قالوا طيور تغالي في محبتها

قالوا طيور تغالي في محبتها

فقلت ما كن إلا بعض أبنائي

فقلت ما كن إلا بعض أبنائي

They said, 'Birds—you love them too much.'

They said birds exaggerate in their love

So I said, 'They are but some of my children.'

I said they're just some of my children

مرحن حولي كالأطفال في لعب

مرحن حولي كالأطفال في لعب

حتى تحاربن في فسقية الماء

حتى تحاربن في فسقية الماء

They frolicked around me like children at play,

Frolicking around me like children at play

until they fought one another in the fountain pool.

Even fighting for a sip of water

وألبست ريشها الألوان أوسمة

وألبست ريشها الألوان أوسمة

كأنما تتحدى مجد أضواء

كأنما تتحدى مجد أضواء

And colors clothed their plumage in medals,

I dressed their feathers in colorful medals

as though challenging the glory of lights.

As if challenging the glory of lights

يبعثر الماء درّا في تنافسها

يبعثر الماء درّا في تنافسها

كأنّها كرنفال الفنّ للرّائي

كأنّها كرنفال الفنّ للرّائي

The water scatters pearls amid their rivalry,

Water sprinkles pearls in their competition

as though they were a carnival of art for the beholder.

As if it's an art carnival for the spectator

ويغضب الماء حينا في تبجّحها

ويغضب الماء حينا في تبجّحها

فيستثار كموج فوق أنواء

فيستثار كموج فوق أنواء

And at times the water grows angry amid their swagger,

And the water gets angry at their arrogance

and is stirred up like waves above tempests.

So it stirs like a wave above the wells

وكم تعالت لنا أصواتها هرجا

وكم تعالت لنا أصواتها هرجا

فأضحكتنا وشاقتنا بإيماء

فأضحكتنا وشاقتنا بإيماء

And how often their voices rose for us in a clamor,

And how often their voices have risen in clamor

so they made us laugh and charmed us with a gesture.

Making us laugh and waving at us

كأنما صور التمثيل معرضها

كأنما صور التمثيل معرضها

ما بين وثب وترتيل وأزياء

ما بين وثب وترتيل وأزياء

As though their display were scenes of theatre,

As if acting out a play with jumps and chants and costumes

ranging between leaping, chanting, and costumes.

I sip tea nearby watching them

وأشرب الشاي عن قرب أراقبها

وأشرب الشاي عن قرب أراقبها

منعّما وكأنّ الشايَ صهبائي

منعّما وكأنّ الشايَ صهبائي

And I drink tea, watching them from nearby,

Luxuriating as if the tea were my relaxation

in comfort, as though the tea were my tawny wine.

I left a book of poetry I was reading

تركت ديوان شعر كنت أقرؤه

تركت ديوان شعر كنت أقرؤه

لما تسامت بألحان وأصداء

لما تسامت بألحان وأصداء

I set aside a book of verse I had been reading,

When they sang with melodies and echoes

when they soared with melodies and echoes.

What poet among them is amazed at his words

كم شاعر بينها في قوله عجب

كم شاعر بينها في قوله عجب

للملهمين فما يكفيه إصغائي

للملهمين فما يكفيه إصغائي

Many a poet among them has wonders in his speech

For the inspired, my listening is not enough

for the inspired, so my listening does not suffice him.

Don't mock my affection when I glance at them

لا تشخروا من ودادي حين أرمقها

لا تشخروا من ودادي حين أرمقها

وحين أعشقها من دون أسماء

وحين أعشقها من دون أسماء

Do not snort at my affection when I gaze at them,

And when I love them without names

and when I adore them without names.

Every bird has meanings and that's enough

لكل طير معان وهي كافية

لكل طير معان وهي كافية

لتستقل بأشعاري وأهوائي

لتستقل بأشعاري وأهوائي

Each bird has meanings, and these are enough

To independently inspire my poems and passions

to claim my poems and my passions for themselves.

I housed them in my eyes while they wandered

أسكنتها في عيوني وهي شاردة

أسكنتها في عيوني وهي شاردة

كالزهر تسكنه ذرات أنداء

كالزهر تسكنه ذرات أنداء

I housed them in my eyes while they wandered,

Like flowers housing particles of dew

like flowers inhabited by specks of dew.

And I hovered around my hearing when they fell silent

وحومت حول سمعي حينما صمتت

وحومت حول سمعي حينما صمتت

كأنما الصمت مقرون بإفشاء

كأنما الصمت مقرون بإفشاء

And they hovered around my hearing when they fell silent,

As if silence is coupled with disclosure

as though silence were coupled with disclosure.

So am I exaggerating if I sincerely devote myself to them?

فهل أغالي إذا أخلصتها مقتي

فهل أغالي إذا أخلصتها مقتي

وهل تغالي بتجديدي وإحيائي

وهل تغالي بتجديدي وإحيائي

So do I go too far if I devote my love to them?

Or are they exaggerating by renewing and reviving me?

And do they go too far by renewing and reviving me?