لا السُهدُ يُدنيني إِلَيهِ وَلا الكَرى

طَيفٌ يَزورُ بِفَضلِهِ مَهما سَرى

Neither the land nor the moon brings me near to you,

An apparition that visits me wherever you travel.

تَخِذَ الدُجى وَسَماءَهُ وَنُجومَهُ

سُبُلاً إِلى جَفنَيكِ لَم يَرضَ الثَرى

Darkness takes its veil, its sky and its stars

As paths to your eyelids though the land was not pleased.

وَأَتاكَ مَوفورَ النَعيمِ تَخالُهُ

مَلَكاً تَنُمُّ بِهِ السَماءُ مُطَهَّرا

And he came to you, his bliss abundant,

An angel with whom the sky is purified.

عَلِمَ الظَلامُ هُبوطَهُ فَمَشَت لَهُ

أَهدابُهُ يَأخُذنَهُ مُتَحَدِّرا

Darkness knew of his descent, so its eyelids

Flowed down taking him slipping down.

وَحَمى النَسائِمَ أَن تَروحَ وَأَن تَجي

حَذَراً وَخَوفاً أَن يُراعَ وَيُذعَرا

And the breezes took care neither to wander nor to come

Fearing he would be startled and terrified.

وَرَقَدتَ تُزلِفُ لِلخَيالِ مَكانَهُ

بَينَ الجُفونِ وَبَينَ هُدبِكَ وَالكَرى

And you fell asleep drawing near in your imagination

A place for him between your eyelids and your flowing hair.

فَهَنِئتَهُ مِثلَ السَعادَةِ شائِقاً

مُتَصَوِّراً ما شِئتَ أَن يَتَصَوَّرا

So you made him happy like ecstasy yearning

Imagining whatever you wanted him to imagine.

تَطوي لَهُ الرَقباءُ مَنصورَ الهَوى

وَتَدوسُ أَلسِنَةَ الوُشاةِ مُظَفَّرا

The firmaments will fold for him love triumphant

And trample the tongues of slanderers victoriously.

لَولا اِمتِنانُ العَينِ يا طَيفَ الرِضا

ما سامَحَت أَيّامَها فيما جَرى

If not for the gratitude of the eye, O phantom of consent,

Its days would not have forgiven what has passed.

باتَت مُشَوَّقَةً وَباتَ سَوادُها

زونا بِتِمثالِ الجَمالِ مُنَوِّرا

It spent the night yearning and its blackness

Was adorned with the statue of Beauty luminous.

تُعطى المُنى وَتُنيلُهُنَّ خَليقَةً

بِكَ أَن تُقَدِّمَ في المِنى وَتُؤَخِّرا

It is given wishes and it obtains them fittingly

Through you presenting the wishes and postponing them.

وَتُعانِقُ القَمَرَ السَنِيَّ عَزيزَةً

حَتّى إِذا وَدَّعتَ عانَقتَ الثَرى

And it hugs the crescent moon proudly

Until when you say farewell, it hugs the ground.

في لَيلَةٍ قَدِمَ الوُجودَ هِلالُها

فَدَنَت كَواكِبُها تُعَلِّمُهُ السُرى

On a night when its crescent was born into existence

Its planets approached teaching it the path.

وَتُريهِ آثارَ البُدورِ لِيَقتَفي

وَيَرى لَهُ الميلادُ أَن يَتَصَدَّرا

Showing it the tracks of full moons to follow

And the birth deemed it should lead.

ناجَيتُ مَن أَهوى وَناجاني بِها

بَينَ الرِياضِ وَبَينَ ماءِ سُوَيسِرا

I spoke privately to the one I love and she spoke to me

Between the gardens and the water of Switzerland.

حَيثُ الجِبالُ صِغارُها وَكِبارُها

مِن كُلِّ أَبيَضَ في الفَضاءِ وَأَخضَرا

Where the mountains, small and large,

Are all white and green in the sky.

تَخِذَ الغَمامُ بِها بُيوتاً فَاِنجَلَت

مَشبوبَةَ الأَجرامِ شائِبَةَ الذُرى

The clouds take them as houses, so they shone

Dotted with celestial bodies and speckles.

