شاخَتْgrew old حروفيmy letters والغرورand conceit لهاfor them سِمَهْa hallmark
شاخَتْ حروفي والغرور لها سِمَهْ
وتشامختْand rose haughtily والشوقُand longing قدalready أدمىbloodied فمَهْits mouth
وتشامختْ والشوقُ قد أدمى فمَهْ
My letters have aged, and conceit is their hallmark.
My letters branched out and pride stung it
And they rose haughtily, while longing had bloodied its mouth.
And it grew tall and yearning has bloodied its mouth
شطرانِtwo hemistichs للوجدof passion الدؤوبtireless تكاملاcompleted one another
شطرانِ للوجد الدؤوب تكاملا
هلwill يُمهلانِthe two give time الشعرَpoetry حتىuntil يرسمَهْit portrays it ؟!
هل يُمهلانِ الشعرَ حتى يرسمَهْ ؟!
Two hemistichs of tireless passion completed one another;
Two lines for persistent passion complementing
Will they give poetry time to portray it?!
Will they give poetry respite until it sketches it?!
مخطوطةٌa manuscript للحبِّof love فيهاwithin it زخرفتْembellished
مخطوطةٌ للحبِّ فيها زخرفتْ
ألفُa thousand الشواعرِwomen poets ألفَa thousand ألفَthousand منمنمةْminiatures
ألفُ الشواعرِ ألفَ ألفَ منمنمةْ
A manuscript of love, in which were embellished
A manuscript of love in which it was ornamented
A thousand thousand miniatures by a thousand women poets.
The elite of poets thousand thousand decorated
بُهتَwas stunned التشاؤمُpessimism فالشعورُfor the feeling بداخليwithin me
بُهتَ التشاؤمُ فالشعورُ بداخلي
صلَّىprayed عليهover it المستحيلُthe impossible وسلَّمَهand delivered it !
صلَّى عليه المستحيلُ وسلَّمَه !
Pessimism was stunned, for the feeling within me
Pessimism was confused so the feelings within me
Was prayed over and delivered by the impossible!
The impossible prayed and bid farewell!
علنًاpublicly أقيمتwas erected للخواءِfor emptiness (منصَّةٌa platform)
علنًا أقيمت للخواءِ (منصَّةٌ)
فتذبذبتthen it wavered والزيفand falsehood يطرحُoffers (أسهمهْits shares)!
فتذبذبت والزيف يطرحُ (أسهمهْ)!
A platform was publicly erected for emptiness;
Openly, an platform was erected for emptiness
Then it wavered as falsehood offered its shares!
So it wavered while fraud discards its arrows!
الناسpeople فيin الأضواءthe lights تبديdisplay أنسهاtheir cheer
الناس في الأضواء تبدي أنسها
وحديalone أُجَمهرُI rally crowds فيin الرمادِthe ash لأُكرمَهto honor it
وحدي أُجَمهرُ في الرمادِ لأُكرمَه
People in the lights display their cheer;
People in the limelight show their intimacy
Alone, I rally crowds in the ash to honor it.
While I alone murmur in the ashes to honor it
وأخالنيand I imagine myself حينwhen اشتعالthe ignition of مداركيmy perceptions
وأخالني حين اشتعال مداركي
حربٌa war ضروسٌferocious للفراغِagainst the void مُهشِّمَةْshattering
حربٌ ضروسٌ للفراغِ مُهشِّمَةْ
And I imagine myself, when my perceptions ignite,
And it made me feel, when my consciousness caught fire
A ferocious war that shatters the void.
A fierce, ferocious war on the void shattering it
أعوادsticks همٍّيmy worry أُضرمتwere kindled وكأنهاand as though they
أعواد همٍّي أُضرمت وكأنها
للفنfor art تُحرقُthey burn صبرهاtheir patience كيso as to تُلهمَهْinspire it!
للفن تُحرقُ صبرها كي تُلهمَهْ!
The sticks of my worry were kindled, as though
My worries’ firewood I lit as though
They burned their patience for art, to inspire it!
