كانَت لَنا عِندَ السِياجِ شُجَيرَةٌ

كانَت لَنا عِندَ السِياجِ شُجَيرَةٌ

أَلِفَ الغِناءَ بِظِلِّها الزَرزورُ

أَلِفَ الغِناءَ بِظِلِّها الزَرزورُ

We had a little tree beside the fence;

We had a shrub by the fence

The starling grew used to singing in her shade.

Where the sparrow used to sing in its shade

طَفقَ الرَبيعُ يَزورُها مُتَخَفِّياً

طَفقَ الرَبيعُ يَزورُها مُتَخَفِّياً

فَيَفيضُ مِنها في الحَديقَةِ نورُ

فَيَفيضُ مِنها في الحَديقَةِ نورُ

Spring began to visit her in secret,

Spring used to visit it secretly

And light poured from her into the garden,

Overflowing light into the garden from within

حَتّى إِذا حَلَّ الصَباحُ تَنَفَّسَت

حَتّى إِذا حَلَّ الصَباحُ تَنَفَّسَت

فيها الزُهورُ وَزَقزَقَ العُصفورُ

فيها الزُهورُ وَزَقزَقَ العُصفورُ

Until, when morning came, there breathed

Until when morning came

Within her the flowers, and the sparrow chirped.

The flowers breathed in it and the sparrow chirped

وَسَرى إِلى أَرضِ الحَديقَةِ كُلِّها

وَسَرى إِلى أَرضِ الحَديقَةِ كُلِّها

نَبَأُ الرَبيعِ وَرُكبَهُ المَسحورُ

نَبَأُ الرَبيعِ وَرُكبَهُ المَسحورُ

And through all the garden's earth there spread

And news of spring spread

The news of spring and its enchanted caravan.

To the whole garden, captivating it

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

She was ours—if only she had stayed ours,

We had it, if only it had lasted for us

Or the starling had kept calling above her.

Or the sparrow's shouting above it had lasted

قَد كُنتُ أَجلِسُ صَوبَها في شُرفَتي

قَد كُنتُ أَجلِسُ صَوبَها في شُرفَتي

أَو كُنتُ أَجلِسُ تَحتَها في ظِلَّتي

أَو كُنتُ أَجلِسُ تَحتَها في ظِلَّتي

I used to sit facing her on my balcony,

I used to sit facing it on my balcony

Or sit beneath her in my shaded shelter,

Or sit under it in its shade

أَو كُنتُ أَرقُبُ في الضُحى زَرزورَها

أَو كُنتُ أَرقُبُ في الضُحى زَرزورَها

مَتَهَلِّلاً يَغشى نَوافِذَ غُرفَتي

مَتَهَلِّلاً يَغشى نَوافِذَ غُرفَتي

Or watch her starling in the forenoon,

Or watch in the morning its sparrow

Radiant with joy, visiting my room's windows.

Cheerfully covering the windows of my room

طوراً يُنَقِّرُ في الزُجاجُ وَتارَةً

طوراً يُنَقِّرُ في الزُجاجُ وَتارَةً

يَسمو يُزَرزِرُ في وُكارِ سَقيفَتي

يَسمو يُزَرزِرُ في وُكارِ سَقيفَتي

At times it pecked at the glass, and at times

Sometimes pecking on the glass and sometimes

Rose, twittering in the nests of my porch.

Rising, chirping on my ceiling rafters

فَإِذا رَآني طارَ في أَغرودَةٍ

فَإِذا رَآني طارَ في أَغرودَةٍ

بَيضاءَ وَاِستَوفى غُصونَ شُجَيرَتي

بَيضاءَ وَاِستَوفى غُصونَ شُجَيرَتي

And when it saw me, it flew in a song,

So when it saw me it flew in white joy

White, and ranged over all my little tree's branches.

And fulfilled the branches of my shrub

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

She was ours—if only she had stayed ours,

We had it, if only it had lasted for us

Or the starling had kept calling above her.

