خاليmy maternal uncle العزيزdear رحلتَyou departed عنfrom دنيانour world
خالي العزيز رحلتَ عن دنيان
وتركتناand you left us فيهاin it نجرُّwe drag خُطاناour steps
وتركتنا فيها نجرُّ خُطانا
My dear uncle, you have departed from our world,
My dear uncle, you left this world
And left us in it, dragging our steps.
And left us in it to draw our path
كُنَّاwe were نؤمِّلُwe hope أنto نراكَwe see you وإنْand even if نأىgrew distant
كُنَّا نؤمِّلُ أن نراكَ وإنْ نأى
بكَbearing you منزلٌa dwelling عنَّاfrom us وأنتَand you تراناyou see us
بكَ منزلٌ عنَّا وأنتَ ترانا
We had hoped to see you, even if
We hoped to see you even from afar
Your home lay far from us, and hoped you would see us.
Your home was far from us yet you could see us
حتىuntil إذاwhen كتبdecreed الإلهGod قضاءهُHis decree
حتى إذا كتب الإله قضاءهُ
فارقتناyou parted from us فتعذَّرتْso became impossible لُقياناour meeting
فارقتنا فتعذَّرتْ لُقيانا
Until, when God decreed His judgment,
Until God had written his decree
You parted from us, and our meeting became impossible.
You left us and meeting became impossible
ماnot عادremained ليfor me أملٌhope بلُقياof meeting راحلٍone departed
ما عاد لي أملٌ بلُقيا راحلٍ
عشناwe lived الطفولةchildhood عندهwith him وصباناand our youth
عشنا الطفولة عنده وصبانا
No longer have I hope of meeting one departed,
I have no more hope of meeting a departed one
With whom we lived our childhood and our youth.
We lived our childhood by him and our youth
سبعونَseventy عاماyears فيin الحياةlife وسبعةand seven
سبعونَ عاما في الحياة وسبعة
صارتْbecame لعُمركfor your lifetime عندناto us عنواناa title
صارتْ لعُمرك عندنا عنوانا
Seventy years of life, and seven,
Seventy years in life and seven
Became, for us, the title of your life.
Became your age to us a symbol
أفنتكَthey consumed you أمor أنتَyou الذيthe one who أفنيتهyou consumed it
أفنتكَ أم أنتَ الذي أفنيته
لاno فرقdifference مادامso long as التفرُّقparting كاناhappened ؟
لا فرق مادام التفرُّق كانا ؟
Did they consume you, or were you the one who consumed it?
Did I lose you or did you lose yourself?
There is no difference, since parting has come.
No difference since the separation happened
أَطَويْتَdid you fold up عمركَyour life ، أمor طواكit folded you up ، كلاهمboth of them
أَطَويْتَ عمركَ ، أم طواك ، كلاهم
يتساويانِthey are equal وقدand now that نأيتَyou went far away مكاناin location ؟
يتساويانِ وقد نأيتَ مكانا ؟
Did you fold up your life, or did it fold you up? Both
Did you finish your life or did it finish you?
Are alike, now that you have gone far away.
Both are equal now that you are gone
تمضيpass onward بناwith us الأعوامُthe years ، يطويfolds up بعضهsome of them
تمضي بنا الأعوامُ ، يطوي بعضه
بعضاًothers ، ويطويand folds up طيُّهاtheir folding up الإنساناhumankind
بعضاً ، ويطوي طيُّها الإنسانا
The years carry us onward; some fold away
Years pass by us, some fold
Others, and their folding away folds away humankind.
into others, and man folds his fold
خاليmy maternal uncle العزيزdear ، رحلتyou departed رِحلةa journey فارسٍa knight
خالي العزيز ، رحلت رِحلة فارسٍ
ركبrode المصاعبَhardships فيin الحياةlife حصاناa steed
ركب المصاعبَ في الحياة حصانا
My dear uncle, you departed like a knight
My dear uncle, you took a journey like a knight
Who rode life's hardships as his steed.
