مَاذَاwhat يُخَبِّئُconceals نَابُthe fang of الموْتِdeath فيin الوَادِيthe valley
مَاذَا يُخَبِّئُ نَابُ الموْتِ في الوَادِي
سَهْمَthe arrow of المنِيَّةِdoom أمْor أَشْرَاكَthe snares of صَيَّادِa hunter؟
سَهْمَ المنِيَّةِ أمْ أَشْرَاكَ صَيَّادِ؟
What does death's fang conceal in the valley—
the arrow of doom, or a hunter's snares?
أَمْor ثَوْبَthe robe of نَائِحَةٍa wailing woman ثَكْلَىbereaved يُشَارِكُهَاshares with her
أَمْ ثَوْبَ نَائِحَةٍ ثَكْلَى يُشَارِكُهَا
حُزْنَthe grief of العَزَاءِmourning رَسُولُthe messenger of الموْتِdeath وَالحادِيand the camel-driver؟
حُزْنَ العَزَاءِ رَسُولُ الموْتِ وَالحادِي؟
Or the robe of a bereaved woman wailing, with whom
death's messenger and the camel-driver share the grief of mourning?
أمْor صَوْتُthe sound of قَاطِرَةٍa locomotive لَمْdid not يَخْتَرِقْpierce أُذُناًan ear
أمْ صَوْتُ قَاطِرَةٍ لَمْ يَخْتَرِقْ أُذُناً
أصمهاdeafened it الموتُdeath عنto برقlightning وإرعادِand thunder؟
أصمها الموتُ عن برق وإرعادِ؟
Or a locomotive's sound that never pierced an ear
death had deafened to lightning and thunder?
أَمْor يجمَعُgathers الدَّهْرُtime أَرْوَاحاًsouls بِهِwithin it اتحَدَتْwere united
أَمْ يجمَعُ الدَّهْرُ أَرْوَاحاً بِهِ اتحَدَتْ
لِيُلْحِقَto join الحيَّthe living بِالأَمْوَاتِto the dead فيin الوَادِيthe valley؟
لِيُلْحِقَ الحيَّ بِالأَمْوَاتِ في الوَادِي؟
Or does time gather souls that were united within it,
to join the living to the dead in the valley?
أمْor أنَّthat سَهْمَthe arrow of رَدَىthe doom of "الشَّرَّاطِal-Sharrat" مُشْتَرِطٌstipulates
أمْ أنَّ سَهْمَ رَدَى "الشَّرَّاطِ" مُشْتَرِطٌ
فيregarding مَنْwhomever يُصِيبُit strikes حَكِيماًa sage لَيْسَis not بالشَّادِيa singer
في مَنْ يُصِيبُ حَكِيماً لَيْسَ بالشَّادِي
Or does al-Sharrat's arrow of doom stipulate
that whoever it strikes be a sage, not a singer?
تَزَيَّلَscattered النَّاسُthe people فيwithin مَرْمَاهُits range فَاخْتَرَمَتْthen cut down
تَزَيَّلَ النَّاسُ في مَرْمَاهُ فَاخْتَرَمَتْ
بِهِthrough it المنَايَاdeadly fates خَيَارَthe finest of القَوْمِthe people فيin النَّادِيthe assembly
بِهِ المنَايَا خَيَارَ القَوْمِ في النَّادِي
The people scattered within its range, and the fates cut down
through it the finest of the people in the assembly.
إذَاwhen امْتَطَىmounts الموْتُdeath ظَهْرَthe back of السَّهْمِthe arrow أَنَّgroans عَلَىover
إذَا امْتَطَى الموْتُ ظَهْرَ السَّهْمِ أَنَّ عَلَى
ظُلْمِthe injustice to الوَرَىhumankind الوَتَرُthe bowstring الدَّاعِيcalling down curses عَلَىupon العَادِيthe aggressor
ظُلْمِ الوَرَى الوَتَرُ الدَّاعِي عَلَى العَادِي
When death mounts the arrow's back, a groan rises over
injustice to humankind from the bowstring calling curses on the aggressor.
