كلّevery فجرdawn أرىI see الرعاةthe shepherds يمرّوthey pass (continued)
كلّ فجر أرى الرعاة يمرّو
ن(completes 'they pass') فأبكيso I weep علىfor حياةthe life الرّعاةof the shepherds
ن فأبكي على حياة الرّعاة
Every dawn I see the shepherds passing,
Every dawn I see the shepherds pass,
and I weep for the shepherds’ life,
and I weep for the shepherds' lives.
فيin ثلوجsnows الجبالthe mountains أوor لهبblaze الشمـthe sun (continued)
في ثلوج الجبال أو لهب الشمـ
ـس(completes 'the sun') يريقونthey pour away مبهجاتthe delights الحياةof life
ـس يريقون مبهجات الحياة
amid mountain snows or the blaze of the sun,
In the snows of the mountains or the sun's blaze,
as they spill away the joys of life.
they pour away the delights of life.
ويمرّand passes القطيعthe flock بيby me فأرىso I see الأغـthe sheep (continued)
ويمرّ القطيع بي فأرى الأغـ
ـنام(completes 'the sheep') بينbetween الذبّاحthe slaughterer والسكّينand the knife
ـنام بين الذبّاح والسكّين
The flock passes me, and I see the sheep
The flock passes by me, and I see the sheep
between the wolves and the knife.
between the slaughterer and the knife.
ياO حياةlife الإنسانof humankind لاno فرحةjoy فيـin
يا حياة الإنسان لا فرحة فيـ
ـكyou إذاif لمnot تصحبit is accompanied بدمعwith tears غبينof one wronged
ـك إذا لم تصحب بدمع غبين
O human life, there is no joy in you
O human life, there is no joy in you
unless it is accompanied by the tears of the wronged.
unless accompanied by the tears of one wronged.
فكنوزfor the treasures الغنيof the rich man يجمعهاgathers them الفلاّthe peasant (continued)
فكنوز الغني يجمعها الفلاّ
ح(completes 'the peasant') فيin عمرهhis lifetime الشقيwretched الكسيرbroken
ح في عمره الشقي الكسير
For the rich man’s treasures are amassed by the peasant
For the rich man's treasures are gathered by the peasant
throughout his wretched, broken life—
throughout his wretched, broken life.
ذلكthat الكادحthe toiler المعّذبtormented فيin القرthe village (continued)
ذلك الكادح المعّذب في القر
ية(completes 'the village') بينbetween المحراثthe plough والناعورand the waterwheel
ية بين المحراث والناعور
that tormented toiler in the village,
That toiling man, tormented in the village,
between the plow and the waterwheel.
between the plough and the waterwheel.
كلّevery صيفsummer يسقيhe waters البساتينthe orchards تحتbeneath الشـthe sun (continued)
كلّ صيف يسقي البساتين تحت الشـ
ـمس(completes 'the sun') والقصرwhile the palace هاجعslumbering وسنانdrowsy
ـمس والقصر هاجع وسنان
Every summer he waters the gardens beneath the sun,
Every summer he waters the orchards beneath the sun,
while the palace slumbers, heavy-eyed.
while the palace slumbers, drowsy.
فهوfor he يلقيsows البذورthe seeds والمترفwhile the pampered man الهاcontented (continued)
فهو يلقي البذور والمترف الها
نىء(completes 'contented') يجنيreaps وتشهدand bear witness الأحزانthe sorrows
نىء يجني وتشهد الأحزان
He sows the seeds, while the pampered man at ease
For he sows the seeds, while the pampered, contented man
reaps—and sorrows bear witness.
reaps, and sorrows bear witness.
ياO لياليnights الحصادof harvest ماذاwhat وراءbehind الـthe
يا ليالي الحصاد ماذا وراء الـ
ـحقلfield والحاصدينand the reapers منof مأساةtragedy
ـحقل والحاصدين من مأساة
O nights of harvest, what tragedy lies beyond
O harvest nights, what tragedy lies behind
the field and its reapers?
the field and the reapers?
شهدbore witness الكوخthe hut أنهthat it يحملcarries الحزsorrow (continued)
شهد الكوخ أنه يحمل الحز
ن(completes 'sorrow') لتحظىso they may be favored القصورthe palaces بالخيراتwith bounty
ن لتحظى القصور بالخيرات
The hut bears witness that it carries sorrow
The hut has borne witness: it shoulders sorrow
so that palaces may enjoy abundance.
so that the palaces may enjoy abundance.
كيفhow يجنيreaps الأزهارthe flowers والقمحand the wheat والأثـand the fruits (continued)
كيف يجني الأزهار والقمح والأثـ
ـمار(completes 'the fruits') منone who لمnot يجرحhas wounded يديهhis two hands القدومthe adze؟
ـمار من لم يجرح يديه القدوم؟
How can one reap flowers, wheat, and fruit
How can flowers, wheat, and fruit be harvested
whose hands the mattock has never wounded?
by one whose hands the adze has never wounded?
ويموتand dies الفلاحthe peasant جوعاof hunger ليفترّso that it may smile
ويموت الفلاح جوعا ليفترّ
لعينيbefore the eyes of ربthe master القصورthe palaces النعيمbliss ؟
لعيني رب القصور النعيم ؟
And the peasant dies of hunger so bliss may smile
And the peasant dies of hunger so that bliss may smile
upon the eyes of the lord of palaces?
before the eyes of the master of palaces?
كيفhow هذاthis ياO ربّLord ؟ رفقاbe gentle بناwith us رفـbe gentle (continued)
كيف هذا يا ربّ ؟ رفقا بنا رفـ
ـقا(completes 'be gentle') فقدfor indeed غصّتare choked الكؤوسthe cups دموعاwith tears
ـقا فقد غصّت الكؤوس دموعا
How can this be, O Lord? Have mercy on us—mercy,
How can this be, O Lord? Be gentle with us, be gentle—
for the cups are choking with tears.
for the cups are choked with tears.
وطغتand have surged فيin الفضاءthe air آهاتناour sighs الحيـbewildered (continued)
وطغت في الفضاء آهاتنا الحيـ
ـرى(completes 'bewildered') تغنيsinging رجاءناour hope المصروعاstruck down
ـرى تغني رجاءنا المصروعا
And our bewildered sighs have flooded the air,
And our bewildered sighs have flooded the air,
singing our shattered hope.
singing of our hope, struck down.
Sol 6.1