ุฅุฐุง ุงูุดุนุจ ููู ุง ุฃุฑุงุฏ ุงูุญูุงุฉ
The Will to Life
Listen to the poem in Arabic
Listen to the Poem in English
ุฅูุฐุง ุงูุดููุนูุจู ููู
ุงู ุฃุฑุงุฏู ุงูุญูุงุฉู
ููุง ุจูุฏูู ุฃูู ููุณูุชูุฌูุจู ุงููุฏุฑู
ููุง ุจูุฏูู ูููููููู ุฃูู ููุฌูู
ููุง ุจูุฏูู ููููุฏู ุฃู ููููููุณูุฑู
ูู
ูู ูู
ูุนุงููููู ุดููููู ุงูุญูุงุฉู
ุชูุจูุฎููุฑู ูู ุฌูููููุง ูุงูุฏูุซูุฑู
ููููู ูู
ููู ูู
ุชูุดููููู ุงูุญูุงุฉู
ู
ู ุตูููุนูุฉู ุงูุนูุฏูู
ู ุงูู
ูุชุตุฑู
ูุฐูู ูุงูุชู ููู ุงููุงุฆูุงุชู
ูุญุฏููุซููู ุฑูุญููุง ุงูู
ูุณุชูุชูุฑู
ูุฏูู
ูุฏูู
ูุชู ุงูุฑูููุญู ุจููููู ุงูููุฌุงุฌู
ููููู ุงูุฌุจุงูู ูุชุญุชู ุงูุดููุฌุฑู
ุฅูุฐุง ู
ูุง ุทูู
ุญูุชู ุฅูู ุบุงูุฉู
ุฑูููุจุชู ุงูู
ูู ูููุณูุชู ุงูุญูุฐุฑู
ููู
ุฃุชุฌูููุจู ููุนูุฑู ุงูุดููุนุงุจู
ููุง ููุจููุฉู ุงููููููุจู ุงูู
ูุณุชูุนูุฑู
ูู
ู ูุง ูุญุจูู ุตูุนูุฏู ุงูุฌุจุงูู
ููุนูุดู ุฃุจูุฏู ุงูุฏูููุฑู ุจููููู ุงูุญูููุฑู
ููุนูุฌููุชู ุจููุจู ุฏู
ุงุกู ุงูุดููุจุงุจู
ูุถุฌููุช ุจุตุฏุฑู ุฑูุงุญู ุฃูุฎูุฑู
ูุฃุทุฑูุชู ุฃูุตุบู ููุตูู ุงูุฑููุนูุฏู
ูุนุฒูู ุงูุฑููุงุญู ููููููุนู ุงูู
ูุทูุฑู
ููุงูุชู ููู ุงูุฃูุฑุถู ูู
ุง ุณุฃูุชู
ุฃูุง ุฃู
ูู ูู ุชูุฑูููู ุงูุจูุดูุฑู
ุฃูุจุงุฑูู ูู ุงููููุงุณู ุฃููู ุงูุทููู
ูุญู
ูู
ูู ููุณูุชูููุฐูู ุฑููุจู ุงูุฎุทุฑู
ูุฃููุนูู ู
ููู ูุง ูู
ุงุดู ุงูุฒููู
ุงูู
ููููุนู ุจุงูุนูุดู ุนูุดู ุงูุญุฌุฑู
ูู ุงููููู ุญููู ูุญุจูู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู
ููุญุชูุฑู ุงูู
ููุชู ู
ูู
ุง ููุจูุฑู
ููุง ุงูุฃูููู ููุญูุถููู ู
ูุชู ุงูุทููููุฑู
ููุง ุงููููุญููู ููุซูู
ู ู
ููุชู ุงูุฒููููุฑู
ููููุง ุฃูู
ูู
ูุฉู ููุจู ุงูุฑููุคูู
ู ูู
ูุง
ุถู
ููุชู ุงูู
ููุชู ุชููููู ุงูุญูููุฑู
ููููู ูู
ูู ูู
ุชูุดููููู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู
ู
ูู ูุนูุฉู ุงูุนูุฏูู
ู ุงูู
ูุชุตุฑู
ููู ูููุฉู ู
ููู ููุงูู ุงูุฎุฑููู
ู
ุชููููุฉู ุจุงูุฃูุณู ูุงูุถููุฌูุฑู
ุณููุฑุชู ุจูุง ู
ููู ุถูุงุกู ุงููููุฌูู
ู
ูุบูููููุชู ููุญูุฒููู ุญุชููู ุณูููุฑู
ุณุฃูุชู ุงูุฏููุฌู ูู ุชูุนูุฏู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู
ูู
ุง ุฃุฐุจูุชู ุฑุจูุนู ุงูุนูู
