ياO مَنwho لهذاfor this المريضsick man المدنَفwasted العانيsuffering
يا مَن لهذا المريض المدنَف العاني
مُرِدَّدِwavering النفسbreath منfrom آنa moment إلىto آنِa moment
مُرِدَّدِ النفس من آن إلى آنِ
Who will help this sick man, wasted and suffering,
O you, for whom this ailing, wretched, suffering one
his breath wavering from moment to moment?
Whose breaths come and go, sigh after sigh
إذاwhen رأىhe sees الليلَthe night ظنَّhe thinks القبرَthe grave شُقَّwas opened لهُfor him
إذا رأى الليلَ ظنَّ القبرَ شُقَّ لهُ
وظنّand he thinks انجمَهُits stars آثارtraces of أكفانِshrouds
وظنّ انجمَهُ آثار أكفانِ
When he sees the night, he thinks a grave has been opened for him,
When he sees the night, he thinks his grave has opened for him
and thinks its stars are traces of shrouds.
And imagines its stars to be the traces of his shroud
ويحسبُand he considers الصبحthe dawn بابَthe door of الموتdeath لاحappeared لهُto him
ويحسبُ الصبح بابَ الموت لاح لهُ
وفوقهُand above it الشمسُthe sun قُفلٌa lock فتحُهُits opening دانيnear
وفوقهُ الشمسُ قُفلٌ فتحُهُ داني
He thinks the dawn is death's door appearing before him,
He reckons the dawn to be death's gate opened for him
and above it the sun is a lock whose opening is near.
With the sun above it like a lock, opened by time
نضوٌa wasted body علىwith رَمقٍa spark of life فانfading يعيشُhe lives بهِby it
نضوٌ على رَمقٍ فان يعيشُ بهِ
لكنهُbut it is رمقٌa spark of life مهماhowever long يعيشit lives فانيperishing
لكنهُ رمقٌ مهما يعيش فاني
A wasted body, with a fading spark of life to live by,
Alive on his last breaths, if he lives by them
yet that spark, however long it lives, must die.
Yet they are breaths, however much he lives, still vanishing
مُطَرَّحstrewn الهمّanguish فيin كلall الجهاتdirections فماso not
مُطَرَّح الهمّ في كل الجهات فما
يرىhe sees بكلin every مكانplace غيرَother than أَحزانِsorrows
يرى بكل مكان غيرَ أَحزانِ
His anguish is strewn in every direction, and he
Lying down in sorrow in every direction, so he
sees nothing but sorrows everywhere.
Sees in every place nothing but sorrows
تَؤُزُّهُtorments him كبِدٌa liver حرَّىنburning مُعَلَّقَةٌsuspended
تَؤُزُّهُ كبِدٌ حرَّىن مُعَلَّقَةٌ
منfrom الاضالعthe ribs فيamong اعوادِsticks نيرانِfires
من الاضالع في اعوادِ نيرانِ
A burning liver torments him, suspended
His burning liver hangs from the ribs
from his ribs amid sticks of fire.
In beams of fire's wood
ياO منwho لهُfor him إِذwhen يرىhe sees الدنياthe world كماjust as اشتَبَهَتgrew indistinct
يا من لهُ إِذ يرى الدنيا كما اشتَبَهَت
بقيةُthe remnant of الحلمthe dream فيin اجفانthe eyelids of يقظانِa waking man
بقيةُ الحلم في اجفان يقظانِ
Who will help him when he sees the world as indistinct as
O you, for whom when he sees the world as
the remnant of a dream in a waking man's eyelids?
The remainder of a dream in waking eyelids
ياO منwho لهُfor him اذwhen يرىhe sees الاشياءَthings واهنةًfeeble
يا من لهُ اذ يرى الاشياءَ واهنةً
كماas بداappeared اثرa trace of الذكرىmemory بنسيانِamid forgetfulness
كما بدا اثر الذكرى بنسيانِ
Who will help him when he sees all things grown feeble,
O you, for whom when he sees things as weak
like a trace of memory appearing amid forgetfulness?
