اِذهَب لَكَ اللَهُ جارُ

اِذهَب لَكَ اللَهُ جارُ

وَجَنَّةُ الخُلدِ دارُ

وَجَنَّةُ الخُلدِ دارُ

Go; may God be your protector,

Go, for God is your protector,

and the Garden of Eternity your home.

And the Garden of Eternity is your abode.

اِذهَب بِحُسنِ عَزائي

اِذهَب بِحُسنِ عَزائي

فَلَيسَ عَنكَ اِصطِبارُ

فَلَيسَ عَنكَ اِصطِبارُ

Go, taking my seemly patience with you,

Go, taking the beauty of my solace with you,

for I cannot bear your absence.

For there is no patience to be found in your absence.

حَلالُ صَبري حَرامٌ

حَلالُ صَبري حَرامٌ

وَسِرُّ ثَكلي جهارُ

وَسِرُّ ثَكلي جهارُ

My lawful patience is forbidden,

The patience once lawful to me is now forbidden,

and my hidden bereavement lies open.

And the secret of my bereavement is openly revealed.

هَيهاتَ كَيفَ أواري

هَيهاتَ كَيفَ أواري

ما البَردُ مِنهُ أوارُ

ما البَردُ مِنهُ أوارُ

Impossible! How could I conceal

Alas! How can I conceal my grief

that whose very coolness is a blaze?

When its very coldness burns like a blazing fire?

يا قُرَّةَ العَينِ ما لي

يا قُرَّةَ العَينِ ما لي

حَتّى أَراكَ قَرارُ

حَتّى أَراكَ قَرارُ

O joy of my eye, I have no

O coolness of my eye, I can find no rest,

rest until I see you.

No settlement until I gaze upon you again.

ذا الأُنسُ بَعدَكَ وَحشٌ

ذا الأُنسُ بَعدَكَ وَحشٌ

وَذي المَغاني قِفارُ

وَذي المَغاني قِفارُ

This companionship is loneliness without you,

Familiar company has become a desolate beast without you,

and these dwellings are wastelands.

And these dwellings are but barren wastelands.

نَهارُ ثُكلِكَ لَيلٌ

نَهارُ ثُكلِكَ لَيلٌ

لا كانَ ذاكَ النَهارُ

لا كانَ ذاكَ النَهارُ

The day of losing you is night;

The day of your loss is the darkest night;

would that that day had never been!

Would that that day had never been!

وَكَيفَ مُتَّ وَلَم يَش

وَكَيفَ مُتَّ وَلَم يَش

مَلِ النُجومَ اِنكِدارُ

مَلِ النُجومَ اِنكِدارُ

And how did you die, with no

How did you die without the stars

darkening overtaking the stars,

Being shrouded in dimness and gloom?

وَلَم تُسَيَّر جِبالٌ

وَلَم تُسَيَّر جِبالٌ

وَلَم تُعَطَّل عِشارُ

وَلَم تُعَطَّل عِشارُ

with no mountains set moving,

Without the mountains being set in motion,

and no pregnant she-camels left untended?

And without the pregnant camels being abandoned?

وَهيَ القِيامَةُ قامَت

وَهيَ القِيامَةُ قامَت

فَعِبرَةٌ وَاِعتِبارُ

فَعِبرَةٌ وَاِعتِبارُ

Yet it is the Resurrection, come to pass:

It is the Resurrection itself that has risen,

a lesson, and cause for reflection.

A lesson and a warning for all to see.

أَنا الحُسامُ المُحَلّى

أَنا الحُسامُ المُحَلّى

وَأَنتَ مِنّي الغِرارُ

وَأَنتَ مِنّي الغِرارُ

I am the adorned sword,

I am the adorned sword,

and you are my cutting edge.

And you were my cutting edge.

وَأَنتَ قُطبُ المَعالي

وَأَنتَ قُطبُ المَعالي

عَلَيكَ كانَ المَدارُ

عَلَيكَ كانَ المَدارُ

And you are the axis of high honors;

You were the pole star of high virtues,

around you all revolved.

Around which all things revolved.

أَمسَت عَلَيكَ قُلوبُ ال

أَمسَت عَلَيكَ قُلوبُ ال

أَحرارِ وَهيَ حِرارُ

أَحرارِ وَهيَ حِرارُ

For you, the hearts of the

The hearts of the free have turned toward you,

noble have grown aflame.

