أَلا لَيتَ قَلباً بَينَ جَنبَيَّ دامِيا

أَلا لَيتَ قَلباً بَينَ جَنبَيَّ دامِيا

أَصابَ سُلُوّاً أَو أَصابَ الأَمانِيا

أَصابَ سُلُوّاً أَو أَصابَ الأَمانِيا

Oh, if only the bleeding heart between my sides

Oh, how I wish this bleeding heart within my ribs

could find solace, or attain its wishes.

Had found some solace or attained its desires.

أَجَنَّ الأَسى حَتّى إِذا ضاقَ بِالأَسى

أَجَنَّ الأَسى حَتّى إِذا ضاقَ بِالأَسى

تَدَفَّقَ مِن عَينَيَّ أَحمَرَ قانِيا

تَدَفَّقَ مِن عَينَيَّ أَحمَرَ قانِيا

It harbored sorrow until, when sorrow overwhelmed it,

It concealed its grief, but when overwhelmed by sorrow,

it streamed from my eyes, deep crimson red.

It gushed forth from my eyes as deep red blood.

تَهيجُ بِيَ الذِكرى البُروقُ ضَواحِكاً

تَهيجُ بِيَ الذِكرى البُروقُ ضَواحِكاً

وَتُغري بِيَ الوَجدُ الطُيورُ شَوادِيا

وَتُغري بِيَ الوَجدُ الطُيورُ شَوادِيا

Laughing flashes of lightning stir memories in me,

The laughing lightning flashes stir memories within me,

and singing birds rouse longing against me.

And the singing birds provoke my deep longing.

فَأَبكي لِما بي مِن جَوىً وَصَبابَةٍ

فَأَبكي لِما بي مِن جَوىً وَصَبابَةٍ

وَأَبكي إِذا أَبصَرتُ في الأَرضِ باكِيا

وَأَبكي إِذا أَبصَرتُ في الأَرضِ باكِيا

So I weep for the burning grief and yearning within me,

I weep for the burning passion and love I harbor,

and I weep when I see anyone on earth weeping.

And I weep whenever I see another crying upon the earth.

فَلا تَحسِباني أَذرِفُ الدَمعَ عادَةً

فَلا تَحسِباني أَذرِفُ الدَمعَ عادَةً

وَلا تَحسِباني أُنشِدُ الشِعرَ لاهِيا

وَلا تَحسِباني أُنشِدُ الشِعرَ لاهِيا

Do not think, you two, that I shed tears out of habit,

Do not deem that I shed tears merely out of habit,

nor think I recite poetry in idle amusement.

Nor think that I compose poetry for idle amusement.

وَلَكِنَّها نَفسي إِذا جاشَ جَأشُها

وَلَكِنَّها نَفسي إِذا جاشَ جَأشُها

وَفاضَ عَلَيها الهَمُّ فاضَت قَوافِيا

وَفاضَ عَلَيها الهَمُّ فاضَت قَوافِيا

But it is my soul: when its heart surges

Rather, it is my soul: when its emotions surge

and sorrow floods over it, it pours forth rhymes.

And anxiety overwhelms it, it overflows in rhyme.

يَشُقُّ عَلى الإِنسانِ خَدعُ فُؤادِهِ

يَشُقُّ عَلى الإِنسانِ خَدعُ فُؤادِهِ

وَإِن خادَعَ الدُنيا وَداجى المَداجِيا

وَإِن خادَعَ الدُنيا وَداجى المَداجِيا

It is hard for a person to deceive his own heart,

It is painfully hard for a man to deceive his own heart,

even if he deceives the world and humors the dissembler.

Even if he deceives the world and cajoles the hypocrites.

طَلَبتُ عَلى البَلوى مَعيناً فَفاتَني

طَلَبتُ عَلى البَلوى مَعيناً فَفاتَني

يُؤاسيكَ مَن يَحتاجُ فيكَ مُؤاسِيا

يُؤاسيكَ مَن يَحتاجُ فيكَ مُؤاسِيا

I sought a helper against affliction, but he eluded me;

I sought a helper against calamity but found none;

the one who comforts you himself needs your comfort.

