لَو رَأى آدَمٌ فَتاهُ لَزالَ الـ

لَو رَأى آدَمٌ فَتاهُ لَزالَ الـ

ـحِقدُ مِن قَلبِهِ عَلى حَوّاءِ

ـحِقدُ مِن قَلبِهِ عَلى حَوّاءِ

If Adam saw his son, gone would be the

If Adam had seen his son, hatred

If Adam were to behold his descendant, the grudge

rancor in his heart toward Eve.

Would have vanished from his heart for Eve

Would vanish from his heart against Eve.

صَيَّرَ الأَرضَ جَنَّةً دونَها الجَنـ

صَيَّرَ الأَرضَ جَنَّةً دونَها الجَنـ

ـنَةُ في الحُسنِ وَالبَها وَالرُواءِ

ـنَةُ في الحُسنِ وَالبَها وَالرُواءِ

He made earth a paradise, surpassing Paradise itself

He would have made the earth a paradise, with beauty

For he has transformed the earth into a garden; the Paradise of old

in beauty, splendor, and loveliness.

And splendor and lushness beyond the Garden's

Falls short of it in beauty, splendor, and fairness.

ما أَظُنُّ النَعيمَ فيهِ الَّذي في الـ

ما أَظُنُّ النَعيمَ فيهِ الَّذي في الـ

ـأَرضِ مِن بَهجَةٍ وَمِن لَألاءِ

ـأَرضِ مِن بَهجَةٍ وَمِن لَألاءِ

I doubt that Paradise holds what the

I don't think the bliss there

I do not think the bliss found therein holds the same

earth holds of delight and radiance.

Equals the joy and radiance of earth

Joy and radiance found upon the earth.

كُلُّ ما في الوُجودِ لِلمَرءِ عَبدٌ

كُلُّ ما في الوُجودِ لِلمَرءِ عَبدٌ

وَهوَ عَبدُ الشَهواتِ وَالأَهواءِ

وَهوَ عَبدُ الشَهواتِ وَالأَهواءِ

Everything in existence is man's slave,

Everything in existence is a slave to man

All that exists is but a servant to man,

and he is a slave to desires and whims.

Yet he is slave to passions and desires

While he is a slave to his lusts and whims.

كائِنٌ كُلُّ كائِنٍ حارَ فيهِ

كائِنٌ كُلُّ كائِنٍ حارَ فيهِ

فَهوَ حُلوٌ مُرٌّ وَدانٍ ناءِ

فَهوَ حُلوٌ مُرٌّ وَدانٍ ناءِ

A being who bewilders every being,

Every creature perplexed with being

A creature about whom every being is bewildered;

for he is sweet and bitter, near and far.

Is at times sweet and bitter and miserable

He is at once sweet and bitter, near and far.

وَهوَ طَوراً يَكونُ نِصفَ إِلَهٍ

وَهوَ طَوراً يَكونُ نِصفَ إِلَهٍ

وَهوَ طَوراً أَدنى مِنَ العَجماءِ

وَهوَ طَوراً أَدنى مِنَ العَجماءِ

At times he is half a god,

At times halfway divine

At times he appears to be half a god,

and at times lower than a mute beast.

At others lower than a dumb beast

And at other times, lower than a beast.

عَجَباً كَيفَ طاعَهُ الطينُ وَالما

عَجَباً كَيفَ طاعَهُ الطينُ وَالما

ءُ وَما كانَ غَيرَ طينٍ وَماءِ

ءُ وَما كانَ غَيرَ طينٍ وَماءِ

What a marvel—how clay and water obeyed him,

Strange, that clay and water obeyed Him

It is a wonder how clay and water obeyed him,

though he was nothing but clay and water!

Though He was naught but clay and water

When he himself was naught but clay and water.

سادَ في الكَونِ مِثلَما سادَ فيهِ

سادَ في الكَونِ مِثلَما سادَ فيهِ

خالِقُ الكَونِ مُبدِعُ الأَشياءِ

خالِقُ الكَونِ مُبدِعُ الأَشياءِ

He ruled the universe, just as did

He prevailed in the universe as none other

He has mastered the cosmos much as the One

the Creator of the universe, the Maker of things.

The Creator of all, Maker of everything

Who created the cosmos and originated all things has mastered it.

