هَيِّئِي الكأْسَ والوَتَرْ

هَيِّئِي الكأْسَ والوَتَرْ

تلك «كومو» مَدَى النَّظَرْ

تلك «كومو» مَدَى النَّظَرْ

Prepare the cup and the string.

Prepare the cup and lute,

There is Como, as far as the eye can see.

That is "Komu," far sighted,

واصدحي، يا خواطري

واصدحي، يا خواطري

طُوِيَتْ شُقَّةُ السَّفَرْ

طُوِيَتْ شُقَّةُ السَّفَرْ

And sing out, O my thoughts;

And sing out, my thoughts,

The long stretch of travel was folded away.

The journey's rug has been folded,

ودَنَتْ جَنَّةُ المُنَى

ودَنَتْ جَنَّةُ المُنَى

وحَلَا عندها المَقَرْ

وحَلَا عندها المَقَرْ

And the paradise of wishes drew near,

And the garden of wishes has come near,

And dwelling beside it grew sweet.

And settled next to it, the abode,

قد بُعِثْنَا بها على

قد بُعِثْنَا بها على

موعد غيرِ مُنْتَظَرْ

موعد غيرِ مُنْتَظَرْ

We have been reborn there at

We have been resurrected by it to

An unexpected rendezvous,

An unexpected promise,

في مساءٍ كأَنَّهُ

في مساءٍ كأَنَّهُ

حُلُمُ الشَّيْخِ بالصِّغَرْ

حُلُمُ الشَّيْخِ بالصِّغَرْ

In an evening that seems

In an evening as though it were

An old man's dream of childhood.

An old man's dream of youth,

البحيْراتُ والجبا

البحيْراتُ والجبا

لُ توشَّحْنَ بالشَّجَرْ

لُ توشَّحْنَ بالشَّجَرْ

The lakes and the mountains

The lakes and mountains dressed

Have draped themselves in trees,

In trees and obscured in mist and shone in moonlight,

وتَنَقَّبْنَ بالغما

وتَنَقَّبْنَ بالغما

م وأسفرنَ بالقمرْ

م وأسفرنَ بالقمرْ

And veiled themselves in clouds,

"Le Borne" awake, dressed

And unveiled their faces by moonlight.

In the garment of vigil,

«والبروناتُ» غادةٌ

«والبروناتُ» غادةٌ

لبَسَتْ حُلَّةَ السهَرْ

لبَسَتْ حُلَّةَ السهَرْ

And Brunate is a maiden

Above it the countries were scattered

Who has donned the robe of wakefulness.

As flowers are scattered,

نُثِرَتْ فَوقها الديا

نُثِرَتْ فَوقها الديا

رُ كما يُنْثَرُ الزَّهرْ

رُ كما يُنْثَرُ الزَّهرْ

Dwellings were scattered over her

And we crossed its expanses,

As flowers are strewn.

And it gestured to the one who crossed,

وعَبَرْنَا رحابَها

وعَبَرْنَا رحابَها

فأشارتْ لمن عَبَرْ

فأشارتْ لمن عَبَرْ

And we crossed her broad expanses,

Wants to ride danger,

And she beckoned to those who passed:

We soared intoxicated to its narcotic

هاكَها قُبلَةً، فَمَنْ

هاكَها قُبلَةً، فَمَنْ

رامَ فليركبِ الخَطَرْ

رامَ فليركبِ الخَطَرْ

Take this kiss; whoever

Flocks followed by flocks

Seeks it, let him brave the danger.

In hovering glass,

فسمونا لخدْرِهَا

فسمونا لخدْرِهَا

زُمرًا تلْوُها زُمَرْ

زُمرًا تلْوُها زُمَرْ

So we rose to her secluded chamber,

No smoke or sparks,

Group after group,

Space carries us beyond

في زجاجٍ مُحَلقٍ

في زجاجٍ مُحَلقٍ

لا دخانٌ ولا شرَرْ

لا دخانٌ ولا شرَرْ

In soaring glass,

On green silk,

With neither smoke nor sparks.

