شُقَّcleave الفضاءthe heavens بنوركwith your light المتجددِever-renewing
شُقَّ الفضاء بنورك المتجددِ
ياO ليتwould that شعريmy knowledge: ماwhat تخبئُyou conceal فيin غدِtomorrow؟
يا ليت شعري: ما تخبئُ في غدِ؟
Cleave the heavens with your ever-renewing light.
You split the sky with your renewed light
Would that I knew what you conceal in tomorrow!
I wonder: what does tomorrow hide?
لقدindeed مضىhas passed عامٌa year عرفتُI knew صروفهits vicissitudes
لقد مضى عامٌ عرفتُ صروفه
وعييتُand I was baffled بالغيبby the unseen الذيwhich لمnot يوجدcome into being
وعييتُ بالغيب الذي لم يوجد
A year has passed whose vicissitudes I came to know,
A year has passed, I knew its twists,
and I was baffled by the unseen that has not yet come to be.
I grew tired of the unseen that did not exist
رصدواthey observed النجومthe stars، ورحتand I set about أرصدobserving شيخهاtheir elder
رصدوا النجوم، ورحت أرصد شيخها
شيخَelder of النجومthe stars الزُّهْرthe radiant، علَّكperhaps you مرشديmy guide!
شيخَ النجوم الزُّهْر، علَّك مرشدي!
They watched the stars; I set about watching their elder,
They observed the stars, and I went observing their elder
elder of the radiant stars—perhaps you will be my guide!
The elder of the stars, O crescent, perhaps you are my guide!
يَاO ابْنَson of الظلامdarkness، أماhave you not تعبتَgrown weary منof السُّرىnight travel؟
يَا ابْنَ الظلام، أما تعبتَ من السُّرى؟
أبدًاforever تروحُyou go at dusk علىover الأنامhumankind وتغتديand you go at dawn
أبدًا تروحُ على الأنام وتغتدي
O son of darkness, have you not tired of night journeys?
O son of darkness, are you not tired of travelling?
Forever you pass over humankind at dusk and dawn.
You always go to people and settle down
شيَّبتyou turned gray ناصيةthe forelock of القرونthe centuries ولمand not تزلyou cease
شيَّبت ناصية القرون ولم تزل
طفلاًa child، تُطالعناyou appear before us بوجهٍwith a face أمرَدbeardless
طفلاً، تُطالعنا بوجهٍ أمرَد
You have turned the centuries' forelock gray, yet remain
The centuries grew old but you still
a child, appearing before us with a beardless face.
Remain a child, looking at us with a blind eye
تمضيpasses الحياةُlife، فلاand does not تعودُreturn إذاwhen مضتit has passed
تمضي الحياةُ، فلا تعودُ إذا مضت
وأراكand I see you تختتمyou end الحياةَlife وتبتديand you begin
وأراك تختتم الحياةَ وتبتدي
Life passes and never returns once it is gone,
Life passes, and if it passes, it does not return
yet I see you end life and begin it anew.
And I see you conclude life and start over
حتَّامhow long تضربyou wander فيthrough الدياجيthe dark nights هائمًاlost
حتَّام تضرب في الدياجي هائمًا
تهديyou guide الأنامhumankind ولاand not إخالكI think you تهتديyou find your way؟
تهدي الأنام ولا إخالك تهتدي؟
How long will you wander through the dark nights, lost,
Will you not eventually wander confused in the dark
guiding humankind, though I doubt you find your own way?
Guiding people while you yourself are not guided?
رقدslept الأنامُhumankind خليُّهمtheir carefree ones وشجيُّهمand their sorrowful ones
رقد الأنامُ خليُّهم وشجيُّهم
وظلِلْتَand you remained وحدكby yourself ساهرًاwakeful لمnot ترقدyou slept
وظلِلْتَ وحدك ساهرًا لم ترقد
Humankind sleeps, its carefree and sorrowful alike,
The people slept, both their meek and their valiant
while you alone remain wakeful, never sleeping.
