ماnot لهfor it فيin عظمِthe greatness of الشأْنِstature قريْa peer
ما له في عظمِ الشأْنِ قريْ
كلُّevery جبارٍmighty one يدانيهِcomes near it مهينْlowly
كلُّ جبارٍ يدانيهِ مهينْ
It has no peer in greatness of stature.
He is mighty in stature, every tyrant who challenges him is abased
Every mighty one who comes near it is lowly.
An attribute that has no limit, eyes of onlookers have despaired of perceiving it
سمةٌa distinction ليسthere is not لهاfor it منany غايةٍlimit
سمةٌ ليس لها من غايةٍ
حسرتْgrew weary عنهاshort of it عيونُthe eyes of الناظرينْthe onlookers
حسرتْ عنها عيونُ الناظرينْ
A distinction with no limit,
If I sensed any weakness in him, the Commander of the Faithful would have feared him first
before which onlookers' eyes grow weary.
He fills the eyes that overflow with tears, and terrifies the soul until it surrenders
أَناI إِنْif أَوجستُfelt منهof it خيفةًa fear
أَنا إِنْ أَوجستُ منه خيفةً
خافهfeared it قبليbefore me أَميرُthe Commander of المؤمنينthe Faithful
خافه قبلي أَميرُ المؤمنين
If I have felt a fear of it,
The earth is not his equal, can left and right ever be the same?
the Commander of the Faithful feared it before me.
His insides are turbulent with life, while the insides of the earth are a burial ground for all peoples
يملأُfills العينَthe eye فتغضيso it lowers its gaze فَرَقاًin fear
يملأُ العينَ فتغضي فَرَقاً
ويهولُand awes النفسَthe soul حتىuntil تستكينْit submits
ويهولُ النفسَ حتى تستكينْ
It fills the eye, so it lowers its gaze in fear,
In its depths there is nothing but intense heat, yet the sea holds many a precious treasure
and awes the soul until it submits.
The heavens draw their rain from him, so if he boasts of generosity he is veracious
ليستِis not الأَرضُthe earth لهfor it كفؤاًan equal وهلْand can
ليستِ الأَرضُ له كفؤاً وهلْ
تستويbe equal يوماًever شمالٌleft ويمينْand right
تستوي يوماً شمالٌ ويمينْ
The earth is no match for it—can
Each day the sun prostrates to him, as if the sun were indebted to the sea
left and right ever be equal?
Blushing like a rose in the embrace of rosy cheeks, it throws itself into his embrace
جوفهُits interior مضطربُa bustling abode of الأَحياءِthe living إِذْwhereas
جوفهُ مضطربُ الأَحياءِ إِذْ
جوفهاher interior مقبرةٌa graveyard للعالمينْfor all beings
جوفها مقبرةٌ للعالمينْ
Its depths teem with the living, whereas
Many alluring scenes and meanings beyond count are displayed over him
the earth's depths are a graveyard for all beings.
The playfulness of youth in the prime of life, and the majesty of old age with the certainty of experience
ليسthere is not فيin قيعانِهاher depths غيرُother than لظىblazing fire
ليس في قيعانِها غيرُ لظى
وبقاعِand in the depths of البحرِthe sea كمhow many كنزٍa treasure ثمينْprecious
وبقاعِ البحرِ كم كنزٍ ثمينْ
In her depths there is nothing but blazing fire,
And the expansive wishes lushly green, firm of resolve and sturdy determination
yet in the sea's depths, how many precious treasures!
The sea's foam on its blueness is stars of diverse colors
السماthe sky منهfrom it استمدتْdrew غيثَهاits rain
السما منه استمدتْ غيثَها
فهوso it إِنْif يفخرboasts بالجودِof generosity قمينْdeserving
فهو إِنْ يفخر بالجودِ قمينْ
The sky drew its rain from it,
Despite the breadth of his chest, he is of fierce temper, kin to demented fools
so, if it boasts of generosity, it is justified.
Was he once clothed by a heavenly being? I wonder, or has he been touched by madness?
