Poem cover
1 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
2 أنت أولى بالهوى و الشّعر منّي
3 لك سحر مثل سحري عجب
4 أترى عندك حزنا مثل حزني
5 فترنّم بأناشيد الهوى
6 ناعما ما شئت من غصن لغصن
7 و تعلّم كيف يبكي شاعر
8 ضاع ما بين صدود و تجنّ
9 إنّما الدنيا و في أمثالها
10 عبر الدنيا و أصداء التمنّي
11 غارة لم أهيّب جمرها
12 فنبا سيفي و لم يسلم مجنّي
13 ربّ دهياء أناخت بالحمى
14 غاب حاميه ? و خطب مرجحنّ
15 بين سمع و عيان ، ليتني
16 لا ترى عيني و لا تسمع أذني
17 ما على لحني و قد أرسلته
18 يلهب الدنيا على الغاضب لحني
19 فإذا لم أستثرها همما
20 لا ورى زندي و لا ظلّل ركني
21 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدوح غنّ
22 أنت أولى بالهوى و الشعر منّي
23 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
24 أيّها الطير دروس الهمّ عنّي
25 تاج هارون خبا لألاؤه
26 فبكت دجلة حزنا و الفرات
27 وذرى الزّهراء خرّت بعدما
28 طاولت زهر النجوم النيّرات
29 وبنو مروان ولّوا وانطووا
30 و تخلّوا عن متون الصافنات
31 قل لجيش الروم ماذا تتّقي
32 طاح ريب الدهر غدرا بالغزاة
33 لا بنو العبّاس في زخم الوغى
34 لا ولا أبناء حمدان الأباة
35 عقلت بين خيام المنحنى
36 و الفراتين عتاق السابقات
37 و هي الأسياف في أغمادها
38 صدئت يا ويلتي للمرهفات !
