أَشرِقيshine كَالصُبحِlike dawn غَرّاءَradiant الجَبينthe brow
أَشرِقي كَالصُبحِ غَرّاءَ الجَبين
وَاِنشُريand spread نورَكِyour light يَهديguides العالَمينthe worlds
وَاِنشُري نورَكِ يَهدي العالَمين
Shine like dawn, radiant of brow.
Dawn radiant and fair, your brow alight,
And spread your light to guide the worlds.
Spread your light to guide all in night.
وَاِطلُعيand rise فيin لَيلِthe night حُزنيmy sorrow كَوكَباًa star
وَاِطلُعي في لَيلِ حُزني كَوكَباً
تَعصِمينيyou shield me مِنfrom ضَلالِstraying العاشِقينthe lovers
تَعصِميني مِن ضَلالِ العاشِقين
And rise in the night of my sorrow as a star,
A star in my sorrowful night arise,
Shielding me from the lovers' straying.
Save me from the madness love implies.
وَاِطرَحيand cast فيin قَفرِthe wilderness عُمريmy life زَهرَةًa flower
وَاِطرَحي في قَفرِ عُمري زَهرَةً
عَلَّهاperhaps it تَنموgrows وَتَزكوand flourishes بَعدَafter حينa while
عَلَّها تَنمو وَتَزكو بَعدَ حين
And cast a flower into the wilderness of my life,
A flower in my barren life now cast,
Perhaps it will grow and flourish after a while.
That it may grow and bloom in time past.
وَاِبسِميand smile تَبسُمwill smile لَناfor us بيضُwhite المُنىthe hopes
وَاِبسِمي تَبسُم لَنا بيضُ المُنى
وَاِضحَكيand laugh تَضحَكwill laugh لَناfor us غُرُّradiant السِنينthe years
وَاِضحَكي تَضحَك لَنا غُرُّ السِنين
And smile; white hopes will smile for us.
Grace us your smile of bliss sincere,
And laugh; radiant years will laugh for us.
Laugh for us the laugh of carefree years.
هاhere هُوَit اللَيلُthe night كَماas كانَit was بَداit appeared
ها هُوَ اللَيلُ كَما كانَ بَدا
يَحمِلُcarries الحُزنَsorrow لِقَلبيto my heart وَالحَنينand longing
يَحمِلُ الحُزنَ لِقَلبي وَالحَنين
Here is the night, appearing as before,
Night falls again as ever it began,
Bearing sorrow and longing to my heart.
Bringing grief and yearning to my heart.
هَيكَلُthe temple الأَحزانِsorrows فيin مَذبَحِهِits altar
هَيكَلُ الأَحزانِ في مَذبَحِهِ
قَرَّبَoffered up العُشّاقَthe lovers قُربانَa sacrifice العُيونthe eyes
قَرَّبَ العُشّاقَ قُربانَ العُيون
The temple of sorrows—at its altar
In its temple sadness offers up
It offered lovers as a sacrifice to the eyes.
The gazes of lovers in worship.
رَتَّلchanted الشَمّاسُthe deacon فيهِwithin it لَحنَهُhis melody
رَتَّل الشَمّاسُ فيهِ لَحنَهُ
وَصَدىand the echo تَرتيلَهُhis chanting هذيthese الشُجونsorrows
وَصَدى تَرتيلَهُ هذي الشُجون
The deacon chanted his melody within it,
The deacon chants a hymn in its name,
And these sorrows are the echo of his chant.
His chant echoed in laments the same.
عِطرُهُits fragrance أَحزانُsorrows أَزهارِflowers الرُباthe hills
عِطرُهُ أَحزانُ أَزهارِ الرُبا
وَنَداهُand its dew عَبَراتُtears البائِسينَthe wretched
وَنَداهُ عَبَراتُ البائِسينَ
Its fragrance: the sorrows of the flowers on the hills,
Its scent the sorrows of flowers in bloom,
And its dew, the tears of the wretched.
Its call the sobs of the grieving doomed.
وَسَرِيِّand the flow النَسمِbreezes فيin أَحشائِهِits depths
وَسَرِيِّ النَسمِ في أَحشائِهِ
مُهُجٌhearts ذابَتmelted وَأَرواحٌand souls فَنينperished
مُهُجٌ ذابَت وَأَرواحٌ فَنين
And the flow of breezes within its depths:
Its breath stirs passions now turned to dust,
Hearts that melted, and souls that perished.
Souls faded, broken, perished to rust.
كُلُّevery شَيءٍthing هانَbecame trivial فيin شَرعِthe law الهَوىlove
كُلُّ شَيءٍ هانَ في شَرعِ الهَوى
ياO مَلاكيmy angel وَالهَوىand love لَيسَdoes not يَهونbecome trivial
يا مَلاكي وَالهَوى لَيسَ يَهون
Everything is trivial under love's law,
All is vain in love’s dominion wide,
O my angel—yet love is not trivial.
