يا أَيُّها الشَّادي المغرِّدُ ههُنا

يا أَيُّها الشَّادي المغرِّدُ ههُنا

ثَمِلاً بِغِبْطةِ قَلْبهِ المَسْرورِ

ثَمِلاً بِغِبْطةِ قَلْبهِ المَسْرورِ

O singer, warbling here,

O you who sing blissfully here

O chanting warbler singing here,

drunk with the joy of his happy heart,

Full of the joy of your delighted heart

Intoxicated by the bliss of a heart purely glad,

مُتَنقِّلاُ بَيْنَ الخَمائلِ تالِياً

مُتَنقِّلاُ بَيْنَ الخَمائلِ تالِياً

وَحْيَ الرَّبيعِ السَّاحرِ المَسْحورِ

وَحْيَ الرَّبيعِ السَّاحرِ المَسْحورِ

moving among the groves, reciting

Roaming among the beauties, following

Flitting among the thickets, reciting

the revelation of enchanting, enchanted spring:

The enchanting, fascinated spring quarter

The revelation of the bewitching, spellbound Spring.

غَرِّدْ ففي تِلْكَ السُّهولِ زَنابِقُ

غَرِّدْ ففي تِلْكَ السُّهولِ زَنابِقُ

تَرْنو إليكَ بِناظرٍ مَنْظورِ

تَرْنو إليكَ بِناظرٍ مَنْظورِ

Sing, for on those plains there are lilies

Sing! For in those meadows violets

Sing, for within those plains lilies wait,

gazing at you with an eye itself beheld.

Yearn for you with a visible gaze

Gazing upon you with an eye intent.

غَرِّدْ فَفي قَلبي إليكَ مَوَدَّةٌ

غَرِّدْ فَفي قَلبي إليكَ مَوَدَّةٌ

لَكِنْ مَوَدَّةُ طائرٍ مَأسورِ

لَكِنْ مَوَدَّةُ طائرٍ مَأسورِ

Sing, for in my heart there is affection for you,

Sing! For in my heart I have affection for you

Sing, for in my heart lies love for you,

but the affection of a captive bird.

But the affection of an imprisoned bird

Yet 'tis the love of a bird in captivity;

هَجَرَتْهُ أسْرابُ الحمائمِ وانْبَرَتْ

هَجَرَتْهُ أسْرابُ الحمائمِ وانْبَرَتْ

لِعَذابِهِ جنِّيةُ الدَّيْجورِ

لِعَذابِهِ جنِّيةُ الدَّيْجورِ

Flocks of doves forsook him, and forth came

The doves’ flocks deserted him and the

Forsaken by the flocks of doves, and beset

the female jinni of darkness to torment him.

Genies of delusion set upon his torment

By the demon of darkness meant for his torment.

غَرِّدْ ولا تُرْهِبْ يميني إنَّني

غَرِّدْ ولا تُرْهِبْ يميني إنَّني

مِثْلُ الطُّيورِ بمُهْجَتي وضَميري

مِثْلُ الطُّيورِ بمُهْجَتي وضَميري

Sing, and do not fear my right hand; indeed, I am

Sing and do not frighten me, I am like the birds

Sing, and fear not my right hand, for truly I

like the birds in my soul and my conscience.

In my passion and conscience

Am like the birds in my spirit and my soul.

لكنْ لَقَدْ هاضَ التُّرابُ مَلامعي

لكنْ لَقَدْ هاضَ التُّرابُ مَلامعي

فَلَبِثْتُ مِثلَ البُلبلِ المَكْسورِ

فَلَبِثْتُ مِثلَ البُلبلِ المَكْسورِ

But the dust has indeed shattered my radiance,

But the soil has dimmed my glimmers

But the dust of earth has shattered my wings,

so I remained like a broken nightingale,

And I remained like the broken nightingale

So I remained like a nightingale broken,

أشدُو برنّاتِ النِّياحَةِ والأسى

أشدُو برنّاتِ النِّياحَةِ والأسى

مشبوبةً بعواطفي وشُعوري

مشبوبةً بعواطفي وشُعوري

singing in tones of lamentation and sorrow,

I intone the tunes of sorrow and grief

Chanting with the resonance of wailing and grief,

kindled by my emotions and my feeling.

Infused with my emotions and feelings

Kindled by my passions and my sensing.

