نفوسsouls معذبهtormented هائمةwandering
نفوس معذبه هائمة
تخبطflounder فيin الظلمةthe darkness القاتمةpitch-black
تخبط في الظلمة القاتمة
Tormented, wandering souls
Tormented wandering souls
Tormented, wandering souls,
flounder in the pitch-black darkness.
Flailing in the pitch-black darkness
Stumbling in the gloomy darkness.
أجدrenewed لهاfor them الليلthe night أحزانهاtheir sorrows
أجد لها الليل أحزانها
وand تذكارremembrance أيامهاtheir days الباسمةsmiling
و تذكار أيامها الباسمة
Night renewed their sorrows
I find their sorrow in the night
The night renewed for them their sorrows,
and the memory of their smiling days.
And memories of their smiling days
And the memory of their smiling days.
فسارتso they went تفتشsearching عنfor حبهاtheir love
فسارت تفتش عن حبها
وand تنشدseek لذاتهاtheir pleasures الدائمةlasting
و تنشد لذاتها الدائمة
So they went seeking their love
They went searching for their love
So they went searching for their love,
and searching for their lasting pleasures.
And singing for their lasting pleasures
And seeking their eternal pleasures.
وand أسرىjourneyed by night بهاwith them تحتbeneath جنحthe wing الظلامof darkness
و أسرى بها تحت جنح الظلام
زوارقboats فيin اللجةthe deep الغائمةmist-shrouded
زوارق في اللجة الغائمة
And beneath the wing of darkness they were borne by night
And I sailed them beneath the wings of darkness
And carried away under the wing of darkness,
by boats upon the mist-shrouded deep.
Boats in the gloomy sea
Were boats in the cloudy deep.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle تلوثtwined علىupon الشاطئينthe two banks
إذا ما تلوث على الشاطئين
منfrom النهرthe river أمواجهits waves اللاطمهlashing
من النهر أمواجه اللاطمه
When upon both banks there coiled
Whenever waves surge
When the waves twisted upon the shores,
the river's lashing waves,
From the river onto the shores
From the river came its slapping waves.
وand أرسىanchored علىupon مائهits water زورقa boat
و أرسى على مائه زورق
تؤرجحهrocks it النسمةthe breeze الحالمةdreaming
تؤرجحه النسمة الحالمة
and a boat anchored upon its waters,
And a boat anchored
And a boat anchored upon its water,
rocked by the dreaming breeze,
Rocked by the dreaming breeze
Swayed by the dreaming breeze.
أطلتappeared علىover النهرthe river حوريةa nymph
أطلت على النهر حورية
فأغوتهso she beguiled it بالنظرةwith the gaze الساهمةpensive
فأغوته بالنظرة الساهمة
a nymph appeared above the river
A nymph leaned
A nymph looked out over the river,
and beguiled it with her pensive gaze.
And tempted it with her piercing gaze
And seduced him with an absent gaze.
فأغوارهso its depths وand هيthey أوطانهاher homelands
فأغواره و هي أوطانها
بواكweeping علىover فقدهاlosing her نادمةregretful
بواك على فقدها نادمة
So its depths—her homelands—
So it forgot its homelands
Its depths are her homelands,
wept at her loss, full of regret.
Weeping over the loss
Weeping, regretting her loss.
وand أمواجهits waves وand هيthey أترابهاher peers
و أمواجه و هي أترابها
جئتI/you came تحتbeneath أقدامهاher feet لاثمهkissing
جئت تحت أقدامها لاثمه
And its waves—her companions—
And its waves, her friends
And its waves are her playmates,
came beneath her feet, kissing them.
Came kissing her feet
Coming to kiss beneath her feet.
أحوريةO nymph النهرof the river غضيlower العيونthe eyes
أحورية النهر غضي العيون
وand كونيbe بملاحةtoward its boatman راحمهmerciful
و كوني بملاحة راحمه
O river nymph, lower your eyes
Nymph of the river, cast down your eyes
O River Nymph, lower your gaze,
and be merciful to its boatman.
And be compassionate
And be merciful to the sailor.