39 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
40 أنت أولى بالهوى والشعر منّي
41 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
42 أيّها الطير دروس الهمّ عنّي
43 قف على اليرموك و اخشع باكيا
44 و تيمّم من صعيد القادسيّة
45 تربة طيبة طاهرة
46 و قبور من حيا الدمع رويّه
47 ها هنا مثوى الصناديد الألى
48 قد لووا قسرا عنان الجاهليّة
49 دوّخوا الروم وثلّوا عرشها
50 وطووا حمر البنود الفارسيّة
51 يا قبورا محيت واندثرت
52 أنت نبراس الهدى والوطنيّة
53 لك من دمعي إذا ضنّ الحيا
54 ديمة تبكي ووطفاء روّيه
55 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
56 أنت أولى بالهوى والشّعر منّي
57 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
58 أيّها الطير دروس الهمّ عنّي
59 قد رأوا ليلاي تذري دمعها
60 كرّم الله الدموع الطاهره
61 حرس الله جفونا عطّرت
62 بالندى تلك الخدود الناضره
63 كفكفي دمعك لا يشهده
64 ناظر حتى النجوم الزاهره
65 إنّ لي يا ابنة ودّي همّة
66 تخضد الخطب ونفسا ثائره
67 وأراني في غد مقتحما
68 مستظلا بالسيوف الباتره
69 ملقيا نفسي في غمرتها
70 كيفما دارت هناك الدائره
71 فإذا متّ غريبا نائيا
72 و أنا في التسع بعد العاشره
73 أذكريني واحفطي عهد الهوى
74 واندبي شؤم الجدود العاثره
75 لست تالله محبّا غادرا
76 لا تكوني بعد موتي غادره
77 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
78 أنت أولى بالهوى والشعر منّي
79 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
80 أيهّا الطير دروس الهمّ عني
1 Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
2 For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
3 You possess a magic as wondrous as my own,
4 But tell me, do you harbor a sorrow quite like mine?
5 So warble your anthems of love,
6 Gliding softly as you please, from bough to bough.
7 And learn how a poet weeps,
8 Lost between cold rejection and cruel blame.
9 Such is the world, and in its parables,
10 Lie the lessons of life and the echoes of futile wishing.
11 A raid whose glowing embers I never feared,
12 Yet my sword recoiled, and my shield was not spared.
13 Many a dark calamity has knelt upon the homeland,
14 Its protector was absent? While the disaster loomed heavy.
15 Between what is heard and what is seen, I wish,
16 That my eye would not see, and my ear would not hear.
17 What fault is it of my melody, now that I have released it?
18 My melody sets the world ablaze for the one who is angry.
19 If I fail to stir the heights of resolve,
20 Then let my fire fail to spark, and let my sanctuary vanish.
21 Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
22 For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
23 You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
24 O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.
25 The luster of Harun’s crown has faded,
26 And thus, the Tigris and the Euphrates wept in grief.
27 And the heights of Al-Zahra have fallen,
28 After they once rivaled the radiant, shining stars.
29 And Banu Marwan have departed and vanished,
30 And they have abandoned the backs of their noble steeds.
31 Tell the Roman army: what is it that you fear now?
32 The fate of time has treacherously struck down the conquerors.
33 Neither Banu Al-Abbas are found in the heat of battle,
34 Nor the proud sons of Hamdan.
35 The noble, swift steeds were shackled among the tents,
36 Between the two Euphrates, those ancient racers.
37 And the swords remain within their scabbards,
38 They have rusted—woe to me!—those once-sharp blades!
39 Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
40 For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
41 You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
42 O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.
43 Stand upon the Yarmouk, and bow in weeping,
44 And seek purification from the dust of Al-Qadisiyyah.
45 A soil that is good and pure,
46 And graves, drenched by the life-giving rain of tears.
47 Here lies the resting place of the ancient heroes,
48 Who by force, turned back the reins of Ignorance.
49 They exhausted the Romans and toppled their throne,
50 And folded away the red banners of the Persians.
51 O graves that have been erased and weathered away,
52 You are the beacon of guidance and of patriotism.
53 From my tears, should the rain ever be withheld,
54 You shall have a weeping cloud, a heavy, pouring rain.
55 Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
56 For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
57 You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
58 O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.
59 They have seen my Layla shedding her tears,
60 May God honor those pure, sacred tears.
61 May God protect the eyelids that were perfumed,
62 With dew, upon those radiant, blooming cheeks.
63 Dry your tears; let no one witness them,
64 Not even a single eye, not even the radiant stars.
65 Truly, O daughter of my love, I possess a resolve,
66 That crushes calamity, and a soul in constant revolt.
67 I see myself tomorrow, charging forward,
68 Sheltered beneath the shade of severing swords.
69 Throwing myself into the thick of the fray,
70 Whichever way the wheel of fate may turn.
71 And if I die as a stranger, far away,
72 While I am in my nineteenth year,
73 Remember me, and keep the covenant of love,
74 And mourn the misfortune of our stumbling ancestors.
75 By God, I have never been a treacherous lover,
76 So do not be treacherous after I am gone.
77 Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
78 For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
79 You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
80 O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.
1 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
2 أنت أولى بالهوى و الشّعر منّي
For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
3 لك سحر مثل سحري عجب
You possess a magic as wondrous as my own,
4 أترى عندك حزنا مثل حزني
But tell me, do you harbor a sorrow quite like mine?
5 فترنّم بأناشيد الهوى
So warble your anthems of love,
6 ناعما ما شئت من غصن لغصن
Gliding softly as you please, from bough to bough.
7 و تعلّم كيف يبكي شاعر
And learn how a poet weeps,
8 ضاع ما بين صدود و تجنّ
Lost between cold rejection and cruel blame.
9 إنّما الدنيا و في أمثالها
Such is the world, and in its parables,
10 عبر الدنيا و أصداء التمنّي
Lie the lessons of life and the echoes of futile wishing.
11 غارة لم أهيّب جمرها
A raid whose glowing embers I never feared,
12 فنبا سيفي و لم يسلم مجنّي
Yet my sword recoiled, and my shield was not spared.
13 ربّ دهياء أناخت بالحمى
Many a dark calamity has knelt upon the homeland,
14 غاب حاميه ? و خطب مرجحنّ
Its protector was absent? While the disaster loomed heavy.
15 بين سمع و عيان ، ليتني
Between what is heard and what is seen, I wish,
16 لا ترى عيني و لا تسمع أذني
That my eye would not see, and my ear would not hear.
17 ما على لحني و قد أرسلته
What fault is it of my melody, now that I have released it?
18 يلهب الدنيا على الغاضب لحني
My melody sets the world ablaze for the one who is angry.
19 فإذا لم أستثرها همما
If I fail to stir the heights of resolve,
20 لا ورى زندي و لا ظلّل ركني
Then let my fire fail to spark, and let my sanctuary vanish.
21 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدوح غنّ
Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
22 أنت أولى بالهوى و الشعر منّي
For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
23 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
24 أيّها الطير دروس الهمّ عنّي
O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.
25 تاج هارون خبا لألاؤه
The luster of Harun’s crown has faded,
26 فبكت دجلة حزنا و الفرات
And thus, the Tigris and the Euphrates wept in grief.