Who rode the difficulties of life on a steed
عرفتكَknew you أوقاتُthe times الصلاةِof prayer مُبادرhastening ahead of
عرفتكَ أوقاتُ الصلاةِ مُبادر
صوتَthe sound الأذانِof the call to prayer ، تُرتِّلyou recite melodiously القرآناthe Qur'an
صوتَ الأذانِ ، تُرتِّل القرآنا
The hours of prayer knew you anticipating
Prayer times knew you always first to come
The sound of the call to prayer, reciting the Qur'an.
The call to prayer - you recite the Quran
ورآكَand saw you شهرُthe month الصَّومِof fasting عاشقa lover of صومِهِits fast
ورآكَ شهرُ الصَّومِ عاشق صومِهِ
وأخاand a companion of قيامٍnight prayer ينشدُhe seeks الرَّيَّاناal-Rayyan, a gate of Paradise
وأخا قيامٍ ينشدُ الرَّيَّانا
The month of fasting saw you devoted to its fast,
And fasting month saw you loving its fast
And a companion of night prayer, seeking al-Rayyan.
And up at night chanting prayers till dawn
مرَّpassed الزَّمانtime كأنَّماas though هوit لحظةa moment
مرَّ الزَّمان كأنَّما هو لحظة
جمعتْgathered ثوانيهاits seconds لناfor us الأزماناthe ages
جمعتْ ثوانيها لنا الأزمانا
Time passed as though it were a moment
Time passed as if just a moment
Whose seconds gathered all the ages for us.
Its seconds gathered lifetimes for us
وكأنَّماand as though هوit طَيْفُan apparition حلمٍof a dream عابرٍpassing
وكأنَّما هو طَيْفُ حلمٍ عابرٍ
لمَّاwhen تعلَّقناwe clung بهto it جافاناit shunned us
لمَّا تعلَّقنا به جافانا
And as though it were the apparition of a passing dream:
As if it was a fleeting dream
When we clung to it, it turned away from us.
When we clung to it, it deserted us
سبقاكَthey preceded you ، جدِّيmy grandfather ، والحبيبةُand the beloved جدَّتيmy grandmother
سبقاكَ ، جدِّي ، والحبيبةُ جدَّتي
سبقاًa preceding departure أثارstirred شجوننَاour sorrows وأساناand our grief
سبقاً أثار شجوننَا وأسانا
My grandfather and my beloved grandmother went before you,
My grandfather and grandmother preceded you
Their going stirred our sorrows and our grief.
In a precedent that stirred our yearning and sorrow
وتقدَّمتْand went ahead أمِّيmy mother التيwho منfor أجلنour sake
وتقدَّمتْ أمِّي التي من أجلن
كانتshe was بِصدقِwith the sincerity of عطائهاher giving تتفانىgiving herself wholly
كانت بِصدقِ عطائها تتفانى
And my mother went before you, she who, for our sake,
And my mother who lived selflessly for us
Would give herself unstintingly, with sincere generosity.
With genuine caring went ahead of you
رحلتshe departed عنfrom الدنياthe world بِنبضِwith the beat قلوبنof our hearts
رحلت عن الدنيا بِنبضِ قلوبن
معهاwith her ، وأبقتْand left behind عطفهاher tenderness وحناناand affection
معها ، وأبقتْ عطفها وحنانا
She left this world, taking the heartbeat of our hearts
She left this world with a beat of our hearts
With her, and left behind her tenderness and affection.
With her, leaving her kindness and affection
ماnot زلتُI have ceased أذكرهاI remember her تحوِّلshe turns كفَّهher palm
ما زلتُ أذكرها تحوِّل كفَّه
حقلاa field بخيرwith the bounty of ثمارهِits fruits غذَّاناnourished us
حقلا بخير ثمارهِ غذَّانا
I still remember her turning her palm
I still remember her hand turning
Into a field whose bountiful fruit nourished us.
To a fruitful field feeding us
وتحوِّلُand she turns الأهدابthe eyelashes ظلاَّshade كلَّمwhenever
وتحوِّلُ الأهداب ظلاَّ كلَّم
هبَّتْblew رياحُthe winds همومناof our worries غطَّاناsheltered us
هبَّتْ رياحُ همومنا غطَّانا
And turning her eyelashes into shade that, whenever
And her eyelids shading us like a cloud
The winds of our worries blew, sheltered us.