تسيرينyou sail فيin زورقa boat منof ظلالshadows
تسيرين في زورق من ظلال
فتدفعهso it propels it النسمةthe breeze الناعمةgentle
فتدفعه النسمة الناعمة
You sail in a boat of shadows,
You walk in a boat of shadows
You sail in a boat of shadows,
driven onward by the gentle breeze.
Pushed by the gentle breeze
Pushed by the soft breeze.
وand مجدافكyour oar اخترتهyou chose it منfrom ضيlight (first fragment)
و مجدافك اخترته من ضي
اءcompletion of 'light' النجومthe stars علىupon اللجةthe deep القاتمةpitch-black
اء النجوم على اللجة القاتمة
And your oar you chose from the light
Your oar you picked from the light
And your oar you chose from the light
of the stars upon the pitch-black deep.
Of stars on the dark sea
Of the stars upon the dark deep.
وand أطربتdelighted النهرthe river وand الضفتينthe two banks
و أطربت النهر و الضفتين
أغانsongs وand قيثارةa lyre ناغمةmelodious
أغان و قيثارة ناغمة
And the river and both banks were delighted
You charmed the river and shores
You delighted the river and the banks,
by songs and a melodious lyre.
With songs and melodious lyre
With songs and a melodious lyre.
لقدindeed حقit is fitting أنthat تسحرit enchant الكائناتall beings
لقد حق أن تسحر الكائنات
وتستلand draw out آهاتهاtheir sighs الجاثمةweighing heavily
وتستل آهاتها الجاثمة
Indeed, it is fitting that it enchant all beings
You have the right to enchant all creatures
It is right that creatures be bewitched,
and draw out the sighs that weigh upon them:
And elicit their stifled sighs
And their crouching sighs extracted.
فأوتارهاfor its strings شعركyour hair العسجديgolden
فأوتارها شعرك العسجدي
وand أنتyou الموقعةthe player الباسمةsmiling
و أنت الموقعة الباسمة
for its strings are your golden hair,
For your strings are your wavy hair
For its strings are your golden hair,
and you are its smiling player.
While you are the smiling player
And you are the smiling player.
رأىsaw النهرthe river مصرعthe doom ملاحهof its boatman
رأى النهر مصرع ملاحه
بعينيكin your eyes أيتهاO الظالمةcruel one
بعينيك أيتها الظالمة
The river saw its boatman's doom
The river saw the death of its sailor
The river saw the death of its sailor,
in your eyes, O cruel one.
In your eyes, O unjust one
In your eyes, O unjust one.
رآكhe saw you فهيأso he readied مجدافهhis oar
رآك فهيأ مجدافه
وand أسلمsurrendered زورقهhis boat للظلامto the darkness
و أسلم زورقه للظلام
He saw you and readied his oar,
It saw you and readied its oar
He saw you and prepared his oar,
and surrendered his boat to the darkness.
And surrendered its boat to the darkness
And surrendered his boat to the darkness.
يثيرhe rouses إذاwhen سارhe goes عزمthe resolve المياthe waters (first fragment)
يثير إذا سار عزم الميا
هcompletion of 'waters' فتطلقso they loose عنfrom جانبيهhis two sides السهامthe arrows
ه فتطلق عن جانبيه السهام
As he went, he roused the waters' resolve,
To stir up determination in the water and unleash arrows
He stirs, as he moves, the water's resolve,
so they loosed arrows from either side of him.
The wave swelled and coiled back shadows
So arrows launch from its sides.
طغىsurged الموجthe waves وand ارتدrecoiled يطويfolding away الظلالthe shadows
طغى الموج و ارتد يطوي الظلال
فلمso did not يبقremain للعينfor the eye إلاexcept القتامmurk
فلم يبق للعين إلا القتام
The waves surged, then recoiled, folding away the shadows,
Leaving the eye naught but darkness
The wave surged and recoiled, folding the shadows,
till nothing remained to the eye but murk.
Oh boat of shadows that dissolved
And nothing remained for the eye but gloom.
فياso O زورقاboat منof ظلالshadows تلاشىvanished
فيا زورقا من ظلال تلاشى
بحوريةbecause of a nymph ليسdoes not ترعىhonor الذمامbonds of loyalty
بحورية ليس ترعى الذمام
O boat of shadows, which vanished
With a nymph who heeds no blame
O boat of shadows that vanished,
because of a nymph who honors no bond,
You left our sailor alone
With a nymph who keeps no pact.