A ladder resembling a filmstrip

يتخطَّى بنا الفضا

يتخطَّى بنا الفضا

ءَ على السُّنْدُسِ النَّضِرْ

ءَ على السُّنْدُسِ النَّضِرْ

It carries us across the sky

Rising to vision,

Above the fresh green silk.

To the star we climb

سُلَّمٌ يُشبِهُ الصِّرَا

سُلَّمٌ يُشبِهُ الصِّرَا

طَ تسامى على البَصَرْ

طَ تسامى على البَصَرْ

A stairway resembling the Sirat,

And down to the clouds we slope,

Soaring beyond the reach of sight:

And we landed on a summit

فإلَى النجْمِ مُرْتَقَى

فإلَى النجْمِ مُرْتَقَى

وإلى السُّحْبِ منْحَدِرْ

وإلى السُّحْبِ منْحَدِرْ

An ascent toward the star,

Beyond which is the summit of thought,

And a descent toward the clouds.

Delight in its treasures

وحللنا بِقِمَّةٍ

وحللنا بِقِمَّةٍ

دونها قِمَّةُ الفِكَرْ

دونها قِمَّةُ الفِكَرْ

And we alighted on a summit

Reserved for lovers,

Below which lies the summit of thought.

Babylon? Or a lake?

بَهَجٌ في كنوزِهَا

بَهَجٌ في كنوزِهَا

للمحبِّينَ مُدَّخَرْ

للمحبِّينَ مُدَّخَرْ

Delight, among its treasures,

Or palaces of pearls?

Is stored away for lovers.

Or visions of eternity in life

بابلٌ؟ أمْ بحيْرةٌ؟

بابلٌ؟ أمْ بحيْرةٌ؟

أمْ قصورٌ من الدُّرَرْ؟

أمْ قصورٌ من الدُّرَرْ؟

Babylon? Or a lake?

Personified for humankind?

Or palaces of pearls?

How lovely were its evenings

أم رُؤى الخلدِ في الحيا

أم رُؤى الخلدِ في الحيا

ةِ تَمَثَّلْنَ للْبَشَرْ؟

ةِ تَمَثَّلْنَ للْبَشَرْ؟

Or visions of eternity in life,

And yearning for the first times

Made manifest to humankind?

And craving for the sailboat

حبَّذَا أُمسياتُهَا

حبَّذَا أُمسياتُهَا

وحنينًا إلى البُكَرْ

وحنينًا إلى البُكَرْ

How lovely are its evenings,

Prepared for the journey,

And how I yearn for the early mornings!

The hearts forgot their worries

ونزوعًا إلى السفينِ

ونزوعًا إلى السفينِ

تَهَيَّأْنَ للسَّفَرْ

تَهَيَّأْنَ للسَّفَرْ

And long for the ships

And shone for conversation,

Made ready for the voyage!

Faces bloomed like flowers

نَسِيَتْ شُغْلَهَا القلوبُ

نَسِيَتْ شُغْلَهَا القلوبُ

وهَلَّلْنَ للسَّمَرْ

وهَلَّلْنَ للسَّمَرْ

The hearts forgot their cares,

In summer bloomed for rain,

And rejoiced in the night's conversation.

Features of sacrifice,

أوجُهٌ مثلما رَنَتْ

أوجُهٌ مثلما رَنَتْ

زهرةُ الصيف للْمَطَرْ

زهرةُ الصيف للْمَطَرْ

Faces gazing as

Crescents of pleasure,

A summer flower gazes at the rain,

They glow with youth

أضحيانيَّةُ السِّماتِ

أضحيانيَّةُ السِّماتِ

هلاليَّةُ الطُّرَرْ

هلاليَّةُ الطُّرَرْ

Morning-bright in their features,

And beckon with adventure,

With crescent-shaped forelocks,

A rising that brings joy to the miserable

يَتَوَهَّجْنَ بالشبا

يَتَوَهَّجْنَ بالشبا

بِ وَيَنْدينَ بالخفَرْ

بِ وَيَنْدينَ بالخفَرْ

They glow with youth

And gives him life,

And are dewy with bashfulness.

