أيهاO الحيthe living one وماand what ضرbeginning of ‘harm’
أيها الحي وما ضر
رcompletion of ‘harm’ الورىhumankind لوif كنتyou were متاyou died
ر الورى لو كنت متا
O living one, what harm
O living one, what harm
would humankind suffer if you had died?
Would befall the world if you were mute
أوand is …? شعرpoetry ذاكthat لاno بلrather
أو شعر ذاك لا بل
حجرa stone ينحتis hewn نحتاhewing (for emphasis)
حجر ينحت نحتا
And is that poetry? No, rather
Or that poetry of yours not but
a stone being hewn.
A rock carved into carvings
تلقمyou feed mouthfuls to الناسthe people وترميand you pelt
تلقم الناس وترمي
همthem بهwith it فوقاabove وتحتاand below
هم به فوقا وتحتا
You cram it into people's mouths and pelt
You feed people and throw
them with it, above and below.
Them with it up and down
صحتI cried out منfrom يأسيmy despair لماwhen
صحت من يأسي لما
بركيكwith feeble الشعرpoetry صحتاyou cried out
بركيك الشعر صحتا
I cried out in my despair when
I recovered from my despair when
you cried out in feeble verse.
Your awful poetry recovered me
آهAh! ياO قاتلkiller ياO سفbeginning of ‘bloodshedder’
آه يا قاتل يا سف
فاكcompletion of ‘bloodshedder’ حتىeven أنتyou حتىeven
فاك حتى أنت حتى
Ah, O killer, O blood-
Oh what a killer, what a
shedder! Even you—even...
Murderer you are, even you, even you