أيwhat رزءٍcalamity قدindeed هدَّcrushed عزميmy resolve وهدَّمand demolished
أي رزءٍ قد هدَّ عزمي وهدَّم
ركنpillar سعديmy happiness وصيَّرand turned العرسthe wedding مأتمُa funeral
ركن سعدي وصيَّر العرس مأتمُ
What calamity has crushed my resolve and demolished
Oh soul that my resolve has extended and destroyed
the pillar of my happiness, turning the wedding into a funeral!
The pillar of my happiness and turned the wedding into a funeral
كلall ماthat قدalready بنيتهُI built it فيover سنينٍyears
كل ما قد بنيتهُ في سنينٍ
باجتهاديthrough my striving فيin ساعةٍan hour قدalready تهدَّمcollapsed
باجتهادي في ساعةٍ قد تهدَّم
All that I had built over years
All that I had built in years
through my striving has collapsed in an hour.
With my diligence was destroyed in an instant
قدindeed كفَتwas enough لحظةٌa moment لتبدلto change صفويmy serenity
قد كفَت لحظةٌ لتبدل صفوي
باعتكارٍinto murk وحلوَand the sweetness of عيشيmy life بعلقمinto bitter colocynth
باعتكارٍ وحلوَ عيشي بعلقم
A moment was enough to change my serenity
A moment was enough to change my nature
to murk, and my life's sweetness to bitter colocynth.
To gloominess and the sweetness of my life to bitterness
ضاعwas lost رشديmy reason فلستُso I do not أدريknow أفيwhether in الthe (article of 'wakefulness')
ضاع رشدي فلستُ أدري أفي ال
يقظةِwakefulness أصبحتُI have become أمor أرانيI see myself أحلمI dream
يقظةِ أصبحتُ أم أراني أحلم
My reason is lost; I do not know whether
I lost my sanity so I don't know if I am
I am awake or see myself dreaming.
Awake or dreaming
آهah ياO جانُJan منwho يصدقُbelieves هذاthis
آه يا جانُ من يصدقُ هذا
كيفhow تغدوbecomes هذهthis الحمامةُthe dove أَرقمa speckled serpent
كيف تغدو هذه الحمامةُ أَرقم
Ah, Jan, who could believe this?
Oh Jean who can believe this
How does this dove become a speckled serpent?
How can this dove become a crow
كيفhow هذاthis العفَافُchastity يُصبحُbecomes خزياًdisgrace
كيف هذا العفَافُ يُصبحُ خزياً
كيفhow هذاthis الملاكُthe angel يجنيcommits wrongdoing ويأثمand sins
كيف هذا الملاكُ يجني ويأثم
How does this chastity turn to disgrace?
How can this chastity become disgrace
How does this angel commit wrong and sin?
How can this angel commit sins and wrongdoings
ياoh لكأسٍwhat a cup أعددتُهاI prepared it لشرابيfor my drink
يا لكأسٍ أعددتُها لشرابي
فسقتنيso it gave me drink نعمyes ولكنbut سقتit gave drink سمpoison
فسقتني نعم ولكن سقت سم
Oh, what a cup I prepared to drink from!
Oh cup that I prepared for my drink
It gave me drink, yes—but gave me poison.
It quenched my thirst but poured poison
ونعيمٍand bliss خبأتهI stored it away لهنائيfor my happiness
ونعيمٍ خبأته لهنائي
فأَرانيso it showed me منof الشقاءِmisery جهنَّمhell
فأَراني من الشقاءِ جهنَّم
And bliss I had stored away for my happiness—
And the bliss I hid for my delight
it showed me a hell of misery!
Showed me hell and misery
آهah ياO جانُJan لستُI am not أعجبُsurprised منat هthis (first part)
آه يا جانُ لستُ أعجبُ من ه
ذاthis (completion) أَماare ... not? أنتyou ذاتُpossessing أصلan origin معظَّمexalted
ذا أَما أنت ذاتُ أصل معظَّم
Ah, Jan, I am not surprised at
Oh Jean I'm not surprised by this
this—are you not of exalted birth?