It grants good fortune to whomever it wants

طلعةٌ تُسعِدُ الشقيَّ

طلعةٌ تُسعِدُ الشقيَّ

وتعطي لَهُ العمُرْ

وتعطي لَهُ العمُرْ

A countenance that makes the wretched happy

And keeps, and does not refuse,

And gives him life,

Heaven looks only at these images

تمنح الحظَّ من تشا

تمنح الحظَّ من تشا

ءُ وتُبقِي، ولا تَذَرْ

ءُ وتُبقِي، ولا تَذَرْ

Bestowing fortune on whomever it wills,

To see God a skilled creator, a miracle worker,

And preserving, and leaving nothing.

Poet of the Nile sail it,

إنَّما تنظرُ السما

إنَّما تنظرُ السما

ءُ إلى هذه الصوَرْ

ءُ إلى هذه الصوَرْ

The sky gazes only

Sing every innovation,

Upon these forms,

Thirty passed

لترى الله خالقًا

لترى الله خالقًا

مُبدِعًا، مُعجزَ الأثَرْ

مُبدِعًا، مُعجزَ الأثَرْ

To behold God as a creator,

In nonsense and nonsense,

Creative, with miraculous handiwork.

So be provisioned by bliss

شاعرَ النيلِ طُفْ بها

شاعرَ النيلِ طُفْ بها

غَنِّهَا كلَّ مبتكَرْ

غَنِّهَا كلَّ مبتكَرْ

Poet of the Nile, roam around it;

For your other days,

Sing to it every fresh song.

Where is the valley of palm trees, or

الثلاثونَ قد مَضَتْ

الثلاثونَ قد مَضَتْ

في التفاهاتِ والهذَرْ

في التفاهاتِ والهذَرْ

Thirty years have passed

Its treasures of Cairo?

In trifles and idle talk;

Do not say: the land is fertile,

فتزَوذَدْ من النعيـ

فتزَوذَدْ من النعيـ

ـمِ لأَيَّامِكَ الأُخَرْ

ـمِ لأَيَّامِكَ الأُخَرْ

So provision yourself with bliss

For here the stone has bloomed!!

For your remaining days.

And inspires whoever felt!!

أين وادي النخيلِ، أمْ

أين وادي النخيلِ، أمْ

قَاهِرِيَّاتُهُ الغُرَرْ؟

قَاهِرِيَّاتُهُ الغُرَرْ؟

Where is the valley of palms, or

Oh, if not for loved ones

Its radiant women of Cairo?

Who disembarked on the river bank,

لا تَقُلْ: أخصبَ الثَّرَى

لا تَقُلْ: أخصبَ الثَّرَى

فهُنَا أَوْرَقَ الحَجَرْ!!

فهُنَا أَوْرَقَ الحَجَرْ!!

Do not say, 'The soil has grown fertile':

And pure companions

Here, even stone has put forth leaves!

And generous conduct,

ها هنا يَشْعُرُ الجَما

ها هنا يَشْعُرُ الجَما

دُ ويوحِي لمن شَعَرْ!!

دُ ويوحِي لمن شَعَرْ!!

Here, lifeless matter feels

I would wish for a balcony

And inspires whoever feels!

For me among these rocks,

آهِ لولا أحبةٌ

آهِ لولا أحبةٌ

نزلوا شاطئَ النَّهَرْ

نزلوا شاطئَ النَّهَرْ

Ah, were it not for loved ones

To spend my life next to it

Who dwell upon the riverbank,

Without diverting my gaze,

ورُفاتٌ مُطَهَّرٌ

ورُفاتٌ مُطَهَّرٌ

وكريمٌ من السِّيَرْ

وكريمٌ من السِّيَرْ

And hallowed remains,

For he who saw has won

And noble life-stories,

And he who grasped has lived,

لتمنيتُ شُرْفَةً

لتمنيتُ شُرْفَةً

ليَ في هذه الحُجَرْ

ليَ في هذه الحُجَرْ

I would have wished for a balcony

O daughter of the new world, pray for a dusty world

Of my own among these chambers,

In my blood the spirit of the Bedouin and the settled,

أقطعُ العمرَ عندها

أقطعُ العمرَ عندها

غيرَ وانٍ عن النظرْ

غيرَ وانٍ عن النظرْ

To spend my life beside it,

And songs for whoever sang

Never weary of gazing.

