سَلِask الْجِيزَةَGiza الْفَيْحَاءَthe spacious عَنْabout هَرَمَيْthe two pyramids of مِصْرِEgypt
سَلِ الْجِيزَةَ الْفَيْحَاءَ عَنْ هَرَمَيْ مِصْرِ
لَعَلَّكَperhaps you تَدْرِيyou know غَيْبَthe mystery مَاwhat لَمْnot تَكُنْyou were تَدْرِيyou know
لَعَلَّكَ تَدْرِي غَيْبَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَدْرِي
Ask spacious Giza about Egypt's two pyramids,
Ask Giza, the splendid place, about Egypt's pyramids,
Perhaps you will learn the mystery of what you did not know.
You may know the unseen, of what you did not know before.
بِنَاءانِtwo edifices رَدَّاboth repelled صَوْلَةَthe onslaught الدَّهْرِof time عَنْهُمَاfrom them both
بِنَاءانِ رَدَّا صَوْلَةَ الدَّهْرِ عَنْهُمَا
وَمِنْand among عَجَبٍwonders أَنْthat يَغْلِبَاthey both overcome صَوْلَةَthe onslaught الدَّهْرِof time
وَمِنْ عَجَبٍ أَنْ يَغْلِبَا صَوْلَةَ الدَّهْرِ
Two edifices that repelled time's onslaught from themselves,
Two edifices that repelled the vicissitudes of time from them,
And it is a wonder that they should overcome time's onslaught.
And from wonder that they overcome the vicissitudes of time.
أَقَامَاboth stood عَلَىin رَغْمِdefiance of الْخُطُوبِcalamities لِيَشْهَدَاso both might testify
أَقَامَا عَلَى رَغْمِ الْخُطُوبِ لِيَشْهَدَا
لِبَانِيهِمَاfor their builder بَيْنَamong الْبَرِيَّةِhumankind بِالْفَخْرِto glory
لِبَانِيهِمَا بَيْنَ الْبَرِيَّةِ بِالْفَخْرِ
They stood despite calamities, to testify
They stood, despite calamities, to witness for their builders
To their builder's glory among humankind.
Between wilderness and pride.
فَكَمْfor how many أُمَمٍnations فِيthrough الْدَّهْرِtime بَادَتْperished وَأَعْصُرٍand ages
فَكَمْ أُمَمٍ فِي الْدَّهْرِ بَادَتْ وَأَعْصُرٍ
خَلَتْpassed وَهُمَاwhile they both أُعْجُوبَةُa marvel الْعَينِthe eye وَالْفِكْرِand thought
خَلَتْ وَهُمَا أُعْجُوبَةُ الْعَينِ وَالْفِكْرِ
For how many nations have perished through time, and ages
So how many nations in time have perished and centuries
Have passed, while they remain a marvel to eye and thought.
Passed while they are wonders to the eye and mind.
تَلُوحُshine forth لآِثَارِfor the traces of العُقُولِminds عَلَيْهِمَاupon them both
تَلُوحُ لآِثَارِ العُقُولِ عَلَيْهِمَا
أَسَاطِيرُinscriptions لاnot تَنْفَكُّcease تُتْلَىare recited إِلَىuntil الْحَشْرِthe Resurrection
أَسَاطِيرُ لا تَنْفَكُّ تُتْلَى إِلَى الْحَشْرِ
Upon them, as traces of intellect, shine forth
Legends of them that don't cease being recited until the Day of Judgment,
Inscriptions ceaselessly recited until the Resurrection.
Symbols - if you uncovered their secrets,
رُمُوزٌsymbols لَوْif اسْتَطْلَعْتَyou explored مَكْنُونَthe hidden depths of سِرِّهاtheir secret
رُمُوزٌ لَوْ اسْتَطْلَعْتَ مَكْنُونَ سِرِّها
لأَبْصَرْتَyou would behold مَجْمُوعَthe entirety of الْخَلائِقِcreation فِيin سَطْرِa written line
لأَبْصَرْتَ مَجْمُوعَ الْخَلائِقِ فِي سَطْرِ
Symbols—if you explored their hidden secret,
You would see all of creation in one line.
