الداءُ يُثلِجُ راحتيَّ

الداءُ يُثلِجُ راحتيَّ

ويُطفِئ الغد في خيالي

ويُطفِئ الغد في خيالي

The sickness chills my palms

My illness makes my hopes freeze,

The disease freezes my palms

And extinguishes tomorrow in my imagination,

And extinguishes tomorrow in my imagination,

And extinguishes tomorrow in my imagination

ويشلُّ أنفاسي، ويُطْـ

ويشلُّ أنفاسي، ويُطْـ

ـلِقها كأنفاسِ الذبالِ

ـلِقها كأنفاسِ الذبالِ

And paralyzes my breaths, and lets

It paralyzes my breath, casting it out

And paralyzes my breaths, and re-

Them loose like the breaths of wicks;

Like the breath of a wounded animal

leases them like the breaths of a dying wick

تهتزُّ في رئتَين ير

تهتزُّ في رئتَين ير

قُص فيهما شبَح الزَّوالِ

قُص فيهما شبَح الزَّوالِ

They tremble in two lungs where

Trembling in my lungs, which

Trembling in two lungs where

The specter of extinction dances,

The specter of death has pierced with blood and coughing,

the ghost of extinction dances

مشدودتَين إلى ظلا

مشدودتَين إلى ظلا

مِ القبر بالدَّمِ والسُّعالِ

مِ القبر بالدَّمِ والسُّعالِ

Both bound to the darkness

Stretched toward the shadows of the grave.

Tethered to the dark-

Of the grave by blood and coughing.

Oh what sorrow! Will I die this way?

ness of the grave by blood and coughing

وا حسرَتاه؟! كذا أمو

وا حسرَتاه؟! كذا أمو

تُ؟ كما يجفُّ ندى الصباحِ؟

تُ؟ كما يجفُّ ندى الصباحِ؟

O my sorrow! Is this how I

Like the morning dew drying up?

Oh, alas! Is this how I d-

Die? As morning dew dries?

It barely shone among the hyacinths and poppies

ie? As the morning dew dries up?

ما كاد يلمع بين أفْـ

ما كاد يلمع بين أفْـ

ـوَافِ الزنابق والأقاحِي

ـوَافِ الزنابق والأقاحِي

Scarcely had it gleamed among the fine

Before the blood and flames engulfed it!

It barely gleams between the m-

Robes of lilies and daisies,

Yesterday I cried: “Take me

ouths of lilies and daisies

فتضوعُ أنفاسُ الربيـ

فتضوعُ أنفاسُ الربيـ

ـعِ تهزُّ أفياءَ الدوالي

ـعِ تهزُّ أفياءَ الدوالي

And the breaths of spring wafted their scent,

Into the darkness, into your arms,

Then the breaths of spri-

Stirring the shadows of the grapevines,

And carry me beyond the eras, shaded

ng waft, shaking the shadows of vines

حتى تلاشَى في الهوا

حتى تلاشَى في الهوا

ءِ كأنه خَفقُ الجناحِ!

ءِ كأنه خَفقُ الجناحِ!

When it vanished into the

By your sail’s shadow.”

Until it vanished in the ai-

Air, like the flutter of a wing!

Time fell asleep in time, melted in your rays.

r as if it were the beating of a wing!

كم ليلةٍ ناديتُ باسْـ

كم ليلةٍ ناديتُ باسْـ

ـمِكَ أيها الموت الرهيبُ

ـمِكَ أيها الموت الرهيبُ

How many a night I cried your

Love was but an illusion tormenting me,

How many nights I called by the na-

Name, O dreadful Death!

I yearned and dreamed of embracing it,

me of you, O terrible Death

ووددتُ لا طلع الشرو

ووددتُ لا طلع الشرو

قُ عليَّ إن مال الغروبُ

قُ عليَّ إن مال الغروبُ

And wished that no sunrise

A flower and light in the emptiness,

And I wished the sunr-

Would dawn upon me should sunset wane.

