إِذا رُعِظَ السَهمُ أَو عَظعَظا

إِذا رُعِظَ السَهمُ أَو عَظعَظا

فَسَهمُ المَنيّةِ لَن يُرعَظا

فَسَهمُ المَنيّةِ لَن يُرعَظا

If an arrow breaks at its head-socket or bends,

When the arrow is deflected or it bends,

When the arrow is notched or wobbles in the bow,

death's arrow will never break.

The arrow of death will not bend.

The arrow of death needs no steadying to strike true.

تَهيضُ القسِيِّ عَلى نابِل

تَهيضُ القسِيِّ عَلى نابِل

وَيُصمي القصيّ وَإِن أَجعَظا

وَيُصمي القصيّ وَإِن أَجعَظا

Bows may break upon an archer,

The firm one arises against the shooter,

Ordinary bows may shatter in the archer's hand,

but it kills the far-off man outright, even if he flees.

And the destined one is silent even if he complains.

But death strikes its distant mark, however proud the victim stands.

تُكَذِّبُ هَيهاتَ دَعوى عَسى

تُكَذِّبُ هَيهاتَ دَعوى عَسى

فَحَسبُ المُؤَمِّلِ أَن يوعَظا

فَحَسبُ المُؤَمِّلِ أَن يوعَظا

'Far from it!' belies the claim of 'perhaps';

How often does the claim of "perhaps" deny hope!

The reality of "Impossible" belies the claim of "Perhaps,"

so taking warning is enough for the hopeful.

The hoping one's duty is just to preach.

Let this suffice as a warning to the hopeful soul.

وَيَفرَحُ بان بِحَسنائِهِ

وَيَفرَحُ بان بِحَسنائِهِ

وَلَو ذَكَرَ المَوتَ ما أَنمَظا

وَلَو ذَكَرَ المَوتَ ما أَنمَظا

A builder rejoices in his beautiful house,

And he rejoices in his good companions,

A man finds joy in the beauty of his beloved,

but if he remembered death, he would not exult.

Even if he remembered death, he would not be sleepy.

Yet had he remembered death, his passion would have ceased.

هُوَ المَوتُ لا بُدَّ مِن سَهمِهِ

هُوَ المَوتُ لا بُدَّ مِن سَهمِهِ

فَكَيفَ اِدَّرعَنا لِكَي يُدلَظا

فَكَيفَ اِدَّرعَنا لِكَي يُدلَظا

It is death: there is no escaping its arrow.

It is death, there is no escape from its arrow,

It is Death—there is no evading its dart,

How, then, have we donned armor to repel it,

So how can we be shielded so it trickles down?

So why do we don armor in a futile attempt to repel it?

وَكَيفَ جَرَرنا طِوالَ القنا

وَكَيفَ جَرَرنا طِوالَ القنا

عَلى كُلِّ طَرفٍ سَليمِ الشَظى

عَلى كُلِّ طَرفٍ سَليمِ الشَظى

and why have we trailed long spears

And how did we drag along the bow

And why have we trailed long spears behind us,

on every steed with sound splint-bones,

While every side of it had arrows ready to shoot?

Mounted on every steed with flawless limbs?

وَأَنَّ المَنايا لَيُدرِكنَ مَن

وَأَنَّ المَنايا لَيُدرِكنَ مَن

وَنى في الطَريقِ وَمَن أَركَظا

وَنى في الطَريقِ وَمَن أَركَظا

when deaths will surely overtake whoever

And death will take whoever,

For the dooms of fate surely overtake the one

lags along the road, and whoever hastens?

Turned away on the road or paused.

Who lingers on the road, and the one who gallops fast.

قَضاءٌ مِنَ اللَهِ لا عاكِظٌ

قَضاءٌ مِنَ اللَهِ لا عاكِظٌ

إِذا جاءَ يَأمَنُ أَن يُعكَظا

إِذا جاءَ يَأمَنُ أَن يُعكَظا

A decree from God—no conqueror,

A decree from God, no changing it

It is a decree from God that no restraint can bind;

when it comes, is safe from being conquered.

When it comes, it is secured from being changed.

When it comes, it is safe from being held back.