You would behold all creation gathered in a single line.
So no structure was or is, that competes with them
فَمَاfor not مِنْany بِنَاءٍbuilding كَانَexisted أَوْor هُوَit كَائِنٌin existence
فَمَا مِنْ بِنَاءٍ كَانَ أَوْ هُوَ كَائِنٌ
يُدَانِيهِمَاapproaches them both عِنْدَupon التَأَمُّلِcontemplation وَالْخُبْرِand informed scrutiny
يُدَانِيهِمَا عِنْدَ التَأَمُّلِ وَالْخُبْرِ
For no building that ever stood or now exists
In contemplation and experience.
Comes close to them when contemplated and examined.
Babylon's castle is deficient in beauty compared to them
يُقَصِّرُfalls short حُسْنَاًin beauty عَنْهُماof them both صَرْحُthe tower of بَابِلٍBabylon
يُقَصِّرُ حُسْنَاً عَنْهُما صَرْحُ بَابِلٍ
وَيَعْتَرِفُand admits الإِيوَانُthe vaulted hall بِالْعَجْزِto helplessness وَالْبَهْرِand breathlessness
وَيَعْتَرِفُ الإِيوَانُ بِالْعَجْزِ وَالْبَهْرِ
Babylon's tower falls short of them in beauty,
And the hall admits inadequacy and bewilderment.
And the Iwan admits its helplessness and exhaustion.
If Harut took his observatory from them,
فَلَوْfor if أَنَّthat هَارُوتَHarut انْتَحَىapproached مَرْصَدَيْهِماtheir two watch-posts
فَلَوْ أَنَّ هَارُوتَ انْتَحَى مَرْصَدَيْهِما
لأَلْقَىhe would cast aside مَقَالِيدَthe keys of الْكَهَانَةِdivination وَالسِّحْرِand magic
لأَلْقَى مَقَالِيدَ الْكَهَانَةِ وَالسِّحْرِ
For if Harut approached their two watch-posts,
He would cast away the keys of sorcery and magic.
He would cast aside the keys of divination and magic.
As if they were two breasts pouring forth with a pearl
كَأَنَّهُمَاas though they both were ثَدْيَانِtwo breasts فَاضَاboth overflowed بِدِرَّةٍwith flowing milk
كَأَنَّهُمَا ثَدْيَانِ فَاضَا بِدِرَّةٍ
مِنَfrom النِّيلِthe Nile تُرْوِيquenches غُلَّةَthe burning thirst of الأَرْضِthe earth إِذْas تَجْرِيit flows
مِنَ النِّيلِ تُرْوِي غُلَّةَ الأَرْضِ إِذْ تَجْرِي
As though they were two breasts overflowing with milk
From the Nile, watering the crop of the land as it flows.
From the Nile, slaking the earth's thirst as it flows.
And between them a flame in a firm garment
وَبَيْنَهُمَاand between them both بَلْهِيبُBalhib فِيin زِيِّthe guise of رَابِضٍa crouching beast
وَبَيْنَهُمَا بَلْهِيبُ فِي زِيِّ رَابِضٍ
أَكَبَّbent forward عَلَىupon الْكَفَّيْنِthe two paws مِنْهُof it إِلَىto الصَّدْرِthe chest
أَكَبَّ عَلَى الْكَفَّيْنِ مِنْهُ إِلَى الصَّدْرِ
And between them is Balhib in the guise of a crouching beast,
Bowed over both hands to the chest.
Bent forward upon its two paws, down to its chest.
