تخَيَّلْتُI imagined أَنَّيthat I عِشْتُhad lived مِنfrom قَبلُbefore حِقْبَةًan age
تخَيَّلْتُ أَنَّي عِشْتُ مِن قَبلُ حِقْبَةً
وأَنَّand that حَياتيmy life واقِعٌa reality يَتَكَرَّرُrepeats itself!
وأَنَّ حَياتي واقِعٌ يَتَكَرَّرُ!
I imagined that I had lived through an age before,
I imagined that I had lived an age before,
and that my life was a reality repeating itself!
And that my life was a reality repeating itself!
فقدfor indeed كُنْتُI was طَيْراًa bird فيin الفضاءِthe sky مُحَلَّقاًsoaring
فقد كُنْتُ طَيْراً في الفضاءِ مُحَلَّقاً
يَفِىءُreturns إلىto إِلْفٍa mate بهwith whom العُشُّthe nest أَخْضَرُgreen!
يَفِىءُ إلى إِلْفٍ به العُشُّ أَخْضَرُ!
For once I was a bird, soaring in the open sky,
For I had been a bird soaring in the sky,
returning to a mate with whom the nest flourished!
Returning to a mate, with whom the nest was green!
حَنُونtender-hearted. فماso never تَلْقاهyou meet it إلاَّexcept مُغَرِّداًsinging
حَنُون. فما تَلْقاه إلاَّ مُغَرِّداً
ومِنand from حَوْلِهِaround it الأَّشجارُthe trees تُشْذِيgive fragrance وتُثْمرُand bear fruit!
ومِن حَوْلِهِ الأَّشجارُ تُشْذِي وتُثْمرُ!
Tender-hearted—you would find that bird only singing,
Tender-hearted—you never met it except in song,
while all around it the trees sang and bore fruit!
And around it the trees gave fragrance and bore fruit!
ولكنَّهbut it يَخْشىfears الجوارحَbirds of prey تَرتَميhurl themselves..
ولكنَّه يَخْشى الجوارحَ تَرتَمي..
عليهupon it . وتَنْقَضُّand swoop انْقِضاضاًa swooping attack يُدَمِّرُthat destroys!
عليه . وتَنْقَضُّ انْقِضاضاً يُدَمِّرُ!
Yet it feared the birds of prey hurling themselves...
But it feared the birds of prey that hurled themselves
upon it, swooping in a devastating plunge!
Upon it, swooping down in a devastating attack!
ومَرَّتْand passed سنُونٌyears أوor قُرونٌcenturies تَصَرَّمَتْelapsed
ومَرَّتْ سنُونٌ أو قُرونٌ تَصَرَّمَتْ
عَلَيَّover me. وماand not أّدرِيI know. فَإِنِّيfor I مُسَيَّرُam driven along!
عَلَيَّ. وما أّدرِي. فَإِنِّي مُسَيَّرُ!
Years—or perhaps centuries—passed
And years passed, or centuries elapsed
over it; I cannot tell, for I am swept onward!
Over me—I know not, for I am driven along!
فإِذْthen suddenly أناI صَقْرٌa falcon فيin الفضاءِthe sky مُحَوِّمٌcircling
فإِذْ أنا صَقْرٌ في الفضاءِ مُحَوِّمٌ
لهit has صَوْلَةٌmight مُخْتالَهٌhaughty تَتَبَخْتَرُstruts!
له صَوْلَةٌ مُخْتالَهٌ تَتَبَخْتَرُ!
Then suddenly I was a hawk circling in the sky,
Then suddenly I was a falcon circling in the sky,
with mighty swoops, swaggering and strutting!
Possessed of a haughty, swaggering might!
يُفَتَّشُsearches فيin أَجْوائِهِits skies عنfor فَرِيسَةٍprey
يُفَتَّشُ في أَجْوائِهِ عن فَرِيسَةٍ
بلاَwithout رَحْمَةٍmercy يَنْقَضُّswoops ثمthen يُسَيْطِرُdominates!