My angel, and love will not be denied.
لَمdid not يَرَsee اللَيلُthe night سِوىexcept بِنتَa daughter هَوىًpassion
لَم يَرَ اللَيلُ سِوى بِنتَ هَوىً
قَرَأَتshe read ماwhat سَتُعانيshe will suffer فيin الجَبينthe brow
قَرَأَت ما سَتُعاني في الجَبين
The night saw only a daughter of passion,
Night saw only a daughter of desire
Who read upon her brow what she would suffer.
Read in her brow what she was to acquire.
لَبِسَتshe wore فيat بِدئِهِits beginning ثَوبَthe robe الهَوىlove
لَبِسَت في بِدئِهِ ثَوبَ الهَوى
وَبِأُخراهُand at its end ثِيابَthe garments النادِمينthe remorseful
وَبِأُخراهُ ثِيابَ النادِمين
At its beginning she wore the robe of love,
She wore at first love’s raiment anew,
And at its end, the garments of the remorseful.
But ended clad in garb of one who rues.
وَعَميدٌand a lovesick man باتَspent the night مَطوِيَّfolded الحَشاthe heart
وَعَميدٌ باتَ مَطوِيَّ الحَشا
فيin سُكونِthe stillness اللَيلِthe night مَبحوحَhoarse الأَنينmoaning
في سُكونِ اللَيلِ مَبحوحَ الأَنين
And a lovesick man spent the night with his heart folded in,
A leader tossed, groaned in the still of night,
In the night's stillness, hoarse with moaning.
Like a specter, and night a shrine of old.
قامَhe rose فيهِin it مِثلَlike طَيفٍa phantom غابِرِbygone
قامَ فيهِ مِثلَ طَيفٍ غابِرِ
وَكَأَنَّand as though اللَيلَthe night مِحرابُthe sanctuary القُرونthe centuries
وَكَأَنَّ اللَيلَ مِحرابُ القُرون
He rose within it like a phantom of the past,
A bard, overwhelmed with sadness he clutched,
And the night seemed the sanctuary of the centuries.
Played tunes of revelry now far out of touch.
وَمُغَنٍّand a singer غَلَبَprevailed الحُزنَsorrow عَلىover
وَمُغَنٍّ غَلَبَ الحُزنَ عَلى
وَتَرِthe string اللَهوِpleasure لَدَيهِwith him وَالمَجونand wantonness
وَتَرِ اللَهوِ لَدَيهِ وَالمَجون
And a singer, whose sorrow prevailed over
Lost in thought, the melody he knows not,
His string of pleasure and wantonness.
As the night fades to a forgotten lot.
لَيسَdoes not يَدريknow فِكرُهُhis mind ماwhat لَحنُهُhis melody
لَيسَ يَدري فِكرُهُ ما لَحنُهُ
وَهوَand it رَجعُthe echo السِحرِmagic فيin ماضٍa past شُطونfar-off
وَهوَ رَجعُ السِحرِ في ماضٍ شُطون
His mind does not know what his melody is,
A friend kept night’s company with tales
And it is magic's echo in a far-off past.
Of days and people nowunseen, impaled
وَأَليفٌand a companion سامَرَconversed by night with اللَيلَthe night عَلىupon
وَأَليفٌ سامَرَ اللَيلَ عَلى
ذِكرِremembrance عَهدٍa time مِنfrom عُهودِthe times الغائِبينthe absent
ذِكرِ عَهدٍ مِن عُهودِ الغائِبين
And a companion who kept the night company,
On memories trembling on eyelids shut.
Recalling a time from the times of the absent.
O night, we came to you, our plight to put.
كُلُّهُمall of them خَفَّdeparted وَلَمand did not تَبقَremain سِوىexcept
كُلُّهُم خَفَّ وَلَم تَبقَ سِوى
ذِكرَياتٍmemories أَرعَشَتmade tremble أُفقَthe horizon الجُفونthe eyelids
ذِكرَياتٍ أَرعَشَت أُفقَ الجُفون
They all departed, and nothing remained but
Grief has oppressed us, sorrow brought us low,
Memories that made the horizon of the eyelids tremble.
Passion ravaged us in this vale of woe.
أَيُّهاO اللَيلُnight أَتَيناwe came نَشتَكيwe complain
أَيُّها اللَيلُ أَتَينا نَشتَكي
فَاِستَمِعso listen شَكوىthe complaint الحَزانىthe sorrowful المُتعَبينthe weary
فَاِستَمِع شَكوى الحَزانى المُتعَبين
O night, we have come to complain;
We cried out to you, came to you in kind
So hear the complaint of the sorrowful and weary.
To speak, if only to the heedless blind.