As the trace of memories in forgetfulness
حَيٌّalive طريحٌprostrate يراهمhe sees them يُلحِدونَdig a grave لهُfor him
حَيٌّ طريحٌ يراهم يُلحِدونَ لهُ
لمdid not يستحقواdeserve أَنto تراهمsee them منهُof his عينانِtwo eyes
لم يستحقوا أَن تراهم منهُ عينانِ
Alive but prostrate, he watches them dig his grave;
Alive but laid down, he sees them digging his grave
they are unworthy of the gaze of his two eyes.
They did not deserve that his eyes see them
ياO منwho لذاfor this الشرقEast ياO منwho للطريحfor the prostrate one علىupon
يا من لذا الشرق يا من للطريح على
لحدthe grave of الزمانtime بأيديby the hands of شرِّthe worst of اعوانِhelpers
لحد الزمان بأيدي شرِّ اعوانِ
Who will help this East, who will help the one laid upon
O you, for this east, O you, for the one laid down
time's grave by the hands of the worst helpers?
At the edge of time by the evil hands of rascals
مُستيئسينdespairing ولمَّاand not yet يأملواhope for أَملاًa hope
مُستيئسين ولمَّا يأملوا أَملاً
واليأسُand despair داءٌa disease لنفسfor the soul of العاجزthe helpless one الوانيthe listless
واليأسُ داءٌ لنفس العاجز الواني
Despairing, though they have not yet cherished a hope,
Despairing, never hoping for hope
and despair is a disease of the soul of the helpless and listless.
Despair is the malady of a helpless, weak soul
ويسبقونand they race ahead of الردىdeath للقبرto the grave وهوthough it is قضاًa decree
ويسبقون الردى للقبر وهو قضاً
فيin الغَيبthe unseen فاعجبso marvel لهذاat this الشانaffair منof شانan affair
في الغَيب فاعجب لهذا الشان من شان
They race death to the grave, though it is a decree
And they hasten ruin to the grave, which is decreed
in the unseen—marvel at what an affair this is!
In the unseen, so strange is this state of affairs
ويُذعنونand they submit ولاand there is no ماanything that يُذعنونthey submit لهُto it
ويُذعنون ولا ما يُذعنون لهُ
لكنَّهُbut it is خلُقٌa disposition يقضيdictates بإِذعانِsubmission
لكنَّهُ خلُقٌ يقضي بإِذعانِ
They submit, though there is nothing for them to submit to;
They surrender, but not to whom they surrender
it is merely a disposition that dictates submission.
Yet it is the created nature to surrender
ويسأَلونand they ask المُنَىwishes تجريto run بلاwithout عملwork
ويسأَلون المُنَى تجري بلا عمل
كالريحlike the wind جاريةrunning فيin غيرthe absence of ارسانِreins
كالريح جارية في غير ارسانِ
They ask that their wishes run their course without work,
And they ask for death to flow without action
like wind running without reins.
Like the wind flowing freely, not channeled
سُخفٌfolly وأَسخفُand more foolish منهُthan it وهوthough it is مَعجَزةٌhelplessness
سُخفٌ وأَسخفُ منهُ وهو مَعجَزةٌ
وَضلَّهُand its error أَنthat يُسمَّوهُthey call it بايمانas faith
وَضلَّهُ أَن يُسمَّوهُ بايمان
Folly—and more foolish still, though it is helplessness
Foolish, more foolish than it, and it is a miracle
and error, is that they should call it faith.
Its misguidance to name it faith
ياO ويحwoe للشرقfor the East منbecause of أَمرan affair بهِwithin it لَبكٍtangled
يا ويح للشرق من أَمر بهِ لَبكٍ
كالهِمّlike a decrepit old man ملتبسentangled فيin رأيthought حيرانِbewildered
كالهِمّ ملتبس في رأي حيرانِ
Alas for the East, for the tangled affair within it,
Oh woe to the east from the confusing command it is in
like a decrepit old man, entangled in bewildered thought.
Like anxiety intertwined in the mind of the confused
منfrom كلevery مُضلِعةcrushing calamity ترمىis assailed بمُعضلِةby an insoluble problem
من كل مُضلِعة ترمى بمُعضلِة
رميَthe pelting of النحوسill fortune لذيone afflicted with بؤسmisery بحرمانِwith deprivation
رميَ النحوس لذي بؤس بحرمانِ
Every crushing calamity is assailed by an insoluble problem,
From every side problems are cast
as ill fortune strikes a wretched man with deprivation.
