هَجَرَ الأرضَ حين مَلَّ مقامَهْ

هَجَرَ الأرضَ حين مَلَّ مقامَهْ

وطوى العمرَ حيرةً وسآمَهْ

وطوى العمرَ حيرةً وسآمَهْ

He forsook the earth when weary of his stay,

He left the land when he grew weary of staying,

And folded up his life in bewilderment and weariness.

And folded up his life confused and bored.

هَيْكَلٌ من حقيقةٍ وخيالٍ

هَيْكَلٌ من حقيقةٍ وخيالٍ

مَلَكَ الحبُّ والجمالُ زمامَهْ

مَلَكَ الحبُّ والجمالُ زمامَهْ

A temple of reality and imagination,

A being of reality and imagination,

Love and Beauty held his reins.

Love and beauty held his reins.

ألْهَمَ الشعرُ أصغريهِ فرفَّا

ألْهَمَ الشعرُ أصغريهِ فرفَّا

في فَمِ الدهرِ كوثرًا ومُدامَهْ

في فَمِ الدهرِ كوثرًا ومُدامَهْ

Poetry inspired his heart and tongue, and both fluttered

Poetry inspired him in his youth, so he fluttered

In Time's mouth, as Kawthar and wine.

In the mouth of time like a fountain and a wine cup.

سلسبيلٌ من حكمةٍ وبيانٍ

سلسبيلٌ من حكمةٍ وبيانٍ

فَجَّرَ اللهُ منهما إلهَامَهْ

فَجَّرَ اللهُ منهما إلهَامَهْ

A Salsabil of wisdom and eloquence,

A smooth flow of wisdom and eloquence

God made his inspiration gush from both.

God made gush from them inspiration.

تأخذُ القلبَ هَزَّةٌ من تساقيـ

تأخذُ القلبَ هَزَّةٌ من تساقيـ

ـهِ وينسى بسحره آلامَهْ

ـهِ وينسى بسحره آلامَهْ

A tremor seizes the heart from drinking

The heart is gripped by a shudder of his outpouring

Of it, and through its magic it forgets its pains.

And forgets its pains through his magic.

غَمَرَ الأرضَ رحمةً وسلامًا

غَمَرَ الأرضَ رحمةً وسلامًا

وجلَا الكونَ فتنةً ووسامَهْ

وجلَا الكونَ فتنةً ووسامَهْ

He flooded the earth with mercy and peace,

He flooded the earth with mercy and peace

And made the universe shine with enchantment and beauty,

And illuminated the universe, its ordeal and its beauty.

مالئًا مِسْمَعَ الوجودِ نشيدًا

مالئًا مِسْمَعَ الوجودِ نشيدًا

عَلَّمَ الطيرَ لحنَه وانسجامَهْ

عَلَّمَ الطيرَ لحنَه وانسجامَهْ

Filling the ear of existence with song;

Filling the hearing of existence with song,

He taught the birds his melody and harmony.

He taught the birds its melody and harmony.

ما لَهُ والزمانُ مصغٍ إليه

ما لَهُ والزمانُ مصغٍ إليه

رَدَّ أوتارَه وحَطَّمَ جامَهْ؟

رَدَّ أوتارَه وحَطَّمَ جامَهْ؟

What ailed him, with Time listening to him,

Why did he - when the times turned a deaf ear -

That he laid aside his strings and shattered his goblet?

Break his strings and smash his cup?

رُوِّعَ الطيرُ يوم غاب عن الأيـ

رُوِّعَ الطيرُ يوم غاب عن الأيـ

ـكِ وسالتْ جراحُها الملتامَهْ

ـكِ وسالتْ جراحُها الملتامَهْ

The birds were terrified the day he vanished from the

The birds were terrified the day he disappeared from sight

Groves, and their healed wounds bled again.

And their hidden wounds poured forth.

ما الذي شاقه إلى عالم الرو

ما الذي شاقه إلى عالم الرو

حِ؟ أَجَلْ تلك روحه المستهامَهْ!

حِ؟ أَجَلْ تلك روحه المستهامَهْ!

What drew him to the world of the

What made him long for the world of the soul?

Spirit? Yes, that was his love-enraptured soul!

Yes, it was his aspiring soul!

راعها النورُ وهيَ في ظلمة الكو

راعها النورُ وهيَ في ظلمة الكو

نِ فخفَّتْ إليهِ تطوي ظلامَهْ

نِ فخفَّتْ إليهِ تطوي ظلامَهْ

Light awed her while she was in the darkness of the

It was dazzled by the light while in the darkness of the world

Universe; she hastened toward it, folding away its darkness.

So it hastened to it, folding up its darkness.