27 وذرى الزّهراء خرّت بعدما
And the heights of Al-Zahra have fallen,
28 طاولت زهر النجوم النيّرات
After they once rivaled the radiant, shining stars.
29 وبنو مروان ولّوا وانطووا
And Banu Marwan have departed and vanished,
30 و تخلّوا عن متون الصافنات
And they have abandoned the backs of their noble steeds.
31 قل لجيش الروم ماذا تتّقي
Tell the Roman army: what is it that you fear now?
32 طاح ريب الدهر غدرا بالغزاة
The fate of time has treacherously struck down the conquerors.
33 لا بنو العبّاس في زخم الوغى
Neither Banu Al-Abbas are found in the heat of battle,
34 لا ولا أبناء حمدان الأباة
Nor the proud sons of Hamdan.
35 عقلت بين خيام المنحنى
The noble, swift steeds were shackled among the tents,
36 و الفراتين عتاق السابقات
Between the two Euphrates, those ancient racers.
37 و هي الأسياف في أغمادها
And the swords remain within their scabbards,
38 صدئت يا ويلتي للمرهفات !
They have rusted—woe to me!—those once-sharp blades!
39 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
40 أنت أولى بالهوى والشعر منّي
For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
41 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
42 أيّها الطير دروس الهمّ عنّي
O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.
43 قف على اليرموك و اخشع باكيا
Stand upon the Yarmouk, and bow in weeping,
44 و تيمّم من صعيد القادسيّة
And seek purification from the dust of Al-Qadisiyyah.
45 تربة طيبة طاهرة
A soil that is good and pure,
46 و قبور من حيا الدمع رويّه
And graves, drenched by the life-giving rain of tears.
47 ها هنا مثوى الصناديد الألى
Here lies the resting place of the ancient heroes,
48 قد لووا قسرا عنان الجاهليّة
Who by force, turned back the reins of Ignorance.
49 دوّخوا الروم وثلّوا عرشها
They exhausted the Romans and toppled their throne,
50 وطووا حمر البنود الفارسيّة
And folded away the red banners of the Persians.
51 يا قبورا محيت واندثرت
O graves that have been erased and weathered away,
52 أنت نبراس الهدى والوطنيّة
You are the beacon of guidance and of patriotism.
53 لك من دمعي إذا ضنّ الحيا
From my tears, should the rain ever be withheld,
54 ديمة تبكي ووطفاء روّيه
You shall have a weeping cloud, a heavy, pouring rain.
55 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
56 أنت أولى بالهوى والشّعر منّي
For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
57 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
58 أيّها الطير دروس الهمّ عنّي
O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.
59 قد رأوا ليلاي تذري دمعها
They have seen my Layla shedding her tears,
60 كرّم الله الدموع الطاهره
May God honor those pure, sacred tears.
61 حرس الله جفونا عطّرت
May God protect the eyelids that were perfumed,
62 بالندى تلك الخدود الناضره
With dew, upon those radiant, blooming cheeks.
63 كفكفي دمعك لا يشهده
Dry your tears; let no one witness them,
64 ناظر حتى النجوم الزاهره
Not even a single eye, not even the radiant stars.
65 إنّ لي يا ابنة ودّي همّة
Truly, O daughter of my love, I possess a resolve,
66 تخضد الخطب ونفسا ثائره
That crushes calamity, and a soul in constant revolt.
67 وأراني في غد مقتحما
I see myself tomorrow, charging forward,
68 مستظلا بالسيوف الباتره
Sheltered beneath the shade of severing swords.
69 ملقيا نفسي في غمرتها
Throwing myself into the thick of the fray,
70 كيفما دارت هناك الدائره
Whichever way the wheel of fate may turn.
71 فإذا متّ غريبا نائيا
And if I die as a stranger, far away,
72 و أنا في التسع بعد العاشره
While I am in my nineteenth year,
73 أذكريني واحفطي عهد الهوى
Remember me, and keep the covenant of love,
74 واندبي شؤم الجدود العاثره
And mourn the misfortune of our stumbling ancestors.
75 لست تالله محبّا غادرا
By God, I have never been a treacherous lover,
76 لا تكوني بعد موتي غادره
So do not be treacherous after I am gone.
77 غنّ يا بلبل فوق الدّوح غنّ
Sing, O nightingale, atop the towering boughs, sing!
78 أنت أولى بالهوى والشعر منّي
For you are worthier of love and poetry than I.
79 لست تدري الهمّ بالدنيا فخذ
You do not know the burdens of this world, so take—
80 أيهّا الطير دروس الهمّ عني
O bird, your lessons of sorrow from me.