في الشتاءِ العويلُ والأشجانُ

في الشتاءِ العويلُ والأشجانُ

للألى هان حظهم منذ هانوا

للألى هان حظهم منذ هانوا

In winter there is wailing and sorrow

In winter there is wailing and lament

for those whose fortune fell since they were brought low.

For the weak, their share of life is lament

بل فصولُ الحياةِ موتٌ معادٌ

بل فصولُ الحياةِ موتٌ معادٌ

تتساوى فكلُّها حِرمانُ

تتساوى فكلُّها حِرمانُ

Rather, life's seasons are death repeated,

Rather, the seasons of life are recurring death

all alike, for each is deprivation.

They are all alike, total deprivation

رُوِّيت من دموعهم زهراتٌ

رُوِّيت من دموعهم زهراتٌ

ثم ماتت وضِّرج البستان

ثم ماتت وضِّرج البستان

Blossoms were watered with their tears,

I was watered from their tears, flowers

then died, and the garden was bloodstained.

Then they died and the gardens were bloodied

والعطورُ التي حباها ربيعٌ

والعطورُ التي حباها ربيعٌ

أنكرتها الحياةُ والأكفان

أنكرتها الحياةُ والأكفان

And the fragrances that spring bestowed

The scents endowed by spring

were disowned by life and the shrouds.

Life and shrouds denied them

بدِّدت في المحيطِ لغو أوضاعت

بدِّدت في المحيطِ لغو أوضاعت

وأباهَا زمانها والمكان

وأباهَا زمانها والمكان

They were scattered into their surroundings in vain, or lost,

Scattered in the ocean, their situations dissolved

and rejected by their time and place.

And their time and place rejected them

كل ما حولهم وإن لجَّ بالمع

كل ما حولهم وإن لجَّ بالمع

نىَ هراءٌ وكله بُهتان

نىَ هراءٌ وكله بُهتان

Everything around them, though it insists on meaning,

All that glittered around them, even if adorned

is nonsense, and all of it falsehood.

Was delusion and all lies

لا مقاييسَ غيرُ ما يفرضُ الذل

لا مقاييسَ غيرُ ما يفرضُ الذل

وما يستبيحه الطغيانُ

وما يستبيحه الطغيانُ

There are no standards but what humiliation imposes

No standards but what humiliation imposes

and what tyranny permits itself.

And what tyranny legalizes

عقهم كل ما رأوهُ ملاذاً

عقهم كل ما رأوهُ ملاذاً

وانتهى في عقوقه الانسانُ

وانتهى في عقوقه الانسانُ

Everything they had seen as a refuge betrayed them,

Their minds denied them any refuge

and humankind reached the utmost in its betrayal.

And man's disobedience came to an end

عَجبوا من وجودهم ومناهُم

عَجبوا من وجودهم ومناهُم

بينما البؤسُ حَولهم طُوفانُ

بينما البؤسُ حَولهم طُوفانُ

They marveled at their existence and their hopes,

They were astonished by their existence and achievements

while misery around them was a deluge.

While misery surrounded them like a flood

خَجلت في النَّدى طيورٌ تغنَّت

خَجلت في النَّدى طيورٌ تغنَّت

فتغنت بحزنها الغدران

فتغنت بحزنها الغدران

Birds that had sung grew ashamed amid the dew,

The birds in the dew were ashamed to sing

so the pools sang out their sorrow.

So the thrushes sang sadly

لم يُميَّز ربيعهم من شتاءٍ

لم يُميَّز ربيعهم من شتاءٍ

في قلوبٍ إجدابُها ألوان

في قلوبٍ إجدابُها ألوان

Their spring could not be distinguished from winter

Their spring was not distinguished from winter

in hearts whose barrenness wore many colors.

In hearts whose facets were colors

لم يخافوا موتاً وقد وَهَموا المو

لم يخافوا موتاً وقد وَهَموا المو

تَ حياةً لمثلهم قد تُصانُ

تَ حياةً لمثلهم قد تُصانُ

They feared no death, having imagined death

They did not fear death and imagined death

a life that might be preserved for people like them.

To be a life that could be protected

وتناسوا لهم مقالاً وأذها

وتناسوا لهم مقالاً وأذها

ناً بعهد تُعاقَبُ الأذهانُ

ناً بعهد تُعاقَبُ الأذهانُ

And they made themselves forget their speech and minds

And they forgot the sayings and warnings

in an age when minds were punished.

