لاnot زهرهُits blossom يندىis dewy ولاand not هوit ينفخُbreathes out
لا زهرهُ يندى ولا هو ينفخُ
ذاوٍwithered علىon طرفthe edge of الصباthe east wind مُتصوّحُdried up
ذاوٍ على طرف الصبا مُتصوّحُ
Its blossom is not dewy, nor does it breathe;
No flower blossoms, nor does he blow,
Withered on the edge of the east wind, shriveled;
Swaying at the edge of the morning breeze,
ريّانُsap-filled أميَسُgracefully swaying هدّلتmade droop أطرافهُits tips
ريّانُ أميَسُ هدّلت أطرافهُ
هوجاءa raging wind منfrom نارthe fire of المطامعgreed تلفحُscorches
هوجاء من نار المطامع تلفحُ
Sap-filled and graceful—its tips were bent low
A supple branch of olive did not flutter for him,
By a raging wind, scorching from the fire of greed.
No art was composed for him by a singer.
فرعٌa branch منof الزيتونolive لمdid not يخفقflutter لهfor it
فرعٌ من الزيتون لم يخفق له
فننٌa bough ولمand did not يسجعsing melodiously عليهupon it صيدحُa songbird
فننٌ ولم يسجع عليه صيدحُ
An olive branch, for which there has never fluttered
His echo is of eternal wisdom,
A bough, nor has a songbird sung upon it.
It is silent, neither chirping nor speaking.
أنداؤهُits dewdrops منfrom حكمةٍwisdom أبديةٍeternal
أنداؤهُ من حكمةٍ أبديةٍ
صمتتfell silent فماso does not تلغوbabble ولاand does not تتفصّحُparade eloquence
صمتت فما تلغو ولا تتفصّحُ
Its dewdrops come from an eternal wisdom
Its nourishment is of divine mercy,
That has fallen silent, neither babbling nor parading eloquence.
Bestowed by a hovering angel.
وغذاؤهُand its nourishment منfrom رحمةٍmercy علويّةٍheavenly
وغذاؤهُ من رحمةٍ علويّةٍ
يضفوgrows ample بهاthrough it طيفٌa phantom هناكthere مُجنّحُwinged
يضفو بها طيفٌ هناك مُجنّحُ
And its nourishment comes from heavenly mercy,
It takes peace as a holy poem,
Through which a winged phantom grows full there.
With which the happy peacemaker sings.
تخذmade السلامpeace قصيدةًa poem قدسيةًsacred
تخذ السلام قصيدةً قدسيةً
يشدوsings بهاwith it شاديthe singer of السلامpeace ويصدحُand sings aloud
يشدو بها شادي السلام ويصدحُ
It has made peace a sacred poem,
If its call rang in a battalion’s hearing,
Which peace's singer chants and sings aloud.
Raging with fierce flames, wavering,
لوif رنّrang out هاتفهاits calling voice بسمعin the hearing of كتيبةٍa battalion
لو رنّ هاتفها بسمع كتيبةٍ
هوجاءraging فيamid رهجthe smoky dust of اللظىblazing fire تترجّحُsways
هوجاء في رهج اللظى تترجّحُ
If its calling voice rang in the hearing of a battalion
The swords would bow down to it humbly,
Raging, swaying amid the smoky dust of flame,
And curl up over the ground, writhing,
سجدتbowed down لهto it الأسيافُthe swords خجلىashamed رهبةًin awe
سجدت له الأسيافُ خجلى رهبةً
وتكفّأتand toppled فوقupon الثرىthe earth تتطوّحُtumbling about
وتكفّأت فوق الثرى تتطوّحُ
The swords would bow down to it, ashamed, in awe,
O hallway of Geneva, satiated,
And topple onto the earth, tumbling about.
From a stream with blood of victims flowing,
ياO سرجةًa tree (reading uncertain) برواقin the portico of جينيفGeneva ارتوتdrank its fill
يا سرجةً برواق جينيف ارتوت
منfrom جدولٍa stream بدمwith the blood of الضحاياthe victims ينضحُoozes
من جدولٍ بدم الضحايا ينضحُ
O tree in Geneva's portico, you have drunk your fill
A spring whose chain of souls pours forth,
From a stream oozing with the victims' blood.