وَالصَخرُ عالٍ قامَ يُشبِهُ قاعِداً

وَأَنافَ مَكشوفَ الجَوانِبِ مُنذِرا

And the bare rock stands tall resembling one sitting

With revealed sides threatening.

بَينَ الكَواكِبِ وَالسَحابِ تَرى لَهُ

أُذُناً مِنَ الحَجَرِ الأَصَمِّ وَمِشفَرا

Among the planets and the clouds you see it has

An ear of deaf stone and an axe.

وَالسَفحُ مِن أَيِّ الجِهاتِ أَتَيتَهُ

أَلفَيتَهُ دَرَجاً يَموجُ مُدَوَّرا

And which side of the slope have you come upon

You will find it a winding staircase rounding.

نَثَرَ الفَضاءُ عَلَيهِ عِقدَ نُجومِهِ

فَبَدا زَبَرجَدُهُ بِهِنَّ مُجَوهَرا

The sky sprinkled its necklace of stars upon it

So its chrysolite appeared jeweled by them.

وَتَنَظَّمَت بيضُ البُيوتِ كَأَنَّها

أَوكارُ طَيرٍ أَو خَميسٌ عَسكَرا

And the white houses seemed to be

Dens of birds or a camp that lodged.

وَالنَجمُ يَبعَثُ لِلمِياهِ ضِياءَهُ

وَالكَهرُباءُ تُضيءُ أَثناءَ الثَرى

And the star sends its light to the waters

While electricity illuminates the land.

هامَ الفِراشُ بِها وَحامَ كَتائِباً

يَحكي حَوالَيها الغَمامُ مُسَيَّرا

The moth fluttered around it and the clouds

Circling narrated its surroundings marching on.

خُلِقَت لِرَحمَتِهِ فَباتَت نارُهُ

بَرداً وَنارُ العاشِقينَ تَسَعُّرا

It was created for his mercy, so his fire

Became cool while the lovers' fires rage.

وَالماءُ مِن فَوقِ الدِيارِ وَتَحتَها

وَخِلالِها يَجري وَمِن حَولِ القُرى

And the water flows above the houses and below them

And through them running around the villages.

مُتَصَوِّباً مُتَصَعِّداً مُتَمَهِّلاً

مُتَسَرِّعاً مُتَسَلسِلاً مُتَعَثِّرا

Directing, ascending, slowing, hastening

Flowing, dripping, stumbling.

وَالأَرضُ جِسرٌ حَيثُ دُرتَ وَمَعبَرٌ

يَصِلانِ جِسراً في المِياهِ وَمَعبَرا

And the land is a bridge where you turned and a crossing

Connecting a bridge in the waters and a crossing.

وَالفُلكُ في ظِلِّ البُيوتِ مَواخِراً

تَطوي الجَداوِلَ نَحوَها وَالأَنهُرا

While the boat in the houses' shade slips away

The streams turn towards it and the rivers.

حَتّى إِذا هَدَأَ المَلا في لَيلِهِ

جاذَبتُ لَيلي ثَوبَهُ مُتَحَيِّرا

Until when the night was still in its darkness

I drew its dress to me confused.

وَخَرَجتُ مِن بَينَ الجُسورِ لَعَلَّني

أَستَقبِلُ العَرفَ الحَبيبَ إِذا سَرى

And I went out from among the bridges perhaps

I would meet the beloved caravan if it travelled.

آوي إِلى الشَجَراتِ وَهيَ تَهُزُّني

وَقَدِ اِطمَأَنَّ الطَيرُ فيها بِالكَرى

I took refuge in the trees and they swayed me

While the birds in them were reassured.

وَيَهُزُّ مِنّي الماءُ في لَمَعانِهِ

فَأَميلُ أَنظُرُ فيهِ أَطمَعُ أَن أَرى

And the water swayed me in its glimmer

So I leaned looking in it hoping to see.

وَهُنالِكَ اِزدَهَتِ السَماءُ وَكانَ أَن

آنَستُ نوراً ما أَتَمَّ وَأَبهَرا

And there the sky grew restless and it happened

That I sensed a light not fully realized or brighter.