هدَّناcrushed us الحُزنُsorrow وَأَضناناand exhausted us الأَسىgrief
هدَّنا الحُزنُ وَأَضنانا الأَسى
وَبَراناand wore us thin الوَجدُpassionate longing فيin دُنياthe world الشُجونsorrows
وَبَرانا الوَجدُ في دُنيا الشُجون
Sorrow has crushed us, and grief has worn us down,
O night, of a song I’ll sing the vestige
And longing has worn us thin in a world of sorrows.
That in you through the years has evanesced.
قَدalready شَكَوناكَwe complained of you وَجِئناand we came نَشتَكيwe complain
قَد شَكَوناكَ وَجِئنا نَشتَكي
لَكَto you شَيئاًsomething فيin خَيالِthe imagination الذاهِلينthe bewildered
لَكَ شَيئاً في خَيالِ الذاهِلين
We have complained of you, and have come to complain
In ruin it lingers, a grave that croons
To you of something in the imagination of the bewildered.
In the gloom of death’s dominion marooned.
إِنَّنيindeed I ياO لَيلُnight أَحكيI resemble غُنوَةًa song
إِنَّني يا لَيلُ أَحكي غُنوَةً
فَنَيِتperished فيكَin you عَلىthrough مَرِّthe passing السِنينthe years
فَنَيِت فيكَ عَلى مَرِّ السِنين
I am, O night, like a song
O night, a beam of light I’ll recall
That perished within you as the years passed,
In dreamers' skies, ablaze over all.
وَاِستَحالَتand became فيin البَلىdecay قُبَّرَةًa lark
وَاِستَحالَت في البَلى قُبَّرَةً
تَتَغَنّىsings فيin دُجىthe darkness واديthe valley المَنونdeath
تَتَغَنّى في دُجى وادي المَنون
And turned, in decay, into a lark,
A formidable thought has pulled it near
Singing in the darkness of the valley of death.
To rouse rebellion, tumultuous and severe.
إِنَّنيindeed I ياO لَيلُnight أَحكيI resemble حُزمَةًa bundle
إِنَّني يا لَيلُ أَحكي حُزمَةً
مِنof شُعاعٍradiance فيin سَماءِthe sky الحالِمينthe dreamers
مِن شُعاعٍ في سَماءِ الحالِمين
I am, O night, like a bundle
In wrath it turned into a bloom so vile
Of light in the sky of dreamers.
In a world ambiguous, opacity its style.
ضَمَّهاgathered it نَحوَكَtoward you فِكرٌa thought هائِلٌterrifying
ضَمَّها نَحوَكَ فِكرٌ هائِلٌ
أَزعَجَdisturbed الأَربابَthe gods بَينَamong الثائِرينthe rebels
أَزعَجَ الأَربابَ بَينَ الثائِرين
A dreadful thought drew it toward you,
It breathes out death, lowers its bough
And disturbed the gods among the rebels.
Toward the ghosts of those dying now.
وَاِستَحالَتand became عِندَهاthen مِنout of غَضَبٍanger
وَاِستَحالَت عِندَها مِن غَضَبٍ
زَهرَةًa flower فيin عالَمٍa world غَيرَnot مُبينclear
زَهرَةً في عالَمٍ غَيرَ مُبين
And then, out of wrath, it became
I am a feeling led far astray
A flower in an indistinct world,
By a thought that in you death has lain.
تَنفَحُperfumes المَوتَdeath وَتُدليand lowers عودَهاits stem
تَنفَحُ المَوتَ وَتُدلي عودَها
نَحوَtoward أَشباحِphantoms المَناياdeaths العابِرينpassing
نَحوَ أَشباحِ المَنايا العابِرين
Perfuming death and lowering its stem
It tried to grasp your mysteries, to glean
Toward the passing phantoms of death.
Secrets of grief from you, O night serene.
إِنَّنيindeed I عاطِفَةٌan emotion قَدalready غالَهاslain it
إِنَّني عاطِفَةٌ قَد غالَها
مِنكَfrom you فِكرٌa thought طَيِّهُin its folds المَوتُdeath دَفينburied
مِنكَ فِكرٌ طَيِّهُ المَوتُ دَفين
I am an emotion that has been slain
Into a stream it flowed, crossed by the throes
By a thought from you, with death buried in its folds.
Of death in the dark, in boats that morbidly row.
حاوَلَتit tried تَعرِفُto learn أَسرارَthe secrets الأَسىgrief
حاوَلَت تَعرِفُ أَسرارَ الأَسى
مِنكَfrom you ياO لَيلُnight وَأَسرارَand the secrets الأَنينmoaning
مِنكَ يا لَيلُ وَأَسرارَ الأَنين
It tried to learn the secrets of grief
This is my song, to you recited
From you, O night, and the secrets of moaning.
