1. You would have survived had the arrow been that of a warrior,
But alas, the dart that rendered you speechless was that of a flirt.
١. سَلِمْتَ لَوَ أَنَّ السَّهْمَ سَهْمُ مُقَاتِلِ
وَلَكِنَّ مَا أَصْمَاكَ سَهْمُ مُخَاتِلِ
2. Prudence was negligent of your astute mind
So you fell for it while time remains never remiss.
٢. تَغَافَلَ مِنْكَ الرَّأْيُ ظَرْفَةَ مُقْلَةٍ
فَخُوِلِسْتَهَا وَالدَّهْرُ لَيْس بِغَافِلِ
3. Death knew well the war you waged against it
And your resistance to repel grave misfortunes.
٣. وَقَدْ عَلِمَ المَوْتُ الَّذِي بِتَّ حَرْبَهُ
مِرَاسَكَ فِي دَفْعِ الرَّزَايَا الجَلاَئِل
4. But lives, if cut short, leave no power
To repeal the swift decree of fate.
٤. وَلَكِنَّهَا الأَعمَارُ إِنْ هِيَ عُوجِلَتْ
فَلاَ حوْلَ فِي رَدِّ القَضَاءِ المُعَاجِلِ
5. It is fated to end life, such is its charge
Till death itself expires and departs.
٥. قَضَاءٌ بِإِفْنَاءِ الْحَيَاةِ مُوَكَّلٌ
إِلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ المَوْتُ آخِرُ زَائِلِ
6. No valiant heart till its last breath
Or resolute soul can evade its grip.
٦. فَلَيْسَ بِمُنْجٍ مِنْهُ قَلْبُ مُنَاضِلٍ
إِلَى آخِرِ الأَنْفَاسِ أَو عَزْمُ بَاسِلِ
7. No mother's devotion to her son
Nor kin's fidelity can change destinies.
٧. وَلاَ حِرْصُ أَحْنَى الوَالِدَاتِ عَلَى ابْنِهَا
وَلاَ جُهْدُ أَوْفَى بَرَّةٍ فِي الْعقَائِلِ
8. If not by disease, medicine always armed
Death's hands to reap each fool and sage.
٨. وَمَنْ لَمْ يَمُتْ بِالدَّاءِ فَالطِّبُّ لَمْ يَزَلْ
سِلاَحَ المَنَايَا فِي يَدَيْ كُلِّ جَاهِلِ
9. Woe to him, from long nights and hours
We thought the journey prolonged and sluggish
٩. لَهُ الوَيْلُ مِنْ لَيْلٍ طَوِيلٍ وَسَاعَةٍ
حَسِبْنَا المَدى فِي سَيْرِهَا المُتثاقِل
10. Seeing its meteors while tears filled our eyes
Showing and hiding like falling tears.
١٠. نَرَى شُهْبَهُ وَالدَّمْعُ يَغشى عُيُونَنَا
تَلُوحُ وَتَخْفَى كَالدمُوعِ السَّوَائِلِ
11. Hearing its sighs in the stillness
Echoes of our breath in the ruins.
١١. وَنَسْمعُ مِنْهُ فِي السُّكُونِ تَنَهُّداً
وَذَاكَ صَدَى أَنْفَاسِنَا فِي المَخَايِلِ
12. We stopped with it to bid farewell to our beloved
Bewildered specters, weeping, disconsolate.
١٢. وَقَفْنَا بِهِ نقضِي وَدَاع حَبِيبِنَا
حَيارَى كَاشْبَاحٍ بَوَاكٍ ثَوَاكِلِ
13. We called the most loyal of friends, and he wouldn't
Fail to answer when called, a hopeful refuge.
١٣. نَنَادِي أَبرَّ الأَصْدِقَاءِ وَلَمْ يكنْ
يُخَيِّبُ إِذْ يُدْعَى رَجَاءً لآمِلِ
14. We called Abu Jibreel by his only name
He who wouldn't be distracted by any preoccupation.
١٤. نُنَادِي أَبَا جِبْرِيلَ بِاسْمِ وَحِيدِهِ
وَقَدْ كَانَ لاَ يُعْتَاقُ عَنْهُ بِشَاغِل
15. Oh noble one, the people disputed and contended
Each unleashing the reign of opinion, procrastinating.