يُتاحُ لِمَن حَظِيَ الحَتفُ مِنه

يُتاحُ لِمَن حَظِيَ الحَتفُ مِنه

وَلَيسَ بِنافِعِهِ أَن حَظا

وَلَيسَ بِنافِعِهِ أَن حَظا

Death from Him is allotted even to the favored,

Whoever fate made its target,

Destruction is destined even for the fortunate,

and being favored does him no good.

Salvation does not benefit him if it missed him.

And his good fortune shall avail him nothing.

فَيصرعُ ضَرباً وَإِن لَم يَجل

فَيصرعُ ضَرباً وَإِن لَم يَجل

وَيَصرَعُ صَرباً وَإِن أَلمَظا

وَيَصرَعُ صَرباً وَإِن أَلمَظا

It strikes him down with a blow, though he never ventured forth,

So it drops him with a blow even if he did not fight,

He is felled by a blow though he did not roam the battlefield,

and strikes him down with sour milk, though he only tastes it.

And fells him with a stroke even if he is not complaining.

And struck by bitterness though he once tasted only sweet.

أَيا شامِتاً بِوُرودِ الرَدى

أَيا شامِتاً بِوُرودِ الرَدى

سَيُورِدُكَ الحَوض مَن أَبهَضا

سَيُورِدُكَ الحَوض مَن أَبهَضا

O you who gloat at another's coming to death,

O you who gloat at the occurrence of adversity,

O you who gloat at the arrival of my ruin,

He who laid this burden will bring you to the pool.

The bowl will bring you from the purest water.

The One who burdened me shall lead you to the same dark trough.

أَنا بَهظَتني صُروف الرَدى

أَنا بَهظَتني صُروف الرَدى

فَكَيفَ أَمانُكَ أَن تُبهَظا

فَكَيفَ أَمانُكَ أَن تُبهَظا

Death's vicissitudes have weighed me down;

Hardship made me worry,

I have been crushed by the turning tides of doom,

how, then, are you safe from being weighed down?

So how can you be safe from worrying?

So what makes you secure that you shall not be crushed?

رَماني الزَمانُ إلى غُربَةٍ

رَماني الزَمانُ إلى غُربَةٍ

أُعاشِرُ فيها العِدى الغُيَّظا

أُعاشِرُ فيها العِدى الغُيَّظا

Time cast me into exile,

Time has cast me into estrangement

Fate has cast me into a desolate exile,

where I consort with spiteful foes.

Where I keep company with hostile strangers.

Where I must live among enraged foes.

مَعَ القارِظينِ بِها عُدَّني

مَعَ القارِظينِ بِها عُدَّني

وَأُقسِمُ لا ترجعُ القُرَّظا

وَأُقسِمُ لا ترجعُ القُرَّظا

Count me there among the two acacia-pod gatherers;

The settler amongst them counted me one of them

Count me there among the gatherers of acacia leaves,

I swear you will never bring the gatherers back.

And I swear I will not go back to the settlements.

And I swear that those gatherers never return.

وَكانَ اِبنيَ البَرُّ عَبد الغني

وَكانَ اِبنيَ البَرُّ عَبد الغني

عَطيّةَ رَبّي الَّذي أَحنَظا

عَطيّةَ رَبّي الَّذي أَحنَظا

My dutiful son, Abd al-Ghani, was

My righteous son Abdul Ghani was

My righteous son, Abd al-Ghani, was to me

a gift from my Lord, who bestowed generously.

A gift from my Lord who granted him to me.

A gift from my Lord, who brought him to ripeness.

نَسيتُ بِهِ جَنَّتي القَيرَوان

نَسيتُ بِهِ جَنَّتي القَيرَوان

وَعِشتُ بِهِ ناعِماً في لَظى

وَعِشتُ بِهِ ناعِماً في لَظى

Through him I forgot my paradise, Kairouan,

I forgot, through him, my paradise Al-Qayrawan

In him I forgot my lost paradise of Qayrawan,

and through him lived in comfort amid hellfire.

And lived comfortably with him in adversity.

And through him I lived in comfort amidst the flames of exile.

فَلَمّا نَما كَالهِلالِ اِستَوى

فَلَمّا نَما كَالهِلالِ اِستَوى

وَكَالزَرعِ آزَرَ فَاِستَغلَظا

وَكَالزَرعِ آزَرَ فَاِستَغلَظا

Then, when he grew and matured like the crescent moon,

When he grew like the crescent moon, upright,

When he grew tall and straight like the crescent moon,

and, like a crop, gained strength and thickened,

And like crops, luxuriant, he became robust.