أخلفتdid you leave behind? ملاحناour boatman وحدهalone
أخلفت ملاحنا وحده
وand للموجfor the waves فيon الشاطئينthe two banks احتدامraging
و للموج في الشاطئين احتدام
have you left our boatman alone,
With waves clashing on the shores
She left our sailor alone,
while the waves rage on both banks?
The nymph of the river left
While the waves raged on the shores.
وand حوريةthe nymph النهرof the river ماnot خلفتleft behind
و حورية النهر ما خلفت
سوىexcept أغنياتsongs تثيرstirring الغرامpassionate love
سوى أغنيات تثير الغرام
And the river nymph left nothing
Only songs that stir passion
And the river nymph left nothing behind,
but songs that stir passionate love:
A boat, wave and heart filled with love race
Except songs that stir passion.
يجاريkeeps pace with اختلاجاتهاher quiverings زورقa boat
يجاري اختلاجاتها زورق
وand موجwaves وand قلبa heart حواهpossessed it الهيامpassion
و موج و قلب حواه الهيام
a boat keeps pace with her quiverings,
And a river blends its waters
A boat races to match her tremors,
and waves, and a heart possessed by passion,
Bearing them as foam when it sleeps
With a wave and a heart held by infatuation.
وand نهرa river تمازجshe mingles with أمواههits waters
و نهر تمازج أمواهه
وand يحملهاit carries her رغوةas foam إذwhen تنامshe sleeps
و يحملها رغوة إذ تنام
and a river whose waters she mingles with,
A star dims the gloom with its light
And a river whose waters blend,
which carries her as foam when she sleeps,
Like a spring on whose lips grass sleeps
Carrying her as foam when she sleeps.
وand نجمa star يعشىblinds الدجىthe night ضوءهits light
و نجم يعشى الدجى ضوءه
كنبعlike a spring علىupon ثغرهits mouth العشبthe grass نامslept
كنبع على ثغره العشب نام
and a star whose light blinds the night,
And a boat pursues her traces
And a star whose light dims the darkness,
like a spring at whose mouth the grass sleeps.
With its dreaming, wandering sailor
Like a spring upon whose mouth the grass slept.
وand يقتافfollows آثارهاher tracks زورقa boat
و يقتاف آثارها زورق
وand ملاحهits boatman الشاردwandering المستهامlove-stricken
و ملاحه الشارد المستهام
And a boat follows in her wake,
Her phantom from the wave smiles at him
And a boat tracks her traces,
with its wandering, love-stricken boatman.
Her cheek appears from every side
With its wandering, lovesick sailor.
يطالعهappears before him طيفan apparition حوريةof a nymph
يطالعه طيف حورية
منfrom الموجthe waves يختالsways proudly فيin الابتسامsmiling
من الموج يختال في الابتسام
The phantom of a nymph appears before him,
If he walks a thousand darknesses
The phantom of a nymph appears to him,
from the waves, swaying proudly with a smile.
As if he sees nothing, her voice reaches him
From the waves, strutting with a smile.
فمنso from كلevery صوبdirection سرىhe traveled خالهاhe imagined her
فمن كل صوب سرى خالها
هناكthere وand إنif سارhe went ألفىhe found الظلامthe darkness
هناك و إن سار ألفى الظلام
Whichever way he traveled, he imagined her
And the water speaks again
From every direction her image traveled,
there; yet when he went, he found the dark.
Yearning eyes gazed at him
There, but if he went, he found darkness.
أوهماan illusion? يرىhe sees لاno فذاfor this is صوتهاher voice
أوهما يرى لا فذا صوتها
ينتهيdies away فتعيدso they repeat المياهthe waters الكلامthe words
ينتهي فتعيد المياه الكلام
Is he seeing an illusion? No—this is her voice,
From behind the clouds, warning him
An illusion he sees? No, it is her voice,
dying away; then the waters repeat the words.
Of peril and ruin that seized him
Ending, so the waters repeat the words.