١٥. فَتَى المَجْدِ إِنَّ القَوْمَ جَالوا وَسَاجَلُوا
وَأَرخَى عِنَانَ الرَّأْيِ كلُّ مُطَاوِلِ
16. Where is he who led them?
He of gentle spirit, flawless qualities.
١٦. فَأَيْنَ الَّذِي كَانَ المُقَدَّمَ فِيهِمُ
وَكَانَ وَدِيعَ النَّفْسِ عَفَّ الشَّمَائِل
17. Where is he whose sword matches his resolve?
Resolute when wielding it in battles.
١٧. وَأَيْنَ الَّذِي صَمْصَامُهُ دُونَ عَزْمِهِ
مَضَاءٍ إِذَا مَا اسْتَلَّهَ فِي المَعَاضِلِ
18. Where is he whose first thoughts
Flashed like lightning in the darkest dilemmas?
١٨. وَأَيْنَ الَّذِي كَانَتْ بوَادِرَ فِكْرِهِ
تَخَطُّفَ بَرْقٍ فِي قُطُوبِ المَشَاكِل
19. Where is he who in every land he visited
Had the highest abode among men?
١٩. وَأَيْنَ الَّذِي فِي كُلِّ مِصْرٍ يحُلُّهُ
لَهُ المَنْزِلُ المَرْفُوعُ بَيْنَ المَنَازِلِ
20. Where is he whose word was sure to precede action
Outdoing the boldest deeds?
٢٠. وَأَيْنَ الَّذِي مِيعَادُهُ غَيْرُ مُخْلَفٍ
وَتَسْبِقُ مِنْهُ القَوْلَ غُرُّ الفَعَائِل
21. Alas, for God's cause a fulfilling departure
And in care of the sublime, a noble traveler.
٢١. أَلاَ فِي سَبِيل اللهِ أَوْفَى مُفَارقٍ
وَفِي ذِمَّةِ العَلْيَاءِ أَكْرَمُ رَاحِلِ
22. That youth and determination which
Trampled all obstacles towards its goals.
٢٢. وَذَاكَ الشَّبَابُ الغَضُّ وَالْهِمَّةُ الَّتِي
تَدُوسُ إِلى غَايَاتِهَا كُلَّ حَائِل
23. Those eloquent eyes whose glances
Spoke clearer than a speaker's words.
٢٣. وَتِلْكَ الْعُيونُ النَّاطِقَاتُ لِحَاظُهَا
بِأَجْلَى بَيَاناً مِنْ مَقَالَةِ قَائِلِ
24. That steadfast heart in every crisis
When events shook like quakes.
٢٤. وَذَاكَ الفُؤَادُ الثَّبْتُ فِي كُلِّ أَزْمَةٍ
إِذَا مَرَّتِ الأَحْدَاثُ مَرَّ الزْلاَزِلِ
25. Glad tidings despite the gravity of events
For lofty virtues abound in you.
٢٥. بِشَارَةُ جَلَّ الخَطْبُ فِيكَ وَإِنَّهُ
لَخَطْبٌ عَمِيمٌ لِلْعُلَى وَالْفَضَائِلِ
26. If Egypt mourns, it mourns the loss
Of its finest young nobleman.
٢٦. فَإِنْ تَبْكِ مِصْرٌ فَهْيَ تَبْكِي مُصَابَهَا
بِأَرْوَعَ مَيْمُونِ النَّقِيبَةِ فَاضِلِ
27. If Syria cries, you were its pillar
And the finest son to the most aggrieved mother.
٢٧. وَإِنْ تَبْكِ سُورِيَّا فَقَدْ كُنْتَ رُكْنَهَا
وَكُنتَ أَبَرَّ ابْنٍ لأَجْزَعِ ثَاكِلِ
28. If the writers grieve, they know well
The superiority of the early predecessors.
٢٨. وَإِنْ تَبْكِ أَربابُ الصَّحَائِفِ تَرْحَةً
فَقَدْ يَعْرِفُ التَّالُونَ فَضْلَ الأَوَائِل