كلُّevery يومٍday تسجدُprostrates herself الشمسُthe sun لهbefore it
كلُّ يومٍ تسجدُ الشمسُ له
فكأَنَّso it is as though الشمسَthe sun بالبحرِin the sea تدينprofesses faith
فكأَنَّ الشمسَ بالبحرِ تدين
Every day the sun prostrates herself before it,
As the current rises above a mountain, with it a valley that awes onlookers
as though the sun professed faith in the sea.
Do you suppose its waves are but his breaths, echoing between sigh and moan?
ترتميflings herself فيinto حضنهِits embrace محمرَّةًreddened
ترتمي في حضنهِ محمرَّةً
خجلاًin shyness كالرودِlike a tender maiden فيin حضنِthe embrace of خدينa lover
خجلاً كالرودِ في حضنِ خدين
She flings herself into its embrace, flushed red,
They are nothing but a raging people, who have declared war on the colonizers
bashful, like a tender maiden in a lover's arms.
Horde after horde mounting them, warring like advancing troops
كمhow many تراءَتْappeared صورٌimages خلاّبةٌenchanting
كم تراءَتْ صورٌ خلاّبةٌ
ومعانٍand meanings فوقهabove it لاnot ينقضينْcome to an end
ومعانٍ فوقه لا ينقضينْ
How many enchanting images have appeared,
The morning breeze blew in his face, lifting him like a frown on the brow
and meanings above it that never end:
And the waves appeared in him as dimples, tickled by the flirts of the playful
مرحُthe gaiety of الشبّانِyoung men فيin شرخِthe prime of الصَباyouth
مرحُ الشبّانِ في شرخِ الصَبا
وجلالُand the majesty of الشيبِgray hair معwith بردِthe coolness of اليقينْcertainty
وجلالُ الشيبِ مع بردِ اليقينْ
the gaiety of young men in the prime of youth,
He is gentle, undisfigured by any harshness - many a harsh man would be better than him if gentle
and the majesty of gray hair with the coolness of certainty;
The anxiety in his entrails is like that of a lover when suppressed passion ignites within his bowels
وفسيحاتُand broad expanses of المنىhope مخضرّةٌverdant
وفسيحاتُ المنى مخضرّةٌ
وشديدُand intense البأْسِmight والعزمِand resolve المتينْfirm
وشديدُ البأْسِ والعزمِ المتينْ
and broad expanses of hope, verdant,
I stood in his surge while dawn still lurked inside the blackness of night, an embryo yet unborn
and fierce might and steadfast resolve.
And the sea birds in their flocks calling to each other like the sails of ships
زبدُthe foam of الموجِthe waves عَلَىupon زرقتهِits blueness
زبدُ الموجِ عَلَى زرقتهِ
أَنجمٌstars فيamid حالكاتِpitch-dark اللونِin hue جونjet-black
أَنجمٌ في حالكاتِ اللونِ جون
The waves' foam upon its blue
I said to the flock as it approached from the horizon: my heart is his captive
is stars amid pitch-black darkness.
O you who cut across the sea's expanse, do you have a pact with the tribes of Qais?
معdespite ماwhat فيis in صدرِهِits breast منof سعةٍbreadth
مع ما في صدرِهِ من سعةٍ
شرسُfierce الخلقِin temperament أَخوpossessed of حمْقٍfoolishness حرونstubborn
شرسُ الخلقِ أَخو حمْقٍ حرون
Despite all the breadth within its breast,
Then the inclination of my heart - the orbits of passion, the home of loved ones, sanctuary of the oppressed
it is fierce of temper, foolish and stubborn.
A neighbor whom endless time has wronged, she has no constant supporter against injustice
هلhas ...? عراهassailed it طائفٌa specter منfrom جنةٍthe jinn
هل عراه طائفٌ من جنةٍ
ليتَwould that شعريmy knowing أَمor بهin it مسُّa touch of جنونmadness
ليتَ شعري أَم به مسُّ جنون
Has a specter of the jinn assailed it?
Does she know that, because of separation, there is a lad who yearning has nearly wasted away to the spine?
Would that I knew—or is it touched by madness?