Or the sparrow's shouting above it had lasted

فَمَتى يَؤوبُ هُتافُهُ وَمَتى أَرى

فَمَتى يَؤوبُ هُتافُهُ وَمَتى أَرى

نُوارُكَ الثَلجِيِّ يا نارِنجَتي

نُوارُكَ الثَلجِيِّ يا نارِنجَتي

When will its call return, and when shall I see

When will its shouting stop and when will I see

Your snowy blossoms, O my bitter-orange tree?

Your snowy blossoms, my orange tree

وَمَتى أَطيرُ إِلَيكِ تَرقُصُ مُهجَتي

وَمَتى أَطيرُ إِلَيكِ تَرقُصُ مُهجَتي

فَرَحاً وَآخُذُ مَجلِسي مِن شُرفَتي

فَرَحاً وَآخُذُ مَجلِسي مِن شُرفَتي

And when shall I fly to you, my heart dancing

And when will I fly to you, my soul dancing

With joy, and take my seat on my balcony?

With joy, taking my seat from my balcony

هَيهاتَ لَن أَنسَ بِظِلِّكِ مَجلِسي

هَيهاتَ لَن أَنسَ بِظِلِّكِ مَجلِسي

وَأَنا أَراعي الأُفقَ نِصفَ مُغَمِّضِ

وَأَنا أَراعي الأُفقَ نِصفَ مُغَمِّضِ

Alas, I shall never forget my seat in your shade,

Alas! I will not forget its shade my seat

As I watched the horizon with half-closed eyes.

As I watch the horizon, half-asleep

خَنَقَت جُفوني ذِكرَياتٌ حُلوَةٌ

خَنَقَت جُفوني ذِكرَياتٌ حُلوَةٌ

مِن عِطرِكِ القَمَري وَالنَغَمِ الوَضي

مِن عِطرِكِ القَمَري وَالنَغَمِ الوَضي

Sweet memories choked my eyelids,

Sweet memories have choked my eyelids

Of your moonlike perfume and the radiant melody.

Of your moonlike scent and the soft melody

فَاِنسابَ مِنكِ عَلى كَليلِ مَشاعِري

فَاِنسابَ مِنكِ عَلى كَليلِ مَشاعِري

يَنبوعُ لَحنٍ في الخَيالِ مُفضَضِ

يَنبوعُ لَحنٍ في الخَيالِ مُفضَضِ

Then from you there flowed over my weary feelings

So from you a stream of melody poured

A spring of melody, silvered in imagination.

On my heart's lethargy in my imagination

وَهَفَت عَلَيكِ الروحُ مِن وادي الأَسى

وَهَفَت عَلَيكِ الروحُ مِن وادي الأَسى

لِتَعُبَّ مِن خَمرِ الأَريجِ الأَبيَضِ

لِتَعُبَّ مِن خَمرِ الأَريجِ الأَبيَضِ

And the soul fluttered over you from the valley of sorrow,

And my soul sighed for you from the valley of grief

To drink deeply of the wine of white fragrance.

To be drunk on the pure white wine

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

She was ours—if only she had stayed ours,

We had it, if only it had lasted for us

Or the starling had kept calling above her.

Or the sparrow's shouting above it had lasted

هَيهاتَ لَن أَنسى ضُحى سِبتَمبَرٍ

هَيهاتَ لَن أَنسى ضُحى سِبتَمبَرٍ

وَالنَحلُ يَغشى نورَكِ المُتَلالي

وَالنَحلُ يَغشى نورَكِ المُتَلالي

Alas, I shall never forget a September forenoon,

Alas! I will not forget the morning of September

With bees thronging your glittering blossom,

With bees covering your shimmering light

وَمَساءَ مارِسَ كَيفَ يَهبِطُ تَلَّةً

وَمَساءَ مارِسَ كَيفَ يَهبِطُ تَلَّةً

شَفَقِيَّةً مَحدودَةَ الإِظلالِ

شَفَقِيَّةً مَحدودَةَ الإِظلالِ

And a March evening—how it descends, a hill

And the evening of March how it descended

Of twilight, with bounded shade.