When the winds of worries overcame us
رحلواthey departed عنfrom الدُّنياthe world فصارso became بكاؤنour weeping
رحلوا عن الدُّنيا فصار بكاؤن
لغةًa language تصوِّرُportrays قَدْرَthe worth منْof those who أَبكاناmade us weep
لغةً تصوِّرُ قَدْرَ منْ أَبكانا
They left this world, and our weeping became
They left this world and our tears became
A language expressing the worth of those who made us weep.
A language depicting our loss and grief
وَرَحلتَand you departed أنتَyou الآنnow مِثلَlike رحيلهمtheir departure
وَرَحلتَ أنتَ الآن مِثلَ رحيلهم
فكأنَّماso as though الماضيthe past يعودُreturns الآناnow
فكأنَّما الماضي يعودُ الآنا
And now you have departed as they departed,
And now you left just as they did before
As though the past were returning now.
As if the past is repeating itself again
هلdo تلتقيmeet الأرواحthe souls ، ذلكthat علمهُknowledge of it
هل تلتقي الأرواح ، ذلك علمهُ
عندwith المهيمنِthe Guardian خالقاًthe Creator منَّاناthe Bountiful Giver ؟
عند المهيمنِ خالقاً منَّانا ؟
Do souls meet? The knowledge of that
Do spirits meet - that knowledge is His
Rests with the Guardian, the Creator, the Bountiful Giver.
Our Creator's, The Benevolent's domain
خاليmy maternal uncle العزيزdear يكادُalmost يلجمُbridles أحرفيmy letters
خالي العزيز يكادُ يلجمُ أحرفي
ألمpain الرَّحيلof departure ، وand يُلجمُbridles الأوزاناthe poetic meters
ألم الرَّحيل ، و يُلجمُ الأوزانا
My dear uncle, my letters are almost bridled
My dear uncle, the grief of departure overwhelms
By the pain of departure, which also bridles the meters.
My words, overpowers the rhythms
وأكادُand I almost أشعرُfeel أنَّthat كلَّevery إشارةٍallusion
وأكادُ أشعرُ أنَّ كلَّ إشارةٍ
للذكرياتِto memories تؤجِّجُfans النيراناthe flames
للذكرياتِ تؤجِّجُ النيرانا
And I almost feel that every allusion
And I almost feel that every memory
To memories fans the flames.
Rekindles the fires of yearning
ماذاwhat سأذكرُshall I recall منfrom حياةٍa life كلُّهall of it
ماذا سأذكرُ من حياةٍ كلُّه
ذكرىmemory ، وذكرىand memory تبعثُawakens الأشجاناsorrows
ذكرى ، وذكرى تبعثُ الأشجانا
What shall I recall of a life that is all
What can I recall of a life now just
Memory upon memory, awakening sorrows?
Memories, and memories stir sorrow
هلshall أذكرI recall البيتthe house القديمold منof الحصpebbles
هل أذكر البيت القديم من الحص
وand الطِّينِclay شيَّدbuilt أهلهُits people البنياناthe structure ؟
و الطِّينِ شيَّد أهلهُ البنيانا ؟
Shall I recall the old house of pebbles
Shall I recall the old mudbrick house
And clay, whose people raised the building?
Built by family who erected its structure?
هلshall أذكرI recall (السَّنُّوتَfennel ) فيin أحواضهِits garden beds
هل أذكر (السَّنُّوتَ ) في أحواضهِ
وand ( بعيثَرانwormwood ) الدَّارِof the house وand ( الرَّيحاناbasil ) ؟
و ( بعيثَران ) الدَّارِ و ( الرَّيحانا ) ؟
Shall I recall the fennel in its garden beds,
Shall I remember the ponds and our home's
And the house's wormwood and basil?
Jasmine, marjoram, and basil?
