أسمعI hear فيin الليلthe night نواحlamentation الألىthose who
أسمع في الليل نواح الألى
رماهمstruck them المقدورfate فاستسلمواso they surrendered
رماهم المقدور فاستسلموا
At night I hear the lament of those
I hear in the night the wailing of the hopeless
whom fate struck down, and who then surrendered.
Fate has cast them down and they surrendered
يبكونthey weep والرحمةand mercy فيin سجنهاher prison
يبكون والرحمة في سجنها
مشلولةparalyzed الأعضاءthe limbs تسترحمshe begs for mercy
مشلولة الأعضاء تسترحم
They weep, while mercy, in her prison,
They weep while mercy lies imprisoned
her limbs paralyzed, pleads for mercy.
Her limbs paralyzed, begging for kindness
تئنshe moans والأغلالand the shackles فيaround جيدهاher neck
تئن والأغلال في جيدها
وساجنand the jailer of الرحمةmercy لاdoes not يرحمshow mercy
وساجن الرحمة لا يرحم
She moans, with shackles around her neck,
She moans, shackled at the neck
and mercy's jailer shows no mercy.
While the jailer of mercy shows no pity
يمشونthey walk واليأسand despair إمامa leader لهمfor them
يمشون واليأس إمام لهم
يقودهمleads them والحبand love يبكيهمweeps for them
يقودهم والحب يبكيهم
They walk, with despair as their leader,
They walk on, despair their guide
guiding them, while love weeps for them.
Leading them while love weeps for them
والبؤسand misery يمشىwalks خلفهمbehind them والأسىand grief
والبؤس يمشى خلفهم والأسى
يهزهمshakes them والناسand people لاdo not تعلمknow
يهزهم والناس لا تعلم
And misery walks behind them, and grief
And misery walks behind them, sorrow
shakes them, while people are unaware.
Shakes them yet people take no heed
نلمحwe glimpse فيin أعينهمtheir eyes جذوةًan ember
نلمح في أعينهم جذوةً
منfrom نارa fire يأسdespair فيin الحشاthe breast تضرمblazes
من نار يأس في الحشا تضرم
We glimpse in their eyes an ember
In their eyes we glimpse an ember
of despair's fire, blazing within their breasts.
Of hopeless fire flickering in the darkness
سميرهمtheir companion by night شعرىmy poetry وقدand indeed جاءكمhas come to you
سميرهم شعرى وقد جاءكم
لينقلto convey الشكوىthe complaint لكمto you عنهمon their behalf
لينقل الشكوى لكم عنهم
My poetry is their companion by night; it has come to you
Their poet Samir has come to tell
to convey their complaint to you on their behalf.
Their tale of woe and bring their plea
وسوفand will لاnot يسمعhear شكواهمtheir complaint
وسوف لا يسمع شكواهم
منone who يحبسhoards المالwealth ولاand does not يندمfeel remorse
من يحبس المال ولا يندم
And their complaint will not be heard
But he who hoards his gold will never hear
by one who hoards wealth and feels no remorse.
Nor ever feel a moment’s sympathy
لاnot يعرفknow اللأواءhardship إلاexcept فتىa youth
لا يعرف اللأواء إلا فتى
تذيقهmakes him taste الأيامthe days ماwhat يؤلمcauses pain
تذيقه الأيام ما يؤلم
None knows hardship but a youth
None knows the howling of the winds
whom the days make taste what causes pain.
But one who’s tasted suffering’s bitter fruits
سيانalike فيin عينthe eye الفتىthe youth المدعىpretentious
سيان في عين الفتى المدعى
ماءwater جرىflowed فوقover الثرىthe earth أوor دمblood
ماء جرى فوق الثرى أو دم
In the pretentious youth's eyes, these are alike:
To one who’s lost all hope, the world’s tears
water flowing over the earth, or blood.
Are equal, be they blood or rain water
Sol 6.1