Poem: Salute to Al-Quds Al-Shareef and Its People
The poet Khalil Gibran expresses:
Salute to Al-Quds Al-Shareef and its inhabitants,
the congregation of contradictions in the legacy of love.
To the pure land beneath which lie
hearts that have become part of its soil.
I made pilgrimage there, love occupying what
drives one to it from the hardships of their paths.
To the plunderer of the land who grants wondrous shadows
to every eye from the spoils of his robbery.
Glory be to the One who bestowed upon it a beauty
as if it has received the glorification of all that is dissimilar.
To those who gaze upon its high mountains,
it appears tightly connected to eternity and its Lord.
And what beauty lies between the dark brown of its cliffs
and the greenery of its valleys and the redness of its people.
It is a house that grants the desires of those who visit;
what a grand house it is, and what a noble people inhabit it.
There, love finds its origin in every place
where the redeemer of humanity treads, captivated by love.
In it, there is nothing unfamiliar except for his presence,
a young man who visited frequently with his heart.
Generosity is shown by its inhabitants, who still welcome him
as a resident in the plains of their land and its expanse,
honoring a man who is modest in himself
yet abundant in companionship among them.
I will remember how their company revived my joy
and the sweetness of our meeting and its delight.
Poem: A Pearl in Your Sky, O Fate
Gibran’s reflections continue:
A pearl in your sky, O Fate, should it yield,
manifesting treasures buried beneath its surface.
To those seeking the sun that illuminates with suffering,
be compassionate with them, however lost they may be, and guide them.
If the complaining one aims at you with malice,
let your heart be free from the sting of his resentment.
For from the false judgments, one who does not harbor resentment
is merely criticizing; let his criticism be met with reason.
What value holds unsubstantiated claims when they
will never yield you worth, however grand may be their illusion?
O one who measures without a scale, you have failed
to gather anything but disappointment in your endeavors.
Had justice ever taken you by its fairness,
you wouldn’t have encountered one so bold as to defy it.
Yet you found patience in it, having made it a pasture,
then ventured beyond its bounds at will.
Increase whatever grievances you wish to express, as
your grievances are but signs of your gratitude.
Our brethren bear a covenant upon us,
thus, what has befallen loyalty and its promise?
I marvel at a wise man among your kin
offering beauty while hiding his opposition.
Should you seek justice that the judiciary should,
rest assured that justice is not merely what you wish for.
Justice is something limitless that requires adherence
to its principles to establish and restore.
Poem: I Stood by the Grave Where You Lay
Gibran eloquently shares:
I stood by the grave where you lay,
a coward’s stance revealing his battles.
Yet the grave is merely a pit where death devours
what falls to it; thus it gathers.
For an honorable one, the people’s grief is heavy
as they bid farewell in praise of his virtues and youth.
We buried him weeping for the freshness of his youth
and lamenting for his good manners and noble attributes.
As if we bury him in the earth continuously,
sorrows revisit us every moment, we seem to part ways.
He fell before us, longing for dreams
that wish they had strength like his farewell.
Like a pearl that sank in the ocean of fate,
enveloped by a tide of hopelessness and despair.
He wandered with a gaze that was neither patient
nor was he aware of what he was attempting to achieve.
Tears streamed down his face over the deep waters,
and he could not comprehend what brought them forth.
This was a youth who was always the first to reach his goals,
and yet he learned only the bounds of his fate.
We hoped the physician would heal our sorrows,
but it turned out the promised remedy eluded him.
His heart bore the sickness he lamented,
how can it be healed, what remedies are there to pursue?
He had tasted the sweetness of existence, despite its bitterness,
gathering the joyful fruits of life within its passages.
He desired nothing except noble praise and glory
and the pleasure of God’s countenance in all his deeds.
When storms of misfortune surrounded him,
his morals and character illuminated the darkness.
And if hatred sought to burn through him,
his virtues radiated the sweetness of his merits.
His hand withdrew only from evil,
and it reached out only to the good.
Let us not be dismayed in the presence of the steadfast, as
we all desire to heed their call amidst worries.
Is man ever to be foreseen in every state
with time’s passage and the inevitable course of fate?
If a child, indeed since birth he is laden
with the uncertainties of peril and calamity.
And if an elder, he has bowed his head
to the earth out of frailty, burdened by his years.
Poem: O You Mourning the Loss of Your Only Child
Gibran meditates:
O you bereaved of your only child,
I marvel at the ailment that has confined him.
Had there been a healing remedy, it would have cured him,
or had there been a nurturing love, it would have benefited him.
You seem to have obtained wisdom, and through kindness,
you plead that fate might turn back on what it has taken from you.
But you prolonged the agony of his absence,
drawing out suffering far beyond what was warranted.
He was a soul of virtue and prestige,
and precious beyond measure, thus has he been lost.
He sought to attain the best in manners and traits
yet in those efforts, he fell short.
Today, the hopes of nobility and virtue
gathered to send you off in mourning.
