رقرقتI made ripple فيكin you ملاحنيmy melodies وغنائيand my singing
رقرقت فيك ملاحني وغنائي
ياO عيدEid رغمdespite تكاثرthe multiplication of الأرزاءwoes
يا عيد رغم تكاثر الأرزاء
I made my melodies and song ripple in you,
My songs and melodies resonated in you,
O Eid, despite multiplying woes.
O festival, despite the profusion of misfortunes,
ولمنand for whom أغنىI sing إنif لقيتكI met you صامتاsilent
ولمن أغنى إن لقيتك صامتا
ومراكبand vessels الألحانof melodies ملءfilling سمائيmy sky
ومراكب الألحان ملء سمائي
And for whom would I sing if I met you silent,
And for whom shall I sing if I find you silent,
While vessels of melody fill my sky?
While ships of melodies fill my sky?
أشرقshine علىupon وجهthe face of اللياليthe nights كوكباas a star
أشرق على وجه الليالي كوكبا
ضافىample الجلالin majesty معطّرperfumed الأضواءin radiance
ضافى الجلال معطّر الأضواء
Shine upon the face of the nights as a star,
Shine like a star upon the face of nights,
Abundant in majesty, its radiance perfumed.
Exuding glory and fragrant lights,
وأفضand pour علىupon جدبthe barrenness of الحياةlife صبابةyearning
وأفض على جدب الحياة صبابة
منfrom كاسكyour cup الروحيّةspiritual الصهباءwine-red
من كاسك الروحيّة الصهباء
And pour yearning upon life's barrenness
And pour upon the barrenness of life a downpour
From your spiritual, wine-red cup.
From your luminous, milky goblet.
ياO عيدEid ياO أملhope of السماءheaven إذاwhen دجتgrow dark
يا عيد يا أمل السماء إذا دجت
بالحادثاتwith calamities مواسمthe seasons of الغبراءthe dust-gray earth
بالحادثات مواسم الغبراء
O Eid, O hope of heaven, when dark grow
O festival, O hope of the sky when darkened
The dust-gray earth's seasons under calamities.
With events in seasons of dust,
تجرىflows الحياةlife بليلهاthrough its night ونهارهاand its day
تجرى الحياة بليلها ونهارها
ولكand yours is المكانthe place الفردunique فيamong الآناءthe moments
ولك المكان الفرد في الآناء
Life flows through its nights and days,
Life flows in its night and day,
And yours is the unique place among its moments.
Yet you occupy the singular place in time.
ملءfilling الحمىthe homeland باكونweeping people طالhas lasted long حنينهمtheir yearning
ملء الحمى باكون طال حنينهم
للفرحةfor joy النشوانةrapturous العذراءvirginal
للفرحة النشوانة العذراء
The land is filled with weeping people whose yearning has long endured
They are filled with longing, their fervor prolonged,
For rapturous, maiden joy.
For the joyous, delightful, chaste euphoria,
يستنبتونthey seek to make sprout الصخرthe rock لاnot يرثىfeels pity لهمfor them
يستنبتون الصخر لا يرثى لهم
قلبa heart وآخرand the end of سعيهمtheir striving لهباءis but dust
قلب وآخر سعيهم لهباء
They strive to make rock sprout; no pity reaches them
They make the rocks grow, none empathizes with them,
From any heart, and their striving ends in dust.
Their effort is but mirage.
فانفحso refresh بمائكwith your water قفرهمtheir wasteland واسنجand weave (apparent typo) لهمfor them
فانفح بمائك قفرهم واسنج لهم
منfrom نوركyour light المسحورenchanted ثوبa robe of هناءbliss
من نورك المسحور ثوب هناء
So refresh their wasteland with your water, and weave for them
So blow your waters upon their desert, and weave for them
From your enchanted light a robe of bliss.
From your enchanted light a gown of bliss,
واطرقand knock علىupon الكوخthe hut المحطّمruined بابهits door
واطرق على الكوخ المحطّم بابه
ضيفاًas a guest علىto سكّانهits inhabitants التعساءwretched
ضيفاً على سكّانه التعساء
And knock upon the ruined hut's door,
And knock upon the broken-doored hut
As a guest of its wretched inhabitants.
