سَلِ الرُكبانِ ما لِلدَّمعِ فاضا

سَلِ الرُكبانِ ما لِلدَّمعِ فاضا

وَما لِلجمعِ مِن فهرٍ أَفاضا

وَما لِلجمعِ مِن فهرٍ أَفاضا

Ask the riders why the tears have overflowed,

Ask the travelers why the tears overflow

Ask the riders why these tears have overflowed,

and why the gathering of Fihr has poured forth.

And why the throng gushes forth

And why the gathering of Fihr has poured forth in crowds.

أَشمسُ عُلاهُم الزَهراءُ غابَت

أَشمسُ عُلاهُم الزَهراءُ غابَت

أَبحَرُ نَداهُمُ السَلسالُ غاضا

أَبحَرُ نَداهُمُ السَلسالُ غاضا

Has the radiant sun of their glory set?

Their radiant sun has set

Has the radiant sun of their glory set?

Has the sweet-flowing sea of their bounty run dry?

Their murky seas have withdrawn

Or has the sweet sea of their generosity run dry?

لَئِن كانَ الَّذي زَعَموهُ حَقّاً

لَئِن كانَ الَّذي زَعَموهُ حَقّاً

لَسَوفَ يَعودُ خَيرُهُم اِنهِضاضا

لَسَوفَ يَعودُ خَيرُهُم اِنهِضاضا

If indeed what they have claimed is true,

If what they claimed is true

If what they have claimed is indeed the truth,

their good fortune will surely turn to ruin.

Goodness will return, arising

Their virtue shall surely return crushed and broken.

مَضى عَبدُ الغنيّ فَخضتُ بَحراً

مَضى عَبدُ الغنيّ فَخضتُ بَحراً

مِنَ العبراتِ يَعظُمُ أَن يُخاضا

مِنَ العبراتِ يَعظُمُ أَن يُخاضا

Abd al-Ghani has departed, so I have waded into a sea

Abdul Ghani passed away so I wept a sea

Abd al-Ghani has passed, and I have waded into a sea

of tears too vast to be waded through.

Of tears so great it could be crossed

Of tears so vast it is perilous to cross.

وَقالَت أمُّهُ الثَكلى عَلَيهِ

وَقالَت أمُّهُ الثَكلى عَلَيهِ

مَقالَةَ مَريَمٍ رَأَتِ المَخاضا

مَقالَةَ مَريَمٍ رَأَتِ المَخاضا

His bereaved mother spoke over him

And his bereaved mother said about him

And his bereaved mother cried out over him,

the words of Mary when she felt the pangs of childbirth.

The words of Mary when she felt the pangs

With the words of Mary when the pangs of labor struck.

أتاها حينهُ مِن بَعدِ حينٍ

أتاها حينهُ مِن بَعدِ حينٍ

فَزادَ الثكلُ عبرَتها اِرفِضاضا

فَزادَ الثكلُ عبرَتها اِرفِضاضا

His appointed hour came upon her after a time,

In time he came to her after time

His time came to her after a span of time,

and bereavement made her tears stream still more freely.

So her bereavement redoubled, convulsing

And grief increased the scattering of her tears.

وَيوشِكُ أَن تَراهُ كَما أَراهُ

وَيوشِكُ أَن تَراهُ كَما أَراهُ

إِذا قُمنا مِنَ الأَرضِ اِنتِفاضا

إِذا قُمنا مِنَ الأَرضِ اِنتِفاضا

And soon she will see him as I shall see him,

Soon she will see him as I see him

And soon she shall see him as I see him now,

when we rise and shake ourselves free of the earth.

When we rise up from the earth, standing

When we rise from the earth, shaking off the dust.

بَكتهُ ميّتاً وَجَفَتهُ حَيّاً

بَكتهُ ميّتاً وَجَفَتهُ حَيّاً

وَناءَ بِها الهَوى عَنهُ اِنتِهاضا

وَناءَ بِها الهَوى عَنهُ اِنتِهاضا

She wept for him dead, yet shunned him living;

She cried for him dead and parched for him living

She wept for him in death yet shunned him in life,

and passion bore her away from him as she rose.

And passion for him in her was renewed

Burdens of desire kept her from tending to him.