بلاَ رَحْمَةٍ يَنْقَضُّ ثم يُسَيْطِرُ!
It searched the reaches of the heavens for prey,
It searched its skies for prey,
then, mercilessly, swooped and flew away!
Swooping without mercy, then taking command!
يُصيدُhunts.. ويَطْوىand quells جُوعَهُits hunger غَيْرَnot آبِةٍheedful
يُصيدُ.. ويَطْوى جُوعَهُ غَيْرَ آبِةٍ
بِشيءٍabout anything. فإَنَّfor indeed الصَّيْدَthe hunt رِزْقٌsustenance مُقَدَّرُordained!
بِشيءٍ. فإَنَّ الصَّيْدَ رِزْقٌ مُقَدَّرُ!
It hunted and stilled its hunger, heedless
It hunted and stilled its hunger, heedless
of anything—for prey is sustenance ordained!
Of anything, for the hunt was sustenance ordained!
ويأْويand shelters إلىin عُشَّa nest مُرِيحٍcomfortable مُنَعَّمmade blissful
ويأْوي إلى عُشَّ مُرِيحٍ مُنَعَّم
بأفراخِهِwith its chicks . وهوand it is الحَصِينُfortified المُسَوَّرُwalled about!
بأفراخِهِ . وهو الحَصِينُ المُسَوَّرُ!
And it took refuge in a comfortable, luxuriant nest,
And it sheltered in a comfortable nest, blessed
with its chicks, secure and fortified within!
With its chicks, secure and walled about!
وضِقْتُand I grew weary بهذاof this العَيْشِlife ذَرْعاَin endurance فَرَدَّنيso it returned me
وضِقْتُ بهذا العَيْشِ ذَرْعاَ فَرَدَّني
قَضائِيmy fate إلىto ماwhat كنْتُI was أَخشىI fear وأَحذَرُand I dread!
قَضائِي إلى ما كنْتُ أَخشى وأَحذَرُ!
I grew utterly weary of this life, and it returned me—
And I could bear this life no longer, so back I was sent
my fate—to what I had feared and shunned!
By my fate to what I used to fear and dread!
غَدَوْتُI became هِزَبْراًa lion يسْتبِيحُseizes freely بِحَوْلهِby its might
غَدَوْتُ هِزَبْراً يسْتبِيحُ بِحَوْلهِ
وقُوَّتهand its strength ماwhatever شاءَit wished .. يَنْهىforbids وَيأْمُرُand commands!
وقُوَّته ما شاءَ .. يَنْهى وَيأْمُرُ!
I became a lion, ravaging freely by its might,
I became a lion that seized, by its might
and by its strength forbidding and commanding whatever it wished!
And strength, whatever it wished, forbidding and commanding!
كماlike المَلِكthe king الجَبَّارtyrannical تَعْنوsubmit لِحُكْمِهِto his rule
كما المَلِك الجَبَّار تَعْنو لِحُكْمِهِ
رَعِيَّتُهُhis subjects. لوeven if غاصَsank فيinto الصَّدْرِthe breast خَنْجَرُa dagger!
رَعِيَّتُهُ. لو غاصَ في الصَّدْرِ خَنْجَرُ!
Like a tyrannical king, before whose rule
Like a tyrant king, whose rule is obeyed
his subjects bow, though a dagger plunge into the breast!
By his subjects, even if a dagger sinks into the breast!
لهhe has مَأْكَلٌfood منهمfrom them. لهُhe has خَيْرُthe finest مَشْرَبٍdrink
له مَأْكَلٌ منهم. لهُ خَيْرُ مَشْرَبٍ
وهمand they طَوْعُobedient to ماwhatever يُمليhe dictates وماand whatever يَتَخَيَّرُhe chooses!
وهم طَوْعُ ما يُملي وما يَتَخَيَّرُ!