And meanings for whoever took pride,

فلقد فاز من رأى

فلقد فاز من رأى

ولقد عاش من ظفِرْ

ولقد عاش من ظفِرْ

For whoever has seen has triumphed,

What makes you happy? Speak!

And whoever has won has lived.

For in your eye is the news,

يا ابنةَ العالَمِ الجديـ

يا ابنةَ العالَمِ الجديـ

ـدِ صِلِي عالَمًا غَبَرْ

ـدِ صِلِي عالَمًا غَبَرْ

O daughter of the new world,

Caution does not benefit them,

Reach out to a world gone by.

We are two raging souls,

في دَمِي من تُرَاثِهِ

في دَمِي من تُرَاثِهِ

نَفْحَةُ البَدْوِ والحَضرْ

نَفْحَةُ البَدْوِ والحَضرْ

In my blood, from its heritage,

And two bodies of hell,

Is a breath of nomads and townsfolk,

So forgive the soul if it transgresses,

وأغانٍ لمن شَدَا

وأغانٍ لمن شَدَا

ومعانٍ لِمَنْ فَخَرْ

ومعانٍ لِمَنْ فَخَرْ

And songs for those who have sung,

And forgive the body if it avenges!

And meanings for those who have taken pride.

The wine of Babylon is gone

ما تُسِرِّينَ؟ أَفْصِحِي!

ما تُسِرِّينَ؟ أَفْصِحِي!

إنَّ في عينكِ الخبَرْ

إنَّ في عينكِ الخبَرْ

What do you keep secret? Speak plainly!

And the cup has fallen and shattered,

Surely the answer lies in your eye.

And here is the vine of eternity, so blessed is he who squeezed

الغريبانِ ها هُنَا

الغريبانِ ها هُنَا

ليس يُجديهِمَا الحذَرْ

ليس يُجديهِمَا الحذَرْ

The two strangers are here;

Why, while the spring is flowing,

Caution will not serve them.

Does the thirsty one complain of chest pain?

نحن رُوحانِ عاصِفَا

نحن رُوحانِ عاصِفَا

نِ وجسمانِ من سقَرْ

نِ وجسمانِ من سقَرْ

We are two tempestuous spirits

And for whom are these houris

And two bodies from Saqar.

Immersed in splendor?

فاعذري الرُّوح إنْ طغى

فاعذري الرُّوح إنْ طغى

واعذري الجسمَ إن ثأَرْ!

واعذري الجسمَ إن ثأَرْ!

So forgive the spirit if it oversteps,

They frolic playfully with prohibition

And forgive the body if it takes revenge!

Like a child playing with a toy,

نَضَبَتْ خَمْرُ بابلٍ

نَضَبَتْ خَمْرُ بابلٍ

وهوى الكاسُ وانكسَرْ

وهوى الكاسُ وانكسَرْ

Babylon's wine has run dry,

Purer than meteors

And the cup has fallen and shattered.

And more hidden than destiny,

وهُنا كَرمةُ الخلو

وهُنا كَرمةُ الخلو

دِ فطوبَى لمن عَصَرْ

دِ فطوبَى لمن عَصَرْ

And here is the vine of immortality;

And for whom do breasts quiver

So blessed is whoever presses it.

And hair cascade?

فِيمَ، والنبعُ دافِقٌ،

فِيمَ، والنبعُ دافِقٌ،

يَشتكي الظامئُ الصَّدَرْ؟

يَشتكي الظامئُ الصَّدَرْ؟

Why, when the spring is flowing,

Each intimacy for its intimacy

Does the thirsty one complain of leaving?

Has ambitions for the chest and took it forcefully,

ولِمَنْ هَذِهِ العيو

ولِمَنْ هَذِهِ العيو

نُ تغمَّرْنَ بالحَوَرْ؟

نُ تغمَّرْنَ بالحَوَرْ؟

And for whom are these eyes,

It bit into the garment and complained

Steeped in dark-eyed beauty?

Of the coarseness of fabric and fur,

بتنَ يلعبن بالنُّهَى

بتنَ يلعبن بالنُّهَى

لَعِبَ الطفلِ بالأُكَرْ

لَعِبَ الطفلِ بالأُكَرْ

They spent the night playing with minds

The trait of the tortured bird in its cage,

As a child plays with balls.

