أَيَّwhat صَبرٍpatience عَنكَin your absence أَقوىcan I muster
أَيَّ صَبرٍ عَنكَ أَقوى
وَمحَلّيand my dwelling مِنكَof you أَقوىhas become deserted
وَمحَلّي مِنكَ أَقوى
What patience can I muster in your absence,
What patience can endure your absence, when my world is left desolate by your loss?
when my dwelling stands empty of you?
The days feared my reproach, so they whispered conspiracies against you in secret.
خافَتِfeared الأَيّامُthe days عَتبيmy reproach
خافَتِ الأَيّامُ عَتبي
فَأَسَرَّتso they concealed فيكَabout you نَجوىsecret counsel
فَأَسَرَّت فيكَ نَجوى
The days feared my reproach,
The sun possessed the brilliance of beauty, yet you held a darker, more captivating charm.
so they held secret counsel about you.
What has altered your eyes, when my memory of you is of such vivid, dark beauty?
حَوَتِcontained الشَمسُthe sun سَنىradiance الحُسbeauty (first part)
حَوَتِ الشَمسُ سَنى الحُس
نِcompletion of 'beauty' وَلكِنbut أَنتَyou أَحوىmore encompassing
نِ وَلكِن أَنتَ أَحوى
The sun holds the radiance of beauty,
I would ransom my father for your face—how open, bright, and luminous it was!
but you hold even more.
Fie upon Fate! How unjust is its judgment, how twisted its course!
ماwhat الَّذيthat which غَيَّرَchanged عَينَيtwo eyes (continued)
ما الَّذي غَيَّرَ عَينَي
كَyour (suffix) وَعَهديand my recollection بِكَof you أَحوىdark-eyed
كَ وَعَهدي بِكَ أَحوى
What has changed your eyes,
It has perished with my heart because of you, and bent my patience to the breaking point.
when I knew you as dark-eyed?
Then it snatched the star of the sky from you; behold how it has fallen.
بِأَبيmy father be your ransom ماhow كانَwas أَوضاradiant
بِأَبي ما كانَ أَوضا
وَجهكَyour face الطَلقcheerful وَأَضواand luminous
وَجهكَ الطَلق وَأَضوا
My father be your ransom—how radiant was
On every elegant peak, I stand like a lion among the mountain goats.
your cheerful face, how luminous!
Wide awake I drink my tears, yet I am never quenched.
أفَّfie! لِلدَهرِupon time فَماand how أَجunjust (first part)
أفَّ لِلدَهرِ فَما أَج
ورَهُcompletion of 'unjust it is' حُكماًin judgment وَأَلوىand crooked
ورَهُ حُكماً وَأَلوى
Fie upon time! How unjust
Woe is me! How the world unfolds for its people, only to fold them away again!
its judgment, and how crooked!
It devours them eternally, yet remains more famished than a fasting man.
بِفُؤاديwith my heart مِنكَbecause of you أَودىbrought ruin
بِفُؤادي مِنكَ أَودى
وَبِصَبريand with my patience عَنكَin your absence أَلوىswept away
وَبِصَبري عَنكَ أَلوى
It ruined my heart on your account,
It forced Marwan, after treading on the carpet of kingship, to walk upon flinty stones.
and swept away my patience in your absence.
I take no pleasure in a youth that was merely play and idle amusement.
ثُمَّthen غالَتstruck down مِنكَin you نَجمَthe star الthe (continued)
ثُمَّ غالَت مِنكَ نَجمَ ال
جَوِّsky فَاِنظُرso look كَيفَhow نَجوىwe burn with grief
جَوِّ فَاِنظُر كَيفَ نَجوى
Then they struck down in you the star of
There is no life after this grey hair; truly, death would be a relief.
the sky—see how we burn with grief.
Union brought no cure; what ails me that I still adore the world and desire it?
كُلُّevery نيقٍpeak فيamid أَنيقٍsomething beautiful
كُلُّ نيقٍ في أَنيقٍ
أَناI am لَيثٌa lion بَينَamong أَروىibexes
أَنا لَيثٌ بَينَ أَروى
Every peak lies amid beauty;
By Him who made my star rise in the sky of glory, now I plummet down.
I am a lion among ibexes.
A foolish fate has pelted me with the idle nonsense of people's tongues.
صاحِياًsober أَشرَبُI drink دَمعيmy tears
صاحِياً أَشرَبُ دَمعي
غَيرَexcept أَنّيthat I لَستُam not أروىquenched
غَيرَ أَنّي لَستُ أروى
Sober, I drink my tears,
And bent me under the weight of a death that forcibly robbed me of my son.
yet my thirst is not quenched.