And flows over its banks, diffusing fragrance,
نبعٌa spring منfrom الأرواحsouls سلسلsmooth-flowing فيضهُits outpouring
نبعٌ من الأرواح سلسل فيضهُ
وجرىand flowed علىacross بطحائهاits broad plain يتفوّحُexhaling fragrance
وجرى على بطحائها يتفوّحُ
A spring of souls, its outpouring flowing smoothly,
Gushing noisily through the skulls,
And it flowed across its broad plain, exhaling fragrance.
Its waves from every vein bursting forth.
ينسابُstreams منthrough خللthe gaps between الجماجمthe skulls صاخباnoisily
ينسابُ من خلل الجماجم صاخبا
أمواجهُits waves منfrom كلevery عرقٍvein تطفحُoverflow
أمواجهُ من كل عرقٍ تطفحُ
It streams noisily through the gaps between skulls,
What has afflicted you that no lark
Its waves overflowing from every vein.
Opens its wings out of fear on your sides?
ماذاwhat دهاكِbefell you فلمso did not يدعْleave سوسانةًa lily
ماذا دهاكِ فلم يدعْ سوسانةً
منbecause of هولهits terror فيon جانبيكyour two sides تُفتّحُbloom
من هوله في جانبيك تُفتّحُ
What has befallen you, leaving not a single lily
A voice from Italy, most sublime and resolute,
To bloom on either side of you, so great is its terror?
Boasting amongst mankind.
صوتٌa voice منfrom الطليانthe Italians أروعُfearsome غاشمٌruthless
صوتٌ من الطليان أروعُ غاشمٌ
مُتحفّزٌpoised to strike بينamong الورىmankind يتبجّحُboasts
مُتحفّزٌ بين الورى يتبجّحُ
A fearsome, ruthless voice from the Italians,
The silent bombs deceived it when
Poised to strike, swaggering among mankind.
They set out to threaten ruin and gesticulate.
خدعتهُdeceived it صامتةُthe silent one القنابلof the bombs حينماwhen
خدعتهُ صامتةُ القنابل حينما
ذهبتset about تُهدّدthreatening بالردىwith death وتُلوّحُand gesturing threateningly
ذهبت تُهدّد بالردى وتُلوّحُ
The silent one among bombs deceived it when
Crazy for death, the madness of its iron,
It set about threatening death and gesturing menacingly.
And its worshipper a danger that terrifies and rages.
مجنونةٌmad بالموتِfor death جُنّwent mad حديدهاits iron
مجنونةٌ بالموتِ جُنّ حديدها
ومريدُهاand its devotee خطراas a peril يروعterrifies ويفدحُand grievously harms
ومريدُها خطرا يروع ويفدحُ
Mad for death, its iron has gone mad,
A fool, if it touched the eyelids of the lofty,
And its devotee too—a peril that terrifies and grievously harms.
It would crumble down from the heights, crashing.
رعناءُreckless لوif مسّتtouched مطارفthe outer fringes of شاهقٍa towering mountain
رعناءُ لو مسّت مطارف شاهقٍ
لانْدَكَّwould surely crumble منfrom عاليthe loftiest الذراsummits يتطرّحُtoppling down
لانْدَكَّ من عالي الذرا يتطرّحُ
Reckless—were it to touch a towering mountain's fringes,
Drunk on the wine of death, it raves openly
The mountain would crumble, toppling from its lofty peaks.
With melodies of arrogance it embroidered.
سكرىdrunk بخمرon the wine of الموتdeath تهذيraves جهرةًaloud
سكرى بخمر الموت تهذي جهرةً
بملاحنٍin insinuations منfrom كبرهاits arrogance تتوقّحُgrows brazen
بملاحنٍ من كبرها تتوقّحُ
Drunk on the wine of death, it raves aloud,
Mute, if its clamor spoke, it would deafen
In insinuating words, brazen with its arrogance.
The ear of life, which cannot grasp its expression.
خرساءُmute لوif نطقتspoke أصمّwould deafen ضجيجهاits din
خرساءُ لو نطقت أصمّ ضجيجها
أُذُنthe ear of الحياةlife، فلاso does not تعيcomprehend ماwhat تُفصحُit expresses
أُذُن الحياة، فلا تعي ما تُفصحُ
Mute—were it to speak, its din would deafen
Pregnant with the progeny of fire, oh what disaster
The ear of life, leaving it unable to grasp what it declares.
If it gave birth, doom sweeps the wilderness.