Burning with the intense heat of grief.

لَو كُنتَ تُفدى لَكانَت

لَو كُنتَ تُفدى لَكانَت

لَكَ الفِداءَ نِزارُ

لَكَ الفِداءَ نِزارُ

Had you been redeemable, then

If you could be ransomed, then all of Nizar

Nizār would have been your ransom,

Would have offered themselves as your ransom.

وَدارَأَت عَنكَ أسدٌ

وَدارَأَت عَنكَ أسدٌ

أَنيابُهُنَّ الشِفارُ

أَنيابُهُنَّ الشِفارُ

and lions would have shielded you,

And lions would have defended you,

their fangs sharp blades.

Their fangs sharp as slaughtering blades.

لكِن مَقاديرُ رَبّي

لكِن مَقاديرُ رَبّي

ما لي عَلَيها اِقتِدارُ

ما لي عَلَيها اِقتِدارُ

But the decrees of my Lord—

But these are the decrees of my Lord,

I have no power over them.

Over which I have no power or command.

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ شُكراً

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ شُكراً

ما في القَضاءِ اِختِيارُ

ما في القَضاءِ اِختِيارُ

Praise be to God in gratitude;

Praise and thanks be to God;

there is no choice in what is decreed.

There is no choice against what is ordained.

وَنَحنُ قَتلى المَنايا

وَنَحنُ قَتلى المَنايا

فَكَيفَ يُدرَكُ ثارُ

فَكَيفَ يُدرَكُ ثارُ

And we are the slain of death;

We are the victims of Destiny,

so how can vengeance be had?

So how can any vengeance be exacted?

وَما عَلى الدَهرِ ذَنبٌ

وَما عَلى الدَهرِ ذَنبٌ

فَيُلزَمُ الإِعتِذارُ

فَيُلزَمُ الإِعتِذارُ

Nor does Time bear any guilt,

Time bears no guilt,

that it should be obliged to apologize.

That it should be compelled to apologize.

اِنظُر إِذا المَوتُ أَوفى

اِنظُر إِذا المَوتُ أَوفى

هَل لِلهمامِ اِنتِصارُ

هَل لِلهمامِ اِنتِصارُ

Consider: when death looms,

Observe: when Death arrives to claim its due,

can a valiant man prevail?

Can even the valiant hero triumph?

لا يَشمَتَنَّ الأعادي

لا يَشمَتَنَّ الأعادي

فَلَيسَ بِالمَوتِ عارُ

فَلَيسَ بِالمَوتِ عارُ

Let enemies never gloat,

Let not the enemies gloat,

for there is no shame in death.

For there is no shame in death.

لِكُلِّ حَيٍّ مَماتٌ

لِكُلِّ حَيٍّ مَماتٌ

وَكُلِّ عُمرٍ مُعارُ

وَكُلِّ عُمرٍ مُعارُ

For every living being there is death,

For every living being, there is an end,

and every lifespan is lent.

And every life is but a borrowed thing.

أَعمالُ شيبٍ وَطِفلٍ

أَعمالُ شيبٍ وَطِفلٍ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ اِختِصارُ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ اِختِصارُ

The deeds of the aged and the child

The lives of the elder and the child alike

seem no more than an abridgment.

Are but a fleeting brevity.

قَدِ اِستَوَت في التَناهي

قَدِ اِستَوَت في التَناهي

طوالُها وَالقِصارُ

طوالُها وَالقِصارُ

They are equal in their ending—

In their finitude, they are equal:

the long among them and the short.

The long lives and the short.

لا يفتننَّ بَياضُ ال

لا يفتننَّ بَياضُ ال

خُدودِ وَالإِحمِرارُ

خُدودِ وَالإِحمِرارُ

Let not the whiteness of the

Let not the whiteness of cheeks

cheeks, nor their blush, beguile you.

Nor their rosy hue deceive you.

لا الياسَمينُ المُندّى

لا الياسَمينُ المُندّى

يَبقى وَلا الجلَّنارُ

يَبقى وَلا الجلَّنارُ

Neither dew-moistened jasmine

Neither the dew-kissed jasmine remains,

endures, nor pomegranate blossom.

Nor the pomegranate blossom.

وَالآسُ إِن كُلُّ نَورٍ

وَالآسُ إِن كُلُّ نَورٍ

ذَوى وَفيهِ اِخضِرارُ

ذَوى وَفيهِ اِخضِرارُ

And myrtle—even if every blossom

Even the myrtle, though lush and green,

withers while it remains green—

Must see its blossoms wither.