And like a young stalk, he strengthened and stood firm,

أُتيحَت لَهُ العَينُ فَاِستَأصَلَتهُ

أُتيحَت لَهُ العَينُ فَاِستَأصَلَتهُ

وَإِن كُنتُ أَحذَرُ أَن يُلحظا

وَإِن كُنتُ أَحذَرُ أَن يُلحظا

the evil eye was appointed for him and uprooted him,

His eye was stricken and took him away

The Evil Eye fell upon him and tore him up by the roots,

though I had guarded against his being looked upon.

Though I had feared it would notice him.

Though I was ever wary lest he be seen.

وَقَد جَحَظت أَلَماً عَينُهُ

وَقَد جَحَظت أَلَماً عَينُهُ

وَعَهدي بِها تُبرئ الجحَّظا

وَعَهدي بِها تُبرئ الجحَّظا

His eye bulged with pain,

His eye has shed bloody tears

His eye protruded in his final agony,

yet I had known it to heal the bulging-eyed.

And I was used to it dispelling worries.

Though I once knew it to heal the staring eyes of others.

صَلاةُ الإِلهِ وَرِضوانُهُ

صَلاةُ الإِلهِ وَرِضوانُهُ

عَلى حافِظٍ سَبَقَ الحُفَّظا

عَلى حافِظٍ سَبَقَ الحُفَّظا

May God's blessing and His favor

Prayer of God and His pleasure

May the prayers of God and His good pleasure

be upon a memorizer who surpassed the memorizers.

Upon a guardian who surpassed others in memorization.

Be upon a memorizer of the Word who surpassed all peers.

حَريصٌ عَلى الذِكرِ مُصغٍ لَهُ

حَريصٌ عَلى الذِكرِ مُصغٍ لَهُ

إِذا نامَ أَترابُهُ اِستَيقَظا

إِذا نامَ أَترابُهُ اِستَيقَظا

Eager for the Qur'an, listening closely to it,

Keen on remembrance, listening to it

Eager for knowledge, listening intently to the Truth,

he awoke when his peers slept.

When his peers fell asleep, he was alert.

Keeping vigil while his playmates slept.

فَمَن يَرَهُ كاتِباً قارئاً

فَمَن يَرَهُ كاتِباً قارئاً

يَقُل ما أَخَطَّ وَما أَلفَظا

يَقُل ما أَخَطَّ وَما أَلفَظا

Whoever sees him writing and reading

Whoever saw him writing and reading

Whoever saw him reading or inscribing the page

says, 'How fine his writing! How eloquent his speech!'

Would say: he did not err nor misspeak.

Would exclaim, "How fine his script, how eloquent his tongue!"

لَهُ حِلمُ أَحنَفَ وَهوَ اِبنُ تِسع

لَهُ حِلمُ أَحنَفَ وَهوَ اِبنُ تِسع

وَمِقوَلُ قُسٍّ إِذا لَظلَظا

وَمِقوَلُ قُسٍّ إِذا لَظلَظا

He had Ahnaf's forbearance at nine years old,

He had the forbearance of Ahnaf though he was only nine years old

He possessed the wisdom of al-Ahnaf at merely nine years old,

and Quss's tongue whenever he spoke.

And the saying of a firm man when resolute.

And the eloquence of Quss whenever he spoke.

كَفى عَجَبا أَنَّ ماءَ الحَياءِ

كَفى عَجَبا أَنَّ ماءَ الحَياءِ

يُضَرِّجُهُ فَأقولُ اِلتَظى

يُضَرِّجُهُ فَأقولُ اِلتَظى

Wonder enough that the water of modesty

It is wondrous enough that the water of bashfulness

It is wonder enough that the waters of modesty

stains him crimson, so I say, 'He is aflame.'

Would flush his face so I say "lower your gaze".

Would flush his cheeks until I thought he burned.

يُكَلِّفُهُ أَن يَغُضَّ الجُفون

يُكَلِّفُهُ أَن يَغُضَّ الجُفون

وَأن يَتَوارى إِذا شَظشَظا

وَأن يَتَوارى إِذا شَظشَظا

It bids him lower his eyelids

It would obligate him to lower his eyelids

Compelling him to lower his gaze,

and hide himself whenever he grows agitated.