حُبلىpregnant بنسلwith the offspring of النارfire ياO ويلاهُwoe! إنْif
حُبلى بنسل النار يا ويلاهُ إنْ
ولدتْgives birth فحتفٌthen death للبريّةfor creation يكسحُsweeps away
ولدتْ فحتفٌ للبريّة يكسحُ
Pregnant with fire's offspring—alas! If
How it frightened Israel when it fluttered about
It gives birth, then death will sweep creation away.
Frolicking over the corpses of servants and cavorting!
كمhow often أفزعتfrightened عزريلAzrael حينwhen تبرّجتflaunted itself
كم أفزعت عزريل حين تبرّجت
تلهوplays علىupon جثثthe corpses of ِ العبادِmortals وتمرحُand makes merry
تلهو على جثث ِ العبادِ وتمرحُ
How often it frightened Azrael when it flaunted itself,
Ask the nation of Ethiopia how it panicked
Playing upon the corpses of mortals and making merry.
And swayed on the banks of the Nile, tottering.
سلْask أمةَthe nation of الأحباشthe Abyssinians كيفhow تفزّعتْwas terror-struck
سلْ أمةَ الأحباش كيف تفزّعتْ
وغدتand became علىupon قُضبthe shafts of القناspears تترنحُreeling
وغدت على قُضب القنا تترنحُ
Ask the Abyssinian nation how it was terror-struck
The mountains could not shelter its fleeing
And came to reel upon the shafts of spears.
Or alleviate its moaning under the caves.
لمdid not تغنهاavail it الأجبالthe mountains تعصمshield هارباa fugitive
لم تغنها الأجبال تعصم هاربا
أوor شاكيًاan armed man تحتbeneath المغافرhelmets يرزَحُbows under the weight
أو شاكيًا تحت المغافر يرزَحُ
The mountains did not avail it in shielding a fugitive
Its tents in war, if you saw them,
Or an armed man bowed beneath helmets.
Are flames on the bosom of hills, flickering.
خيماتهاits tents فيin الحربwar لوif أبصرتهاyou saw them
خيماتها في الحرب لو أبصرتها
شُعلاًas flames علىon كنفthe flanks of الهواضبthe highlands تُلمحُare glimpsed
شُعلاً على كنف الهواضب تُلمحُ
Were you to see its tents in war,
They are tongues of truth whose message spread
As flames glimpsed on the highlands' flanks—
Bursting out from suppressed fervor!
هيthey ألسنٌtongues للحقof truth ذاعspread abroad بيانهاtheir message
هي ألسنٌ للحق ذاع بيانها
ضرمّاas blazing fire عنof الوجدanguish المكتّمconcealed يُفصحُspeaks clearly!
ضرمّا عن الوجد المكتّم يُفصحُ!
They are tongues of truth, their message spread abroad
O Lord, blackened by its shadow is the forehead,
In a blaze proclaiming the anguish kept concealed!
Its traits in chaos become distinct.
ياoh ربّmany a مسودّblackened الجبينِbrow بظلهاbeneath their shade
يا ربّ مسودّ الجبينِ بظلها
قسماتهhis features عندin الوغىbattle تتوضّحُgrow distinct
قسماته عند الوغى تتوضّحُ
Oh, many a black-browed man beneath their shade—
The faith of resolute souls prays to it during strife
His features grow distinct in battle.
Then it lingers, illuminated by its glow.
يُصليهsears him إيمانُthe faith of العزائمِfirm resolves باللظىwith flame
يُصليه إيمانُ العزائمِ باللظى
فيظلّso he keeps منfrom قبساتهits sparks يتروّحُfinding refreshment
فيظلّ من قبساته يتروّحُ
The faith of firm resolve sears him with flame,
It confronts tyrants with determination, if it met
And he keeps finding refreshment in its sparks.
The iron heart, it would drip with blood spilling forth!
يلقىfaces الطغاةَthe tyrants بعزمةٍwith firm resolve لوif صادفتْit encountered
يلقى الطغاةَ بعزمةٍ لو صادفتْ
قلبَthe heart of الحديدِiron لخرّwould surely fall بالدمِwith blood يرشحُoozing!
قلبَ الحديدِ لخرّ بالدمِ يرشحُ!
He faces tyrants with a resolve that, were it to strike
O stubborn knight of Rome, greetings
The heart of iron, would bring it down, oozing blood!
From a poet who comes to you dissenting.
