بالأَمسِyesterday قَدْindeed كانتْwas حَياتيmy life
بالأَمسِ قَدْ كانتْ حَياتي
كالسَّماءِlike the sky الباسِمَهْsmiling
كالسَّماءِ الباسِمَهْ
Yesterday my life was
Yesterday my life
Yesterday, my life was indeed
like the smiling sky.
Was like a smiling sky
Like the smiling heavens,
واليومَand today قَدْindeed أمسَتْhas become كأَعماقِlike the depths
واليومَ قَدْ أمسَتْ كأَعماقِ
الكُهُوفِof the caves الواجِمَهْbrooding
الكُهُوفِ الواجِمَهْ
And today it has become like the depths
And today it has become like
And today it has become like the depths
of brooding caves.
The depths of formidable caves
Of gloomy, sullen caves.
قَدْindeed كانَthere was ليfor me مَاemphatic particle بَيْنَamong
قَدْ كانَ لي مَا بَيْنَ
أَحلاميmy dreams الجَميلةbeautiful جَدْوَلُa brook
أَحلامي الجَميلة جَدْوَلُ
I had, among
I used to have between
Once, amidst my lovely dreams,
my beautiful dreams, a brook,
My beautiful dreams a stream
There was a stream,
يَجْريflows بهِthrough it ماءُwater المَحَبَّةِof love
يَجْري بهِ ماءُ المَحَبَّةِ
طَاهراًpure يَتَسَلْسَلِrippling along
طَاهراً يَتَسَلْسَلِ
through which the water of love flowed,
In which the water of love flows
Where the waters of love flowed,
pure, rippling along.
Pure, rippling
Pure and rippling forth.
تَسْعىcourse along بهِthrough it الأَمواجُthe waves
تَسْعى بهِ الأَمواجُ
باسمةًsmiling كأَحْلامِlike the dreams الصِّبَاof youth
باسمةً كأَحْلامِ الصِّبَا
Its waves coursed along,
The waves race in it
Its waves moved along,
smiling like the dreams of youth,
Like the dreams of youth
Smiling like the dreams of youth,
بَيْضاءَwhite ناصِعَةًradiant ضَحوكاًlaughing
بَيْضاءَ ناصِعَةً ضَحوكاً
مِثْلَlike أزْهارِthe flowers الرُّبىof the hills
مِثْلَ أزْهارِ الرُّبى
white, radiant, laughing,
White, brilliant, smiling
White, pristine, and laughing,
like the flowers of the hills,
Like flowers of meadows
Like the blossoms of the hills,
ميَّاسةًswaying gracefully كَعَرائِسِlike the brides الفِرْدَوْسِof Paradise
ميَّاسةً كَعَرائِسِ الفِرْدَوْسِ
بَيْنَamong حُقُولِهِits fields
بَيْنَ حُقُولِهِ
swaying like the brides of Paradise
Glittering like brides of paradise
Swaying like the brides of Paradise
among its fields,
Among its fields
Amidst its meadows,
تَتْلوchant أناشيدَhymns المُنىof wishes
تَتْلو أناشيدَ المُنى
فيin مَدِّهِits surge وقُفُولِهِand its return
في مَدِّهِ وقُفُولِهِ
chanting hymns of wishes
Reciting the songs of wishes
Chanting the anthems of longing
in its surge and return.
In its extension and contraction
In its rising and its falling.
هوَit جدولُthe brook الحُبِّof love الَّذيthat
هوَ جدولُ الحُبِّ الَّذي
قَدْindeed كانَwas فيin قلبيmy heart الخَضِلْdewy
قَدْ كانَ في قلبي الخَضِلْ
It is the brook of love that
It is the stream of love that
It is the stream of love that
was in my dewy heart,
Used to be in my passionate heart
Once flowed within my tender heart,
بمَراشِفِalong the lips الأَحلامِof dreams مُنْطلقاًflowing freely
بمَراشِفِ الأَحلامِ مُنْطلقاً
يسيرُmoves علىat مَهَلْleisure
يسيرُ على مَهَلْ
flowing freely along the lips of dreams,
With the pillows of dreams, unleashed
Springing from the lips of dreams,
moving at an unhurried pace,
Walking slowly
Wandering at a gentle pace,
يتلوrecites علىto سَمْعيmy hearing
يتلو على سَمْعي
أَغاريدَsongs الحَيَاةِof life الطَّاهرَهْpure
أَغاريدَ الحَيَاةِ الطَّاهرَهْ
reciting to my hearing
Reciting in my hearing
Reciting unto my ears
the songs of pure life,
The warbles of pure life
The songs of a pure life,
ويُثيرُand stirs فيin قلبيmy heart
ويُثيرُ في قلبي
أَناشيدَhymns الخُلُودِof eternity السَّاحِرَهْenchanting
أَناشيدَ الخُلُودِ السَّاحِرَهْ
and stirring in my heart
And arousing in my heart
And stirring within my heart
the enchanting hymns of eternity.
