جُعتُ وَالخُبزُ وَثيرٌ في وِطابي

جُعتُ وَالخُبزُ وَثيرٌ في وِطابي

وَالسَنا حَولي وَروحي في ضَبابِ

وَالسَنا حَولي وَروحي في ضَبابِ

I hungered, though bread was plentiful in my bags,

I gathered, and bread aplenty in my bag,

I went hungry though bread was plentiful in my store,

And radiance surrounded me, while my soul was in fog.

Yet weariness surrounds me, my soul lost in the fog.

And while light surrounded me, my soul remained in a fog.

وَشَرِبتُ الماءَ عَذباً سائِغاً

وَشَرِبتُ الماءَ عَذباً سائِغاً

وَكَأَنّي لَم أَذُق غَيرَ سَرابِ

وَكَأَنّي لَم أَذُق غَيرَ سَرابِ

And I drank water, sweet and pleasant to swallow,

I drank sweet, delicious water,

I drank water that was fresh and sweet,

As though I had tasted nothing but a mirage.

Yet feel as though I tasted only a mirage.

Yet it seemed as though I tasted nothing but a mirage.

مِحنَةٌ لَيسَ لَها مِثلٌ سِوى

مِحنَةٌ لَيسَ لَها مِثلٌ سِوى

مِحنَةِ الزَورَقِ في طاغي العُبابِ

مِحنَةِ الزَورَقِ في طاغي العُبابِ

An ordeal with no equal except

A torment unlike any,

It is a tribulation unmatched save by

The ordeal of a skiff in the raging surge.

Save that of a boat in raging seas.

The plight of a boat amidst the tyrannical waves.

لَيسَ بي داءٌ وَلَكِنّي اِمرُؤٌ

لَيسَ بي داءٌ وَلَكِنّي اِمرُؤٌ

لَستُ في أَرضي وَلا بَينَ صِحابي

لَستُ في أَرضي وَلا بَينَ صِحابي

No illness afflicts me, but I am a man

I bear no illness, though I'm a man

I suffer no physical ailment, yet I am a man

Not in my own land, nor among my friends.

Not in my land, nor amidst kith and kin.

Who is neither in his own land nor among his companions.

مَرَّتِ الأَعوامُ تَتلو بَعضَها

مَرَّتِ الأَعوامُ تَتلو بَعضَها

لِلوَرى ضِحكي وَلي وَحدي اِكتِئابي

لِلوَرى ضِحكي وَلي وَحدي اِكتِئابي

The years passed, one following another;

Years passed, each replacing another,

Years have passed, following one after another;

My laughter is for the world; my melancholy is mine alone.

My laughter for the world, my loneliness for me.

My laughter is for the world, but my sorrow is mine alone.

كُلَّما اِستَولَدَت نَفسي أَمَلاً

كُلَّما اِستَولَدَت نَفسي أَمَلاً

مَدَّتِ الدُنيا لَهُ كَفَّ اِغتِصابِ

مَدَّتِ الدُنيا لَهُ كَفَّ اِغتِصابِ

Whenever my soul brought forth a hope,

Whenever my soul birthed some hope,

Every time my soul gave birth to a hope,

The world stretched a grasping hand toward it.

The world stretched out a usurping hand.

The world reached out a hand to ravage it.

أُفلِتَت مِنّي حَلاواتُ الرُؤى

أُفلِتَت مِنّي حَلاواتُ الرُؤى

عِندَما أُفلِتَ مِن كَفّي شَبابي

عِندَما أُفلِتَ مِن كَفّي شَبابي

The sweet delights of visions slipped away from me

The sweetness of dreams escaped me

The sweetness of visions slipped away from me

When my youth slipped from my palm.

When the vigor of youth slipped through my fingers.

At the moment my youth slipped from my grasp.

بِتُّ لا الإِلهامُ بابٌ مُشرَعٌ

بِتُّ لا الإِلهامُ بابٌ مُشرَعٌ

لي وَلا الأَحلامُ تَمشي في رِكابي

لي وَلا الأَحلامُ تَمشي في رِكابي

I am left: inspiration is no open door

Neither inspiration's door is open to me,

I have reached a state where inspiration is no open door,

For me, nor do dreams walk in my train.

Nor do dreams walk in my footsteps.

Nor do dreams march in my retinue.

أَشتَهي الخَمرَ وَكَأسي في يَدي

أَشتَهي الخَمرَ وَكَأسي في يَدي

وَأُحِسُّ الروحَ تَعرى في ثِيابي

وَأُحِسُّ الروحَ تَعرى في ثِيابي

I crave wine, though my cup is in my hand,

I crave wine, and my cup is in hand,

I crave wine though my cup is in my hand,

And I feel my soul grow naked within my clothes.

Yet I feel my soul laid bare beneath my robe.

And I feel my soul becoming naked within my clothes.

رَبِّ هَبني لِبِلادي عَودَةً

رَبِّ هَبني لِبِلادي عَودَةً

وَليَكُن لِلغَيرِ في الأُخرى ثَوابي

وَليَكُن لِلغَيرِ في الأُخرى ثَوابي

Lord, grant me a return to my homeland,

Lord, grant me return to my homeland,

Lord, grant me a return to my country,

And let others have my reward in the world to come.