وَقَد وَضَعَتهُ وَاِحتَمَلَتهُ كرهاً

وَقَد وَضَعَتهُ وَاِحتَمَلَتهُ كرهاً

وَفي أَحشائِها أَربى اِرتِكاضا

وَفي أَحشائِها أَربى اِرتِكاضا

Yet she had given birth to him and carried him with hardship,

She carried him and suffered him perforce

She bore him and carried him with reluctance,

and in her womb his kicking had grown stronger.

And nurtured him inside her, tossing

Even as he grew and stirred within her womb.

إِذا جَفَت اِبنَها أُمٌّ فَعيّ

إِذا جَفَت اِبنَها أُمٌّ فَعيّ

فَلَيتَ عِقابَها أَن تُستَحاضا

فَلَيتَ عِقابَها أَن تُستَحاضا

If a mother shuns her son, that is a failing;

If a mother dries for her son, a twisting woe

If a mother forsakes her own son, then let her be struck dumb—

would that her punishment were abnormal uterine bleeding.

Would that her penalty be miscarriage

Would that her punishment be an endless bleeding.

تَناءَت وَهوَ مِن شَوقٍ إِلَيها

تَناءَت وَهوَ مِن شَوقٍ إِلَيها

عَلى جَمرِ الغَضا لكِن تَغاضى

عَلى جَمرِ الغَضا لكِن تَغاضى

She kept far away, while he, longing for her,

She pined, while he from yearning for her

She distanced herself while he, out of longing for her,

was on ghada embers, yet overlooked it.

Burned, but she pretended not to see

Lay upon burning embers, yet he feigned not to notice.

تَشَكّى عِلَّةً لا بُرءَ مِنها

تَشَكّى عِلَّةً لا بُرءَ مِنها

وَجُدتُ بِأَعظمي مِنها اِرتِضاضا

وَجُدتُ بِأَعظمي مِنها اِرتِضاضا

He complained of an illness from which there was no recovery,

She complained of an illness with no cure

He complained of a malady for which there is no cure,

and I felt its bruising in my bones.

I was convulsed with greater twisting

And I felt my very bones crushed by his pain.

وَقالَ اللَهُ إِن تحبب ثَوابي

وَقالَ اللَهُ إِن تحبب ثَوابي

عَلى المَكروهِ فَاِنظُر كَيفَ آضا

عَلى المَكروهِ فَاِنظُر كَيفَ آضا

And God said, "If you desire My reward

And God said: If you love My reward

And God said: "If you desire My reward

for adversity, then look at what he has become."

For the unwanted, see how I console

For enduring the hateful, then look at what he has become."

تَرى الأَوصابَ كَيفَ مَحَت سَناهُ

تَرى الأَوصابَ كَيفَ مَحَت سَناهُ

وَكَيفَ أَحالَت الحَدق الغضاضا

وَكَيفَ أَحالَت الحَدق الغضاضا

You see how ailments erased his radiance,

You see the cheeks, how the years effaced their bloom

See how sickness has erased his radiance,

and how they altered his tender eyes.

And dimmed the shining eyes with murk

And how it has dimmed those tender, fresh eyes.

أَقولُ وَقَد سَها الحُكَماءُ فيهِ

أَقولُ وَقَد سَها الحُكَماءُ فيهِ

قَضاءُ اللَهِ تَمَّ فَلا اِعتِراضا

قَضاءُ اللَهِ تَمَّ فَلا اِعتِراضا

I say, though the physicians erred concerning him:

I say, though the wise are perplexed by it

I say, now that the physicians have failed him:

"God's decree is fulfilled; there can be no objection."

God's ordainment is done, no objection

God's decree has been fulfilled; there is no objecting.

ثَوابُ اللَهِ أَعظَمُ لِلمُرَبّي

ثَوابُ اللَهِ أَعظَمُ لِلمُرَبّي

فَصَبرٌ إِن أَفاتَ فَقدَ أَعاضا

فَصَبرٌ إِن أَفاتَ فَقدَ أَعاضا

God's reward is greater for the parent;

God's reward is greater for the nurtured

God’s reward is greatest for the one who nurtures;

so patience: if He has taken away, He has indeed given recompense.

So patience, if loss comes, brings comfort

So have patience—if He takes away, He surely compensates.