Turning an attentive look eastward
يُقَلِّبُturns نَحْوَtoward الشَّرْقِthe east نَظْرَةَthe gaze of وَامِقٍa lover
يُقَلِّبُ نَحْوَ الشَّرْقِ نَظْرَةَ وَامِقٍ
كَأَنَّas though لَهُit has شَوْقاًlonging إِلَىfor مَطْلَعِthe rising of الْفَجْرِdawn
كَأَنَّ لَهُ شَوْقاً إِلَى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
It turns a lover's gaze toward the east,
As if he has a longing for the rise of dawn.
As though yearning for the rising of dawn.
In them are mysterious sciences,
مَصَانِعُmonumental edifices فِيهَاwithin them لِلْعُلُومِof the sciences غَوَامِضٌmysteries
مَصَانِعُ فِيهَا لِلْعُلُومِ غَوَامِضٌ
تَدُلُّpoint عَلَىto أَنَّthe fact that ابْنَthe son of آَدَمَAdam ذُوpossessing قَدْرِworth
تَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ ابْنَ آَدَمَ ذُو قَدْرِ
Edifices holding mysteries of the sciences,
Indicating that the son of Adam has power.
Showing that the son of Adam is of great worth.
Its roots spread and its branches extended in the air,
رَسَاstood firm أَصْلُهَاtheir root وَامْتَدَّand stretched فِيinto الْجَوِّthe sky فَرْعُهاtheir branch
رَسَا أَصْلُهَا وَامْتَدَّ فِي الْجَوِّ فَرْعُها
فَأَصْبَحَand became وَكْرَاًa nest لِلسِّماكَيْنِfor the two Simak stars وَالنَّسْرِand the Eagle
فَأَصْبَحَ وَكْرَاً لِلسِّماكَيْنِ وَالنَّسْرِ
Their root stood firm, and their branch stretched into the sky,
So it became a den for eagles and hawks.
And became a nest for the two Simak stars and the Eagle.
So arise, let us draw the wine of guidance from its vines,
فَقُمْso rise نَغْتَرِفْlet us draw خَمْرَthe wine of النُّهَىreason مِنْfrom دِنَانِهاtheir wine-jars
فَقُمْ نَغْتَرِفْ خَمْرَ النُّهَى مِنْ دِنَانِها
وَنَجْنِيand let us pluck بِأَيدِيwith the hands of الْجِدِّdiligence رَيْحَانَةَthe sweet basil of الْعُمْرِlife
وَنَجْنِي بِأَيدِي الْجِدِّ رَيْحَانَةَ الْعُمْرِ
Rise, then, and let us draw the wine of reason from their jars,
And with the hands of diligence we pick youth’s basil.
And with the hands of diligence pluck life's sweet basil.
There are sciences there whose wraps are not opened,
فَثَمَّfor there عُلُومٌsciences لَمْnot تُفَتَّقْhave been opened كِمَامُهَاtheir bud-sheaths
فَثَمَّ عُلُومٌ لَمْ تُفَتَّقْ كِمَامُهَا
وَثَمَّand there رُمُوزٌsymbols وَحْيُهَاtheir revelation غامِضُobscure السِّرِّthe secret
وَثَمَّ رُمُوزٌ وَحْيُهَا غامِضُ السِّرِّ
For there are sciences whose bud-sheaths have not been opened,
And there are symbols whose secrets are obscure.
And there are symbols whose revelation is veiled in mystery.
I stayed a month and attained all that
أَقَمْتُI stayed بِهَاamong them شَهْرَاًa month فَأَدْرَكْتُand I attained كُلَّall مَاthat
أَقَمْتُ بِهَا شَهْرَاً فَأَدْرَكْتُ كُلَّ مَا
تَمَنَّيْتُهُI had wished for it مِنْof نِعْمَةِthe blessing of الدَّهْرِtime فِيin شَهْرِa month
تَمَنَّيْتُهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةِ الدَّهْرِ فِي شَهْرِ
I stayed there a month, and attained all that
I wished of life's bounty in a month.
I had wished for of time's blessings, in a month.
