إِعجَبmarvel لِحالِat the condition of السَروِnobility كَيفَhow تُحالُit is transformed
إِعجَب لِحالِ السَروِ كَيفَ تُحالُ
وَلِدَولَةِand at the reign of العَلياءِglory كَيفَhow تُدالُit is overturned
وَلِدَولَةِ العَلياءِ كَيفَ تُدالُ
Marvel at nobility's condition, how it is transformed,
and at glory's reign, how it is overturned.
لاdo not تَفسَحَنever give free rein لِلنَفسِto the soul فيin شَأوِthe pursuit of المُنىwishes
لا تَفسَحَن لِلنَفسِ في شَأوِ المُنى
إِنَّindeed اِغتِرارَكَyour being beguiled بِالمُنىby wishes لَضَلالُsurely error
إِنَّ اِغتِرارَكَ بِالمُنى لَضَلالُ
Do not give your soul free rein in pursuing wishes;
being beguiled by wishes is surely error.
ماhow أَمتَعَdelightful الآمالَhopes لَولاwere it not أَنَّهاthat they
ما أَمتَعَ الآمالَ لَولا أَنَّها
تَعتاقُobstruct دونَbefore بُلوغِهاattaining them الآجالُlife's appointed ends
تَعتاقُ دونَ بُلوغِها الآجالُ
How delightful hopes would be, were it not that
life's appointed ends obstruct their fulfillment.
مَنwhoever سُرَّwas gladdened لَمّاwhile عاشَhe lived قَلَّwas scant مَتاعُهُhis enjoyment
مَن سُرَّ لَمّا عاشَ قَلَّ مَتاعُهُ
فَالعَيشُfor life نَومٌsleep وَالسُرورُand joy خَيالُa phantom
فَالعَيشُ نَومٌ وَالسُرورُ خَيالُ
Whoever rejoices while alive has but scant enjoyment;
for life is sleep, and joy a phantom.
فيin كُلِّevery يَمٍsea نُنتَحىwe are assailed بِرَزِيَّةٍby a calamity
في كُلِّ يَمٍ نُنتَحى بِرَزِيَّةٍ
لِلأَرضِfor the earth مِنfrom بُرحائِهاits fierce anguish زِلزالُa quake
لِلأَرضِ مِن بُرحائِها زِلزالُ
In every sea we are assailed by a calamity
whose fierce anguish makes the earth quake.
إِنif يَنكَدِرfalls بِالأَمسِyesterday نَجمٌa star ثاقِبٌpiercingly bright
إِن يَنكَدِر بِالأَمسِ نَجمٌ ثاقِبٌ
فَاليَومَthen today أَقلَعَhas ceased raining عارِضٌa cloud هَطّالُpouring copiously
فَاليَومَ أَقلَعَ عارِضٌ هَطّالُ
If yesterday a piercingly bright star fell,
today a rain-laden cloud has stopped pouring.
إِنَّindeed النَعِيَّthe death tidings لَجَهوَرٍfor Jahwar وَمُحَمَّدٍand Muhammad
إِنَّ النَعِيَّ لَجَهوَرٍ وَمُحَمَّدٍ
أَبكىmade weep الغَمامَthe clouds فَدَمعُهُso its tears مُنثالُstreaming down
أَبكى الغَمامَ فَدَمعُهُ مُنثالُ
The death tidings of Jahwar and Muhammad
made the clouds weep, their tears streaming down.
شَكلانِtwo alike إِنif حُمَّwas decreed الحَمامُdeath تَجاذَباthey drew each other
شَكلانِ إِن حُمَّ الحَمامُ تَجاذَبا
لاno غَروَwonder أَنthat تَتَجاذَبَdraw one another الأَشكالُthose alike
لا غَروَ أَن تَتَجاذَبَ الأَشكالُ
Two kindred spirits: when death was decreed, they drew each other on;
no wonder kindred spirits draw one another.
وَلّىdeparted أَبوAbu بَكرٍBakr فَراعَand terrified لَهُon his account الوَرىhumankind
وَلّى أَبو بَكرٍ فَراعَ لَهُ الوَرى
هَولٌa terror تَقاصَرَfell short دونَهُbeside it الأَهوالُall terrors
هَولٌ تَقاصَرَ دونَهُ الأَهوالُ
Abu Bakr departed, and his loss struck mankind with
a terror beside which all terrors dwindled.
