1. You left and the friends crying over you
Composing eulogies with rhyming prose
١. رحلْتَ وخلَّفْتَ الرّفاقَ بواكياً
عليك وكانوا بالقوافي شوادِيا!
2. They were and still are hunters for you
So who will water and give drink to the hunters?!
٢. وكانوا وما زالوا إليك صوادِياً
فَمَنْ ذا الذي يَسْقي ويَرْوِي الصَّواديا؟!
3. And who will please all the settlers
And after who will please the nomads?!
٣. ومَن ذا الذي يُرْضِي الحواضِرَ كلَّهم
ومَن ذا الذي من بَعْدُ يُرْضي البواديا؟!
4. You were awake in the world of feelings
And you were not heedless in the world of feelings!
٤. لقد كنتَ في دُنْيا المَشاعِر صاحياً
وما كنْتَ في دُنْيا المشاعِر غافيا!
5. You were the shining one in the race, and I
Will be praying wherever I settle!
٥. وكنتَ المُجَلِّي في السِّباقِ وإنَنِّي
سأَغْدو والمُصَلِّي أَيْنَما كنْتُ ثاوِيا!
6. Like two ostriches we circled around
In an unprecedented pasture
٦. كفَرْعَيْنِ كنَّا دوْحُنا مُتَطاوِلٌ
بِرَوْضٍ نضيرٍ لم يَكُنْ قَطُّ ذاوِيا!
7. Until the caller of death called shaking
So you answered the most painful and sorrowful caller!
٧. إلى أن دعا داعي المنية مُرْجِفاً
فَلبَّيْتَ ما أقْسى وأَحْنى المُنادِيا!
8. And soon I will answer it and incline
Towards you like two morning stars setting!
٨. وسوف ألَبِّيه قريباً وانْثَنى
إليك كنَجْمَيْنِ الغداةَ تَواريَا!
9. Master of rhymes and self-restraint. You became immortal
You were not frivolous nor heedless
٩. أَرَبَّ القَوافي العُصْمِ. أَصْبَحْتَ خالِداً
فما كنْتَ مِهذاراً ولا كنتَ لاهِياَ
10. But it is the seriousness that ennobled you
Raising your meanings to the heights!
١٠. ولكنَّه الجِدُّ الذي شَرُفَتْ به
معانِيكَ حتى نَوَّلتْكَ المعاليا!
11. You roamed the lands until you climbed its summit
And they roamed the plains that became desolate!
١١. فَجُبْتَ الذُّرَى حتى افْتَرَعْتَ سنامَها
وجابُوا سُفوحاً أَمْحَلَتْ وفيافيا!
12. When the great genius is gone his
Achievements tower amongst people around!
١٢. إذا العبقريُّ الحقُّ غاب تطاولتْ
مآثِرُهُ بين الأنام حوالِيا!
13. While people before him are gone and after him
They were but bubbles of fleeting drinks!
١٣. وغاب أُناسٌ قبله ثم يعده
فكانوا فَقاقيعَ الشَّرابِ الطَّوافِيا!
14. And you were like a star shining forever
Making our days and nights happy!
١٤. وكنْتَ كَمِثْلِ النَّجْم يَسْطَعُ سَرْمَداً
فَيًسْعِدُ أيَّاماً لنا وليالِيا!
15. You were unmatched among men, pure
With a mind that illuminates when unravelled!
١٥. وقد كنتَ فَذّاً في الرجال مُسَوّداً
بِفِكْرٍ إذا جَلَّى أضاء الدواجيا!
16. And the stubborn poem yields its lead to you
And comes close to you from afar!
١٦. وكان عَصِيُّ الشِّعرِ يُلْقي قِيادَه
إليك ويَدْنو منه ما كان نائيا!
17. We are incapable of some poetry yet it
Becomes obedient to you, words and meanings!
١٧. ونَعْجَزُ عن بعض القريض ويَسْتَوِي
لديك مُطِيعاً أحْرُفاً ومعانِيا!
