هذاthis الرحيقُthe nectar، فأينَso where كأسُthe cup الشَّاعِرِthe poet
هذا الرحيقُ، فأينَ كأسُ الشَّاعِرِ
قدindeed أوحشَhas made desolate الأحبابَthe loved ones ليلُthe night السَّامِرِthe evening companion!
قد أوحشَ الأحبابَ ليلُ السَّامِرِ!
Here is the nectar; where, then, is the poet's cup?
Where is the cup of the poet, this nectar?
The evening companion's night has left his loved ones desolate!
The night of revelry has made the loved ones desolate!
لِمَwhy، ياO حياةُlife، وقدand already أحلَّكِhe lodged you قَلْبَهُhis heart
لِمَ، يا حياةُ، وقد أحلَّكِ قَلْبَهُ
لِمَwhy تؤثِريهِyou favor him هَوَىlove المُحِبِّthe lover الشَّاكِرِthe grateful!
لِمَ تؤثِريهِ هَوَى المُحِبِّ الشَّاكِرِ!
Why, O life, though he had lodged you in his heart,
Why, O life, when you have made his heart your abode,
why favor him with a grateful lover's love!
Do you prefer the passion of the grateful lover?
أخلَيتِyou emptied منهof him يَدَيْكِyour two hands حينwhen حَلاهُمَاhe adorned them both
أخلَيتِ منه يَدَيْكِ حين حَلاهُمَا
منfrom ذلكَthat الأدبِthe literature الرفيعِthe lofty الباهِرِthe dazzling
من ذلكَ الأدبِ الرفيعِ الباهِرِ
You emptied your hands of him just when he adorned them
You have withdrawn your hands from him when they were adorned
with that lofty, dazzling literature.
With that sublime, brilliant courtesy.
لوif عاشَhe lived، زادَكhe would enrich you منfrom غرائِبِmarvels فَنِّهِhis art
لو عاشَ، زادَك من غرائِبِ فَنِّهِ
ماwhat لاnot يُشبَّهُis likened حسنُهits beauty بنظائِرِto counterparts
ما لا يُشبَّهُ حسنُه بنظائِرِ
Had he lived, he would have given you marvels of his art
Had he lived on, his art would have increased
whose beauty could be matched by none.
Marvels that cannot be matched.
وظفِرْتِand you would gain منfrom تمثيلِهِhis portrayal وغنائِهِand his singing
وظفِرْتِ من تمثيلِهِ وغنائِهِ
بأدقَّwith the most precise مثَّالٍsculptor وأرخَمِand the sweetest-voiced طائِرِbird
بأدقَّ مثَّالٍ وأرخَمِ طائِرِ
And through his portrayal and his singing you would have gained
You would have gained from his acting and singing
the most meticulous sculptor and the sweetest-voiced bird.
The most delicate example and the richest bird.
أمَلٌa hope محاerased المقدارُfate طيفَthe phantom خيالهِhis imagination
أمَلٌ محا المقدارُ طيفَ خيالهِ
وتَخَطَّفَتْهُand snatched him away يَدُthe hand الزمانِtime الجائِرِthe unjust
وتَخَطَّفَتْهُ يَدُ الزمانِ الجائِرِ
A hope whose imagined vision fate erased,
Hope erased the specter of his imagination,
and the hand of unjust time snatched him away,
And the hand of cruel time snatched him away.
وأصارَand turned فرحَتَنَاَour joy بمُقبلِat the coming of يومِهِhis day
وأصارَ فرحَتَنَاَ بمُقبلِ يومِهِ
مأساةَa tragedy مَيْتٍa dead man فيin الشبابِyouth الباكِرِthe early
مأساةَ مَيْتٍ في الشبابِ الباكِرِ
and turned our joy in his coming day
Our joy at his forthcoming day
into the tragedy of one dead in early youth,
Became the tragedy of one dead in early youth,
متوسِّدًاpillowed on شَوْكَthe thorns الطريقِthe road، مُلَثَّمًاveiled
متوسِّدًا شَوْكَ الطريقِ، مُلَثَّمًا
بجراحهِwith his wounds، مثلَlike الشهيدِthe martyr الطَّاهِرِthe pure
بجراحهِ، مثلَ الشهيدِ الطَّاهِرِ
with the road's thorns for his pillow, veiled
Lying with the thorns of the road in his shroud,
in his wounds, like a pure martyr.
