What Should I Say? - A Poem by Nizar Qabbani

What should I say if he asked me if I hate him or love him?
What should I say?
I love every little thing about him and every single detail.... how can I get over it my God?
What's with me starring at the mirror asking it what should I wear when I meet him?
How can I run away from him? He is my destiny, how possibly can a river change it's course?
I love him, and I dont even know what exactly I love about him.
Even his flaws are not flaws anymore because I adore them.
Love is a part of our being. If it doesn't exist on the face of the Earth, we would have invented it!
What should I say if he asked me whether I hate him or love him?
I don't just love him ... I love him 1000 times more!

Here is the Original poem in Arabic :
ماذا أقول له لو جاء يسألني.. إن كنت أكرهه أو كنت أهواه؟
رباه.. أشياؤه الصغرى تعذبني فكيف أنجو من الأشياء رباه؟
ما لي أحدق في المرآة .. أسألها بأي ثوب من الأثواب ألقاه
وكيف أهرب منه؟ إنه قدري هل يملك النهر تغييرا لمجراه؟
أحبه .. لست أدري ما أحب به حتى خطاياه ما عادت خطاياه
الحب في الأرض . بعض من تخيلنا لو لم نجده عليها .. لاخترعناه
ماذا أقول له لو جاء يسألني إن كنت أهواه. إني ألف أهواه..
- نزار قباني

#NizarQabbani #ArabicPoetry
#TranslationTime

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mawtini ( My Homeland)

Image
Mawtini (Arabic: موطني ‎ “My Homeland”) is a popular poem written by the Palestinian poet Ibrahim Touqan (Arabic: إبراهيم طوقان ‎) circa 1934. It was the de facto national anthem of Palestine since then and until 1967. It is also recognized in Syria and Algeria, as well as other Arab states, as an anthem as to show their support for the Palestinian cause. The original music was composed by Muhammad Fuliefil (Arabic: محمد فليفل ‎). During the years it became very popular through the Arab world.       English translation My homeland, My homeland Glory and beauty, Sublimity and splendor Are in your hills, Are in your hills Life and deliverance, Pleasure and hope Are in your air, Are in your Air Will I see you? Will I see you? Safe and comforted, Sound and honored Will I see you in your eminence? Reaching to the stars, Reaching to the stars My homeland, My homeland My homeland, My homeland The youth will not tire, 'till your independence Or they
Read more

The Chambers of My Heart - Al Mutanabbi

Image
My translation does not do it justice :   Tell my dear beloved who lives in the chambers of my heart, That even if I don't meet him, I still meet him And that my sight is connected to seeing him... Even if our dwellings are far away from one another I hope he realizes that I don't remember him As how can I remember him if I can't forget him in the first place? O you who thought that I don't remember him And God knows that I never forget about him If he is away from me, my soul is his home So how possibly could the heart forget who lives in the soul?   - Al-Mutanabbi  (915 – 23 September 965)   Here is a recitation of the poem in Arabic :       And  h ere is the original poem in Arabic :                                                         “ابلغ عزيزاً فى ثنايا القلب منزله أنى وإن كنت لا ألقاه ألقاه وإن طرفى موصول برؤيته وإن تباعد عن سكناى سكناه يا ليته يعلم أنى لست أذكره وكيف اذكره إذ لست أنساه يا من توهم أنى لست أ
Read more

Farewell to The World - By Imam Al Shafe'i

Image
This is a poem by Imam Al Shafe'i  (767 — 820 CE) Here is the original poem in Arabic :     اذا المرء لا يرعاك الا تكلفا                                                                                    فدعه ولا تكثر عليه التاسفا                                                                   ففي الناس ابدال وفي الترك راحة                                                                                   وفي القلب صبر للحبيب ولو جفا          فما كل من تهواه يهواك قلبه   ولا كل من صافيته لك قد صفا                                                            اذا لم يكن صفو الوداد طبيعة                                                                         فلا خير في ود يجيء تكلفا                                                                             ولا خير في خل يخون خليله     ويلقاه من بعد المودة بالجفا                                                                             وينكر عيشا قد تقادم عهده                                                  
Read more