While you alone stayed up awake without sleeping
ولقدand indeed حسبتكَI thought you بالسلامof peace مبشرًاa herald
ولقد حسبتكَ بالسلام مبشرًا
فبرزتَso you appeared مثلlike الخِنجِرthe dagger المتجرِّدunsheathed
فبرزتَ مثل الخِنجِر المتجرِّد
I had thought you a herald of peace,
I thought you were the herald of peace
but you appeared like an unsheathed dagger.
But you came out like an unsheathed dagger
الشرقُthe East مضطرمaflame الجوانحthe inner breast ثائرٌin revolt
الشرقُ مضطرم الجوانح ثائرٌ
والغربُand the West يهدرroars كالخضمlike the ocean المزبدfoaming
والغربُ يهدر كالخضم المزبد
The East is aflame within, in revolt,
The East is inflamed, in revolt
and the West roars like a foaming ocean.
And the West roars like raging foam
إنيindeed I أرىsee نارًاa fire أُعِدَّwas prepared هشيمُهاits dry brushwood
إني أرى نارًا أُعِدَّ هشيمُها
وثقابهاand its kindling، لكنهاbut it لمnot توقدwas lit
وثقابها، لكنها لم توقد
I see a fire whose dry brushwood has been made ready,
I see a fire whose wood was prepared
and its kindling too, yet it has not been lit.
As well as its kindling, but it was not lit
عامٌa year، وآخرand another: مقبلٌarriving، ومودعٌand departing
عامٌ، وآخر: مقبلٌ، ومودعٌ
شيعتُI escorted to burial نعشًاa bier، واحتفلتُand I celebrated بمولدat a birth
شيعتُ نعشًا، واحتفلتُ بمولد
One year and another: one arriving, one departing.
A year, and another – one welcomed, and one bid farewell
I followed a funeral bier and celebrated a birth.
I walked one funeral, and celebrated one birth
ولَّىdeparted القديمthe old، فماand not ظفرتI gained بطائلٍanything worthwhile
ولَّى القديم، فما ظفرت بطائلٍ
وأتىand came الجديدthe new، فهلso is it? ترىyou think هوit مُسعديone who makes me happy؟
وأتى الجديد، فهل ترى هو مُسعدي؟
The old departed, and I gained nothing worthwhile;
The old is gone, and I gained nothing of value
the new has come—do you think it will bring me joy?
And the new came, but do you think it will make me prosperous?
ولقدand indeed تشابهتresembled one another السنونَthe years، كأننيas though I
ولقد تشابهت السنونَ، كأنني
ماnot عشتI lived عمريَmy lifetime غيرَother than عامٍa year مفرَدsingle
ما عشت عمريَ غيرَ عامٍ مفرَد
The years have grown so alike, as though
The years resembled one another, as if
I had lived, in all my life, only a single year.
I only lived a single isolated year
قالواthey said: عجبناwe are amazed! ماwhat لشعركwith your verse نَائحًاlamenting
قالوا: عجبنا! ما لشعرك نَائحًا
فيat العيدthe feast؟ ماnot هذاthis بشدوthe singing of معيِّدa celebrant
في العيد؟ ما هذا بشدو معيِّد
They said, 'We are amazed! Why does your verse lament
They wondered: Why does your poetry mourn
at the feast? This is no celebrant's song!'
During celebration? This is not a joyful melody!
ماwhat حيلةrecourse العصفورthe sparrow قَضُّواthey clipped ريشةa feather
ما حيلة العصفور قَضُّوا ريشة
ورمَوْهand they threw it فيinto قفصa cage وقالواand they said: غرِّدsing!؟
ورمَوْه في قفص وقالوا: غرِّد؟
What can the sparrow do? They clipped its feather
What can the bird do when its feathers are plucked
and threw it into a cage, then told it, 'Sing!'
And it is caged and told: Sing!
ياO ليتwould that شعريmy knowledge، ياO هلالcrescent، أعائدare you returning?
يا ليت شعري، يا هلال، أعائد
للمسلمينto the Muslims بنصرwith victory for دينthe faith of محمدMuhammad؟
للمسلمين بنصر دين محمد؟
Would that I knew, O crescent: are you returning
I wonder, O crescent, will I return
to the Muslims with victory for the faith of Muhammad?
