كنتُ شعراً منمقاً

كنتُ شعراً منمقاً

وغناءً مدوزنا

وغناءً مدوزنا

I was ornate poetry,

I was poetry flowing,

And a well-tuned song,

And a tune composed.

وصباحاً وديمة

وصباحاً وديمة

وبشاماً وسوسنا

وبشاماً وسوسنا

And morning and gentle, steady rain,

I was the morn and wine,

And balsam and irises.

And the evening and lily intertwined.

كان حرفي محلقاً

كان حرفي محلقاً

وفؤادي محصنا

وفؤادي محصنا

My words were soaring,

My words took flight,

And my heart was fortified.

My heart fortified.

ونشيدي غمامة

ونشيدي غمامة

تحتها يورق السنا

تحتها يورق السنا

And my song was a cloud,

My song a cloud

Beneath which radiance puts forth leaves.

Beneath which meaning flowered.

يبعث الروح في الحصى

يبعث الروح في الحصى

كلما انداح دندنا

كلما انداح دندنا

It breathes life into the pebbles;

It breathed life into pebbles

Whenever it spread outward, it hummed.

Whenever it hummed a tune,

فاستباح الهوى دمي

فاستباح الهوى دمي

وبشطآنه بنى

وبشطآنه بنى

Then love made my blood fair game,

So passion ravaged my soul

And built upon its shores.

And in tumult built its abode.

واستحالت قصائدي

واستحالت قصائدي

دانةٌ تبعث الوني

دانةٌ تبعث الوني

And my poems turned into

My poems became

A pearl that awakens weariness.

A vine scattering inspiration.

صرت للحزن قِبلة

صرت للحزن قِبلة

ومطاراً وموطنا

ومطاراً وموطنا

I became sorrow's qibla,

I became a destination for sorrow,

And an airport and a homeland.

A refuge and a home.

فالأسى لم يجد له

فالأسى لم يجد له

غير جنبي مسكنا

غير جنبي مسكنا

For sorrow could not find for itself

For anguish found no place

A dwelling except at my side.

Except my side as its abode.

إنها قصة الورى

إنها قصة الورى

يتعب الفقر والغنى

يتعب الفقر والغنى

This is the tale of humankind:

It's the story of creation,

Poverty and wealth bring weariness.

Where poverty and wealth grow weary.

كم فؤادٍ محجل

كم فؤادٍ محجل

ضوؤه قندل الدنى

ضوؤه قندل الدنى

Many a white-marked heart,

How many hearts gilded in light

Whose light illumined the worlds,

Have been extinguished by life's gloom.

طار في غير سربه

طار في غير سربه

فتهادى وأذعنا

فتهادى وأذعنا

Flew in a flock not its own,

It flew beyond its flock

Then swayed and yielded.

Toppled and surrendered.

فخذيني بلوعتي

فخذيني بلوعتي

واقبليني كما أنا

واقبليني كما أنا

So take me with my anguish,

So take me with my pain,

And accept me as I am.

And accept me as I am.