بَرٌّland وَبَحْرٌand sea حَائِلاَtwo barriers (continued)
بَرٌّ وَبَحْرٌ حَائِلاَ
نِcompletes 'two barriers' وَفَوْقَand beyond مَاwhat وَسِعَاthey both encompass صِعَابُhardships
نِ وَفَوْقَ مَا وَسِعَا صِعَابُ
Land and sea stand as two barriers,
A land and sea blocking
and beyond all they encompass lie hardships.
My path, and beyond what was traversable lay difficulties.
أَلْبَاخِراتُthe steamships تَأَهَبتْmade ready
أَلْبَاخِراتُ تَأَهَبتْ
وَعَلاَand rose above مَدَاخِنَهَاtheir funnels سَحَابُa cloud
وَعَلاَ مَدَاخِنَهَا سَحَابُ
The steamships have made ready,
The steamers were made ready,
and a cloud rose above their funnels.
And above their funnels rose a cloud.
وَالْقَاطِرَاتُand the locomotives بِهَاin them نَشِيـhissing (continued)
وَالْقَاطِرَاتُ بِهَا نَشِيـ
ـشٌcompletes 'hissing' لِلتَّحَرُّكِto move وَاصْطِخَابُand clamor
ـشٌ لِلتَّحَرُّكِ وَاصْطِخَابُ
And the locomotives hiss
And in them was the hustle and bustle
to start moving, and roar.
Of movement and perturbation.
وَالطَّائِرَاتُand the airplanes يَكَادُalmost يُلْـare flung (continued)
وَالطَّائِرَاتُ يَكَادُ يُلْـ
ْـقَىcompletes 'are flung' عَنْfrom شَوَاكِلِهَاtheir flanks الرِّكَابُthe passengers
ْـقَى عَنْ شَوَاكِلِهَا الرِّكَابُ
And airplanes—almost flung
The aeroplanes - one would think
from their flanks are the passengers.
Their passengers were almost flung from their frames.
كَثُرَتْmultiplied وَسَائِلُmeans of الاقْتِرَاdrawing near (continued)
كَثُرَتْ وَسَائِلُ الاقْتِرَا
بِcompletes 'drawing near' وَأَيْنَand where مِنَّاfrom us الاقْتِرابُnearness
بِ وَأَيْنَ مِنَّا الاقْتِرابُ
Means of drawing near have multiplied,
The means of approach multiplied,
yet where, for us, is nearness?
Yet how far we still were from approaching!
أَبْغِيI seek الذَّهَابَdeparture فَفِيمَso why أُحْْـI am denied (continued)
أَبْغِي الذَّهَابَ فَفِيمَ أُحْْـ
ْـرَمُهُcompletes 'I am denied it' وَيَسْتَعْصِيand proves difficult الذَّهَابُdeparture
ْـرَمُهُ وَيَسْتَعْصِي الذَّهَابُ
I long to go—why am I denied
I wish to go, yet by what means
it, while going proves so hard?
Can I go, when going itself eludes me?
إِنِّيindeed I لَفِيsurely in دَارِيmy home وَفِيand in
إِنِّي لَفِي دَارِي وَفِي
قَلْبِيmy heart عَنِfrom الدَّارِthe home اغْتِرابُestrangement
قَلْبِي عَنِ الدَّارِ اغْتِرابُ
I am indeed in my home, yet in
Though I am in my house, estrangement
my heart there is estrangement from home.
From the house lies within my heart.
إِخْوَانُنَاour brothers ارْتَقَبُواawaited تَلاَour meeting (continued)
إِخْوَانُنَا ارْتَقَبُوا تَلاَ
قِينَاcompletes 'our meeting' فَماbut not أجْدَىavailed ارْتِقَابُwaiting
قِينَا فَما أجْدَى ارْتِقَابُ
Our brothers awaited our meeting;
Our brothers awaited our meeting -
but their waiting availed nothing.
Of what use was this waiting?
أَثْوِيI remain وَآلاَمِيand my pains مُبَرِّagonizing (continued)
أَثْوِي وَآلاَمِي مُبَرِّ
حَةٌcompletes 'agonizing' وَآمَالِيand my hopes غِضَابُangry
حَةٌ وَآمَالِي غِضَابُ
I remain, my pains agonizing,
I find rest, yet my pains
and my hopes angry.
Are eased, and my hopes angered.