Like a pure martyr.
رُدُّواput aside المَرَاثِيthe elegies، ياO رفاقَcompanions شبابِهِhis youth،
رُدُّوا المَرَاثِي، يا رفاقَ شبابِهِ،
لنwill not تُطفِئُواyou quench بالدَّمْعِwith tears لوعةَthe anguish ذاكِرِone who remembers
لن تُطفِئُوا بالدَّمْعِ لوعةَ ذاكِرِ
Put aside the elegies, O companions of his youth;
Take back the elegies, O friends of his youth,
you will not quench with tears the anguish of one who remembers.
You will not quench with tears the agony of remembrance.
هذاthis فتًيa young man نَظَمَversified الشبابَyouth وصاغَهُand fashioned it
هذا فتًي نَظَمَ الشبابَ وصاغَهُ
وحيًاinspiration تَحدَّرَflowed down منfrom أَرَقِّthe tenderest مَشَاعِرِfeelings
وحيًا تَحدَّرَ من أَرَقِّ مَشَاعِرِ
This is a youth who wove youth into verse and fashioned it
This was a youth who composed and molded youth itself
into inspiration flowing down from the tenderest feelings.
As inspiration flowing from the most delicate emotions.
جعلَhe made الثلاثينَthirty القِصَارَthe brief مَدًىa span لَهُfor him
جعلَ الثلاثينَ القِصَارَ مَدًى لَهُ
والخلدَand immortality غايةَthe goal عُمرِهِhis lifetime المتقاصِرِthe ever-shortening
والخلدَ غايةَ عُمرِهِ المتقاصِرِ
He made thirty brief years his span,
He made the fleeting thirties his career
and immortality the goal of his ever-shortening life.
And eternity the goal of his brief life.
غَنُّوهُsing to him بالشعرِwith the poetry الذيthat صَدَحَتْrang out بِهِwith it
غَنُّوهُ بالشعرِ الذي صَدَحَتْ بِهِ
أشواقُهُhis longings لَحْنَthe melody الحبيبِthe beloved الزائرِthe visiting
أشواقُهُ لَحْنَ الحبيبِ الزائرِ
Sing to him with the poetry in which
Sing to him with the poetry in which his longing throbbed
his longings sang the visiting beloved's tune.
To the rhythm of the visiting beloved.
غَنَّوهُthey sang to him بالشعرِwith the poetry الذيthat خفقتfluttered بِهِwith it
غَنَّوهُ بالشعرِ الذي خفقت بِهِ
أنفاسُهُhis breaths لَحنَthe melody الحبيبِthe beloved الهاجِرِthe forsaking
أنفاسُهُ لَحنَ الحبيبِ الهاجِرِ
They sang to him with the poetry in which
Sing to him with the poetry in which his breath pulsed
his breaths pulsed the forsaking beloved's tune.
To the rhythm of the departing beloved.
تلكthose القوافيthe rhymes الشارداتُthe wandering حُشاشةًa remnant of life
تلك القوافي الشارداتُ حُشاشةً
ذابتmelted علىon وَتَرِthe string المُغَنِّيthe singer السَّاحِرِthe enchanting
ذابت على وَتَرِ المُغَنِّي السَّاحِرِ
Those wandering rhymes, a last remnant of life,
Those wandering rhymes scattered in their first bloom
melted upon the enchanting singer's string.
Melted on the lute‐string of the magic singer.
فتسمَّعُواso listen closely أصداءَهاtheir echoes فيin موكبٍa procession
فتسمَّعُوا أصداءَها في موكبٍ
للموتِof death مُحتشدِthronged with الفَوَاجِعِcalamities زاخِرِoverflowing
للموتِ مُحتشدِ الفَوَاجِعِ زاخِرِ
So listen closely to their echoes in a procession
So listen to their echoes in a procession
of death, thronged with calamities, overflowing.
Of death thronged with piercing laments.
مَشَتِwalked الطبيعةُnature فيهِin it بينَamong جداولٍstreams
مَشَتِ الطبيعةُ فيهِ بينَ جداولٍ
خُرسٍmute، وأدواحٍand great trees هناكَthere حواسِرِbareheaded
خُرسٍ، وأدواحٍ هناكَ حواسِرِ
Nature walked within it, among streams
Nature walked in him between silent brooks
mute, and great trees standing bareheaded there.