هلshall أذكرI recall الجبلthe mountain الأشمَّlofty وحولهُand around it
هل أذكر الجبل الأشمَّ وحولهُ
شجرٌtrees يمدُّstretches غصونَهُits branches خِيطاناthreads ؟
شجرٌ يمدُّ غصونَهُ خِيطانا ؟
Shall I recall the lofty mountain, surrounded by
Shall I recall the high mountain and around it
Trees stretching their branches like threads?
Trees stretching branches like strings?
أمor أذكرI recall ( الشِّعبَthe ravine الخصيبfertile ) ولوزَهُand its almonds
أم أذكر ( الشِّعبَ الخصيب ) ولوزَهُ
وand التينَfigs والزَّيتونَand olives والرُّمَّاناand pomegranates
و التينَ والزَّيتونَ والرُّمَّانا
Or recall the fertile ravine and its almonds,
Or the fertile valley with its almond
And the figs, olives, and pomegranates?
And fig and olive and pomegranate?
أمor أذكرI recall (الكُرَّthe well) الصغيرsmall وand(قفَّهُits rim)
أم أذكر (الكُرَّ) الصغير و(قفَّهُ)
وand ( الغَرْبَthe large leather bucket ) يصعدُrises مفعماbrimming ملآناfull
و ( الغَرْبَ ) يصعدُ مفعما ملآنا
Or recall the little well and its rim,
Or the small pond and its dam
And the great bucket rising brimming full?
And the west I'd ascend filled and overflowing?
أمor أذكرI recall (المَحَّالَthe pulley) وand ( الدَّرَّاجthe roller ) فيin
أم أذكر (المَحَّالَ) و ( الدَّرَّاج ) في
نغميْهِماtheir two melodies صوتُthe voice المَدَىof the distance ناداناcalled us
نغميْهِما صوتُ المَدَى نادانا
Or recall the pulley and the roller? In
Or the melodies of the waterwheels
Their two melodies, the voice of distance called to us.
Echoing the valley calling to us?
يتسابقانthey race each other وand( للمقاطِfor the hauling cords ) وand ( للرِّشاfor the well-rope )
يتسابقان و( للمقاطِ ) و ( للرِّشا )
أثرٌa mark عميقdeep فيهماon the two of them قدْindeed باناbecame visible
أثرٌ عميق فيهما قدْ بانا
The two raced each other, and the hauling cords and the well-rope
Racing as they irrigate the fields
Had left a deep mark on them, plainly visible.
Leaving their deep imprint behind
تلكthose السَّوانيthe water-drawing animals تنزحdraw up الماءthe water الذيthat
تلك السَّواني تنزح الماء الذي
فيin الكُرِّthe well حتَّىso that تُنعشَthey revive الأغصاناthe branches
في الكُرِّ حتَّى تُنعشَ الأغصانا
Those water-drawing beasts drew up the water
Those water wheels that drain the pond’s water
In the well, to revive the branches.
To revive the trees till their branches dance
هلshall أذكرI recall المطرَthe rain الغزيرheavy إذاwhen هَمpoured down
هل أذكر المطرَ الغزير إذا هَم
سحًّاin torrents وأذكرand I recall بعدهاafterward الغُدْرَاناthe pools
سحًّا وأذكر بعدها الغُدْرَانا
Shall I recall the heavy rain when it poured
Shall I recall the heavy rains then
In torrents, and recall the pools left afterward?
The floods afterwards and remember?
ماذاwhat سأذكرshall I recall أيُّهاO الغاليdear one الذيwho
ماذا سأذكر أيُّها الغالي الذي
هجرabandoned الطريقَthe road وفارقَand left الميداناthe arena
هجر الطريقَ وفارقَ الميدانا
What shall I recall, dear one, who
What shall I recall, O dear one who
Abandoned the road and left the arena?
Left the path and quit the arena?
قالتshe said : أراكَI see you حزِنتَyou have grieved ، قلتI said لهاto her : نعمyes
قالت : أراكَ حزِنتَ ، قلت لها : نعم
إنَّindeed الفراقَparting يؤجِّجُfans الأحزاناsorrows
إنَّ الفراقَ يؤجِّجُ الأحزانا
She said, “I see you grieving.” I told her, “Yes,
She said: I see you're sad; I said: Yes
Parting fans the flames of sorrow.”