قَمَرٌa moon هَوىfell فيinto التُربِthe dust تُحثىis heaped فَوقَهُabove him
قَمَرٌ هَوى في التُربِ تُحثى فَوقَهُ
لِلَّهِto God ماwhat حازَhas enclosed الثَرىthe earth المُنهالُfalling in heaps
لِلَّهِ ما حازَ الثَرى المُنهالُ
A moon fell into the dust, which is heaped above him;
God's is what the falling earth has enclosed!
قَدindeed قُلتُI said إِذwhen قيلَit was said السَريرُthe bier يُقِلُّهُbears him
قَد قُلتُ إِذ قيلَ السَريرُ يُقِلُّهُ
هَلis there لِلسَريرِfor the bier بِقَدرِهِwith his greatness اِستِقلالُstrength to bear
هَل لِلسَريرِ بِقَدرِهِ اِستِقلالُ
I said, when told that the bier was bearing him:
Can the bier sustain the weight of his worth?
الآنَnow بَيَّنَhas made clear لِلعُقولِto minds زَوالُهُhis passing
الآنَ بَيَّنَ لِلعُقولِ زَوالُهُ
أَنَّthat الجِبالُmountains قُصارُهُنَّtheir ultimate end زَوالُpassing away
أَنَّ الجِبالُ قُصارُهُنَّ زَوالُ
Now his passing has made plain to minds
that mountains' ultimate fate is to pass away.
ماhow أَقبَحَugly الدُنياthe world خِلافَafter مُوَدَّعٍone bidden farewell
ما أَقبَحَ الدُنيا خِلافَ مُوَدَّعٍ
غَنِيَتit flourished بِهِthrough him فيin حُسنِهاits beauty تَختالُit strutted
غَنِيَت بِهِ في حُسنِها تَختالُ
How ugly the world is after bidding farewell to one
through whom it flourished, strutting in its beauty.
ياO قَبرَهُhis grave العَطِرَfragrant الثَرىof soil لاmay not يَبعَدَنhe ever be far away
يا قَبرَهُ العَطِرَ الثَرى لا يَبعَدَن
حُلوٌa sweet one مِنَamong الفِتيانِyoung men فيكَin you حَلالُdwelling
حُلوٌ مِنَ الفِتيانِ فيكَ حَلالُ
O his grave, fragrant of soil, may he never be far away—
that sweet youth who dwells within you.
ماnot أَنتَyou إِلّاexcept الجَفنُthe sheath أَصبَحَhas come to be طَيَّهُwithin its folds
ما أَنتَ إِلّا الجَفنُ أَصبَحَ طَيَّهُ
نَصلٌa blade عَلَيهِupon it مِنَfrom الشَبابِyouth صِقالُa polish
نَصلٌ عَلَيهِ مِنَ الشَبابِ صِقالُ
You are only a sheath, within whose folds now lies
a blade bearing the polish of youth.
فَهُناكَand there نَفّاحُdiffusing fragrance الشَمائِلِin character مِثلَماjust as
فَهُناكَ نَفّاحُ الشَمائِلِ مِثلَما
طَرَقَتcame by night بِأَنفاسِwith the breaths of الرِياضِthe gardens شَمالُa north wind
طَرَقَت بِأَنفاسِ الرِياضِ شَمالُ
There lies one whose virtues breathe fragrance, as when
a north wind visits by night with the gardens' breath.
دانٍnear مِنَto الخُلُقِcharacter المُزَيّنِthat adorns نازِحٌfar removed
دانٍ مِنَ الخُلُقِ المُزَيّنِ نازِحٌ
عَنfrom كُلِّall ماthat فيهِin it عَلَيهِagainst him مَقالُgrounds for reproach
عَن كُلِّ ما فيهِ عَلَيهِ مَقالُ
Near to ennobling character, far removed
from anything for which he might be reproached.
شِيَمٌvirtues يُنافِسُrivals حُسنَهاtheir beauty إِحسانُهاtheir goodness
شِيَمٌ يُنافِسُ حُسنَها إِحسانُها
كَالراحِlike wine نافَسَrivaled طَعمَهاits taste الجِريالُits crimson hue
كَالراحِ نافَسَ طَعمَها الجِريالُ
Virtues whose goodness rivals their beauty,
like wine, whose crimson hue rivals its taste.