فَهوَ في الماءِ سابِحٌ وَعَلى الغَبـ

فَهوَ في الماءِ سابِحٌ وَعَلى الغَبـ

ـراءِ ماشٍ وَطائِرٌ في الفَضاءِ

ـراءِ ماشٍ وَطائِرٌ في الفَضاءِ

He swims in water, and on the

He swims in the sea, walks on dry land

So he is a swimmer in the waters, and upon the

dusty earth he walks, and flies through space.

And flies through the air

Dusty earth a walker, and a flyer in the vast expanse.

تَخِذَ الجَوَّ مَلعَباً ثُمَّ أَمسى

تَخِذَ الجَوَّ مَلعَباً ثُمَّ أَمسى

راكِضاً في الهَواءِ رَكضَ الهَواءِ

راكِضاً في الهَواءِ رَكضَ الهَواءِ

He took the sky as a playground, and then was

He took the atmosphere for a playground

He took the atmosphere for a playground, then became

racing through the air as the wind races.

Then raced through space faster than wind

A racer in the air, dashing with the wind.

فَهوَ فَوقَ السَحابِ يَحكيهِ في مَسـ

فَهوَ فَوقَ السَحابِ يَحكيهِ في مَسـ

ـراهُ لَكِنَّهُ أَخو خُيَلاءِ

ـراهُ لَكِنَّهُ أَخو خُيَلاءِ

Above the clouds, he mimics them in their

Above the clouds he chases them but

He is above the clouds, mimicking them in his course,

course, yet he is full of pride.

He is brother to the arrogant steeds

Though he travels with the bearing of pride.

وَهوَ بَينَ الطُيورِ تَحسَبُهُ العَنـ

وَهوَ بَينَ الطُيورِ تَحسَبُهُ العَنـ

ـقاءَ لَولا اِستِحالَةُ العَنقاءِ

ـقاءَ لَولا اِستِحالَةُ العَنقاءِ

Among the birds, you would take him for the

Among the birds you'd think him a heron

Amidst the birds, you would deem him the Phoenix,

phoenix, were the phoenix not an impossibility.

But for the heron's impossibility

Were it not that the Phoenix is a myth.

أَبصَرَتهُ فَأَكبَرَت أَن تَرى في ال

أَبصَرَتهُ فَأَكبَرَت أَن تَرى في ال

جَوِّ صَيّادَها عَلى الغَبراءِ

جَوِّ صَيّادَها عَلى الغَبراءِ

They saw him and marveled to see in the

When they saw him they were too proud

They saw him and were awestruck to behold, in the

sky their hunter from the dusty earth.

To see their hunter in the sky

Sky, he who hunted them upon the ground.

فَاِستَوى في قُلوبِها الذُعرُ حَتّى

فَاِستَوى في قُلوبِها الذُعرُ حَتّى

كادَ يَحكي البَلاءَ خَوفُ البَلاءِ

كادَ يَحكي البَلاءَ خَوفُ البَلاءِ

Terror settled in their hearts until

Terror gripped them as if disaster

Terror settled evenly in their hearts, until

fear of calamity almost matched calamity itself.

Had come, fear doubling the calamity

The fear of calamity nearly resembled calamity itself.

وَتَناجَت تَبغي النَجاةَ فِراراً

وَتَناجَت تَبغي النَجاةَ فِراراً

أَينَ أَينَ المَفَرُّ مِن ذا القَضاءِ

أَينَ أَينَ المَفَرُّ مِن ذا القَضاءِ

And they whispered together, seeking safety in flight:

They conferred seeking escape, fleeing

They cried out to one another, seeking salvation in flight:

Where, where is escape from this fate?

Where, where to flee the inevitable?

"Where, oh where, is the escape from this destiny?"

وَيحَ هَذي الطُيورِ تَجني عَلى المَو

وَيحَ هَذي الطُيورِ تَجني عَلى المَو

تى وَتَرجو سِلماً مِنَ الأَحياءِ

تى وَتَرجو سِلماً مِنَ الأَحياءِ

Alas for these birds! They wrong the

Woe to these birds blaming the dead

Woe unto these birds! They prey upon the dead,

dead, yet hope for peace from the living.

And hoping the living would be spared

Yet hope for peace from the living.

إِهبِطي أَو فَحَلِّقي أَو فَسيري

إِهبِطي أَو فَحَلِّقي أَو فَسيري

إِنَّما المُنتَهى إِلى الأَرزاءِ

إِنَّما المُنتَهى إِلى الأَرزاءِ

Descend, or soar, or walk:

Land or keep soaring, walk on

Descend, or soar high, or travel on;

the end leads only to calamities.