هي بنتُ السماءِ وهو من الأر

هي بنتُ السماءِ وهو من الأر

ضِ سليلٌ نما الترابُ عظامَهْ

ضِ سليلٌ نما الترابُ عظامَهْ

She is a daughter of heaven, while he is of the

She is the daughter of the sky while he is

Earth, a descendant whose bones the soil made grow.

Of the earth, a creature the dust nurtured his bones.

فاهتفوا باسمه فما مات، لكنْ

فاهتفوا باسمه فما مات، لكنْ

آثرَ اليومَ في السماءِ مُقامَهْ!

آثرَ اليومَ في السماءِ مُقامَهْ!

So call out his name: he has not died, but

So celebrate his name, for he did not die,

Has chosen today to dwell in heaven!

But chose today to live in the sky!

حدَّثتني الرياضُ عنه صباحًا

حدَّثتني الرياضُ عنه صباحًا

ما لصدَّاحِها جفا أنغامَهْ؟

ما لصدَّاحِها جفا أنغامَهْ؟

The gardens spoke to me of him one morning:

The meadows spoke to me of him one morning -

Why has their songster forsaken his melodies?

Why did their warbler not sing his melodies?

وشكا لي النسيمُ أولَ يومٍ

وشكا لي النسيمُ أولَ يومٍ

لم يُحَمِّلْهُ للحبيبِ سلامَهْ

لم يُحَمِّلْهُ للحبيبِ سلامَهْ

And the breeze complained to me on the first day

The breeze complained to me the first day

He did not entrust it with his greeting to the beloved.

It did not carry his greeting to his beloved.

وتسمعتُ للغدير يُنَادِي

وتسمعتُ للغدير يُنَادِي

ما الذي عاق طيرَه وحيامَهْ؟

ما الذي عاق طيرَه وحيامَهْ؟

And I listened closely to the brook calling:

And I heard the stream crying out -

What has hindered his flight and circling?

What had silenced its birds and doves?

أتُراهُ ترشَّفَ الفجرَ نورًا

أتُراهُ ترشَّفَ الفجرَ نورًا

أم شفي من ندى الصباح أُوامَهْ

أم شفي من ندى الصباح أُوامَهْ

Has he, I wonder, sipped the dawn as light,

Did he sip the dawn's light as a drink

Or quenched his thirst with the morning's dew?

Or was he cured by the dew of morning of his pains?

ورأيتُ الجمالَ في شُعَبِ الوا

ورأيتُ الجمالَ في شُعَبِ الوا

دِي ينادي بطاحه وأكامَهْ

دِي ينادي بطاحه وأكامَهْ

And I saw Beauty in the ravines of the

And I saw beauty in the valleys of the stream

Valley, calling to its plains and hills,

Calling for her poet, her artist.

صارخًا يستجيرُ شاعرَه الشَّا

صارخًا يستجيرُ شاعرَه الشَّا

دي، ويدعو لفنِّه رسَّامَهْ

دي، ويدعو لفنِّه رسَّامَهْ

Crying out for help from its poet, the

Crying out, seeking her ardent poet

Singer, and summoning its painter for its art.

And praying for his art and his painter.

فَتَلَفَّتُّ باكيًا وبعيني

فَتَلَفَّتُّ باكيًا وبعيني

شَبَحٌ تخطرُ المنون أمامَهْ

شَبَحٌ تخطرُ المنون أمامَهْ

So I turned, weeping, and before my eyes

So I looked around me, weeping, and before my eyes

Was a phantom, with Death striding before him.

A specter crossed, death preceding it.

هتفَ القلبُ بالمنادينَ حولي:

هتفَ القلبُ بالمنادينَ حولي:

لَقِيَ الصادحُ الطروبُ حِمامَهْ

لَقِيَ الصادحُ الطروبُ حِمامَهْ

My heart cried to those calling around me:

The heart called out to those mourning around me:

The joyous songster has met his death.

The warbler has met his doom!

فاذكروا شدوَهُ بكل صباحٍ

فاذكروا شدوَهُ بكل صباحٍ

وارقُبُوا من خياله إلمامَهْ

وارقُبُوا من خياله إلمامَهْ

So remember his singing every morning,

So remember his song every morning

And watch for a visitation from his shade.

And expect from his imagination guidance.

واملأوا الأرضَ والسماءَ هُتَافًا

واملأوا الأرضَ والسماءَ هُتَافًا

عَلَّهُ لم يَرَ الصباحَ فنامَهْ

عَلَّهُ لم يَرَ الصباحَ فنامَهْ

And fill earth and heaven with cries—

Fill the earth and sky with a clamor -

Perhaps he did not see the morning and slept it away.

Perhaps he did not see the dawn but slept!

لم يرُعْني من جانبِ النيل إلَّا

لم يرُعْني من جانبِ النيل إلَّا

كرمةٌ فوقها ترفُّ غمامَهْ

كرمةٌ فوقها ترفُّ غمامَهْ

Nothing startled me beside the Nile but

Nothing called to me from the Nile's bank

A vine above which a cloud fluttered.