And withdraw when anything alarmed him.

And to withdraw from sight when the crowd grew loud.

طَواكَ الرَدى يا شهابَ الهُدى

طَواكَ الرَدى يا شهابَ الهُدى

فَأَبَّنكَ اليَومَ من قَرَّظا

فَأَبَّنكَ اليَومَ من قَرَّظا

Death folded you away, O meteor of guidance;

Hardship has wrapped you, O torch of guidance,

Destruction has folded you away, O star of guidance,

today the one who praised you eulogizes you.

Distancing you today from my neighborhood.

And he who once praised you now sings your dirge.

كأن لَم يَشُدَّ بِكَ اللَهُ أَزري

كأن لَم يَشُدَّ بِكَ اللَهُ أَزري

وَلا شادَ مَجدي وَلا حَظَّظا

وَلا شادَ مَجدي وَلا حَظَّظا

As though God had never strengthened my back through you,

As if God had not supported me through you

As if God had never strengthened my resolve through you,

nor raised my glory, nor granted good fortune;

Nor elevated my glory nor guarded me.

Nor raised my glory, nor granted me fortune.

وَلا كُنتَ مِن زَمَني مَأمَني

وَلا كُنتَ مِن زَمَني مَأمَني

إِذا خِفتُ أَيّامَهُ العُظَّظا

إِذا خِفتُ أَيّامَهُ العُظَّظا

as though you had never been my refuge from Time

Nor were you my refuge in my times,

As if you were never my sanctuary from the times,

when I feared its savage days.

Whenever its difficult days terrified me.

When I feared the biting harshness of the days.

تَبَرُّ إِذا عَقَّني اِبنُ البَغي

تَبَرُّ إِذا عَقَّني اِبنُ البَغي

وَتَرضى حِفاظاً إِذا أَحفَظا

وَتَرضى حِفاظاً إِذا أَحفَظا

You were dutiful when the harlot's son wronged me,

You show sympathy when the son of disobedience persecutes me,

You showed devotion when the base-born turned away,

and, out of loyalty, stayed content when he provoked anger.

And you show contentment with me when I memorize.

And remained loyal when others caused offense.

نَبا بِكَ سَيفي الَّذي طالَما

نَبا بِكَ سَيفي الَّذي طالَما

عَنَظتُ بِهِ البُهَمَ العُنَّظا

عَنَظتُ بِهِ البُهَمَ العُنَّظا

In you my sword lost its edge—the sword with which so often

My sword, with which I often drove back

In your loss, my sword has shattered—the very blade

I subdued fierce, obstinate champions.

The afflicting sorrows, laments over you.

With which I once severed the hardest knots of fate.

فَقَد نَبَحتني كِلابُ العِدى

فَقَد نَبَحتني كِلابُ العِدى

وَدَبَّت عَقارِبهم نُشَّظا

وَدَبَّت عَقارِبهم نُشَّظا

Now my enemies' dogs have barked at me,

For the dogs of enmity have barked me away

Now the dogs of the enemy bark at my heels,

and their scorpions creep about with tails raised.

And their scorpions have crept, stinging.

And their scorpions creep forth with raised tails.

وَبي مَضَض كَيفَ أَنفُكَ مِنه

وَبي مَضَض كَيفَ أَنفُكَ مِنه

وَمَعسولُ لَفظِكَ قَد مَظَّظا

وَمَعسولُ لَفظِكَ قَد مَظَّظا

I am in anguish—how can I escape it,

And in me is a burning pain, how do I escape it,

I bear a bitterness—how is your pride amidst it?

when your honeyed speech has turned bitter?

While the sweetness of your words has been silenced?

Now that your honeyed words have turned to acid.

إِذا اللَفظُ كانَ لُفاظاً أَبَت

إِذا اللَفظُ كانَ لُفاظاً أَبَت

بَراعَةُ لَفظِكَ أَن يُلفَظا

بَراعَةُ لَفظِكَ أَن يُلفَظا

If speech were mere refuse, the brilliance

When the speech was crude, the refinement

If words were merely crumbs to be discarded,

of your speech would forbid its being cast away.