Like a sunset hill, limited in shade

نَزَلَ الحَديقَةَ تَحتَ أَوهامِ النَدى

نَزَلَ الحَديقَةَ تَحتَ أَوهامِ النَدى

وَضَفا عَلَيكِ مُعَطَّرُ الأَذيالِ

وَضَفا عَلَيكِ مُعَطَّرُ الأَذيالِ

It descended into the garden beneath phantoms of dew,

It landed in the garden beneath the dewy dreams

And spread over you with perfumed skirts.

And the scented hem flowed over you

فَهُناكَ كَم ذَهَبِيَّةٍ شَغَفَت بِها

فَهُناكَ كَم ذَهَبِيَّةٍ شَغَفَت بِها

روحي فَتاهَت في مُروجِ خَيالِ

روحي فَتاهَت في مُروجِ خَيالِ

And there, how many golden things enraptured

For there, how much gold captivated my soul

My soul, which then strayed through meadows of fancy.

Wandering in the meadows of imagination

وَهُنا تَحَرَّكَتِ الشُجَيرَةُ في أَسى

وَهُنا تَحَرَّكَتِ الشُجَيرَةُ في أَسى

وَبَكى الرَبيعُ خَيالَها المَهجورِ

وَبَكى الرَبيعُ خَيالَها المَهجورِ

And here the little tree stirred in sorrow,

And here the shrub moved in sorrow

And spring wept for her forsaken image.

And spring cried for its abandoned phantom

وَتَذَكَّرَت عَهدَ الصِبا فَتَأَوهَت

وَتَذَكَّرَت عَهدَ الصِبا فَتَأَوهَت

وَكَأَنَّها بِيَدِ الأَسى طَنبورُ

وَكَأَنَّها بِيَدِ الأَسى طَنبورُ

She remembered the days of youth and moaned,

And remembered the days of youth, sighing

As though she were a lute in sorrow's hand.

As if it were a lute in the hands of grief

وَتَذَكَّرَت أَيّامَ يَرشُفُ نورَها

وَتَذَكَّرَت أَيّامَ يَرشُفُ نورَها

ريقُ الضُحى وَيُزَرزِرُ الزَرزورُ

ريقُ الضُحى وَيُزَرزِرُ الزَرزورُ

And she remembered days when her blossom was sipped

And remembered the days when the glow of morning sprinkled it

By the saliva of forenoon, and the starling twittered.

And the sparrow chirped

وَعَرائِسُ النارِنجِ تَحلُمُ في النَدى

وَعَرائِسُ النارِنجِ تَحلُمُ في النَدى

فَيَرِفُّ فيها طَيفُها المَسحورُ

فَيَرِفُّ فيها طَيفُها المَسحورُ

And the bitter-orange brides dreamed in the dew,

And the blossoms of orange dreamed in the dew

And their enchanted phantom fluttered within them.

So its enchanted phantom wandered in them

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

She was ours—if only she had stayed ours,

We had it, if only it had lasted for us

Or the starling had kept calling above her.

Or the sparrow's shouting above it had lasted

وَتَذَكَّرَت عِندَ السِياجِ أَزاهِرا

وَتَذَكَّرَت عِندَ السِياجِ أَزاهِرا

صَفراءَ رَفَّت في ظِلالِ العَوسَجِ

صَفراءَ رَفَّت في ظِلالِ العَوسَجِ

And she remembered flowers beside the fence,

And it remembered at the fence yellow flowers

Yellow, fluttering in the boxthorn's shade.

