عَاثَ الحِمامُ فما أبقَى وما تَرَكَا

عَاثَ الحِمامُ فما أبقَى وما تَرَكَا

ولم يَدَعْ سُوقَةً مِنَّا ولا مَلِكَا

ولم يَدَعْ سُوقَةً مِنَّا ولا مَلِكَا

Death wreaked havoc, sparing nothing and leaving nothing;

The dove wreaked havoc, leaving nothing behind,

and left neither commoner nor king among us.

Sparing no knight or ruler among us.

فما سألتُ امرأً يوماً بصاحبِهِ

فما سألتُ امرأً يوماً بصاحبِهِ

والعهدُ لم ينأ إلاّ قالَ قد هَلَكَا

والعهدُ لم ينأ إلاّ قالَ قد هَلَكَا

Never did I ask a man about his companion,

Never did I ask a man about his companion,

though their last meeting was recent, without his saying, "He has died."

Except he said: “Alas he has perished!”

تُراهُ أقسمَ لا يُبقي على بَشَرٍ

تُراهُ أقسمَ لا يُبقي على بَشَرٍ

ولا يغادِرُ إنساناً ولا مَلَكَا

ولا يغادِرُ إنساناً ولا مَلَكَا

Do you think it swore to spare no mortal,

As if he had sworn to leave no human

and leave neither human nor angel?

Or angel alive.

ما بَثَّ في سَاكِنِ الغَبراءِ أسهُمَهُ

ما بَثَّ في سَاكِنِ الغَبراءِ أسهُمَهُ

إلاّ ويُصمِي بها من يَسْكُنُ الفَلَكَا

إلاّ ويُصمِي بها من يَسْكُنُ الفَلَكَا

Never did it loose its arrows at a dweller of the dusty earth

He unleashed his arrows among the dwellers of the dust,

without also striking dead whoever dwells in the celestial sphere.

Striking down those in the highest heavens.

فما يشُدُّ على شَخْصٍ فيعْصِمُهُ

فما يشُدُّ على شَخْصٍ فيعْصِمُهُ

إن يَمتَطِ العيسَ أو يستبطِنِ الفُلُكَا

إن يَمتَطِ العيسَ أو يستبطِنِ الفُلُكَا

Nothing can gird a person round and protect him,

None can resist him, whether riding a swift steed

whether he mounts pale camels or goes aboard ships.

Or seeking refuge in an impregnable fortress.

يا للرزيّةِ لم يسمعْ بها أحدٌ

يا للرزيّةِ لم يسمعْ بها أحدٌ

إلاّ وأجهَشَ من حُزْنٍ لها وبَكَى

إلاّ وأجهَشَ من حُزْنٍ لها وبَكَى

Alas for this calamity! No one heard of it

O what a calamity the likes of which none has heard

without bursting into sobs of sorrow over it and weeping.

Without being overcome with grief and weeping!

ما للجَليدِ بها ما ساورتْهُ يدٌ

ما للجَليدِ بها ما ساورتْهُ يدٌ

لو خَامَرَتْ قلبَ أيّوبَ الصبورِ شَكَا

لو خَامَرَتْ قلبَ أيّوبَ الصبورِ شَكَا

Even the steadfast has no strength against it while it assails him;

It would have tested the patience of Job himself,

had it entered the heart of patient Ayyub, he would have complained.

Had it crept into his steadfast heart.

تبَّتْ يدا الدهرِ لم يعلمْ بأيِّ فتًى

تبَّتْ يدا الدهرِ لم يعلمْ بأيِّ فتًى

أودَى وأيِّ هُمَامٍ سَيِّدٍ فَتَكَا

أودَى وأيِّ هُمَامٍ سَيِّدٍ فَتَكَا

Perish the hands of Time! It knew not what a noble youth

May the days of fate be cursed! Who knows on which noble youth

it destroyed, and what valiant lord it struck down:

It has pounced or which illustrious leader it has slain?

بواحدٍ مَرَّ فَرْداً في مكارِمِهِ

بواحدٍ مَرَّ فَرْداً في مكارِمِهِ

ما افترَّ عن مثلِهِ دَهْرٌ ولا ضَحِكا

ما افترَّ عن مثلِهِ دَهْرٌ ولا ضَحِكا

a peerless man, who passed unrivaled in his noble virtues;

Unique in his virtues, the era produced not his equal,

no age ever smiled to reveal his like, nor laughed.