The enchanting songs of eternity
The enchanting anthems of eternity.
تَقِفُstand العَذَارَىthe maidens الخالِداتُimmortal
تَقِفُ العَذَارَى الخالِداتُ
عَرَائِسُthe brides الشِّعْرِof poetry البَديعْwondrous
عَرَائِسُ الشِّعْرِ البَديعْ
The immortal maidens stand,
The immortal maidens stand
There stood the immortal maidens,
the brides of wondrous poetry,
Brides of eloquent poetry
The brides of exquisite poetry,
فيon ضفَّتَيْهِits two banks مُردِّداتٍrepeating
في ضفَّتَيْهِ مُردِّداتٍ
نَغْمَةَthe melody الحُلْمِof the dream الوَديعْgentle
نَغْمَةَ الحُلْمِ الوَديعْ
upon its two banks, repeating
On its banks chanting
Upon its banks, repeating
the melody of the gentle dream.
The melody of the gentle dream
The melody of a gentle dream,
يَلْمُسْنَthey touch منfrom قيثارَةِthe lyre الأَحلامِof dreams
يَلْمُسْنَ من قيثارَةِ الأَحلامِ
أَوتارَthe strings الغَزَلْof love poetry
أَوتارَ الغَزَلْ
They touch, on the lyre of dreams,
They touch from the lyre of dreams
Plucking from the lyre of dreams
the strings of love song,
The strings of courtship
The strings of amorous love,
فَتَفيضُso overflow أَلحانُthe melodies الصَّبابَةِof longing
فَتَفيضُ أَلحانُ الصَّبابَةِ
عَذْبَةًsweet مِثْلَlike الأَمَلْhope
عَذْبَةً مِثْلَ الأَمَلْ
so melodies of longing overflow,
So the tunes of youth overflow
So the tunes of passion overflowed,
sweet as hope.
Sweet like hope
Sweet as hope itself.
وتَطيرُand fly بالبَسَماتِwith smiles والأَنْغامِand melodies
وتَطيرُ بالبَسَماتِ والأَنْغامِ
أَجنحَةُthe wings الصَّدىof echo
أَجنحَةُ الصَّدى
And, bearing smiles and melodies, fly
And the smiles and melodies fly
And taking flight with smiles and songs
the wings of echo
On the wings of echo
Were the wings of the echo,
فيin ذلكَthat الأُفُقِhorizon الجَميلِbeautiful
في ذلكَ الأُفُقِ الجَميلِ
وذلكَand that النَّسَمِbreeze الرُّخاgentle
وذلكَ النَّسَمِ الرُّخا
within that beautiful horizon
In that beautiful horizon
Into that beautiful horizon,
and that gentle breeze.
And that gentle breeze
And that soft, gentle breeze.
وهُناكَand there حيثُwhere تُعانِقُembrace
وهُناكَ حيثُ تُعانِقُ
البَسَماتُsmiles أَنْغَامَthe melodies الغَزَلْof love poetry
البَسَماتُ أَنْغَامَ الغَزَلْ
And there, where an embrace joins
And there where
And there, where smiles embrace
smiles and the melodies of love,
Smiles embrace the tunes of flirtation
The melodies of love,
يَتَمَايلُsways الحُلُمُthe dream الجميلُbeautiful
يَتَمَايلُ الحُلُمُ الجميلُ
كنَسْمَةِlike a breeze القَلْبِof the heart الثَّمِلْintoxicated
كنَسْمَةِ القَلْبِ الثَّمِلْ
the beautiful dream sways
The beautiful dream sways
The beautiful dream swayed
like a breeze from the drunken heart.