وَلِغَضْبَةِand for the fury of الآمَالِthe hopes كَمْhow many
وَلِغَضْبَةِ الآمَالِ كَمْ
ظُفُرٌa claw تَصُولُthey strike بِهِwith it وَنَابَand a fang
ظُفُرٌ تَصُولُ بِهِ وَنَابَ
And hopes in their fury have so many
And through the anger of hopes,
claws to strike with, and fangs!
How often does its fang prevail and bite!
مَاذَاwhat جَنَيْتُI committed عَلَىagainst الْعُلَىgreatness
مَاذَا جَنَيْتُ عَلَى الْعُلَى
فيَنَالَنِيso it befalls me هَذَاthis الْعِقَابُpunishment
فيَنَالَنِي هَذَا الْعِقَابُ
What wrong have I done to greatness,
What have I gained from the lofty ones
that this punishment should befall me?
That I should suffer this punishment?
يَاO رُفْقَتِيmy companions هَيْهَاتَnever يَشْْـheals (continued)
يَا رُفْقَتِي هَيْهَاتَ يَشْْـ
ْـفِيcompletes 'heals' حُرْقَتِيmy burning anguish هَذَاthis الْخِطَابُaddress
ْـفِي حُرْقَتِي هَذَا الْخِطَابُ
O my companions, far from healing
O my companions! Alas, this address
my burning anguish is this address.
Will not assuage my burning pain.
كَيْفَhow العَرَائِشُthe vine arbors مُوقَدَاablaze (continued)
كَيْفَ العَرَائِشُ مُوقَدَا
تِcompletes 'ablaze' وَالمَدَارِجُand the terraces وَالْهِضَابُand the hills
تِ وَالمَدَارِجُ وَالْهِضَابُ
How are the vine arbors, all aglow,
How are the meadows ablaze,
and the terraces and hills?
The hills and dales?
هَلْdoes يَزْخَرُoverflow الْوَادِيthe valley وَتُخْْـand miss me (continued)
هَلْ يَزْخَرُ الْوَادِي وَتُخْْـ
ْـطِئُنِيcompletes 'miss me' مَوَارِدُهُits watering places الْعِذَابُthe sweet
ْـطِئُنِي مَوَارِدُهُ الْعِذَابُ
Does the valley overflow, while
Will the valley teem, and its springs
its sweet watering places elude me?
Make my misfortunes gush forth?
تِلْكَthose الرَّقَائِقُthe thin sheets مَدَّهُنَّspread them out
تِلْكَ الرَّقَائِقُ مَدَّهُنَّ
النَّهْرُthe river فيin كَبِديmy liver حِرَابُspears
النَّهْرُ في كَبِدي حِرَابُ
Those thin sheets spread out by
Those gentle beauties the river extends -
the river are spears in my liver.
In my heart there is nothing but war.
لَيْسَdoes not النَّدِيمُthe drinking companion مُسَرِّياًdispelling
لَيْسَ النَّدِيمُ مُسَرِّياً
عَنِّيfrom me الْهُمُومَthe cares وَلاَnor الشَّرَابُwine
عَنِّي الْهُمُومَ وَلاَ الشَّرَابُ
No drinking companion can dispel
Neither the cupbearer or wine
my cares, nor can wine.
Can dispel my cares.
لاَno بَلْrather لِيَغْفِرْlet it forgive لِلْحَيَاto life (continued)
لاَ بَلْ لِيَغْفِرْ لِلْحَيَا
ةِcompletes 'life' ذُنُوبَهَاits sins هَذَاthis المَتَابُrepentance
ةِ ذُنُوبَهَا هَذَا المَتَابُ
No—rather, let life be forgiven
Rather, may this book forgive
its sins by this repentance.
The sins of life!
يُوبِيلُthe jubilee of شُكْرِيShukri قَائِمٌis underway
يُوبِيلُ شُكْرِي قَائِمٌ
وتَضِيقُand grow cramped بِالْحَشْدِwith the throng الرِّحَابُthe courtyards
وتَضِيقُ بِالْحَشْدِ الرِّحَابُ
Shukri's jubilee is underway,
My gratitude stands fulfilled,
and the courtyards grow cramped with the throng.
Yet the vastness constrains.
أعْيَانُthe notables of زَحْلَةَZahle حَوْلَهُaround him
أعْيَانُ زَحْلَةَ حَوْلَهُ
وَبَنُوand the sons of الْعُمُومَةِpaternal uncles وَالصِّحَابُand the friends
وَبَنُو الْعُمُومَةِ وَالصِّحَابُ
Zahle's notables are around him,
The notables of Saida surround him
and cousins and friends.
