1. You excelled in the racecourse
And strove hard to catch up
١. جَلَّيْتَ فِي حَلْبَةِ السِّبَاقِ
وَجَدِّ مَنْ جَدّ فِي اللَّحَاقِ
2. Our tryst is imminent but
A heart is tormented by separation
٢. مَوْعِدُنَا صَاقِبٌ وَلَكَنْ
وَاحَرَّ قَلْبَاً مِنَ الْفِرَاقِ
3. Marvel not at an old man's tears
For sorrow's taste is bitter
٣. لاَ تَعْجَبُوا مِنْ بُكَاءِ كَهْلٍ
إِنَّ النَّوَى مُرَّةُ المَذَاقِ
4. He weeps knowing that never
Will a long estrangement end
٤. يَبْكِي عَلَى عَلْمِهِ بِأَلاَّ
يَطُولُ عَهْدٌ دُونَ التَّلاَقِي
5. Alfrghani the eloquent bid adieu
He was the best of friends
٥. أَلْفَرْغَلِيُّ الأَرِيبُ وَلَّى
وَكَانَ مِنْ خِيرَةِ الرِّفَاقِ
6. The ornaments of rhetoric in him
Mingled metaplasm and antithesis
٦. رَاعَتْ حُلِيُّ الْبَدِيعِ فِيهِ
بَيْنَ المُنَابَاةِ وَالطِّبَاقِ
7. A gentle heart, gentle words
Keen wit and refined senses
٧. أَلْقَلْبُ عَفٌّ وَالقَوْلُ عَفٌّ
وَالفِكْرُ رَاقٍ وَالحِسُّ رَاقِ
8. Deep thoughts lay hidden
In his subtle idioms
٨. جَلاَئِلُ الرَّأْيِ كَامِناتٌ
بَيْنَ أَسَالِيبِهِ الدَّقَاقِ
9. All beauty of diction fades
In its delicate wording
٩. وَكُلُّ حُسْنِ الْبَيَانِ بَادٍ
فِي صَوْغِ أَلْفَاظِهِ الرَّقَاقِ
10. For his noble character never
Missed what best conduct requires
١٠. مِنْ عِظَمِ الْخُلْقِ لَمْ يَفُتْهُ
فِي كُلِّ حَالٍ أَوْفَى خَلاَقِ
11. He fed the hungry from his hands
And startled the cradle with bounty
١١. قَدْ أَطْعَمَ السُّهْدَ مُقْلَتَيْهِ
وَأَقْلَقَ المَهْدَ بِالصِّفَاقِ
12. The burden of his passionate love
Met no embarrassment in intimacy
١٢. وَعِبْئُهُ فِي هَوَى حِمَاهُ
لَمْ يَلْقَهُ فِي الْحُمَاةِ لاَقِ
13. Why did life whose scope is wide
Feel straitened by him?
١٣. عَلاَمَ ضَاقَتْ بِهِ حَيَاةٌ
مَجَالُهَا وَاسِعُ النِّطَاقِ
14. He was serious about the poor
Who lived without hypocrisy
١٤. جِدُّ المَسَاكِينِ هَؤُلاَء
الَّذِينَ عَاشُوا بِلاَ نِفَاقِ
15. For truthfulness is now devalued
While falsehood fetches a price
١٥. إِذْ جَوْهَرُ الصَّدْقِ فِي كَسَادٍ
وَسِلْعَةُ الإِفْكِ فِي نَفَاقِ
16. O cup companion, your brimming cup
And the sorrow within the cup overflow
١٦. يَا شَارِباً كَأْسَهُ دِهَاقاً
وَالْهَمُّ فِي كَأْسِهِ الدِّهَاقِ
17. Death, know for certain
Is the most comfortable rest that gives drink
١٧. أَلموْتُ فِيمَا عَلِمْتَ حَقاً
أَهْنَأُ رَاحٍ يَسْقِيهِ سَاقِ
18. Oh Orient, how can it waste
Its strength in the womb of discord
١٨. يَا وَيْحَ لِلشَّرْقِ كَيْفَ يُفْنِي
قُوَاهُ فِي بُؤْرَةِ الشِّقَاقِ
19. If it fails to get back its pasture
It will die burnt in flames
١٩. إِنْ لَمْ يَرِدْ وِرْدَهُ مَرِيراً
مَاتَ مِنَ الغَمِّ فِي احْتِرَاقِ
20. No toil made it ignore
Mornings or evenings
٢٠. وَلَمْ يُرَفَّهْ عَنْهُ عَنَاءٌ
بَيْنَ اصْطِبَاحٍ أَوِ اغْتِبَاقِ
21. Let the shining ray blossom
Without a veil or habit
٢١. دَعُوا الشُّعَاعَ المُضِيءَ يُزْهِرْ
بِلاَ حِجَابٍ وَلاَ اعْتِيَاقِ
22. Can minds and vision penetrate
The night of obscurity?
٢٢. هَلْ تَسْتَنِيرُ الْعُقُولُ وَالْبَدْ
رُ لَيْلَةَ التِّمِّ فِي مِحَاقِ
23. O you who fulfilled great deeds
Excel in matching reward
٢٣. يَا مَنْ قَضَى عَنْ عَظِيمِ شَأْنٍ
فُزْ بِجَزَاءٍ لَهُ وِفَاقِ
24. If a man lives by good acts
You live by the eternal
٢٤. إِنْ أَخْلَدَ المَرْءَ حُسْنُ فِعْلٍ
فَأَنْتَ بِالْخَالِدَات بَاقِ
25. This is an elegy I poured out
Letting my passions loose, unchecked
٢٥. هَذَا رَثَاءٌ أَطْلَقْتُ فِيهِ
وَهْيَ شُجُونِي بِلاَ سِيَاقِ
26. Sorrow flowed from my heart
Like my tears from their springs
٢٦. جَرَى بِهِ الحُزْنُ مِنْ فُؤَادِي
جَرْيَ دُمُوعِي مِنَ المَآقي