وَما هِيَ غَيرُ أَيّامٍ قِصارٍ

وَما هِيَ غَيرُ أَيّامٍ قِصارٍ

إِذا صَعبت عَلى ذي اللُبِّ راضا

إِذا صَعبت عَلى ذي اللُبِّ راضا

It is no more than a few short days;

These are but fleeting days, harsh

This life is but a span of fleeting days;

when they grow unruly for a wise man, he tames them.

To one gentle, agreeable

When they grow hard, the man of wisdom tames them.

تُمِرُّ لِأَهلِها الدُنيا وَتحلي

تُمِرُّ لِأَهلِها الدُنيا وَتحلي

وَتُحدِثُ في سَوادِهم البَياضا

وَتُحدِثُ في سَوادِهم البَياضا

The world turns bitter for its people, and sweet,

Passing for their people, time adorns

The world turns bitter for its people, then sweet again,

and brings white into their black hair.

And brings out whiteness in their blackness

And it streaks their dark hair with the white of age.

فَكَم قَوم رَأَيتُ البُؤسَ فيهِم

فَكَم قَوم رَأَيتُ البُؤسَ فيهِم

وَكُنتُ أَرى لَهُم نعَماً عَراضا

وَكُنتُ أَرى لَهُم نعَماً عَراضا

How many people I have seen in misery,

So many people I've seen, misery in them

How many people have I seen fallen into misery,

though I once saw them blessed with ample bounty!

Though I'd seen them enjoying ease

For whom I once saw vast and sweeping blessings.

وَحينَ غَدَوتُ زُرتهُمُ صحاحاً

وَحينَ غَدَوتُ زُرتهُمُ صحاحاً

فَلَمّا رُحتُ عُدتُهُمُ مِراضا

فَلَمّا رُحتُ عُدتُهُمُ مِراضا

In the morning I visited them in good health;

And when I visited them healthy

I visited them at dawn and found them in health;

but when I went in the evening, I visited them sick.

When I returned, I found them sick

I returned at dusk to visit them in sickness.

فَقُل ما أَكدَرَ الدُنيا حَياةً

فَقُل ما أَكدَرَ الدُنيا حَياةً

وَأَسرَعَها إِذا صَفَتِ اِنقِراضا

وَأَسرَعَها إِذا صَفَتِ اِنقِراضا

Say, then, how murky this world's life is,

Say: what clouds life's joy

Say then: How troubled is this worldly life,

and how swiftly it vanishes when it becomes clear!

And speeds its passing, when trouble clears, away

And how swiftly it vanishes just when it clears.

وَأَسلَمُ أَهلِها مِنها فَريدٌ

وَأَسلَمُ أَهلِها مِنها فَريدٌ

إِذا اِنبَسَطَت لَهُ اِزدادَ اِنقِباضا

إِذا اِنبَسَطَت لَهُ اِزدادَ اِنقِباضا

Of its people, the safest from it is a solitary man:

Safest in it is the unique one

The safest of its people is the solitary one

when it opens itself to him, he grows more withdrawn.

Who, when it widens, tightens all the more

Who, when the world smiles at him, withdraws even further.

أَسَرَّ اليَومَ مَوتُ اِبني عَدُوّاً

أَسَرَّ اليَومَ مَوتُ اِبني عَدُوّاً

غَداً يقضي الغَريم إِذا تَقاضى

غَداً يقضي الغَريم إِذا تَقاضى

Did my son's death delight an enemy today?

Today my son's death made an enemy secretly rejoice

Today the death of my son has secretly pleased an enemy;

Tomorrow he will pay the creditor when payment is demanded.

Tomorrow the foe will settle scores, if able

Tomorrow the Creditor shall judge when the debt is called.

كَأَنَّ المَوتَ في الدُنيا حَديثٌ

كَأَنَّ المَوتَ في الدُنيا حَديثٌ

لَقَد نَسِيَ الحَديثَ المُستَفاضا

لَقَد نَسِيَ الحَديثَ المُستَفاضا

As though death were something new in this world!

As if death in life is unheard of

As if death in this world were some new tale,

He has surely forgotten the tale told far and wide.

Though of things most often said

And he has forgotten the story known to all.