ูุฑู
ููู
ุชูุชููููููู
ู ุดููุงูู ุงูุธูููุงู
ู ููู
ู
ุชุชุฑูููู
ู ุนูุฐุงุฑูู ุงูุณููุญูุฑู
ููุงู ููู ุงูุบุงุจู ูู ุฑูููุฉู
ู
ุญุจููุจูุฉู ู
ุซูู ุฎูููู ุงููุชุฑู
ูุฌูุกู ุงูุดููุชุงุกู ุดุชุงุกู ุงูุถููุจุงุจู
ุดุชุงุกู ุงูุซูููุฌู ุดุชุงุกู ุงูู
ุทุฑู
ูููุทูุฆู ุงูุณููุญูุฑู ุณุญุฑู ุงูุบูุตููู
ูุณุญุฑู ุงูุฒููููุฑู ูุณุญุฑู ุงูุซููู
ูุฑู
ูุณุญูุฑู ุงูุณููู
ุงุกู ุงูุดููุฌูู ุงููุฏูุนู
ูุณุญูุฑู ุงูู
ุฑูุฌู ุงูุดููู ุงูุนูุทูุฑู
ูุชููู ุงูุบูุตููู ูุฃูุฑุงูููุง
ูุฃูุฒูุงุฑู ุนูุฏู ุญุจูุจู ููุถูุฑู
ูุชููู ุจูุง ุงูุฑูููุญู ูู ูููู ูุงุฏู
ููุฏูููุง ุงูุณููููู ุฃููููู ุนูุจูุฑู
ููููู ุงูุฌู
ูุนู ูุญููู
ู ุจุฏูุนู
ุชุฃูููููู ูู ู
ูุฌุฉู ูุงูุฏูุซูุฑู
ูุชุจููู ุงูุจูุฐูุฑู ุงูุชู ุญูู
ููููุชู
ุฐุฎูุฑูุฉู ุนูู
ูุฑู ุฌู
ููู ุบูุจูุฑู
ูุฐูุฑู ูุตููู ูุฑุคูุง ุญููุงุฉู
ูุฃูุดุจุงุญู ุฏููุง ุชูุงุดุชู ุฒูู
ูุฑู
ู
ุนุงููููุฉู ููู ุชุญุชู ุงูุถููุจุงุจู
ูุชุญุชู ุงูุซููููุฌู ูุชุญุชู ุงูู
ูุฏูุฑู
ููุทููููู ุงูุญูููุงุฉ ุงูููุฐู ูุง ููู
ููู
ูููุจู ุงูุฑููุจูุนู ุงูุดุฐููู ุงูุฎุถูุฑู
ูุญุงููู
ุฉู ุจุฃุบุงูู ุงูุทููููุฑู
ูุนูุทูุฑู ุงูุฒููููุฑู ูุทูุนูู
ู ุงูุซููู
ูุฑู
ููู
ุดู ุงูุฒููู
ุงูู ูุชูู
ู ุตุฑููู
ูุชุฐูู ุตุฑููู ูุชุญูุง ุฃูุฎูุฑู
ูุชูุตุจูุญู ุฃูุญูุงู
ููุง ูููุธุฉู
ู
ููุดููุญุฉู ุจุบู
ูุถู ุงูุณููุญูุฑู
ุชูุณุงุฆููู ุฃููููู ุถูุจุงุจู ุงูุตููุจุงุญู
ูุณูุญูุฑู ุงูู
ุณุงุกู ูุถูุกู ุงูููู
ูุฑู
ูุฃูุณุฑุงุจู ุฐุงูู ุงูููุฑุงุดู ุงูุฃููููู
ูููุญููู ููุบูููู ูุบูู
ู ููู
ูุฑู
ูุฃูููู ุงูุฃูุดุนููุฉู ูุงููุงุฆูุงุชู
ูุฃูููู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู ุงูุชู ุฃูููุชูุธูุฑู
ุธู
ูุฆูุชู ุฅูู ุงูููููุฑู ูููู ุงูุบุตููู
ุธู
ูุฆูุชู ุฅูู ุงูุธููููู ุชุญุชู ุงูุดููุฌูุฑู
ุธู
ูุฆูุชู ุฅูู ุงููููุจูุนู ุจููููู ุงูู
ุฑูุฌ
ูุบูููู ููุฑูุตู ูููู ุงูุฒููููุฑู
ุธู
ูุฆูุชู ุฅูู ููุบูู
ุงุชู ุงูุทููููุฑู
ูููู
ูุณู ุงููููุณูู
ู ููุญูู ุงูู
ูุทูุฑู
ุธู
ูุฆูุชู ุฅูู ุงููููู ุฃููููู ุงููุฌูุฏู
ูุฃููููู ุฃูุฑู ุงูุนุงููู
ู ุงูู
ูุชุธูุฑู
ููู ุงููููู ุฎูู ุณูุจูุงุชู ุงูุฌูู
ูุฏู
ููู ุฃูููู ุงููููุธุงุชู ุงูููุจูุฑู
ูู