It cracked the flint of my heart and muddied all that was once pure.
وَيلَتاalas! ماhow أَنشرunfolding الدُنthe world (first part)
وَيلَتا ما أَنشر الدُن
ياcompletion of 'the world' لِأَهليهاfor its people وَأَطوىand folding up
يا لِأَهليها وَأَطوى
Alas, how the world unfolds
The omen lied; life in Hulwan is no longer sweet.
for its people, and how it folds them away!
What is my life after the garden withered, when Fate infected it with blight?
أَبَداًforever تَأكُلُهُمit devours them وَهyet it (first part)
أَبَداً تَأكُلُهُم وَه
يَcompletion of 'it' مِنَthan الصائِمِone who fasts أَطوىhungrier
يَ مِنَ الصائِمِ أَطوى
Forever it devours them, yet
He awed the roaring lions at merely nine years old, silencing them to a whimper.
it is hungrier than one who fasts.
His body grew weak from his ailment, yet his soul grew strong.
أَوطَأَتit made tread مَروانَMarwan مِنfrom بَعafter (first part)
أَوطَأَت مَروانَ مِن بَع
دِcompletion of 'after' بِساطِthe carpet المُلكِof kingship مَرواflint stones
دِ بِساطِ المُلكِ مَروا
It made Marwan tread—after
He did not falter, but held fast to the Quran until the tribulation intensified.
the carpet of kingship—flint stones.
So God healed his maladies, while his earthly physician only compounded the pain.
أَناI لاnot أَرضىaccept شَباباًa youth
أَنا لا أَرضى شَباباً
لَعِباًplay كانَwas وَلهواand diversion
لَعِباً كانَ وَلهوا
I do not accept a youth
He cast off the tattered garments of decay to dwell eternally in Paradise.
that was play and diversion.
O enemies who gloat over my grief, do not transgress against God in your malice.
لاno حَياةlife بَعدَafter هذاthis الشgray hair (first part)
لا حَياة بَعدَ هذا الش
شيبِcompletion of 'gray hair' إِنَّindeed المَوتَdeath لَهواindeed it is
شيبِ إِنَّ المَوتَ لَهوا
There is no life after this
A tenderness that grew crooked; for every straight thing eventually bends to ruin.
gray hair; that indeed is death.
Fate has grieved me regarding him, but what awaits the gloaters is far worse.
لاmay ... not شَفانيheal me الوَصلُreunion ماwhat ليis with me
لا شَفاني الوَصلُ ما لي
أَعشقُI love الدُنياthe world وَأَهوىand I desire
أَعشقُ الدُنيا وَأَهوى
May reunion not heal me! Why do I
They rained upon me a shower of malice, boasting that they were the storm-stars.
love the world and long for it?
Whoever intends good, know that I am even more resolved upon goodness.
وَالَّذيand He who أَطلَعَmade rise نَجميmy star
وَالَّذي أَطلَعَ نَجمي
فيin سَماءِthe sky المَجدِof glory أَهوىcast down
في سَماءِ المَجدِ أَهوى
And He who raised my star
The star of your uncles is Qays, O son of Fihr, yet yours was more distinct.
in the heavens of glory cast it down.
Triumph in God's pleasure, even though your loss has shaken Mount Radwa to its core.
لَغوىsurely went astray دَهرٌtime رَمانيpelted me
لَغوى دَهرٌ رَماني
بِكَلامِwith the words الناسِof people لَغواidle talk
بِكَلامِ الناسِ لَغوا
Surely time went astray, pelting me
Take the trusts of my farewell; I am left like Ghilan weeping at Hazwa.
with people's idle talk,
Ah, how desolate the world has become, emptied of the sweet Abd al-Ghani.
وَثَنانيand diverted me عَنfrom وَفاةٍa death
وَثَناني عَن وَفاةٍ
سَلَبَتنيrobbed me اِبنيmy son عنواby force
سَلَبَتني اِبني عنوا
and turning me away from a death
Ah, how my soul yearns at his memory, and how deeply it perishes!
that forcibly robbed me of my son.
I yearn for the garden of contentment, where his hand was a stream of generosity.
صَدَعَتsplit صَفوانَthe flint قَلبيof my heart
صَدَعَت صَفوانَ قَلبي
كَدَّرَتclouded ماwhat كانَhad been صَفواclear
كَدَّرَت ما كانَ صَفوا
It split the flint of my heart,
A swaying willow branch, yet he surpassed the willow in his grace.
clouded what had been clear.