And breakers crashing yonder.
ولوand if استطاعتshe could نضَّدتْshe would have layered أوراقَهاher leaves
ولو استطاعت نضَّدتْ أوراقَها
كَفَنًاas a shroud لَهُfor him، والنعشَand the bier غَضَّfresh أزاهِرِblossoms
كَفَنًا لَهُ، والنعشَ غَضَّ أزاهِرِ
And had she been able, she would have layered her leaves
Had it been possible, she would have lined his bier
as his shroud, and made his bier of fresh blossoms.
With her leaves, the pall cast with her flowers,
وَدَعَتْand she summoned سواجعَcooing ones طيرِهَاher birds فتأَلَّقَتْso they shone
وَدَعَتْ سواجعَ طيرِهَا فتأَلَّقَتْ
أممًاmultitudes تَخِفُّhastening إلىto وداعِthe farewell الشَّاعِرِthe poet
أممًا تَخِفُّ إلى وداعِ الشَّاعِرِ
And she summoned her cooing birds, so they shone
As her birds’ laments glittered forth
in multitudes hastening to bid the poet farewell.
Nations crept to bid the poet farewell.
ياO ابنَson الخيالِimagination تساءَلَتْasked عنكَabout you الذُّرَىthe summits
يا ابنَ الخيالِ تساءَلَتْ عنكَ الذُّرَى
والشُّهبُand the bright stars بينَamong خوافقٍflickering ones وزواهِرِand radiant ones
والشُّهبُ بينَ خوافقٍ وزواهِرِ
O son of imagination, the summits asked after you,
O son of the imagination, the atoms asked about you
and the bright stars, some flickering, some radiant,
And the meteors amid the nebulae and blossoms.
وشواطئٌand shores «محجوبةٌveiled» شارفتَهاyou approached them
وشواطئٌ «محجوبةٌ» شارفتَها
فوقَabove العواصِفِthe storms والخضمِّand the ocean الهادِرِthe roaring
فوقَ العواصِفِ والخضمِّ الهادِرِ
and "veiled" shores that you approached
Were the shores you neared veiled in tempests
above the storms and the roaring ocean.
And seething tumult the same as when you adventured?
أيُرَىwill ... be seen? جناحُكَyour wing فيin السماءِthe sky كعَهْدِهِas it was before
أيُرَى جناحُكَ في السماءِ كعَهْدِهِ
مُتَوَشِّحًاdraped in فَلَقَthe first light الصَّبَاحِthe morning السافِرِthe unveiled
مُتَوَشِّحًا فَلَقَ الصَّبَاحِ السافِرِ
Will your wing be seen in the sky as before,
Does your wing still span the sky
draped in the first light of unveiled morning?
As of old, cleaving the traveling dawn?
أيُرَىwill ... be seen? شراعُكَyour sail فيin العُبابِthe surging sea كعَهْدِهِas it was before
أيُرَى شراعُكَ في العُبابِ كعَهْدِهِ
مُتَقَلِّدًاwearing as a necklace حَلَقَrings السحابِthe clouds الماطِرِthe rain-bearing
مُتَقَلِّدًا حَلَقَ السحابِ الماطِرِ
Will your sail be seen in the surging sea as before,
Does your sail still wear in the haze
necklaced with rings of rain-bearing cloud?
The circle of the rainy cloud?
هدأsubsided الصِّرَاعُthe struggle وكفَّand ceased عنfrom غَمَرَاتِهِits ordeals
هدأ الصِّرَاعُ وكفَّ عن غَمَرَاتِهِ
منthe one who عاشَlived فيin الدنياthe world بروحِwith the spirit مغامِرِan adventurer
من عاشَ في الدنيا بروحِ مغامِرِ
The struggle subsided, and from its turmoil withdrew
The struggle is over for him who lived
the one who lived in this world with an adventurer's spirit.
In the world with an adventurous spirit.