Nor did time smile in his favor.

وَكَارِعٍ في حِيَاضِ المكرُماتِ فَمَا

وَكَارِعٍ في حِيَاضِ المكرُماتِ فَمَا

زاحَمهُ واغِلٌ فيها ولا شُرَكا

زاحَمهُ واغِلٌ فيها ولا شُرَكا

And a drinker at the pools of noble deeds: no

He had no rival in the field of noble deeds,

uninvited drinker crowded him there, nor any partners.

Nor did he have a partner therein.

متى يُفَاخِرْهُ حيٌّ مَتَّ منتسباً

متى يُفَاخِرْهُ حيٌّ مَتَّ منتسباً

بمَحْتِدٍ تتوارَى مِنْ سَنَاهُ ذُكَا

بمَحْتِدٍ تتوارَى مِنْ سَنَاهُ ذُكَا

Whenever a tribe vied with him in pride, he claimed descent

When will the living boast to him of an ancestor,

from a lineage whose radiance makes Dhuka, the sun, hide.

While his own glories remain concealed by time?

من دَوْحَةٍ طَابَ مَجْنَاهَا وحَلَّقَ أَعْ

من دَوْحَةٍ طَابَ مَجْنَاهَا وحَلَّقَ أَعْ

لاها كما قَرَّ مَسْرَى عِرْقِها وَزَكَا

لاها كما قَرَّ مَسْرَى عِرْقِها وَزَكَا

From a great tree whose fruit was sweet, high soared its upper—

A palm tree with sweet, ripe dates, whose branches

—most reaches, while its root's course held firm and flourished.

Soared as high as the orbits of the planets.

تكادُ تخرقُ سَمْكَ الأرضِ راسخَةً

تكادُ تخرقُ سَمْكَ الأرضِ راسخَةً

عُروقُها ويناجي فَرْعُها الحُبُكا

عُروقُها ويناجي فَرْعُها الحُبُكا

Almost piercing the earth's thickness, firmly anchored

Its deep roots almost piercing the earth’s core,

are its roots; its bough whispers to the heavens' woven paths.

While its fronds converse with the stars.

شَهَادَةُ اللّهِ في التنزيلِ كَافِيةٌ

شَهَادَةُ اللّهِ في التنزيلِ كَافِيةٌ

في فَضلِهِم عَنْ رَوَاهُ جابرٌ وحَكَى

في فَضلِهِم عَنْ رَوَاهُ جابرٌ وحَكَى

God's testimony in the Revelation suffices

God’s testimony in the Scripture suffices

for their excellence, without need of what Jabir related and recounted.

To confirm their merit, beyond what Jabir narrated.

يُرْبِعْ على ضلعِهِ السَّاعي ليُدركَهُ

يُرْبِعْ على ضلعِهِ السَّاعي ليُدركَهُ

فليس يلحقُهُ إنْ خبَّ أو بَرَكا

فليس يلحقُهُ إنْ خبَّ أو بَرَكا

Let whoever strives to catch him go easy with his own limp;

The fastest messenger cannot catch up with him

he cannot catch him, whether he trots or kneels.

Once he gallops or bolts.

عَفُّ السريرةِ صَفَّاحُ الجَرِيرةِ مِقْ

عَفُّ السريرةِ صَفَّاحُ الجَرِيرةِ مِقْ

دَامُ العَشيرةِ جَوَّادٌ بما مَلَكَا

دَامُ العَشيرةِ جَوَّادٌ بما مَلَكَا

Pure of heart, forgiving offenses, bold—

He of gentle disposition, yet firm when resolute,

—hearted among his clan, generous with all he possessed.

The family’s generous benefactor.

ما مَدَّ يوماً إلى الدنيا وزينتِها

ما مَدَّ يوماً إلى الدنيا وزينتِها

طَرْفاً ولا كانَ في اللذاتِ مُنْهَمِكَا

طَرْفاً ولا كانَ في اللذاتِ مُنْهَمِكَا

Never did he cast toward the world and its finery

Never did he glance with desire at worldly vanities,

a glance, nor was he engrossed in pleasures.