وand لاحتappeared لهto him أعينeyes مشفقاتcompassionate
و لاحت له أعين مشفقات
محدقةgazing intently منfrom وراءbehind الغمامthe clouds
محدقة من وراء الغمام
And pitying eyes appeared to him,
But his ears did not hear
And compassionate eyes appeared to him,
gazing intently from behind the clouds,
The heavens' talk, where there is peace
Staring from behind the clouds.
تناديcalling بهto him ظللتكovershadowed you الخطوبcalamities
تنادي به ظللتك الخطوب
وand قادتكled you نحوtoward الردىdoom وand الحمامdeath
و قادتك نحو الردى و الحمام
calling to him: Calamities have overshadowed you
He sailed aimlessly
Calling to him: Misfortunes have shadowed you,
and led you toward doom and death.
Only to row until dawn
And led you toward destruction and death.
وand لكنbut أذنيهhis two ears لمdid not تسمعاhear
و لكن أذنيه لم تسمعا
حديثthe speech السماواتof the heavens حيثwhere السلامpeace
حديث السماوات حيث السلام
But his ears did not hear
And follow the light of stars on the water
But his ears did not hear,
the speech of the heavens, where peace dwells.
As they struck his soul with wailing
The speech of the heavens where peace resides.
جرىsped on وهوwhile he ليسnot لهfor him غايةa goal
جرى وهو ليس له غاية
سوىexcept أنto يجدفrow حتىuntil الصباحmorning
سوى أن يجدف حتى الصباح
He sped on, with no goal
The night smashed his oar
He ran with no goal,
but to row until morning,
And the gust tore his sail
Except to row until morning.
وand يقفوfollow علىupon الماءthe water ضوءthe light النجومof the stars
و يقفو على الماء ضوء النجوم
وand يصرعslay أشجانهhis sorrows بالنواحwith wailing
و يصرع أشجانه بالنواح
and follow the stars' light upon the water,
The wave put out his lamp
Following the starlight on the water,
and slay his sorrows with wailing.
So he shouted but that shout found none
And slaying his sorrows with wailing.
لقدindeed حطمshattered الليلthe night مجدافهhis oar
لقد حطم الليل مجدافه
وand هيضcrippled الشراعthe sail بعصفwith the onslaught الرياحof the winds
و هيض الشراع بعصف الرياح
Night had shattered his oar
You scowled, O night, at the miserable ones
The night smashed his oar,
and crippled his sail with the winds' fury.
So relent and let the dawn heal the wounds
And the sail was broken by the blowing winds.
وقدand already أطفأextinguished الموجthe waves مصباحهhis lamp
وقد أطفأ الموج مصباحه
فصاحso he cried out وand لمdid not يجدavail ذاكthat الصياحcry
فصاح و لم يجد ذاك الصياح
And the waves had put out his lamp,
He cried out, extending both hands
And the wave extinguished his lamp,
so he cried out, but that cry availed him nothing:
The time for departure from you has come, O land
He screamed, but that screaming availed nothing.
تبرمتyou grew weary ياO ليلnight بالبائسينof the wretched
تبرمت يا ليل بالبائسين
فزلso be gone وand اتركlet الصبحthe dawn يأسوheal الجراحthe wounds
فزل و اترك الصبح يأسو الجراح
Night, you have grown weary of the wretched;
Farewell, O shore that was the stranger's refuge
You have grown weary, O Night, of the miserable,
be gone, and let dawn heal their wounds!
When he was weary of the path, so he rested
So be gone, and let the morning heal the wounds.
وand نادىcalled out وقدwhile already مدstretched out كلتاboth يديهhis hands
و نادى وقد مد كلتا يديه
لقدindeed حانhas come ياO أرضearth عنكaway from you الرواحdeparture
لقد حان يا أرض عنك الرواح
And he called out, stretching forth both hands:
Farewell, farewell of the sad wretched one
And he called out, stretching forth both hands:
Earth, the time has come to leave you.
Who will walk to death after struggle
'The time has come, O Earth, to depart from you.'
فياso O شاطئاshore كانwas مأوىa refuge الغريبfor the stranger
فيا شاطئا كان مأوى الغريب
إذاwhen ملhe tired of طولthe length السرىof night travel فاسترحso rest
إذا مل طول السرى فاسترح
O shore that was the stranger's refuge
And O sea foam, cheek of the sail
O shore that was the stranger's shelter,
when he tired of long night journeys—rest now.