He has wished to fly to Damascus with a cleft spine, or cross the Styx
بينماwhile التيارُthe current يعلوrises جبلاًmountain-high
بينما التيارُ يعلو جبلاً
إِذْsuddenly بهthere it is وادٍa valley يهولُterrifies المبصرينthe onlookers
إِذْ به وادٍ يهولُ المبصرين
While the current rises mountain-high,
Like a fledgling whose wings longed to take flight to the nest, but the time was unripe
suddenly it is a valley that terrifies onlookers.
The fledgling whose wings survive confinement, still remains imprisoned after the lengthy jail term
أَترىdo you think أَمواجَهits waves أَنفاسَهُits breaths
أَترى أَمواجَه أَنفاسَهُ
رُدِّدتwere repeated بينbetween شهيقٍa gasp وأَنينand a groan
رُدِّدت بين شهيقٍ وأَنين
Do you suppose its waves are its breaths,
By my father and mother, it is the sanctuary of hopes and the mighty fortress
repeated between a gasp and a groan?
God give them strength - they sacrificed their souls for it, with the Trustworthy Spirit
لمnot تكنْthey were إِلاّexcept كشعبٍlike a people ثائرٍin revolt
لم تكنْ إِلاّ كشعبٍ ثائرٍ
شنَّهاlaunched it حرباًas war عَلَىagainst المستعمرينthe colonizers
شنَّها حرباً عَلَى المستعمرين
They were just like a people in revolt,
And they longed, if only they could scent the horizon of Syria, or cut across the Styx
who launched a war against the colonizers.
جحفلٌa host يركبُrides over منهاof them جحفلاًa host
جحفلٌ يركبُ منها جحفلاً
يتعادىraces كجنودٍlike soldiers زاحفينadvancing
يتعادى كجنودٍ زاحفين
One host of them rides over another,
racing like advancing soldiers.
نَفَخَتْblew فيinto وجههits face ريحُwind الصَباthe east wind
نَفَخَتْ في وجهه ريحُ الصَبا
فعلاهso it covered it مثلthe likeness of تغضينِthe furrowing of الجبينْthe brow
فعلاه مثل تغضينِ الجبينْ
The east wind blew upon its face,
and something like the furrowing of a brow came over it.
وتراءَىand appeared الموجُthe waves فيهin it عُكَناًfolds of flesh
وتراءَى الموجُ فيه عُكَناً
دغدغتهاtickled them غمزاتُthe pinches of العابثينthose at play
دغدغتها غمزاتُ العابثين
And the waves upon it appeared as folds of flesh,
tickled by the pinches of those at play.
لَيِّنٌgentle ماnot فدحتهhas burdened it قسوةٌharshness
لَيِّنٌ ما فدحته قسوةٌ
ربَّmany a قاسٍharsh one كانwas أَجدىmore useful منهthan him لينa gentle one
ربَّ قاسٍ كان أَجدى منه لين
It is gentle, unburdened by harshness;
many a harsh one has proved less useful than a gentle one.
قلقُrestless الأَحشاءِin the innermost depths كالعاشقِlike a lover إِنْif
قلقُ الأَحشاءِ كالعاشقِ إِنْ
ثارsurged فيin أَحشائِهhis innermost depths وجدٌpassion دفينburied
ثار في أَحشائِه وجدٌ دفين
Restless in its depths, like a lover when
a buried passion surges in his innermost depths.
قمتُI stood فيon عدوتهِits shore والفجرُand dawn ماnot
قمتُ في عدوتهِ والفجرُ ما
زالَhad ceased فيin جوفِthe womb of الدجىdarkness بعدyet جنينan embryo
زالَ في جوفِ الدجى بعد جنين
I stood on its shore while dawn was still
an embryo, as yet, in the womb of darkness.
وطيورُand the birds of البحرِthe sea فيin أَسرابِهاtheir flocks
وطيورُ البحرِ في أَسرابِها
تتهادىglide gracefully كشراعاتِlike the sails of السفينships
تتهادى كشراعاتِ السفين
And the seabirds in their flocks
glided gracefully like ships' sails.
