وترٌ على شطّ المنيّةِ غافي

وترٌ على شطّ المنيّةِ غافي

شُلّتْ عليه أناملُ العزافِ

شُلّتْ عليه أناملُ العزافِ

A string slumbers on death's shore.

A string on the shore of mortality asleep,

The musician's fingertips lie paralyzed upon it.

Upon it the fingers of time have crept.

ماتت أغاني الروح فوق مهادهِ

ماتت أغاني الروح فوق مهادهِ

وذوت رُؤَى الأشباح والأطيافِ

وذوت رُؤَى الأشباح والأطيافِ

The soul's songs died upon its resting place.

The songs of the soul died over its bed,

And visions of apparitions and phantoms withered.

Visions of ghosts and specters have melted.

يا مَنْ عشقتَ نشيدَهُ متسلسلاً

يا مَنْ عشقتَ نشيدَهُ متسلسلاً

من هائجٍ صخبٍ ومن هفّافِ

من هائجٍ صخبٍ ومن هفّافِ

O you who loved its song as it flowed,

O you who loved his chant continuously

From raging clamor and from airy gentleness,

From the tumultuous clamor and rustling.

إن كنتَ ذا حدبٍ عليه ورحمةٍ

إن كنتَ ذا حدبٍ عليه ورحمةٍ

مزّق بقلبك سترَ كلّ شغافِ

مزّق بقلبك سترَ كلّ شغافِ

If you have tenderness and mercy for it,

If you have sympathy and compassion for him,

With your heart, rend the veil of every heart's core.

Tear with your heart the veil of all screens.

قد كان مُلهمهُ الحبيبُ منعّماً

قد كان مُلهمهُ الحبيبُ منعّماً

في زورقٍ حولَ الضُّحى طوّافِ

في زورقٍ حولَ الضُّحى طوّافِ

Its beloved muse once lived in bliss,

His inspiring beloved was blissful,

In a skiff circling the morning light.

In a boat circling the glow of dawn.

ملاّحُهُ ملكٌ يقودُ زِمامهُ

ملاّحُهُ ملكٌ يقودُ زِمامهُ

في هالةٍ من نورهِ الرفّافِ

في هالةٍ من نورهِ الرفّافِ

His boatman was an angel guiding its reins,

Its sailor, a king leading its reins,

Within a halo of his shimmering light.

In a halo of his gentle light.

يسري به والطّهر مدّ شراعهُ

يسري به والطّهر مدّ شراعهُ

لجلال مرفأةٍ وقُدس ضفافِ

لجلال مرفأةٍ وقُدس ضفافِ

He sailed with him, while purity unfurled his sail,

It sails with him while purity spreads its sail,

Toward a harbor's majesty and the sanctity of shores.

For the glory of its harbor and holiness of its banks.

في جوقة النّوتيّ أيقظ روحه

في جوقة النّوتيّ أيقظ روحه

شجنُ المساء بهمسة الزّفزاف

شجنُ المساء بهمسة الزّفزاف

In the boatman's chorus, his soul was awakened

In the chorus of the lutes he awakened his soul,

By evening's melancholy, through the gusting wind's whisper.

The melody of evening with the whisper of the breeze.

فشدا ورنّم والطيور حياله

فشدا ورنّم والطيور حياله

خرس الحناجر هجّع الأطراف

خرس الحناجر هجّع الأطراف

So he sang and chanted, while the birds before him,

So he sang, and the birds around him fell silent,

Mute-throated, their limbs at rest,

Their throats muted, their wings folded.

تصغي له نشوى كأنّ هتافهُ

تصغي له نشوى كأنّ هتافهُ

زفّ الصدى لقوادمٍ وخوافي

زفّ الصدى لقوادمٍ وخوافي

Listened to him enraptured, as though his call

The groves listened to him as if his call

Had led the echo as a bride to primary and secondary feathers.

Rang with reverberations and murmurs.

وهبت له مزمارها فأعارهُ

وهبت له مزمارها فأعارهُ

لحن الضحى وقصيدةَ المجداف

لحن الضحى وقصيدةَ المجداف

They gave him their flute, and he lent it

They lent him their lutes, so he borrowed

The morning's melody and the oar's poem.

The tune of dawn and the poem of the oars.

واليمّ صديان الحشا متلّهفٌ

واليمّ صديان الحشا متلّهفٌ

ظَمِئاً لشدو السابح الهتّاف

ظَمِئاً لشدو السابح الهتّاف

And the sea, parched at heart, was yearning,

The waves of the gulf thirsty and eager

Thirsting for the swimming singer's song.

For the chant of the swimming crier.

والكون أشيبُ خدّرَتهُ نُفاثَةٌ

والكون أشيبُ خدّرَتهُ نُفاثَةٌ

هاجت بها ذكرٌ لديهِ خوافي

هاجت بها ذكرٌ لديهِ خوافي

And the gray-haired universe was entranced by a breath

The universe grew old, made drowsy

That stirred memories hidden within it.