ุง ูู ุฅูุงูู ููุฎููููู ุงูุฌูุงุญู
ุญุชููู ูู
ุง ุดููููุง ูุงูุชุตูุฑู
ูุตุฏููุนูุชู ุงูุฃูุฑุถู ู
ู ููููุง
ูุฃูุจูุตุฑุชู ุงููููู ุนุฐุจู ุงูุตููููุฑู
ูุฌุงุกู ุงูุฑููุจูุนู ุจุฃููุบุงู
ูู
ูุฃูุญูุงู
ููู ูุตูุจุงูู ุงูุนูุทูุฑู
ููุจููููุง ููุจููุงู ูู ุงูุดูููุงูู
ุชูุนูุฏู ุงูุดููุจุงุจู ุงูููุฐู ูุฏู ุบูุจูุฑู
ููุงู ููุง ูุฏู ู
ูููุญูุชู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู
ูุฎููููุฏูุชู ูู ููุณููููู ุงูู
ุฏููุฎูุฑู
ูุจุงุฑูููู ุงูููููุฑู ูุงุณุชูุจูู
ุดูุจุงุจู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู ูุฎุตูุจู ุงูุนูู
ูุฑู
ูู
ู ุชูุนูุจูุฏู ุงูููููุฑู ุฃูุญูุงู
ูู
ููุจุงุฑููููู ุงูููููุฑู ุฃููููู ุธูููุฑู
ุฅูููู ุงููุถุงุกู ุฅูููู ุงูุถูููุงุกู
ุฅูููู ุงูุซููุฑู ุงูุญุงูู
ู ุงูู
ุฒุฏูุฑ
ุฅูููู ุงูุฌู
ุงูู ุงูููุฐู ูุง ููุจูุฏู
ุฅูููู ุงูููุฌููุฏู ุงูุฑููุญูุจู ุงููููุถูุฑู
ูู
ูุฏู ูู
ุง ุดุฆุชู ูููู ุงูุญูููู
ุจุญููููู ุงูุซููู
ุงุฑู ูุบุถูู ุงูุฒููููุฑู
ููุงุฌู ุงููููุณูู
ู ููุงุฌู ุงูุบููู
ู
ููุงุฌู ุงููููุฌูู
ู ููุงุฌู ุงูููู
ูุฑู
ููุงุฌู ุงูุญูุงุฉ ูุฃุดูุงููุง
ูุถูุฉ ูุฐุง ุงููุฌูุฏ ุงูุฃุบุฑ
ูุดููู ุงูุฏููุฌู ุนู ุฌู
ุงูู ุนู
ููู
ููุดูุจูู ุงูุฎูุงูู ูููุฐูู ุงูููููุฑู
ูู
ูุฏูู ุนูู ุงููููู ุณุญุฑู ุบุฑูุจู
ูุตุฑููููู ุณุงุญุฑู ู
ูุชุฏูุฑู
ูุถุงุกูุชู ุดู
ูุนู ุงููููุฌููู
ู ุงูููุถูุงุกู
ูุถุงุนู ุงูุจูุฎููุฑู ุจูุฎููุฑู ุงูุฒููููุฑู
ูุฑูููุฑููู ุฑูุญู ุบุฑูุจู ุงูุฌู
ุงู
ุจุฃูุฌูุญุฉู ู
ู ุถูุงุกู ุงูููู
ูุฑู
ููุฑูููู ูุดูุฏู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู ุงูู
ูุฏููุณ
ูู ููููู ุญุงููู
ู ูุฏู ุณูุญูุฑู
ูุฃูุนููููู ูู ุงููููู ุฃููู ุงูุทูู
ูุญู
ูููุจู ุงูุญูููุงุฉู ูุฑููุญู ุงูุธููููุฑู
ุฅูุฐุง ุทูู
ูุญูุชู ููุญููุงุฉู ุงููููููุณู
ููุง ุจูุฏูู ุฃูู ูุณุชุฌูุจู ุงูููุฏูุฑู
If, one day, the people will to live
Then fate must obey
Darkness must dissipate
And the shackles must break*
And he who is not embraced by lifeโs longing
Evaporates into its air and fades away
Woe to one whom life does not tear*
from the slap of victorious nothingness
Thus told me the beings
And thus spoke their hidden spirit.