قلتُI said للسربِto the flock وقدْand already أَقبلَapproached منfrom
قلتُ للسربِ وقدْ أَقبلَ من
أُفقٍa horizon: قلبيmy heart بهin it عانcaptive رهينheld in pledge
أُفقٍ: قلبي به عان رهين
I said to the flock, which had come from
a horizon where my heart is captive, held in pledge:
أَيهاO you القاطعُwho cross عرضَthe breadth of البحرِthe sea هلْhave ...?
أَيها القاطعُ عرضَ البحرِ هلْ
لكَfor you عهدٌacquaintance بروابيwith the hills of قاسيونQasioun
لكَ عهدٌ بروابي قاسيون
O you who cross the sea's breadth, have
you any acquaintance with the hills of Qasioun?
ثمَّthere مهوىthe beloved haven of القلبthe heart داراتُthe dwellings of الهوىlove
ثمَّ مهوى القلب داراتُ الهوى
منزلthe home of الأَهلِthe family حمىthe refuge of المستضعفينthe oppressed
منزل الأَهلِ حمى المستضعفين
There lies the heart's haven, the dwellings of love,
the family's home, the refuge of the oppressed.
جيرةٌneighbors جارwas unjust عليهاto them دهرهاtheir times
جيرةٌ جار عليها دهرها
ماnot عَلَىagainst الجورِinjustice لهاfor them قطُّever معينa helper
ما عَلَى الجورِ لها قطُّ معين
Neighbors whom their times have wronged,
who have never had a helper against injustice.
هلْhave ...? درتْthey learned أَنthat عَلَىat النأْيِa distance فتىa young man
هلْ درتْ أَن عَلَى النأْيِ فتى
كادَnearly يرديهkills him إِلىfor الشامal-Sham الحنينlonging
كادَ يرديه إِلى الشام الحنين
Have they learned that, far away, a young man
has almost been slain by longing for al-Sham?
فلقدْfor indeed ودَّhe wished بجدعِat the cost of cutting off الأَنفِthe nose لوif only
فلقدْ ودَّ بجدعِ الأَنفِ لو
شامَhe beheld أُفقَthe horizon of الشامِal-Sham أَوor قطعsevering الوتينthe aorta
شامَ أُفقَ الشامِ أَو قطع الوتين
For he has wished, at the price of his nose being cut off,
to glimpse al-Sham's horizon—or at the price of his aorta being severed.
كمهيضٍlike one crippled جنحهhis wing ودَّhe wished لوif only أَنْthat
كمهيضٍ جنحه ودَّ لو أَنْ
طارَhe flew للوكرِto the nest ولكنْand yet لاتit is not حينthe time
طارَ للوكرِ ولكنْ لات حين
Like a bird with a broken wing, he wished he could
fly to its nest—but it is too late.
والذيand one who ينجوescapes مهيضاًcrippled جنحُهُhis wing
والذي ينجو مهيضاً جنحُهُ
بعدَafter طولِthe length of السجنِimprisonment ماnot زالَhas ceased to be سجينa prisoner
بعدَ طولِ السجنِ ما زالَ سجين
And one who escapes with his wing broken,
after long imprisonment, remains a prisoner.
بأَبيwith my father as ransom الشامَal-Sham وأُميand my mother إِنهاindeed she is
بأَبي الشامَ وأُمي إِنها
كعبتُthe Kaaba of الآمالِhopes والحصنُand the fortress الحصينimpregnable
كعبتُ الآمالِ والحصنُ الحصين
May my father and mother be al-Sham's ransom! She is
the Kaaba of hopes and the impregnable fortress.
وأَمدَّand may He strengthen اللهُGod قواماًguardians بذلواthey offered
وأَمدَّ اللهُ قواماً بذلوا
دونَهاin her defense الأَرواحَtheir lives بالروحِwith the Spirit الأمينthe trustworthy
دونَها الأَرواحَ بالروحِ الأمين
And may God strengthen the guardians who offered
their lives in her defense, with the Trustworthy Spirit.
Partial English translation: 37 of 72 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1