It burns its patience for art to inspire it!
طفقbegan التناغمُharmony حينwhen دارcircled بعالميthrough my world
طفق التناغمُ حين دار بعالمي
يقتصُّtaking vengeance مماon what اغتالهhad slain it ليلملمَهْto piece it together !
يقتصُّ مما اغتاله ليلملمَهْ !
Harmony, as it circled through my world, began
When harmony revolved around my world
Taking vengeance on what had slain it, to piece it together.
It avenges what the night had assassinated to mend it!
فاستبدلso it replaced الدمعَthe tears الجسورbold بغيمةٍwith a cloud
فاستبدل الدمعَ الجسور بغيمةٍ
ومضىand went إلىto سدٍّthe dam of الشقاءِmisery فحطَّمهْso it shattered it
ومضى إلى سدٍّ الشقاءِ فحطَّمهْ
So it exchanged bold tears for a cloud,
So it replaced the bold tear with a cloud
And went to misery's dam and shattered it.
And went to a dam of misery and crashed it
وجرىand flowed لهto it منfrom كلّevery فجٍّmountain pass غائرٍdeep
وجرى له من كلّ فجٍّ غائرٍ
سيلٌa torrent غزيرٌcopious سابغٌall-enveloping ماhow أعظمَهْgreat it is
سيلٌ غزيرٌ سابغٌ ما أعظمَهْ
And to it, from every deep mountain pass, flowed
And there flowed to it from every deep crevasse
A copious, all-enveloping torrent—how mighty it is!
An abundant, pouring, perfect flood - how great it is!
حربيmy war وخضتُand I plunged into غمارهاits thick بتمعِّنٍwith deliberation
حربي وخضتُ غمارها بتمعِّنٍ
إنindeed البلادةdullness فيin الحروبِwars محرَّمةْforbidden !
إن البلادة في الحروبِ محرَّمةْ !
My war—and I plunged into its thick with deliberation;
My war I fought and stirred its turmoil thoroughly
Indeed, dullness in war is forbidden!
Indolence in wars is forbidden!
للمكرماتfor noble deeds سعواthey strove فماyet not جُمعتwere amassed لهمfor them
للمكرمات سعوا فما جُمعت لهم
أتتِcame الفضائلُthe virtues للكرامِto the noble مُرقَّمَةْnumbered
أتتِ الفضائلُ للكرامِ مُرقَّمَةْ
They strove for noble deeds, yet these were not amassed for them;
They sought glories but no honors were collected for them
The virtues came to the noble, numbered.
Virtues came to the generous segmented
وسماand rose إلىto قممِthe summits of اليقينِcertainty مناضلٌa fighter
وسما إلى قممِ اليقينِ مناضلٌ
فزهاso he glowed with pride وناولَand handed للرياحِto the winds توهّمَهْhis delusion
فزها وناولَ للرياحِ توهّمَهْ
And a fighter rose to the peaks of certainty,
And a fighter rose to the peaks of certainty
So he glowed with pride and handed his delusion to the winds.
So he transcended and handed the winds his delusion!
يتنفسُhe breathes الصدقthe truth النديَّdewy نزاهةًwith integrity
يتنفسُ الصدق النديَّ نزاهةً
كمhow often فلترfiltered النفسُthe breath العميقُdeep لهfor him دمَهhis blood
كم فلتر النفسُ العميقُ له دمَه
He breathes dewy truth with integrity;
Honesty frankly breathes integrity
How often a deep breath filtered his blood for him!
How the profound soul filters its blood for it!
طرُقٌpaths قضاهاordained them اللهGod هلhave مازتdistinguished لناfor us
طرُقٌ قضاها الله هل مازت لنا
تلكthose التيthat منfrom غورهاtheir depths هيَthey are مُبهمةْobscure؟!
تلك التي من غورها هيَ مُبهمةْ؟!
Paths God ordained—have they distinguished for us
Paths decreed by God - have they passed for us
Those that are obscure in their depths?!
