Calligraphy Gallery – Arabigraphy

Enough lies

The spring of applause, is the shortest season.

Talat Sait Halman (1931-2014)
English translation by Talat Sait Halman
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

The horrors that the dark times inflicted upon you, have caused deep wounds in my heart.

Ahmed Shawqi (1868-1932)
Dedicated to Syria

Oh all the things we have done for our Fatherland! Some of us died, some delivered speeches.

Orhan Veli (1914-1950)
English translation by Fayyaz Kayacan Fergar
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

As loaves diminish, our hands grow.

Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca (1914-2008)
Dedicated to the hungry people of Yemen.
English translation by Talat Sait Halman
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

y por las calles la sangre de los niños corría simplemente , como sangre de niños.

Pablo Neruda (1904-1970)
The blood of the children was seen in the streets, flowing easily out, in the habit of children.
Dedicated to the innocent children of Yemen.
English translation Ben Belitt
Arabic translation Mustafa Ja’far

Why go so far to kill? Why go so far to die?

Pablo Neruda (1904-1970)
English translation by Adam Feinstien
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Is there no other smell than fear in this town?

Refik Durbaş (1944- )
English translation by Feyyaz Kayacan Fergar
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

I am a walnut tree in Gulhane Park in Istanbul. My leaves are my eyes, and I am shocked at what I see.

Nazim Hikmet (1902-1963)
Lines 2 and 11 from a poem entitled The Walnut Tree.
English translation by Richard McKane
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Morning is white, evening is black, a grey sorrow in between.

Abbas Kiarostami (1940-2016)
English translation by Karim Emami and Michael Beard
Arabic translation by Maher Jammu

This place, where you are right now, God circled on a map for you.

Hafiz Shirazi (1325-1389)
In memory of my brother KJ who was buried at cimitero Flaminio, north Rome in 1996.
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.

Rigveda 1-89
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

In the dark times, will there also be singing? Yes, there will be singing about the dark times.

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956)
From: Motto To The Svendborg Poems.
English translation by John Willett
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

The fool wonders; the wise man asks.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

venid a ver la sangre por las calles, venid a ver, la sangre por las calles, venid a ver la sangre, por las calles.

Pablo Neruda (1904-1970)
Come and see the blood in the streets, come and see, the blood in the streets, come and see the blood, in the streets.
This large calligraphy piece is dedicated to the memory of all innocent victims of terrorism around the world.
English translation by Nathaniel Tarn
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Mi porteranno gli anni chissà quali altri orrori, ma ti sentivo accanto, m’avresti consolato.

Giuseppe Ungaretti (1888-1970)
Who knows what other horrors the coming years might bring me, but I feel you by my side, consoling me.
In memory of my mother.
English and Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

You can’t hold a man down without staying down with him.

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Oppressors cannot be free.

Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

To be or not to be: that is the question.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1.
Arabic translation by Jabra Ibrahim Jabra

sei ne la terra fredda, sei ne la terra negra; ne il sol più ti rallegra, ne ti risveglia amor.

Giosue Carducci (1835-1907)
You are in the cold earth, you are in the black earth, nor does the sun any longer delight, nor can love wake you.
Calligraphy compositions of the last four verses of Pianto Antico (ancient lament) with the hand written Arabic translation.
English translation by George Kay
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Ognuno sta solo sul cuor della terra, trafitto da un raggio di sole: ed è subito sera.

Salvatore Quasimodo (1901-1968)
Each one stands alone on the heart of the earth, pierced through by a ray of sunlight: and in no time it’s evening.
English translation by George Kay
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

When I went to Shiraz in May, I forgot where I came from.

This homage to Shiraz is dedicated to Nasrin.
Arabic text inspired by Sa’adi Shirazi (1210-1291)

Portami il girasole impazzito di luce.

Eugenio Montale (1896-1981)
Bring me the sunflower maddened with light.
Celebrating 40 years of love for Rome.
English translation by George Kay
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

If I am a voice, you are my song.

From the Sanskrit tradition.
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Can’t you see how the land is furious and the pebbles are trembling with anxiety?

Abu Tammam (d.846)
Inspired by events in Syria, 2011.

The day of the coming of freedom: on that day it is forbidden to die.

Cemal Sureya (1931-1990)
English translation by Feyyaz Kayacan Fergar
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Cerca de mí no hay mas que lejanías.

Antonio Porchia (1886-1968)
Near me nothing but distances.
English translation by W.S. Merwin
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273)
English translation by Coleman Barks
Arabic translation by Mustafa Ja’far

Tra un fiore colto e l’altro donato, l’inesprimibile nulla.

Giuseppe Ungaretti (1888-1970)
Between a flower picked and another gifted, un inexplicable nothingness.
Arabic translation by Adel El-Siwi

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