Ahmed Shawqi
Ahmed Shawqi, known as the Prince of Poets, is regarded as one of the most illustrious poets in Egyptian literature, whose impact on Arabic poetry is undeniable. His collection, “Diwan Al-Shawqiyyat,” showcases a plethora of poems that explore various themes, including love, patriotism, and ethics. The remarkable intellect and unique poetic style of Shawqi are evident in his beautifully crafted verses.
Poetry of Ahmed Shawqi
Among the exquisite poetry produced by Shawqi are the following selections:
Rise for the Teacher
Here are selected verses:
Stand up for the teacher and show him the respect he deserves,
For the teacher is almost like a messenger.
Did you ever know anyone nobler or greater than he,
Who builds and develops minds and personalities?
Glory be to You, O Lord, the best of teachers,
You enlightened the first generations with the pen.
You brought forth intellect from the shadows,
And guided it toward the clear light.
You sent Moses with the Torah as a guide,
And the son of the Virgin taught the Gospel.
You unleashed the fountain of eloquence through Muhammad,
Who conveyed the message and revealed the texts.
Indeed, the one who created truth bitterly,
Did not extinguish the lineage of truth-seekers.
Is it that anyone defending the truth would deviate,
In the face of ignorance and disdain?
If I were to believe in the Cross and its discourse,
I would cite evidence from the crucifixion of Christ.
You will find those who built the “Obelisk” are ancestors,
Yet they cannot even fix a needle!
Ignorance cannot sustain a community,
How can one thrive by the hands of ignorance?
Raise the young of the homeland on fairness,
You will find them the stronghold of rights, in maturity.
He builds sound character,
And he who builds just souls.
If the teacher lacks justice,
The spirit of justice in the youth becomes diminished.
When guidance arises from love’s cause,
And from arrogance, call it deception.
And when people suffer in their morals,
Establish for them a lamentation and mourning.
And if women grow up in ignorance,
Men will suckle ignorance and lethargy.
The orphan is not merely someone whose parents,
Have abandoned him in life’s burdens,
Indeed, the orphan is one who receives,
A mother who has deserted him or a father who is preoccupied.
Indeed, Nations are Morals
Here are selected verses:
If only calamities were as breezy, as the Nile and the Sanctuary,
And show the mountain from Sinai and the Sacred.
Stand upon a trace, where time has passed,
For this trace is more stable than its towering peaks.
Lower your wings in the land that cradled
Moses as an infant and Jesus in pure rest.
Which brought forth the wisdom of eternal generations,
And made evident to people the sword and the pen.
And has been honored by kings who have often taken,
Their ride from kings of the earth and servants.
This is a space where the wind humbly gathers,
And time walks upon it with dignity.
Welcome to you both, as newcomers therein,
On the wings of that auspicious bird you’ve come.
Time has returned and bestowed after having withheld,
And repeated in the ears of the sorrowful to smile.
May God protect a delegation among us,
And may God bless that delegation as long as they are merciful.
They have sworn that the skies will be indebted to them,
And today they have indeed fulfilled their oath in their graves.
And people either build a structure or complete it,
And another one tries to redeem what has collapsed.
Cooperation does not sever its bond through death,
Nor can grief divide its connection.
My companions of Bani Othman’s family,
Do you complain of an injury while we bear no pain for it?
When you are sad, we too mourn for you in our hearts,
Like a mother bearing the burdens of her sick child.
How often we have looked at you and saw joy; it dressed us,
And we have given money with no strings attached, like
The noble fulfilling the rights of family and guardianship.
Patience with fate, even when calamities are many,
For calamities are what awaken nations.
When the fighter from their morals is saved,
Everything unfolds naturally from their traces.
Indeed, nations consist of morals as long as they remain,
If they fade away, they will be followed by the heels of fate.
You have slept on every grudge that has no resolution,
Can someone struck find peace in a world haunted by blood?
Whoever receives from your sword was your bearer,
Just as fine wine embraces the brave cup.
The reproach had said, we left in love for you,
From reverence, oh truth of that which was claimed.
What of the man’s morals have no embargo,
If he nurtures bonds in the name of God or kinship?
Even if you have granted us the highest of your leadership,
Our honor is unshaken by our loyalty to you.
We bend to you, and we do not forget our homeland,
And do not seek a throne, crown, or banners.
These are the treasures of nations; if they perish,
Then every existence resembles nothingness.
Extending the Darkness in My Torment
Here are selected verses:
The darkness extends in my torment and increases,
And I express my longing in love and renew.
If it lingers too long and becomes entrenched,
It is not just one night, but nights without end.
I tremble, returning to the memories of my loved ones,
With sorrows awake, as my heart becomes a seat.
Whoever carries longing becomes weary, unable to resolve,
Old versus new in love bears no comparison.
I encountered what no heart has met in love,
May God guard you, O heart, are you made of steel?
I am not free from affection for you, nor tenderness,
When a beauty arrives, or beauty departs.
As a garden pleasing to lovers, its shade is extended,
For secrets of romance, prolonged and wide.
We are shaded, and the birds nestle within,
As branches bow to the breeze with humility.
They lean towards the sorrow of love, and sometimes,
They collide with the melancholy youth that sways.
As the original walks through its whispers, it shimmers,
And jewelry glints, swinging as it sways.
A glance can slay us; a beauty can capture us,
Among families, and we long to see the beloved.
There’s none weeping without tears, nor complaining without aches,
As the joyous sings in the hills, and builds.
We were overwhelmed while time pleased our youth,
As that life trickled; the living is abundant.
It saw a blush mourning the day, stained with dawn,
And I said to it: even the day bears witness.
She asked: what of the birds? I replied: stillness,
For they are not part of what we seek to capture.
Our hunt is allowed: on love’s day, beautiful gazelles,
And on the day that sharp twos unleash their might.
One spear shatters between us, and another strikes,
As a look disarms, and steals away.
We shall govern until time accepts our decree,
And we remain slaves to the reign of love.
I call out to the days of youth, every time they depart:
Will there be a return, O my youth’s pledge?
How have they departed while yesterday was their last?
Yesterday, like the memory of the past, is close.
I felt a haste, as a smile caught me by surprise,
As if I were stepping onto the path of old age.
From the fleeting whims of existence, and what fate throws astray,
We grew and flourished, as time is born anew.
The Best Conduct is the Righteousness, O Ahmed
Here are selected verses:
The best conduct, O Ahmed,
Was that of the maidens, yearning for your youth.
There was once a remnant of love in you,
And today that remnant is nearing its end.
Harut spoke your poetry after it had run its course,
Exhausted, having parted from his benevolent friend.
When they heard your name, they said: is it a poem from an unripe heart?
Oh, how I wish its singer were a melodious bird!
What care do the enchanting women have for a poet,
Who has made his verses a snare to catch their love?
You gathered their hearts in love,
And deceived those you captivated and those you endeared.
And you mocked the slanderer, yet neared the critic,
And today you sing in search of someone to accuse.
Is it when you find the beauties that love has overtaken you,
And if you find poetry, is it hard to resist?