Those whose depth is ambiguous?!
متأملونcontemplatives لشطرtoward a portion of وعيٍawareness يممواset their course
متأملون لشطر وعيٍ يمموا
وقلوبهمand their hearts فيهاwithin them الصبابةُardent longing مُحرمةْis forbidden
وقلوبهم فيها الصبابةُ مُحرمةْ
Contemplatives set their course toward a portion of awareness,
Contemplating a stroke of consciousness they divert
And in their hearts, ardent longing is forbidden.
While innocence in them is forbidden
يترفعونthey rise عنabove التزاحمjostling عزّةًout of dignity
يترفعون عن التزاحم عزّةً
عماabove what بداappeared ليلًاnight وينعىand mourns أنجمَهْits stars
عما بدا ليلًا وينعى أنجمَهْ
They rise above jostling out of dignity,
They rise above the jostling proudly
Above what appeared as night and mourns its stars.
From what appeared a night and mourns its stars
نالواthey gained منfrom الفجرthe dawn البهيsplendid بشاشةًcheerfulness
نالوا من الفجر البهي بشاشةً
وعنand from الظلامdarkness ترىyou see وجوهًاfaces محجمةْturning away
وعن الظلام ترى وجوهًا محجمةْ
They gained cheerfulness from the splendid dawn,
They attained from the beautiful dawn cheerfulness
And you see faces turning away from darkness.
While you see from the darkness faces veiled
فيin عالمthe realm of العرفانgnosis يسموrises رأيهاtheir judgment
في عالم العرفان يسمو رأيها
ونضالهاand their struggle تلكthose العقولminds المُغرمةْenamored!
ونضالها تلك العقول المُغرمةْ!
In the realm of gnosis, their judgment rises,
In the world of mysticism their opinion rises
And their struggle too—those enamored minds!
And their struggle - those enamored minds!
وجهٌa face طليقٌopen يستفيضُoverflows بشاشةًwith cheerfulness
وجهٌ طليقٌ يستفيضُ بشاشةً
فتزيلso remove عنهfrom it عرىthe bonds of الصفاءِserenity تبرُّمَهْits discontent
فتزيل عنه عرى الصفاءِ تبرُّمَهْ
An open face overflows with cheerfulness,
A radiant face oozing cheerfulness
So the bonds of serenity remove its discontent.
So it removes from it the thin garb of purity its frown!
يلقاكَit meets you فيamid لججِthe deep waters of النوائبcalamities ضاحكَاlaughing
يلقاكَ في لججِ النوائب ضاحكَا
وكأنماand as though يمحوerases السلامpeace تجهُّمَهْits scowl
وكأنما يمحو السلام تجهُّمَهْ
It meets you laughing amid the deep waters of calamity,
It meets you in the depths of afflictions laughing
And it is as though peace erases its scowl.
As though greeting erases its gloom!
تلكthose الملامحُfeatures للأصالةِfor authenticity مُحّصتwere tested
تلك الملامحُ للأصالةِ مُحّصت
قسماتهاtheir lineaments تنفيreject صفوفthe ranks of الترجمَةْtranslation
قسماتها تنفي صفوف الترجمَةْ
Those features were tested for authenticity;
Those features refined for authenticity
Their lineaments reject the ranks of translation.
Its traits deny columns of translation!
تتلوthey recite علىto الأيامthe days سرّthe secret of قبولهاtheir acceptance
تتلو على الأيام سرّ قبولها
بسلاسةٍwith fluid ease جلتdispelled الظلامdarkness لتحسمَهْto end it decisively!
بسلاسةٍ جلت الظلام لتحسمَهْ!
They recite to the days the secret of their acceptance,
It recites the secret of its acceptance
With fluid ease, they dispelled darkness to end it!
To the days smoothly resolving its darkness!
بُنيتwere built علىupon نهرthe river of المُحبِّthe lover جنائنٌgardens
بُنيت على نهر المُحبِّ جنائنٌ
وعواطفٌand feelings ساقتcarried إليهto him ترحُّمهْhis compassion !