A guest of its destitute inhabitants.
ياO واهبgiver of النعماءblessings كمhow many منof أكيدunclear; probably livers, figuratively hearts
يا واهب النعماء كم من أكيد
فيon الأرضthe earth ظامئةthirsting إلىfor النعماءblessings
في الأرض ظامئة إلى النعماء
O giver of blessings, how many hearts
O Giver of Bounties, how many thirsty
On earth are thirsting for blessings!
On earth for bounties are wretched!
قلtell للأُلىthose who ذهبcarried away الغنىwealth بعقولهمtheir minds
قل للأُلى ذهب الغنى بعقولهم
فنسواso they forgot ضحاياthe victims of الدهرtime والبأساءand hardship
فنسوا ضحايا الدهر والبأساء
Tell those whose minds wealth has carried away,
Tell those whom wealth has taken their minds
So that they forgot the victims of time and hardship:
That they forget the victims of fate and misery.
لاdo not تجعلواmake يومىmy day علىdespite علّاتهits flaws
لا تجعلوا يومى على علّاته
حرباa war علىagainst الأيتامthe orphans والفقراءand the poor
حربا على الأيتام والفقراء
Do not make my day, for all its flaws,
Make not my day, in its glory,
A war against orphans and the poor.
A war upon the orphans and the poor.
الأرضthe earth دونكbefore you فامضso proceed فيthrough آفاقهاits horizons
الأرض دونك فامض في آفاقها
وامزجand mingle قريبthe near parts of فساحهاits expanses بالنائيwith the distant
وامزج قريب فساحها بالنائي
The earth lies before you; go through its horizons,
The earth is under you so go across its horizons
And mingle its near expanses with the far.
And bring its far-off breadth closer to the near.
وسلand ask المدائنthe cities والقرىand the villages عنabout حالهاtheir condition
وسل المدائن والقرى عن حالها
فيamid زحمةthe crush of الشهواتlusts والأهواءand whims
في زحمة الشهوات والأهواء
And ask the cities and villages about their condition
Ask the cities and villages about their state
Amid the crush of lusts and whims.
In the crowds of desires and passions.
تنبئكtells you ثرثرةthe chatter of القطيعthe herd بأنّهthat it
تنبئك ثرثرة القطيع بأنّه
ضاقتhave grown narrow عليهfor it منافذthe exits of الصحراءthe desert
ضاقت عليه منافذ الصحراء
The herd's chatter will tell you that
The chatter of the flock tells you
The desert's exits have grown too narrow for it.
The prairie’s paths have narrowed around them.
الأرضthe earth ماnot زالتhas ceased كعهدكas you knew it مسرحاa stage
الأرض ما زالت كعهدك مسرحا
للقصةfor the story الملعونةaccursed الشوهاءhideous
للقصة الملعونة الشوهاء
The earth is still, as you knew it, a stage
The earth remains, as in your days, a stage
For the accursed, hideous story.
For the cursed, awful story,
والناسand the people قابيلCain وهابيلand Abel وماand there is no
والناس قابيل وهابيل وما
منany آدمAdam فيهمamong them ولاnor حوّاءEve
من آدم فيهم ولا حوّاء
And the people are Cain and Abel; there is no
And people are Cain and Abel, and none
Adam among them, nor Eve.
Among them is Adam or Eve.
موسىMoses لديهمto them كاذبa liar ومخادعand a deceiver
موسى لديهم كاذب ومخادع
والسامريّand al-Samiri مصدّقbelieved الأنباءin his reports
والسامريّ مصدّق الأنباء
Moses, to them, is a liar and a deceiver,
To them, Moses is a liar and a fraud,
And al-Samiri's reports are believed.
And the Samaritan, believed.
يتهافتونthey scramble علىfor الحطامworldly scraps وربّماand sometimes
يتهافتون على الحطام وربّما
شربواthey drank السمومpoisons ليظفرواto obtain بدواءa cure
شربوا السموم ليظفروا بدواء
They scramble for worldly scraps, and sometimes
They scramble for rubble, and perhaps
Drink poisons to obtain a cure.
Drank poisons to gain a remedy.