ياO مَنyou who شَأىoutstripped الأَمثالُpeers مِنهُfrom him واحِدٌone
يا مَن شَأى الأَمثالُ مِنهُ واحِدٌ
ضُرِبَتwere coined بِهِabout him فيin السَودَدِnobility الأَمثالُproverbs
ضُرِبَت بِهِ في السَودَدِ الأَمثالُ
O you, one of whom outstripped his peers,
about whom proverbs of nobility were coined.
نَقَصَتwas shortened حَياتُكَyour life حينَwhen فَضلُكَyour excellence كامِلٌcomplete
نَقَصَت حَياتُكَ حينَ فَضلُكَ كامِلٌ
هَلاwhy not اِستُضيفَwas added إِلىto الكَمالِperfection كَمالُperfection
هَلا اِستُضيفَ إِلى الكَمالِ كَمالُ
Your life was cut short when your excellence was complete;
why was perfection not added to perfection?
وُدِّعتَyou were bidden farewell عَنfrom عُمُرٍa lifetime عَمَرتَyou filled قَصيرَهُits brief span
وُدِّعتَ عَن عُمُرٍ عَمَرتَ قَصيرَهُ
بِمَكارِمٍwith noble deeds أَعمارُهُنَّtheir lifetimes طِوالُlong
بِمَكارِمٍ أَعمارُهُنَّ طِوالُ
You were bidden farewell after a life whose brief span you filled
with noble deeds whose lifetimes are long.
مَنwho لِلنَدِيِّfor the assembly إِذاwhen تَنازَعَdispute أَهلُهُits members
مَن لِلنَدِيِّ إِذا تَنازَعَ أَهلُهُ
فَاِستَجهَلَتand provoked to folly حُلَماءَهُits forbearing men الجُهّالُthe ignorant
فَاِستَجهَلَت حُلَماءَهُ الجُهّالُ
Who will tend the assembly when its members dispute,
and the ignorant provoke its forbearing men to folly?
لَوif كُنتَyou were شاهِدَهُمpresent among them لَقَلَّwould surely lessen مِراؤُهُمtheir wrangling
لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَهُم لَقَلَّ مِراؤُهُم
لِأَغَرَّfor an illustrious man فيهِin him مَعَalongside الفَتاءِyouth جَلالُmajesty
لِأَغَرَّ فيهِ مَعَ الفَتاءِ جَلالُ
Had you been among them, their wrangling would have lessened,
before an illustrious man in whom youth and majesty were joined.
مَنwho لِلعُلومِfor learning فَقَدfor already هَوىhas fallen العَلَمُthe standard الَّذيwhich
مَن لِلعُلومِ فَقَد هَوى العَلَمُ الَّذي
وُسِمَتwere marked بِهِby it أَنواعُهاits branches الأَغفالُthe unmarked
وُسِمَت بِهِ أَنواعُها الأَغفالُ
Who will tend learning? Fallen is the standard by which
its unmarked branches were distinguished.
مَنwho لِلقَضاءِfor justice يَعِزُّis difficult فيin أَثنائِهِits proceedings
مَن لِلقَضاءِ يَعِزُّ في أَثنائِهِ
إيضاحُclarification of مُظلِمَةٍan obscure matter لَهاfor it إِشكالُambiguity
إيضاحُ مُظلِمَةٍ لَها إِشكالُ
Who will uphold justice, when in its proceedings it is hard
to clarify an obscure matter fraught with difficulty?
مَنwho لِليَتيمِfor the orphan تَتابَعَتfollowed one another أَرزاؤُهُhis losses
مَن لِليَتيمِ تَتابَعَت أَرزاؤُهُ
هَلَكَdied الأَبُthe father الحانيloving وَضاعَand was lost المالُthe wealth
هَلَكَ الأَبُ الحاني وَضاعَ المالُ
Who will care for the orphan whose losses follow one another—
the loving father dead, the wealth lost?
أَعزِزhow grievous! بِأَنat the fact that يَنعاكَannounce your death نَعيَan announcement of شَماتَةٍgloating
أَعزِز بِأَن يَنعاكَ نَعيَ شَماتَةٍ
لِلأَولِياءِto the friends المَعشَرُthe company الأَقتالُthe enemies
لِلأَولِياءِ المَعشَرُ الأَقتالُ
How grievous that your death should be announced with gloating
to your friends by a band of enemies!