وعواطفٌ ساقت إليه ترحُّمهْ !
Gardens were built upon the lover's river,
Gardens were built by the river of love
And feelings carried his compassion to him!
And affections brought to it their condolence!
فوضًىchaos وand هامتshe fell in love باليقينِwith certainty لأنهاbecause she
فوضًى و هامت باليقينِ لأنها
باتتhad become بفهمthrough understanding الحبِّlove شبهَalmost مُنظَّمةْordered
باتت بفهم الحبِّ شبهَ مُنظَّمةْ
Chaos—and she fell in love with certainty, because she
Chaos and they wandered with certainty for it
Had become almost orderly through understanding love.
Had almost understood the essence of love organized
هيَshe منfrom لجينthe silver of الغيمclouds صاغتfashioned حُسنهاher beauty
هيَ من لجين الغيم صاغت حُسنها
كأساورٍlike bracelets للحرّfor a free man تبهرُdazzle معصمَهhis wrist
كأساورٍ للحرّ تبهرُ معصمَه
She fashioned her beauty from the silver of clouds,
It is of the clouds’ folds that formed its beauty
Like bracelets for a free man, dazzling his wrist.
Like bracelets for the heat dazzling its wrist!
سكبتshe poured مدادthe ink of النورlight منfrom أرواحهاher souls
سكبت مداد النور من أرواحها
والوصلُand union حرٌّfree فيin فضاءthe expanse of السلهمَةْlanguor!
والوصلُ حرٌّ في فضاء السلهمَةْ!
She poured the ink of light from her souls,
It poured the ink of light from its souls
And union is free in the expanse of languor!
And connection is hot in the space of desolation!
يتساءلونthey wonder عنabout الوضاءةradiance حينماwhen
يتساءلون عن الوضاءة حينما
نشرrevealed التواضعhumility سرَّthe secret of فكرٍa thought هندمَهْput it in order
نشر التواضع سرَّ فكرٍ هندمَهْ
They wonder about radiance, when
They wonder about lucidity when
Humility revealed the secret of a thought it had put in order.
The spread of humility discloses its veiled mind!
وإلىand toward البشاشةcheerfulness أرهفواthey grew receptive وترققواand grew tender
وإلى البشاشة أرهفوا وترققوا
كيفhow ارتقىclimbed رمزthe symbol of الطلاقةِopenness سُلَّمَهْits ladder؟!
كيف ارتقى رمز الطلاقةِ سُلَّمَهْ؟!
And toward cheerfulness they grew receptive and tender:
And they became tender and refined towards cheerfulness
How did the symbol of openness climb its ladder?!
How did the symbol of eloquence climb its ladder?!
ثمthen ادعواthey claimed بعدafter التكاثفmassing together أنّـهُthat it
ثم ادعوا بعد التكاثف أنّـهُ
بدْعٌa novelty ضئيلٌpaltry للتصنّعِfor affectation شرذمَةْa small band
بدْعٌ ضئيلٌ للتصنّعِ شرذمَةْ
Then, after massing together, they claimed that it
Then after convergence they claimed it
Was a paltry novelty—a little band of affectation.
Paltry innovation for pretentiousness fragmented!
كادواthey schemed وخابواand failed واستعادواand resumed مكرهمtheir plotting
كادوا وخابوا واستعادوا مكرهم
للهGod has مكرٌa stratagem حينwhen تُرفعُis raised مظلمةْa grievance !!
لله مكرٌ حين تُرفعُ مظلمةْ !!
They schemed and failed, and resumed their plotting;
They almost erred and failed and regained their deceit
God has a stratagem when a grievance is raised!
For God is deception when darkness is lifted!