فَإِنَّهُ سَوفَ يَذوي

فَإِنَّهُ سَوفَ يَذوي

وَيَعتَريهِ اِصفِرارُ

وَيَعتَريهِ اِصفِرارُ

it too shall wither,

For it, too, shall fade away,

and yellowing shall overtake it.

And yellowing decay shall seize it.

يا بَدرُ كُنتَ مُنيراً

يا بَدرُ كُنتَ مُنيراً

حَتّى مَحاكَ السّرارُ

حَتّى مَحاكَ السّرارُ

O full moon, you once shone bright,

O full moon, you were shining bright,

until the moon's dark phase effaced you.

Until the dark phase erased your light.

يا غُصنُ أَصبَحتَ يَبسا

يا غُصنُ أَصبَحتَ يَبسا

فَأَينَ تِلكَ الثِمارُ

فَأَينَ تِلكَ الثِمارُ

O branch, you have become dry;

O bough, you have withered and dried;

where, then, are those fruits?

Where now are those fruits you bore?

أَينَ الذَكاءُ الَّذي كُن

أَينَ الذَكاءُ الَّذي كُن

تَ جَنَّةً وَهوَ نارُ

تَ جَنَّةً وَهوَ نارُ

Where is that brilliance—you were

Where is that brilliance? You were a garden of grace,

a garden, though it was fire?

While your wit was a blazing fire.

أَينَ الحَياءُ وَأَينَ ال

أَينَ الحَياءُ وَأَينَ ال

حَيا وَأَينَ الوقارُ

حَيا وَأَينَ الوقارُ

Where is modesty, and where the

Where is the modesty? Where is the vitality?

life-giving rain, and where the dignity?

And where is that solemn dignity?

شُقتَ اللداتِ فَلَولا

شُقتَ اللداتِ فَلَولا

تَزورُهُم أَو تُزارُ

تَزورُهُم أَو تُزارُ

You stirred longing in your peers; why not

Your peers yearn for you; why then

visit them, or be visited?

Do you not visit them, nor receive their visits?

فَوَعدكَ اِستَنجَزوهُ

فَوَعدكَ اِستَنجَزوهُ

هَل عَودَةٌ فَاِنتِظارُ

هَل عَودَةٌ فَاِنتِظارُ

So they ask you to fulfill your promise:

They seek the fulfillment of your promise:

will you return, that they may wait?

Is there a return, that we should wait?

ما زالَ مِنكَ رَواحٌ

ما زالَ مِنكَ رَواحٌ

إِلى العُلا وَاِبتِكارُ

إِلى العُلا وَاِبتِكارُ

You were ever journeying at evening

You were ever journeying toward the heights,

toward the heights, and at dawn,

Striving early for greatness.

حَتّى وَعَيتَ صَغيراً

حَتّى وَعَيتَ صَغيراً

ما لا تَعيهِ الكِبارُ

ما لا تَعيهِ الكِبارُ

until, while young, you understood

Until, though young, you grasped wisdom

what adults do not understand.

That even elders fail to comprehend.

فَضيلَةٌ كَلَّفَتهُم

فَضيلَةٌ كَلَّفَتهُم

أَن يَحسِدوا أَو يَغاروا

أَن يَحسِدوا أَو يَغاروا

A virtue that compelled them

A virtue that compelled them

to envy you or grow jealous.

To feel envy or jealous zeal.

وَكُنتَ في الرَأيِ أَهدى

وَكُنتَ في الرَأيِ أَهدى

مِن كُلِّ مَن يُستَشارُ

مِن كُلِّ مَن يُستَشارُ

And in judgment you were better guided

In judgment, you were a truer guide

than anyone whose counsel is sought.

Than all those consulted for advice.

يَجلو سَناكَ الدَياجي

يَجلو سَناكَ الدَياجي

فَيَهتَدي مَن يَحارُ

فَيَهتَدي مَن يَحارُ

Your radiance dispels the deep darkness,

Your radiance dispelled the darkest gloom,

so the bewildered find their way.

Guiding the one who had lost his way.

لِم لا وَأَنتَ اِبنُ بَحرٍ

لِم لا وَأَنتَ اِبنُ بَحرٍ

تَمتارُ مِنهُ البِحارُ

تَمتارُ مِنهُ البِحارُ

Why not, when you are the son of a sea

And why not? For you are the son of a vast ocean

from which the seas draw provision,

From which other seas draw their bounty.