18. So you choose from it whatever odes you want
That would cheer our worries and reduce disasters!
١٨. فَتَخْتارُ منه ما تشاء قصائداً
تَسُرُّ حنايانا وتُذْرِي المآقِيا!
19. And here you were a spring and not a strainer
As they claimed, but you were like a flowing river!
١٩. وها كنتَ مِجداباً وما كنت مُصْفياً
كما زعموا بل كنتَ كالنَّهر جاريا!
20. But you chose silence out of pride
From frivolity brought by prattling poets!
٢٠. ولكنَّكَ اخْتَرْتَ السَّكوتَ تَرَفُّعاً
عن الهَزْل يُزْجِيه الشَّعارِيرُ هاذِيا!
21. I wish you had not been silent, for how can
A nightingale be silent when silence kills the beloved!
٢١. ولَيْتَكَ لم تَسْكُتْ فأنَّى
لِبُلْبُلٍ سكوتٌ فقد يُدْمي السكوتُ الحوانيا!
22. With mellow singing it was healing
And with it a star guiding to the path!
٢٢. لقد كان بالشَّدْوِ الرَّخيم مُداوِياً
وكان به نَجْماً إلى الدَّرْبِ هادِيا!
23. May He who bestowed upon you bless you, you were not
Ungrateful so you bestowed the most precious wishes!
٢٣. رعاكَ الذي أَسْدَى إليك ولم تكُنْ
جَحُوداً فأسْدَيْتَ الأماني الغواليا!
24. Great is the difference between being settled
In dust and being glorified, exalted!
٢٤. لَشَتَّانَ ما بَيْنَ الثَّرى مُتَطامِناً
وبَيْنَ الثُّرَيَّا.. حِطَّةً وتعالِيا!
25. I remembered the affection we had
Beloved one, and I did not recall any disconnection or indifference!
٢٥. تَذَكَّرْتُ ما كُنَّا بِه من تآلُفٍ
حَبِيبٍ ولم أَذْكُرْ قِلًى وتَجافِيا!
26. How can I when you were never aloof from righteousness
Nor did the glory one day reveal to you its mysteries!
٢٦. وكيف وما كنْتَ العَزوفَ عن الهُدى
ولا المَجْد يوماً فَاسْتَبَنْتَ الخوافِيا!
27. I never lived a day without you, connected
Kind one who wishes us well, and we lived in harmony!
٢٧. وما كُنْتُهُ يوماً فَعِشْنا. تآخِياً
كريماً يُمَنِّينا وعِشْنا تَصافيا!
28. I never hoped that you would leave and I
Would remain lonely, with tearful eyes mourning!
٢٨. وما كنْتُ أَرجو أَنْ تَرُوحَ وأَسْتَوِي
بِرَبْعي حزيناً دامِعَ العيْنِ راثِيا!
29. But such is the decree of fate.. And we have
Nothing but patience to lean on. Only patience comforting!
٢٩. ولكنَّه حُكْمُ القضاءِ.. وما لنا
سوى الصَّبْرِ مِعْواناً. سوى الصَّبْرِ آسِيا!
30. Informing me that I will meet you tomorrow
And we will both receive blessings and care!
٣٠. يُخَبِّرُني أَنَّني. سأَلْقاك في غَدٍ
فيَلْقى كِلانا مِنَّةً وأَياديا!
31. And we will receive forgiveness and mercy
From the Benevolent God.. And find Him pleased!
٣١. ونَلْقى مِن الله الكريمِ تَجاوُزاً
ونَلْقاهُ رحْماناً.. ونلْقاه راضيا!
32. Blessed are You my Lord.. How gentle You are with us
Even when we were straying misguided!
٣٢. تباركْتَ رَبِّي.. ما أَجَلَّكَ حانِياً
علينا.. وإنْ كُنَّا غُواةً ضوارِيا!