The cast of the unlucky upon the deprived
تعقَّدتbecame knotted والتوَتand twisted كالمستحيلlike the impossible فماso not
تعقَّدت والتوَت كالمستحيل فما
تُريكshows you منany موضعplace فيهاwithin it لإِمكانِfor possibility
تُريك من موضع فيها لإِمكانِ
It has grown knotted and twisted, like the impossible, and
They have complicated and twisted like the impossible so
shows you no place within it for possibility.
You do not see in them any room for possibility
لوif صوَّرهاhe depicted it لكانتit would be صورةan image of امرأةa woman
لو صوَّرها لكانت صورة امرأة
مصبوغةpainted منfrom جهالاتforms of ignorance بأَلوانin colors
مصبوغة من جهالات بأَلوان
Were it depicted, it would be the image of a woman,
If pictured, it would be the image of a woman
painted in colors drawn from ignorance.
Colored by ignorances in colors
ربُّواraise لذاfor this الشرقEast ياO قوميmy people ممرِّضةًa nurse
ربُّوا لذا الشرق يا قومي ممرِّضةً
تحنوshe tends tenderly عليهِto it بإِحساسwith feeling ووجدانand sensibility
تحنو عليهِ بإِحساس ووجدان
Raise for this East, my people, a nurse
Raise up for this east, my people, a nurse
who tends it tenderly with feeling and sensibility.
Who is tender to him with feeling and emotion
تطبهُheals it روحُهاher spirit مماof what أَلمَّbefell بهِit
تطبهُ روحُها مما أَلمَّ بهِ
فانfor أَقتلَthe deadliest داءِdisease of الشرقthe East روحانيspiritual
فان أَقتلَ داءِ الشرق روحاني
Her spirit heals it of what has befallen it,
Her soul curing what pained him
for the East's deadliest disease is spiritual.
For the soul of the east is the killer of its disease
يرىit sees عواطفَهاher affections الأَديانَreligions خالصةًunalloyed
يرى عواطفَها الأَديانَ خالصةً
اذاwhen تلعَّبtoyed أَهلوهُits people بأَديانwith religions
اذا تلعَّب أَهلوهُ بأَديان
It sees in her affections religions in their purity,
He sees her pure religions as passions
when its people toy with religions.
When the ignorant play with religions
يرىit sees بهاin her عهدَهُits age عهدَthe age of الملائكthe angels فيin الthe
يرى بها عهدَهُ عهدَ الملائك في ال
بِرgoodness الطبيعيّnatural فيin حسنٍbeauty واحسانِand benevolence
بِر الطبيعيّ في حسنٍ واحسانِ
In her it sees its own age as the age of angels, in
Through her he sees his covenant the covenant of angels in
natural goodness, in beauty and benevolence.
Natural kindness and beneficence
يرىit sees حناناًtenderness كعهدas in the age of الانبياءthe prophets وماand what
يرى حناناً كعهد الانبياء وما
تشتاقهُlongs for it الروحُthe soul فيهِin it منذُsince أزمانِages
تشتاقهُ الروحُ فيهِ منذُ أزمانِ
It sees tenderness as in the days of the prophets, and what
He sees tenderness as in the era of prophets and what
the soul has longed for there for ages.
The soul has longed for over ages
يرىit sees الفضائلthe virtues بعدafter اليأسdespair قدindeed ظفرتtriumphed
يرى الفضائل بعد اليأس قد ظفرت
آمالهنَّtheir hopes ونالتand won قلبthe heart of إِنسانِa human being
آمالهنَّ ونالت قلب إِنسانِ
It sees the virtues after despair: victorious are
He sees virtues have succeeded after despair
their hopes, and they have won a human heart.
Their hopes won the heart of man
رَبُّواraise لهfor it الأَّمَّthe mother ياO قوميmy people فلوfor if وُجدتshe had existed
رَبُّوا له الأَّمَّ يا قومي فلو وُجدت
فيin الشرقthe East ماnot طاحit would have fallen فيinto ذلّabasement واهوانِand disgrace
في الشرق ما طاح في ذلّ واهوانِ
Raise for it the mother, my people; had she existed
Raise for him the mother, my people, for if she existed
in the East, it would not have fallen into abasement and disgrace.
