أنا في شعري وشعري قصّتي

أنا في شعري وشعري قصّتي

لست في جسمي ولا في رسمه

لست في جسمي ولا في رسمه

I am in my poetry, and my poetry is my story.

I am in my poetry, and my poetry is my story.

I am not in my body, nor in its outward form.

I am not in my body, nor in its form.

بين كفّيك وجودي خافقا

بين كفّيك وجودي خافقا

وفؤادي غارقا في دمه

وفؤادي غارقا في دمه

Between your palms, my being throbs,

Between your palms, my being throbs,

And my heart lies drowned in its own blood.

and my heart drowns in its blood.

ويح لي منه ويا ويح له

ويح لي منه ويا ويح له

ولمن يسبح في عيلَمِه

ولمن يسبح في عيلَمِه

Woe is me because of it—and oh, woe to it,

Woe to me because of it, and oh, woe to it,

And woe to whoever swims within its world.

and to whoever swims in its vast sea.

ربّما أحزنني في فرحتي

ربّما أحزنني في فرحتي

وشدوتُ اللحن في مأتمه

وشدوتُ اللحن في مأتمه

How often it saddened me in the midst of joy,

At times it saddened me amid my joy,

And I sang the melody at its funeral.

and I sang the melody at its funeral.