فُجِعَتwas bereft رَحىthe millstone of الإِسلامِIslam مِنكَin losing you بِقُطبِهاof its pivot
فُجِعَت رَحى الإِسلامِ مِنكَ بِقُطبِها
لَيتَwould that الحَسودَthe envier فِداكَwere your ransom فَهُوَfor he ثِفالُa mill's leather mat
لَيتَ الحَسودَ فِداكَ فَهُوَ ثِفالُ
In losing you, Islam's mill has lost its pivot;
would that the envier had ransomed you: he is but the mill's mat.
زُرناكَwe visited you لَمnot تَأذَنyou gave leave كَأَنَّكَas though you غافِلٌunaware
زُرناكَ لَم تَأذَن كَأَنَّكَ غافِلٌ
ماnot كانَwas there مِنكَfrom you لِواجِبٍtoward a duty إِغفالُneglect
ما كانَ مِنكَ لِواجِبٍ إِغفالُ
We visited you; you gave no leave, as though unaware;
never did you neglect any duty.
أَينَwhere الحَفاوَةُwarm welcome رَوضُهاits garden غَضُّfresh الجَنىof fruit
أَينَ الحَفاوَةُ رَوضُها غَضُّ الجَنى
أَينَwhere الطَلاقَةُcheerfulness بِشرُهاits smiling warmth سَلسالُsweet-flowing water
أَينَ الطَلاقَةُ بِشرُها سَلسالُ
Where is your warm welcome, its garden fresh with fruit?
Where your cheerfulness, its smile a sweet, clear stream?
أَيّامَin the days when مَنwhoever يَعرِضoffers عَلَيكَto you وِدادَهُhis affection
أَيّامَ مَن يَعرِض عَلَيكَ وِدادَهُ
يَكُنِthere would be القَبولُacceptance بَشيرُهُits herald الإِقبالُwelcome
يَكُنِ القَبولُ بَشيرُهُ الإِقبالُ
In the days when whoever offered you his affection
would find acceptance, heralded by your welcome.
مَهماhowever نُغِبُّكَwe visit you at intervals لاnot نُرِبكَwe cause you misgivings وَإِنand if نَزُرwe visit
مَهما نُغِبُّكَ لا نُرِبكَ وَإِن نَزُر
رِفهاًdaily فَماthen no لِزِيارَةٍfrom a visit إِملالُweariness
رِفهاً فَما لِزِيارَةٍ إِملالُ
However seldom we visit you, we cause no misgiving; and if we come
daily, our visits bring no weariness.
هَيهاتَalas لاno عَهدٌtime كَعَهدِكَlike your time عائِدٌreturning
هَيهاتَ لا عَهدٌ كَعَهدِكَ عائِدٌ
إِذwhen أَنتَyou فيon وَجهِthe face of الزَمانِtime جَمالُbeauty
إِذ أَنتَ في وَجهِ الزَمانِ جَمالُ
Alas, no time like your time will return,
when you were beauty upon the face of time.
فَاِذهَبthen depart ذَهابَthe departure of البُرءِhealth أَعقَبَهُsucceeded it الضَنىwasting sickness
فَاِذهَب ذَهابَ البُرءِ أَعقَبَهُ الضَنى
وَالأَمنِand security وافَتarrived بَعدَهُafter it الآجالُdeath's appointed times
وَالأَمنِ وافَت بَعدَهُ الآجالُ
Depart, then, as health departs when wasting sickness follows,
and security, after which death's appointed times arrive.
لَكَyours صالِحُrighteous الأَعمالِdeeds إِذsince شَيَّعتَهاyou sent them forth
لَكَ صالِحُ الأَعمالِ إِذ شَيَّعتَها
بِالبِرِّwith piety ساعَةَat the hour تُعرَضُare displayed الأَعمالُdeeds
بِالبِرِّ ساعَةَ تُعرَضُ الأَعمالُ
Righteous deeds shall be yours—since you sent them forth
with piety—at the hour when deeds are displayed.