يَبْكِيit weeps عَلَىover السَّهْمِthe arrow/ لَمْdid not يَقْصِدْaim، وَأَرْسَلَهُand released it
يَبْكِي عَلَى السَّهْمِ/ لَمْ يَقْصِدْ، وَأَرْسَلَهُ
رُغْماًunder compulsion بحيثُwhere رَنَاgazed قَوَّاسُهُits archer السَّادِيthe sadistic one
رُغْماً بحيثُ رَنَا قَوَّاسُهُ السَّادِي
It weeps over the arrow; it did not aim, yet released it
against its will, where its sadistic archer gazed.
رَمَىhe shot فَأَصْمَىand killed outright.. وأَدْمَىand bloodied قَبْلَbefore مَنْthose whose سُفِكتْwas shed
رَمَى فَأَصْمَى.. وأَدْمَى قَبْلَ مَنْ سُفِكتْ
دِمَاؤُهُمْtheir blood وَطَناًa homeland أَوْلَىmore deserving بِإِسْعَادِof being gladdened
دِمَاؤُهُمْ وَطَناً أَوْلَى بِإِسْعَادِ
He shot, killed outright, and bloodied—before those whose
blood was shed—a homeland more deserving of happiness.
بِمَنْagainst whom سَيَفْتِكُwill strike fatally هَذَاthis السَّهْمُarrow بَعْدَهُمُafter them
بِمَنْ سَيَفْتِكُ هَذَا السَّهْمُ بَعْدَهُمُ
وَمَنْand whom سَيَخْطِفُwill snatch away مَوْتٌdeath رَائِحٌgoing in the evening غَادِيgoing in the morning؟
وَمَنْ سَيَخْطِفُ مَوْتٌ رَائِحٌ غَادِي؟
Whom will this arrow slaughter after them,
and whom will death, roaming evening and morning, snatch away?
الموتُdeath حَلَّhas arrived.. ورَأْيُand the opinion of النَّاسِthe people مُخْتَلِفٌdiffers
الموتُ حَلَّ.. ورَأْيُ النَّاسِ مُخْتَلِفٌ
أَdid صَادَهُcatch him قَدَرٌfate، أمْor فَخُّthe trap of مُصْطَادِa hunter؟
أَ صَادَهُ قَدَرٌ، أمْ فَخُّ مُصْطَادِ؟
Death has arrived, and people's opinions differ:
did fate catch him, or a hunter's trap?
كُلٌّeveryone يَقُولُspeaks... وَعَيْنُand the eye of الموتِdeath قَائِلَةٌdeclares:
كُلٌّ يَقُولُ... وَعَيْنُ الموتِ قَائِلَةٌ:
مَاnot كَانَhe was مُرْتَحِلاًdeparting مِنْfrom غَيْرِwithout مِيعَادِan appointed time!!
مَا كَانَ مُرْتَحِلاً مِنْ غَيْرِ مِيعَادِ!!
Everyone speaks, while death's eye declares:
He did not depart without an appointed hour!
نَفْسِيmy soul الفِدَاءُthe ransom لِنَاءٍfor one far away عَزَّwas hard to attain نَائِلُهُhis bounty
نَفْسِي الفِدَاءُ لِنَاءٍ عَزَّ نَائِلُهُ
لَوْif كَانَwere يُرْجِعُهُbring him back بِالإِفْتِدَاthrough self-sacrifice الفَادِيthe ransomer
لَوْ كَانَ يُرْجِعُهُ بِالإِفْتِدَا الفَادِي
My soul would ransom one far away, whose bounty is beyond reach,
if a ransomer could bring him back through self-sacrifice.
مَضَىhe passed away فَأَثْكَلَand bereaved أَخْلاَقاًvirtues وَأَفْئِدَةًand hearts
مَضَى فَأَثْكَلَ أَخْلاَقاً وَأَفْئِدَةً
رَحِيلُهُhis departure.. فَرَثَتْso they lamented مَعْرُوفَهُhis goodness البَادِيmanifest
رَحِيلُهُ.. فَرَثَتْ مَعْرُوفَهُ البَادِي
He passed away; virtues and hearts were bereaved
by his departure, and mourned his manifest goodness.