Amid darkness and supplication for its glow.

ise would not rise upon me when sunset declined

بالأمس كنتُ أرى دُجا

بالأمس كنتُ أرى دُجا

ك أحبَّ من خفَقات آلِ

ك أحبَّ من خفَقات آلِ

Yesterday I found your darkness

But today life has become dear to me,

Yesterday I used to see your dark-

Dearer than the flutterings of a mirage

And time has smiled,

ness as dearer than the pulsations of a mirage

راقصن آمال الظِّما

راقصن آمال الظِّما

ءِ فبلَّها الدمُ واللهيبُ!

ءِ فبلَّها الدمُ واللهيبُ!

That danced with the hopes of the thirsty,

Dawn and affection have floated upon its lashes.

That danced for the hopes of the thir-

Which blood and flame then drenched!

A brunette, the slender spears inclined toward the sands

sty, then blood and flames wetted them!

بالأمس كنتُ أصيح: خذ

بالأمس كنتُ أصيح: خذ

ني في الظلام إلى ذراعِك

ني في الظلام إلى ذراعِك

Yesterday I used to cry: Take

In her hue...and timidly the purple flowers blushed.

Yesterday I used to cry: Ta-

Me in the darkness to your arm,

Passion has spread in her eyes, embracing me and her,

ke me in the darkness into your arms

واعبر بيَ الأحقاب يَطْـ

واعبر بيَ الأحقاب يَطْـ

ـوِيهِن ظِلٌّ من شراعِك

ـوِيهِن ظِلٌّ من شراعِك

And ferry me across the ages, folded

My chest eased as it beat rapidly with amorousness for her fragrance,

And cross the eras with me, fol-

Away by a shadow from your sail.

And I fell into slumber, stealing glances

ding them with a shadow from your sail

خُذني إلى كهفٍ تُهوِّ

خُذني إلى كهفٍ تُهوِّ

مُ حوله رِيحُ الشمالِ

مُ حوله رِيحُ الشمالِ

Take me to a cave where hovers

And poetry from her vision,

Take me to a cave around which

The north wind all around it.

Disappearing into the tender clouds like a cloud in its dew.

the north wind hums a lullaby

نامَ الزمانُ على الزما

نامَ الزمانُ على الزما

نِ، به، وذابا في شعاعِك

نِ، به، وذابا في شعاعِك

Time slept upon time

Two dark eyes, purer than the evenings of meeting,

Time slept upon ti-

Within it, and both dissolved in your radiance.

More beloved than the morning star to the meadows and shepherds,

me, therein, and they melted in your beam

كان الهوى وهمًا يُعذِّ

كان الهوى وهمًا يُعذِّ

بُني الحنينُ إلى لقائِه

بُني الحنينُ إلى لقائِه

Love was an illusion; I was

Sparkling with hope each night hiding its light.

Love was an illusion tor-

Tormented by longing to meet it.

In the morn, dawn paints the path of spring with dew and radiance.

turing me with nostalgia for meeting it

ساءلتُ عنه الأمنيا

ساءلتُ عنه الأمنيا

تِ، وبِتُّ أحلُم بارتمائه

تِ، وبِتُّ أحلُم بارتمائه

I questioned my wishes

Brunette, you are a star glittering in my evening...hate me

I asked the wish-

About it, and spent the night dreaming of it falling

And be cruel to me, do not soften to my complaining and torture me.

es about it, and spent the night dreaming of its arrival

زهرًا ونورًا في فرا

زهرًا ونورًا في فرا

غٍ من شكاةٍ وابتهالِ

غٍ من شكاةٍ وابتهالِ

As flowers and light into a void

Let contempt fill your eyes, and frown those lips.

As flowers and light in a voi-

Of lament and supplication,

For the sickness in my chest stirs to devour you in my eyes!

d of complaint and supplication

في ظُلمةٍ بين الأضا

في ظُلمةٍ بين الأضا

لِعِ تَشرئِبُّ إلى ضيائِه

لِعِ تَشرئِبُّ إلى ضيائِه

Into a darkness between the

O Death, O Lord of terrors and blind furies,

In a darkness between the ri-

Ribs, straining toward its light.