Kin and comrades...
حَفْلٌa celebration يُكَرِّمُهُhonors him وَلاَand no
حَفْلٌ يُكَرِّمُهُ وَلاَ
دَخَلٌguile هُنَاكَthere وَلاَnor ارْتِيَابُdoubt
دَخَلٌ هُنَاكَ وَلاَ ارْتِيَابُ
A celebration honors him, with no
A throng honouring him, with no
guile there, and no doubt,
Doubt or misgiving there.
فيin مِهْرَجَانٍa festival بَاهِرٍdazzling
في مِهْرَجَانٍ بَاهِرٍ
زِينَاتُهُits decorations عَجَبٌa wonder عُجَابُastonishing
زِينَاتُهُ عَجَبٌ عُجَابُ
at a dazzling festival
At a resplendent festival
whose decorations are a wonder of wonders.
Whose adornments are wondrous marvels.
رَاعَتْinspired awe حِلاَهَits adornments وَلَمْand did not يُخَلِّْـimmortalize (continued)
رَاعَتْ حِلاَهَ وَلَمْ يُخَلِّْـ
ْـدُcompletes 'immortalize' مِثْلَthe like of ذِكْرَاهُits memory كِتَابُa book
ْـدُ مِثْلَ ذِكْرَاهُ كِتَابُ
Its adornments inspired awe; never has
Minds are vacant, and nothing like
a book immortalized a memory like its own.
His mention occupies books.
بِالْقَلْبِin the heart أَحْضُرُهُI attend it وَلَمْand has not
بِالْقَلْبِ أَحْضُرُهُ وَلَمْ
يَحْجُبْveil سِوَىexcept الْجِسْمِthe body الْغِيَابُabsence
يَحْجُبْ سِوَى الْجِسْمِ الْغِيَابُ
I attend it in my heart, and
In my heart I attend though
absence has veiled nothing but my body.
Nothing but the body is absent.
أَنَحِيبُO Nahib (name as written) إِنْif تُبْلِغْهُمُyou convey to them
أَنَحِيبُ إِنْ تُبْلِغْهُمُ
عُذْرِيmy excuse فَقَدْthen surely أُمِنَis guarded against الْعِتَابُreproach
عُذْرِي فَقَدْ أُمِنَ الْعِتَابُ
O Nahib, if you convey to them
Shall I wail if they convey
my excuse, reproach will be averted.
My excuse? For blame is precluded.
قُوْلُthe word of الطَّبِيبِthe physician وَأَنْتَand you قَاits speaker (continued)
قُوْلُ الطَّبِيبِ وَأَنْتَ قَا
ئِلُهُcompletes 'its speaker' شَهِيٌّsweet مُسْتَطَابُpleasing
ئِلُهُ شَهِيٌّ مُسْتَطَابُ
The physician's word, when you speak
A doctor’s word, when you state it,
it, is sweet and pleasing.
Is esteemed and refined.
أَلعِلْمُlearning وَالأَدَبُand literature الَّذِيwhich
أَلعِلْمُ وَالأَدَبُ الَّذِي
يَجْلُوهُhe illuminates it وَالفّضْلُand virtue اللُّبَابُthe pure essence
يَجْلُوهُ وَالفّضْلُ اللُّبَابُ
Learning, and the literature that
The knowledge and manners that polish him,
he illuminates, and virtue in its purest form,
And the merit that adorns him.
وَسَمَاحَةُand the generosity of الآسِيthe healer المُؤاthe consoling (continued)
وَسَمَاحَةُ الآسِي المُؤا
سِيcompletes 'the consoling' كَمْhow many بِهَاthrough them لِلْخَيْرِfor goodness بَابُdoors
سِي كَمْ بِهَا لِلْخَيْرِ بَابُ
and the generosity of the consoling healer—
And the tolerance of that gentle,
how many doors to goodness they open!
Compassionate soul - how many doors to good they open!
مَاwhat حَالُthe condition of شُكْرِيShukri هَلْdo تَرَىyou think
مَا حَالُ شُكْرِي هَلْ تَرَى
عَنْfrom فَوْدِهِhis temple طَارَhas flown الغُرَابُthe raven
عَنْ فَوْدِهِ طَارَ الغُرَابُ
How fares Shukri? Do you think
What of my gratitude? Do you think
the raven has flown from his temple?