حُمَّwas made inevitable القَضَاfate فَبَكَىso mourned مَنْthose who كَانَwere فيin حَضَرٍsettled towns
حُمَّ القَضَا فَبَكَى مَنْ كَانَ في حَضَرٍ
فعَالَهُhis deeds، وَبَكَىand mourned أخْلاَقَهُhis character البَادِيthe desert-dweller
فعَالَهُ، وَبَكَى أخْلاَقَهُ البَادِي
Fate was sealed, and those in the towns mourned
his deeds, while the desert-dweller mourned his character.
إنْif يَسْلُبِِsteals الموْتُdeath مِنَّاfrom us نَفْسَهُhis soul فَلَقَدْthen indeed
إنْ يَسْلُبِِ الموْتُ مِنَّا نَفْسَهُ فَلَقَدْ
أَبْقَىleft behind فَضَائِلَهُhis virtues فيamong النَّاسِthe people كَالجادِيlike saffron
أَبْقَى فَضَائِلَهُ في النَّاسِ كَالجادِي
If death steals his soul from us, it has indeed
left his virtues among the people, like saffron.
أَوْor يَسْلُبِsteals الموتُdeath مِنْfrom أفْعَالِهِhis deeds سَبَباًa source
أَوْ يَسْلُبِ الموتُ مِنْ أفْعَالِهِ سَبَباً
فَمَاyet not تموتُdie فَعَالٌdeeds خَلْفَafter أَمجَادِmen of glory
فَمَا تموتُ فَعَالٌ خَلْفَ أَمجَادِ
Or if death robs his deeds of their source,
deeds do not die after men of glory.
أرْدَاهُkilled him مَنْthe one who صَادَhunted.. كَيْso that يَهْوِيhe would fall.. فَزَادَyet increased بِهَاthrough it
أرْدَاهُ مَنْ صَادَ.. كَيْ يَهْوِي.. فَزَادَ بِهَا
"بَاهَاBaha" بَهَاءًradiance، فَبَاهَىand vied in glory with سَوْطَthe whip of جَلاَّدِa torturer
"بَاهَا" بَهَاءً، فَبَاهَى سَوْطَ جَلاَّدِ
His hunter killed him to make him fall; yet this increased
Baha's radiance, and he vied in glory with a torturer's whip.
أَفْضَىhe went إِلَىto اللهِGod لَمَّاwhen مَاتَhe died وَاحِدَةًonce
أَفْضَى إِلَى اللهِ لَمَّا مَاتَ وَاحِدَةً
وَمَاتَand died مِنْهَاbecause of it مِرَاراًrepeatedly مُعْتَدٍan aggressor بادِيplain to see
وَمَاتَ مِنْهَا مِرَاراً مُعْتَدٍ بادِي
He went unto God when he died once,
while through that death an overt aggressor died again and again.
سَيَّانِit is all the same: باحَrevealed بِسِرِّthe secret of المعتدِيthe aggressor زمَنِيmy time
سَيَّانِ: باحَ بِسِرِّ المعتدِي زمَنِي
أَوْor أقْبَرُواْthey buried السِّرَّthe secret حيناًfor a while باطِنَinside الوادِيthe valley
أَوْ أقْبَرُواْ السِّرَّ حيناً باطِنَ الوادِي
It is all the same whether my time reveals the aggressor's secret
or they bury the secret awhile in the valley's depths.
سَيَبْتَنِيwill build itself الرُّعْبُterror فيin أحلامِthe dreams of قاتِلِهِhis killer
سَيَبْتَنِي الرُّعْبُ في أحلامِ قاتِلِهِ
بيتاa house.. وينجِبُand will beget فيهِin it شَرَّthe worst of أولاَدِchildren!!
بيتا.. وينجِبُ فيهِ شَرَّ أولاَدِ!!
Terror will build itself, in his killer's dreams,
a house, and beget within it the worst of children.