By a memory that stirred dormant sorrows in him.

يا من رأى الدنيا تحار سفينةً

يا من رأى الدنيا تحار سفينةً

تجري على نور الصباح الضافي

تجري على نور الصباح الضافي

O you who saw the world bewildered as a ship

O you who saw the world lost like a ship

Sailing upon the morning's overflowing light,

Sailing in the light of the radiant dawn.

وأتى المساء لحظّها متجهماً

وأتى المساء لحظّها متجهماً

يطوي السنا بحوالك الأسداف

يطوي السنا بحوالك الأسداف

And evening came, scowling upon its fortune,

And evening came scowling at its moment,

Folding the radiance into pitch-black veils of darkness,

Folding the brilliance in your enveloping darkness.

دجوان مصطخب الرياح تنوح في

دجوان مصطخب الرياح تنوح في

قلب الدجى بالزعزع القصّافِ

قلب الدجى بالزعزع القصّافِ

Dark, its winds in tumult, wailing within

The night demons weeping in the gloomy heart of night,

The heart of night in a shattering gale.

With the shaking of the violent winds.

فتهافت الملاّح يطلب نجوةً

فتهافت الملاّح يطلب نجوةً

من يمّه المتوثب الرجّاف

من يمّه المتوثب الرجّاف

Then the boatman rushed desperately, seeking refuge

So the sailors fell into disarray seeking salvation,

From his surging, shuddering sea.

From the raging, leaping sea.

سبق الردى لكَ يا مُؤمّل خُلده

سبق الردى لكَ يا مُؤمّل خُلده

وطحا به الريح العتيُّ السافي

وطحا به الريح العتيُّ السافي

Death forestalled you, O you who hoped for his immortality,

Ruin came to you, O hopeful of eternity,

And the fierce, dust-driving wind swept him away.

And fate cast you down with its raging wind.

سل عنه في يوم استفانو موقفاً

سل عنه في يوم استفانو موقفاً

خلت الوقوف به على الأعرافِ

خلت الوقوف به على الأعرافِ

Ask a scene on Stefano's day to tell you of him—

Ask about him one day when all stand

You thought standing there was standing on the Heights.

Leaving their places at the partition.

كفٌّ مطهرةٌ تصافح أختها

كفٌّ مطهرةٌ تصافح أختها

فيقال آثمةٌ منَ الأجحاف

فيقال آثمةٌ منَ الأجحاف

A purified hand shakes its sister hand,

A purified hand shakes its sister’s,

And is called sinful out of injustice.

And it is said, wicked, from the unjust.

وتروح كفّ الظلم تبسط خمسها

وتروح كفّ الظلم تبسط خمسها

نِقماً وتُسرفُ أيّما إسرافِ

نِقماً وتُسرفُ أيّما إسرافِ

And oppression's hand goes on spreading its five fingers

While the hand of injustice extends its five fingers,

In vengeance, indulging in utter excess.

Wreaking vengeance and utter excess.

والله يشهد أنها ما استأثمت

والله يشهد أنها ما استأثمت

يوما ويشهد ساحل المصطاف

يوما ويشهد ساحل المصطاف

And God bears witness that it never sinned,

And God bears witness it never sinned

Ever; the summer resort's shore bears witness too.

A day, and the coast of the Chosen bears witness.

مُذْريَّةٌ مَدّتْ أناملها هوى

مُذْريَّةٌ مَدّتْ أناملها هوى

ومحبّةً تهفو لخلٍّ وافِ

ومحبّةً تهفو لخلٍّ وافِ

It stretched out its fingertips, scattering passion

A blameless hand reached out in love

And love, yearning for a faithful friend.

And affection yearning for the loyal.

فيحُوطُها الشكّ وينبري

فيحُوطُها الشكّ وينبري

لعقابها اللاحي بلا إنصاف

لعقابها اللاحي بلا إنصاف

Then suspicion surrounds it, and forward comes

But doubt assails her

To punish it, the censurer, without fairness.

And intolerance unjustly rises to punish her.

وهيَ التي لو لامست قلب الصفا

وهيَ التي لو لامست قلب الصفا

لأذاع عطر الروح للمُستافِ

لأذاع عطر الروح للمُستافِ

Yet it is the hand that, had it touched the heart of stone,

That hand - if it touched the heart of purity

That heart would have spread the soul's fragrance to the scent-seeker.

Would spread the scent of the soul to the perceiver.

وعقيدةً كادت تُضيءُ قداسةً

وعقيدةً كادت تُضيءُ قداسةً

إن غال صبح القوم ليلُ خلافِ

إن غال صبح القوم ليلُ خلافِ

And a creed that nearly shone with holiness,

A creed that almost illuminated holiness

If a night of discord devoured the people's dawn.

When the dawn of the people darkened in discord.