From them came his food, and from them his finest drink;
From them comes his food; his is the finest drink,
they obeyed whatever he dictated and chose!
And they obey whatever he dictates and chooses!
وقدand perhaps يَسْتويbecomes equal ماwhat بَيْنَهُمbetween them فَتَرُوهُمْso you see them
وقد يَسْتوي ما بَيْنَهُم فَتَرُوهُمْ
بَراثِنُclaws حُمْرٌcrimson تَسْتذِلُّhumiliate وتُنْذَرُand warn!
بَراثِنُ حُمْرٌ تَسْتذِلُّ وتُنْذَرُ!
And should all among them become equal, you would see them
And things among them may become equal, so you see them
as crimson claws that abase and threaten!
As crimson claws that abase and warn!
شَقِتُI grew wretched فَنادانيso it called to me غَدٌa morrow مُتَذَمِّرٌdisgruntled
شَقِتُ فَناداني غَدٌ مُتَذَمِّرٌ
خَسئْتَbe disgraced فَبِئْسَso vile is الظَّالِمُthe oppressor المُتَجَبِّرُtyrannical!
خَسئْتَ فَبِئْسَ الظَّالِمُ المُتَجَبِّرُ!
I suffered, until a rebellious morrow called to me:
I grew wretched; a protesting morrow called to me:
“Begone! Wretched indeed is this tyrannical world!”
'Be disgraced! How vile the tyrannical oppressor!'
فقُلْتُso I said لهto it مَهْلاَgently فإِنِّيfor I لَكارِهٌtruly loathe
فقُلْتُ له مَهْلاَ فإِنِّي لَكارِهٌ
حَياتيmy life فإِنيfor I الخاسِرُthe loser المُتَبَطَّرُarrogant in plenty..!
حَياتي فإِني الخاسِرُ المُتَبَطَّرُ..!
I answered it, “Wait—for I loathe
So I said to it, 'Gently, for I truly loathe
my life; I am the wanton loser!”
My life; I am the loser, spoiled by plenty!
وأَسْدُرُand I wander blindly فيin غَيِّerror الحياةlife وأَرْعَويand I restrain myself
وأَسْدُرُ في غَيِّ الحياة وأَرْعَوي
فَاَبْكِيso I weep.. وتَطْوِينيand fold me up رُؤاهاits visions وتَنْشُرُand unfold!
فَاَبْكِي.. وتَطْوِيني رُؤاها وتَنْشُرُ!
I plunged blindly into life's delusion, then came to my senses;
And I wander blindly through life's error, and come to my senses,
I wept, while its visions folded and unfolded me!
So I weep; its visions fold me up and unfold me!
وإنِّيand I علىfor ماwhat كانَwas مِنِّيfrom me لَنادِمٌtruly regretful
وإنِّي على ما كانَ مِنِّي لَنادِمٌ
فهلso does ندمِيmy remorse يُجْديavail.ويُجْديand avails التَّدَبُّرُreflection؟!
فهل ندمِي يُجْدي.ويُجْدي التَّدَبُّرُ؟!
Indeed, for what had come from me,
And I truly regret what has come from me;
I was remorseful—but will remorse or reflection avail?!
So does my remorse avail, and does reflection avail?'
فقالso it said .. بَلىyes indeed . إنَّindeed التَّدَبُّرَreflection نِعْمَةٌa blessing
فقال .. بَلى . إنَّ التَّدَبُّرَ نِعْمَةٌ
عَلَيْكَupon you. وقدand may يَتْلُوfollow.. فَيَهْدِيand so guides التَبصُّرُinsight!
عَلَيْكَ. وقد يَتْلُو.. فَيَهْدِي التَبصُّرُ!
It said, “Yes. Reflection is a blessing
It said, 'Yes: reflection is a blessing
upon you, and insight may follow, guiding you!”
Upon you; insight may follow and bring guidance!'