We go and come every day to pick
نَرُوحُwe go at evening وَنَغْدُوand we go at morning كُلَّevery يَوْمٍday لِنَجْتَنِيso we may gather
نَرُوحُ وَنَغْدُو كُلَّ يَوْمٍ لِنَجْتَنِي
أَزَاهِيرَblossoms of عِلْمٍknowledge لاnot تَجِفُّwither مَعَwith الزَّهْرِthe flowers
أَزَاهِيرَ عِلْمٍ لا تَجِفُّ مَعَ الزَّهْرِ
We go at evening and at morning each day to gather
Flowers of knowledge that don't wither with blossoms.
Blossoms of knowledge that do not wither with the flowers.
When we opened the lock of a symbol, equations appeared to us
إِذَاwhenever مَاemphatic particle فَتَحْنَاwe unlocked قُفْلَthe lock of رَمْزٍa symbol بَدَتْappeared لَنَاto us
إِذَا مَا فَتَحْنَا قُفْلَ رَمْزٍ بَدَتْ لَنَا
مَعَارِيضُoblique meanings لَمْnot تَفْتَحْbe unlocked بِزِيجٍby astronomical tables وَلاnor جَبْرِalgebra
مَعَارِيضُ لَمْ تَفْتَحْ بِزِيجٍ وَلا جَبْرِ
Whenever we unlocked a symbol, there appeared to us
That were not opened with algebra or math.
Oblique meanings unlocked by neither astronomical tables nor algebra.
So many subtleties like magic in their motion
فَكَمْfor how many نُكَتٍsubtleties كَالسِّحْرِlike magic فِيin حَرَكَاتِهِits movements
فَكَمْ نُكَتٍ كَالسِّحْرِ فِي حَرَكَاتِهِ
تُرِيكَshow you مَدَبَّthe creeping course of الرُّوحِthe spirit فيwithin مُهْجَةِthe heart of الذَّرِّtiny ants
تُرِيكَ مَدَبَّ الرُّوحِ في مُهْجَةِ الذَّرِّ
For how many subtleties, like magic in its movements,
Show you the creeping of the soul in particles of dust.
Reveal to you the spirit's passage within a tiny ant's heart!
We were intoxicated by what it presented to us of its essence,
سَكِرْنَاwe became intoxicated بِمَاon what أَهْدَتْthey bestowed لَنَاupon us مِنْof لُبَابِهاtheir essence
سَكِرْنَا بِمَا أَهْدَتْ لَنَا مِنْ لُبَابِها
فَيَاso, oh لَكَto you مِنْof سُكْرٍintoxication أُتِيحَwas granted بِلاwithout خَمْرِwine
فَيَا لَكَ مِنْ سُكْرٍ أُتِيحَ بِلا خَمْرِ
We grew drunk on the essence they bestowed upon us;
So what an intoxication offered without wine!
Oh, what intoxication was granted without wine!
And I disliked only the actions of a group
وَمَاand nothing سَاءَنِيgrieved me إِلَّاexcept صَنِيعُthe deeds of مَعَاشِرٍgroups of people
وَمَا سَاءَنِي إِلَّا صَنِيعُ مَعَاشِرٍ
أَلَحُّواthey persisted عَلَيْهَاagainst them بِالْخِيَانَةِwith betrayal وَالْغَدْرِand treachery
أَلَحُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالْخِيَانَةِ وَالْغَدْرِ
And nothing grieved me but the deeds of people
Who insisted on betraying and deceiving it.
Who relentlessly assailed them with betrayal and treachery.
They destroyed the unity of science and distorted
أَبَادُواthey obliterated بِهَاwithin them شَمْلَthe gathered body of الْعُلُومِthe sciences وَشَوَّهُواand disfigured
أَبَادُوا بِهَا شَمْلَ الْعُلُومِ وَشَوَّهُوا
مَحَاسِنَbeauties كَانَتْwere زِينَةَthe adornment of الْبَرِّthe land وَالْبَحْرِand the sea
مَحَاسِنَ كَانَتْ زِينَةَ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ
They destroyed the body of knowledge within them, and disfigured
Beauties that were the adornment of land and sea.