يُهدي إِلى السَمعِ دُرّاً

يُهدي إِلى السَمعِ دُرّاً

يَهونُ فيهِ النُضارُ

يَهونُ فيهِ النُضارُ

offering pearls to the ear,

Who gifts pearls of speech to the ear,

beside which fine gold is cheap?

Beside which pure gold seems of little worth.

يا مَن إِلَيهِ اِرتِياحي

يا مَن إِلَيهِ اِرتِياحي

وَمَن عَلَيهِ الحذارُ

وَمَن عَلَيهِ الحذارُ

O you in whom I find delight,

O you in whom I found my comfort,

and for whom I am fearful,

And for whom I held my deepest fears.

لَو عِشتَ قامَ لِمَجدي

لَو عِشتَ قامَ لِمَجدي

في كُلِّ أُفقٍ مَنارُ

في كُلِّ أُفقٍ مَنارُ

had you lived, there would have risen for my glory

Had you lived, a beacon for my glory

a beacon on every horizon.

Would have risen on every horizon.

وَكانَ لي وَلِفِهر

وَكانَ لي وَلِفِهر

بِمُنتَماك اِفتِخارُ

بِمُنتَماك اِفتِخارُ

And for me and for Fihr there would have been

And I, along with the tribe of Fihr,

pride in your descent.

Would have taken pride in your kinship.

عَبد الغنيّ تَأَوَّب

عَبد الغنيّ تَأَوَّب

حَتّى مَتى ذا السِفارُ

حَتّى مَتى ذا السِفارُ

ʿAbd al-Ghanī, come home!

O Abd al-Ghani, return to us!

How long this journeying?

How long must this journey last?

فَقَدتُ مِنكَ يَميني

فَقَدتُ مِنكَ يَميني

هَلّا فَدَتها اليَسارُ

هَلّا فَدَتها اليَسارُ

In losing you, I lost my right hand;

In losing you, I have lost my right hand;

why did the left not ransom it?

Would that my left had been the ransom!

فَبِتُّ قَد بُتَّ مِنّي

فَبِتُّ قَد بُتَّ مِنّي

حَبلُ الرَجاءِ المُعارُ

حَبلُ الرَجاءِ المُعارُ

So I passed the night: severed from me

I pass the night with the rope of hope,

was the borrowed cord of hope.

Once lent to me, now severed and gone.

وَعادِياتُ اللَيالي

وَعادِياتُ اللَيالي

لَها عَلَيَّ مغارُ

لَها عَلَيَّ مغارُ

And the nights' raiding hosts

While the calamities of the nights

have me for their raiding ground.

Launch their raids upon me.

لا مَرحَباً بِحياتي

لا مَرحَباً بِحياتي

ماتَ الكِرامُ الخيارُ

ماتَ الكِرامُ الخيارُ

No welcome to my life!

There is no welcome left in my life,

The noble, the choicest, are dead.

Now that the noble and chosen have died.

وَلا سَقَتني الغَوادي

وَلا سَقَتني الغَوادي

حَسبي الدُموعُ الغِزارُ

حَسبي الدُموعُ الغِزارُ

Nor may the morning rainclouds water me;

Let no rain-clouds water me;

my copious tears are enough.

My own abundant tears suffice.

سَبَقتني وَعَداني

سَبَقتني وَعَداني

عَنِ اللِحاقِ العِثارُ

عَنِ اللِحاقِ العِثارُ

You went before me, and I was held back

You have gone before me, while I

from catching up by my stumbling.

Am held back from following by my stumbling.

كَبَّت أَباكَ الخَطايا

كَبَّت أَباكَ الخَطايا

وَلِلكَريمِ اِغتِفارُ

وَلِلكَريمِ اِغتِفارُ

Sins have cast your father down,

Sins have weighed your father down,

and forgiveness belongs to the generous.

But the Generous One grants forgiveness.

فَاِشفَع لَهُ عِندَ رَبٍّ

فَاِشفَع لَهُ عِندَ رَبٍّ

إِلَيهِ مِنهُ الفِرارُ

إِلَيهِ مِنهُ الفِرارُ

So intercede for him before a Lord

So intercede for him before a Lord,

to whom one flees from Him.

To Whom we flee to escape His wrath.