That bloomed in the shade of bamboo

زَهرُ القَطيفَةِ كَيفَ خانَ عُهودَها

زَهرُ القَطيفَةِ كَيفَ خانَ عُهودَها

نَسِيَ الهَوى في عِطرِها المُتَبَلِّجِ

نَسِيَ الهَوى في عِطرِها المُتَبَلِّجِ

The marigold blossom—how it betrayed her pledges,

The marigold's blossom, how it broke its covenant

Forgetting love amid her radiant perfume.

Forgot love in its gleaming scent

وَتَذَكَّرَت في رَعشَةٍ لَمّا سَبا

وَتَذَكَّرَت في رَعشَةٍ لَمّا سَبا

زَرزورُها مِنها وَلَم يَتَحَرَّجِ

زَرزورُها مِنها وَلَم يَتَحَرَّجِ

And with a shudder she remembered how it stole

And it remembered in a quiver when its sparrow

Her starling from her, without a qualm.

Flew from it without hesitation

وَهُنا تَمَشَّت في الشُجَيرَةِ خِلجَةٌ

وَهُنا تَمَشَّت في الشُجَيرَةِ خِلجَةٌ

وَبَكَت حَنيناً لِلشَّذى المُتَأَرِّجِ

وَبَكَت حَنيناً لِلشَّذى المُتَأَرِّجِ

And here a tremor coursed through the little tree,

And here a yearning crept into the shrub

And she wept, longing for the wafting fragrance.

And wept nostalgically for the waving aroma

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

She was ours—if only she had stayed ours,

We had it, if only it had lasted for us

Or the starling had kept calling above her.

Or the sparrow's shouting above it had lasted

وَتَذَكَّرَت شَفَقاً تَوَهَّجَ حُمرَةً

وَتَذَكَّرَت شَفَقاً تَوَهَّجَ حُمرَةً

خَلَلَ الغُيومِ عَلى رُبى الآصالِ

خَلَلَ الغُيومِ عَلى رُبى الآصالِ

And she remembered twilight glowing red

And it remembered a sunset that blushed with red

Through the clouds over the hills of late afternoon.

Through the clouds upon the hillsides

وَبَدَت غُصونُ الجَزورَينِ كَأَنَّها

وَبَدَت غُصونُ الجَزورَينِ كَأَنَّها

قِلَعُ تُرَفرِف في بِحارِ خَيالِ

قِلَعُ تُرَفرِف في بِحارِ خَيالِ

And the casuarina's branches appeared as though

And the branches of the olive tree appeared as if they were

They were sails fluttering on seas of imagination.

Ships fluttering on the seas of imagination

وَهُنا تَحَرَّكَتِ الشُجَيرَةُ في أَسى

وَهُنا تَحَرَّكَتِ الشُجَيرَةُ في أَسى

وَبَكى الرَبيعُ خَيالَها المَهجورُ

وَبَكى الرَبيعُ خَيالَها المَهجورُ

And here the little tree stirred in sorrow,

And here the shrub moved in sorrow

And spring wept for her forsaken image.

And spring cried for its abandoned phantom

وَتَذَكَّرَت عَهدَ الصِبا فَتَنَهَّدَت

وَتَذَكَّرَت عَهدَ الصِبا فَتَنَهَّدَت

وَكَأَنَّها بِيَدِ الأَسى طَنبورُ

وَكَأَنَّها بِيَدِ الأَسى طَنبورُ

She remembered the days of youth and sighed,

And remembered the days of youth, groaning

As though she were a lute in sorrow's hand.

As if it were a lute in hands of grief

وَتَذَكَّرَت شَجرَ النَخيلِ وَهُدهُداً

وَتَذَكَّرَت شَجرَ النَخيلِ وَهُدهُداً

قَد كانَ يَقصِدُها صَباحَ مَساءِ

قَد كانَ يَقصِدُها صَباحَ مَساءِ

And she remembered palm trees and a hoopoe

And it remembered the palm tree and a hoopoe

That used to visit her morning and evening.