It has flown from his presence like the crow?
أَمْor صَرَّحْتْspoke plainly نُذُرُthe portents of المَشِيْـgray hair (continued)
أَمْ صَرَّحْتْ نُذُرُ المَشِيْـ
ْـبِcompletes 'gray hair' وَظَلَّand continued يُنْكِرُهَاdenying them الشَّبَابُyouth
ْـبِ وَظَلَّ يُنْكِرُهَا الشَّبَابُ
Or have the portents of gray hair spoken plainly,
Or have the vows of my passion declared themselves,
while youth still denies them?
While the youths continue to deny them?
تَدْرِيknows الصِّحَافَةُthe press مَنْwho فَتَىthe young champion of الْْـthe (continued)
تَدْرِي الصِّحَافَةُ مَنْ فَتَى الْْـ
أَقْوَامِpeoples إِنْif عَزَّis hard الطِّلاَبُthe search
أَقْوَامِ إِنْ عَزَّ الطِّلاَبُ
The press knows who the champion of
The press knows who the brave one of the
the peoples is, if the search proves hard.
People is, be the students many or few.
رَجُلٌa man صَلِيبُsturdy الْعُودِof timber فيin الْْـthe (continued)
رَجُلٌ صَلِيبُ الْعُودِ في الْْـ
ْـجُلّىgreat ordeal وَإِنْand even if نَضُرَis fresh الإِهَابُthe skin
ْـجُلّى وَإِنْ نَضُرَ الإِهَابُ
A man of sturdy timber in the
A man with a wooden sword in deadly earnest,
great ordeal, though his skin is fresh.
Though his eyebrows be delicate.
ذَرِبُkeen الْيَرَاعَةِof pen لاَnot يَفُلُّblunts
ذَرِبُ الْيَرَاعَةِ لاَ يَفُلُّ
شَبَاةَthe edge of صَارِمَهِhis sharp sword الضِّرَابُblows
شَبَاةَ صَارِمَهِ الضِّرَابُ
Keen of pen; blows do not blunt
Dexterous with the staff, his blows
the edge of his sharp sword.
Defend the rights of the country without fear.
طَلْقُfluent اللِّسَانِof tongue يَذُودُhe defends عَنْon behalf of
طَلْقُ اللِّسَانِ يَذُودُ عَنْ
حَقِّthe rights of الْبِلاَدِthe country وَلاَand not يَهَابُhe fears
حَقِّ الْبِلاَدِ وَلاَ يَهَابُ
Fluent of tongue, he defends
In his seriousness and jest
the country's rights, and is unafraid.
Lies the essence of events and jesting.
فيin جِدِّهِhis earnestness وَدِعَابَهَand his jesting
في جِدِّهِ وَدِعَابَهَ
جِدُّthe earnestness of الْحَوَادِثِevents وَالدِّعَابُand jesting
جِدُّ الْحَوَادِثِ وَالدِّعَابُ
In his earnestness and his jesting
A critic of truth - rarely does
are the earnestness of events and their jests.
His writing transgress what is right.
نَقَّادُa discerning critic صِدْقٍtruthfulness قَلَّمَاseldom
نَقَّادُ صِدْقٍ قَلَّمَا
يَعْدُوpasses beyond مَقَالَتَهُhis statement الصَّوَابُcorrectness
يَعْدُو مَقَالَتَهُ الصَّوَابُ
An honest critic; seldom
If he seeks nothing but reform,
does truth pass his words by.
What flaw can be found?
إِنْnot يَبْتَغِيhe seeks إِلاَّexcept الصَّلاَreform (continued)
إِنْ يَبْتَغِي إِلاَّ الصَّلاَ
حَcompletes 'reform' وَهَلْand is there عَلَيْهِagainst him فِيهِin it عَابُa fault
حَ وَهَلْ عَلَيْهِ فِيهِ عَابُ
He seeks nothing but reform;
However much we extol his reward,
and can he be blamed for that?
From us it is but little reward.
مَهْمَاhowever much يَجِلَّgrows great ثَوَابُهُhis reward
مَهْمَا يَجِلَّ ثَوَابُهُ
مِنَّاfrom us فَقَدْthen indeed قَلَّhas fallen short الثَّوَابُthe reward
مِنَّا فَقَدْ قَلَّ الثَّوَابُ
However great his reward
from us, that reward is still too small.
Partial English translation: 72 of 74 Arabic lines translated.