Of your speech refused to be uttered.

The brilliance of your speech refused such waste.

بَهَرت الحِسانَ سَنا غُرَّةٍ

بَهَرت الحِسانَ سَنا غُرَّةٍ

وَما خُطتَ حينَ فَشَوا خُوَّظا

وَما خُطتَ حينَ فَشَوا خُوَّظا

You outshone the beauties with the radiance of your brow,

You amazed tongues while still young,

You dazzled the fair ones with your shining brow,

and did not swagger when they spread about, swollen-bellied.

And you have not erred since you surpassed peers.

And kept aloof when idle rumors spread.

وَكَظتَ عَلى الذِكرِ حَتّى يُقا

وَكَظتَ عَلى الذِكرِ حَتّى يُقا

ل لِلَّهِ دَرُّكُ ما أَوكَظا

ل لِلَّهِ دَرُّكُ ما أَوكَظا

You persevered in Qur'an recitation, until it was sa—

You were hard on remembrance until it is said:

You held fast to the remembrance until men said,

—id: 'God bless you! How steadfast!'

May God reward you with good - how he memorized!

"God bless you, how steadfast is your heart."

أَعبد الغني وَهَبت الفظاظ

أَعبد الغني وَهَبت الفظاظ

وَكَيفَ وَأَنتَ الَّذي فَظَّظا

وَكَيفَ وَأَنتَ الَّذي فَظَّظا

O Abd al-Ghani, you bestowed the water of the gut—

Abdul Ghani, you granted excellent qualities,

O Abd al-Ghani, have you bequeathed me harshness?

how, when you were the one who split it open?

How could that be when it is you who surpassed?

You, who were never harsh in life?

تَرَكت أَباكَ أَسيرَ الخُطوب

تَرَكت أَباكَ أَسيرَ الخُطوب

يُكابِدُ ثُكلا ذَكيّ اللَظى

يُكابِدُ ثُكلا ذَكيّ اللَظى

You left your father captive to calamities,

You left your father, captive of sorrows,

You have left your father a prisoner of calamity,

enduring bereavement with a fiercely blazing flame.

Suffering the loss of an intelligent beloved one.

Enduring the scorching fire of bereavement.

فَلَم يَدرِ مِن حَرِّ نَفسِهِ

فَلَم يَدرِ مِن حَرِّ نَفسِهِ

أَشتّى عَلى الجَمرِ أَم قَيَّظا

أَشتّى عَلى الجَمرِ أَم قَيَّظا

In the heat of his soul he could not tell

So he does not know from the heat of himself,

In the heat of his soul, he could no longer tell

whether he wintered on embers or summered.

Whether he roasted on embers or was cooked.

Whether he passed the winter on embers or the summer.

وَلَم يَدرِ فَيَّضَ أَجفانَهُ

وَلَم يَدرِ فَيَّضَ أَجفانَهُ

مِنَ الدَمعِ أَم نَفسه فَيّظا

مِنَ الدَمعِ أَم نَفسه فَيّظا

Nor could he tell whether he had flooded his eyelids

And he does not know, so he sheds his eyelids

He knew not whether his eyelids flooded with tears,

with tears, or poured out his own soul.

With tears or himself melting away.

Or if it was his very soul pouring forth.

وَهذي رَكائِبُهُ لِلزِّما

وَهذي رَكائِبُهُ لِلزِّما

عِ قَد زَمَّهُنّ وَقَد شَظَّظا

عِ قَد زَمَّهُنّ وَقَد شَظَّظا

Here are his riding camels, ready for depar—

And these are his vehicles during his lifetime,

Here are his camels prepared for the final departure;

—ture: he has bridled them and fastened their packs with toggles.

He harnessed them and they are obedient.

He has bridled them and secured the loads.

شَظَظتُكَ مِن أَزماتِ الزَمانِ

شَظَظتُكَ مِن أَزماتِ الزَمانِ

وَلكِن أَبى المَوتُ أَن يُشمَظا

وَلكِن أَبى المَوتُ أَن يُشمَظا

I fastened you safely against Time's crises,

I protected you from the tribulations of time,

I sought to secure you against the crises of time,

but death refused to be held back.

But death refused to be driven away.

But Death refused to be turned aside.