In the east, it would not have fallen into so much disgrace
تلكshe التيwho ترفعlifts الدنياthe world وتخفضهُاand lowers it
تلك التي ترفع الدنيا وتخفضهُا
بطفلهاthrough her child فهوَfor he والدنياand the world بميزانِon one balance
بطفلها فهوَ والدنيا بميزانِ
She is the one who lifts the world and lowers it
She who lifts up the world and brings it down
through her child: he and the world are weighed in one balance.
With her child, so he and the world are in balance
تلكshe السماءُthe heaven التيthat تُلقيsends down لهمto them مَلكاًan angel
تلك السماءُ التي تُلقي لهم مَلكاً
فلاyet not يربُّونهُthey raise him الاَّexcept كشيطانِas a devil
فلا يربُّونهُ الاَّ كشيطانِ
She is that heaven which sends them an angel,
That heaven which casts down for them an angel
yet they raise him only as a devil.
And they raise him only like a devil
تلكshe التيwhom جعلوهاthey made her فيin المنازلthe homes كالlike the
تلك التي جعلوها في المنازل كال
مرآةmirror مطروحةًcast aside فيin دارa house of عميانِblind people
مرآة مطروحةً في دار عميانِ
She whom they have made in their homes like a
She whom they have made in homes to be
mirror cast aside in a house of the blind.
A mirror discarded in the house of the blind
ذنبُthe sin of الرجالthe men ولكنَّbut النساءthe women بهِfor it
ذنبُ الرجال ولكنَّ النساء بهِ
مُعاقباتٌare punished بآلامwith pains واشجانِand sorrows
مُعاقباتٌ بآلام واشجانِ
It is the men's sin, yet women for it
The sin of men, but the women are
are punished with pains and sorrows,
Punished for it with sorrows and passions
كمقلةlike the eyeball of العينthe eye فيin آلامهاits pains اعتَجَلتhastened
كمقلة العين في آلامها اعتَجَلت
والداءُwhile the disease ماnot مسّtouched منهاof it غيرexcept اجفانِeyelids
والداءُ ما مسّ منها غير اجفانِ
like the eyeball, swift to suffer,
Like the pupil of the eye in its pains made hasty
though the disease has touched only its eyelids.
While the illness touched none but the eyelids
لهفيmy lament لجوهرةfor a jewel زهراءَradiant ماnever سطعتgleamed
لهفي لجوهرة زهراءَ ما سطعت
فيon جيدthe neck of غانيةa beautiful woman اوor فوقabove تيجانِcrowns
في جيد غانية او فوق تيجانِ
Alas for a radiant jewel that has never gleamed
Yearning for a radiant pearl never beaming
on a beautiful woman's neck or atop crowns!
Upon the neck of a singing girl or on a crown
لهفيmy lament لريحانةfor a sprig of sweet basil خضراءَgreen ماnot قُطعتwas cut
لهفي لريحانة خضراءَ ما قُطعت
الاَّexcept لتذبلَto wither فيin واحاتthe oases of نشوانِan intoxicated man
الاَّ لتذبلَ في واحات نشوانِ
Alas for a green sprig of sweet basil that was cut
Yearning for a verdant sprig never cut
only to wither in a drunken man's oases!
Except to wither in the meadows of Nishapur
لهفيmy lament لغانيةfor a beautiful woman عذراءَa virgin ماnot وُضعتwas placed
لهفي لغانية عذراءَ ما وُضعت
الاَّexcept بمنزلin a home of اسواءٍevils واضغانِand rancor
الاَّ بمنزل اسواءٍ واضغانِ
Alas for a beautiful maiden who has been placed
Yearning for an unsullied singing girl never placed
only in a home of evils and rancor!
Except in the dwellings of sorrows and sighs
لكلfor every معنىmeaning جميلbeautiful ماsomething that يلائمهُsuits it
لكل معنى جميل ما يلائمهُ
كماas تمازجُmingle الحانٌmelodies بالحانِwith melodies
كما تمازجُ الحانٌ بالحانِ
For every beautiful meaning there is something suited to it,
For every beautiful meaning suits it
as melodies mingle with melodies.