For all paths lead to the burial ground

The ultimate end is but to misfortune.

وَهوَ بَينَ النُجومِ يَستَرِقُ السَم

وَهوَ بَينَ النُجومِ يَستَرِقُ السَم

عَ وَلا يَتَّقي رُجومَ السَماءِ

عَ وَلا يَتَّقي رُجومَ السَماءِ

Among the stars, he eavesdrops,

Among the stars he steals hearing

He is amongst the stars, eavesdropping on the heavens,

and does not fear the missiles of heaven.

And fears no stoning from the heavens

And fearing not the stone-missiles of the sky.

مَشهَدٌ رَوَّعَ الدَراري فَباتَت

مَشهَدٌ رَوَّعَ الدَراري فَباتَت

حائِراتٍ في القُبَّةِ الزَرقاءِ

حائِراتٍ في القُبَّةِ الزَرقاءِ

A sight that terrified the shining stars, so they spent the night

A sight that startled the shining ones

A spectacle that terrified the shining stars, leaving them

bewildered in the blue dome,

And left them confused in the blue dome

Bewildered within the azure dome,

نافِراتٍ كَأَنَّها ظَبَياتٌ

نافِراتٍ كَأَنَّها ظَبَياتٌ

رَأَتِ القانِصينَ في البَيداءِ

رَأَتِ القانِصينَ في البَيداءِ

skittish, as though they were gazelles

Shying like gazelles who see

Fleeing like gazelles that have

that had seen hunters in the desert.

Hunters in the desert suddenly

Spotted hunters in the open desert,

سائِلاتٍ أَذا رَسولُ سَلامٍ

سائِلاتٍ أَذا رَسولُ سَلامٍ

مِن بَني الأَرضِ أَم نَذيرُ فَناءِ

مِن بَني الأَرضِ أَم نَذيرُ فَناءِ

asking: Is this a messenger of peace

Asking, “Is he a messenger of peace

Asking: "Is this a messenger of peace

from the children of earth, or a herald of destruction?

From earth's sons, or a bringer of doom?”

From the sons of Earth, or a harbinger of doom?"

هالَها أَن تَرى مِنَ الأُنسِ قَوماً

هالَها أَن تَرى مِنَ الأُنسِ قَوماً

يَتَهادَونَ مِثلَها في الفَضاءِ

يَتَهادَونَ مِثلَها في الفَضاءِ

It terrified them to see a group of humans

Dazed to see folk like themselves

It appalled them to see, among humankind, a folk

gliding like themselves through space.

Strolling nonchalantly in space

Gliding as they do through the void.

فَرَأَيتَ الجَوزاءَ تَشكو الثُرَيّا

فَرَأَيتَ الجَوزاءَ تَشكو الثُرَيّا

وَالثُرَيّا تَشكو إِلى الجَوزاءِ

وَالثُرَيّا تَشكو إِلى الجَوزاءِ

So you saw Orion lament to the Pleiades,

You'd see the Pleiades complain to Orion

Thus you saw Gemini complaining to the Pleiades,

and the Pleiades lament to Orion.

And Orion lament to the Pleiades:

And the Pleiades complaining to Gemini.

لا تُراعي يا شُهبُ مِنّا فَإِنّا

لا تُراعي يا شُهبُ مِنّا فَإِنّا

ما حَمَلنا إِلَيكِ غَيرَ الوَلاءِ

ما حَمَلنا إِلَيكِ غَيرَ الوَلاءِ

Do not fear us, O bright stars, for we

"O meteors, spare us, we only

"Do not fear us, O shooting stars, for we

have brought you nothing but devotion.

Feel loyalty, no awe or dread."

Bear nothing towards you but friendship."

قَد كَرِهنا المُقامَ في الأَرضِ لَمّا

قَد كَرِهنا المُقامَ في الأَرضِ لَمّا

قيلَ إِنَّ السَما مَقَرُّ الهَناءِ

قيلَ إِنَّ السَما مَقَرُّ الهَناءِ

We grew weary of dwelling on earth when

"We disliked earth when told

"We grew weary of dwelling upon the earth when

it was said that the sky is the home of happiness.

Heaven's the abode of bliss."

It was said that the sky is the abode of bliss."

إِنَّما شَوقُنا إِلَيكَ الَّذي أَسـ

إِنَّما شَوقُنا إِلَيكَ الَّذي أَسـ

ـرى بِنا لا الهِيامُ في الإِسراءِ

ـرى بِنا لا الهِيامُ في الإِسراءِ

Only our longing for you has carried

"Our longing for you drew us

"It is but our longing for you that has carried us aloft,

us by night, not a passion for night travel.