Can one comfort you who himself needs comfort because of you?

وَمَن لَم تُضَرِّسهُ الخُطوبُ بِنابِها

وَمَن لَم تُضَرِّسهُ الخُطوبُ بِنابِها

يَظُنُّ شِكاياتِّ النُفوسِ تَشاكِيا

يَظُنُّ شِكاياتِّ النُفوسِ تَشاكِيا

And one whom calamities have not bitten with their fang

He whom misfortunes have not bitten with their fangs

takes the laments of souls for mere complaining.

Thinks the true anguish of souls is merely feigned complaint.

رُميتُ مِنَ الدُنيا بِما لَو قَليلُهُ

رُميتُ مِنَ الدُنيا بِما لَو قَليلُهُ

رَمَيتُ بِهِ الأَيّامَ صارَت لَيالِيا

رَمَيتُ بِهِ الأَيّامَ صارَت لَيالِيا

The world has assailed me with woes; were even a little of them

The world has cast upon me burdens so heavy that

hurled by me at the days, they would turn into nights.

Were I to cast but a fraction upon the days, they would turn to nights.

فَلا يَشتَكِ غَيري البُؤسَ فَإِنَّني

فَلا يَشتَكِ غَيري البُؤسَ فَإِنَّني

ضَمِنتُ الرَزايا وَاِحتَكَرتُ العَوادِيا

ضَمِنتُ الرَزايا وَاِحتَكَرتُ العَوادِيا

So let no one but me complain of misery, for I

Let no one else complain of misery, for truly I

have taken on calamities and monopolized misfortunes.

Have engaged all disasters and monopolized all misfortunes.

تَمُرُّ اللَيالي لَيلَةً إِثرَ لَيلَةٍ

تَمُرُّ اللَيالي لَيلَةً إِثرَ لَيلَةٍ

وَأَحزانُ قَلبي باقِياتٍ كَما هِيا

وَأَحزانُ قَلبي باقِياتٍ كَما هِيا

The nights pass, one night after another,

The nights pass by, one following the other,

and the sorrows of my heart remain as they are.

Yet the sorrows of my heart remain exactly as they are.

وَلَو أَنَّ ما بِيَ الخَمرُ أَو بارَدُ اللَمى

وَلَو أَنَّ ما بِيَ الخَمرُ أَو بارَدُ اللَمى

سَلَوتُ وَلَكِن أُمَّتي وَبِلادِيا

سَلَوتُ وَلَكِن أُمَّتي وَبِلادِيا

And if what ailed me were wine or cool, dusky lips,

Were my ailment caused by wine or the coolness of dark lips,

I could find solace—but it is my nation and my homeland.

I might have found solace—but my pain is for my nation and my land.

إِذا خَطَرَت مِن جانِبِ الشَرقِ نَفحَةٌ

إِذا خَطَرَت مِن جانِبِ الشَرقِ نَفحَةٌ

طَرِبتُ فَأَلقى مَنكِبايَ رِدائِيا

طَرِبتُ فَأَلقى مَنكِبايَ رِدائِيا

When a breath of air wafts from the direction of the East,

If a breeze wafts from the direction of the East,

I thrill, and my shoulders cast off my cloak.

I am seized with emotion and my shoulders cast off my cloak.

أَحِنُّ إِلى تِلكَ المَغاني وَأَهلِها

أَحِنُّ إِلى تِلكَ المَغاني وَأَهلِها

وَأَشتاقُ مَن يَشتاقُ تِلكَ المَغانِيا

وَأَشتاقُ مَن يَشتاقُ تِلكَ المَغانِيا

I yearn for those dwellings and their people,

I yearn for those dwellings and the people who live there,

and I long for whoever longs for those dwellings.

And I long for anyone who shares this longing for those homes.

وَما سَرَّني أَنَّ المَلاهِيَ كَثيرَةٌ

وَما سَرَّني أَنَّ المَلاهِيَ كَثيرَةٌ

وَفي الشَرقِ قَومٌ يَجهَلونَ المَلاهِيا

وَفي الشَرقِ قَومٌ يَجهَلونَ المَلاهِيا

And it brings me no joy that amusements abound,

It brings me no joy that pleasures here are plentiful,

while people in the East know nothing of amusement.