Today you come?! Who called you? And who wanted your visit?

bs craning towards its light

واليوم حبَّبت الحيا

واليوم حبَّبت الحيا

ةَ إليَّ وابتسم الزمانُ

ةَ إليَّ وابتسم الزمانُ

And today life has been made

I did not call you, O harsh one, to deprive me of her love,

And today you made li-

Dear to me, and time has smiled

Let me live on her smiles, even if they're fleeting.

fe dear to me, and time smiled

في ثغرِها، وطفا على

في ثغرِها، وطفا على

أهدابها الغدُ والحنانُ

أهدابها الغدُ والحنانُ

On her lips, and upon

No! I will live, I will endure, you will grant me long respite.

In her mouth, and floated upon

Her lashes floated tomorrow and tenderness.

You will not extinguish the lamp, just burn it slowly,

Her eyelashes tomorrow and tenderness

سمراء تلتفت النخيـ

سمراء تلتفت النخيـ

ـل الساهمات إلى الرمالِ

ـل الساهمات إلى الرمالِ

Brown-skinned: the palm

In a night, in two nights, a sigh will meet a sigh

A dark beauty, the p-

Trees, pensive, turn toward the sands

Until the starry night overflows and drowns out the faint light!

alms turn absentmindedly towards the sands

في لونها … وتفرُّ وَرْ

في لونها ... وتفرُّ وَرْ

قاءٌ ويأرج أقحُوانُ

قاءٌ ويأرج أقحُوانُ

In her hue ... and a gray

Oh the ending, when this feeble lung

In her color... and a do-

Dove flies off, and a daisy wafts its scent.

Gives out its final breath, amid the blood, concluding the long chapter,

ve flees and a daisy emits fragrance

شَعَّ الهوى في ناظرَيْـ

شَعَّ الهوى في ناظرَيْـ

ـها فاحتواني واحتواها

ـها فاحتواني واحتواها

Love shone in her eyes,

And the dark grave gapes open, the light extinguished, alas,

Love radiated in her ey-

Enfolding me and her.

I fear, I fear some specter the seasons conceal!

es, so it embraced me and embraced her

وارتاحَ صدري، وهو يخْـ

وارتاحَ صدري، وهو يخْـ

ـفِقُ باللحون، على شذاها

ـفِقُ باللحون، على شذاها

And my breast rested, while

And tomorrow, if winter trembles upon the smile of spring,

And my chest rested, while it bea-

Beating with melodies, upon her fragrance.

Melting like a fluttering shadow, fading like a fleeting tune,

ts with melodies, upon her scent

فغفوتُ أستَرِقُ الرؤى

فغفوتُ أستَرِقُ الرؤى

والشاعرية مِن رؤاها

والشاعرية مِن رؤاها

So I fell asleep, stealing visions

And among the snapdragons, dreaming of the meadow,

So I dozed off stealing visio-

And poetic inspiration from her visions,

The flute, a hyacinth, I reach out to it reverently,

ns and poeticism from her visions

وأغيبُ في الدفءِ المعطَّـ

وأغيبُ في الدفءِ المعطَّـ

ـرِ كالغمامةِ في نَداها

ـرِ كالغمامةِ في نَداها

And lose myself in fragrant

Longing to pluck it and have its fragrance rise

And I disappear in the per-

Warmth, like a cloud in its dew.

From my ruined chest, rising with the scent,

fumed warmth like a cloud in its dew

عينانِ سوداوانِ أصْـ

عينانِ سوداوانِ أصْـ

ـفَى من أماسيِّ اللقاءِ

ـفَى من أماسيِّ اللقاءِ

Two black eyes, clearer

Burning the perfumes under my quivering lips

Two black eyes, pur-

Than evenings of meeting,

Until the shining field is extinguished,

er than the evenings of meeting

وأَحَبُّ من نجمِ الصَّبا

وأَحَبُّ من نجمِ الصَّبا

حِ إلى المراعي والرِّعاءِ

حِ إلى المراعي والرِّعاءِ

And dearer than the morning

Slowly in my eyes, until the prisoner escapes!

