أَيَتِمcan it be complete? أُنْسٌdelight أمْor يَطِيبُis sweet تَرَنمٌsinging
أَيَتِم أُنْسٌ أمْ يَطِيبُ تَرَنمٌ
إلاَّexcept إذَاwhen كَانَis المُرَجِّعُthe musician سَامِيSami
إلاَّ إذَا كَانَ المُرَجِّعُ سَامِي
Can delight be complete, or song be sweet,
Does companionship delight, or does melody soothe,
Unless the musician is Sami?
Except when the composer is sublime?
تَتَدَفَّقُflow الأوْتَارُthe strings تَحْتَbeneath بَنَانِهِhis fingertips
تَتَدَفَّقُ الأوْتَارُ تَحْتَ بَنَانِهِ
كَتَدَفُّقِlike the flowing of الأَنْهَارِthe rivers بِالأَنْغَامِwith melodies
كَتَدَفُّقِ الأَنْهَارِ بِالأَنْغَامِ
The strings flow beneath his fingertips
The strings flow beneath his fingers,
Like rivers flowing with melodies,
Like the flow of rivers with melodies,
بَيْنَbetween انْسِجَامٍharmony وَاخْتِلاَطٍand blending مُونِقٍdelightful
بَيْنَ انْسِجَامٍ وَاخْتِلاَطٍ مُونِقٍ
وَتَوَافُقٍand concord وَتَبَايُنٍand contrast بِنِظَامِin order
وَتَوَافُقٍ وَتَبَايُنٍ بِنِظَامِ
Between harmony and delightful blending,
Between harmony, congruous intermixing,
And concord and contrast, all in order.
Coordination, and contrast with order.
يَجْرِيruns عَلَىalong أَسْلاَكِهَاtheir wires إيقاعُهُhis rhythm
يَجْرِي عَلَى أَسْلاَكِهَا إيقاعُهُ
مُتَحَدِّراًflowing down مِنْfrom مَصْدَرِthe source of الإلْهَامِinspiration
مُتَحَدِّراً مِنْ مَصْدَرِ الإلْهَامِ
His rhythm runs along their wires,
Its rhythm flows on its threads,
Flowing down from the source of inspiration.
Cascading from the source of inspiration.
نَبَرَاتُهُhis tones لُغُةٌa language تُنَاطُare entrusted حُرُوفُهَاits letters
نَبَرَاتُهُ لُغُةٌ تُنَاطُ حُرُوفُهَا
بِالسَّمْعِto hearing يَحْمِلُهَاit carries them إلَىto الأَفْهَامِminds
بِالسَّمْعِ يَحْمِلُهَا إلَى الأَفْهَامِ
His tones are a language whose letters are entrusted
Its tones are a language whose letters
To hearing, which carries them to minds.
Are bound to the ear carrying them to minds.
شَتَّانَwhat a difference! فِيin كَشْفِunveiling السَّرَائِرِinner secrets بَيْنَهاbetween them
شَتَّانَ فِي كَشْفِ السَّرَائِرِ بَيْنَها
طَرَباًin rapture وَبَيْنَand between مَقَاطِرِfetters الأقْلاَمِthe pens
طَرَباً وَبَيْنَ مَقَاطِرِ الأقْلاَمِ
How vast the gulf, in unveiling secrets, between them
Far apart in revealing secrets are they -
In their rapture and the fetters of pens!
Agitation and the rain of pens.
يَشْجِيكَmoves you to longing مِنْهَاfrom them مَاwhat يُعِيدُreproduces رَنينَهَاtheir ringing
يَشْجِيكَ مِنْهَا مَا يُعِيدُ رَنينَهَا
مِنْof شَدْوِthe song of قُمْرِيٍّa turtledove وَسَجْعِand the cooing of حَمَامِdoves
مِنْ شَدْوِ قُمْرِيٍّ وَسَجْعِ حَمَامِ
Their ringing moves you with what it recalls
Some of it excites you with its echo
Of a turtledove's song and the cooing of doves.
Of the warbling of a dove and the coo of a pigeon.
وَتَحِسُّand you feel تَنْسِيمَthe gentle blowing of الصَّبَاthe east wind فِيin رَوْضَةٍa garden
وَتَحِسُّ تَنْسِيمَ الصَّبَا فِي رَوْضَةٍ
وَتَرَىand you see فُطُورَthe opening of الْوَرْدِthe roses فِيin الأكْمَامِthe bud-sheaths
وَتَرَى فُطُورَ الْوَرْدِ فِي الأكْمَامِ
And you feel the east wind breathe through a garden,
And you feel the breeze's blow in a meadow
And see the roses opening in their bud-sheaths.
And see the roses blooming in buds.
