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/