That used to frequent it morning and evening

وَتَذَكَّرَت في اليوسِفي يَمامَةً

وَتَذَكَّرَت في اليوسِفي يَمامَةً

كانَت تَنوحُ اللَيلَةَ القَمراءِ

كانَت تَنوحُ اللَيلَةَ القَمراءِ

And she remembered a dove in the tangerine tree,

And it remembered in the jasmine a turtledove

Which used to lament through the moonlit night.

That would moan on the moonlit night

وَهُنا تَحَرَّكَتِ الشُجَيرَةُ في أَسى

وَهُنا تَحَرَّكَتِ الشُجَيرَةُ في أَسى

وَبَكى الرَبيعُ خَيالَها المَهجورُ

وَبَكى الرَبيعُ خَيالَها المَهجورُ

And here the little tree stirred in sorrow,

And here the shrub moved in sorrow

And spring wept for her forsaken image.

And spring cried for its abandoned phantom

وَتَذَكَّرَت عَهدَ الصِبا فَتَرَنَّحَت

وَتَذَكَّرَت عَهدَ الصِبا فَتَرَنَّحَت

وَكَأَنَّها بِيَدِ الأَسى طَنبورُ

وَكَأَنَّها بِيَدِ الأَسى طَنبورُ

She remembered the days of youth and swayed,

And remembered the days of youth, complaining

As though she were a lute in sorrow's hand.

As if it were a lute in the hands of grief

وَضَفَت عَلى كُلِّ الغُصونِ سَحابَةً

وَضَفَت عَلى كُلِّ الغُصونِ سَحابَةً

وَزَكا الغَصينُ وَفَتَّحَ النُوارُ

وَزَكا الغَصينُ وَفَتَّحَ النُوارُ

And a cloud spread over all the branches,

And it draped all the branches with a cloud

And the twig flourished, and the blossoms opened.

And the branch flourished and the bud opened

وَتَهَلَّلَ الزَرزورُ في أَوراقِها

وَتَهَلَّلَ الزَرزورُ في أَوراقِها

وَزَها السِياجُ وَفاحَتِ الأَعطارُ

وَزَها السِياجُ وَفاحَتِ الأَعطارُ

And the starling rejoiced among her leaves,

And the sparrow rejoiced in its leaves

And the fence shone, and perfumes wafted.

And the fence bloomed and the fragrances emanated

حَلِمَت بِأَرضٍ في الخَيالِ سَحيقَةٍ

حَلِمَت بِأَرضٍ في الخَيالِ سَحيقَةٍ

في ذلِكَ الأُفقِ القَصِيِّ النائي

في ذلِكَ الأُفقِ القَصِيِّ النائي

She dreamed of a faraway land in imagination,

It dreamed of a far distant land

In that remote and distant horizon.

In that distant, remote horizon

وَهُناكَ تَحتَ سَمانجونُ سَمائِها

وَهُناكَ تَحتَ سَمانجونُ سَمائِها

تاقَت إِلى أَحلامِها الزَرقاءِ

تاقَت إِلى أَحلامِها الزَرقاءِ

And there, beneath the azure of its sky,

And there under its blue poplar trees

She longed for her blue dreams.

It longed for its blue dreams

خَلَدَت إِلى صَمتٍ هُناكَ مُخَيمٌ

خَلَدَت إِلى صَمتٍ هُناكَ مُخَيمٌ

تَسجو عَلَيهِ خَوافِقُ الأَفياءِ

تَسجو عَلَيهِ خَوافِقُ الأَفياءِ

She surrendered to a silence settled there,

A silence prevails there, encamped

Over which the shadows' flutterings lay hushed.

With the stars of night over it overlooking

هِيَ جَنَّةُ الأَشجارِ وَالأَظلالِ وَال

هِيَ جَنَّةُ الأَشجارِ وَالأَظلالِ وَال

أَعطارِ وَالأَنغامِ وَالأَندءِ

أَعطارِ وَالأَنغامِ وَالأَندءِ

It is a paradise of trees and shadows and

It is the paradise of trees, shades,

Perfumes, melodies, and dews.