يَاO مُبْدِعاًa creator فِيin فنهhis art وَمُحَلياًand adorning
يَا مُبْدِعاً فِي فنه وَمُحَلياً
يَقَظَاتِنَاour waking hours بِرَوَائِعِwith the wonders of الأحْلاَمِdreams
يَقَظَاتِنَا بِرَوَائِعِ الأحْلاَمِ
O creator in your art, adorning
O creator in his art and inspirer
Our waking hours with wondrous dreams,
Awakening our vigilance with the marvels of dreams!
فِيin الشَّرْقِthe East أَوْor فِيin الغَرْبِthe West لاَno عَجَبٌwonder إذَاif
فِي الشَّرْقِ أَوْ فِي الغَرْبِ لاَ عَجَبٌ إذَا
لُقِّيْتَyou are accorded مَاwhat تَلْقَىyou receive مِنَof الإكْرَامِhonor
لُقِّيْتَ مَا تَلْقَى مِنَ الإكْرَامِ
In East or West, it is no wonder if
In East or West, no wonder if
You are accorded the honor you receive.
You receive what you receive of honors.
حَقُّthe right of النُّبُوغِgenius وَإنَّهُand indeed it لَشَرِيعَةٌis surely a law
حَقُّ النُّبُوغِ وَإنَّهُ لَشَرِيعَةٌ
تُسْتَنَّis enacted فِيamong مَتَبَايِنِthe differing الأَقْوامِpeoples
تُسْتَنَّ فِي مَتَبَايِنِ الأَقْوامِ
It is the right of genius, and indeed a law
The right of genius, and it is indeed a law
Enacted among diverse peoples.
Followed for the diverse peoples.
نِعْمَexcellent is الثَّوَابِthe reward عَلَىfor التَّمَامِperfection وَشَدَّand how great مَاwhat
نِعْمَ الثَّوَابِ عَلَى التَّمَامِ وَشَدَّ مَا
يَتَجَشَّمُendures hardship المِجْوادُthe master artist دُونَbefore تَمَامِperfection
يَتَجَشَّمُ المِجْوادُ دُونَ تَمَامِ
Fine is the reward for perfection—and how much
How excellent the reward for perfection, and how difficult
The master endures before reaching perfection!
What the generous one endures besides perfection!
مَاnot العَبْقَرِيَّةُgenius سَهْلَةٌeasy لِلْمُجْتَنِيfor the gatherer
مَا العَبْقَرِيَّةُ سَهْلَةٌ لِلْمُجْتَنِي
هِيَit مِنْamong ثِمَارِthe fruits of السُّهْدِsleeplessness وَالآلاَمِand pain
هِيَ مِنْ ثِمَارِ السُّهْدِ وَالآلاَمِ
Genius is not easy for its gatherer;
Genius is no easy thing for the picker,
It is among the fruits of sleeplessness and pain.
It is of the fruits of strife and pains.
فَنٌّan art قَصَرْنَاwe confined هَمَّنَاour concern فِيهِin it عَلَىto
فَنٌّ قَصَرْنَا هَمَّنَا فِيهِ عَلَى
عَتَبٍreproach وَأَعْتَابٍand appeasement (apparent spelling error) وَبَثِّand the outpouring of غَرَامِlove
عَتَبٍ وَأَعْتَابٍ وَبَثِّ غَرَامِ
An art in which we confined our concern to
An art whose ambition in it we fell short of
Reproach, appeasement, and outpourings of love,
Steps, courts, and pouring out passions,
وَعَلَىand to نَجِيبٍsobbing (apparent spelling error) خَافَتٍmuted لَمْdid not يَعْدُgo beyond مَاwhat
وَعَلَى نَجِيبٍ خَافَتٍ لَمْ يَعْدُ مَا
يَشْكُوهُhe complains of it ذُوone afflicted with دَنَفٍwasting sickness مِنَof الأسْقَامِillnesses
يَشْكُوهُ ذُو دَنَفٍ مِنَ الأسْقَامِ
And to muted sobbing, never exceeding what
And of gentle, musical, no longer complaining
A man wasted by sickness laments.
Whatever the lovelorn complains of ailments.
حَجَبَveiled السُّرُورَjoy نُطَالِعُwe behold شَمْسُهُits sun
حَجَبَ السُّرُورَ نُطَالِعُ شَمْسُهُ
أرْوَاحَنَاour souls إلاَّexcept وَرَاءَbehind غَمَامِclouds
أرْوَاحَنَا إلاَّ وَرَاءَ غَمَامِ
It has veiled joy; its sun is beheld by
The bliss has veiled its sun from
Our souls only from behind clouds.
Our spirits except behind clouds.
وَتَكَادُand almost بَارِقَةُthe gleam of المُنَىhopes لاَnot تَنْجليshines forth
وَتَكَادُ بَارِقَةُ المُنَى لاَ تَنْجلي
لِعُيُونِنَاto our eyes إلاَّexcept وَهُنَّwhile they are هَوَامِيstreaming with tears
لِعُيُونِنَا إلاَّ وَهُنَّ هَوَامِي
And the gleam of hope can scarcely appear
And the lightning flash of death almost does not shine forth
To our eyes except when they stream with tears.