قستgrew cruel اللياليthe nights فيin دياجيthe gloom of ظُلمِهاtheir injustice
قست الليالي في دياجي ظُلمِها
ثمََthen ادلهمّتturned pitch-black فيin كهوفٍcaves مُظلمةْdark
ثمََ ادلهمّت في كهوفٍ مُظلمةْ
The nights grew cruel in the gloom of their injustice,
The nights toughened in my darkness’ bosom
Then turned pitch-black in dark caves.
Then poured in caves dark
فأجاءهاso impelled her لُطفُthe gentleness of الإلهِGod مُبشَِرًاbearing glad tidings
فأجاءها لُطفُ الإلهِ مُبشَِرًا
كعواصفٍlike storms قشعتdispersed غيومًاclouds مُرغمَةْforced against their will
كعواصفٍ قشعت غيومًا مُرغمَةْ
So God's gentleness impelled her, bearing glad tidings,
So God’s kindness came announcing good news to it
Like storms that dispersed clouds against their will.
Like storms that dispersed forcibly gathered clouds
عاشتshe lived تبلّورُcrystallizing حلمهاher dream فيin ماسةٍa diamond
عاشت تبلّورُ حلمها في ماسةٍ
كمhow often حاصرتهbesieged it سدًىin vain تسوّرscaled منجمَهْits mine
كم حاصرته سدًى تسوّر منجمَهْ
She lived, crystallizing her dream in a diamond.
It lived crystallizing its dream in a diamond
How often it was besieged in vain, its mine scaled!
How often it besieged its star in vain assailing its mine!
هذاthis انحسارthe retreat of الفحمcoal يبهرُdazzles أصلهُits origin
هذا انحسار الفحم يبهرُ أصلهُ
وكأنهُand as though it بالزّهوِwith pride يفشيdivulges مغنَمَهْits spoils !
وكأنهُ بالزّهوِ يفشي مغنَمَهْ !
This is the retreat of coal, dazzling its origin,
This is the coal’s retreat dazzling its origin
As though, in pride, it were divulging its spoils!
As though spreading its prosperity in war spoils!
فيin التيهِthe wilderness أُلقيI cast للتمرّدfor rebellion :طلسمًاa talisman
في التيهِ أُلقي للتمرّد :طلسمًا
حتّىuntil يثورَrebels الضوءُlight فيin وجهthe face of العمَهْblind confusion!
حتّى يثورَ الضوءُ في وجه العمَهْ!
In the wilderness, I cast a talisman for rebellion,
In bewilderment, a spell was cast on rebellion:
Until light rebels in the face of blind confusion!
Until the light revolts in the face of blindness!
صحرائِيَmy desert الحُبلىpregnant بألفwith a thousand فسيلةٍpalm shoots
صحرائِيَ الحُبلى بألف فسيلةٍ
هزّتshook جذوعthe trunks of الشعرpoetry فيهاwithin it خضرمَةْmingling!
هزّت جذوع الشعر فيها خضرمَةْ!
My desert, pregnant with a thousand palm shoots:
My desert, pregnant with a thousand sprigs
Within it, a mingling shook the trunks of poetry!
Shook the stems of poetry in it weathered!
فتفلسفso philosophized الحزنُsorrow العميقُdeep بداخليwithin me
فتفلسف الحزنُ العميقُ بداخلي
حرفًاa letter فحرفًاthen a letter واليقينُand certainty تزعَّمَــــهled it
حرفًا فحرفًا واليقينُ تزعَّمَــــه
So the deep sorrow within me philosophized,
So sorrow profoundly philosophized within me
Letter by letter, and certainty led it,
Letter by letter and certainty claimed its leadership
حتّىuntil تدلّتhung down فوقabove خدّيmy cheek غيمةa cloud
حتّى تدلّت فوق خدّي غيمة
فتدحرحتthen tumbled منهاfrom it صنوفvarieties of التمتمَةْmurmuring!
فتدحرحت منها صنوف التمتمَةْ!
Until a cloud hung down above my cheek,
Until a cloud dripped above my cheek
Then from it tumbled varieties of murmuring!
So varieties of mumbling trickled from it!
Sol 6.1