ياO فارسknight of الرّومِthe Romans العنيدَobstinate تحيةًa greeting
يا فارس الرّومِ العنيدَ تحيةً
منfrom شاعرٍa poet باللّوْمwith reproach جاءكhas come to you يصدَحُsings aloud
من شاعرٍ باللّوْم جاءك يصدَحُ
O obstinate knight of the Romans, a greeting
His melodies in the Nile, sorrow made him lose,
From a poet who has come to you singing reproach.
Though they glorify the beloved homeland.
أنغامُهُhis melodies فيin النيلِthe Nile ضيّعهاsquandered them الأسىgrief
أنغامُهُ في النيلِ ضيّعها الأسى
وهيand they التيthe ones that بهوىwith love of البلادthe homeland تُسبّحُsing hymns
وهي التي بهوى البلاد تُسبّحُ
Grief has squandered his melodies in the Nile,
Innocently singing, so if she approached,
And they are the ones that hymn love of the homeland.
The gloating of foes would wound her.
عُذرِيّةًchastely تشدوsing، فإنbut if هيthey أقبلتْcome forward
عُذرِيّةً تشدو، فإن هي أقبلتْ
تأسوheal يراوغهاoutmaneuvers them الشماتmalicious gloating فيجرحُso it wounds
تأسو يراوغها الشمات فيجرحُ
Chaste, they sing; but if they come
She cried over a usurped freedom,
To heal, malicious gloating outmaneuvers them and wounds.
Her poets lamenting in every abyss.
صرختcried out علىover حريّةٍfreedom مسلوبةٍstolen
صرخت على حريّةٍ مسلوبةٍ
شعراؤهاits poets فيin كلّevery فجٍّmountain pass نُوّحُmourners
شعراؤها في كلّ فجٍّ نُوّحُ
They cried out over a freedom stolen away,
What harm if the reckless chaos
Whose poets are mourners in every mountain pass.
Was given respite by a forgiving folk?
ماwhat ضرّharm لوif امهلتْgave respite to طائشةَthe reckless one of الوغىbattle
ما ضرّ لو امهلتْ طائشةَ الوغى
قومًاa people تغادواwent forth in the morning بالشكاةِwith complaints وروّحُواand went forth in the evening؟
قومًا تغادوا بالشكاةِ وروّحُوا؟
What harm if war's reckless fury had given respite
Their homelands - O mercy for their fate!
To a people who went forth morning and evening with complaints?
A hope for the killers of tyrants and their ambition.
أوطانهمtheir homelands! ياO رحمتاpity لمصيرهاfor their fate!
أوطانهم! يا رحمتا لمصيرها!
أملٌa hope لسُفّاكِfor the bloodthirsty among الطغاةِthe tyrants ومطمحُand an object of ambition
أملٌ لسُفّاكِ الطغاةِ ومطمحُ
Their homelands! Oh, pity their fate!
They panicked from the raids that choke their air
A hope and an object of ambition for murderous tyrants.
So the deaf one supplicates death and exhales.
فزعواthey took fright منat الغاراتthe raids تخنقُchoke جوّهمtheir air
فزعوا من الغارات تخنقُ جوّهم
فيضرعso it yields بالموتto death الأصمّdeaf وينفحُand breathes forth
فيضرع بالموت الأصمّ وينفحُ
They took fright at raids that choke their air,
God purify it into pleasant air,
So it yields to deaf death and breathes it forth.
Like a garden imbued with fragrant blossoms.
اللهGod طهّرهpurified it هواءًair طيّباًwholesome
الله طهّره هواءً طيّباً
كالروضlike a garden ضمّخهdrenched it العبيرfragrance الأفيحُfar-spreading
كالروض ضمّخه العبير الأفيحُ
God purified it into wholesome air,
But the son of dust has spoiled it,
Like a garden drenched in far-spreading fragrance.
Adversity, ruinous, destroying and corrupting!
وابنُand the son of التّرابِdust أحالَهُturned it into مسمومةًpoisoned
وابنُ التّرابِ أحالَهُ مسمومةً
نكباءa crosswind ذاريةًscattering تُبيدannihilates وتفدحُand grievously harms
نكباء ذاريةً تُبيد وتفدحُ
And the son of dust turned it into a poisoned
Crosswind that scatters, annihilates, and grievously harms.
Partial English translation: 70 of 72 Arabic lines translated.