With victory of Muhammad's religion to the Muslims?
أتعيدwill you restore? للجمعاتto Friday gatherings سابقformer عهدهاtheir condition؟
أتعيد للجمعات سابق عهدها؟
أتعيدwill you restore? للإسلامto Islam مجدَthe glory of المسجدthe mosque؟
أتعيد للإسلام مجدَ المسجد؟
Will you restore the Friday gatherings to what they once were?
Will I restore to the Fridays their old covenant?
Will you restore to Islam the glory of the mosque?
Will I restore to Islam the glory of the mosque?
أدركتَyou witnessed عهدthe age of الراشدينthe Rightly Guided Caliphs بيثربِin Yathrib
أدركتَ عهد الراشدين بيثربِ
وحدتهاand you led it بينamong النجومthe stars الحسدthe envious
وحدتها بين النجوم الحسد
You witnessed the age of the Rightly Guided Caliphs in Yathrib,
You saw the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs in Yathrib
and led it among the envious stars.
When it united the stars despite their envy
وشهدتand you witnessed دولةthe dynasty of عبدAbd شمسShams حينماwhen
وشهدت دولة عبد شمس حينما
بلغreached الوليدُal-Walid بهاwith it عنانthe heights of الفرقدal-Farqad
بلغ الوليدُ بها عنان الفرقد
You witnessed the dynasty of Abd Shams when
And you witnessed the state of Abd al-Shams when
al-Walid brought it to the heights of al-Farqad.
Al-Walid in it pulled on the reins forcefully
ولقدand indeed طَلَعْتَyou rose علىover بنيthe descendants of العباسal-Abbas إذwhen
ولقد طَلَعْتَ على بني العباس إذ
جلسsat الرشيدal-Rashid معwith السُّهاal-Suha فيin مقعدa seat
جلس الرشيد مع السُّها في مقعد
You rose over the descendants of al-Abbas when
And you certainly rose over the Abbasids when
al-Rashid sat beside al-Suha upon a seat.
Al-Rashid sat with Suhah in position
لهفيmy grief عليهاfor it دولةa realm قدindeed أوشكتnearly
لهفي عليها دولة قد أوشكت
تمتدُّextends حتىas far as ساحلthe shore of المتجمدthe frozen ocean!
تمتدُّ حتى ساحل المتجمد!
Alas for that realm, which almost
My craving for it is a state that was about to
stretched to the frozen ocean's shore!
Extend to the coast of the frozen north!
للشرقthe East has ماضa past، كلماwhenever سنحتappeared لهto it
للشرق ماض، كلما سنحت له
ذكراهits memory يزفرُit heaves زفرةa sigh المتنهدof one sighing
ذكراه يزفرُ زفرة المتنهد
The East has a past; whenever there comes to it
The East has a past, whenever
its memory, it heaves a deep, sorrowful sigh.
Its memories were recalled, it sighs the sigh of one who grieves
الشرقthe East يأملhopes أنthat تَحُلَّyou loosen وثَاقَهits bonds
الشرق يأمل أن تَحُلَّ وثَاقَه
جرتran الشعوبُthe peoples، وسارand it moved سيرwith the gait of المقعدthe crippled
جرت الشعوبُ، وسار سير المقعد
The East hopes that you will loosen its bonds;
The East hopes that its shackles will be removed
the peoples ran, while it moved with a cripple's gait.
The nations have marched, and the throne marched
لهفيmy grief عليهfor it منسَّباnoble in lineage لمdid not يُجدهbenefit it
لهفي عليه منسَّبا لم يُجده
طيبُpurity of النجارstock ولاnor كريمُnobility of المحتدancestry!
طيبُ النجار ولا كريمُ المحتد!
Alas for it, noble in lineage, yet unhelped by
My craving for someone who can trace his lineage to it but cannot be found
the purity of its stock or the nobility of its descent!
Neither as good as al-Najjar nor as generous as al-Muhtad!