The wind murmured between the cracks
Over the mountains and under trees:
โIf to a goal I aspire,
I pursue the object of desire and prudence obliviate
Neither the rugged canyons will I shun
Nor the gushing of the blazing fire
He who doesnโt like to climb mountains
Will forever live among the hollows
The blood of youth in my heart roars
And more wind in my chest soars
So I hearkened, and listened to the thundersโ shelling
The windsโ blowing and the rainโs falling
And Earth said to meโwhen I asked her,
โO mother, do you hate humans?โ
โAmong all the people I bless the ambitious
And those who taking risk enjoy
Those who donโt keep up with time I curse
And despises the dead, no matter how great they are
The horizon doesnโt embrace dead birds
And bees donโt kiss dead flowers.
And I curse those who lead the life of a stone.
The universe is alive; it loves life
Were it not for the motherliness of my tender heart
These holes would not have held the dead
Woe to those whom life has not ripped
From the curse of victorious nothingness!โ
On one of those autumn nights,
With sorrow and boredom burdened,
I got drunk on the starsโ light
And sang to sadness, until it too was drunk
And I asked darkness: โDoes life bring back
Youth to what it had withered?โ
Darknessโ lips did not speak
And the dawnโs virgins did not sing
The woods told me with tenderness
Lovely, like the fluttering strings,
โCome winter, foggy winter,
Snowy winter, rainy winter,
Dies the magic, the branchesโ magic,
The flowersโ magic, and the fruitsโ magic
The magic of the soft and gentle evening
The magic of the luscious and fragrant meadow
Branches fall along with their leaves
And flowers of a dear and blooming time
The wind plays with them in every valley,
The flood buries them wherever it goes
And all die like a marvelous dream
That in a soul shone and disappeared
The seeds that were carried remain
A reservoir of a bygone beautiful era
A memory of seasons, a vision of life,
And ghosts of a world steadily vanishing;
Embracing, while it is under the fog,
Under the snow, and under the mud,
Lifeโs untedious spirit
And springโs scented green heart;
Dreaming of bird songs,
Fragrant flowers and the flavors of fruit.
As time goes by, vicissitudes arise,
Some wilt, and others live on.
Their dreams become wakefulness
Wrapped in dawnโs mystery
Wondering, โWhereโs the morning fog?
Whereโs the evening magic? and the moonlight?
And the mazes of that elegant bed?
The singing bees and the passing clouds?
Where are the rays and beings?
Where is the life I am waiting for?
Iโm thirsty for light over the boughs!
Iโm thirsty for the shade under the trees!
Iโm thirsty for the spring in the meadows
Singing and dancing over the flowers!
Iโm thirsty for the birdsโ tune
For the breezeโs whisper, and the rainโs melody!
Iโm thirsty for the universe! Where is existence?
When will I see the anticipated world?
It is the universe, behind the slumber of stillness
In the tunnels of the great awakeningsโ
It took only a wing flap
Till her longing grew up and triumphed
The Earth shattered those above her
And saw the worldโs sweet images
Came spring with its melodies
With its dreams, its fragrant juvenescence
And spring kissed her on the lips kisses
That return the departed youth
And said to her: you have been given life
And through your treasured progeny immortalized
Be blessed by the light, and welcome
Young age and lifeโs affluence.
He whose dreams worship the light
Is blessed by the light wherever he appears
Here you have the sky, here you have the light
And here you have the blooming dreamy soil
Here you have the undying beauty
And here you have the wide and glowing world,
So swing as you like over the fields
With sweet fruits and luscious flowers
Whisper to the breeze, whisper to the clouds
Whisper to the stars and whisper to the moon
Whisper to life and its longings,
To the charm of this attractive existence
Darkness revealed a deep beauty
That kindles imagination and thought inspires
And over the world extends a marvelous magic
Dispatched by an able magician
The candles of the bright stars illumined
The incense, the flowersโ incense perished
A soul of singular beauty flickered
With wings from the moonโs luminosity
Lifeโs holy hymn resounded
In a temple dreamy and enchanted
And in the universe it declared:
Aspiration
Is the flame of life and the essence of victory
If to life souls aspire
Then fate must obey
Author Notes
Abu Al-Qasim Al-Shabbi
Tunisian poet (1909-1934)
A traditional Islamic scholar whose passion focused on law and writing poetry, he wrote on many topics ranging from nature, love, nationalism, and revolution.
Al-Shabbi greatly influenced Arab literature and inspired many revolutions including the recent Arab Spring of the 2010โs where his poems were chanted and written on signs and walls.
Sources
ุฌุฏููุฉ, Jadaliyya-. โAl-Shabbiโs โThe Will to Life.โโ Jadaliyya โ ุฌุฏููุฉ, https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/23935. Accessed 23 Dec. 2021.