin غُرْبَةٍexile مَوْصُولَةٍunbroken آلامُهَاits pains
فِي غُرْبَةٍ مَوْصُولَةٍ آلامُهَا
أَنْضَتْهُhas worn him out فِيin الرَّحَلاَتِthe journeys وَالأَسْفَارِand travels
أَنْضَتْهُ فِي الرَّحَلاَتِ وَالأَسْفَارِ
In exile, linked unbroken to its pains,
In exile whose pains are unbroken,
journeys and travels have worn him gaunt.
They have worn him down in journeys and travels.
تَنْتَابُهُassail him الصَّدَمَاتُthe blows لاَnot يَشْكوhe complains لَهَاto them
تَنْتَابُهُ الصَّدَمَاتُ لاَ يَشْكو لَهَا
إِلاَّexcept شَكَاةَthe complaint of المِحْرَبِthe seasoned warrior الْكَرَّارِever-charging
إِلاَّ شَكَاةَ المِحْرَبِ الْكَرَّارِ
Shocks assail him; he complains of them only
Blows assail him; he offers them no complaint
as a battle-seasoned, ever-charging warrior complains.
Save that of a seasoned, ever-charging warrior.
ثِقَةًin confidence بَأَنَّthat الْفَوْزَvictory لَيْسَis not لِجَازِعٍfor the fainthearted
ثِقَةً بَأَنَّ الْفَوْزَ لَيْسَ لِجَازِعٍ
فِيamong الْعَالَمِينَall peoples الْفَوْزُvictory لِلصَّبارِfor the steadfast
فِي الْعَالَمِينَ الْفَوْزُ لِلصَّبارِ
Certain that victory is not for one who loses heart:
Confident that victory is not for the fainthearted;
among all mankind, victory belongs to the steadfast.
Among all peoples, victory belongs to the steadfast.
وَتَعَضُّهand gnaw at him الفَاقَاتُthe privations لاَnot يَلْوِيhe pays heed بِهَاto them
وَتَعَضُّه الفَاقَاتُ لاَ يَلْوِي بِهَا
عِزَّاًout of pride وَيَسْتُرُهَاand he conceals them بِسِتْرِwith a veil of وَقَارِdignity
عِزَّاً وَيَسْتُرُهَا بِسِتْرِ وَقَارِ
Privations bite him, yet they do not bend his pride;
And privations gnaw at him; he pays them no heed,
he hides them beneath a veil of dignity.
Out of pride, and hides them beneath a veil of dignity.
حِرْصاًout of eagerness عَلَىfor المُتَطَوِّلِينَthose bestowing favors بِفَضْلِهِمْwith their bounty
حِرْصاً عَلَى المُتَطَوِّلِينَ بِفَضْلِهِمْ
أَنْto يَجْنَحُواthey incline وَجَلاًin fear إِلىtoward الإِقْصَارِholding back
أَنْ يَجْنَحُوا وَجَلاً إِلى الإِقْصَارِ
Concerned that those who lavish their favor
Intent that those who bestow their bounty
might, in alarm, incline to hold back.
Should incline in fear toward holding back.
مَاhow كَانَwould have been أَظْفَرَهُhis great success بِأَلْيَنِwith the gentlest جَانِبٍside
مَا كَانَ أَظْفَرَهُ بِأَلْيَنِ جَانِبٍ
لِلْعَيْشِof life لَوْلاَbut for شِدَّةُthe force of الإِصْرَارِpersistence
لِلْعَيْشِ لَوْلاَ شِدَّةُ الإِصْرَارِ
How surely he might have won life's gentler side,
How readily he could have gained the gentlest side
had his resolve not been so fierce.
Of life, but for his fierce persistence!
Sol 6.1