بتناwe have come to نعيشlive بذكرياتon memories of جدودناour forefathers
بتنا نعيش بذكريات جدودنا
هيهاتَhow far apart!! ليسis not الحرthe free person كالمستعبدَlike the enslaved person
هيهاتَ! ليس الحر كالمستعبدَ
We have come to live on memories of our forefathers.
We now live by the memories of our ancestors
How far apart! The free are not like the enslaved.
Alas! The free man is not like the enslaved
أينhow far الجبالُthe mountains منcompared with التلالthe hills أوor الرباthe knolls؟
أين الجبالُ من التلال أو الربا؟
أينhow far القوىthe strong منcompared with الضعيفthe weak القعْددthe craven idler؟
أين القوى من الضعيف القعْدد؟
How far are mountains from hills or knolls!
Where are the mountains compared to the hills or the dunes?
How far is the strong from the weak, craven idler!
Where are the strong compared to the frail weakling?
لاnot القومُthe people منيof me لاno، ولاnor أناI منهموone of them
لا القومُ مني لا، ولا أنا منهمو
إنif لمnot أفُقْهمI surpass them فيin العُلاَeminence والسؤدُدand nobility
إن لم أفُقْهم في العُلاَ والسؤدُد
Those people are not of me—no, nor am I of them—
They are not of me, nor am I of them
if I do not surpass them in eminence and nobility.
If I do not make them rise in glory and steadfastness
كانwere الجدودُthe forefathers لهمthey had شرّىa lion-haunted thicket يأوونَهُthey sheltered in it
كان الجدودُ لهم شرّى يأوونَهُ
ولناand we have وكورٌnests منwhoever يردهاcomes to them يصطدcatches prey
ولنا وكورٌ من يردها يصطد
Our forefathers had a lion's thicket to shelter in;
Their ancestors were lions they could take refuge with
while we have nests: whoever comes to them catches prey.
While we have huts – whoever wants them can hunt
كانواthey were مغاورَbold raiders يعتدونthey assailed علىagainst الورىhumankind
كانوا مغاورَ يعتدون على الورى
فإذاand behold بنوهمtheir sons عرضةٌtargets للمعتديfor the aggressor
فإذا بنوهم عرضةٌ للمعتدي
They were bold raiders, assailing humankind;
They were caves they prided themselves on attacking the land
yet their sons are targets for the aggressor.
Yet their sons are exposed prey to the aggressor
صالواthey charged برمحwith a spear ذابلslender ومهندٍand an Indian-steel sword
صالوا برمح ذابل ومهندٍ
عضْبٍkeen-edged، ونعجزand we are unable أنto نصولcharge بمبردwith a file
عضْبٍ، ونعجز أن نصول بمبرد
They charged with a slender spear and a sword of Indian steel,
They prayed with a withered, blunt spear
keen-edged—yet we cannot charge even with a file.
And we are helpless to attack with a sword
أينhow far الذيthe one who نظمmarshaled الجيوشَarmies منcompared with الذيthe one who
أين الذي نظم الجيوشَ من الذي
نظمstrung الكلامwords قلائدًاnecklaces منof عسجدgold؟
نظم الكلام قلائدًا من عسجد؟
How far is he who marshaled armies from him who
Where is the one who organized armies from the one
strung words into necklaces of gold!
Who strung words into necklaces of pearls?
قدindeed كانwas همُّهمtheir concern الفتوحَconquests، وهمُّناand our concern:
قد كان همُّهم الفتوحَ، وهمُّنا:
أنto نغتذيfeed ourselves، أوor نرتويquench our thirst، أوor نرتديclothe ourselves!
أن نغتذي، أو نرتوي، أو نرتدي!
Their concern was conquest; ours is
Their sole concern was conquest, while ours is:
to eat, or drink our fill, or clothe ourselves!
To eat our fill, drink our fill, or dress up!
أرثٌan inheritance علىat يدناour hands تبدَّدwas scattered شملهُits unity
أرثٌ على يدنا تبدَّد شملهُ
ياO ليتwould that هذاthis الإرثinheritance لمnot يتبددbe scattered!