Tranquil breeze, melodious calling
If he tired of long travel, he rested.
وداعاfarewell وداعthe farewell الشقيof the wretched one الحزينgrieving
وداعا وداع الشقي الحزين
سيسرhe will journey إلىto الموتdeath بعدafter الكفاحthe struggle
سيسر إلى الموت بعد الكفاح
Farewell—the farewell of the wretched, grieving man
We both yearn for the soil
Farewell, the farewell of the wretched sad one,
who will go to death after the struggle.
So farewell, I fold my wings
Who will go to death after the struggle.
وand ياO زمجpetrel الماءof the water خدنcompanion السفينof ships
و يا زمج الماء خدن السفين
سميرnight companion الشراعof the sail الطروبmerry الصداحsinging loudly
سمير الشراع الطروب الصداح
And you, petrel, companion of ships,
O night stars, my friends
O water-bird, companion of the ship,
night companion of the merry, singing sail,
When the heart is ill by night and perishes
Friend of the sail, the merry singer.
كلاناboth of us يحنlongs إلىfor تربهhis companion
كلانا يحن إلى تربه
فطرso fly ليfor me فإنيfor I am مهيضcrippled الجناحin the wing
فطر لي فإني مهيض الجناح
each of us longs for his companion;
When your bright light wanes
Both of us yearn for our home,
fly for me, for my wing is broken.
Sorrow and the morning star shines
So fly for me, for I have a broken wing.
وand ياO أنجمstars الليلof night ياO عوديmy visitors in sickness
و يا أنجم الليل يا عودي
إذاwhen القلبthe heart فيin الليلthe night بالداءwith illness طاحcollapsed
إذا القلب في الليل بالداء طاح
And you, stars of night, my sickbed visitors,
Tell it about a boy lost in the gloom
O stars of the night, O my comforters,
when the heart falls stricken with illness in the night,
Engulfed by clouds and love of sailing
If the heart falls ill in the night.
إذاif ماemphatic particle خباfades نوركنyour light الوضيءradiant
إذا ما خبا نوركن الوضيء
أسىin sorrow وand تألقshines نجمthe star الصباحof morning
أسى و تألق نجم الصباح
if your radiant light fades
He saw a nymph with his eyes
If your luminous light fades in sorrow,
in sorrow, and the morning star shines,
So he was possessed by her for a time, then left
And the morning star shines forth,
فحدثنهthen tell him عنabout فتىa youth فيin الدجىthe darkness
فحدثنه عن فتى في الدجى
طواهengulfed him العبابthe surging waters وحبand love الملاحof beautiful women
طواه العباب وحب الملاح
then tell him of a youth in the darkness,
The shepherds may tell about him,
Then tell him of a youth in the dark,
swallowed by the surging waters and love of fair women.
So they weep in sorrow and the plains cry
Swallowed by the billows and the love of beauty.
رأىhe saw ويحalas for عينيهhis eyes حوريةa nymph
رأى ويح عينيه حورية
فجنso he went mad بهاfor her ساعةa while ثمthen راحdeparted
فجن بها ساعة ثم راح
He saw—alas for his eyes!—a nymph,
The wretched sad one died so the winds
He saw—woe to his eyes—a nymph,
so he went mad for her a while, then was gone.
Began shrouding him with the sail
He went mad for her a while, then perished.
فقدfor perhaps يخبرwill tell النجمthe star عنهabout him الرعاةthe shepherds
فقد يخبر النجم عنه الرعاة
فيبكونso they weep حزناin sorrow وand تبكيweep البطاحthe plains
فيبكون حزنا و تبكي البطاح
For perhaps the star will tell the shepherds of him,
The star might tell the shepherds about him,
and they will weep in grief, and the plains will weep.
So they weep in sorrow, and the valleys weep.
وand ماتdied الشقيthe wretched one الحزينgrieving فعادتso returned
و مات الشقي الحزين فعادت
تكفنهshroud him بالشراعwith the sail الرياحthe winds
تكفنه بالشراع الرياح
And the wretched, grieving man died; and back came
The wretched sad one died, and the winds returned,
the winds, to shroud him in the sail.
To shroud him with the sail.
Partial English translation: 92 of 96 Arabic lines translated.