Nizar Qabbani: The Tree Posted by Fisal on Jan 17, 2016 in Arabic Language, Culture, Pronunciation, Vocabulary
Ahlan, Arabic lovers! In this post, I am presenting a beautiful love poem by the great Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani نزار قباني. The poem has the title of “The Tree الشجرة“. In the poem, Nizar urges his beloved not be fixed in one place like a tree. He urges her to be a living human being with all its changes as he loves her in all forms and at all times. I made the English translation for the poem and I hope you will enjoy it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwCR-TAegSg
كونى..
Be
كونى اِمرأةً خطرة..
Be a dangerous woman
كىّ أتأكد – حين أضمك–
In order to be sure – when I hug you –
أنكِ لستِ بقايا شجرة..
That you are not the remains of a tree
اِحكى شيئاً..
Tell me something
قولى شيئاً..
Say something
غنى. اِبكى. عيشى. موتي.
Sing. Cry. Live. Die.
كىّ لايروى يوماً عنى
In order for me someday not to be told about
أنَّ حبيبة قلبى ..شجرة..
That my sweet heart is .. a tree
كونى السُّمَ .. وكونى الافعى
Be the venom .. and be the snake
كونى السحر .. وكونى السحرة
Be the magic .. and be the magicians
لِفى حولى..
Wrap yourself around me
لِفى حولى..
Wrap yourself around me
كىّ أتحسس دِفءَ الجلد ، وعطر البشرة..
For me to feel the warmth of the skin and the scent of the skin
كىّ أتأكد – يا سيدتى–
For me to be sure – Mistress –
أنَّ فروعك ليست خشباً..
That your branches are not wood
أنَّ جذورك ليست حطباً..
That your roots are not wood
سِيلى عرقاً ..
Flow sweating
مُوتى غرقاً..
Die drowning
كىّ لا يُروى يوماً عنى ..
In order for me someday not to be told about
أني كنتُ أغازلُ شجرة..
That I was courting a tree
كونى فرساً .. يا سيدتى ..
Be a horse .. Mistress
كونى سيفاً يقطع..
Be a cutting sword
كونى قبراً..
Be a grave
كونى حتفاً..
Be death
كونى شفة ليست تشبع ..
Be an insatiable lip
كونى صيفاً افريقياً..
Be an African summer
كونى حقل بُهار يلذع..
Be a burning spices field
كونى الوجعَ الرائع .. إني
Be the wonderful pain .. for I
أصبحُ رَبــّــاً ..إذْ أتوجع
Become a Lord .. when I ache
غنى. اِبكى. عيشى. موتى
Sing. Cry. Live. Die.
كىّ لا يُروى يوماً عنى..
In order for me someday not to be told about
أني كنت أعانق شجرة..
That I was cuddling a tree
كونى اِمرأةً .. يا سيدتى..
Be a woman .. Mistress
تطحنُ فى نهديها الشُّهبا
That crushes the shooting stars in her breasts
كونى رعداً
Be thunder
كونى برقاً
Be lightning
كونى رفضاً
Be rejection
كونى غضباً
Be anger
خلّى شعرك يسقط فوقى..
Let your hair falls upon me
ذهباً .. ذهباً
(Like) Gold .. Gold
خلّى جِسمك فوق فراشى
Let your body on my bed
يكتبُ شعراً..
Write poetry
يكتبُ أدبا..
Write literature
خلّى نهدك فوق سريرى
Let your bosom on my bed
يحفرُ قبره
Dig its grave
كونى بشراً .. يا سيدتى..
Be human .. Mistress
كونى الأرضَ ، وكونى الثمرة..
Be the soil and be the fruit
كىّ لا يُروى يوماً عنى ..
In order for me someday not to be told about
أني كنت أضاجعُ .. شجرة
That I was sleeping with .. a tree
*****
* More poems of Nizar Babbani on our Arabic Blog:
- I Love You
- Bigger Than All Words
- Five Love Texts
- One Road
- Al-Quds
- Unlimited Love; Part I
- Unlimited Love; Part II
- River of Sorrows
- To my Love on New Year’s Eve
- Hamlet; The Poet
******
Check us back Soon!
Peace ســلام /Salam/
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About the Author: Fisal
Well, I was born near the city of Rasheed or Rosetta, Egypt. Yes, the city where the Rosetta Stone was discovered. It is a small city on the north of Egypt where the Nile meets the Mediterranean. I am a Teacher of EFL.
Comments:
Andy:
Very nice. I think ‘Wrap yourself around me’ would work better than ‘Roll around me’ for لِفى حولى.
Fisal:
@Andy Thanks Andy for passing by and for your note 🙂
sana:
My teacher, Bashar, was laughing his head off at that poem. thanks for the laugh!
Fisal:
@sana Ahlan sana, You and your teacher are very welcome. We are happy to make you laugh 🙂
Haley:
The poem is excellent and intelligent, thank you for bringing this poet to my attention.
Fisal:
@Haley Ahlan Haley,
Thanks for passing by. It is always a pleasure 🙂
Heinz Schulz:
The tree is a beautiful poem.
The presentation would be even more beautiful if there were no music. The music distorts the words.
Only show a picture of a tree.
The other pictures are a distraction to the imagination.
PLEASE USE A LARGER FOND
Regards Heinz
Fisal:
@Heinz Schulz Hi Heinz,
We are happy that you like the poem. I know that background music can be disturbing but unfortunately, This was the only audio I found on YouTube for the poem! For a bigger font, you can control this from your browser 🙂
Best