O Lord, compensate and heal a broken man, for the grave has swallowed a part of him.
كَذبَlied الفالُthe omen فَلَيسَso ... is not الthe (continued)
كَذبَ الفالُ فَلَيسَ ال
عَيشُlife فيin حُلوانِHulwan حُلواsweet
عَيشُ في حُلوانِ حُلوا
The omen lied; there is no
Preserve me and grant me solace for the unique one who left no equal behind.
sweet life in Hulwan.
I am alone among ghouls, more beguiling than Satan himself.
ماwhat حَياتيmy life بَعدَafter رَوضٍa garden
ما حَياتي بَعدَ رَوضٍ
إِذwhen وَشاهُembroidered it الدَهرُtime أَدواailments
إِذ وَشاهُ الدَهرُ أَدوا
What life have I after that garden,
Do not let Your servant follow the whims of the soul in heedless error.
when time embroidered it with ailments?
Grant him, in faith and in life, safety and divine pardon.
أرهبَfrightened الزئّارthe roaring lion فيat تِسnine (first part)
أرهبَ الزئّار في تِس
عَةِcompletion of 'nine' أَعوامٍyears فَأَعوىso he made it howl
عَةِ أَعوامٍ فَأَعوى
He terrified the roaring lion at nine
May Tuba be the dwelling place for me and my son, through Your bountiful rewards.
years of age, and made it howl.
جِسمُهُhis body يضعُفweakens مِمّاfrom what
جِسمُهُ يضعُف مِمّا
يَشتَكيhe suffers وَالنَفسُand the soul تَقوىgrows stronger
يَشتَكي وَالنَفسُ تَقوى
His body weakens from what
he suffers, while his soul grows stronger.
لَمdid not يَهِنfalter بَلrather واظَبَpersevered with القَرthe Qur'an (first part)
لَم يَهِن بَل واظَبَ القَر
آنَcompletion of 'the Qur'an' حَتّىuntil اِشتَدَّgrew severe بَلوىin affliction
آنَ حَتّى اِشتَدَّ بَلوى
He did not falter, but kept to the
Qur'an until his affliction grew severe.
فَشَفىso He healed أَدواءَهُhis ailments اللَGod (first part)
فَشَفى أَدواءَهُ اللَ
هُcompletion of 'God' وَمَنand whoever داواهُtreated him أَدوىmade him sicker
هُ وَمَن داواهُ أَدوى
So his ailments were healed by
God; whoever treated him made him sicker.
قَدَّtore أَثوابgarments البِلىof decay عَنfrom
قَدَّ أَثواب البِلى عَن
هُhim وَفيand in الفِردَوسِParadise أَثوىlodged him
هُ وَفي الفِردَوسِ أَثوى
He tore the garments of decay from
him, and lodged him in Paradise.
ياO عَدُوّاًfoes شَمِتواyou gloated بيover me
يا عَدُوّاً شَمِتوا بي
لاdo not تَسُبّواrevile اللَهُGod عَدواin hostility
لا تَسُبّوا اللَهُ عَدوا
O foes who gloated over me,
do not revile God in hostility.
لينٌsupple اِعوَجَّgrew bent لمنindeed, than كلevery (first part)
لينٌ اِعوَجَّ لمن كل
لcompletion of 'every' سَوِيٍّan upright man كانَhe had been أَسوىmore upright
ل سَوِيٍّ كانَ أَسوى
A supple one grew bent; yet than every
upright man he had been more upright.
ساءَنيgrieved me المِقدارُfate فيهِconcerning him
ساءَني المِقدارُ فيهِ
وَالَّذيand what يَلقَونَthey will meet أَسواworse
وَالَّذي يَلقَونَ أَسوا
Fate grieved me in his case,
and what they will face is worse.
أَمطَرونيthey showered me مَطرَa rain السوevil (first part)
أَمطَروني مَطرَ السو
ءِcompletion of 'evil' وَقالواand they said نَحنُwe أَنواrain-bearing stars
ءِ وَقالوا نَحنُ أَنوا
They showered me with a rain of
evil, and said, 'We are rain-bearing stars.'
مَنwhoever نَوىintends خَيراًgood فَإِنّيthen indeed I
مَن نَوى خَيراً فَإِنّي
فيهِtoward him لِلخَيراتِon good deeds أَنوىmore intent
فيهِ لِلخَيراتِ أَنوى
Whoever intends good, I am
more intent on good toward him.
