إلى جنّة الصّبا بغزةَ ميلي

إلى جنّة الصّبا بغزةَ ميلي

وفي ظلِّ برتقال فاطمَ قيلي

وفي ظلِّ برتقال فاطمَ قيلي

Turn toward the paradise of youth in Gaza.

To Gaza's paradise of youth my longing pulls,

And take your midday rest in the shade of Fatim's orange trees.

In shade of orange tree with lovely Fátima, be

وفي صحنِ دارهِا أسجُدي وأطيلي

وفي صحنِ دارهِا أسجُدي وأطيلي

وفي مرقديها بالعيونِ أجيلي

وفي مرقديها بالعيونِ أجيلي

And prostrate yourself in her courtyard, and prolong your prostration.

In yard of her abode to kneel in worship long,

And let your gaze roam over her two resting places.

And by her tomb to pass the night in vigilry;

ومن خبزِها ائتني ولو بقليلِ

ومن خبزِها ائتني ولو بقليلِ

ومن مائِها ولو بكفّكِ كيلي

ومن مائِها ولو بكفّكِ كيلي

And bring me some of her bread, even if only a little.

And of her bread procure though but a little crumb,

And measure out some of her water, even with your palm.

And of her water draw, though but your palm-fuls flee;

وتحْت نعالِها التقي بأصولي

وتحْت نعالِها التقي بأصولي

ومن طرفِ ثوبِها اظفَري بسحيلِ

ومن طرفِ ثوبِها اظفَري بسحيلِ

And beneath her sandals, meet my roots.

Beneath her shoes to greet my roots delightedly,

And from the edge of her garment, obtain a single thread.

The fringe of her robe to clutch and cherish lovingly;

وفي حِجْرها اصطلي بشمسِ أصيلِ

وفي حِجْرها اصطلي بشمسِ أصيلِ

وقاضي الهمومَ واطرُدي وأقيلي

وقاضي الهمومَ واطرُدي وأقيلي

And in her lap, bask in the late-afternoon sun.

Within her arms to bask in sun so beautiful,

And put your worries on trial, drive them away, and grant them release.

While grief's relentless doom is banished utterly;

وتحتَ جفونها اهتدي بسُهَيلِ

وتحتَ جفونها اهتدي بسُهَيلِ

إلى بلدتي وفي الشّوارع جُولي

إلى بلدتي وفي الشّوارع جُولي

And beneath her eyelids, find your way by Suhayl.

Beneath her lids for guidance by the Star take heed -

Go to my town, and roam the streets.

Back to my town, while down the lanes I saunter free,

وبوسي التّرابَ والذّؤابَ وقولي:

وبوسي التّرابَ والذّؤابَ وقولي:

أيا عُزوتي ضعتُ وضاعَ سبيلي

أيا عُزوتي ضعتُ وضاعَ سبيلي

And kiss the soil and the tresses, and say:

The dust and garth to kiss, and cry aloud in glee:

O my kin, I am lost, and lost is my way.

"My dear home I forsook and lost my way, O me!

ومنها لفردوسِ الطفولةِ حولي

ومنها لفردوسِ الطفولةِ حولي

ولا تكبري فالشّيبُ محضُ خذولِ

ولا تكبري فالشّيبُ محضُ خذولِ

And from there, turn toward the paradise of childhood.

Yet to that childhood paradise return I can,

And do not grow old, for gray hair is nothing but a betrayer.

Though grey my hair, and ripe grapes hang where buds used to be.

وفيها اشمُخي كما الجبالِ وطولي

وفيها اشمُخي كما الجبالِ وطولي

ومنها ارقُبي وجهَ الكريمِ وأولي

ومنها ارقُبي وجهَ الكريمِ وأولي

And there, rise proudly like the mountains, and grow tall.

Among its peaks like mountains rise in majesty!

And from there, watch for the face of the Generous One, and return to Him.

Survey its face of honour, cleave to it loyally!

فإن قُدّرَ الموتُ فموتي بأرضِها

فإن قُدّرَ الموتُ فموتي بأرضِها

فذاك انتصارٌ لم أنلهُ فنُولي

فذاك انتصارٌ لم أنلهُ فنُولي

So if death is decreed, die on her soil.

And if death's doom in its most precious earth be mine,

For that is a victory I did not attain—so attain it.

Then triumph unsurpassed for me assured will be!

فإن لم يغثكِ سيفُ خصمٍ لها به

فإن لم يغثكِ سيفُ خصمٍ لها به

فغدرُ بني الأعرابِ شرُّ بديلِ

فغدرُ بني الأعرابِ شرُّ بديلِ

So if the sword of a foe of hers does not aid you in this,

If enemy swords bring no relief in gallantry,

then the treachery of the sons of the Bedouins is the worst alternative.

Than treachery of Arab tribes worse evil will I see!

طرائدَ موتٍ أصبحتْ حيواتنا

طرائدَ موتٍ أصبحتْ حيواتنا

وما صدّهُ عنها اشتدادُ عويلِ

وما صدّهُ عنها اشتدادُ عويلِ

Our lives have become death's quarry.

Our lives are quarries doomed by Death's rapacity;

And rising wails have not turned him away from them.

No screams deter its onslaught's fierce intensity,

خلا هذه التي أطعتُ فكلّما

خلا هذه التي أطعتُ فكلّما

تراءتْ له انحنى لها كذليلِ

تراءتْ له انحنى لها كذليلِ

Except this one whom I obeyed—for whenever

Except for this one, which has bowed to its decree,

she appeared to him, he bowed to her like one abased.