To our eyes except when they are confused.
أَلشَّرْقُthe East وَهْوَwhile it is مَجَالُthe realm of أرْبَابِmasters of النُّهَىreason
أَلشَّرْقُ وَهْوَ مَجَالُ أرْبَابِ النُّهَى
وَمَصَالُand the arena of أهْلِmen of الْكَرِّcharging وَالإِقْدَامِand daring
وَمَصَالُ أهْلِ الْكَرِّ وَالإِقْدَامِ
The East, the realm of masters of reason,
The Orient, and it is the place of the people of guidance
And the arena of men of charge and daring:
And the haven of the valiant and resolute!
رَانَsettled heavily الكَرَىslumber دَهْراًfor an age عَلَىupon أَجْفَانِهِits eyelids
رَانَ الكَرَى دَهْراً عَلَى أَجْفَانِهِ
فَالْعَيْشُso life مِمَّاbecause of how رَقَّgrew faint شِبْهُa semblance of مَنَامِa dream
فَالْعَيْشُ مِمَّا رَقَّ شِبْهُ مَنَامِ
Slumber has weighed upon its eyelids for an age,
Time let flow its tears upon its eyelids,
So life, grown faint, resembles a dream.
So life is of what has melted away like a dream.
أَخْلِقْhow fitting! بِمُوسِيقَاهُfor its music بَعْدَafter سَرَارِهَاits dark-moon phase
أَخْلِقْ بِمُوسِيقَاهُ بَعْدَ سَرَارِهَا
أَلاَّthat it not تُبَارَىbe rivaled فِيin عُلُوِّthe loftiness of مَقَامِrank
أَلاَّ تُبَارَى فِي عُلُوِّ مَقَامِ
How worthy its music, after its dark-moon phase,
Recreate through its music, after its secret,
To stand unrivaled in exalted rank!
Not to vie in the loftiness of position!
هَلْhas? بُحَّgrown hoarse صَوَتُthe voice of فَخَارِنَاour pride وَكَلامُهُand its speech
هَلْ بُحَّ صَوَتُ فَخَارِنَا وَكَلامُهُ
فِيamong كُلِّevery قَوْمٍpeople فَوْقَabove كُلِّall كَلاَمِspeech
فِي كُلِّ قَوْمٍ فَوْقَ كُلِّ كَلاَمِ
Has the voice of our pride grown hoarse, though its speech
Has the voice of our pots and our talk
Among every people stands above all speech?
In every people risen over all speech?
أَوْor مَاnot لَنَاwe have فِيin تَالِدٍinherited أَوْor طَارِفٍnewly acquired
أَوْ مَا لَنَا فِي تَالِدٍ أَوْ طَارِفٍ
مَجْدٍglory لَهُit has رَجْعٌan echo عَلَىthrough الأَيَّامِthe ages
مَجْدٍ لَهُ رَجْعٌ عَلَى الأَيَّامِ
Or have we not, in what is inherited or newly won,
Or have we in talents or graces
A glory whose echo rings through the ages?
Glory to which time will return?
أَوْor مَاnot لِهَذَاfor this الغِيلِthicket زَأْرٌa roar مُنْذِرٌwarning
أَوْ مَا لِهَذَا الغِيلِ زَأْرٌ مُنْذِرٌ
لِلطَّارِقِينَto those who approach بِيَقْظَةِof the awakening of الضِّرْغَامِthe lion
لِلطَّارِقِينَ بِيَقْظَةِ الضِّرْغَامِ
Or has this thicket no warning roar
Or has this torrent no threatening roar
For those who approach, announcing the lion's awakening?
To the intruders, with the vigilance of eagles?
زِيدُواincrease وَسَائِلَكُمْyour means لِيَرْقَىso that it may rise فَنُّكُمْyour art
زِيدُوا وَسَائِلَكُمْ لِيَرْقَى فَنُّكُمْ
وَيَعِزَّand gain honor بِالغَرَضِthrough the aim الْبِعِيدِfar-reaching السَّامِيlofty
وَيَعِزَّ بِالغَرَضِ الْبِعِيدِ السَّامِي
Increase your means, that your art may rise
Increase your means so your art may rise
And gain honor through a far-reaching, lofty aim.
And soar to the distant, lofty goal!
أَمَّاas for اللُّبَابُthe essence فَلاَthen no مَسَاسَtampering وَلَيْسَand is not مَاwhat
أَمَّا اللُّبَابُ فَلاَ مَسَاسَ وَلَيْسَ مَا
نَبْغِيwe seek سِوَىother than التَّنْويعِvariety وَالإحْكَامِand craftsmanship
نَبْغِي سِوَى التَّنْويعِ وَالإحْكَامِ
As for the essence, no tampering; what
As for talents, do not interfere, and there is nothing
We seek is nothing but variety and craftsmanship.
We desire but diversity and solidity.
Sol 6.1