وطوىand swept away البِلَىdecay إلاexcept قصيدةَa poem شاعِرٍa poet
وطوى البِلَى إلا قصيدةَ شاعِرٍ
أبقَىmore enduring منthan المَثَلِthe proverb الشَّرُودِthe far-roaming السائِرِthe widely circulating
أبقَى من المَثَلِ الشَّرُودِ السائِرِ
And decay swept all away, save a poet's poem,
And time has folded all but the verses of a poet
more enduring than the proverb, far-roaming and widely repeated.
More lasting than the wandering ideal.
شعرٌpoetry تَمَثَّلَembodied كلَّevery حِسٍّfeeling مُرْهَفٍdelicate
شعرٌ تَمَثَّلَ كلَّ حِسٍّ مُرْهَفٍ
لاnot رصفَan arrangement ألفاظٍwords ورصَّand a stacking خواطِرِthoughts
لا رصفَ ألفاظٍ ورصَّ خواطِرِ
Poetry that embodied every delicate feeling,
Poetry that represented every delicate sense
not rows of words and piles of thoughts,
Not arranging words and ordering ideas,
ودُمًىand dolls مُفضَّحَةَexposed الطلاءِthe paint كَأَنَّهَاas though they were
ودُمًى مُفضَّحَةَ الطلاءِ كَأَنَّهَا
خُشُبُthe timbers المَسَارِحِthe theatres مُوِّهَتْdisguised بستائِرِwith curtains
خُشُبُ المَسَارِحِ مُوِّهَتْ بستائِرِ
and dolls betrayed by their paint, as though they were
And dummies whose paint is smeared
stage timbers disguised with curtains,
Like the boards of theaters masked with curtains
تتمثَّلُacting out التاريخَhistory فيin أزيائِهِits costumes
تتمثَّلُ التاريخَ في أزيائِهِ
بينbetween المصفقِthe applauder وابتسامِand the smile السَّاخِرِthe scoffer
بين المصفقِ وابتسامِ السَّاخِرِ
acting out history in its costumes
To represent history in its costumes
between the applauder and the scoffer's smile,
Between the applause and the mocker’s smile
منfrom صُنْعِthe making نظَّامِينَversifiers جَهدَthe utmost effort خَيَالِهِمْtheir imagination
من صُنْعِ نظَّامِينَ جَهدَ خَيَالِهِمْ
مَسْحُwiping الزجاجِthe glass منfrom الغبارِthe dust الثائِرِthe swirling
مَسْحُ الزجاجِ من الغبارِ الثائِرِ
made by versifiers whose imagination's utmost effort
Made by authors whose imagination barely sufficed
is wiping glass free of swirling dust,
To dust the glass from the swirling dust,
مُتَخَلِّفينَlagging عنbehind الزمانِthe times كأنهمas though they were
مُتَخَلِّفينَ عن الزمانِ كأنهم
أشباحُphantoms كهفٍa cave أوor ظلالُshadows مسَاخِرِbuffoons
أشباحُ كهفٍ أو ظلالُ مسَاخِرِ
lagging behind the age, as though they were
Leaving the age as if they were
phantoms of a cave, or shadows of buffoons.
Ghosts of a cave or shades of prisoners.
ياO قومُpeople، إنَّindeed الشِّعرَpoetry روحانيَّةٌspirituality
يا قومُ، إنَّ الشِّعرَ روحانيَّةٌ
وذكاءُand intelligence قلبٍa heart فيin تَوَقُّدِthe blazing خاطِرِa thought
وذكاءُ قلبٍ في تَوَقُّدِ خاطِرِ
O people, poetry is spirituality,
O people, poetry is spirituality
and a heart's brilliance in the blaze of thought.
And the intelligence of a heart in flaming thought.
نَظَرَsaw «الضريرُthe blind man» بهthrough it فأدركَso perceived فوقَbeyond ماwhat
نَظَرَ «الضريرُ» به فأدركَ فوقَ ما
لمستtouched يَدُthe hand الآسِيthe healer وعَيْنُand the eye النَّاظِرِthe beholder
لمست يَدُ الآسِي وعَيْنُ النَّاظِرِ
Through it, "the blind man" saw and perceived beyond what
The “blind” one saw through it beyond
the healer's hand and the beholder's eye had touched,
What the hands of the helpless or eyes of the seer touched,
مُتَعَرِّفًاrecognizing صُوَرَthe forms الخلائقcreatures سابِرًاprobing
مُتَعَرِّفًا صُوَرَ الخلائق سابِرًا
أعماقَthe depths أرواحٍsouls وَغَورَand the depth سرائِرِsecrets
أعماقَ أرواحٍ وَغَورَ سرائِرِ
recognizing the forms of creatures, probing
Recognizing the forms of creation, penetrating
the depths of souls and the deep recesses of secrets.