وأَغْضَيْتُand I closed my eyes لاnot أّدْرِيI know أَقَرْناًwhether a century صَرَمْتُهُI had spent it
وأَغْضَيْتُ لا أّدْرِي أَقَرْناً صَرَمْتُهُ
وإلاَّor else قُروناًcenturies .. ثمthen كانَoccurred التَّغَيُّرُthe change..!
وإلاَّ قُروناً .. ثم كانَ التَّغَيُّرُ..!
I closed my eyes, not knowing whether an age had passed over me,
And I closed my eyes, not knowing whether I had spent a century
or centuries—then came the transformation!
Or else centuries; then came the change!
فَألْفَيْتُنِيِso I found myself ظَبْياًa gazelle غريراًguileless .. وظَئْرُهُand its foster mother
فَألْفَيْتُنِيِ ظَبْياً غريراً .. وظَئْرُهُ
بِجانِبيat my side . فارتْاحَso found relief مِنَّيof mine التَّصَوُّرُimagination!
بِجانِبي . فارتْاحَ مِنَّي التَّصَوُّرُ!
I found myself a guileless slave, with his donkey
So I found myself a guileless gazelle, its foster mother
beside me; then imagination within me came to rest!
At my side; my imagination found relief!
ولكِنَّنيbut I أَحْسَسْتُfelt خَوْفاًfear مُمَزَّقاًtearing apart
ولكِنَّني أَحْسَسْتُ خَوْفاً مُمَزَّقاً
حَشايmy vitals . ولَوْلاand but for اللهGod ماnot كنْتُI was أَصْبِرُI endure!
حَشاي . ولَوْلا الله ما كنْتُ أَصْبِرُ!
But I felt a fear tearing apart
But I felt a fear that tore
my innermost heart—and but for God, I could not have endured!
My vitals; but for God, I could not have endured!
فَلِلًّهِso, by God ذِئْبٌa wolf مُشْرَئِبٌcraning its neck لِصَيْدِهِfor its prey
فَلِلًّهِ ذِئْبٌ مُشْرَئِبٌ لِصَيْدِهِ
ولّلِهand, by God ماwhat يَلقىendures منfrom الذَّئْبِthe wolf جُؤْذَرُa wild-ox calf!
ولّلِه ما يَلقى من الذَّئْبِ جُؤْذَرُ!
What a wolf, craning toward its prey!
By God, what a wolf, craning its neck for its prey!
And what a fawn endures in the wolf's jaws!
And, by God, what a wild-ox calf endures from the wolf!
ولكِنَّنيbut I رَغْمَdespite الرَّدىdeath كنْتُI was راضِياَcontent
ولكِنَّني رَغْمَ الرَّدى كنْتُ راضِياَ
بضَعْفيwith my weakness. فَكَمْso how many أَشقىmade wretched ودَمَّرَand destroyed عَنْتَرُAntar!
بضَعْفي. فَكَمْ أَشقى ودَمَّرَ عَنْتَرُ!
Yet, despite death, I was content
But despite death's peril I was content
in my weakness—for how many has Antarah made wretched and destroyed!
With my weakness—how many Antar made wretched and destroyed!
وشاءَتْand willed مقاديريmy fate's decrees نَجاتيmy escape. ورُبَّماand perhaps
وشاءَتْ مقاديري نَجاتي. ورُبَّما
نجاescaped الضَّعْفُweakness مِنfrom كِسْرىKisra. وحاباهُand favored it قَيْصرُCaesar!
نجا الضَّعْفُ مِن كِسْرى. وحاباهُ قَيْصرُ!
My fates willed my deliverance; perhaps
And my fate's decrees willed my escape; perhaps
the weak escape a Khosrow, and a Caesar grants them favor!
Weakness escaped Kisra, and Caesar favored it!