Fragrances, tunes, and springs

يَتَزاهَرُ البِشنَينُ فَوقَ شُطوطِها

يَتَزاهَرُ البِشنَينُ فَوقَ شُطوطِها

وَيُغازِلُ الدُفلى زَهرَ اللوتَسِ

وَيُغازِلُ الدُفلى زَهرَ اللوتَسِ

Water lilies blossom upon its shores,

The pink oleander blooms over its banks

And the oleander courts the lotus flower.

And the lotus seduces the water lily

وَعَرائِسُ النارِنجِ فاحَ عَبيرُها

وَعَرائِسُ النارِنجِ فاحَ عَبيرُها

بِالنَحلِ تَحلُمُ في السُكونِ المُشمِسِ

بِالنَحلِ تَحلُمُ في السُكونِ المُشمِسِ

And the bitter-orange brides, their perfume wafting,

And orange blossoms, their fragrance smells

Dream of bees in the sunlit stillness.

Of bees dreaming in the sunny tranquility

وَهُناكَ زَرزورٌ يُغَرِّدُ دائِماً

وَهُناكَ زَرزورٌ يُغَرِّدُ دائِماً

وَيَقُصُّ أَحلامَ الزُهورِ النُعَسِ

وَيَقُصُّ أَحلامَ الزُهورِ النُعَسِ

And there a starling is always singing,

And there a sparrow always chirps

And recounts the dreams of sleepy flowers.

And tells tales to the sleepy flowers

يَروي لَها أَسطورَةً سِحرِيَّةً

يَروي لَها أَسطورَةً سِحرِيَّةً

مِمّا يَفوحُ بِهِ خَيالُ النَرجَسِ

مِمّا يَفوحُ بِهِ خَيالُ النَرجَسِ

It tells them a magical legend

Relating to them a magical legend

From what the narcissus's imagination breathes forth.

Of what emanates from the narcissus' imagination

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

She was ours—if only she had stayed ours,

We had it, if only it had lasted for us

Or the starling had kept calling above her.

Or the sparrow's shouting above it had lasted

نارِنجَتي وَاللَهِ مُذ فارَقَتِني

نارِنجَتي وَاللَهِ مُذ فارَقَتِني

وَأَنا حَليفُ كَآبَةٍ خَرساءِ

وَأَنا حَليفُ كَآبَةٍ خَرساءِ

My bitter-orange tree—by God, since you left me,

My orange tree, by God, since you left me

I have been the ally of a mute melancholy.

And I became an ally of silent sorrow

أَصبَحتُ بَعدَكَ في اِنقِباضٍ موحِشٍ

أَصبَحتُ بَعدَكَ في اِنقِباضٍ موحِشٍ

وَكَأَنَّني مِنهُ مَساءُ شِتاءِ

وَكَأَنَّني مِنهُ مَساءُ شِتاءِ

After you, I fell into desolate dejection,

After you I became withdrawn and desolate

And because of it I am like a winter evening.

As if I were a winter's sorrowful evening

تَتَناثَرُ الأَعطارُ في آفاقِها

تَتَناثَرُ الأَعطارُ في آفاقِها

روحي إِلَيكَ وَراءَ كُلِّ فَضاءِ

روحي إِلَيكَ وَراءَ كُلِّ فَضاءِ

Perfumes scatter across its horizons:

The fragrances scatter in its horizons

My soul goes toward you, beyond every expanse,

My soul to you beyond every space

وَتَرِفُّ في دِهليزِ كُلِّ أَشِعَّةٍ

وَتَرِفُّ في دِهليزِ كُلِّ أَشِعَّةٍ

قَمراءَ أَو تَرنيمَةٍ بَيضاءِ

قَمراءَ أَو تَرنيمَةٍ بَيضاءِ

And flutters in the corridor of every ray

And flutter in the corridor of every

Of moonlight, or every white hymn.