Except a vine with a cloud fluttering over it.

تحت ساجي ظلالها زهرةٌ تبـ

تحت ساجي ظلالها زهرةٌ تبـ

ـكِي، وفي فرعها تنوحُ حَمامَهْ

ـكِي، وفي فرعها تنوحُ حَمامَهْ

Beneath its tranquil shade, a flower was

Under the shade of its branches a flower weeps

Weeping, and on its bough a dove lamented.

And a dove laments in its boughs.

عرفتها عيني، وما أنكرتها

عرفتها عيني، وما أنكرتها

من ظلامٍ ووحشةٍ وجهامَهْ

من ظلامٍ ووحشةٍ وجهامَهْ

My eye recognized it; I did not fail to know it

My eyes recognized it, and I did not mistake

For all its darkness, desolation, and gloom.

The darkness, desolation, and confusion.

قلتُ: يا كرمةَ ابن هاني سلامًا

قلتُ: يا كرمةَ ابن هاني سلامًا

ليس للمرءِ في الحياة سلامَهْ

ليس للمرءِ في الحياة سلامَهْ

I said: O Vine of Ibn Hani, peace to you!

I said: O vine of Ibn Hani, greetings!

There is no safety for mortals in life.

In life, man has no peace.

نحن لو تعلمينَ أشباحُ ليلٍ

نحن لو تعلمينَ أشباحُ ليلٍ

عابرٍ ينسخ الضياءُ ظلامَهْ

عابرٍ ينسخ الضياءُ ظلامَهْ

We, if you knew, are phantoms of a night

If we shadows of a passing night knew

That passes, its darkness erased by light.

That the light would erase its darkness;

والذي تلمحين من لَهبِ الشمـ

والذي تلمحين من لَهبِ الشمـ

ـسِ غدا يُطفئُ الزمانُ ضرامَهْ

ـسِ غدا يُطفئُ الزمانُ ضرامَهْ

And the flame you glimpse from the

And what you glimpse of the sun's flame

Sun—tomorrow Time will quench its blaze.

Tomorrow time would extinguish its embers;

والذي تبصرينه من نجومٍ

والذي تبصرينه من نجومٍ

فَلَكٌ يرصدُ القضاءُ نظامَهْ

فَلَكٌ يرصدُ القضاءُ نظامَهْ

And the stars that you behold

And what you see of stars

Are a celestial sphere whose order Fate watches.

A sky that fate maps its system;

والمرَادُ المُدِلُّ بالورد زهوًا

والمرَادُ المُدِلُّ بالورد زهوًا

كالذي أذبلَ الردى أكمامَهْ

كالذي أذبلَ الردى أكمامَهْ

And the desired one, proudly flaunting roses,

And the beloved, alluring with roses in bloom

Is like the one whose buds Death withered.

Like one faded by time, his sleeves withered -

عبثًا ننشدُ الحياةَ خلودًا

عبثًا ننشدُ الحياةَ خلودًا

ونرجِّي الصِّبا، ونبغي دوامَهْ

ونرجِّي الصِّبا، ونبغي دوامَهْ

In vain we seek immortality from life,

In vain we seek in life eternity

And hope for youth and seek its permanence.

And hope for youth and aspire to its permanence!

إنما الأرضُ قبرُنا الواسعُ الرحـ

إنما الأرضُ قبرُنا الواسعُ الرحـ

ـبُ وفي جوفِهِ تطيبُ الإقامَهْ

ـبُ وفي جوفِهِ تطيبُ الإقامَهْ

The earth is only our wide, spacious

The earth is just our spacious grave

Grave; in its depths, it is sweet to dwell.

In its depths dwells pleasantness.

أودع القلبُ فيه آلامَه الكبـ

أودع القلبُ فيه آلامَه الكبـ

ـرَى، وألقى ببابه أحلامَهْ

ـرَى، وألقى ببابه أحلامَهْ

The heart laid within it its greatest

The heart deposited in it deep sorrows

Sorrows, and cast its dreams at its door.

And threw at its door its dreams.

نَسِيَ الناعمون فيه صباهم

نَسِيَ الناعمون فيه صباهم

وسلا المغرمُ المشوق غرامَهْ

وسلا المغرمُ المشوق غرامَهْ

Those who lived in ease forgot their youth within it,

The gentle ones forgot in it their youth

And the yearning lover forgot his passion.

And the enamored ardent lover his passion.

فامسحي الدمعَ وابسمي للمنايا

فامسحي الدمعَ وابسمي للمنايا

إنَّ دنياكِ دمعةٌ وابتسامَهْ!!

إنَّ دنياكِ دمعةٌ وابتسامَهْ!!