O you, who are a thoughtful stranger,
who in your suffering has seen the limits of persistence and struggle.
How great were your intentions and prompt experiences
in preparing for the journey you envisaged.
Yet in truth, in life, you are the one who has suffered loss,
in the bargains you made, and fortunate if you sold the joys.
I weep not only for your pain,
but for the grieving of a parent who suffers the loss.
And I shall watch every blooming branch,
finding you, just as you once were.
Poem: The Source of Independence for the Kananah
Gibran asserts:
Long live Kananah, the dawn of its independence!
Praise the valor of its heroic hunt.
Those institutes distant in their aspirations,
have hastened their missions far from their goals.
They paved the path with the tears of youth,
and have seen their minds focus on noble pursuits.
Say to those who scheme to undermine them,
do not squander the spoils in your quest for control.
They aspire to hasten all their demands,
yet it is rare what they seek in their haste.
Seize the wishes granted to you
and consider what you must maintain to fulfill them.
And should you face a nation bound in shackles,
understanding requires you to break its chains.
The positions of allies—those who seek support—
are not unlike that of the enemies who aim to humble.
This is an opportunity that arose; it will not benefit
one who regrets their inaction after its disappearance.
This chance emerged after the days of oblivion,
was it wise to overlook it and let it pass?
For politics can be treacherous and its pathways
are littered with trials and snares adequately.
Disregard the slips and the will of preference
in differentiating truth from delusion.
But in Kananah, the noble and the elite arose
and their brightness fills the domains of purpose.
What a radiant front, but a select group
has gathered their resolve for the day of struggle.
From the most magnificent to the shrewdest,
all are united in resolving stages of resolution.
And the cultured, steadfast amidst debates,
follow the trails of confusion in their motions.
Armed with perspectives that never neglect
to answer each perplexing inquiry.
And a vigilant guardian, both to himself and his land,
remains firm in his principles with dignity.
And amidst every trial, he dives bravely
and faces its dangers without concern for its shadows.
Kananah launched its arrows when aimed at targets
and they hit their marks with precision.
Had it not leaned towards their betrayal,
it would have reaped all virtues vitally.
Opening opportunities were followed by achievements and determination,
the seeds of which guarantee sustenance.
She burst into life and prepared her glory,
in hopes of what she wishes on the day of striving.
With everlasting glory from her titles,
and an everlasting effect from her deeds.
This is a nation passionate about its freedoms;
think of the sweetness of the connection in its reunion.
Yesterday, it revealed feelings of its leader,
in splendid elegance filled with beauty.
If other celebrations were compared to it,
they would be unworthy among its essence.
And today, its council openly expresses
its views, silencing the moans of its state.
Thus emerges its path, revealing its potential,
for truly it was just after severing its chains.
Will time and the tides align in its departure
and will their fortunes continue to unfurl?
O, how fortunate are you, lauded for your honors,
your praises echo in its acknowledgments.
Yesterday, it vowed to uphold its efforts,
so take today the commendation for its actions.
Let your smile shine brightly upon it,
as it displays abundance in its brilliance.
And may the martyrs’ spirits enjoy the glory
as they cheer for each other and light the paths ahead.
A chosen few among the noble have hastened,
for this is a day that was destined to emerge.
Look upon Egypt, loyal and content,
with all she witnesses anew through her own lens.
She roused herself, and amid her awakening,
the glory of her stature shines brightly.
So as you stand between her gaze,
becomes a symbol immemorial— a treasured memory.
And if she makes for you a resting place within her heart,
let this be a gift bestowed upon her descendants.
When the sun sets, let your light illuminate the way
through the secrets of eternity that light the passions of her throne.
From herself and for herself, she shall continue to radiate,
for she has no end or restriction in her essence.
It would be foolish for Egypt to forget you, nor shall it,
for your praise is merely affirmation of her blessings.
In her, you left your legacy; whenever
you witnessed moments of nobility, you crossed her mind.
You fulfilled your responsibility in securing her rights,
and you completed your promises at life’s urging.
Are you not the chief of her nation,
and the facilitator of her glorious path?
In truth, when it comes to your qualities,
you have manifested your attributes in her embrace.
O Role Models, whose shadows grace
the valley of Kananah with coolness and servitude.
May your Lord safeguard you; how can the forces,
endure beneath the weight of her burdens?
The heart of a youth is burdened by one demand;
can you endure what it requires of you so heavily?
Yet within yourself lies a spirit content in your struggle,
facing challenges eager and resigned alike.
Thus, I bear witness to the lands and their marvels,
believing in the success of what she wishes.
Today, every matter is united with you,
and the moment is one for definitive reception.
Let time bear witness to the resurrection of its glory,
as her radiance begins to conquer horizons.
Poem: Mourning for Your Youth
Gibran laments:
We weep for your youth,
O noble and pure one,
did such virtues
find themselves enshrined in dust?
Beauty has taken its leave,
leaving behind traces of illusions.
Alas, we strive to materialize
what can never return.
Tears flow and hopelessness arises,
for power is not within our grasp.