And dearer than the star of morn-

Star to the pastures and shepherds.

ing to the pastures and the shepherds

تتلألآن عن الرجا

تتلألآن عن الرجا

ء كلَيلةٍ تُخفي دُجاها

ء كلَيلةٍ تُخفي دُجاها

They glitter with hope,

They sparkle regarding ho-

Like a night whose darkness conceals

pe like a night whose darkness hides

فجرًا يُلوِّنُ بالندى

فجرًا يُلوِّنُ بالندى

دَربَ الربيع، وبالضياءِ

دَربَ الربيع، وبالضياءِ

A dawn that colors with dew

A dawn that colors with dew

The path of spring, and with light.

The path of spring, and with light

سمراءُ يا نجمًا تألَّـ

سمراءُ يا نجمًا تألَّـ

ـقَ في مسائي … أبغِضِيني

ـقَ في مسائي ... أبغِضِيني

Brown-skinned one, O star that shone

O dark beauty, O star that sho-

In my evening ... hate me,

ne in my evening... Hate me

واقسِي عليَّ ولا تَرِقِّـ

واقسِي عليَّ ولا تَرِقِّـ

ـي للشكاة وعذِّبيني

ـي للشكاة وعذِّبيني

And be harsh with me; do not be

And be harsh on me and do not sof-

Tender toward lament, and torment me.

ten to the complaint, and torture me

خلِّي احتقارًا في العُيو

خلِّي احتقارًا في العُيو

نِ، وقطِّبي تلك الشفاهَا

نِ، وقطِّبي تلك الشفاهَا

Leave contempt in your

Leave contempt in the ey-

Eyes, and purse those lips.

es, and furrow those lips

فالداءُ في صدري تحفَّـ

فالداءُ في صدري تحفَّـ

ـزَ لافتراسِكِ في عيوني!

ـزَ لافتراسِكِ في عيوني!

For the sickness in my chest has poised

For the disease in my chest has prepared it-

Itself to devour you within my eyes!

self to devour you in my eyes!

يا موت يا رَبَّ المَخَا

يا موت يا رَبَّ المَخَا

وِفِ والدياميسِ الضريرَة

وِفِ والدياميسِ الضريرَة

O Death, O lord of terrors

O Death, O Lord of fe-

And blind crypts,

ars and the blind dungeons

اليوم تأتي؟! مَن دعا

اليوم تأتي؟! مَن دعا

كَ؟ ومن أرادكَ أن تزورَه؟

كَ؟ ومن أرادكَ أن تزورَه؟

You come today?! Who called

Today you come?! Who call-

You? And who wanted you to visit him?

ed you? And who wanted you to visit him?

أنا ما دعوتُكَ أيُّها الْـ

أنا ما دعوتُكَ أيُّها الْـ

ـقَاسي فتَحرمَني هواهَا

ـقَاسي فتَحرمَني هواهَا

I did not call you, O

I did not call you, O cru-

Cruel one, that you should rob me of her love.

el one, so you deprive me of her love

دعني أعيشُ على ابتسا

دعني أعيشُ على ابتسا

مَتِها وإن كانت قصيرَة

مَتِها وإن كانت قصيرَة

Let me live upon her

Let me live on her smi-

Smile, even if it is brief.

le, even if it was short

لا! سوف أَحيَا سوف أشْـ

لا! سوف أَحيَا سوف أشْـ

ـقَى، سوف تُمهلني طويلَا

ـقَى، سوف تُمهلني طويلَا

No! I shall live, I shall

No! I will live, I will suf-

Suffer; you shall grant me a long reprieve.

fer, you will grant me long respite

لن تُطفِئ المصباح لَـ

لن تُطفِئ المصباح لَـ

ـكِنْ سوف تُحرقه فتيلَا

ـكِنْ سوف تُحرقه فتيلَا

You will not extinguish the lamp,

You will not extinguish the lamp, b-

But will burn it as a wick.

ut you will burn it as a wick

في ليلة في ليلتَيْـ

في ليلة في ليلتَيْـ

ـنِ سيلتقي آهًا فآهَا

ـنِ سيلتقي آهًا فآهَا

In one night, in two

In a night, in two nigh-

Nights, it will meet moan after moan,

ts, sigh will meet sigh

حتى يفيضَ سَنَى النها

حتى يفيضَ سَنَى النها

رِ فيُغرِق النور الضئيلَا!