ويمجدونand they glorify السلمpeace وهوthough it is وسليةa means (apparent typo)
ويمجدون السلم وهو وسلية
فيin شرعthe law of أحكمهمtheir wisest إلىto الهيجاءbattle
في شرع أحكمهم إلى الهيجاء
And they glorify peace, though it is a means
They glorify peace, which is an ax
To battle, in the law of their wisest.
In the canon they established, honed for war.
شعبa people يعيشlives علىon دماءthe blood of ممالكkingdoms
شعب يعيش على دماء ممالك
وممالكand kingdoms تحياlive بغيرwithout دماءblood
وممالك تحيا بغير دماء
A people lives on the blood of kingdoms,
A people who live on the blood of nations,
And kingdoms live without blood.
And nations that live without blood.
ومقاصِرٌand palatial halls للعدلfor justice شامخةtowering الذراin their summits
ومقاصِرٌ للعدل شامخة الذرا
الظلمoppression فيهاwithin them سيدthe chief of الزعماءthe leaders
الظلم فيها سيد الزعماء
And palaces of justice have towering summits;
And courts for justice towering, lofty,
Oppression within them is the chief of leaders.
Wherein injustice is the master.
ميزانهاtheir scales المخبولderanged وجهthe face of منافقa hypocrite
ميزانها المخبول وجه منافق
وبناؤُهاand their structure منfrom أعظمthe bones of الضعفاءthe weak
وبناؤُها من أعظم الضعفاء
Their deranged scales are a hypocrite's face,
Their imbalanced scale is a hypocrite’s face,
And their structure is made from the bones of the weak.
And their builder among the weakest.
المدفعthe cannon الجبارmighty فصلthe final decision in قضائهمtheir judgments
المدفع الجبار فصل قضائهم
والهدمand destruction غايتهمtheir aim منin الإنشاءconstruction
والهدم غايتهم من الإنشاء
The mighty cannon is the final word in their judgments,
The mighty cannon’s judgment separates them
And destruction is their aim in construction.
And destruction is their goal with construction.
إنif يحكمواthey judge فالشاةthen the sheep ذئبa wolf وادعdocile
إن يحكموا فالشاة ذئب وادع
والذئبand the wolf إنif عدلواthey act justly صريعslain by الشاءthe sheep
والذئب إن عدلوا صريع الشاء
If they judge, the sheep is a docile wolf;
If they rule, the sheep are a ravenous wolf,
And the wolf, if they judge fairly, is slain by the sheep.
And if they are just, the wolf lies slain among sheep.
فيin كلevery وادvalley للسلامfor peace مآتمmourning gatherings
في كل واد للسلام مآتم
مجنونةcrazed تبكيweeping علىfor العقلاءthe sane
مجنونة تبكي على العقلاء
In every valley are mourning gatherings for peace,
In every valley peace has mourning rites
Crazed, weeping for the sane.
Like a madwoman weeping for the reasonable.
الكونthe universe فيهاwithin them والحياةand life رهينةheld hostage
الكون فيها والحياة رهينة
بالوثبةto the leap الذريّةatomic الحمقاءfoolish
بالوثبة الذريّة الحمقاء
Within them, the universe and life are held hostage
The universe therein and life held hostage
To the foolish atomic leap.
By the foolish nuclear leap.
الأرضthe earth دونكbefore you فامضso proceed فيthrough آفاقهاits horizons
الأرض دونك فامض في آفاقها
حتىuntil تملyou grow weary بهاthere منfrom الإعياءexhaustion
حتى تمل بها من الإعياء
The earth lies before you; go through its horizons,
The earth beneath you so go across its horizons
Until exhaustion makes you weary there.
Until you are weary of roaming it.
فإذاthen when تعبتyou tire فألقlay down حملكyour burden واسترحand rest
فإذا تعبت فألق حملك واسترح
فيin الشرقthe East وامددand prolong أطولthe longest الثؤباءyawn
في الشرق وامدد أطول الثؤباء
Then, when you tire, lay down your burden and rest
Then unload your burden and rest
In the East, and prolong the longest yawn.
In the east, and stretch your flood tide.