As melodies blend with melodies
وليسand does not يُطربdelight صوتُthe sound of الماءwater منحدراًflowing down
وليس يُطرب صوتُ الماء منحدراً
كماas ترىyou perceive وقعهُits effect فيin سمعthe hearing of ظمآنa thirsty person
كما ترى وقعهُ في سمع ظمآن
The sound of water flowing down does not delight
And the voice of cascading water does not delight
as it does, you see, in a thirsty man's hearing.
As you see its impact on the hearing of the thirsty
فياso O إِلهيmy God اذاif اجريتَYou ordained فيin قدَرdestiny
فيا إِلهي اذا اجريتَ في قدَر
يوماًone day بانthat يلتقيshould meet فيamong الناسpeople ضدَّانtwo opposites
يوماً بان يلتقي في الناس ضدَّان
O my God, if You ordain in destiny
So my God if you ordained in fate
one day that two opposites among people should meet,
A day when opposites meet amongst people
فاجعلthen give للطفكto Your gentleness معنىmeaning فيin التقائهماtheir meeting
فاجعل للطفك معنى في التقائهما
كيلاso that not يكونbecome منfrom الضدينthe two opposites زوجانtwo spouses
كيلا يكون من الضدين زوجان
give Your gentleness a meaning in their meeting,
Make your kindness have meaning in their meeting
so that the two opposites do not become spouses.
So the opposites do not become a pair
فماfor not خلقتَYou created كمثلanything like البغضhatred فيin امرأَةٍa woman
فما خلقتَ كمثل البغض في امرأَةٍ
ينالهاtakes her رجلٌa man يوماًone day بطغيانby tyranny
ينالها رجلٌ يوماً بطغيان
For You have created nothing like the hatred in a woman
You did not create hatred in a woman
whom a man one day takes by tyranny,
Attained by a tyrannical man
ولاnor خلقتYou created كمثلanything like الذلhumiliation فيin رجلٍa man
ولا خلقت كمثل الذل في رجلٍ
تسومهُsubjects him to امرأَةa woman سوءاًevil بعُدوانwith aggression
تسومهُ امرأَة سوءاً بعُدوان
nor have You created anything like the humiliation in a man
Nor created humiliation in a man
whom a woman subjects to evil through aggression.
Evilly treated by an aggressive woman
يابانياًO builder بقلوبwith the hearts of الناسpeople يجعلهاmakes them
يابانياً بقلوب الناس يجعلها
قصرthe palace of الحياةlife تبصَّرlook carefully أيُّهاO البانيbuilder
قصر الحياة تبصَّر أيُّها الباني
O builder who, with people's hearts, makes them
Builder of people's hearts, making them
the palace of life, look carefully, O builder!
The palace of life, seeing, O builder
أسسlay foundations علىupon الحبlove لاdo not تُلقcast القلوبhearts سُدًىin vain
أسس على الحب لا تُلق القلوب سُدًى
وَضعand put لكلfor each فؤَادheart شكلهُits matching form الثانيthe second
وَضع لكل فؤَاد شكلهُ الثاني
Build on love; do not cast hearts away in vain,
Lay the foundation on love, do not vainly cast hearts
and give each heart its matching counterpart.
For each heart, make its second image
فلستfor you do not تبنيbuild سوىanything but دارٍa house اذاif خَرِبَتis ruined
فلست تبني سوى دارٍ اذا خَرِبَت
اركانهاits pillars خربتit is ruined منin كلall عمرانstructure
اركانها خربت من كل عمران
For you build only a house which, if ruined
You build only a house which if ruined
in its pillars, is ruined throughout its structure:
In its pillars, ruins all civilization
دارthe house of السعادةhappiness دارُthe house of الحبlove دارُthe house of مُنىthe wishes of الthe
دار السعادة دارُ الحب دارُ مُنى ال
أَحبابloved ones دارُthe house of الغرامpassion الخالدeverlasting الهانيblissful
أَحباب دارُ الغرام الخالد الهاني
the house of happiness, the house of love, the house of the wishes of
The home of happiness, home of love, home of wishes
loved ones, the house of everlasting, blissful passion.
Of loved ones, eternal, lovely home of passion
Sol 6.1