رِ فيُغرِق النور الضئيلَا!

Until the radiance of day overflows

Until the brilliance of day overfl-

And drowns the feeble light!

ows and drowns the dim light!

يا للنهاية حين تُسْـ

يا للنهاية حين تُسْـ

ـدل هذه الرئة الأكيلُ

ـدل هذه الرئة الأكيلُ

Oh, the end, when there is lowered

Oh for the end when is lowe-

This lung, eaten away,

red this corroded lung

بين السعال، على الدما

بين السعال، على الدما

ءِ، فيُختمُ الفصلُ الطويلُ

ءِ، فيُختمُ الفصلُ الطويلُ

Between coughs, upon the

Between coughing, upon blo-

Blood, and the long chapter is sealed.

od, so the long chapter concludes

والحفرة السوداء تفْـ

والحفرة السوداء تفْـ

ـغرُ، بانطفاء النور، فاهَا

ـغرُ، بانطفاء النور، فاهَا

And the black pit opens

And the black hole op-

Its mouth as the light goes out.

ens wide its mouth, with the extinguishing of light

إني أخافُ أخافُ مِن

إني أخافُ أخافُ مِن

شَبحٍ تُخبِّئه الفصولُ!

شَبحٍ تُخبِّئه الفصولُ!

I am afraid, afraid of

I fear, I fear a

A specter the seasons conceal!

ghost the seasons hide!

وغدًا إذا ارتجَفَ الشتا

وغدًا إذا ارتجَفَ الشتا

ءُ على ابتساماتِ الربيعِ

ءُ على ابتساماتِ الربيعِ

And tomorrow, when winter trembles

And tomorrow if win-

Upon the smiles of spring,

ter shivers upon the smiles of spring

وانحلَّ كالظلِّ الهزيـ

وانحلَّ كالظلِّ الهزيـ

ـلِ وذاب كاللحن السريعِ

ـلِ وذاب كاللحن السريعِ

And unravels like a frail

And dissolves like the frai-

Shadow, and melts like a swift melody,

l shadow and melted like the fast melody

وتفتَّحَتْ بين السنا

وتفتَّحَتْ بين السنا

بِلِ، وهي تحلُم بالقطيعِ

بِلِ، وهي تحلُم بالقطيعِ

And there blooms among the ears

And blossomed between the spi-

Of grain—dreaming of the flock

kes of grain, while dreaming of the flock

والناي زَنْبَقَةٌ، مَدَدْ

والناي زَنْبَقَةٌ، مَدَدْ

تُ يدي إليها في خشوعِ

تُ يدي إليها في خشوعِ

And the flute—a lily; I shall stretch

And the flute is a lily, I stret-

My hand toward it in reverence,

ched my hand to it in reverence

وهوَيتُ أنشقها فتصْـ

وهوَيتُ أنشقها فتصْـ

ـعَد كلما صَعِد العبيرُ

ـعَد كلما صَعِد العبيرُ

And bend down to breathe it in; then there rises,

And I leaned to inhale it so asc-

Whenever the perfume rises,

ends, whenever the scent ascends

مِن صدريَ المهدوم حشْـ

مِن صدريَ المهدوم حشْـ

ـرَجةً فتحترق العطورُ

ـرَجةً فتحترق العطورُ

From my ruined chest a

From my demolished chest, a dea-

Rattle, and the fragrances burn

th rattle, so the perfumes burn

تحت الشفاهِ الراعشا

تحت الشفاهِ الراعشا

تِ ويُطفأُ الحقلُ النضيرُ

تِ ويُطفأُ الحقلُ النضيرُ

Beneath the trembling

Under the trembl-

Lips, and the lush field is extinguished

ing lips and the fresh field is extinguished

شيئًا فشيئًا في عُيُو

شيئًا فشيئًا في عُيُو

ني ثم يَنفلِت الأسيرُ!

ني ثم يَنفلِت الأسيرُ!

Little by little in my

Bit by bit in my ey-

Eyes; then the captive slips free!

es, then the captive escapes!