فهناfor here الكسالىthe lazy الفاشلونthe failures تحوطهمsurround them
فهنا الكسالى الفاشلون تحوطهم
نوبthe calamities of الزمانtime السودblack بالظلماءin darkness
نوب الزمان السود بالظلماء
For here the lazy failures are hemmed in
For here are the lazy failures, circled
By time's black calamities, in darkness.
By the black folds of time.
يقفونthey stand still والفلكand the celestial sphere المحركmoving دائرrevolving
يقفون والفلك المحرك دائر
ماضadvancing مضيّwith the onward motion of البارقlightning العدّاءswift-racing
ماض مضيّ البارق العدّاء
They stand still while the moving celestial sphere revolves,
They stand while the stirring celestial sphere revolves,
Advancing with the speed of racing lightning.
Going like the swift lightning.
سكرواthey became drunk بأوهامon the illusions of الحياةlife وأسلمواand surrendered
سكروا بأوهام الحياة وأسلموا
سفنthe ships of المنىhopes لمصارعto the deadly perils of الأنواءstorms
سفن المنى لمصارع الأنواء
Drunk on life's illusions, they surrendered
They grew drunk on life’s delusions and surrendered
The ships of hope to the deadly perils of storms.
The ships of purpose to the struggling winds.
وتنكّرواand they disowned للمجدglory وهوthough it is أمانةa trust
وتنكّروا للمجد وهو أمانة
ورثواthey inherited مفاخرهاits honors عنfrom الآباءthe forefathers
ورثوا مفاخرها عن الآباء
And they disowned glory, though it is a trust
They denied glory though it is a trust
Whose honors they inherited from their forefathers.
They inherited from their forefathers.
أنيwherever نظرتI looked فثمّthen there شعبٌa people ضائعٌlost
أني نظرت فثمّ شعبٌ ضائعٌ
عفنrotten الحياةin life ممزّقtorn apart الأشلاءin its limbs
عفن الحياة ممزّق الأشلاء
Wherever I look, there is a people lost,
I looked and there was a lost people,
Rotten in life, with limbs torn apart.
Rotten of life, torn apart.
أذنابهمtheir tails; their underlings فيin العقدthe necklace or chain مثلlike رءوسهمtheir heads; their leaders
أذنابهم في العقد مثل رءوسهم
رغمdespite اختلافthe difference in القدرrank والسيماءand appearance
رغم اختلاف القدر والسيماء
Their tails in the chain are like their heads,
Their tails in fortune like their heads
Despite their different ranks and appearances.
Despite difference of fate and mark.
يتقاسمونthey share among themselves الذلّhumiliation لقمةa morsel of سائلa beggar
يتقاسمون الذلّ لقمة سائل
عجزتproved unable طبيعتهhis nature عنto الإعطاءgive
عجزت طبيعته عن الإعطاء
They share humiliation, a beggar's morsel,
They share disgrace for a morsel begging,
Whose nature has proved powerless to give.
Whose nature despaired of giving.
الدينreligion فيهمamong them سبّةan insult ومعرّةand a disgrace
الدين فيهم سبّة ومعرّة
يمشيwalks العزيزthe honored man بهwith it علىin استحياءembarrassment
يمشي العزيز به على استحياء
Religion among them is an insult and a disgrace;
Religion among them is an object of shame and disgrace
The honored man walks with it in shame.
The glorious walks in bashfulness with it.
والكفرand unbelief فلسفةa philosophy يهيمis enraptured بحبهاwith love for it
والكفر فلسفة يهيم بحبها
منwhoever شاءwishes أنto يدعىbe called معamong الحكماءthe wise
من شاء أن يدعى مع الحكماء
And unbelief is a philosophy, passionately adored
And disbelief is a philosophy infatuating
By whoever wishes to be counted among the wise.
Those who wish to be called wise.
أمَمٌnations علىover الماضيthe past تطيلprolong بكاءهاtheir weeping
أمَمٌ على الماضي تطيل بكاءها
وتنامand sleep heedless عنof مستقبلa future وضاءradiant
وتنام عن مستقبل وضاء
Nations prolong their weeping over the past,
Nations who mourn their past at length
And sleep heedless of a radiant future.
And sleep from a shining future.