Beauties that had adorned the land and sea.
So they blinded an eye that sees the sublime through it,
فَكَمْfor how many سَمَلُواthey gouged out عَيْنَاًan eye بِهَاthrough it تُبْصَرُis seen الْعُلاglory
فَكَمْ سَمَلُوا عَيْنَاً بِهَا تُبْصَرُ الْعُلا
وَشَلُّواand paralyzed يَداًa hand كَانَتْwas بِهَاin it رَايَةُthe banner of النَّصْرِvictory
وَشَلُّوا يَداً كَانَتْ بِهَا رَايَةُ النَّصْرِ
How many an eye they gouged out, through which glory was seen,
And crippled a hand that through it the banner of victory was raised.
And crippled a hand that once bore the banner of victory!
They wished for the scraps of pearls to be ignorance, and they did not realize
تَمَنَّوْاthey desired لِقَاطَgathering الدُّرِّpearls جَهْلاًignorantly وَمَاand not دَرَوْاthey knew
تَمَنَّوْا لِقَاطَ الدُّرِّ جَهْلاً وَمَا دَرَوْا
بِأَنَّof the fact that حَصَاهَاtheir pebbles لاnot يُقَوَّمُcan be valued بِالدُّرِّin pearls
بِأَنَّ حَصَاهَا لا يُقَوَّمُ بِالدُّرِّ
Ignorantly they yearned to gather pearls, unaware
That its pebbles cannot be weighed with pearls.
That pearls could not match the worth of their pebbles.
And they failed to gather priceless gems, the deaf rocks,
وَفَلُّواand they shattered لِجَمْعِto gather التِّبْرِraw gold صُمَّsolid صُخُورِهَاtheir rocks
وَفَلُّوا لِجَمْعِ التِّبْرِ صُمَّ صُخُورِهَا
وَأَيْسَرُand the least of مَاwhat فَلُّوهُthey shattered it أَغْلَىmore precious مِنَthan التِّبْرِraw gold
وَأَيْسَرُ مَا فَلُّوهُ أَغْلَى مِنَ التِّبْرِ
And to gather raw gold they shattered their solid rocks,
And the easiest thing they failed was more precious than gems.
Yet the least of what they shattered was dearer than raw gold.
But they failed and did not attain
وَلَكِنَّهُمْbut they خَابُواfailed فَلَمْso did not يَصِلُواreach إِلَىto
وَلَكِنَّهُمْ خَابُوا فَلَمْ يَصِلُوا إِلَى
مُنَاهُمtheir desires وَلاnor أَبْقَوْاthey spared عَلَيْهَاupon them مِنَfrom الْخَتْرِtreachery
مُنَاهُم وَلا أَبْقَوْا عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الْخَتْرِ
But they failed, and did not attain
Their goal, nor did they leave any ruins.
Their desires, nor spare them their treachery.
Woe to them, a group whose morals
فَتَبَّاًso perdition لَهُمْto them مِنْas مَعْشَرٍa people نَزَعَتْdrove بِهِمْthem
فَتَبَّاً لَهُمْ مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ نَزَعَتْ بِهِمْ
إِلَىinto الْغَيِّerror أَخْلاقٌtraits نَبَتْنَgrew عَلَىupon غِمْرِrancor
إِلَى الْغَيِّ أَخْلاقٌ نَبَتْنَ عَلَى غِمْرِ
So ruin to them—a people driven
Took them to ruin and grew on coal.
Into error by traits that grew from rancor.