حَيّاmay greet الحَياlife-giving rain مَثواكَyour resting place وَاِمتَدَّتand may spread عَلىover
حَيّا الحَيا مَثواكَ وَاِمتَدَّت عَلى
ضاحيthe sunlit surface of ثَراكَyour soil مِنَof النَعيمِbliss ظِلالُshades
ضاحي ثَراكَ مِنَ النَعيمِ ظِلالُ
May life-giving rain greet your resting place, and may there spread over
your sunlit soil the shades of bliss.
وَإِذاand when النَسيمُthe breeze اِعتَلَّgrew languid فَاِعتامَتthen chose بِهِwith it
وَإِذا النَسيمُ اِعتَلَّ فَاِعتامَت بِهِ
ساحاتِكَyour courtyards الغَدَواتُthe mornings وَالآصالُand the evenings
ساحاتِكَ الغَدَواتُ وَالآصالُ
And when the breeze grows languid, may, in its company,
mornings and evenings choose your courtyards.
وَلَئِنand although أَذالَكَhas abased you بَعدَafter طولِlong صِيانَةٍsafeguarding
وَلَئِن أَذالَكَ بَعدَ طولِ صِيانَةٍ
قَدَرٌfate فَكُلُّthen all مَصونِهِits protected ones سَيُذالُwill be abased
قَدَرٌ فَكُلُّ مَصونِهِ سَيُذالُ
And though, after long safekeeping, you have been cast down
by fate, all that it safeguards will be cast down.
سَيَحوطُwill guard مَنthose whom خَلَّفتَهُyou left him behind مُستَبصِرٌone clear-sighted
سَيَحوطُ مَن خَلَّفتَهُ مُستَبصِرٌ
فيin حِفظِpreserving ماwhat اِستَحفَظتَهُyou entrusted to him لاnot يالوspares effort
في حِفظِ ما اِستَحفَظتَهُ لا يالو
One clear-sighted will watch over those you left behind,
sparing no effort in preserving what you entrusted to him.
كَفَلَundertook الوَزيرُthe vizier أَبوAbu الوَليدَal-Walid بِجَبرِهِمto restore them
كَفَلَ الوَزيرُ أَبو الوَليدَ بِجَبرِهِم
إِنَّindeed الوَزيرَthe vizier لِمِثلِهاfor the like of it فَعّالُa vigorous doer
إِنَّ الوَزيرَ لِمِثلِها فَعّالُ
The vizier Abu al-Walid has undertaken to restore them;
the vizier is indeed a doer of such deeds.
مَلِكٌa king سَجِيَّتُهُhis nature الوَفاءُfidelity فَماso no لَهُfor him
مَلِكٌ سَجِيَّتُهُ الوَفاءُ فَما لَهُ
بِالعَهدِin the pledge فيtoward ذيone with خُلَّةٍfriendship إِخلالُbreach
بِالعَهدِ في ذي خُلَّةٍ إِخلالُ
A king whose nature is fidelity, who never
breaks his pledge toward a friend.
حَتَمٌa binding duty عَلَيهِupon him لَعاًrise again! لِعَثرَةِfor the stumbling of حالِهِمtheir fortunes
حَتَمٌ عَلَيهِ لَعاً لِعَثرَةِ حالِهِم
قَدmay تَعثُرُstumble الحالاتُfortunes ثُمَّthen تُقالُbe helped up
قَد تَعثُرُ الحالاتُ ثُمَّ تُقالُ
He is bound to bid their stumbling fortunes, 'Rise!'
Fortunes may stumble, then be helped to rise.
إيهاًenough! بَنيsons of ذَكوانَDhakwan إِنif غَلَبَovercomes الأَسىgrief
إيهاً بَني ذَكوانَ إِن غَلَبَ الأَسى
فَلَكُمthen for you إِلىto الصَبرِpatience الجَميلِnoble مَآلُa return
فَلَكُم إِلى الصَبرِ الجَميلِ مَآلُ
Enough, sons of Dhakwan! If grief overwhelms,
your recourse is noble patience,
إِنif كانَhas غابَvanished البَدرُthe full moon عَنfrom ساهورِهِits halo
إِن كانَ غابَ البَدرُ عَن ساهورِهِ
مِنكُمfrom among you وَفارَقَand left غابَهُhis thicket الرِئبالُthe lion
مِنكُم وَفارَقَ غابَهُ الرِئبالُ
even if the full moon has vanished from its halo
from your midst, and the lion has left his thicket.
Sol 6.1