إن عاش فيها المُستضامُ فَراهةً

إن عاش فيها المُستضامُ فَراهةً

فهوَ الذي يَرضى بعيش كفافِ

فهوَ الذي يَرضى بعيش كفافِ

If the oppressed man lived within it in ease,

If the oppressed live in it honorably,

Then he is one content to live on barely enough.

It is he who accepts a meager living.

شرفُ الجهادِ عقيدةٌ لم يُغوها

شرفُ الجهادِ عقيدةٌ لم يُغوها

بهجُ الحليِّ وبهرجُ الأفوافِ

بهجُ الحليِّ وبهرجُ الأفوافِ

The nobility of striving is a creed never seduced

The honor of struggle is a creed not seduced

By jewels' splendor or the gaudy show of striped fabrics.

By the splendor of adornment and din of temptations.

يا أمةً يُسقى المداهن بينها

يا أمةً يُسقى المداهن بينها

شهد المنى والحر كأس زعافِ

شهد المنى والحر كأس زعافِ

O nation where the sycophant is given to drink

O nation whose sincere are given the wine of bitterness to drink

The honey of hopes, and the free man a cup of deadly poison.

While the pretentious enjoy the drink of joy.

ويعيش أحرار العقول بظلها

ويعيش أحرار العقول بظلها

غرباء من عنت الزمان الجافي

غرباء من عنت الزمان الجافي

And free thinkers live beneath its shadow,

And the free of mind live as strangers in its shade,

As strangers, through the hardship of callous time.

Alienated by the enmity of the arid times.

أفمنْ يظل على المبادئِ ثابتاً

أفمنْ يظل على المبادئِ ثابتاً

قذّفتِهِ في البؤس شرّ قذاف

قذّفتِهِ في البؤس شرّ قذاف

So one who remains steadfast in his principles—

Is he who remains steadfast in principle

Have you hurled him into misery with the cruelest throw?

Cast by you into misery in the worst way?

ودفنت في وضر الجحود ضياءهُ

ودفنت في وضر الجحود ضياءهُ

دفنَ الثرى للجوهر الشفّاف

دفنَ الثرى للجوهر الشفّاف

And buried his light in the grime of ingratitude,

And you buried in the darkness of ingratitude his brilliance,

As earth buries a transparent jewel?

As the earth buries the translucent jewel?

ماذا عليك إذا سقيت غراسهُ

ماذا عليك إذا سقيت غراسهُ

حيًّا وقد أولاكِ عذب قطافِ

حيًّا وقد أولاكِ عذب قطافِ

What would it cost you to water his plantings

What is it to you if you watered his sapling

While he lived, after he had given you a sweet harvest?

While living, though death has given you the ripe fruits?

كرّمتهِ بعد الممات ومنْ سوى

كرّمتهِ بعد الممات ومنْ سوى

كفّيكِ زفّ الموت أيّ زفاف

كفّيكِ زفّ الموت أيّ زفاف

You honored him after death; and who but

You honored him after death while none but

Your two hands ushered death in such a bridal procession?

The touch of your hands announced any wedding.

قد كان في الصمت المجاهد آيةً

قد كان في الصمت المجاهد آيةً

أعيت سرائرها حجا الوصّاف

أعيت سرائرها حجا الوصّاف

He was a marvel in the striving silence,

In his silent struggle he was a sign,

Whose mysteries baffled the describer's mind.

Whose mysteries exhausted the perceptions of the insightful.

نارٌ تئزّ بجدولٍ مترقرقٍ

نارٌ تئزّ بجدولٍ مترقرقٍ

ولظًى يشبّ بزنبقٍ رفراف

ولظًى يشبّ بزنبقٍ رفراف

A fire crackles in a rippling stream,

A fire blazing in a rippling brook,

And a flame flares up in a fluttering lily,

And flames igniting in swaying meadows,

وذبالةٌ تذكي الفناء لعُمرها

وذبالةٌ تذكي الفناء لعُمرها

وخيوطها بالنور جدّ ضوافي

وخيوطها بالنور جدّ ضوافي

And a wick kindles its own life's extinction,

And a lamp lighting up the temple in its life,

And its threads brim richly with light.

Its threads illuminated with abundant light.

هو ذا الجهاد فلا تقل بُوقَ اللُّهى

هو ذا الجهاد فلا تقل بُوقَ اللُّهى

يَهذي بطنطنةٍ ورجفِ هتافِ

يَهذي بطنطنةٍ ورجفِ هتافِ

This is striving; do not raise the trumpet of bribes,

This is the struggle, so do not utter platitudes,

Raving with clamor and quavering cries.

Raving madly with quivering clamor.

كم حكمةٍ صرخت بمنطق شاعرٍ

كم حكمةٍ صرخت بمنطق شاعرٍ

ونصيبهُ منها خيال خُرافي

ونصيبهُ منها خيال خُرافي

How many a wise saying cried out through a poet's speech,

How much wisdom cried out in a poet's expression,

Yet his share of it is a fanciful illusion.

Yet his share of it was fanciful imagination!