جلسناwe sat نسطرwe write down أحلامناour dreams
جلسنا نسطر أحلامنا
علىon الرملthe sand فانمحتand were erased الأسطرthe lines
على الرمل فانمحت الأسطر
We sat inscribing our dreams
We sat writing down our dreams
upon the sand—then the lines were erased.
On the sand, and the lines were erased.
جلسناwe sat نصافحwe shake hands with زهرflowers الرياضthe gardens
جلسنا نصافح زهر الرياض
عسىmay القلبthe heart منfrom فرحهits joy يزهرblossom
عسى القلب من فرحه يزهر
We sat greeting the blossoms of the gardens,
We sat shaking hands with the flowers of the gardens,
that the heart, in its joy, might blossom.
Hoping the heart might blossom from its joy.
وردناwe arrived فلمand did not نلقfind إلاexcept الخيالillusion
وردنا فلم نلق إلا الخيال
بأرضin a land عنabout الجدبbarrenness قدmay تسفرreveal
بأرض عن الجدب قد تسفر
We arrived, but found nothing but illusion
We arrived, but found only illusion
in a land that may reveal its barrenness.
In a land that may reveal its barrenness.
دياجيرdeep glooms منfrom ظلماتdarknesses الحياةlife
دياجير من ظلمات الحياة
بهاin them الموتdeath لوif بانbecame visible أوor أخطرmore perilous
بها الموت لو بان أو أخطر
Pitch-dark depths among life's shadows—
Deep glooms from the darkness of life—
death is there, whether manifest or merely looming.
In them lies death, were it seen—or something more perilous.
صبرناwe endured علىin the face of ظلمinjustice أيامناour days
صبرنا على ظلم أيامنا
وهلand does? يملكhave الرايa say منwhoever يصبرendures
وهل يملك الراي من يصبر
We bore the oppression of our days;
We endured the injustice of our days,
but can one who endures be master of his judgment?
And does one who endures have a say?
سترناwe concealed أفاعيلmisdeeds هذاthis الزمانage
سترنا أفاعيل هذا الزمان
وفضحand exposing العيوبthe faults بهfor it أجدرmore fitting
وفضح العيوب به أجدر
We concealed the doings of this age,
We concealed the misdeeds of this age,
though laying bare its faults would be more fitting.
And exposing its faults is more fitting.
أقمناwe dwelt بأرضin a land جناهاits harvest العقوقingratitude
أقمنا بأرض جناها العقوق
لكلfor every أديبwriter بهاin it يظهرappears
لكل أديب بها يظهر
We dwelt in a land whose harvest is ingratitude
We dwelt in a land whose harvest is ingratitude
for every writer who rises within it.
For every writer who appears there.
فياso, O غصنناour branch مزهراblossoming فيin البلادthe land
فيا غصننا مزهرا في البلاد
أجبنىanswer me وقلand tell ليto me متىwhen تثمرyou bear fruit
أجبنى وقل لي متى تثمر
O our bough, blossoming across the land,
So, O our branch, blossoming in the land,
answer me—tell me, when will you bear fruit?
Answer me and tell me: when will you bear fruit?
Sol 6.1