That admonish minds

واستراحوا إلى التدهور واليأ

واستراحوا إلى التدهور واليأ

سِ كأنَّ الرجاءَ لصُّ يدَانُ

سِ كأنَّ الرجاءَ لصُّ يدَانُ

They found repose in decline and despair,

And they rested assured in deterioration and misery

as though hope were a thief condemned.

As if hope were a thief

وأتى الفارسُ البشيرُ فلم يَح

وأتى الفارسُ البشيرُ فلم يَح

فل بأنبائِهِ فتىً أو مكانَ

فل بأنبائِهِ فتىً أو مكانَ

The horseman bearing glad tidings came, but

And the herald knight came but did not care

no youth or place heeded his news,

To inform any youth or place

غَير فردٍ منهم هو الشاعرُ الثا

غَير فردٍ منهم هو الشاعرُ الثا

ئرُ في سجنه هو الفَّنان

ئرُ في سجنه هو الفَّنان

except one of them, the rebellious poet,

Except one man among them, the poet in jail

in his prison: he is the artist.

He is the artist

هو من يعرف انطواءَ على النف

هو من يعرف انطواءَ على النف

سِ إذا شاع في الهواء الدُّخانُ

سِ إذا شاع في الهواء الدُّخانُ

He is the one who knows withdrawal into the self

He who knows how to withdraw into himself

when smoke spreads through the air.

When smoke spreads in the air

وهو من يعرف الزئيرَ من القب

وهو من يعرف الزئيرَ من القب

رِ إذا هَدَّمَ القبورَ الجبانُ

رِ إذا هَدَّمَ القبورَ الجبانُ

He is the one who knows the roar from the grave

And he who knows the roar from the grave

when the coward demolishes the graves.

When the coward demolishes graves

وهو في سجنه الأبُّى على السج

وهو في سجنه الأبُّى على السج

نِ فمنه السَّجينُ والسجان

نِ فمنه السَّجينُ والسجان

Within his prison he defies imprisonment,

And he, in his remote prison, disdains prison

for from him come prisoner and jailer alike.

So both prisoner and jailer are from him

وهو منهم في البؤسِ إن لم يكن من

وهو منهم في البؤسِ إن لم يكن من

هم اذا ما استعبدَ النُّهىَ الإذعانُ

هم اذا ما استعبدَ النُّهىَ الإذعانُ

He is one of them in misery, though not one of them

And he is one of them in misery, even if not one of them

when submission enslaves reason.

When prohibition is enslaved by coercion

قيل أبشر سيحضر المهراجا

قيل أبشر سيحضر المهراجا

عن قريبٍ ويضحك المهرَجَان

عن قريبٍ ويضحك المهرَجَان

It was said: Rejoice! The Maharaja will arrive

It was said, rejoice, the festival will arrive soon

before long, and the festival will smile.

And the carnival will laugh

إنَّ تشريفهَ لنعمىَ عزيزٌ

إنَّ تشريفهَ لنعمىَ عزيزٌ

أن تَرَاهَا وُكلُّها إحسانُ

أن تَرَاهَا وُكلُّها إحسانُ

His honoring us is indeed a blessing rarely

That honoring you is precious

seen, and wholly an act of kindness.

That you see it, and it is all favor

وأَعدَّ الحَّكامُ للسيدِ القا

وأَعدَّ الحَّكامُ للسيدِ القا

دم ما يفرضُ الرياءُ المزَان

دم ما يفرضُ الرياءُ المزَان

And the rulers prepared for the arriving lord

And the rulers prepared for the visiting noble

what embellished hypocrisy demands:

What ostentation imposes

من ضروبِ اللهَّوِ الغريبِ ولو أنَّ

من ضروبِ اللهَّوِ الغريبِ ولو أنَّ

الُمجِّلى من بينهم بهلوانث

الُمجِّلى من بينهم بهلوانث

kinds of strange entertainment, though

Of strange frivolities, even if among them a clown

the foremost among them was a buffoon.

All their skill is hypocrisy and pretense

كلُّ إتقانهم نفاقٌ وبتهانق

كلُّ إتقانهم نفاقٌ وبتهانق

ومنهم ليخجل البهتان

ومنهم ليخجل البهتان

All their skill was hypocrisy and falsehood,

And one of them would shame deception

and falsehood itself would blush at them.