And let my reward in the other be for others.

And let my reward in the hereafter belong to others.

أَيُّها الآتونَ مِن ذاكَ الحِمى

أَيُّها الآتونَ مِن ذاكَ الحِمى

يا دُعاةَ الخَيرِ يا رَمزَ الشَبابِ

يا دُعاةَ الخَيرِ يا رَمزَ الشَبابِ

O you who come from that sanctuary,

You who come from the hot clime,

O you who come from that sanctuary,

O advocates of goodness, O emblem of youth!

O harbingers of good, symbol of youth,

O advocates of good, O symbols of youth.

كَم هَشَشتُم وَهَشَشنا لِلمُنى

كَم هَشَشتُم وَهَشَشنا لِلمُنى

وَبَكَيتُم وَبَكَينا في مُصابِ

وَبَكَيتُم وَبَكَينا في مُصابِ

How often you rejoiced, and we rejoiced, in hopes,

How we have been broken, and broken you,

How often you rejoiced, and we rejoiced, for our aspirations,

And you wept, and we wept, in affliction,

For the wish, weeping in tragedy you and us.

And you wept, and we wept, in times of calamity.

وَاِشتَرَكنا في جِهادٍ أَو عَذابِ

وَاِشتَرَكنا في جِهادٍ أَو عَذابِ

وَاِلتَقَينا في حَديثٍ أَو كِتابِ

وَاِلتَقَينا في حَديثٍ أَو كِتابِ

And we shared in struggle or suffering,

And we shared in struggle or torture,

And we shared together in struggle or in torment,

And we met in conversation or a book.

And met in a talk or book.

And we met within a conversation or a book.

وَعَرَفتُم وَعَرَفنا مِثلَكُم

وَعَرَفتُم وَعَرَفنا مِثلَكُم

أَنَّما الحَقُّ لِذي ظُفرٍ وَنابِ

أَنَّما الحَقُّ لِذي ظُفرٍ وَنابِ

And you learned, and we learned as you did,

And you knew, and we knew like you,

You learned, and we learned just as you did,

That right belongs only to those with claw and fang.

That truth is only for the victor and sharp fang.

That rights belong only to those with fang and claw.

كُلُّ أَرضٍ نامَ عَنها أَهلُها

كُلُّ أَرضٍ نامَ عَنها أَهلُها

فَهيَ أَرضٌ لِاِغتِصابٍ وَاِنتِهابِ

فَهيَ أَرضٌ لِاِغتِصابٍ وَاِنتِهابِ

Every land whose people sleep heedless of it

Every land whose people neglected it,

Every land whose people slumber in neglect

Is then a land for seizure and plunder.

Becomes a land for pillage and plunder.

Is a land destined for usurpation and plunder.

زَعَموا الإِنسانَ بِالعِلمِ اِرتَقى

زَعَموا الإِنسانَ بِالعِلمِ اِرتَقى

وَأَراهُ لَم يَزَل إِنسانَ غابِ

وَأَراهُ لَم يَزَل إِنسانَ غابِ

They claimed that man had advanced through knowledge,

They claimed that man ascended through knowledge,

They claimed that man has ascended through knowledge,

Yet I see him still a man of the jungle.

Yet I see he's still a beast of the jungle.

Yet I see him still as a man of the jungle.

إِنَّهُ الثَعلَبُ مَكراً وَهوَ كَالس

إِنَّهُ الثَعلَبُ مَكراً وَهوَ كَالس

سَرَطانِ غَدراً وَحَكيمٌ كَالغُرابِ

سَرَطانِ غَدراً وَحَكيمٌ كَالغُرابِ

He is a fox in cunning, and he is like the

He is cunning as a fox, a traitor like cancer,

He is a fox in cunning, and acts like the

Crab in treachery, and wise as the crow.

And wise as a raven.

Crab in treachery, and is wise as the crow.

يا رِفاقي حَطِّموا أَقدَاحَكُم

يا رِفاقي حَطِّموا أَقدَاحَكُم

لَيسَ في الدُنيا رَحيقٌ لِاِنسِكابِ

لَيسَ في الدُنيا رَحيقٌ لِاِنسِكابِ

O my companions, shatter your goblets;

My friends, smash your cups,

O my comrades, smash your goblets;

There is no nectar in the world to pour.

There is no nectar left in the world to pour.

There is no nectar left in the world to pour.

جَفَّ ضَرعُ الشِعرِ عِندي وَاِنطَوى

جَفَّ ضَرعُ الشِعرِ عِندي وَاِنطَوى

وَلَكَم عاشَ لِمَرعى وَاِحتِلابِ

وَلَكَم عاشَ لِمَرعى وَاِحتِلابِ

Poetry's udder has dried up in me and shriveled,

The udder of poetry has dried up in me,

The udder of poetry has dried up within me and withered,

And how long it lived for grazing and milking!

After feeding for so long on pasture.

After having lived long for grazing and milking.