May God disfigure ignorance, it is
أَلاAh قَبَّحَmay disgrace اللَّهُGod الْجَهَالَةَignorance إِنَّهَاindeed it is
أَلا قَبَّحَ اللَّهُ الْجَهَالَةَ إِنَّهَا
عَدُوَّةُthe enemy of مَاwhat شَادَتْهُhas built it فِينَاamong us يَدُthe hand of الْفِكْرِthought
عَدُوَّةُ مَا شَادَتْهُ فِينَا يَدُ الْفِكْرِ
Ah, may God disgrace ignorance, for it is
An enemy of what the hand of thought built up in us.
The enemy of what the hand of thought has built among us.
If time brought back the mind of Hermes,
فَلَوْfor if رَدَّتِrestored الأَيَّامُthe days مُهْجَةَthe life of هُرْمُسٍHermes
فَلَوْ رَدَّتِ الأَيَّامُ مُهْجَةَ هُرْمُسٍ
لأَعْوَلَhe would wail مِنْfrom حُزْنٍgrief عَلَىover نُوَبِthe calamities of الدَّهْرِtime
لأَعْوَلَ مِنْ حُزْنٍ عَلَى نُوَبِ الدَّهْرِ
If the days restored the life of Hermes,
I would wail in sorrow for the sins of time.
He would wail in grief over time's calamities.
O morning breezes, convey my greetings
فَيَاso, O نَسَماتِbreezes of الْفَجْرِdawn أَدِّيdeliver تَحِيَّتِيmy greeting
فَيَا نَسَماتِ الْفَجْرِ أَدِّي تَحِيَّتِي
إِلَىto ذَلِكَthat الْبُرْجِtower الْمُطِلِّoverlooking عَلَىupon النَّهْرِthe river
إِلَى ذَلِكَ الْبُرْجِ الْمُطِلِّ عَلَى النَّهْرِ
So, O breezes of dawn, deliver my greeting
To that tower overlooking the Nile.
To that tower overlooking the river.
And O flashes of lightning, if you pass by the sanctuary,
وَيَاand, O لَمَعَاتِflashes of الْبَرْقِlightning إِنْif جُزْتِyou pass by the precinct بِالْحِمَىby the protected precinct
وَيَا لَمَعَاتِ الْبَرْقِ إِنْ جُزْتِ بِالْحِمَى
فَصُوبِيthen shower عَلَيهَاupon them بِالنِّثَارِwith a scattering مِنَof الْقَطْرِraindrops
فَصُوبِي عَلَيهَا بِالنِّثَارِ مِنَ الْقَطْرِ
And, O flashes of lightning, if you pass by the precinct,
Direct your pouring upon it from the rain.
Then shower them with a scattering of raindrops.
Upon it peace from a passionate heart,
عَلَيْهَاupon them سَلامٌpeace مِنْfrom فُؤَادٍa heart مُتَيَّمٍenthralled
عَلَيْهَا سَلامٌ مِنْ فُؤَادٍ مُتَيَّمٍ
بِهَاby them لاnot بِرَبَّاتِby ladies of الْقَلائِدِnecklaces وَالشَّذْرِand gold beads
بِهَا لا بِرَبَّاتِ الْقَلائِدِ وَالشَّذْرِ
Peace be upon them from a heart enthralled
Not for the lords of necklaces and poetry.
By them, not by ladies of necklaces and beads of gold.
It never ceased to be immortal in time,
وَلاand may not بَرِحَتْthey cease فِيthroughout الدَّهْرِtime وَهْيَwhile they are خَوَالِدٌeverlasting
وَلا بَرِحَتْ فِي الدَّهْرِ وَهْيَ خَوَالِدٌ
خُلُودَas enduring as الدَّرَارِيthe radiant stars وَالأَوَابِدِand the immortal verses مِنْof شِعْرِيmy poetry
خُلُودَ الدَّرَارِي وَالأَوَابِدِ مِنْ شِعْرِي
And may they remain throughout time, everlasting,
Immortal like monasteries and hermits in my poetry.
As lasting as the radiant stars and the immortal verses of my poetry.
Partial English translation: 67 of 68 Arabic lines translated.