1. الحزن فوق جدار القلب قد كتبا

    وعانق الصمت رب الشعر وانتحبا

    Sorrow has been inscribed upon the wall of the heart,

    And silence embraced the lord of poetry and sobbed.

  2. ما العمر ما الشعر ما الأحلام نغزلها

    إذا الحكاية كانت كلها لعبا

    What is life, what is poetry, what are the dreams we weave,

    If the whole story was a game?

  3. ويسكب العمر في الكاسات خدعته

    فنشرب الكأس والعمر الذي هربا

    And life pours its deception into the cups,

    So we drink the cup, and the life that has fled.

  4. ونرفع النخب كي ننسى خديعتنا

    تلك الخديعة لم نعرف لها سببا

    And we raise a toast to forget how we were deceived,

    That deception—we knew no reason for it.

  5. جئنا وخلنا طويلاً درب رحلتنا

    فردنا الدرب للحلم الذي صلبا

    We came, thinking the road of our journey long;

    So the road sent us back to the dream that was crucified.

  6. تركتنا والأسى يستلّ مهجتنا

    رحلت حتى تزيد الهم والتعبا

    You left us, while sorrow draws out our lifeblood;

    You departed, only to increase worry and weariness.

  7. كل البساتين جاءت من منازلها

    تسائل الناس  والتاريخ والكتبا

    All the gardens came from their homes,

    Questioning the people, history, and the books:

  8. ما حلّ بالشعر يمضي لا يكلمنا

    معفر الوجه بالأحزان مكتئبا

    What has befallen poetry? It moves on without speaking to us,

    Its face dusted with sorrows, dejected.

  9. قالوا : رحلت فما صدقتهم أبداً

    وخلت كل مقال منهم  كذبا

    They said, “You have departed,” but I never believed them,

    And I thought every statement from them a lie.

  10. مازلت في بردى في كل أغنية

    تعانق الشمس والأجرام والشهبا

    You are still in the Barada, in every song,

    Embracing the sun, the heavenly bodies, and the shooting stars.

  11. تنام فوق ضفاف الشوق منتشياً

    تصب في دنِّهِ الأشعار والطربا

    You sleep upon the banks of longing, intoxicated,

    Pouring poems and rapture into its wine jar.

  12. وتكتم الحزن فوق الحزن محترقاً

    فبات قلبك بالآلام مضطربا

    And you conceal sorrow upon sorrow, burning,

    So your heart grew troubled by pain.

  13. نادت دمشقُ أبا توفيق وانتحبت

    أين الذي عمره للحب قد وهبا

    Damascus called to Abu Tawfiq and sobbed:

    “Where is the one who gave his life to love?”

  14. فقلتَ :"إن جراحي لا ضفاف لها

    فمَّسحي عن جبيني الحزن والتعبا

    So you said, “My wounds have no shores,

    So wipe sorrow and weariness from my brow.

  15. حبي هنا وحبيباتي ولدن هنا

    فمن يعيد لي العمر الذي ذهبا "

    My love is here, and my beloved women were born here;

    So who will restore to me the life that has gone?”