Like the scent of a fruitful heart
Like the breath of an intoxicated heart.
هُوَit جدولٌa brook قَدْindeed فجَّرتmade gush forth
هُوَ جدولٌ قَدْ فجَّرت
ينبوعَهُits spring فيin مهجَتيmy heart
ينبوعَهُ في مهجَتي
It is a brook; made to gush forth
It is a stream whose
It is a stream whose spring
was its spring within my heart
Source my eyelids unleashed in my being
Was burst forth within my soul
أَجْفانُthe eyelids فاتنةٍa captivating woman أَرَتْنِيهاshowed her to me
أَجْفانُ فاتنةٍ أَرَتْنِيها
الحَيَاةُlife لشَقْوَتيto my misery
الحَيَاةُ لشَقْوَتي
by the eyelids of a beauty revealed to me
Of a charming one that life
By the eyes of a beauty whom life
by life, to my misery.
Showed me for my misery
Revealed to me for my misery;
أَجْفانُthe eyelids فاتنةٍa captivating woman تراءَتْappeared
أَجْفانُ فاتنةٍ تراءَتْ
ليto me علىat فَجْرِthe dawn الشَّبابْof youth
لي على فَجْرِ الشَّبابْ
The eyelids of a beauty who appeared
The eyelids of a fascinator appeared
The eyes of a beauty that appeared
to me at the dawn of youth,
To me at the dawn of youth
To me at the dawn of my youth,
كَعَرُوسةٍlike a bride مِنْamong غانِياتِthe beauties الشِّعْرِof poetry
كَعَرُوسةٍ مِنْ غانِياتِ الشِّعْرِ
فيin شَفَقِthe twilight glow السَّحَابْof the clouds
في شَفَقِ السَّحَابْ
like a bride among poetry's beauties
Like a bride of the singers of poetry
Like a bride among the muses of verse
in the twilight glow of clouds.
In the twilight of clouds
In the twilight of the clouds.
ثمَّthen اخْتَفَتْvanished خَلْفَbehind السَّماءِthe sky
ثمَّ اخْتَفَتْ خَلْفَ السَّماءِ
وراءَbeyond هاتيكَthose الغُيُومْclouds
وراءَ هاتيكَ الغُيُومْ
Then she vanished behind the sky,
Then she disappeared behind the sky
Then she vanished beyond the sky,
beyond those clouds,
Beyond those clouds
Behind those distant clouds,
حيثُwhere العَذارىthe maidens الخالِداتُimmortal
حيثُ العَذارى الخالِداتُ
يَمِسْنَsway gracefully مَاemphatic particle بَيْنَamong النُّجُومْthe stars
يَمِسْنَ مَا بَيْنَ النُّجُومْ
where the immortal maidens
Where the immortal maidens
Where the immortal maidens
sway among the stars.
Touch what is between the stars
Walk gracefully among the stars.
ثمَّthen اختَفَتْvanished أوَّاهِalas
ثمَّ اختَفَتْ أوَّاهِ
طائرةًflying بأَجْنِحَةِon the wings المَنُونْof death
طائرةً بأَجْنِحَةِ المَنُونْ
Then she vanished—alas!—
Then she disappeared crying
Then she vanished—alas!—
flying on the wings of death
Flying on the wings of eternity
Flying upon the wings of death
نحوَtoward السَّماءِthe sky وهاand here أَناI
نحوَ السَّماءِ وها أَنا
فيon الأَرضِthe earth تمثالُa statue الشُّجُونْof sorrows
في الأَرضِ تمثالُ الشُّجُونْ
toward the sky; and here am I,
Towards the sky while here I am
Towards the heavens, while I remain
on earth, a statue of sorrows.
A statue of sorrow on earth
On earth, a statue of grief.
قَدْindeed كانَwas ذلكthat كُلُّهُall of it بالأَمسِyesterday
قَدْ كانَ ذلك كُلُّهُ بالأَمسِ
بالأَمسِyesterday البَعيدْdistant
بالأَمسِ البَعيدْ
All this was yesterday,
All that was yesterday
All of that was yesterday,
in the distant yesterday.