فَسَرَيتُ في لَألائِهِ وَإِذا بِهِ

بَدرٌ تُسايِرُهُ الكَواكِبُ خُطَّرا

So I walked in its splendors and lo

A moon the planets orbit caravanning.

حُلُمٌ أَعارَتني العِنايَةُ سَمعَها

فيهِ فَما اِستَتمَمتُ حَتّى فُسِّرا

A dream the Providence lent me hearing it

In it so I did not complete it before it was interpreted.

فَرَأَيتُ صَفوى جَهرَةً وَأَخَذتُ أَن

سى يَقظَةً وَمُنايَ لَبَّت حُضَّرا

So I saw my beloved clearly and I began

To forget the awakening while the dreams clung on.

وَأَشَرتَ هَل لُقيا فَأوحِيَ أَن غَداً

بِالطَودِ أَبيَضَ مِن جِبالِ سُوَيسِرا

And you hinted "Shall we meet?" and inspired that tomorrow

In the hillock white from the mountains of Switzerland,

إِن أَشرَقَت زَهراءَ تَسمو لِلضُحى

وَإِذا هَوَت حَمراءَ في تِلكَ الذُرى

If it rises rosy ascending the morning,

And when it falls red in that rubble,

فَشُروقُها مِنهُ أَتَمُّ مَعانِياً

وَغُروبُها أَجلى وَأَكمَلُ مَنظَرا

Then its sunrise is the most meaningful of signs

And its sunset the clearest and most perfect view.

تَبدو هُنالِكَ لِلوُجودِ وَليدَةً

تَهنا بِها الدُنيا وَيَغتَبِطُ الثَرى

You will appear there born unto existence

The world celebrates it and the ground rejoices.

وَتُضيءُ أَثناءَ الفَضاءِ بِغُرَّةٍ

لاحَت بِرَأسِ الطَودِ تاجاً أَزهَرا

And it lights the horizons with an innocence

That shone at the mountain top a flowering crown.

فَسَمَت فَكانَت نِصفَ طارٍ ما بَدا

حَتّى أَنافَ فَلاحَ طاراً أَكبَرا

It rose so it was half a flying carpet not appearing

Until it reached the height a greater flying carpet.

يَعلو العَوالِمَ مُستَقِلّاً نامِياً

مُستَعصِياً بِمَكانِهِ أَن يُنقَرا

Rising above the worlds independent growing

Obstinate in its place that it not be chipped.

سالَت بِهِ الآفاقُ لَكِن عَسجَداً

وَتَغَطَّتِ الأَشباحُ لَكِن جَوهَرا

The horizons swooned for it but it stayed erect

And the specters were veiled but it a gem.

وَاِهتَزَّ فَالدُنيا لَهُ مُهتَزَّةٌ

وَأَنارَ فَاِنكَشَفَ الوُجودُ مُنَوَّرا

And it shook so the world for it shook

And it lit so existence was illuminated.

حَتّى إِذا بَلَغَ السُمُوُّ كَمالَهُ

أَذِنَت لِداعي النَقصِ تَهوى القَهقَرى

Until when the rising reached its perfection

It allowed the claimant of decline to fall steep.

فَدَنَت لِناظِرِها وَدانَ عَنانُها

وَتَبَدَّلَ المُستَعظِمُ المُستَصغِرا

It approached its viewer and its reigns slackened

And the arrogant diminished and grew small.

وَاِصفَرَّ أَبيَضُ كُلِّ شَيءٍ حَولَها

وَاِحمَرَّ بُرقُعُها وَكانَ الأَصفَرا

And all the whiteness around it yellowed

And its expanse reddened and became yellow.

وَسَما إِلَيها الطَودُ يَأخُذُها وَقَد

جَعَلَت أَعالِيَهُ شَريطاً أَحمَرا

And the hillock reached towards it as it

Made its heights a red sash.

مَسَّتهُ فَاِشتَعَلَت بِها جَنَباتُهُ

وَبَدَت ذُراهُ الشُمُّ تَحمِلُ مِجمَرا

It touched it so its sides caught fire

And its rubble appeared carrying embers.