Moonlit or white hymn

قَد كُنتُ أَرجو أَن تَكونَ نِهايَتي

قَد كُنتُ أَرجو أَن تَكونَ نِهايَتي

في ظِلِّ هذا السورِ حَيثُ أَراكِ

في ظِلِّ هذا السورِ حَيثُ أَراكِ

I had hoped that my end would come

I had hoped my end would be

In this wall's shade, where I could see you,

In the shade of this fence where I see you

وَيَكونُ آخِرَ ما يُخَدِّرُ مَسمَعي

وَيَكونُ آخِرَ ما يُخَدِّرُ مَسمَعي

زَرزورُكِ الهَتّافُ فَوقَ ذَراكِ

زَرزورُكِ الهَتّافُ فَوقَ ذَراكِ

And that the last thing to lull my hearing

And the last thing to numb my hearing

Would be your calling starling above your crown;

Would be your shouting sparrow above your branches

وَيَطوفُ في غَيبوبَتي فَيُفيقُني

وَيَطوفُ في غَيبوبَتي فَيُفيقُني

فَجرٌ قَصيرُ البَعثِ مِن رَيّاكِ

فَجرٌ قَصيرُ البَعثِ مِن رَيّاكِ

And through my unconsciousness would drift, awakening me,

And dawn would awaken me briefly

A dawn of brief revival from your fragrance.

From the numbness of your breeze

وَالآنَ إِذ عَجَلَ القَضاءُ فَإِنَّما

وَالآنَ إِذ عَجَلَ القَضاءُ فَإِنَّما

سَيَقومُ في الذِكرى خَيالُ شَذاكِ

سَيَقومُ في الذِكرى خَيالُ شَذاكِ

And now, since fate has hastened, only

And now when fate has hastened

The image of your fragrance will rise in memory.

So the memory of your aroma will stand

كانَت لَنا عِندَ السِياجِ شُجَيرَةٌ

كانَت لَنا عِندَ السِياجِ شُجَيرَةٌ

أَلِفَ الغِناءَ بِظِلِّها الزَرزورُ

أَلِفَ الغِناءَ بِظِلِّها الزَرزورُ

We had a little tree beside the fence;

We had a shrub by the fence

The starling grew used to singing in her shade.

Where the sparrow used to sing in its shade

طَفِقَ الرَبيعُ يَزورُها مُتَخَفِّياً

طَفِقَ الرَبيعُ يَزورُها مُتَخَفِّياً

فَيَفيضُ مِنها في الحَديقَةِ نورُ

فَيَفيضُ مِنها في الحَديقَةِ نورُ

Spring began to visit her in secret,

Spring used to visit it secretly

And light poured from her into the garden,

Overflowing light into the garden from within

حَتّى إِذا حَلَّ الصَباحُ تَنَفَّسَت

حَتّى إِذا حَلَّ الصَباحُ تَنَفَّسَت

فيها الزُهورُ وَزَقزَقَ العُصفورُ

فيها الزُهورُ وَزَقزَقَ العُصفورُ

Until, when morning came, there breathed

Until when morning came

Within her the flowers, and the sparrow chirped.

The flowers breathed in it and the sparrow chirped

وَسَرى إِلى أَرضِ الحَديقَةِ كُلِّها

وَسَرى إِلى أَرضِ الحَديقَةِ كُلِّها

نَبَأُ الرَبيعِ وَرَكبُهُ المَسحورُ

نَبَأُ الرَبيعِ وَرَكبُهُ المَسحورُ

And through all the garden's earth there spread

And news of spring spread

The news of spring and its enchanted caravan.

To the whole garden, captivating it

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

كانَت لَنا يا لَيتَها دامَت لَنا

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

أَو دامَ يَهتِفُ فَوقَها الزَرزورُ

She was ours—if only she had stayed ours,

We had it, if only it had lasted for us

Or the starling had kept calling above her.

Or the sparrow's shouting above it had lasted