In the distant yesterday
In the distant yesterday,
والأَمسُand yesterday قَدْindeed جَرَفَتْهُswept it away مقهوراًvanquished
والأَمسُ قَدْ جَرَفَتْهُ مقهوراً
يدُthe hand الموتِof death العَتِيدْever-ready
يدُ الموتِ العَتِيدْ
And yesterday was swept away, vanquished,
And yesterday ruthless
And yesterday has been swept away, defeated,
by the hand of ever-ready death.
Death's hand swept it away
By the hand of inevitable death.
قَدْindeed كانَwas ذلكَthat تَحْتَbeneath ظِلِّthe shade
قَدْ كانَ ذلكَ تَحْتَ ظِلِّ
الأَمسِof yesterday والماضيand the past الجَميلْbeautiful
الأَمسِ والماضي الجَميلْ
All this was beneath the shade
That was under the shade
That was beneath the shadow
of yesterday and the beautiful past.
Of yesterday and the beautiful past
Of yesterday and the beautiful past;
قَدْindeed كانَwas ذلكthat فيin شُعاعِthe radiance
قَدْ كانَ ذلك في شُعاعِ
البَدْرِof the full moon مِنْfrom قَبْلِbefore الأُفُولْsetting
البَدْرِ مِنْ قَبْلِ الأُفُولْ
All this was in the radiance
That was in the light
That was within the beam
of the full moon before its setting.
Of the full moon before waning
Of the full moon before it set.
واليومَand today إذْwhen زالتْvanished ظِلالُthe shadows
واليومَ إذْ زالتْ ظِلالُ
الأَمسِof yesterday عَنْfrom زَهَريmy bloom البَديعْwondrous
الأَمسِ عَنْ زَهَري البَديعْ
And today, since gone are the shadows
And today when the shades
But today, as the shadows of yesterday
of yesterday from my wondrous bloom,
Of yesterday left my pretty flower
Have faded from my exquisite flower,
وتَجَلْبَبَand cloaked itself الزَّهرُthe bloom الجميلُbeautiful
وتَجَلْبَبَ الزَّهرُ الجميلُ
بظُلْمَةِin the darkness اللَّيلِof night المُريعْdreadful
بظُلْمَةِ اللَّيلِ المُريعْ
and the lovely bloom has cloaked itself
And the beautiful flower was shrouded
And the beautiful blossom is cloaked
in the darkness of the dreadful night,
In the darkness of the horrible night
In the darkness of the terrible night,
ذَبُلَتْwithered مَرَاشِفُهُits lips فأَصبحَso it became
ذَبُلَتْ مَرَاشِفُهُ فأَصبحَ
ذَوياًwithered نِضْوَworn thin الكُلُومْby wounds
ذَوياً نِضْوَ الكُلُومْ
its lips have withered, and it has become
Its pillows withered so it became
Its lips have withered, and it has become
withered, worn thin by wounds.
Languid, bent
Shriveled, worn by wounds,
وهوَىand fell لأنَّbecause اللَّيلَthe night أَسْمَعَهُmade it hear
وهوَى لأنَّ اللَّيلَ أَسْمَعَهُ
أَناشيدَhymns الوُجُومْof brooding silence
أَناشيدَ الوُجُومْ
And it fell, for the night made it hear
And it fell because the night made
And it collapsed, for the night forced it to hear
the hymns of brooding silence.
It hear the songs of glooms
The anthems of desolation.
بالأَمسِyesterday قَدْindeed كانتwas حياتيmy life
بالأَمسِ قَدْ كانت حياتي
كالسَّماءِlike the sky البَاسِمهْsmiling
كالسَّماءِ البَاسِمهْ
Yesterday my life was
Yesterday my life
Yesterday, my life was indeed
like the smiling sky.
Was like a smiling sky
Like the smiling heavens,
واليومَand today قَدْindeed أمسَتْhas become
واليومَ قَدْ أمسَتْ
كأَعماقِlike the depths الكُهُوفِof the caves الوَاجِمهْbrooding
كأَعماقِ الكُهُوفِ الوَاجِمهْ
And today it has become
And today it has become
And today it has become
like the depths of brooding caves.
Like the depths of formidable caves
Like the depths of gloomy caves.
