كيفhow انتهىended منfrom قبلbefore أنto يبتديbegin
كيف انتهى من قبل أن يبتدي
هلcan تنطفيgo out الروحthe soul ولمand has not توقدbeen kindled؟
هل تنطفي الروح ولم توقد؟
How did he end before he began?
How did he end before he began
Can the soul go out without ever being kindled?
Did the soul extinguish before it ignited?
وكيفand how أنهىfinished السيرthe journey منone who لمdid not يرحset out at dusk
وكيف أنهى السير من لم يرح
فيon دربهhis road المجهولunknown أوor يغتديset out at dawn؟
في دربه المجهول أو يغتدي؟
And how did one finish his journey, never having set out at dusk
And how did he end the journey when he did not set out
on his unknown road, or departed at dawn?
On his unknown path or transgress?
وافىcame منfrom الديجورpitch-darkness يحبوcrawling إلىtoward
وافى من الديجور يحبو إلى
كهفthe cave السكونstillness النازحfar-off الأسودblack
كهف السكون النازح الأسود
He came from pitch-darkness, crawling toward
He came from Diyar Rabiah yearning
the far-off, black cave of stillness.
To the cave of stillness, the retreating darkness
ألقىcast بهhim المهدthe cradle إلىinto قبرهhis grave
ألقى به المهد إلى قبره
لمdid not يقتربdraw near منهto it ولمand did not يبعدmove far away
لم يقترب منه ولم يبعد
The cradle cast him into his grave;
The cradle cast him into his grave
he neither drew near it nor moved far away.
He did not come near it or go far
ماwhat بالهhis condition خفhastened إلىto موتهhis death؟
ما باله خف إلى موته؟
هلwhether كانwas والموتand death علىat أموعداan appointment؟
هل كان والموت على أموعدا؟
Why did he hurry to his death?
What made him softly enter his death?
Were he and death keeping an appointment?
Was he and death on an appointment?
ماhow أقصرshort الشوطthe course وأدنىand how small المدىthe span
ما أقصر الشوط وأدنى المدى
ماwhat lies بينbetween عهدthe time اللحدthe grave والمولدand birth!
ما بين عهد اللحد والمولد!
How short the course, how small the span
How short is the distance and how near the range
between the time of the grave and birth!
Between the era of the grave and birth!
ياO منyou who رأىsaw الطفلthe child يعانيsuffering الردىdeath
يا من رأى الطفل يعاني الردى
ويرفعand raising الكفthe palm كمنlike one who يجتديbegs!
ويرفع الكف كمن يجتدي!
O you who saw the child suffering death
O you who saw the infant suffer adversity
and raising his palm like one who begs!
And raise his palm as if to seek help!
كأنهas though he فيin خوفهhis fear… يحتميseeks protection
كأنه في خوفه... يحتمي
بكفهwith his palm منfrom صولةthe onslaught المعتديthe assailant!
بكفه من صولة المعتدي!
As though, in his fear, he sought protection
As if in his fear...he takes refuge
with his palm from the assailant's onslaught!
With his palm from the assault of the transgressor!
وكلماand whenever انهالbore down عليهupon him انطوىcurled up
وكلما انهال عليه انطوى
يلوذseeks shelter بالثوبin the garment… وبالمرقدand in the bed
يلوذ بالثوب... وبالمرقد
And whenever it bore down on him, he curled up,
And whenever it poured on him he curled up
seeking shelter in his garment... and his bed.
Seeking refuge in the garment...and in the bed
وتارةand at times يرنوgazes إلىtoward أمهhis mother
وتارة يرنو إلى أمه
وتارةand at times يلقيplaces يداًa hand فيin يدa hand
وتارة يلقي يداً في يد
And at times he gazes toward his mother,
And sometimes he glancing to his mother
and at times places a hand in another's hand.
And sometimes he places a hand in a hand
ومرةًand sometimes يرجوimplores أباa father مشفقاًcompassionate
ومرةً يرجو أبا مشفقاً
ومرةًand sometimes يرنوgazes إلىat العودthe sickbed visitors
ومرةً يرنو إلى العود
And sometimes he implores a compassionate father,
And once he pleadingly seeks his father
and sometimes gazes at the sickbed visitors.
