أَرِقتُ لِبَرقٍ مِن أَهاضيبِ لُبنانِ

أَرِقتُ لِبَرقٍ مِن أَهاضيبِ لُبنانِ

خَفوقٍ كَقَلبي مُمتَرٍ سُحبَ أَجفاني

خَفوقٍ كَقَلبي مُمتَرٍ سُحبَ أَجفاني

I lay sleepless at lightning from the heights of Lebanon,

I was kept awake by lightning flashes from the hills of Lebanon,

flickering like my heart, milking the clouds of my eyelids.

Pulsing like my restless heart, clouds lowering their lids.

لَهُ وَمَضانُ الهِندوانِيِّ مُصلَتاً

لَهُ وَمَضانُ الهِندوانِيِّ مُصلَتاً

وَهَل يُمتَرى بِالسَيفِ غَيرُ الدَمِ القاني

وَهَل يُمتَرى بِالسَيفِ غَيرُ الدَمِ القاني

It has the gleam of an unsheathed Indian sword;

It and the lamps of India vie in continual prayer –

and can anything but crimson blood be milked with a sword?

And does aught but blood stain the blade of a sword?

ذَمَمتُ زَماني إِذ رَماني بِمَعشَرٍ

ذَمَمتُ زَماني إِذ رَماني بِمَعشَرٍ

يَرَونَ عُلُوَّ الشَأنِ في حَطِّهِم شاني

يَرَونَ عُلُوَّ الشَأنِ في حَطِّهِم شاني

I blamed my age when it cast me among people

I censured Time when it cast me among a band

who see their own high standing in lowering mine.

Who saw the height of glory in other men’s low estate.

فَلَم أَلقَ لي مِن صاحِبٍ غَيرَ حاصِبٍ

فَلَم أَلقَ لي مِن صاحِبٍ غَيرَ حاصِبٍ

وَلَم أَرَ في الإِخوانِ لي غَيرَ خَوّانِ

وَلَم أَرَ في الإِخوانِ لي غَيرَ خَوّانِ

So I found no companion but a stone-thrower,

So I found no friend but one who criticized and blamed,

and among my brethren I saw only betrayers.

No brethren in the brotherhood but traitors and tyrants.

هُمُ نَبَذوني نَبذَهُم كُلَّ سُؤدَدٍ

هُمُ نَبَذوني نَبذَهُم كُلَّ سُؤدَدٍ

وَهُم رَفَضوني رَفضَهُم كُلَّ إِحسانِ

وَهُم رَفَضوني رَفضَهُم كُلَّ إِحسانِ

They cast me off as they cast off all nobility,

They spurned me like spurns every mean wretch

and they rejected me as they rejected all goodness.

And rejected me like rejects every kindness.

وَقَد سَرَّني أَن أَبغَضوني لِأَنَّني

وَقَد سَرَّني أَن أَبغَضوني لِأَنَّني

رَأَيتُهُم لَم يُؤثِروا حُبَّ إِنسانِ

رَأَيتُهُم لَم يُؤثِروا حُبَّ إِنسانِ

And it pleased me that they hated me, because I

Yet it pleased me they should hate me, for I saw

saw that they did not choose to love any human being.

They never prized a human being’s love.

فَكَم صَفِرَت مِن راحَتي راحَتي وَكَم

فَكَم صَفِرَت مِن راحَتي راحَتي وَكَم

عَضَضتُ لِندماني أَنامِلَ نَدمانِ

عَضَضتُ لِندماني أَنامِلَ نَدمانِ

How often my palm lay empty of comfort, and how often

How often my right hand has wrung my right hand,

I bit my fingertips in remorse over my boon companion.

And I gnawed my fingers in remorse!

وَمِن قَبلُ أَوصى اللَهُ بِالجارِ جارَهُ

وَمِن قَبلُ أَوصى اللَهُ بِالجارِ جارَهُ

وَإِنّي إِلَيهِ أَشتَكي جَورَ جيراني

وَإِنّي إِلَيهِ أَشتَكي جَورَ جيراني

And earlier, God enjoined each neighbor to care for his neighbor;

Long ago God enjoined love of one's neighbor,

and I complain to Him of my neighbors’ injustice.

Yet I complain of my neighbors' tyranny.