غابvanished أمسيmy yesterday فماتso died فيّwithin me التأسيself-consolation
غاب أمسي فمات فيّ التأسي
واستباحتand ravaged ظلامتيthe wrong done to me ضوءَthe light شمسيmy sun
واستباحت ظلامتي ضوءَ شمسي
My yesterday vanished, so solace died within me.
My evening has passed away, so the grief in me has died,
And the wrong done to me ravaged the light of my sun.
And my darkness has been violated by the light of my sun,
أيهاO الدهرTime قدindeed كفانيhas sufficed me بأنيin that I
أيها الدهر قد كفاني بأني
" صنتI guarded نفسيmy soul عماfrom what يدنسdefiles نفسيmy soul "
" صنت نفسي عما يدنس نفسي "
O Time, it is enough for me that I
O Life, it is enough for me that
"guarded my soul from whatever defiles my soul."
"I have protected my soul from what defiles my soul,"
لستI do not أرضىaccept منamong البلادthe lands بلاداa land
لست أرضى من البلاد بلادا
فيهاin it تعلوrises علىabove المشانقthe gallows كرسيa throne
فيها تعلو على المشانق كرسي
Of all lands, I accept no land
I am not content with any land
Where a throne rises above the gallows.
In which thrones rise above gallows,
لاnot ترىyou see فيهاin it للكلامfor speech هداةًguides
لا ترى فيها للكلام هداةً
بيعwere sold فيهاin it الرجالthe men فيin سوقa market نخسprodding
بيع فيها الرجال في سوق نخس
You see no guides for speech there;
You see in it no guides for speech,
Men were sold there in a slave market.
In it men are sold in the slave market,
واستحالتand turned ربوعهاits lands منfrom جنانgardens
واستحالت ربوعها من جنان
لصحارىinto deserts منof الرواسبsediment ُيبسparched
لصحارى من الرواسب ُيبس
And its lands turned from gardens
And its meadows have changed
Into parched deserts of sediment.
To barren deserts dried up,
أذَّنَsounded the call to prayer الموتdeath والهواءand the air سجينa prisoner
أذَّنَ الموت والهواء سجين
قدalready تغطىwas covered منfrom الجهاتthe sides بورسwith yellow dye
قد تغطى من الجهات بورس
Death sounded the call to prayer, and the air lay captive,
Death has called and the air is captive,
Already shrouded on all sides in yellow dye.
Covered from all sides with shackles,
لمno longer يعدremains ليfor me إلىto الكلامspeech سبيلa way
لم يعد لي إلى الكلام سبيل
ماتdied صوتيmy voice وماتand died فيin السرsecret همسيmy whisper
مات صوتي ومات في السر همسي
No path to speech remains for me.
I have no more access to speech,
My voice died, and my whisper died in secret.
My voice has died and my whispering in secret,
غيرexcept أنيthat I حفظتI preserved لوحthe tablet كتابيmy book
غير أني حفظت لوح كتابي
" وترفعتand I rose عنabove جِدَاbounty كلevery جبسbase fellow"
" وترفعت عن جِدَا كل جبس"
Yet I preserved the tablet of my book,
Except that I have preserved my writing tablet
"And I rose above the bounty of every base fellow."
"And risen above all mud,"
أيهاO الشاعرpoet النبيprophet سلاماpeace
أيها الشاعر النبي سلاما
بعدكafter you الشعبthe people صارbecame رمساa grave برمسupon a grave
بعدك الشعب صار رمسا برمس
O poet-prophet, peace to you.
O Prophet and poet, greetings
After you, the people became grave upon grave.
After you the people have become drawings on stone,
لمno longer يعدremains للحياةfor life فيهwithin it مرادdesire
لم يعد للحياة فيه مراد
رضيaccepted العيشlife لابساclothed in كلevery يأسdespair
رضي العيش لابسا كل يأس
No desire for life remains within them.
For them life no longer has any purpose,
They accepted life, clothed in every kind of despair.
They are content to live wearing every despair,
هكذاthus أيهاO النبيprophet سنمضيwe shall go on
هكذا أيها النبي سنمضي
تَوجَcrowned الذلُhumiliation هاbehold هناhere كلevery رأسhead
تَوجَ الذلُ ها هنا كل رأس
Thus, O prophet, we shall go on.
Thus, O Prophet, we will go on,
Humiliation has crowned every head right here.
Partial English translation: 21 of 22 Arabic lines translated.