The depths of souls and the secrets of minds.
هذيthis عروسُthe bride الزَّنجِthe Zanj (Black Africans) ليلتهُhis night التيwhich
هذي عروسُ الزَّنجِ ليلتهُ التي
أومَتْgestured بكفٍّwith a palm حُلِّيَتْwas adorned بأساورِwith bracelets
أومَتْ بكفٍّ حُلِّيَتْ بأساورِ
This is the Zanj bride—his night, which
Adorned with a hennaed hand heavy with bracelets,
gestured with a palm adorned with bracelets.
The stars her longing, her hot desire,
والنَّجمand the stars أشواقٌlongings، فمهجةُthen a heart عاشقٍa lover،
والنَّجم أشواقٌ، فمهجةُ عاشقٍ،
وذراعُand an arm مُعتنِقٍan embracer، ووجنةُand a cheek عاصرِa presser
وذراعُ مُعتنِقٍ، ووجنةُ عاصرِ
And the stars are longings, then a lover's heart,
Her embracing arm and her hugging breast.
and an embracer's arm, and a presser's cheek.
Poetry is the music of life oozing
الشِّعرpoetry موسيقَىthe music الحياةِlife موقَّعًاset to rhythm
الشِّعر موسيقَى الحياةِ موقَّعًا
مُتَدَفِّقًاflowing منfrom كلِّevery عِرقٍvein فائِرِseething
مُتَدَفِّقًا من كلِّ عِرقٍ فائِرِ
Poetry is the music of life, set to rhythm,
From every bursting vein.
flowing from every seething vein.
If Babylon’s lovers were given to drink its nectar
عشاقُthe lovers بابلَBabylon لوif سُقُواwere given to drink برحيقِهِwith its nectar
عشاقُ بابلَ لو سُقُوا برحيقِهِ
لمnot يذكروهاthey would recall her بالرَّحيقِfor the nectar الساكِرِthe intoxicating
لم يذكروها بالرَّحيقِ الساكِرِ
Had the lovers of Babylon been given its nectar to drink,
They would not have recalled it as heady wine,
they would not have recalled her for intoxicating nectar;
And their cups would have listened enchanted
وتَنَصَّتَتْand listened closely أقداحُهُمْtheir goblets لمغرِّدٍto a singer
وتَنَصَّتَتْ أقداحُهُمْ لمغرِّدٍ
مَرحٍjoyful يُصَفِّقُclapping بالبيانِwith eloquence السَّاحِرِthe enchanting
مَرحٍ يُصَفِّقُ بالبيانِ السَّاحِرِ
and their goblets would have listened closely to a singer,
To a joyous, magic eloquence,
joyful, clapping with enchanting eloquence.
Or it would have spoken to their tower in its language
أوَكانَand had it كلَّمَaddressed بُرجَهَاher tower بلسانِهِin its tongue
أوَكانَ كلَّمَ بُرجَهَا بلسانِهِ
والقومُand the people شَتَّىdiverse ألسُنٍtongues وحناجِرِand throats
والقومُ شَتَّى ألسُنٍ وحناجِرِ
And had it spoken to her tower in its own tongue,
While the people are diverse tongues and larynxes.
while the people had diverse tongues and throats,
We would not have doubted the twisted tongue, and the argots
لمnot نَشكُwe would complain منof عِوَجِcrookedness اللسانِthe tongue وَوُحِّدَتْand would be unified
لم نَشكُ من عِوَجِ اللسانِ وَوُحِّدَتْ
لهجاتُthe dialects هذاthis العالَمِthe world المتنافِرِthe discordant!
لهجاتُ هذا العالَمِ المتنافِرِ!
we would not have complained of crooked speech, and united would have been
Of this discordant world would have been united!
the dialects of this discordant world!
Partial English translation: 77 of 78 Arabic lines translated.