While in the East are a people who know nothing of amusement.

إِذا مَثَّلوا وَالنَومُ يَأخُذُ مُقلَتي

إِذا مَثَّلوا وَالنَومُ يَأخُذُ مُقلَتي

بِأَهدابِها أَمسَيتُ وَسنانَ صاحِيا

بِأَهدابِها أَمسَيتُ وَسنانَ صاحِيا

When they appear before me, as sleep seizes my eye

When their image rises as sleep tries to claim my eyes,

by its lashes, I become drowsy yet awake.

Upon my very lashes, I remain in a daze, suspended between sleep and waking.

وَكَيفَ اِغتِباطُ المَرءِ لا أَهلَ حَولَهُ

وَكَيفَ اِغتِباطُ المَرءِ لا أَهلَ حَولَهُ

وَلا هُوَ مَن يَستَعذِبُ الصَفوَ نائِيا

وَلا هُوَ مَن يَستَعذِبُ الصَفوَ نائِيا

And how can a person rejoice with no family around him,

How can a man rejoice with no family around him,

when he is not one to savor serenity far away?

When he cannot find sweetness in life's pleasures while in exile?

تَبَدَّلَتِ الدُنيا مِنَ السِلمِ بِالوَغى

تَبَدَّلَتِ الدُنيا مِنَ السِلمِ بِالوَغى

وَصارَ بَنوها العاقِلونَ ضَوارِيا

وَصارَ بَنوها العاقِلونَ ضَوارِيا

The world has exchanged peace for war,

The world has exchanged peace for the ravages of war,

and its rational sons have become beasts of prey.

And its rational sons have turned into predatory beasts.

فَما تُنبِتُ الغَبراءُ غَيرَ مَصائِبٍ

فَما تُنبِتُ الغَبراءُ غَيرَ مَصائِبٍ

وَما تُمطِرُ الأَفلاكُ إِلّا دَواهِيا

وَما تُمطِرُ الأَفلاكُ إِلّا دَواهِيا

So the dusty earth brings forth nothing but calamities,

The dusty earth sprouts nothing but calamities,

and the heavens rain down nothing but disasters.

And the heavens rain down nothing but disasters.

وَناكَرَ حَتّى اللَيلُ زُهرَ نُجومِهِ

وَناكَرَ حَتّى اللَيلُ زُهرَ نُجومِهِ

وَماءُ الخِضَمِّ المُنشَآتِ الجَوارِيا

وَماءُ الخِضَمِّ المُنشَآتِ الجَوارِيا

And even night has turned against its shining stars,

Even the night has disavowed its radiant stars,

and the ocean's waters against the lofty ships under sail.

And the ocean waters have rejected the ships sailing upon them.

وَباتَ سَبيلٌ كانَ يَسري بِهِ الفَتى

وَباتَ سَبيلٌ كانَ يَسري بِهِ الفَتى

بِلا حارِسٍ يَمشي بِهِ الجَيشُ خاشِيا

بِلا حارِسٍ يَمشي بِهِ الجَيشُ خاشِيا

And a road a young man once traveled by night

And a path once traveled safely by a lone youth without guard

without a guard is now trodden by an army in fear.

Is now tread by armies, filled with fear.

تَقَطَّعَتِ الأَسبابُ بَيني وَبَينَهُم

تَقَطَّعَتِ الأَسبابُ بَيني وَبَينَهُم

فَلَيسَ لَهُم نَحوي وُصولٌ وَلا لِيا

فَلَيسَ لَهُم نَحوي وُصولٌ وَلا لِيا

The ties between me and them have been severed,

All ties between me and them have been severed;

so they cannot reach me, nor can I reach them.

They have no way to reach me, nor I to reach them.