Since you are of noble origin
لوif تكونينyou were منamong بنيthe children of الشعبيthe common people مثليlike me
لو تكونين من بني الشعبي مثلي
كنتyou would be أحنىmore tender علىtoward ولائيmy devotion وارحمand more merciful
كنت أحنى على ولائي وارحم
Were you of the common people, like me,
If you were from my common people
you would be gentler toward my devotion and more merciful.
I would have been more loyal and merciful
إِنماonly أنتyou منfrom سلالةa lineage of أقواpeoples (first part)
إِنما أنت من سلالة أقوا
مpeoples (completion) تمشىspread الفسادُcorruption منهمُamong them بالدمthrough the blood
م تمشى الفسادُ منهمُ بالدم
You are but descended from a people
But you are from a family of mighty
in whose blood corruption has spread.
Evil flows in their blood
لستِyou are not انتِyou التيthe one who اجترمتِcommitted the crime
لستِ انتِ التي اجترمتِ
ولكنbut دماًblood فيin عروقكِyour veins اليومtoday أجرمcommitted the crime
ولكن دماً في عروقكِ اليوم أجرم
It is not you who committed the crime,
It's not you who sinned
but blood in your veins that committed it today.
But the blood in your veins today is sinful
فاذهبيso go ياO ابنةَdaughter of الكرامِthe nobles فلاso do not تلقينَsee
فاذهبي يا ابنةَ الكرامِ فلا تلقينَ
وجهيmy face بعدafter الذيwhat قدalready تقدَّمhappened
وجهي بعد الذي قد تقدَّم
Then go, daughter of nobles, and do not see
So go daughter of nobility do not meet
my face again after what has happened.
My face again after what has passed
إرجعيreturn لقصورِto palaces ياO بنتَdaughter of تالبوتَTalbot
إرجعي لقصورِ يا بنتَ تالبوتَ
وخليand leave بيتيmy home الحقيرَthe lowly المهدَّمthe ruined
وخلي بيتي الحقيرَ المهدَّم
Return to the palaces, daughter of Talbot,
Go back to your mansions oh daughter of Thalbot
and leave my lowly, ruined home.
And leave my humble demolished house
فهوfor it أسمىloftier لديin my eyes قدراًin worth منthan القصرِthe palace مisolated mīm; meaning unclear
فهو أسمى لدي قدراً من القصرِ م
الذيwhich شادهُhe built it أبوكِyour father وأفخمand grander
الذي شادهُ أبوكِ وأفخم
For, in my eyes, it is higher in worth than the palace
It is dearer to me than the palace
your father built, and more magnificent.
Built by your father in splendor
إِذهبيgo إذهبيgo رثيِinherit المالَthe wealth والجاand the rank (first part)
إِذهبي إذهبي رثيِ المالَ والجا
هrank (completion) وخليand leave هذاthis الفقيرthe pauper المتيَّمthe love-stricken
ه وخلي هذا الفقير المتيَّم
Go, go; inherit the wealth and
Go, go enjoy the money and fame
rank, and leave this love-stricken pauper.
And leave this poor miserable one
هكذاthus قدindeed قضىdecreed ليfor me الدهرُfate أنthat أحيىI live
هكذا قد قضى لي الدهرُ أن أحيى
شقياًwretched دونunlike الأَنامhumankind وأُظلمand I am wronged
شقياً دون الأَنام وأُظلم
Thus has fate decreed that I should live
Thus fate has decided I live
wretched, unlike the rest of mankind, and wronged.
Miserable while people enjoy injustice
آهah قدalready جئتَyou came بعدafter وقتكyour time ياO خنdagger (first part)
آه قد جئتَ بعد وقتك يا خن
جرdagger (completion) ويلاهُalas for me ليتنيif only I كنتُI was أعلمaware
جر ويلاهُ ليتني كنتُ أعلم
Ah, you have come too late, O
Oh you came too late, O dagger
dagger! Alas for me—if only I had known!
Woe to me, I wish I had known
كيفhow تعدوyou run هناhere قريباًnearby وينجوand escapes
كيف تعدو هنا قريباً وينجو
ذلكthat الوغدُscoundrel منfrom يديَّmy two hands ويسلمand remains unharmed
ذلك الوغدُ من يديَّ ويسلم
How can you dart so near here, while
How did that rogue escape from my hand safely?
that scoundrel escapes my hands unharmed?
