Nizar Qabbani was a Syrian Poet شاعر , diplomat دبلوماسي and publisher ناشر . He studied law  القانون at Damascus University and worked as a diplomat in the Syrian embassies in Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Britain, China and Spain before he retired in 1966. His poetic style combines simplicity البساطة and beauty الجمال . He explored the themes of love الحب , eroticism, feminism مناصرة المرأة , religion الدين and Arab nationalism القومية العربية . He was and still one of the most famous and respectable Arab Poets. Here is a beautiful poem of his, entitled “I Love You”

أنا أحبكَ

متى ستعرفُ كم أهواك .. يا رَجـُـلاً

When Shall you know how much I love you, man

 أبيـعُ من أجـلـهِ الـدُنيـا و مـا فـيـهـــا

For whom I sell the whole world

يا مَـنْ تـحــدّيتُ فى حُـبّى له مُـدُنـَـاً

O, you who I challenged whole cities for his love

 بِِحَـالها … و سأمضى فى تـحـدّيهـــا

 Whole cities ..and I will continue the challenge

لَو تطلُُبَ البحرَ .. فى عينيكَ أسكُبُهُ

If you ask for the sea, in your eyes, I spill

   أو تطلُبَ الشمسَ .. فى كفّيْكَ أرميهـا

 Or if you ask for the sun, in your hands I throw

أنـا أحـبـُّكَ فــوقَ الغَـيـمِ أكـتـُـبـُهــا

I Love You. Over the clouds I write

  و للعصافـير , و الأشجار… أحكـيهـا

And to birds and trees, I tell

أنـا أحـبـكَ فـوقَ الـمـَـاءِ أنقـُُشُـهــا

I Love You. Over the water I carve

   و للعناقـيدِ … و الأقـداحِ … أسْقِـيهـا

And to bunches and glasses I let drink

أنـا أحـبـكَ يـا سَـيْـفـَـاً أسـالَ دَمِــى

I Love You. O, sword that shed my blood

  يـَا قـِصَّـةً لـَسْـتُ أدرى … ما أسَمِّيها

O, story that I don’t know what name to give

أنـا أحـبـكَ . حـَاوِِل أن تـُسـاعِـدَنى

I Love You. Try to help me

   فــإنَّ مَــنْ بَــدَأ المَـأسَــاةَ يُـنـهـِيـهـــا

Because he who started the tragedy, should finish

وَ إنَّ مَـنْ فـَتـَـحَ الأبـْوَابَ يُغـلِـقهـا

And he who opened the doors, should close

   و مَـنْ أشْـعَـلَ الـنِّـيـرَانَ … يُـطـفـِيهَا

And he who set the fire, should put out.

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Peace سلام   / Salam/