أَنا مَن أَنا يا تُرى في الوُجودِ
وَما هُوَ شَأني وَما مَوضِعي
أَنا قَطرَةٌ لَمَعَت في الضُحى
قَليلاً عَلى ضِفَّةِ المَشرَعِ
سَيَأتي عَلَيها المَساءُ فَتَغدو
كَأَن لَم تَرَقرَق وَلم تَلمَعِ
أَنا نَغمَةٌ وَقَّعَتها الحَياةُ
لِمَن قَد يَعي وَلِمن لا يَعي
سَيَمشي عَلَيها السُكوتُ فَتُمسي
كَأَن لَم تَمُرَّ عَلى مِسمَعِ
أَنا شَبَحٌ راكِضٌ مُسرِعٌ
مَعَ الزَمَنِ الراكِضِ المُسرِعِ
سَيُرخي عَلَيهِ السِتارُ وَيُخفي
كَأَن لم يَجِدَّ وَلَم يَهطَعِ
أَنا مَوجَةٌ دَفَعَتها الحَياةُ
إِلى أَوسَعٍ فَإِلى أَوسَعِ
سَتَنحَلُّ في الشَطِّ عَمّا قَليلٍ
كَأَن لَم تَدَفَّع وَلَم تُدفَعِ
فَيا قَلبُ لا تَغتَرِر بِالشَبابِ
وَيا نَفسُ بِالخُلدِ لا تَطمَعي
فَإِنَّ الكُهولَةَ تَمضي كَما
تَوَلّى الشَبابُ وَلَم يَرجُعِ
وَلَكِنَّ فيها جَمالاً بَديعاً
وَفيها حَنينٌ إِلى الأَبدَعِ
وَمَن لا يَرى الحُسنَ في ما يَراهُ
فَما هُوَ بِالرَجُلِ الأَلمَعي
بَني وَطَني مَن أَنا في الوُجودِ
وَما هُوَ شَأني وَما مَوضِعي
أَنا أَنتُم إِن ضَحِكتُم لِأَمرٍ
ضَحِكتُ وَأَدمُعُكُم أَدمُعي
وَمُطرِبُ أَرواحِكُم مُطرِبي
وَموجِعُ أَكبادِكُم موجِعي
أَما نَحنُ مِن مَصدَرٍ واحِدٍ
أَلَسنا جَميعاً إِلى مَرجِعِ
رَفَعتُم مُقامي وَأَعلَيتُموهُ
لَما قَد صَنَعتُ وَلَم أَصنَعِ
أَحَقُّ بِإِكرامِكُم طائِرٌ
يُغَرِّدُ في الرَوضِ وَالبَلقَعِ
وَأَولى بِهِ كَوكَبٌ طالِعٌ
عَلى سُهَّدٍ وَعَلى هُجَّعِ
أَنا واحِدٌ مِنكُمُ يا نُجومُ
بِلادي مَتى تَسطَعوا أَسطُعِ
فَمَن قامَ يَمدَحُني بَينَكُم
فَقَد تُمدَحُ الكَفُّ بِالإِصبَعِ
وَما الغَيثُ غَيرُ الخِضَمِّ وَلَيسَ
الغَديرُ سِوى السُحُبِ الهَمَّعِ
فَلَولاكُم لَم أَكُن بِالخَطيبِ
وَلا الشاعِرِ الساحيرِ المُبدِعِ
أَنا الآنَ في سَكرَةٍ لا أَعي
فَيا لَيتَني دائِماً لا أَعي
فَذي لَيلَةٌ بِجَميعِ الزَمانِ
إِذا كانَ في الدَهرِ مَن أَجمَعِ
فَيا أَيُّها اللَيلُ بِاللَهِ قِف
وَأَيُّها الصُبحُ لا تَطلُعِ
إِذا كُنتُ قَد بِنتُ عَن مَربَعي
فَإِنّي وَجَدتُ بِكُم مَربَعي
يَميناً سَأَحمِلُ في أَضلُعي
هَواكُم ما بَقِيَت أَضلُعي
وَأَشكُرُكُم بِلِسانِ النَسائِمِ
وَالرَوضِ وَالجَدوَلِ المُترَعِ
فَلا عُذرَ لِلطَيرِ إِمّا رَأى
جَمالَ الرَبيعِ وَلَم يَسجَعِ
إِذا لَم أَكُن مَعَكُم في غَدٍ
فَإِنّي سَأَمضي وَأَنتُم مَعي
Who am I in existence, I wonder?
What is my purpose and my place?
I am a drop that gleamed in the morning
Briefly, on the riverbank.
Evening will come, and it will vanish
As if it never sparkled or shone.
I am a note played by life
For those who understand and those who do not.
Silence will walk over it, and it will seem
As if it never passed by the ear.
I am a shadow swiftly racing
With time that rushes on.
The curtain will fall and hide it
As if it never existed or moved.
I am a wave pushed by life
From vastness to vaster still.
Soon it will dissolve on the shore
As if it never surged or was driven.
So, heart, do not be deceived by youth,
And soul, do not yearn for eternity.
For old age will pass just as youth
Departed and did not return.
Yet there is a wondrous beauty in it,
And a longing for something even more beautiful.
He who does not see beauty in what he beholds
Is not a discerning man.
O my countrymen, who am I in existence,
And what is my purpose and place?
I am you; if you laugh, I laugh,
And your tears are my tears.
The delight of your souls is my delight,
And the pain of your hearts is my pain.
Are we not from the same source,
Are we not all returning to the same end?
You elevated my status and raised it
For what I have done and not done.
Does a bird singing in the meadow and desert
Deserve your honor more?
Or a rising star shining on the sleepless and sleepers alike?
I am one of you, O stars of my country,
When you shine, I shine.
He who praises me among you
Praises the hand for the finger.
Is the rain not but the sea, and the stream
But the clouds that pour forth?
Without you, I would not be the eloquent speaker
Or the creative, enchanting poet.
Now I am in a state of ecstasy, unaware,
Oh, how I wish to always be unaware!
For this night encompasses all time,
If there is a moment in eternity that is all-encompassing.
O night, by God, halt,
And morning, do not dawn.
If I have departed from my abode,
I have found my home with you.
I swear, I will carry in my ribs
Your love as long as my ribs remain.
And I will thank you with the tongue of the breeze,
The meadow, and the flowing brook.
There is no excuse for a bird if it sees
The beauty of spring and does not sing.
If I am not with you tomorrow,
I will depart, but you will be with me.