So wipe away your tears, and smile at death:

So wipe away your tears and smile at death -

Your world is a tear and a smile!

Your life is but a tear and a smile!

أيُّها المسرحُ الحزين عزاءً

أيُّها المسرحُ الحزين عزاءً

قد فقدتَ الغداةَ أقوى دِعامَهْ

قد فقدتَ الغداةَ أقوى دِعامَهْ

O sorrowful theater, take comfort:

O sorrowful theater, condolences!

This morning you have lost your strongest pillar.

You have lost this morning your strongest pillar.

ذهب الشاعرُ الذي كنتَ تستو

ذهب الشاعرُ الذي كنتَ تستو

حي وتستلهمُ الخلودَ كلامَهْ

حي وتستلهمُ الخلودَ كلامَهْ

Gone is the poet from whose words you used to draw

The poet is gone, whom you used to inspire

Inspiration and immortality;

And from whose words you drew immortality.

واهبُ الفن قلبَه وقواه

واهبُ الفن قلبَه وقواه

والمصافيه وُدَّه وهيامَهْ

والمصافيه وُدَّه وهيامَهْ

He who gave art his heart and strength,

He who gave his heart, his strength,

And shared with it his sincere affection and passion.

His sincerity, his love, and his passion to art.

رُبَّ ليلٍ بجانبيكَ شهدنا

رُبَّ ليلٍ بجانبيكَ شهدنا

قصة الدهرِ روعةً وفخامَهْ

قصة الدهرِ روعةً وفخامَهْ

Many a night, at your sides, we witnessed

Many a night at your side we witnessed

The story of Time in wonder and splendor.

The story of time, its awe and its glory.

أسفَرَ الشعرُ عن روائعه فيها

أسفَرَ الشعرُ عن روائعه فيها

وألقى عن الخفاء لثامَهْ

وألقى عن الخفاء لثامَهْ

In it, poetry unveiled its marvels,

Poetry unveiled through it its masterpieces

And cast its veil off what was hidden.

And cast off its veils.

فأعِدْ عهدَه وأحي لياليـ

فأعِدْ عهدَه وأحي لياليـ

ـهِ وجدِّدْ، على المدى، أيَّامَهْ

ـهِ وجدِّدْ، على المدى، أيَّامَهْ

So restore his era and revive his nights,

Restore his covenant, revive his nights

And renew his days throughout the ages.

And renew across time his days!

وَلَكَ اليومَ همةٌ في شبابٍ

وَلَكَ اليومَ همةٌ في شبابٍ

ملأوا العصرَ قوةً وهُمامَهْ

ملأوا العصرَ قوةً وهُمامَهْ

And today your resolve lives in young men

For you today there is a will in the youth

Who have filled the age with strength and valor.

Who filled the age with strength and ambition.

نزلوا ساحه يشيدون للمجـ

نزلوا ساحه يشيدون للمجـ

ـدِ وشَقُّوا إلى الحياةِ زحامَهْ

ـدِ وشَقُّوا إلى الحياةِ زحامَهْ

They entered its arena, building for

They descended into the field, building glory

Glory, and cut through its throng toward life.

And competed in life, pushing and shoving,

فاذكروا نهضةَ البيان بأرضٍ

فاذكروا نهضةَ البيان بأرضٍ

أطلعتْ في سمائِهَا أعلامَهْ

أطلعتْ في سمائِهَا أعلامَهْ

So recall the revival of eloquence in a land

So remember the rise of eloquence in a land

That made its luminaries rise in its sky.

That raised its flags in its skies!

إنَّهَا أمةٌ تغارُ على الفنِّ

إنَّهَا أمةٌ تغارُ على الفنِّ

وترعى عهودَه وذمامَهْ

وترعى عهودَه وذمامَهْ

It is a nation fiercely protective of art,

It is a nation jealous of art

And honors its pledges and its claims to protection.

And loyal to its covenants and high principles.

لم تَزَلْ مصرُ كعبةَ الشعر في الشر

لم تَزَلْ مصرُ كعبةَ الشعر في الشر

قِ، وفي كفِّها لواءُ الزعامَهْ

قِ، وفي كفِّها لواءُ الزعامَهْ

Egypt has always been poetry's Kaaba in the

Egypt remains the Kaaba of poetry in the East

East, and in her hand is the banner of leadership.

And in its grip is the banner of leadership.

إنَّ يومًا يفوتها السبقُ فيه

إنَّ يومًا يفوتها السبقُ فيه

لهوَ يومُ المعادِ يومُ القيامَهْ!!

لهوَ يومُ المعادِ يومُ القيامَهْ!!

A day on which she loses her lead

A day in which it lags behind in precedence

Would surely be the Day of Return, the Day of Resurrection!

Is a day of reckoning, a day of judgment!