As though to question, "I, or my effigy?"

فلما سألته أجاب: كأنّها

فلما سألته أجاب: كأنّها

أنا أم كأنّني برسمِ مَثيلي

أنا أم كأنّني برسمِ مَثيلي

So when I asked him, he answered: “As though she were

When asked, it says, as tears start flowing copiously:

me—or as though I were in the image of my double.”

"Bury it in the dust!" - and turns from me rapidly,

فلمّا تجاوزتْ ترقرقَ دمعهُ

فلمّا تجاوزتْ ترقرقَ دمعهُ

وقال ارسليهِ للتّرابِ و هيلي

وقال ارسليهِ للتّرابِ و هيلي

And when she passed by, his tears welled up.

"Ask not what darkened your ill-omened destiny!

And he said: “Send him to the earth, and heap it over him.”

It points to nothing good, take trustworthy counsel from me!

فلا تسألي عمّن به ساءَ حظّكِ

فلا تسألي عمّن به ساءَ حظّكِ

وما كنْتهِ بهِ لخيرُ دليلِ

وما كنْتهِ بهِ لخيرُ دليلِ

So do not ask about the one through whom your fortune worsened,

Return no more, when once you're gone - so utterly

and what you were through him is surely the best proof.

Split I remain, beyond all hope of unity!

ولا ترجعي إليّ بعد رحيلِ

ولا ترجعي إليّ بعد رحيلِ

فإني انقسامٌ بات دونَ حلولِ

فإني انقسامٌ بات دونَ حلولِ

And do not return to me after departure,

Like desert Arabs' camp, their tents strewn dazedly!

for I am a division left without resolution.

My land's a wilderness, all comers enter free.

وإنّي كما العُرْبِ حطامُ نخيلِ

وإنّي كما العُرْبِ حطامُ نخيلِ

وأرضي مفازةٌ لكلّ دخيلِ

وأرضي مفازةٌ لكلّ دخيلِ

And I, like the Arabs, am the wreckage of palms.

A fading star, its black hole set voraciously -

And my land is a wilderness for every intruder.

No more acclaimed among the chieftains honoredly,

ونجمٌ قديمٌ بانتظارِ أفولِ

ونجمٌ قديمٌ بانتظارِ أفولِ

يُشدُّ بثقبٍ أسودٍ وأكولِ

يُشدُّ بثقبٍ أسودٍ وأكولِ

And an old star awaiting its setting,

Nor in their breeding-runs or riding-tracks found worthy,

drawn by a black and voracious hole.

What race admits an elephant ungainlily?

وما عدتُ كفؤا في عيونِ قبيلي

وما عدتُ كفؤا في عيونِ قبيلي

ولا عدتُ أحظى بينهم بقبولِ

ولا عدتُ أحظى بينهم بقبولِ

And I am no longer worthy in the eyes of my tribe.

When reason sold for madness, lunacy bought I foolishly,

Nor do I any longer enjoy acceptance among them.

And from my words no healing draught flows soothingly.

ولا عدتُ في الصولِ كخيلِ عُبيْلِ

ولا عدتُ في الصولِ كخيلِ عُبيْلِ

أيُدخلُ مضمارُ السّباقِ بفيلِ؟!

أيُدخلُ مضمارُ السّباقِ بفيلِ؟!

Nor, in the charge, am I any longer like Ubayl's horses.

Childhood's sweet dreams and youthful joy passed heedlessly, -

Can one enter the racecourse with an elephant?!

Though called, refused to enter in and dwell with me.

وإذ بعتُ رُشدي وشريتُ ذهولي

وإذ بعتُ رُشدي وشريتُ ذهولي

فما عادَ فيْ قولِي شفاءُ غليلِ

فما عادَ فيْ قولِي شفاءُ غليلِ

And since I sold my sound judgment and bought my bewilderment,

And when to life-in-death returned disconsolately,

my words no longer offer relief for burning thirst.

Impassable ravines thwarted my passage utterly.

مررتُ بأحلامِ الطّفولةِ والصّبا

مررتُ بأحلامِ الطّفولةِ والصّبا

فما أذِنتْ ولا قضتْ بدُخُولي

فما أذِنتْ ولا قضتْ بدُخُولي

I passed by the dreams of childhood and youth,

So I'm not I, nor you, forsake me speedily!

yet they neither granted permission nor decreed my entry.

For judgement now before God's throne I take my leave.

وعدتُ الى موت الحياةِ وإذْ به

وعدتُ الى موت الحياةِ وإذْ به

أحيط بأغوالٍ تسدُّ سبيلي

أحيط بأغوالٍ تسدُّ سبيلي

And I returned to the death of life, and behold, it

On threshold between two Edens make your choice judiciously!

was surrounded by ghouls that block my path.

Do not forsake, else mourn your deed and rue it tearfully!"

فلستِ أنا ولا أنا أنتِ واهجُرى

فلستِ أنا ولا أنا أنتِ واهجُرى

فبين يديِّ اللهِ حانَ مُثولي

فبين يديِّ اللهِ حانَ مُثولي

For you are not me, nor am I you—leave me.

For the time has come for me to stand before God.

وها أنت بين جنّتين ففاضلي

وها أنت بين جنّتين ففاضلي

ولا تهجري فتندمي وتعولِي

ولا تهجري فتندمي وتعولِي

And here you are between two paradises, so weigh one against the other.

And do not leave, lest you regret it and wail.