You are of no use to me now O dagger, go away rather come closer
لمno longer تَعُدremains ليfor me منany حاجةٍneed بكof you ياO خنdagger (first part)
لم تَعُد لي من حاجةٍ بك يا خن
جرُdagger (completion) فابعُدso go away لاno بلrather إليtoward me تقدمcome forward
جرُ فابعُد لا بل إلي تقدم
I no longer have any need of you, O
For your edge contains the cure for a
dagger—go away! No, come toward me instead.
Burning soul and anguished chest
إِنindeed فيin حدِّكَyour edge الشفاءُhealing لنفسٍfor a soul
إِن في حدِّكَ الشفاءُ لنفسٍ
تتلظّىblazes ومهجةٍand a heart تتأَلَمis in pain
تتلظّى ومهجةٍ تتأَلَم
In your edge lies healing for a soul
Come to me, land generously
ablaze, and a heart in pain.
And save my soul from sorrow and distress
فإليكso to you الفؤادthe heart فانزلso descend علىwith الرحبwelcome
فإليك الفؤاد فانزل على الرحب
وخلصand free نفسيmy soul منfrom الحزنsorrow والغمand grief
وخلص نفسي من الحزن والغم
So here is my heart—descend, and be welcome,
Shall I die without taking vengeance?
and free my soul from sorrow and grief.
Shall I meet doom while my enemy enjoys?
لاno أأقضيshall I perish? منfrom غيرِother than أخذٍtaking بثأريmy revenge
لا أأقضي من غيرِ أخذٍ بثأري
أألاقيshall I meet? الردىdeath وخصميand my foe ينعمenjoys bliss
أألاقي الردى وخصمي ينعم
No! Shall I perish without taking my revenge?
No, I will live for revenge, for
Shall I meet death while my foe enjoys bliss?
Killing him will make life sweeter
بلrather سأحياI shall live للانتقامfor vengeance فإِنfor if
بل سأحيا للانتقام فإِن
أَقتلهُI kill him يغدُwill become الحِمامُdeath أعذبَsweetest مطعمfare
أَقتلهُ يغدُ الحِمامُ أعذبَ مطعم
Rather, I shall live for vengeance; for if
I wonder how can I get to him
I kill him, death will become the sweetest fare.
When he is the mightiest and greatest
ليتَwould that شعريmy knowledge كيفhow السبيلُthe way إِليهِto him
ليتَ شعري كيف السبيلُ إِليهِ
وهوwhile he أَقوىstrongest الورىhumankind نفوذاًin influence وأعظمand greatest
وهو أَقوى الورى نفوذاً وأعظم
If only I knew how to reach him!
If I go to the palace and ask about him
Yet he is the most powerful of mortals in influence, and the greatest.
My reward is insult and abuse
إنif أتيتI come البلاطthe court أَسألُI ask عنهُabout him
إن أتيت البلاط أَسألُ عنهُ
فجزائيthen my reward أَنيthat I أُهانُI am humiliated وأُشتَمand I am insulted
فجزائي أَني أُهانُ وأُشتَم
If I come to court to ask about him,
My God is there no one courageous
my reward is to be humiliated and insulted.
To take my revenge and profit my soul?
ياO إِلهيmy God أَليسis there not? فيamong الناسpeople شهمٌa noble-hearted man
يا إِلهي أَليس في الناس شهمٌ
يتَولَّىundertakes ثأريmy vengeance ونفسيَand my life يَغنمgains as a prize
يتَولَّى ثأري ونفسيَ يَغنم
O my God, is there no noble-hearted man among the people
Whoever takes my life in return
who will undertake my vengeance and claim my life as his prize?
For avenging me, buying blood with blood
ذيthis حياتيmy life منwho يبتغيهاseeks it جزاءًas a reward
ذي حياتي من يبتغيها جزاءً
لانتقاميfor my revenge منwho يشتريbuys الدمَblood بالدمwith blood
لانتقامي من يشتري الدمَ بالدم
Here is my life—who desires it as payment
for avenging me? Who will buy blood with blood?
Partial English translation: 54 of 56 Arabic lines translated.