In it, it pecked,

هنَّ أصفى من الشُّعا

هنَّ أصفى من الشُّعا

عِ وأخفى مِنَ القدَرْ

عِ وأخفى مِنَ القدَرْ

They are purer than a ray of light

And for whom has the smile bloomed

And more hidden than destiny.

And the hair cascaded?

ولمن توشِكُ الثُّدَى

ولمن توشِكُ الثُّدَى

وَثْبَةَ الطيرِ في السَّحَرْ؟

وَثْبَةَ الطيرِ في السَّحَرْ؟

And for whom are the breasts about

Ripe fruit ready for harvest

To leap like birds before dawn?

How can we not pluck the fruit?

كلُّ إلفٍ لإِلْفِهِ

كلُّ إلفٍ لإِلْفِهِ

هَمَّ بالصَّدْرِ وابتدَرْ

هَمَّ بالصَّدْرِ وابتدَرْ

Each mate, toward its mate,

Adam did not refuse immortality

Made for the breast and rushed forward;

Or go astray in it or stumble!

عضَّ في الثوبِ واشتَكَى

عضَّ في الثوبِ واشتَكَى

وطأَةَ الخزِّ والوَبَرْ

وطأَةَ الخزِّ والوَبَرْ

It bit at the garment and complained

A slip that inflicts shame

Of the pressure of silk and haircloth.

And shows God who blasphemed!

سِمَةُ الطائرِ المعذَّ

سِمَةُ الطائرِ المعذَّ

بِ في قَيْدِهِ نَقَرْ

بِ في قَيْدِهِ نَقَرْ

The mark of a tormented bird:

Our cup, laughing bubbles,

It pecked within its bonds.

Filtered of sediment,

وَلِمَنْ رفَّتِ المَبَا

وَلِمَنْ رفَّتِ المَبَا

سمُ واسْتَرْسَلَ الشَّعَرْ؟

سمُ واسْتَرْسَلَ الشَّعَرْ؟

And for whom did smiling lips flutter,

So pour the wine and sip it

And the hair flow loose?

To the melody of the lute,

ثَمرٌ ناضجُ الْجَنَى

ثَمرٌ ناضجُ الْجَنَى

كيف لا نقطُفُ الثَّمَرْ

كيف لا نقطُفُ الثَّمَرْ

Fruit ripe for gathering:

And if you want, let me sip it

How can we not pluck the fruit?

To the rhythm of rain,

ما أبى الخلدَ آدمٌ

ما أبى الخلدَ آدمٌ

أو غَوى فيه أو عَثَرْ!

أو غَوى فيه أو عَثَرْ!

Adam did not reject immortality,

For tomorrow youth will leave

Nor go astray in it, nor stumble!

And memories will remain for us!

زَلَّةٌ تورِثُ الحِجَى

زَلَّةٌ تورِثُ الحِجَى

وتُرِي اللهَ من كَفَرْ!

وتُرِي اللهَ من كَفَرْ!

A slip that bequeaths wisdom

And shows God to the unbeliever!

كأسنا ضاحِكُ الحبَابِ،

كأسنا ضاحِكُ الحبَابِ،

مُصَفًّى من الكَدَرْ

مُصَفًّى من الكَدَرْ

Our cup laughs with bubbles,

Made clear of murk.

فاسكُبِي الخَمْرَ وارشفيـ

فاسكُبِي الخَمْرَ وارشفيـ

ـهِ على رَنَّةِ الوَتَرْ

ـهِ على رَنَّةِ الوَتَرْ

So pour the wine, and sip

It to the ringing of the string;

وإذا شئتِ فاسقنيـ

وإذا شئتِ فاسقنيـ

ـه على نَغْمَةِ المطَرْ

ـه على نَغْمَةِ المطَرْ

And if you wish, give me

It to the melody of rain.

فغدًا يذهبُ الشبا

فغدًا يذهبُ الشبا

بُ وتَبقى لنا الذِّكَرْ!

بُ وتَبقى لنا الذِّكَرْ!

For tomorrow youth will pass,

And memories will remain for us!