عَسى عَبدُ الغنيّ يَكونُ ذُخري

عَسى عَبدُ الغنيّ يَكونُ ذُخري

فَيَسقيني إِذا وَردَ الحِياضا

فَيَسقيني إِذا وَردَ الحِياضا

May Abd al-Ghani be my treasure laid in store,

Perhaps Abdul Ghani may be my treasure

Perhaps Abd al-Ghani shall be my saved treasure,

and give me drink when he reaches the pools,

To give me drink when the cisterns fill

To offer me water when he reaches the Heavenly Basins.

وَيَخفِضُ لي هُناكَ جَناحَ عِزٍّ

وَيَخفِضُ لي هُناكَ جَناحَ عِزٍّ

عَهدتُ لَهُ مِنَ الرَحِمِ اِنخِفاضا

عَهدتُ لَهُ مِنَ الرَحِمِ اِنخِفاضا

and lower for me there a wing of honor,

And lower for me there a wing of glory

And there may he lower to me a wing of glory,

as I had known him to lower it out of kinship,

I promised in womb's compassion lowering

Just as I knew his humility from the womb.

فَتغفرَ في شَفاعَتِهِ ذُنوبي

فَتغفرَ في شَفاعَتِهِ ذُنوبي

وَأَسكُنَ راضِياً مَعَهُ الرِياضا

وَأَسكُنَ راضِياً مَعَهُ الرِياضا

so that my sins may be forgiven through his intercession,

Through his intercession, forgive my sins

That through his intercession my sins might be forgiven,

and I may dwell content with him in the gardens.

And let me dwell there, pleased, in the gardens

And I may dwell content with him in the Gardens.

أَشبلَ الغيضَةِ المَرهوب باباً

أَشبلَ الغيضَةِ المَرهوب باباً

أَتُسلِمُ هكَذا الأسُدُ الغِياضا

أَتُسلِمُ هكَذا الأسُدُ الغِياضا

O cub of the thicket whose gate is feared,

A lion cub, the little terror, surrenders?

O cub of the thicket, whose den was feared:

do lions thus surrender their thickets?

Does the fierce lion thus submit?

Do lions surrender their forests so easily?

أَبَأسُكَ قارَضَت فيهِ اللَيالي

أَبَأسُكَ قارَضَت فيهِ اللَيالي

فَهَلّا أَحسَنت فيهِ القِراضا

فَهَلّا أَحسَنت فيهِ القِراضا

Was it your valor that the nights invested in?

Did the nights not blunt your assault?

The nights lent you a loan of strength and struggle;

Why, then, did they not deal well in that investment?

Why then not sharpen it with whetting?

Why then did you not settle the debt more kindly?

نَعَتكَ اليَومَ أَبكار المَعالي

نَعَتكَ اليَومَ أَبكار المَعالي

وَلَولا المَوتُ فزنَ بِكَ اِفتِضاضا

وَلَولا المَوتُ فزنَ بِكَ اِفتِضاضا

Today the maidens of lofty achievement announced your death;

The noblest virtues eulogized you today—

Today the virgin heights of glory mourn you;

but for death, through you they would have won their maidenhood's undoing.

But for death you would have achieved more virtues

Had death not come, they would have yielded to your touch.

أَظَلَّ الطَيرُ نَعشَكَ غَيرَ صَقرٍ

أَظَلَّ الطَيرُ نَعشَكَ غَيرَ صَقرٍ

أَبى إِلّا عَلى القَنصِ اِنقِضاضا

أَبى إِلّا عَلى القَنصِ اِنقِضاضا

The birds shaded your bier, except a falcon

All birds shaded your bier except the falcon

The birds cast shadows over your bier, save for the hawk,

that would do nothing but swoop upon its prey.

That dove only to seize prey

That refused all else but to swoop upon its prey.

وَظَلَّ الناسُ وَاِنفَضّوا وَلكِن

وَظَلَّ الناسُ وَاِنفَضّوا وَلكِن

أَبَت عَنكَ المَلائِكَةُ اِنفِضاضا

أَبَت عَنكَ المَلائِكَةُ اِنفِضاضا

The people lingered, then dispersed, but

People remained, then dispersed, but

The people lingered and then dispersed,

the angels refused to disperse from you.