They did not care how much the people wallowed in humiliation

لم يبالوا كم مُرِّغَ الشعبُ في الضي

لم يبالوا كم مُرِّغَ الشعبُ في الضي

مِ اذا داسَ رأَسه السلطان

مِ اذا داسَ رأَسه السلطان

They cared not how much the people were ground down by oppression

When trampled by the sultan

when the sovereign trampled their head.

They prepared wine and revelry and various sins

هيأوا الخمرَ والقيانَ وَشَتَّى

هيأوا الخمرَ والقيانَ وَشَتَّى

من مخازٍ وُخوِدعَ الإيوان

من مخازٍ وُخوِدعَ الإيوان

They readied wine and singing-girls, and all manner

And the parliament was tricked

of disgraces, and the palace was deceived.

Inanimate things secretly shudder from the man

يشمئُّز الجمادُ سراً من الرج

يشمئُّز الجمادُ سراً من الرج

س إذا سَرَّ غيرهَ الإعلان

س إذا سَرَّ غيرهَ الإعلان

Lifeless matter secretly recoils from filth

When what makes another happy is announced

when its public display delights others.

When people did not care for adornments

حينما الناسُ لم يبالوا من الزينات

حينما الناسُ لم يبالوا من الزينات

شيئاً كأنهم عُميان

شيئاً كأنهم عُميان

While the people paid no heed to the decorations—

As if they were blind

none at all, as though they were blind—

There was the frustrated poet among them

فإذا الشاعرُ المرَّجبُ فيهم

فإذا الشاعرُ المرَّجبُ فيهم

يتلظى كأنه البركان

يتلظى كأنه البركان

behold, the poet revered among them

Burning as if he were a volcano

blazed as though he were a volcano.

He said: O people, why this despair in glory

قال ياقوم ما القنوطِ بمجدٍ

قال ياقوم ما القنوطِ بمجدٍ

للعزيزِ النهُّىَ ولا النسيانُ

للعزيزِ النهُّىَ ولا النسيانُ

He said: My people, despair is no glory

For the noble one, and no forgetting!

for the noble-minded, nor is forgetfulness.

Slap the despotic narcissist, and decide

اصفعوا الغاشمَ الأنَاني واقضوا

اصفعوا الغاشمَ الأنَاني واقضوا

في دَعَاوى يُقيمها الشيطانُ

في دَعَاوى يُقيمها الشيطانُ

Slap the selfish oppressor, and pass judgment

On claims made by Satan

on the claims that Satan brings.

And the ornate procession came, the noble

وأتى الموكب المفَّخمُ والرَّاجا

وأتى الموكب المفَّخمُ والرَّاجا

فخورٌ كأنه الديانُ

فخورٌ كأنه الديانُ

The grand procession came, and the Raja

Proud, as if he were the judge

was proud as though he were the Judge.

The swelling of tummies, chests and bellies

وانتفاخُ الأوداجِ والصدر والبط

وانتفاخُ الأوداجِ والصدر والبط

نِ جبالق خلالها القيعانُ

نِ جبالق خلالها القيعانُ

The swelling neck veins, the chest, and the belly

Mountains with chasms among them

were mountains, with lowlands between them.

The jangling of trinkets covered dwarfs

وائتلاقُ الحلِّى غَطَّينَ قَزماً

وائتلاقُ الحلِّى غَطَّينَ قَزماً

شررق للنفوسِ لا طَيلسانث

شررق للنفوسِ لا طَيلسانث

And the gleaming jewels covered a dwarf:

More evil to souls than scorpions

sparks to souls, not a mantle.

And there were people with lanterns

وإذا الناسُ بالمصابيح مُوفُو

وإذا الناسُ بالمصابيح مُوفُو

نَ كأنَّ النهارَ لا يُستبان

نَ كأنَّ النهارَ لا يُستبان

And behold, the people offering lamps in full measure,

As if daylight could not be seen

as though daylight could not be seen.

And there was the poet brought forward, mocking

وإذا الشاعر المقَّدمُ حُكمٌ

وإذا الشاعر المقَّدمُ حُكمٌ

ساخرٌ فوق ما عَناهُ العِيانث

ساخرٌ فوق ما عَناهُ العِيانث

And behold, the foremost poet stood in judgment,

Above what the eyes perceived

mocking beyond what the visible scene conveyed.