وَقَائِلٍand a man saying لِيto me: أَلاَcome now أَمْسِكْdesist، وَقَائِلَةٍand a woman saying
وَقَائِلٍ لِي: أَلاَ أَمْسِكْ، وَقَائِلَةٍ
وَمَنْand who يُغَنِّيwill sing إذَاif مَاever أُخْرِسَis silenced الشَّادِيthe singer؟
وَمَنْ يُغَنِّي إذَا مَا أُخْرِسَ الشَّادِي؟
And a man says to me, "Come, be silent!" and a woman asks:
"And who will sing if ever the singer is silenced?"
كَفَىit is enough بِشِعْرِيَfor my poetry ذَمّاًas blame أنْthat يَقُولَit speaks بِمَاaccording to what
كَفَى بِشِعْرِيَ ذَمّاً أنْ يَقُولَ بِمَا
أُشِيعَwas spread بَيْنَamong الوَرَىhumankind مِنْfrom غَيْرِwithout إسْنَادِsubstantiation
أُشِيعَ بَيْنَ الوَرَى مِنْ غَيْرِ إسْنَادِ
It is reproach enough to my verse that it repeats what
was spread among people without substantiation.
إنْif كُنْتَyou are تجبنُtoo cowardly أنْto تَرْتَابَdoubt فِيabout نَبَأٍa report
إنْ كُنْتَ تجبنُ أنْ تَرْتَابَ فِي نَبَأٍ
فَلَسْتُthen I do not أَمْتَارُprocure provisions يَوْماًever أَخْبَثَthe foulest الزَّادِprovisions
فَلَسْتُ أَمْتَارُ يَوْماً أَخْبَثَ الزَّادِ
If you are too cowardly to doubt a report,
then I will never provision myself with the foulest fare.
فَفُزْso triumph بِجُبْنِكَthrough your cowardice إنْif أَنْجَاكَit saves you مِنْfrom لَهَبٍa flame
فَفُزْ بِجُبْنِكَ إنْ أَنْجَاكَ مِنْ لَهَبٍ
يَسْعَىhastens إِلَيْكَtoward you... لَبِئْسَhow wretched الفَوْزُthe victory وَالحَادِيand the camel-driver!!
يَسْعَى إِلَيْكَ... لَبِئْسَ الفَوْزُ وَالحَادِي!!
So triumph through your cowardice, if it saves you from a flame
that rushes toward you—how wretched the victory and its camel-driver!
وَلَسْتَand you are not أَقْرَبَcloser مِنْهُto him اليَوْمَtoday مَنْزِلَةًin standing
وَلَسْتَ أَقْرَبَ مِنْهُ اليَوْمَ مَنْزِلَةً
مِنِّيthan I لِتَسْقِيَso that you may pour upon جَمْرِيmy embers مَاءَthe water of إِخْمَادِextinguishing
مِنِّي لِتَسْقِيَ جَمْرِي مَاءَ إِخْمَادِ
And today you stand no closer to him
than I, that you should pour quenching water upon my embers.
يَاO أَيُّهَاyou الرَّاحِلُthe departed one المقتولُslain ثَاكِلُهُhis bereaved mourner
يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّاحِلُ المقتولُ ثَاكِلُهُ
بِفَقْدِهِby his loss.. مَنْwho سَيُطْفِيwill quench حَرَّthe heat of أكْبَادِlivers؟
بِفَقْدِهِ.. مَنْ سَيُطْفِي حَرَّ أكْبَادِ؟
O departed one, whose bereaved mourner is slain
by his loss—who will quench the burning of livers?
إنْif لمdoes not ينلْobtain وطنيmy homeland ثأراًvengeance يكونُthere is بِهِthrough it
إنْ لم ينلْ وطني ثأراً يكونُ بِهِ
لِلْمُعْتَدِينَfor the aggressors نَكَالٌa deterrent punishment أنْجَبَwill breed العَادِيthe aggressor
لِلْمُعْتَدِينَ نَكَالٌ أنْجَبَ العَادِي
If my homeland gains no vengeance through which
aggressors face deterrent punishment, the aggressor will breed.