The angels refused to disperse from you

But the angels refused to part from your side.

أَضَرَّ بِمُقلَتَيَّ هُمولُ دَمعي

أَضَرَّ بِمُقلَتَيَّ هُمولُ دَمعي

وَسُهدُهُما فَهَب لَهُما غِماضا

وَسُهدُهُما فَهَب لَهُما غِماضا

The streaming of my tears has harmed my eyes,

My tears' downpour harmed my eyelids

The flowing of my tears has harmed my eyes,

and their sleeplessness; so grant them sleep.

And their reddening brought them darkness

And their sleeplessness—so grant them a moment of rest.

وَمَهما خِلتَني يَنساكَ قَلبي

وَمَهما خِلتَني يَنساكَ قَلبي

فَخُذ عَهدي وَلا تَخَف اِنتِقاضا

فَخُذ عَهدي وَلا تَخَف اِنتِقاضا

And however much you think my heart may forget you,

However long I am without you, my heart will not forget you

And if you ever thought my heart could forget you,

take my pledge, and fear no breach.

So take my vow—do not fear breaking

Take my vow, and fear no breaking of that bond.

لِيَبكِ عَلَيكِ وَليندُب غَريبٌ

لِيَبكِ عَلَيكِ وَليندُب غَريبٌ

يعدُّ أَباهُ غُربَتَهُ مَضاضا

يعدُّ أَباهُ غُربَتَهُ مَضاضا

Let a stranger weep for you and lament,

Let a stranger weep for you and mourn you

Let a stranger weep for you and mourn,

whose father counts his exile as bitter anguish,

Counting his exile since you harsher

One who counts his father's distance as a bitter pain.

يُكابِدُ عيشَهُ بَينَ الأَفاعي

يُكابِدُ عيشَهُ بَينَ الأَفاعي

وَيَصبِر كُلَّما أَلم العِضاضا

وَيَصبِر كُلَّما أَلم العِضاضا

who struggles through life among serpents

Enduring his life among serpents

He endures his life amidst the vipers,

and is patient whenever he feels their bites.

Patient whenever biting hurt

And bears with patience every stinging bite.

أَلا إِنَّ التَأَلُّفَ لِاِنتِقاضِ

أَلا إِنَّ التَأَلُّفَ لِاِنتِقاضِ

فَما لِمُطَوِّقٍ غنّى وَباضا

فَما لِمُطَوِّقٍ غنّى وَباضا

Take heed: companionship is destined to break apart;

Beware—gain is loss

Verily, all union is destined for dissolution;

why, then, did a ring-dove sing and lay eggs?

So what wealth has a clingy clutterer?

What hope has the ring-dove that sang and laid its eggs?

حَبيبٌ فاتَ لا مُعتاضَ عَنهُ

حَبيبٌ فاتَ لا مُعتاضَ عَنهُ

فَكَذَّبَ بِاِسمِ مَن يُدعى عِياضا

فَكَذَّبَ بِاِسمِ مَن يُدعى عِياضا

A beloved has gone, with no substitute for him,

A beloved is gone, no consoling his loss

A beloved is gone, for whom there is no replacement,

thus giving the lie to the name of one called Iyad.

So the name of the Healer rings false

Belieing the name of the one called 'Iyad' (Replacement).

سَقى اللَهُ الحَيا مَثوى حَبيبٍ

سَقى اللَهُ الحَيا مَثوى حَبيبٍ

كَسا مُسوَدّ أَيّامي اِبيضاضا

كَسا مُسوَدّ أَيّامي اِبيضاضا

May God water with rain the resting place of a beloved

May God water the dwelling of a beloved

May God water with rain the resting place of a beloved

who clothed the blackness of my days in white.

Who blackened the days of my whitening

Who clothed my blackened days in white.

وَما كَمُلت لَهُ عَشرٌ وَلكِن

وَما كَمُلت لَهُ عَشرٌ وَلكِن

بِهِ الكبراءُ في الشورى تَراضى

بِهِ الكبراءُ في الشورى تَراضى

He had not yet completed ten years, but

Though he was not yet fully grown

He had not yet completed ten years,

through him the elders reached agreement in council.

The great ones were pleased with his council

Yet the elders in council were well-pleased with him.