أَيُّها السائِلُ عَنّي مَن أَنا

أَيُّها السائِلُ عَنّي مَن أَنا

أَنا كَالشَمسِ إِلى الشَرقِ اِنتِسابي

أَنا كَالشَمسِ إِلى الشَرقِ اِنتِسابي

O you who ask about me: who am I?

You who ask who I am,

O you who ask about me, who I am:

Like the sun, I belong to the East.

My lineage, like the sun's, is to the East.

I am like the sun; to the East belongs my lineage.

لُغَةُ الفولاذِ هاضَت لُغَتي

لُغَةُ الفولاذِ هاضَت لُغَتي

لا يَعيشُ الشَدوُ في بَحرِ اِصطِخابِ

لا يَعيشُ الشَدوُ في بَحرِ اِصطِخابِ

The language of steel has shattered my language;

The language of steel melted my tongue,

The language of steel has crushed my language;

Song cannot live in a sea of clamor.

Passion cannot thrive in tumultuous seas.

Song cannot survive in a sea of clamor.

لَستُ أَشكو إِن شَكا غَيري النَوى

لَستُ أَشكو إِن شَكا غَيري النَوى

غُربَةُ الأَجسامِ لَيسَت بِاِغتِرابِ

غُربَةُ الأَجسامِ لَيسَت بِاِغتِرابِ

I do not lament, even if others lament separation;

If others complain of estrangement,

I do not complain, though others complain of separation;

The exile of bodies is not estrangement.

It's no estrangement of bodies I lament.

Physical distance is not true exile.

أَنا في نِيويوركَ بِالجِسمِ وَبِالر

أَنا في نِيويوركَ بِالجِسمِ وَبِالر

روحِ في الشَرقِ عَلى تِلكَ الهِضابِ

روحِ في الشَرقِ عَلى تِلكَ الهِضابِ

I am in New York in body, and in

My body's in New York, but my soul

I am in New York in body, while my spirit

Spirit in the East, upon those hills;

In the East, upon those plateaus.

Resides in the East, upon those very hills.

في اِبتِسامِ الفَجرِ في صَمتِ الدُجى

في اِبتِسامِ الفَجرِ في صَمتِ الدُجى

في أَسى تِشرينَ في لَوعَةِ آبِ

في أَسى تِشرينَ في لَوعَةِ آبِ

In dawn's smile, in the silence of night,

In the dawn's smile, the dusk's silence,

In the smile of dawn, in the silence of the night,

In Tishrin's sorrow, in Ab's burning anguish.

In autumn's sorrow, and August's agony.

In the sorrow of October, in the burning yearning of August.

أَنا في الغوطَةِ زَهرٌ وَنَدى

أَنا في الغوطَةِ زَهرٌ وَنَدى

أَنا في لُبنانَ نَجوى وَتَصابي

أَنا في لُبنانَ نَجوى وَتَصابي

In Ghouta I am blossom and dew;

I'm in al-Ghouta, a flower and dew,

In the Ghouta, I am a flower and the dew;

In Lebanon I am intimate whispers and youthful play.

I'm in Lebanon, whispers and braiding.

In Lebanon, I am a whisper and youthful passion.

إِنَّني أَلمَحُ في أَوجُهِكُم

إِنَّني أَلمَحُ في أَوجُهِكُم

دَفقَةَ النورِ عَلى تِلكَ الرَوابي

دَفقَةَ النورِ عَلى تِلكَ الرَوابي

Indeed, I glimpse in your faces

I glimpse in your faces

I can glimpse within your faces

The surge of light upon those knolls,

A stream of light upon those hilltops.

The burst of light upon those highlands.

وَأَرى أَشباحَ أَيّامٍ مَضَت

وَأَرى أَشباحَ أَيّامٍ مَضَت

في كِفاحٍ وَنِضالٍ وَوِثابِ

في كِفاحٍ وَنِضالٍ وَوِثابِ

And I see the ghosts of days gone by

And I see the ghosts of bygone days,

And I see the ghosts of days gone by,

In struggle, striving, and leaps.

Of struggle, resistance, and resolve.

In struggle, in battle, and in uprising.

وَأَرى أَطيافَ عَصرٍ باهِرٍ

وَأَرى أَطيافَ عَصرٍ باهِرٍ

طالِعٍ كَالشَمسِ مِن خَلفِ الحِجابِ

طالِعٍ كَالشَمسِ مِن خَلفِ الحِجابِ

And I see visions of a radiant age

And I see the specters of a brilliant era,

And I see the specters of a dazzling age,

Rising like the sun from behind the veil.

Rising like the sun from behind the veil.

Rising like the sun from behind the veil.

لَيتَهُ يُسرِعُ كَي أُبصِرَهُ

لَيتَهُ يُسرِعُ كَي أُبصِرَهُ

قَبلَ أَن أَغدو تُراباً في تُرابِ

قَبلَ أَن أَغدو تُراباً في تُرابِ

Would that it hasten, so I may see it

Would that it hasten, that I might glimpse it,

Would that it hasten, so that I might see it

Before I become dust amid dust.

Before I become dust among dust.

Before I become dust within dust.