And once he glancing to the lute
يهوىwishes أبوهhis father لوif only يذودward off القضاfate
يهوى أبوه لو يذود القضا
عنهfrom him وتهوىand wishes الأمthe mother لوif only تفتديoffer ransom
عنه وتهوى الأم لو تفتدي
His father wishes he could ward off fate
His father wishes to ward off fate
from him, and his mother wishes she could ransom him.
From him and his mother wishes she could ransom him
ياO منyou who شهدتwitnessed الطفلthe child فيin موتهhis death
يا من شهدت الطفل في موته
ألمdid you not تمتdie منfrom روعةthe horror المشهدthe scene؟!
ألم تمت من روعة المشهد؟!
O you who witnessed the child as he died,
O you who witnessed the infant in his death
did you not die from the horror of the scene?!
Did you not die from the horror of the scene?!
ياO صائدhunter of العصفورthe sparrow رفقاًbe gentle بهwith him
يا صائد العصفور رفقاً به
فلمfor he did not يخضventure into جواًthe air ولمand did not يصعدrise
فلم يخض جواً ولم يصعد
O hunter of the sparrow, be gentle with him,
O hunter of the bird, be gentle with him
for he never ventured into the air, nor rose aloft.
For he did not live in the open or ascend
أتىcame يغنيsing to الروضthe garden لكنهbut he
أتى يغني الروض لكنه
لمdid not ينشقinhale the scent of الروضthe garden ولمand did not ينشدsing
لم ينشق الروض ولم ينشد
He came to sing to the garden, but he
He came to sing to the meadow but
never breathed in the garden's scent, nor sang.
Did not split the meadow or chant
طفلٌa child كعصفورlike a sparrow الروابيthe hills طوىfolded
طفلٌ كعصفور الروابي طوى
رداthe robe الصباchildhood منfrom قبلbefore أنto يرتديwear
ردا الصبا من قبل أن يرتدي
A child, like a sparrow of the hills, folded
A child like the bird of the highlands folded
childhood's robe before he had put it on.
The youth of spring before wearing it
أهلappeared فيat بدءthe beginning الصباchildhood فانطفىthen went out
أهل في بدء الصبا فانطفى
لمdid not يهدguide حيراناًa bewildered person ولمand did not يهتدfind guidance
لم يهد حيراناً ولم يهتد
He appeared at childhood's dawn, then went out;
He settled in the beginning of youth so extinguished
he guided no bewildered soul, nor found his own way.
Bewildered he did not find guidance or guide
ونامand slept فيin حضنthe embrace الهناbliss مبعداًkept far away
ونام في حضن الهنا مبعداً
عنfrom الأعاديenemies وعنand from الحسدenvy
عن الأعادي وعن الحسد
And he slept in the embrace of bliss, kept far away
And slept in the lap of tranquility distant
from enemies and from envy,
From enemies and from envy
عنfrom ضجةthe clamor الدنياthe world وأشرارهاand its wicked people
عن ضجة الدنيا وأشرارها
وعنand from غبارthe dust العالمthe world المفسدcorrupting
وعن غبار العالم المفسد
from the world's clamor and its wicked people,
From the clamor of the world and its evils
and from the dust of the corrupting world.
And from the dust of the corrupt world
تدافعrushed headlong الطفلthe child إلىtoward قبرهhis grave
تدافع الطفل إلى قبره
فنامthen slept تحتbeneath الصمتsilence كالجلمداlike a boulder
فنام تحت الصمت كالجلمدا
The child rushed headlong toward his grave,
The infant rushed to his grave
then slept beneath silence like a boulder.
So he slept under silence like frozen
ماhow أسعدhappy الطفلthe child وأهنىand how sweet الكرىslumber
ما أسعد الطفل وأهنى الكرى
علىin سكونthe stillness المرقدthe resting place المفردsolitary!
على سكون المرقد المفرد!
How happy the child, how sweet the slumber
How happy is the infant and how lucky his fate
in the stillness of the solitary resting place!
Upon the stillness of the solitary grave!