يا ليت هذا الإرث لم يتبدد!
An inheritance was broken and scattered at our hands;
An inheritance disintegrated in our hands
would that this inheritance had never been scattered!
If only this inheritance had not disintegrated!
ياO منwho رأىhas seen أرضًاa land أبيحwas violated حرامُهاits sanctity
يا من رأى أرضًا أبيح حرامُها
بالأمسyesterday كانتit was فيin قداسةthe holiness of معبدa temple؟
بالأمس كانت في قداسة معبد؟
Oh, who has seen a land whose sanctity was violated,
You who saw a sanctified land made permissible
when yesterday it was as holy as a temple?
Yesterday it was in the holiness of a temple
أمَمٌnations تباعare sold وتشترىand bought فيin السُّوقthe market؛ منfrom
أمَمٌ تباع وتشترى في السُّوق؛ من
يدthe hand of سيِّدa master تمضيthey pass إلىto يدthe hand of سيدa master
يد سيِّد تمضي إلى يد سيد
Nations are sold and bought in the market; from
Nations bought and sold in the market; from
one master's hand they pass into another's.
The hand of one master to the hand of another
الحربُwar حولَaround الشرقthe East شبَّflared up أُوارهاits blaze
الحربُ حولَ الشرق شبَّ أُوارها
والشرقُand the East يرقبُwatches، منwhoever يقُذهُstrikes it down ينقدit submits
والشرقُ يرقبُ، من يقُذهُ ينقد
War's blaze has flared up around the East,
The war around the East kindled its flames
and the East watches, yielding to whoever strikes it down.
And the East watches, who will ransom it with payment?
ماليwhy do I أرىsee الشرقَthe East المهيضَbroken جناحُهits wing
مالي أرى الشرقَ المهيضَ جناحُه
رغمdespite اتحادunity of الهمsorrow غيرَnot موحَّدunited؟
رغم اتحاد الهم غيرَ موحَّد؟
Why do I see the East, its wing broken,
Why do I see the East – broken is its wing –
despite its common sorrow, still not united?
Despite united purpose, not unified?
وإذاand if تفرقتare scattered الشعوبُthe peoples مواقعًاin places
وإذا تفرقت الشعوبُ مواقعًا
وتقاربتْand draw close غاياتهاtheir aims، لمnot تبعدthey grow distant
وتقاربتْ غاياتها، لم تبعد
If peoples are scattered in place,
And if the nations differed in positions
but their aims draw close, they are not far apart.
Yet their goals converged, they would not be far apart
ولقدand indeed تهانُare humiliated أمامَناbefore us جاراتُنَاour neighbors
ولقد تهانُ أمامَنا جاراتُنَا
وشكاتهنand their complaints تُذيبmelt قلبَthe heart of الجلمدsolid rock
وشكاتهن تُذيب قلبَ الجلمد
Our neighbors are humiliated before our eyes,
Our neighbors were disgraced before us
and their cries of grievance melt the heart of solid rock.
And their screams melt the heart of solid ice
فنرىso we see ونسمعُand we hear صامتينin silence، كأنناas though we
فنرى ونسمعُ صامتين، كأننا
لمnot نستمعwe listened، وكأنناand as though we لمnot نشهدwe witnessed
لم نستمع، وكأننا لم نشهد
We see and hear in silence, as though
Yet we see and hear, silent, as if
we had not heard, and as though we had not seen.
We did not hear, and as if we did not witness
فإذاthen if تحمَّسْنَاwe grew fervent، مَددْناwe stretched out نحوهمtoward them
فإذا تحمَّسْنَا، مَددْنا نحوهم
كفَّthe hand of الدعاءprayer، وغيرَهاand other than it لمnot نمددwe extended
كفَّ الدعاء، وغيرَها لم نمدد
And if we grow fervent, we stretch toward them
And if we become zealous, we extend to them
the hand of prayer, and no other hand.