إذْsince أَصبحَhas become النَّبْعُthe spring الجَميعُentire
إذْ أَصبحَ النَّبْعُ الجَميعُ
يسيرُflows فيthrough واديthe valley الأَلَمْof pain
يسيرُ في وادي الأَلَمْ
For the whole spring now
For the stream has become
For the spring has come to
flows through the valley of pain,
Flowing in the valley of pain
Flow through the valley of pain,
مُتَعَثِّراًstumbling بَيْنَamong الصُّخورِthe rocks
مُتَعَثِّراً بَيْنَ الصُّخورِ
يَغُورُsinks فيinto تِلْكَthat الظُّلَمْdarkness
يَغُورُ في تِلْكَ الظُّلَمْ
stumbling among the rocks,
Stumbling between the rocks
Stumbling amongst the rocks,
sinking into that darkness.
Sinking into that darkness
Sinking into those darknesses.
جَفَّتْdried up بهِwithin it أَمواجُthe waves
جَفَّتْ بهِ أَمواجُ
ذيَّاكَthat الغرامِpassion الآفلِfading
ذيَّاكَ الغرامِ الآفلِ
Within it have dried up the waves
Its waves of ardent passion dried up
Within it, the waves have dried up
of that fading passion,
So tears poured
Of that love which has set,
فَتَدَفَّقَتْso poured forth فيهِinto it الدُّمُوعُthe tears
فَتَدَفَّقَتْ فيهِ الدُّمُوعُ
بصَوبِهاwith their downpour المُتَهاطِلِcascading
بصَوبِها المُتَهاطِلِ
so tears have poured into it
Towards it, pouring
And tears have gushed forth into it,
in their cascading downpour.
Clouds of grief veiled it
In a pouring deluge.
قَدْindeed حَجَّبَتْهُveiled it غُيومُclouds
قَدْ حَجَّبَتْهُ غُيومُ
أَحزانِthe sorrows الوُجُودِof existence القاتِمهْgloomy
أَحزانِ الوُجُودِ القاتِمهْ
It has been veiled by the clouds
Bitterness of the miserable
It has been veiled by the clouds
of existence's gloomy sorrows.
Gloomy heart silenced it
Of existence's dark sorrows;
قَدْindeed أَخْرَسَتْهُsilenced it مَرارَةُthe bitterness
قَدْ أَخْرَسَتْهُ مَرارَةُ
القَلْبِof the heart التَّعيسِunhappy الظَّالمهْcruel
القَلْبِ التَّعيسِ الظَّالمهْ
It has been struck mute by the bitterness
The tunes of flirting and love froze on its lips
It has been silenced by the bitterness
of the unhappy heart—so cruel.
And the songs of love died in its depths as it fell
Of a miserable, oppressive heart.
جَمدتْfroze علىupon شَفَتَيْهِits two lips
جَمدتْ على شَفَتَيْهِ
أَنغامُthe melodies الصَّبابَةِof longing والهَوىand love
أَنغامُ الصَّبابَةِ والهَوى
Frozen upon its lips are
And the waves returned to it
Frozen upon its lips are
the melodies of longing and love.
Motionless, gloomy features
The melodies of passion and desire,
وَقَضَتْand perished أَغانيthe songs الحُبُّof love
وَقَضَتْ أَغاني الحُبُّ
فيin أَعْماقِهِits depths لمَّاwhen هوىit fell
في أَعْماقِهِ لمَّا هوى
And the songs of love have perished
The anguish of the
And the songs of love perished
in its depths when it fell.
Sorrowful struggling soul silenced them
In its depths when it fell.
وعَدَتْand sped بهalong it الأَمواجُthe waves
وعَدَتْ به الأَمواجُ
جامِدَةَfrozen المَلامِحِthe features قاتمهْgloomy
جامِدَةَ المَلامِحِ قاتمهْ
And the waves sped along it,
Its wishes faded, and beauty abandoned it
And the waves rushed through it,
with frozen features, gloomy.
So barren depression afflicted it
With frozen features, bleak and dark,
قَدْindeed أَسكَتَتْهاsilenced them لوعَةُthe anguish
قَدْ أَسكَتَتْها لوعَةُ
الرُّوحِof the soul الحزينِsorrowful الوَاجمهْbrooding
الرُّوحِ الحزينِ الوَاجمهْ
They have been silenced by the anguish
On its banks, the brides
Silenced by the burning anguish
of the sorrowful, brooding soul.
Of poetry set up a funeral
Of a sad and sullen soul.