Parting stokes the fires of grief
قالتshe said : وأينand where الصبرُpatience ، قلتI said لهاto her : معيwith me
قالت : وأين الصبرُ ، قلت لها : معي
فأناfor I أخوضwade through بِصبريَwith my patience الطُّوفَاناthe flood
فأنا أخوض بِصبريَ الطُّوفَانا
She said, “And where is patience?” I told her, “With me;
She said: Where's your patience? I said: With me
With my patience I brave the flood.”
I'm crossing the storms with my patience
فالصبرُfor patience عندat الصدمةthe shock الأولىfirst إذwhen
فالصبرُ عند الصدمة الأولى إذ
حمَّcame to pass القضاءthe decree ، يُهدِّئُcalms الوجداناthe emotions
حمَّ القضاء ، يُهدِّئُ الوجدانا
For patience, at the first shock, when
Patience in the first strike when fate descends
The decree comes to pass, calms the heart.
Calms the soul and soothes its turmoil
ورضاand the acceptance of النفوسsouls بماof what يقدرdecrees ربُّهtheir Lord
ورضا النفوس بما يقدر ربُّه
شرفٌan honor تنالُthey attain بنيلِهِby attaining it الإحساناspiritual excellence
شرفٌ تنالُ بنيلِهِ الإحسانا
And souls' acceptance of what their Lord decrees
Accepting what God decrees is noble
Is an honor through which they attain spiritual excellence.
Gaining kindness through such grace
ويظلُّand remains فيin لغةِthe language الأسىof grief بابٌa door لنfor us
ويظلُّ في لغةِ الأسى بابٌ لن
حتَّىso that نعبِّرَwe express فيهِthrough it عنabout شكْواناour lament
حتَّى نعبِّرَ فيهِ عن شكْوانا
And in the language of grief, a door remains for us
In the language of sorrow remains a place where
So that through it we may voice our lament.
We can express our complaints
لاno بأسharm منin حزنٍsorrow ودمعٍand tears ، دونمwithout
لا بأس من حزنٍ ودمعٍ ، دونم
جزَعٍimpatient anguish ، تفجَّرُerupts نارُهُits fire بركاناas a volcano
جزَعٍ ، تفجَّرُ نارُهُ بركانا
There is no harm in sorrow and tears, without
Some sorrow and tears are fine
Impatient anguish whose fire erupts like a volcano.
Without blazing volcanoes of grief
لاdo not تسأليask ، ياO منyou who سألتِyou asked فإنَّfor indeed ليfor me
لا تسألي ، يا من سألتِ فإنَّ لي
فيin كلِّall ماwhat سطَّرتُهُI wrote it برْهَاناproof
في كلِّ ما سطَّرتُهُ برْهَانا
Do not ask, you who asked, for I have
Don't ask, O you who asked, for I have
Proof in everything I have written.
In all I wrote proof and reason
الخالُthe maternal uncle فيin نظَرthe view of الشريعةِsacred law والدٌa father
الخالُ في نظَر الشريعةِ والدٌ
فبهِso concerning him الرسولthe Messenger المصطفىthe chosen one وصَّاناenjoined us
فبهِ الرسول المصطفى وصَّانا
In the eyes of sacred law, the maternal uncle is a father;
An uncle by shariah is like a father
Thus the chosen Messenger charged us to care for him.
So the Prophet had guided and taught us
ياO قلبُheart ، خفِّفlessen منfrom أنينكَyour groaning راجعturning back
يا قلبُ ، خفِّف من أنينكَ راجع
للهِto God ، واجعلْand make ذِكرهُremembrance of Him اطمئناناpeace of mind
للهِ ، واجعلْ ذِكرهُ اطمئنانا
O heart, lessen your groaning, turning back
O heart, lessen your sorrows and return
To God, and let remembrance of Him bring peace.