My refuge of stillness, how you blighted!
فَاِستَحالَتso it became جَدوَلاًa stream تَعبُرهُcrosses it
فَاِستَحالَت جَدوَلاً تَعبُرهُ
فَزَعاتُthe terrors المَوتِdeath لَيلاًat night فيin سَفينships
فَزَعاتُ المَوتِ لَيلاً في سَفين
So it became a stream crossed by
You composed, and grief revealed its meter
The terrors of death at night in ships.
While death knelled its warning to those who would hear.
هذِهِthis أُغنِيَتيmy song رَتَّلتُهاI chanted it
هذِهِ أُغنِيَتي رَتَّلتُها
لَكِfor you ياO دُنيايmy world فيin دَيرِthe monastery السُكونstillness
لَكِ يا دُنياي في دَيرِ السُكون
This is my song; I chanted it
Do not blame it for the sadness it bore,
For you, O my world, in the monastery of stillness.
For grief is the music of those forlorn.
لَحنَهاits melody أَنتِyou وَحُزنيand my sorrow وَقعُهاits rhythm
لَحنَها أَنتِ وَحُزني وَقعُها
وَنَذيرُand the herald المَوتِdeath بَعضُone of السامِعينthe listeners
وَنَذيرُ المَوتِ بَعضُ السامِعين
You are its melody, and my sorrow its rhythm,
Sweetest tunes are of sorrows wrought,
And death's herald is one of the listeners.
Molded by yearning, anguish fraught.
لاdo not تَلوميblame ماwhat بِهاin it مِنof حَزنٍsorrow
لا تَلومي ما بِها مِن حَزنٍ
إِنَّماonly الأَحزانُsorrows موسيقىthe music الحَزينthe sorrowful
إِنَّما الأَحزانُ موسيقى الحَزين
Do not fault the sorrow within it;
Embrace me in the dark, draw near,
Sorrows are but the music of the sorrowful.
I shudder at what brings you to fear.
أَعذَبُthe sweetest الأَلحانِthe melodies لَحنٌa melody أُفرِغَتwere poured
أَعذَبُ الأَلحانِ لَحنٌ أُفرِغَت
فيهِinto it أَناتُthe moans الأَسىgrief طَيَّwithin the folds of الحَنينlonging
فيهِ أَناتُ الأَسى طَيَّ الحَنين
The sweetest melody is one into which were poured
Press your cheek to me, take me in
The moans of grief, within the folds of longing.
To your nurturing breast, let our lips begin
عانِقينيembrace me فيin الدُجىthe darkness اِقتَرِبيcome close
عانِقيني في الدُجى اِقتَرِبي
إِنَّنيindeed I أَفزَعُam afraid مِمّاof what تَفزَعينyou fear
إِنَّني أَفزَعُ مِمّا تَفزَعين
Embrace me in the darkness; come close.
To meet. Let me in you dissolve to naught,
I am afraid of what you fear.
As in God many a pious soul has been caught.
قَرِّبيbring close خَدَّكِyour cheek ضُمّينيclasp me إِلىto
قَرِّبي خَدَّكِ ضُمّيني إِلى
صَدرِكِyour breast الحانيtender اِلثَميkiss هذاthis الجَبينthe brow
صَدرِكِ الحاني اِلثَمي هذا الجَبين
Bring your cheek close; clasp me to
We are but ships that strayed from their line
Your tender breast; kiss this brow.
Among aimless people, scattered, incline
اِترُكينيlet me فيكِin you أَفنىbe annihilated مِثلَماjust as
اِترُكيني فيكِ أَفنى مِثلَما
فَنِيَتwas annihilated فيin اللَهِGod روحُthe soul الناسِكينthe ascetics
فَنِيَت في اللَهِ روحُ الناسِكين
Let me be annihilated in you, just as
To forget all that was ours, and neglect
The soul of the ascetics was annihilated in God.
What the morrow may hold or reflect.
إِنَّماonly نَحنُwe كَركَبٍlike a caravan ضَلَّstrayed فيin
إِنَّما نَحنُ كَركَبٍ ضَلَّ في
تيهِthe wilderness صَحراءٍa desert بِقَومٍwith a people تائِهينastray
تيهِ صَحراءٍ بِقَومٍ تائِهين
We are only like a caravan that strayed into
A desert's trackless wastes, with a people astray.
قَدalready نَسيناwe forgot كُلَّall ماthat كانَwas لَناfor us
قَد نَسينا كُلَّ ما كانَ لَنا
وَتَرَكناand we left فيin غَدٍtomorrow ماwhat سَيَكونwill be
وَتَرَكنا في غَدٍ ما سَيَكون
We have forgotten all that was ours,
And left for tomorrow what will be.
Partial English translation: 74 of 78 Arabic lines translated.