قُرُونٌcenturies مَضَتْpassed ثمthen انْتَهَتْled بيme لِصَحْوَةٍto an awakening
قُرُونٌ مَضَتْ ثم انْتَهَتْ بي لِصَحْوَةٍ
مُغاضِبَةٍangry.. تُبْدِيreveals الأُمورَthings وتَسْتُرُand conceals!
مُغاضِبَةٍ.. تُبْدِي الأُمورَ وتَسْتُرُ!
Ages passed, then brought me at last to an awakening,
Centuries passed, then led me to an awakening
angry and indignant, revealing some things and concealing others!
Angry, revealing things and concealing them!
تراءىappeared بهاin it رُوحيmy spirit العَجيبُstrange وهَيْكَليand my frame
تراءى بها رُوحي العَجيبُ وهَيْكَلي
كماas كانَit was إنساناًa human being بَراهُfashioned him التَّطَوُّرُevolution!
كما كانَ إنساناً بَراهُ التَّطَوُّرُ!
There appeared within it my wondrous spirit and my bodily frame,
In it my strange spirit and my frame appeared,
as though evolution had fashioned it a human being!
As before: a human being fashioned by evolution!
فَأَطْرَقْتُso I bowed my head ماnot أَدرِيI know. أَأَرْبِحُwill I gain بالَّذِيfrom what
فَأَطْرَقْتُ ما أَدرِي. أَأَرْبِحُ بالَّذِي
رَجَعْتُI returned إليهto it اليَوْمَtoday؟أَوor سوْفwill أَخْسَرُI lose!
رَجَعْتُ إليه اليَوْمَ؟أَو سوْف أَخْسَرُ!
I bowed my head, not knowing whether I would profit by that
So I bowed my head, not knowing whether I would gain from what
to which I returned today, or whether I would lose!
I had returned to today, or whether I would lose!
أَرىI see فيin حَنايايmy inner recesses الضَّلالةَerror والهُدىand guidance
أَرى في حَناياي الضَّلالةَ والهُدى
خَصِيمَيْنِtwo foes منfrom سَيْفَيْهماtheir two swords أَتَقَطَّرُI drip blood..!
خَصِيمَيْنِ من سَيْفَيْهما أَتَقَطَّرُ..!
Within the recesses of error and guidance I saw
I see in my heart's recesses error and guidance,
two adversaries; from both their swords I drip blood!
Two foes, from whose two swords I drip blood!
تَحَيَّرتُI grew bewildered ..أَطْواريmy phases العَدِيدَةْmany كُلُّهاall of them
تَحَيَّرتُ ..أَطْواري العَدِيدَةْ كُلُّها
سلامٌpeace وحَرْبٌand war. نَعَجَةٌa ewe وغَضَنْفَرُand a lion!
سلامٌ وحَرْبٌ. نَعَجَةٌ وغَضَنْفَرُ!
All my many transformations became confounded:
I grew bewildered: all my many phases
peace and war, a ewe and a lion!
Are peace and war, a ewe and a lion!
وأَنْكِرُand I reject مِنْهاof them حَالَتَيْهاtheir two states.. وأَنْثْنيand I recoil
وأَنْكِرُ مِنْها حَالَتَيْها.. وأَنْثْني
وقدand already مَسَّtouched أَعْصابِيmy nerves الوَنىweariness والتَّوَتُّرُand tension!
وقد مَسَّ أَعْصابِي الوَنى والتَّوَتُّرُ!
I rejected both their states and turned away,
And I reject their two states and recoil,
my nerves touched by weariness and tension!
While weariness and tension have touched my nerves!
فأَيُّso whichever سَبِيلَهْاits path أَنُوءُI strain under weight بِكَلْكَلٍbeneath a heavy breast
فأَيُّ سَبِيلَهْا أَنُوءُ بِكَلْكَلٍ
إذاif سرْتُI walked فِيهin it . شَدَّintensely ماhow أَتَحَسَّرُI lament..!
إذا سرْتُ فِيه . شَدَّ ما أَتَحَسَّرُ..!