غاضَتْebbed away أَمانيهاtheir wishes وغارَand sank
غاضَتْ أَمانيها وغارَ
بهاwithin them الجَمالُthe beauty السَّاحرُenchanting
بها الجَمالُ السَّاحرُ
Their wishes have ebbed, and sunk
Shedding tears in it generously
Its hopes have dwindled, and within them
within them has enchanting beauty.
Until tears drown blood
The enchanting beauty has sunk,
فأَصابهاso seized them لَهَفاًin anguished longing عليهِfor it
فأَصابها لَهَفاً عليهِ
الاكْتِئابُdespondency الكَافرُfaithless
الاكْتِئابُ الكَافرُ
So, in longing for it, they were seized
So that bloody tear
So it was struck, in yearning for it,
by faithless despondency.
Flows to the stream’s heart
By a faithless depression.
فيon ضفَّتيهits two banks عرائسُthe brides
في ضفَّتيه عرائسُ
الأَشْعارِof poems تنصُبُset up مأتماa mourning assembly
الأَشْعارِ تنصُبُ مأتما
Upon its two banks, the brides
Where bitterness and sorrow are
On its banks, the brides of verse
of poetry hold a mourning assembly.
Among wilted flowers
Are holding a funeral,
يهْرُقْنَthey pour out فيهِtherein الدَّمْعَtears حتَّىuntil
يهْرُقْنَ فيهِ الدَّمْعَ حتَّى
يَلْطُمَstrikes الدَّمعَthe tears الدَّماblood
يَلْطُمَ الدَّمعَ الدَّما
There they pour out tears until
And it moans until its voice
Pouring tears into the stream
blood strikes the tears.
Fills the horizons, so the echoes
Until the tears strike against blood.
فَيَسيلُso flows ذاكَthat المَدْمَعُtear-stream
فَيَسيلُ ذاكَ المَدْمَعُ
الدَّاميbloodied لقَلْبِto the heart الجدولِof the brook
الدَّامي لقَلْبِ الجدولِ
Then that tear-stream flows,
Of wailing walk towards
So that bloody weeping flows
bloodied, to the brook's heart,
The layers of fog
Into the heart of the stream,
حيثُwhere المَرَارَةُbitterness والأَسىand grief
حيثُ المَرَارَةُ والأَسى
بَيْنَamong الزُّهُورِthe flowers الذُّبَّلِwithered
بَيْنَ الزُّهُورِ الذُّبَّلِ
where bitterness and grief lie
And there, between the
Where bitterness and sorrow dwell
among the withered flowers.
Gloomy, dark and bleak fog
Among the withered flowers.
ويَنُحْنَand they wail حتَّىuntil يُفْعِمُfills
ويَنُحْنَ حتَّى يُفْعِمُ
الآفاقَthe horizons صَوتُthe sound الانْتِحابْof sobbing
الآفاقَ صَوتُ الانْتِحابْ
And they wail until filled are
My pains shake and
They wail until the horizons
the horizons by the sound of sobbing.
Grief convulses with weeping
Are filled with the sound of sobbing,
فتسيرُso travel أَصداءُthe echoes النِّيَاحَةِof lamentation
فتسيرُ أَصداءُ النِّيَاحَةِ
نحوtoward أَطباقِthe layers الضَّبابْof fog
نحو أَطباقِ الضَّبابْ
Then the echoes of lamentation travel
And the echoes of lamentation move
toward the layers of fog.
Towards the layers of the mist.
وهناكَand there مَاemphatic particle بَيْنَamid الضَّبابِthe fog
وهناكَ مَا بَيْنَ الضَّبابِ
الأَقْتَمِdarkest السَّاجيstill الكئيبْdesolate
الأَقْتَمِ السَّاجي الكئيبْ
And there, amid the fog,
And there, amidst the fog,
darkest, still, and desolate,
So dark, so still, and bleak,
تَهْتَزُّtremble آلاميmy pains وتخْتَلِجُand quivers
تَهْتَزُّ آلامي وتخْتَلِجُ
الكآبَةُdespondency بالنَّحيبْwith sobbing
الكآبَةُ بالنَّحيبْ
my pains tremble, and quivering
My pains tremble, and melancholy
with sobs is despondency.
Convulses with weeping.
Partial English translation: 110 of 116 Arabic lines translated.