If you know Arabic you'll notice I took some liberty with the first line- so as to make the Biblical allusion more obvious.
The Seven Days
By Adunis (aka Ali Ahmad Said)
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original Arabic
O Mother, mock not
My love, my hatred.
For in seven days you were created
And created the horizon, the waves
And the song's plume.
My seven days are a crow and a wound
So why the mystery in the end
When I like you am earth and wind?
The Original:
The Seven Days
By Adunis (aka Ali Ahmad Said)
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original Arabic
O Mother, mock not
My love, my hatred.
For in seven days you were created
And created the horizon, the waves
And the song's plume.
My seven days are a crow and a wound
So why the mystery in the end
When I like you am earth and wind?
The Original:
الأيام السبعة
ادونيس
أيها الأم التي تسخر
من حبي ومقتي
أنتِ في سبعة أيام خُلِقتِ
فخلَقْتِ الموج والأفق
وريش الأغنيه،
وأنا أيامي السبعة جُرحٌ وغراب
فلماذا الأُحجيه
وأنا مثلكِ ريحٌ وتراب؟
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Thank you so much for the translation of this poem. I had translated it before myself using software, but this is way better.
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