نَجمُthe star أَخوالكof your maternal uncles قَيسٌQays
نَجمُ أَخوالك قَيسٌ
ياO اِبنَson of فهرٍFihr مِنكَthan you أَحوىdarker
يا اِبنَ فهرٍ مِنكَ أَحوى
Qays, the star of your maternal kin,
O son of Fihr, is darker than you.
فزwin بِرِضوانٍwith good pleasure مِنَfrom اللَGod (first part)
فز بِرِضوانٍ مِنَ اللَ
هِcompletion of 'God' وَإِنeven if زَعزَعتَyou shake رَضوىRadwa
هِ وَإِن زَعزَعتَ رَضوى
Win the good pleasure of
God, even if you shake Radwa.
حُزreceive وَديعاتِentrusted treasures وَداعيof my farewell
حُز وَديعاتِ وَداعي
أَناI am غيلانGhaylan بِحَزوىat Hazwa
أَنا غيلان بِحَزوى
Receive the entrusted treasures of my farewell;
I am Ghaylan at Hazwa.
آهah! كَمhow much أصبحhas become مِنwithout عَبAbd (first part)
آه كَم أصبح مِن عَب
دِcompletion of 'Abd' الغَنِيِّal-Ghani الحُلوِsweet خِلواempty
دِ الغَنِيِّ الحُلوِ خِلوا
Ah, how much now stands empty of
sweet Abd al-Ghani!
آهah! ماhow أَتوَقَyearning نَفسيmy soul
آه ما أَتوَقَ نَفسي
عِندَat ذِكراهُhis remembrance وَأَتوىand how it wastes away
عِندَ ذِكراهُ وَأَتوى
Ah, how my soul yearns
at his remembrance, and how it wastes away!
شاقَنيstirred my longing رَوضُa garden رِضاًof contentment فيin
شاقَني رَوضُ رِضاً في
كَفِّهِhis palm جَدوَلa stream جَدوىof bounty
كَفِّهِ جَدوَل جَدوى
A garden of contentment stirred my longing; in
his palm flowed a stream of bounty.
يِتَثَنّىhe sways خوطُa bough بانٍof a ban-tree
يِتَثَنّى خوطُ بانٍ
وَيَفوتُand he surpasses الخوطَthe bough خطواin stride
وَيَفوتُ الخوطَ خطوا
He sways—a bough of a ban-tree—
and surpasses the bough in his stride.
رَبِّmy Lord عُضrecompense وَاِجبُرand mend مَهيضاًa broken one
رَبِّ عُض وَاِجبُر مَهيضاً
ضَمَّembraced مِنهُof him القَبرُthe grave عُضواa limb
ضَمَّ مِنهُ القَبرُ عُضوا
Lord, recompense me and mend a broken man,
one of whose limbs the grave has embraced.
صُنprotect وَهَبand grant ليto me عِوَضاًa replacement مِنin place of
صُن وَهَب لي عِوَضاً مِن
واحِدٍone لَمdid not يُبقleave صِنواa peer
واحِدٍ لَم يُبق صِنوا
Protect me, and grant me a replacement for
one who left no peer.
أَناI am فَردalone بَينَamong أَغواghouls (first part)
أَنا فَرد بَينَ أَغوا
لٍcompletion of 'ghouls' مِنَthan الشَيطانِSatan أَغوىmore wayward
لٍ مِنَ الشَيطانِ أَغوى
I am alone among ghouls
more wayward than Satan.
لاdo not تَذَرlet عَبدَكَYour servant يَتبعfollow
لا تَذَر عَبدَكَ يَتبع
شَهَواتِdesires النَفسِof the soul سَهواheedlessly
شَهَواتِ النَفسِ سَهوا
Do not let Your servant follow
the soul's desires heedlessly.
هَبgrant لَهُto him فيin الدّينِfaith وَالدُنand the world (first part)
هَب لَهُ في الدّينِ وَالدُن
ياcompletion of 'the world' معافاةًwell-being وَعَفواand forgiveness
يا معافاةً وَعَفوا
Grant him, in faith and in this
world, well-being and forgiveness.
عَلَّmay طوبىbliss ليfor me وَلِاِبنيand for my son
عَلَّ طوبى لي وَلِاِبني
بِمَثوباتِكَthrough Your rewards مَثوىa resting place
بِمَثوباتِكَ مَثوى
May bliss be, for me and my son,
a resting place through Your rewards.
Partial English translation: 45 of 90 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1