رممdecaying remains يعافabhors الدودthe worms ريحthe odor of طعامهاtheir food
رمم يعاف الدود ريح طعامها
وتعدand are counted رغمdespite الموتdeath فيamong الأحياءthe living
وتعد رغم الموت في الأحياء
Rotting remains whose food's odor the worms abhor,
Their glory is prey to worms,
Yet, despite death, they are counted among the living.
And they count themselves living among the dead.
ياO عيدEid ياO ضيفguest of الزمانtime أسامعٌare you listening?
يا عيد يا ضيف الزمان أسامعٌ
أمor لستare you not تسمعhearing دعوتيmy plea وندائيand my call
أم لست تسمع دعوتي وندائي
O Eid, O guest of time, are you listening,
O Festival, O guest of time, are there hearing minds
Or do you not hear my plea and my call?
Or do you not hear my call?
ماnot زالhas ceased قوميmy people يحسبونكthink you مثلمlike them (apparent typo)
ما زال قومي يحسبونك مثلم
غراًّnaive تهيمyou are infatuated بزخرفwith ornament وطلاءand paint
غراًّ تهيم بزخرف وطلاء
My people still think you are like them:
My people still think you are a delusion
Naive, infatuated with ornament and paint.
Wandering amid ornaments and decor.
لبسواthey donned لكfor you الثوبthe garment الجديدnew وتحتهand beneath it
لبسوا لك الثوب الجديد وتحته
أجسامbodies عبدانof slaves الهوىto desire أسراءcaptive
أجسام عبدان الهوى أسراء
They have donned the new garment for you, and beneath it
They put on you a new gown, underneath it
Are bodies of slaves to desire, held captive.
Bodies enslaved by whims prisoners.
لبسواthey donned لكfor you الثوبthe garment الجديدnew فقلso say لهمto them
لبسوا لك الثوب الجديد فقل لهم
العيدEid عيدthe festival of القلبthe heart لاnot الأزياءfashions
العيد عيد القلب لا الأزياء
They have donned the new garment for you; so tell them:
They put on you a new gown, so tell them
Eid is the heart's festival, not a festival of fashions.
The feast is of the heart, not garments.
واقرأand read عليهمto them قصّةَthe story of المجدglory الذيwhich
واقرأ عليهم قصّةَ المجد الذي
شادتraised دعائمهits pillars يدُthe hand of القدماءthe ancients
شادت دعائمه يدُ القدماء
And read them the story of the glory whose
And recite to them the story of glory
Pillars the hand of the ancients raised:
Whose pillars were built by ancient hands.
مجدthe glory of العروبةArab identity والخلودand eternity بذكرهat its remembrance
مجد العروبة والخلود بذكره
ثملintoxicated الفؤادat heart منوّرradiant الأرجاءin its reaches
ثمل الفؤاد منوّر الأرجاء
Arab glory—eternity, at its remembrance,
The glory of Arabism and eternity is remembered,
Is drunk at heart, its realms radiant.
Intoxicating hearts, illuminating spaces.
واشرحand explain لهمto them معنىthe meaning of الحياةlife وقلand say لهمto them
واشرح لهم معنى الحياة وقل لهم
المجدglory للحريّةbelongs to freedom الحمراءcrimson
المجد للحريّة الحمراء
And explain to them the meaning of life, and tell them:
Explain to them the meaning of life and tell them
Glory belongs to crimson freedom.
Glory is for the red freedom.
واملأand fill مسامعهمtheir ears بصيحةwith the cry of شاعرa poet
واملأ مسامعهم بصيحة شاعر
فتحتopened يداهhis two hands الخلدimmortality للشعراءto the poets
فتحت يداه الخلد للشعراء
And fill their ears with the cry of a poet
Fill their hearing with a poet’s cry
Whose hands opened immortality to poets.
Who opened with his hands eternity to poets.
تاللهby God ماthere is no دونother than الجلاءthe evacuation or withdrawal ويومهand its day
تالله ما دون الجلاء ويومه
عيدEid نكونwe are بهthrough it منamong السعداءthe happy
عيد نكون به من السعداء
By God, save for withdrawal and its day,
By God, nothing save liberation and its day
No Eid can make us happy.
Makes us of the happy.
Sol 6.1