غرِّدْ ولا تَحْفَل بقلبي إنَّهُ

غرِّدْ ولا تَحْفَل بقلبي إنَّهُ

كالمِعْزَفِ المُتَحَطِّمِ المَهْجورِ

كالمِعْزَفِ المُتَحَطِّمِ المَهْجورِ

Sing, and pay no heed to my heart; it is

Sing and pay no heed to my heart, it is

Sing, and pay no heed to my heart, for it is

like a shattered, forsaken instrument.

Like the shattered abandoned tune

Like a musical instrument, shattered and shunned.

رتِّل على سَمْع الرَّبيعِ نشيدَهُ

رتِّل على سَمْع الرَّبيعِ نشيدَهُ

واصْدَحْ بفيْضِ فؤادك المَسْجورِ

واصْدَحْ بفيْضِ فؤادك المَسْجورِ

Chant spring's own song for it to hear,

Chant to the spring’s ear its hymn

Recite to the hearing of Spring his anthem,

and sing out with the overflow of your blazing heart.

And pour out the abundance of your enraptured heart

And peal forth the flow of your burning heart.

وانْشِدْ أناشيدَ الجَمال فإنَّها

وانْشِدْ أناشيدَ الجَمال فإنَّها

روحُ الوُجودِ وسَلْوَةُ المَقْهورِ

روحُ الوُجودِ وسَلْوَةُ المَقْهورِ

And sing the songs of beauty, for they are

And sing the hymns of beauty, for they are

And sing the canticles of Beauty, for she is

the soul of existence and the solace of the oppressed.

The spirit of existence and solace for the oppressed

The spirit of existence and solace to the oppressed.

أنا طائرٌ مُتَغرِّدٌ مُتَرنِّمٌ

أنا طائرٌ مُتَغرِّدٌ مُتَرنِّمٌ

لكِنْ بصوتِ كآبتي وزَفيري

لكِنْ بصوتِ كآبتي وزَفيري

I am a bird, warbling and singing,

I am a singing, chanting bird

I am a bird, warbling and humming too,

but with the voice of my melancholy and my sighing.

But with the voice of my gloom and sighing

Yet with the voice of my melancholy and my sighs.

يَهْتاجُني صوتُ الطُّيورِ لأنَّه

يَهْتاجُني صوتُ الطُّيورِ لأنَّه

مُتدفِّقُ بِحَرارةٍ وطَهورِ

مُتدفِّقُ بِحَرارةٍ وطَهورِ

The voice of birds stirs me, for it

The birds' voices delight me, for they

The voice of birds stirs me, for it comes

flows with warmth and purity.

Flow with warmth and purity

Flowing with warmth and purity.

مَا في وجود النَّاسِ من شيءٍ به

مَا في وجود النَّاسِ من شيءٍ به

يَرضَى فؤادي أو يُسَرُّ ضَميري

يَرضَى فؤادي أو يُسَرُّ ضَميري

There is nothing in human existence with which

There is nothing among people's existence

There is naught in the existence of men

my heart is content or my conscience gladdened.

That satisfies or gladdens my heart or conscience

To satisfy my heart or please my conscience.

فإذا استَمَعْتُ حديثهم ألْفَيْتُهُ

فإذا استَمَعْتُ حديثهم ألْفَيْتُهُ

غَثًّا يَفيض بِركَّةٍ وفُتورِ

غَثًّا يَفيض بِركَّةٍ وفُتورِ

So when I listen to their talk, I find it

And when I listen to their talk, I find it

If I listen to their speech, I find it

insipid, overflowing with feebleness and languor.

Nonsense overflowing with vulgarity and lassitude

Vapid, overflowing with feebleness and sloth.

وإذا حَضَرْتُ جُموعَهُمْ ألْفَيْتَني

وإذا حَضَرْتُ جُموعَهُمْ ألْفَيْتَني

مَا بينهمْ كالبُلبلِ المأسورِ

مَا بينهمْ كالبُلبلِ المأسورِ

And when I attend their gatherings, you find me

And when I attend their crowds, I find myself

And were I to attend their throngs, you would find me

among them like a captive nightingale,

Among them like an imprisoned nightingale

Amidst them like a nightingale in chains,

متوحِّداً بِعَواطفي ومَشاعِري

متوحِّداً بِعَواطفي ومَشاعِري

وخَواطري وكَآبَتي وسُروري

وخَواطري وكَآبَتي وسُروري

alone with my emotions and my feelings,

Isolated with my emotions, feelings

Solitary in my emotions and my feelings,

and my thoughts, my melancholy, and my joy.

Thoughts, sorrows and joys

In my thoughts, my melancholy, and my joy.