He said: That tyrant, who are you? What do

قال ذاك الطاغوتُ من أنتض ما مع

قال ذاك الطاغوتُ من أنتض ما مع

نى مصابيحكم أهذا جَنانُ

نى مصابيحكم أهذا جَنانُ

That tyrant said: Who are you? What is the meaning

Your lanterns mean, is this paradise?

of your lamps? Is this good sense,

Or have you gone mad? Where is the splendor among you

أم جُننتم أينَ الحفاوهُ منكم

أم جُننتم أينَ الحفاوهُ منكم

أيلاقى التَّفضُّل النُّكرانُ

أيلاقى التَّفضُّل النُّكرانُ

or have you gone mad? Where is your welcome?

Does such ingratitude meet favor?

Is gracious favor met with ingratitude?

The artist replied: I am the poet among them

فأجابَ الفنانُ إنيّ أنا الشا

فأجابَ الفنانُ إنيّ أنا الشا

عرُ فيهم وإنني التَّرجمان

عرُ فيهم وإنني التَّرجمان

The artist replied: Indeed, I am the poet

And I am the translator

among them, and I am their interpreter.

However difficult the tribulations,

كيفما كانت الخطوب الدَّواهي

كيفما كانت الخطوب الدَّواهي

أنا قلبٌ ومسمعٌ ولسان

أنا قلبٌ ومسمعٌ ولسان

Whatever the dire calamities may be,

I am a heart, hearing and tongue

I am a heart, a hearing ear, and a tongue.

They are dummies, from them I derive

هم دَمىِ من بهم أعُّز ومنهم

هم دَمىِ من بهم أعُّز ومنهم

يُستُّمد الإلهام والإيمان

يُستُّمد الإلهام والإيمان

They are my blood, those through whom I am strong; from them

Honor, inspiration and faith

come inspiration and faith.

If that despair has seized them

إن يكن ذلك القنوط احتواهم

إن يكن ذلك القنوط احتواهم

فهو بي حُرقةٌ وبي نيرانُ

فهو بي حُرقةٌ وبي نيرانُ

If that despair has encompassed them,

Then it burns and consumes me

in me it is a burning anguish, and in me are fires.

And it is what transformed dirges into

وهو من بَدَّل البكامَة إفصا

وهو من بَدَّل البكامَة إفصا

حاً فعافت قيودَها الأوزان

حاً فعافت قيودَها الأوزان

It is what turned muteness into clear speech,

Joyful songs, so their meters reconciled

so the poetic meters spurned their shackles.

We did not come, O conspirator, to you

لم نجئ أيها المؤمَّرُ فينا

لم نجئ أيها المؤمَّرُ فينا

كالضحايا تنالها الأوثانُ

كالضحايا تنالها الأوثانُ

We have not come, O you appointed to rule us,

Like sacrifices offered to idols

like sacrificial victims for idols to seize.

Rather, these lanterns have served

إنما هذه المصابيحُ أدَّت

إنما هذه المصابيحُ أدَّت

غايةَ السُّخرِ إن يُغلَّ اللسانُ

غايةَ السُّخرِ إن يُغلَّ اللسانُ

These lamps have only fulfilled

The purpose of satire, if the tongue is bound

the purpose of mockery, if the tongue is shackled,

For one who does not see his subjects in misery

للذى لا يرى رعاياه في البؤ

للذى لا يرى رعاياه في البؤ

سِ فماتوا به مِراراً وعانوا

سِ فماتوا به مِراراً وعانوا

at him who does not see his subjects in misery,

So they died bitterly through him and suffered

from which they died repeatedly and suffered.

Then the place roared with the noble's anger

ثم دوَّى المكانُ من غضبهِ الرَّاجا

ثم دوَّى المكانُ من غضبهِ الرَّاجا

وكادت تُهدَّمُ الاركان

وكادت تُهدَّمُ الاركان

Then the place resounded with the Raja's anger,

And the pillars almost collapsed

and its foundations nearly crumbled.

And the loyal poet met his fate

وقضى الشاعرُ الوفُّى غريباً

وقضى الشاعرُ الوفُّى غريباً

يصحب النفىَ ما له شُطآنُ

يصحب النفىَ ما له شُطآنُ

And the faithful poet died a stranger,

Exile accompanies whoever has resolve

keeping company with exile without shores.

Then generations passed, and passed

ثُمَّ وَلِّى جيلٌ وجيلٌ فسادت

ثُمَّ وَلِّى جيلٌ وجيلٌ فسادت

ثورةُ الشعبِ وانقضى الصولجانُ

ثورةُ الشعبِ وانقضى الصولجانُ

Then a generation passed, and another, and there prevailed

Until the people's revolution triumphed, and the scepter fell

the people's revolution, and the scepter came to an end.