Beneath which of their paths shall I toil, heavily burdened?
So on any of its paths I strain beneath a breast's crushing weight;
Whichever I travel, how bitterly I regret it!
If I walk it, how bitterly I lament!
لقدindeed كانَused to يَلْويturn aside منfrom خُطايmy steps تَرَدّدِيmy hesitation
لقد كانَ يَلْوي من خُطاي تَرَدّدِي
وعادَand returned فألوىso twisted aside منfrom خُطايَmy steps التَّهَوُّرُrecklessness!
وعادَ فألوى من خُطايَ التَّهَوُّرُ!
Once hesitation twisted my footsteps aside;
Indeed, my hesitation used to turn my steps aside,
now recklessness has twisted them aside again!
And recklessness returned and twisted my steps aside!
وأَتْخَمنَيand glutted me مِنfrom بَعْدafter مَخْمَصتيmy hunger الغِنىwealth
وأَتْخَمنَي مِن بَعْد مَخْمَصتي الغِنى
ومِنand from بَعْدafter فَقْرِيmy poverty نالَtook its toll مِنِّيon me التَّضَوُّرُhunger's pangs!
ومِن بَعْد فَقْرِي نالَ مِنِّي التَّضَوُّرُ!
Wealth glutted me after starvation,
And wealth glutted me after my hunger,
and after poverty ravenous hunger overcame me!
And after my poverty, hunger's pangs assailed me!
كفَانيِenough for me منof العَيْشlife الرَّضِيَّpleasant. وَضِدَّهِand its opposite
كفَانيِ من العَيْش الرَّضِيَّ. وَضِدَّهِ
كَفانيenough for me وإنْand even if لمnot يَسْتَذِلَّhumble التَّعَثُّرُstumbling!
كَفاني وإنْ لم يَسْتَذِلَّ التَّعَثُّرُ!
Enough of the suckling's life—and of its opposite;
Enough for me of pleasant living and its opposite;
enough, though stumbling has not been made tractable!
Enough, even if stumbling has not brought me low!
متىwhen أَهْتَدِيI find guidance لِلرُّشْدِto sound judgment دُونَwithout غِوايَةٍstraying
متى أَهْتَدِي لِلرُّشْدِ دُونَ غِوايَةٍ
وأَحْظىand attain بِوِرْدٍa watering-place حِينَماwhenever شِئْتُI wish أَصْدُرُI leave after drinking؟!
وأَحْظى بِوِرْدٍ حِينَما شِئْتُ أَصْدُرُ؟!
When shall I be guided to rectitude, free of error,
When shall I find sound judgment without straying,
and reach a watering place from which I may depart whenever I wish?!
And gain a watering-place I can leave whenever I wish?
متىwhen قَلِقِيmy anxiety هذاthis يَعودُbecomes سِكِينَةًserenity
متى قَلِقِي هذا يَعودُ سِكِينَةً
فَأَرْتَدُّso I return مِنْهاfrom it بالحقيقةِwith the truth أَجْهَرُI proclaim aloud؟!
فَأَرْتَدُّ مِنْها بالحقيقةِ أَجْهَرُ؟!
When shall this anxiety of mine return to calm,
When will this anxiety of mine become serenity,
so that I emerge from it proclaiming the truth aloud?!
So I return from it, proclaiming the truth aloud?
لقدindeed كنْتُI was قَبْلَbefore اليَوْمtoday أَهْدىbetter guided تَفَكَّراin reflection
لقد كنْتُ قَبْلَ اليَوْم أَهْدى تَفَكَّرا
فماso what ليis with me بهذاon this اليَوْمِday لاnot أتفكَّرُI reflect؟!
فما لي بهذا اليَوْمِ لا أتفكَّرُ؟!
Before today, I was better guided in my reflection;
Indeed, before today I was better guided in reflection,
what is wrong with me today, that I do not reflect?!
So why is it that today I do not reflect?!
Sol 6.1