Only prayer, and nothing else we extend
عذرًاpardon us بنيsons of أعمامناour paternal uncles.. أغلالناour shackles
عذرًا بني أعمامنا.. أغلالنا
قعدتْheld back بناus عنfrom نجدةaiding المستنجدone calling for help
قعدتْ بنا عن نجدة المستنجد
Forgive us, sons of our uncles: our shackles
Excuse us, cousins.. our shackles
have kept us from aiding those who cry for help.
Have kept us from aiding the distressed
أَعزِزْhow grievous عليناfor us أنto نرىwe see جيرانناour neighbors
أَعزِزْ علينا أن نرى جيراننا
يُتخطفونَare snatched away، ونحنwhile we مكتفوbound اليدthe hand!
يُتخطفونَ، ونحن مكتفو اليد!
How grievous it is for us to see our neighbors
It is too heavy for us to see our neighbors
snatched away while our hands are tied!
Snatched away, while our hands are tied!
مَنwho ليfor me بجيلwith a generation مستجدnew لمnot يرثinherits
مَن لي بجيل مستجد لم يرث
إلاexcept عنfrom الجدthe forefather القديمancient الأبعدmost distant
إلا عن الجد القديم الأبعد
Who will give me a new generation that inherits nothing
Who will bring me a new generation that has inherited
save from its ancient, most distant forefather,
Nothing but from the most distant noble ancestor
يرثinherits ابنson of هندHind فيin أصالةsoundness of رأيهhis judgment
يرث ابن هند في أصالة رأيه
أوor خالدًاKhalid فيin عزمهhis resolve المتوقدblazing
أو خالدًا في عزمه المتوقد
inheriting Ibn Hind's soundness of judgment,
Like the son of India inherited his ancestral way
or Khalid's blazing resolve?
Or Khalid his burning resolve
لمnot يعتدgrew accustomed to الضيمoppression الذيwhich نعتادهwe are used to it
لم يعتد الضيم الذي نعتاده
أهونhow slight بكلevery أذىhurt علىto المتعودone accustomed to it!
أهون بكل أذى على المتعود!
One not inured to the oppression we are used to—
Who is not accustomed to the injustice we are accustomed to
how slight all hurt becomes to one accustomed to it!
The slightest harm is too much for the delicate!
إذاwhen قامrises يثبتُasserting حقهits right، فدليلهthen its proof
إذا قام يثبتُ حقه، فدليله
قصفُthe thunder of المدافعcannons، أوor صليلُthe clash of مهنَّدan Indian-steel sword
قصفُ المدافع، أو صليلُ مهنَّد
When it rises to assert its right, its proof is
When he stands to prove his right, his evidence is
the thunder of cannon or the clash of a sword of Indian steel.
The bombardment of cannons, or the clanging of swords
لاno خيرgood فيin حقa right يقالproclaimed، ومنطقand speech
لا خير في حق يقال، ومنطق
عذبٍsweet، بحدby the edge of السيفthe sword غيرnot مؤيَّدsupported
عذبٍ، بحد السيف غير مؤيَّد
There is no good in a proclaimed right, or speech
There is no good in a right that is spoken, and logic
however sweet, if not backed by the sword's edge.
However eloquent, if not supported by the sword
جيلٌa generation: إذاwhen سِيمَis subjected to الهوانhumiliation أبىrefuses، وإنand if
جيلٌ: إذا سِيمَ الهوان أبى، وإن
يُطلبْis requested إليهof it البذلُgiving لمnot يترددhesitates
يُطلبْ إليه البذلُ لم يتردد
A generation that refuses when subjected to humiliation, and if
A generation: if dishonor is placed upon it, it refuses, and if
called upon to give, does not hesitate;
It is asked for sacrifice, it does not hesitate
يهوىloves الحياةlife طليقةًunfettered، ويعافهاand loathes it
يهوى الحياة طليقةً، ويعافها
ذلاًin humiliation، ويُدعىand is called للفداءto self-sacrifice فيفتديso it sacrifices itself
ذلاً، ويُدعى للفداء فيفتدي
that loves life unfettered, but loathes it
It desires a free life, and detests it subjugated
in humiliation; called to sacrifice, it sacrifices itself.
And it is called to sacrifice itself, so it sacrifices
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.