يَنتابُني حَرَجُ الحياةِ كأنَّني

يَنتابُني حَرَجُ الحياةِ كأنَّني

مِنهمْ بِوَهْدَة جَنْدَلٍ وصُخورِ

مِنهمْ بِوَهْدَة جَنْدَلٍ وصُخورِ

Life's distress assails me, as though I were

The discomforts of life seize me as if

The constraint of life assails me, as if I were

among them in a hollow of stones and rocks.

I am set apart from them like a rock and boulders

Among them in a pit of boulders and stone.

فإذا سَكَتُّ تضجَّروا وإذا نَطَقْتُ

فإذا سَكَتُّ تضجَّروا وإذا نَطَقْتُ

تذمَّروا من فكْرَتي وشُعوري

تذمَّروا من فكْرَتي وشُعوري

So if I fall silent, they grow impatient; and if I speak,

And if I stay silent they frown, and if I speak

If I fall silent, they fret; and if I speak,

they grumble at my thought and my feeling.

They resent my ideas and feelings

They grumble at my thoughts and sentiment.

آهٍ منَ النَّاسِ الذين بَلَوْتُهُمْ

آهٍ منَ النَّاسِ الذين بَلَوْتُهُمْ

فَقَلَوْتُهُمْ في وحشتي وحُبوري

فَقَلَوْتُهُمْ في وحشتي وحُبوري

Ah, those people whom I have tested,

Alas for the people I have tried

Alas for the people whom I have tested,

and so have loathed in my loneliness and my joy!

And found bitter in my solitude and captivity

And came to loathe in my solitude and my mirth.

مَا منهُمُ إلاَّ خَبيثٌ غادِرٌ

مَا منهُمُ إلاَّ خَبيثٌ غادِرٌ

متربِّصٌ بالنَّاسِ شَرَّ مَصيرِ

متربِّصٌ بالنَّاسِ شَرَّ مَصيرِ

There is not one among them but a wicked traitor,

There is not one among them except wicked traitors

Not one is among them but a malicious traitor,

lying in wait for the worst of fates to befall people.

Waiting to harm people in the worst fate

Lying in wait for the direst fate to befall mankind,

ويَودُّ له مَلَكَ الوُجودَ بأسره

ويَودُّ له مَلَكَ الوُجودَ بأسره

ورمى الوَرَى في جاحِمٍ مَسْجورِ

ورمى الوَرَى في جاحِمٍ مَسْجورِ

And he wishes he possessed all existence for himself,

And wishing to possess all existence

Who wishes he possessed the whole of existence,

and cast humankind into a blazing inferno,

And cast humanity into raging inferno

While casting creation into a blazing hell,

لِيَبُلَّ غُلَّتَهُ التي لا ترتوي

لِيَبُلَّ غُلَّتَهُ التي لا ترتوي

ويَكُضَّ تُهْمَةَ قلبهِ المَغْفورِ

ويَكُضَّ تُهْمَةَ قلبهِ المَغْفورِ

to slake his burning thirst, which is never quenched,

To satisfy his insatiable greed

To slake a thirst that is never quenched,

and quell the suspicion of his forgiven heart.

And quell the darkness of his condemned heart

And suppress the guilt of his absolved heart.

وإذا دخلتُ إلى البلادِ فإنَّ أَف

وإذا دخلتُ إلى البلادِ فإنَّ أَف

كاري تُرَفْرِفُ في سُفوحِ الطُّورِ

كاري تُرَفْرِفُ في سُفوحِ الطُّورِ

And when I enter the towns, my thoughts

And when I enter the countryside, my thoughts

When I enter the cities, my thoughts

flutter over the slopes of al-Tur,

Flutter on the slopes of the mountains

Flutter upon the foothills of the Mount,

حيثُ الطَّبيعَةُ حُلوةٌ فتَّانَةٌ

حيثُ الطَّبيعَةُ حُلوةٌ فتَّانَةٌ

تختال بَيْنَ تَبَرُّجٍ وسُفُورِ

تختال بَيْنَ تَبَرُّجٍ وسُفُورِ

where nature is sweet and enchanting,

Where nature is sweet and alluring

Where Nature is sweet and captivating,

swaying proudly between adornment and unveiling.

Swaying between coquetry and revelation

Strutting between adornment and unveiling.

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي غا

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي غا

رقةٌ بموَّارِ الدَّمِ المَهدورِ

رقةٌ بموَّارِ الدَّمِ المَهدورِ

What do I want from the city, when it is drowning

What do I want from the city as it is drowning

What do I desire of the City, while it lies

in the surge of blood shed in vain?