Not rapture with ascension."

Not a mere madness for the journey itself."

فَصِلينا نَزدَد غَراماً وَوَجداً

فَصِلينا نَزدَد غَراماً وَوَجداً

غَيرُ مُستَحسِنٍ كَثيرُ الإِباءِ

غَيرُ مُستَحسِنٍ كَثيرُ الإِباءِ

So draw close to us; our love and yearning will grow.

"Though we pray, ardour and fervor grow

"So grant us union, that we may increase in love and passion;

Excessive refusal is not admired.

Despite the censurer's frequent rebukes."

Excessive refusal is not a virtue."

نَحنُ يا شُهبُ في حِماكِ ضُيوفٌ

نَحنُ يا شُهبُ في حِماكِ ضُيوفٌ

وَجَميلٌ رِعايَةُ الغُرَباءِ

وَجَميلٌ رِعايَةُ الغُرَباءِ

We are guests in your sanctuary, O bright stars,

"We are your guests, O meteors,

"We, O stars, are guests within your sanctuary,

and it is gracious to care for strangers.

And hospitality graces hosts."

And the care of strangers is a beautiful deed."

أَكرِمي ذَلِكَ المُحَلِّقِ فَوقَ الـ

أَكرِمي ذَلِكَ المُحَلِّقِ فَوقَ الـ

ـسُحبِ يُثني عَلَيكِ خَيرَ ثَناءِ

ـسُحبِ يُثني عَلَيكِ خَيرَ ثَناءِ

Honor that one soaring above the

"Honor that flier above the clouds,

Honor him who hovers above the

clouds; he will praise you with the finest praise.

Who praises you with excellent eulogy."

Clouds, who sings your praises in the finest tones.

وَأَنيري طَريقَهُ إِن دَجا اللَي

وَأَنيري طَريقَهُ إِن دَجا اللَي

لُ وَدَبَّت عَقارِبُ الظَلماءِ

لُ وَدَبَّت عَقارِبُ الظَلماءِ

And light his path if the night grows dark

"Light his way when night falls

Illuminate his path when the night grows dark,

and the scorpions of darkness creep.

And the claws of darkness slash."

And the scorpions of darkness begin to creep.

صاغَكِ اللَهُ شُعلَةً مِن ضِياءٍ

صاغَكِ اللَهُ شُعلَةً مِن ضِياءٍ

وَبَرا المَرءَ شُعلَةً مِن ذَكاءِ

وَبَرا المَرءَ شُعلَةً مِن ذَكاءِ

God fashioned you as a flame of light,

"God made you a torch of splendor

God fashioned you as a flame of light,

and created man as a flame of intelligence.

And the ideal man a torch of wisdom."

And He created man as a flame of intelligence.

تَخِذيهِ أَخاً يَكُن لَكِ عَوناً

تَخِذيهِ أَخاً يَكُن لَكِ عَوناً

كُلُّ نَفسٍ مُحتاجَةٌ لِلإِخاءِ

كُلُّ نَفسٍ مُحتاجَةٌ لِلإِخاءِ

Take him as a brother, and he will be your helper;

"Take him as a brother, a helper for you,

Take him as a brother; he will be an aid to you,

every soul needs brotherhood.

Every soul needs brotherhood."

For every soul stands in need of brotherhood.

لا تُفاخِر بِالواخِداتِ وَلا بِالـ

لا تُفاخِر بِالواخِداتِ وَلا بِالـ

ـخَيلِ مِن أَدهَمٍ وَمِن شَهباءِ

ـخَيلِ مِن أَدهَمٍ وَمِن شَهباءِ

Do not boast of swift-striding she-camels, nor of

"Do not boast of rare steeds

Boast no longer of the swift-trotting camels, nor of the

horses, whether black or gray.

Of gorgeous bays or gray mares."

Horses, be they black or gray.

هانَ عَصرُ النِياقِ وَالراكِبيها

هانَ عَصرُ النِياقِ وَالراكِبيها

عِندَ عَصرِ البُخارِ وَالكَهرُباءِ

عِندَ عَصرِ البُخارِ وَالكَهرُباءِ

The age of she-camels and their riders paled

"The era of steeds and their riders has waned

The era of the she-camel and her riders has faded

beside the age of steam and electricity.

In the age of steam and electricity."

Before the era of steam and electricity.