فَإِنْand if يَكُنْthere is بِكَthrough you كَفُّthe warding off of البَأْسِviolence عَنْfrom وَطَنِيmy homeland
فَإِنْ يَكُنْ بِكَ كَفُّ البَأْسِ عَنْ وَطَنِي
فَمِنْthen from رَحِيلِكَyour departure يحياlives زَهْرُthe blossoms of إنْجَادِsuccor
فَمِنْ رَحِيلِكَ يحيا زَهْرُ إنْجَادِ
And if, through you, violence is kept from my homeland,
then from your departure the blossoms of succor will live.
نَمْsleep هَانِئاًpeacefully – لاَmay not هَنَتْbe peaceful أَيَّامُthe days of شَانِئِكُمْthe one who hates you all
نَمْ هَانِئاً – لاَ هَنَتْ أَيَّامُ شَانِئِكُمْ
فَقَدْfor indeed زَرَعْتَyou planted جَمِيلاًgoodness غَيْرَnot نَفَّادِexhaustible
فَقَدْ زَرَعْتَ جَمِيلاً غَيْرَ نَفَّادِ
Sleep in peace—may your hater's days never be peaceful!
For you have planted goodness that never runs out.
أَفْضَيْتَyou went للهِunto God مَرْضِيَّapproved in الخِلاَلِcharacter، وَقَدْand already
أَفْضَيْتَ للهِ مَرْضِيَّ الخِلاَلِ، وَقَدْ
شَدَدْتَyou fastened مَجْداًglory بِأَسْبَابٍwith cords وَأَوْتَادِand stakes
شَدَدْتَ مَجْداً بِأَسْبَابٍ وَأَوْتَادِ
You went unto God, your character approved, having
secured glory with cords and stakes.
فَلْيَبْكِكَso let it weep for you الرَّأيُjudgment – حُسْنُsoundness of الرَّأْيِjudgment فِيin زَمَنٍan age
فَلْيَبْكِكَ الرَّأيُ – حُسْنُ الرَّأْيِ فِي زَمَنٍ
لاَnot يَسْتَبينُcan be distinguished بهin it الهاذِيthe babbler مِنَfrom الهادِيthe guide
لاَ يَسْتَبينُ به الهاذِي مِنَ الهادِي
So let judgment weep for you—sound judgment in an age
when the babbler cannot be told from the guide.
وَلْيَبْكِكَand let it weep for you الحِلْمُforbearance قَدْindeed صَارَتْhave become مَنَابِعُهُits springs
وَلْيَبْكِكَ الحِلْمُ قَدْ صَارَتْ مَنَابِعُهُ
غَوراًsunken.. فَبَزَّand so robbed السَّوَاقِيthe irrigation channels بَعْدَafter إمْدَادِsupplying
غَوراً.. فَبَزَّ السَّوَاقِي بَعْدَ إمْدَادِ
And let forbearance weep for you: its springs have become
sunken; it has robbed the channels it once supplied.
لاَnot يُنْجِبُbegets الدَّهْرُtime صِنْواًa peer لِلْحَلِيمِfor the forbearing man إِذَاwhen
لاَ يُنْجِبُ الدَّهْرُ صِنْواً لِلْحَلِيمِ إِذَا
أَرْدَاهُit killed him إلاَّexcept عَلَىwith عُسْرٍdifficulty وَإِجْهَادِand exertion
أَرْدَاهُ إلاَّ عَلَى عُسْرٍ وَإِجْهَادِ
Time does not beget a peer for the forbearing man, once
it has slain him, save with difficulty and exertion.
لاَno حِلْمَforbearance بَعْدَكَafter you إلاَّunless أَنْthat يُرَىis seen وَطَنِيmy homeland
لاَ حِلْمَ بَعْدَكَ إلاَّ أَنْ يُرَى وَطَنِي
قَدْalready أَغْمَدَhas sheathed السَّيْفِthe sword فيin السَّاعِيthe one striving لإفْسَادِto spread corruption
قَدْ أَغْمَدَ السَّيْفِ في السَّاعِي لإفْسَادِ
There is no forbearance after you, unless my homeland is seen
to have sheathed the sword in the one striving to sow corruption.
Sol 6.1