In the blood of the wronged poured out

Drowning in surging tides of wasted blood?

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي لا

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي لا

ترثي لصوتِ تَفجُّع المَوْتُورِ

ترثي لصوتِ تَفجُّع المَوْتُورِ

What do I want from the city, when it does not

What do I want from the city as it does not

What do I desire of the City, while it shows

pity the anguished cry of the bereaved?

Mourn the voice of the suffering oppressed

No pity for the voice of the grieving victim?

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي لا

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي لا

تَعْنو لغَير الظَّالمِ الشَّرِّيرِ

تَعْنو لغَير الظَّالمِ الشَّرِّيرِ

What do I want from the city, when it does not

What do I want from the city as it does not

What do I desire of the City, while it bows

bow to anyone but the wicked oppressor?

Care for any but the unjust wicked

To none but the wicked oppressor?

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي مُر

مَاذا أَوَدُّ مِنَ المدينَةِ وهي مُر

تادٌ لكلِّ دَعَارَةٍ وفُجُورِ

تادٌ لكلِّ دَعَارَةٍ وفُجُورِ

What do I want from the city, when it is a haunt

What do I want from the city as it is a haven

What do I desire of the City, while it is

for every debauchery and depravity?

For every depravity and immorality

A haunt for all vice and debauchery?

يا أَيُّها الشَّادي المغرِّدُ ههنا

يا أَيُّها الشَّادي المغرِّدُ ههنا

ثَمِلاً بغبطة قَلْبِهِ المسرورِ

ثَمِلاً بغبطة قَلْبِهِ المسرورِ

O singer, warbling here,

O you who sing blissfully here

O chanting warbler singing here,

drunk with the joy of his happy heart,

Full of the joy of your delighted heart

Intoxicated by the bliss of a heart purely glad,

قبِّل أَزاهيرَ الرَّبيعِ وغنِّها

قبِّل أَزاهيرَ الرَّبيعِ وغنِّها

رَنَمَ الصَّباحِ الضَّاحِك المحبورِ

رَنَمَ الصَّباحِ الضَّاحِك المحبورِ

Kiss the blossoms of spring, and sing to them

Kiss the spring’s flowers and sing them

Kiss the blossoms of Spring and sing to them

the melody of the laughing, joyful morning.

The laughing delighted morning has blossomed

The melody of the laughing, joyous morn,

واشرب مِنَ النَّبْعِ الجميل الملتوي

واشرب مِنَ النَّبْعِ الجميل الملتوي

مَا بَيْنَ دَوْحِ صَنَوبَرٍ وغَديرِ

مَا بَيْنَ دَوْحِ صَنَوبَرٍ وغَديرِ

And drink from the lovely, winding spring

And drink from the beautiful twisting stream

And drink from the beautiful, winding spring,

between spreading pine trees and a pool.

Between pine grove and brook

Amidst the pine grove and the brook,

واتْرُكْ دموعَ الفجرِ في أَوراقِها

واتْرُكْ دموعَ الفجرِ في أَوراقِها

حتَّى تُرشِّفَهَا عَرُوسُ النُّورِ

حتَّى تُرشِّفَهَا عَرُوسُ النُّورِ

And leave the tears of dawn upon their leaves

And leave the dawn’s tears on its leaves

And leave the tears of dawn upon the leaves,

until the bride of light sips them.

Until the bride of light moistens them

Until the Bride of Light comes to sip them away.

فَلَرُبَّما كانتْ أَنيناً صاعداً

فَلَرُبَّما كانتْ أَنيناً صاعداً

في اللَّيلِ مِنْ متوجِّعٍ مَقْهُورِ

في اللَّيلِ مِنْ متوجِّعٍ مَقْهُورِ

For perhaps they were a moan ascending

For they may have been a rising moan

For perhaps they were a moan ascending

in the night from one in pain and oppressed,

In the night from an oppressed sufferer

In the night from one in pain and oppressed,

ذَرَفَتْهُ أَجفانُ الصَّباحِ مدامعاً

ذَرَفَتْهُ أَجفانُ الصَّباحِ مدامعاً

أَلاَّقَةً في دَوْحةٍ وزُهورِ

أَلاَّقَةً في دَوْحةٍ وزُهورِ

which morning's eyelids shed as tears,

The morning eyelids shed them as tears

Which the eyelids of the morning shed as tears,

gleaming upon a spreading tree and flowers.

Scattered in a pine grove and flowers

Glistening upon the thicket and the flowers.