وَكانَ لَنا في الكُتبِ عَونٌ عَلى الأَسى

وَكانَ لَنا في الكُتبِ عَونٌ عَلى الأَسى

وَفي البَرقِ ما يُدني المَدى المُتَرامِيا

وَفي البَرقِ ما يُدني المَدى المُتَرامِيا

And in letters we once had help against sorrow,

We once found help against sorrow in letters,

and in the telegraph a means to draw vast distances near.

And in the telegraph, something to bridge the vast distances.

فَلَم تَأمَنِ الأَسرارُ في السِلكِ سارِقاً

فَلَم تَأمَنِ الأَسرارُ في السِلكِ سارِقاً

وَلَم تَأمَنِ الأَخبارُ في الطِرسِ ماحِيا

وَلَم تَأمَنِ الأَخبارُ في الطِرسِ ماحِيا

But secrets on the wire were not safe from a thief,

But now, secrets on the wire are not safe from interception,

nor was news on the page safe from one who erased it.

And news upon the page is not safe from censorship.

إِذا قيلَ هَذا مُخبِرٌ مِلتُ نَحوَهُ

إِذا قيلَ هَذا مُخبِرٌ مِلتُ نَحوَهُ

بِسَمعي وَلَو كانَ المُحَدِّثُ واشِيا

بِسَمعي وَلَو كانَ المُحَدِّثُ واشِيا

When it is said, 'This is a bearer of news,' I turn toward him

If told, "Here is a messenger," I lean toward him with all my hearing,

to listen, even if the speaker is a slanderer.

Even if the speaker were a known slanderer.

وَتَعلَمُ نَفسي أَنَّهُ غَيرُ عالِمٍ

وَتَعلَمُ نَفسي أَنَّهُ غَيرُ عالِمٍ

وَلَكِنَّني أَستَدفِعُ اليَأسَ راجِيا

وَلَكِنَّني أَستَدفِعُ اليَأسَ راجِيا

And my soul knows that he is uninformed,

My soul knows well he possesses no true knowledge,

but I seek to ward off despair, hoping.

Yet, hoping still, I try to fend off my despair.

سَرى الشَكُّ حَتّى ما نُصَدِّقُ راوِياً

سَرى الشَكُّ حَتّى ما نُصَدِّقُ راوِياً

وَطالَ فَبِتنا ما نُكَذِّبُ راوِيا

وَطالَ فَبِتنا ما نُكَذِّبُ راوِيا

Doubt spread until we believed no bearer of news,

Doubt has spread until we believe no narrator,

and lingered so long that we came to disbelieve none.

Yet the ordeal has lasted so long we no longer deny any narrator.

أُقَضّي نَهارِيَ طائِرَ النَفسِ حائِراً

أُقَضّي نَهارِيَ طائِرَ النَفسِ حائِراً

وَأَقطَعُ لَيلي كاسِفَ البالِ مَناهِيا

وَأَقطَعُ لَيلي كاسِفَ البالِ مَناهِيا

I spend my day, my soul aflutter, bewildered,

I spend my day with a fluttering soul, bewildered,

and pass my night, my mind darkened, vying with it.

And I traverse my night with a gloomy mind, consumed by trouble.

فَما هُم بِأَمواتٍ فَنَبكي عَلَيهُمُ

فَما هُم بِأَمواتٍ فَنَبكي عَلَيهُمُ

وَلا هُم بِأَحياءِ فَنَرجو التَلاقِيا

وَلا هُم بِأَحياءِ فَنَرجو التَلاقِيا

For they are not dead, that we might weep for them,

They are not dead, that we might weep for them,

nor are they alive, that we might hope for reunion.

Nor are they truly alive, that we might hope to meet again.

كَأَنّي بِهِم قَد أُخرِجوا مِن بُيوتِهِم

كَأَنّي بِهِم قَد أُخرِجوا مِن بُيوتِهِم

حُفاةً عُراةً جائِعينَ صَوادِيا

حُفاةً عُراةً جائِعينَ صَوادِيا

It is as though I see them driven from their homes,

I can almost see them, driven from their homes:

barefoot, naked, hungry, and thirsty.

Barefoot, naked, starving, and parched with thirst.