فَكَأَنَّما مَدَّت بِهِ نيرانَها

شَرَكاً لِتَصطادَ النَهارَ المُدبِرا

As if it extended its fires to hunt

The retreating daylight as a partner.

حَرَقَتهُ وَاِحتَرَقَت بِهِ فَتَوَلَّيا

وَأَتى طُلولَهُما الظَلامُ فَعَسكَرا

It burned it and burned with it so they turned away

And their shadows were cloaked by darkness camped.

فَشُروقُها الأَمَلُ الحَبيبُ لِمَن رَأى

وَغُروبُها الأَجَلُ البَغيضُ لِمَن دَرى

So its sunrise is the beloved hope for one who saw

And its sunset the hated end for one who knew.

خَطبانِ قاما بِالفَناءِ عَلى الصَفا

ما كانَ بَينَهُما الصَفاءُ لِيَعمُرا

Two preachers stood at the parapet over al-Safa

There was no purity between them to last.

تَتَغَيَّرُ الأَشياءُ مَهما عاوَدا

وَاللَهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَن يَتَغَيَّرا

Things change no matter how much they repeat

While God Almighty does not change.

أَنهارُنا تَحتَ السَليفِ وَفَوقَهُ

وَلَدى جَوانِبِهِ وَما بَينَ الذُرى

Our rivers are under the bridge, above it

And beside it, and between the rubble.

رَجلاً وَرُكباناً وَزَحلَقَةً عَلى

عَجلٍ هُنالِكَ كَهرُبائِيِّ السَرى

On foot, riding, and sliding on a wheel

There, electrically travelling.

في مَركَبٍ مُستَأنِسٍ سالَت بِهِ

قُضُبُ الحَديدِ تَعَرُّجاً وَتَحَدُّرا

In a friendly boat the iron bars flowed

Winding and descending.

يَنسابُ ما بَينَ الصُخورِ تَمَهُّلاً

وَيَخِفُّ بَينَ الهُوَّتَينِ تَخَطُّرا

It flows leisurely between the rocks

And lightens between the two valleys rushing.

وَإِذا اِعتَلى بِالكَهرُباءِ لِذَروَةٍ

عَصماءَ هَمَّ مُعانِقاً مُتَسَوِّرا

And when empowered by electricity towards

A lofty summit it desires to embrace over a wall.

لَمّا نَزَلنا عَنهُ في أُمِّ الذُرى

قُمنا عَلى فَرعِ السَليفِ لِنَنظُرا

When we descended from it into the mother of rubble

We stood on the bridge’s branch to see.

أَرضٌ تَموجُ بِها المَناظِرُ جَمَّةٌ

وَعَوالِمٌ نِعمَ الكِتابُ لِمَن قَرا

A land where sights undulate, a perfect book

For whoever reads it well and understands.

وَقُرىً ضَرَبنَ عَلى المَدائِنِ هالَةً

وَمَدائِنٌ حَلَّينَ أَجيادَ القُرى

And villages that form halos around the cities

And cities that adorned the steeds of villages.

وَمَزارِعٌ لِلناظِرينَ رَوائِعٌ

لَبِسَ الفَضاءُ بِها طِرازاً أَخضَرا

And fields that are marvels for onlookers

The sky dressed them in a green brocade.

وَالماءُ غَدرٌ ما أَرَقَّ وَأَغزَرا

وَجَداوِلٌ هُنَّ اللُجَينُ وَقَد جَرى

And the water a copious, gentle betrayal

And streams that are the ingots that flowed.

فَحَشَونَ أَفواهَ السُهولِ سَبائِكاً

وَمَلَأنَ أَقبالَ الرَواسِخِ جَوهَرا

So they filled the mouths of plains with bars

And the waterways of the firmly rooted with gems.

قَد صَغَّرَ البُعدُ الوُجودَ لَنا فَيا

لِلَّهِ ما أَحلى الوُجودَ مُصَغَّرا

Distance has shrunk existence for us so how beautiful

Is existence shrunk for us!