To God, making His remembrance tranquility
لاdo not تجعلmake الحزنgrief المُهَيمنَoverpowering صاحبa companion
لا تجعل الحزن المُهَيمنَ صاحب
يعطيكَgives you منof حسراتِهits sorrows ألواناcolors
يعطيكَ من حسراتِه ألوانا
Do not make overpowering grief a companion
Don't let grief always dominate
Who gives you sorrows of every hue.
Giving your days its colors
إنَّindeed الحزينَthe grieving one إذاwhen تعاظمَgrew great حزنُهُhis grief
إنَّ الحزينَ إذا تعاظمَ حزنُهُ
حسبَthought الخلائقَthe creatures كلَّهنَّall of them حَزَانىgrieving
حسبَ الخلائقَ كلَّهنَّ حَزَانى
For the grieving one, when his grief grows great,
When the grieving magnify their grief
Thinks all creatures are grieving.
They see all people as grieving
خاليmy maternal uncle العزيزdear ، فمُthe mouth القصيدةِof the poem لمnot يزلْhas ceased
خالي العزيز ، فمُ القصيدةِ لم يزلْ
متلعثماstammering ، وفؤادُهاand its heart حيراناbewildered
متلعثما ، وفؤادُها حيرانا
My dear uncle, the mouth of the poem is still
My dear uncle, the mouth of this poem still
Stammering, and its heart bewildered.
Stammers, while its heart bewildered
عجزتْit failed وربِّكَby your Lord أنْto تصوِّرportray لوعتيmy anguish
عجزتْ وربِّكَ أنْ تصوِّر لوعتي
أنَّىhow تصوِّرُcan it portray جمرةًan ember ودُخاناand smoke ؟!
أنَّى تصوِّرُ جمرةً ودُخانا ؟!
By your Lord, it has failed to portray my anguish;
It fell short - and my Lord - in depicting
How could it portray an ember and smoke?
My pain, how can it show ember and smoke?!
لكننيbut I أطفأتهاquenched it بتصبُّريthrough my patient endurance
لكنني أطفأتها بتصبُّري
وجعلتُand I made طاعةobedience to خالقيmy Creator ميزاناa scale
وجعلتُ طاعة خالقي ميزانا
But I quenched it through my patient endurance,
But I quenched it with my patience
And made obedience to my Creator my measure.
And made obeying my Creator my scale
طيَّرتُI sent flying سرباًa flock منof دعائيmy supplications صاعدascending
طيَّرتُ سرباً من دعائي صاعد
نحوَtoward السماءِthe sky أناشِدُI implore الرَّحماناthe Most Merciful
نحوَ السماءِ أناشِدُ الرَّحمانا
I sent a flock of my supplications soaring
I released a flock of prayers ascending
Toward heaven, imploring the Most Merciful:
To the sky, pleading with The Merciful
ياO ربِّmy Lord هذاthis الخالُmaternal uncle أمسىhas become وَحدهُalone
يا ربِّ هذا الخالُ أمسى وَحدهُ
فامنحso grant لهُto him أنساًcompanionship وهَبْهُand grant him أماناsafety
فامنح لهُ أنساً وهَبْهُ أمانا
O Lord, this uncle is now alone;
O Lord, this uncle is now alone
Grant him companionship, and bestow safety upon him.
So grant him company and safety
وافتحand open لهfor him أبوابَthe gates of رحمتكYour mercy التيwhich
وافتح له أبوابَ رحمتك التي
تدنِيbring near إليهto him الصَّفحpardon وand الغفرانforgiveness
تدنِي إليه الصَّفح و الغفران
And open for him the gates of Your mercy, which
And open for him your doors of mercy
Bring pardon and forgiveness near to him.
That bring him pardon and forgiveness
أسكنهlet him dwell ياO ربِّيmy Lord وand كلَّevery موحِّدٍmonotheist
أسكنه يا ربِّي و كلَّ موحِّدٍ
سلكَfollowed الطَّريقthe path المستقيمstraight جِناناgardens of Paradise
سلكَ الطَّريق المستقيم جِنانا
Lodge him, O my Lord, and every believer in Your oneness
Settle him, O Lord, and every monotheist
Who followed the straight path, in gardens of Paradise.
Who walked the straight path, in Paradise
Sol 6.1