هناhere ثوىlay at rest الطفلthe child وأبقىand left behind أباًa father
هنا ثوى الطفل وأبقى أباً
يبكيweeping وأماًand a mother فيin البكاweeping السرمديeverlasting
يبكي وأماً في البكا السرمدي
Here the child rests, leaving a father
Crying and a mother in eternal weeping
weeping, and a mother in everlasting tears.
She says in her secrets, his mother:
تقولsays فيin أسرارهاher secret thoughts أمهhis mother:
تقول في أسرارها أمه:
لوif only عاشhad lived سلوىsolace اليومtoday، ذخرa treasure الغدtomorrow!
لو عاش سلوى اليوم، ذخر الغد!
In her secret thoughts, his mother says:
If he had lived the consolation of today, the treasure of tomorrow!
If only he had lived—today's solace, tomorrow's treasure!
If he had lived for me, O Lord, if he did not die
لوif only عاشhad lived ليfor me ياO ربLord، لوif only لمhad not يمتdied
لو عاش لي يا رب، لو لم يمت
أوor ليتهif only he ياO ربLord، لمhad not يوجدexisted
أو ليته يا رب، لم يوجد
If only he had lived for me, O Lord, if only he had not died,
Or I wish, O Lord, he did not exist
or, O Lord, would that he had never existed!
Did this child fear the effort of the journey
هلdid خافfear هذاthis الطفلthe child جهدthe toil السرىnight travel
هل خاف هذا الطفل جهد السرى
فاختزلso he shortened الدربthe road ولمand did not يجهدtoil؟
فاختزل الدرب ولم يجهد؟
Did this child fear the toil of night travel,
So he shortened the road and did not strive?
and so cut the road short without wearying himself?
Why did the freshness of youth wilt
ماwhat بالهhis condition جفdried up وريand the moisture الصباchildhood
ما باله جف وري الصبا
حوليهaround him والعيشand life الظليلshady النديdewy؟!
حوليه والعيش الظليل الندي؟!
Why did he dry up, with childhood's moisture
Around him and the shady, delightful living?!
around him, and life shady and dewy?!
He went like the dawn specter, he did not pluck
مضىpassed away كطيفlike a phantom الفجرdawn لمdid not يقتطفpluck
مضى كطيف الفجر لم يقتطف
منfrom عمرهhis life غيرexcept الصباchildhood الأرغدmost carefree
من عمره غير الصبا الأرغد
He passed like dawn's phantom, having plucked nothing
From his life but the most enjoyable youth
from his life but childhood at its most carefree.
He did not taste the world nor know what
لمdid not يطعمtaste الدنياthe world ولمand did not يدرknow ماwhat
لم يطعم الدنيا ولم يدر ما
فيin سوقهاits market منof جيدgood أوor رديbad
في سوقها من جيد أو ردي
He never tasted the world, nor knew what
In its market of good or evil
its market held of good or bad.
Loving from the cradle to his grave
حباcrawled منfrom المهدthe cradle إلىto لحدهhis grave
حبا من المهد إلى لحده
لمdid not يشقsuffer فيin الدنياthe world ولمand did not يسعدfind happiness
لم يشق في الدنيا ولم يسعد
He crawled from the cradle to his grave;
He did not endure in the world and did not enjoy
he neither suffered in the world nor knew happiness.
So here O “Abdulaziz” is the elegy
فهاكso here you are ياO “عبدالعزيزAbdulaziz” الرثاthe elegy
فهاك يا “عبدالعزيز” الرثا
شعراًas verse حزينsorrowful الشدوthe song والمنشدand the singer
شعراً حزين الشدو والمنشد
So take, O Abdulaziz, this elegy—
Poetry saddened by its chant and its chanter
verse with a sorrowful song and singer.
Crying as you cry and in its passion
يبكيit weeps كماas تبكيyou weep وفيand in شجوهits sorrow
يبكي كما تبكي وفي شجوه
تعزيةconsolation عنfor طفلكyour child الأوحدonly
تعزية عن طفلك الأوحد
It weeps as you weep, and in its sorrow
Solace for your only child
is consolation for the loss of your only child.
Partial English translation: 61 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1