Nor was he absorbed in carnal pleasures.

ما ضَمَّ يوماً على الدينارِ راحتَهُ

ما ضَمَّ يوماً على الدينارِ راحتَهُ

بخلاً ولا شَدَّ من حرصٍ عليهِ وِكا

بخلاً ولا شَدَّ من حرصٍ عليهِ وِكا

Never did he close his palm upon a dinar

Never did he find comfort in hoarding gold,

in stinginess, nor tighten a purse-string over it out of greed.

Out of greed or intense attachment.

أثرَى فما كانَ فيما أحرزتْ يَدُهُ

أثرَى فما كانَ فيما أحرزتْ يَدُهُ

لفرطِ ما جَادَ إلاَّ وَاحِدَ الشُّرَكَا

لفرطِ ما جَادَ إلاَّ وَاحِدَ الشُّرَكَا

He grew wealthy, yet in all his hand acquired

He grew wealthy, yet gave so much

he was only one of the partners, so lavishly did he give.

That he had but one partner in all he owned.

الشَّهْدُ ما مَجَّهُ زَجْراً ومَوْعِظةٌ

الشَّهْدُ ما مَجَّهُ زَجْراً ومَوْعِظةٌ

لِسَانُهُ الطَّلْقُ لا ما أودعَ العَكَكَا

لِسَانُهُ الطَّلْقُ لا ما أودعَ العَكَكَا

Honey was what was poured forth in rebuke and admonition

His words were as sweet as honey, no bitterness

by his fluent tongue, not what was stored in leather vessels.

Ever issued from his eloquent tongue.

والعضبُ ما استلَّ من رأيٍ إذا التَحَمَتْ

والعضبُ ما استلَّ من رأيٍ إذا التَحَمَتْ

عُرَى الخُطُوبِ وأَمرُ الأُمَّةِ التَبَكَا

عُرَى الخُطُوبِ وأَمرُ الأُمَّةِ التَبَكَا

And the sharp sword was the counsel he unsheathed when

His wisdom shone when perils thickened

the bonds of calamity knit together and the community's affairs grew tangled.

And the nation’s affairs were tangled.

يا منْ مَضَى وبقينا بعده هُمُلاً

يا منْ مَضَى وبقينا بعده هُمُلاً

لو أَنْصَفَ الدهرُ أَفنَانا وخَلَّدَكَا

لو أَنْصَفَ الدهرُ أَفنَانا وخَلَّدَكَا

O departed one, after whom we remain untended,

O you who passed away, leaving us distraught!

had Time been just, it would have destroyed us and made you immortal.

Had time been fair, it would have immortalized you both.

لو سَامَنَا فيكَ مَحْتُومُ القضا بَدلاً

لو سَامَنَا فيكَ مَحْتُومُ القضا بَدلاً

فَدَاكَ كلُّ امرئٍ مِنَّا وقَلَّ لَكَا

فَدَاكَ كلُّ امرئٍ مِنَّا وقَلَّ لَكَا

Had the inevitable decree of fate demanded a substitute from us for you,

If the inescapable fate had taken us instead,

every man among us would have ransomed you—and still been too little for you.

Each one of us would have ransomed you with his life.

أَبعِدْ به من غَريمٍ لو خَضَعَتَ لهُ

أَبعِدْ به من غَريمٍ لو خَضَعَتَ لهُ

ذُلاًّ قَسَا وإنِ اسْتمحلتَهُ مَحكَا

ذُلاًّ قَسَا وإنِ اسْتمحلتَهُ مَحكَا

Away with such a creditor! If you bow to him

With it you could have fended off an unjust foe,

in abasement, he grows harsh; and if you petition him, he wrangles.

Though he were arrogant and you sought reconciliation.

ما لامرِئٍ تَتَقاضَاهُ الدُّيُونُ يدٌ

ما لامرِئٍ تَتَقاضَاهُ الدُّيُونُ يدٌ

بِدَفْعِهِ أَلَوَاهُ الدَّيْنُ أمْ مَعَكَا

بِدَفْعِهِ أَلَوَاهُ الدَّيْنُ أمْ مَعَكَا

No man pursued for his debts has the strength

No debtor can pay with his hands

to repel him, whether debt twists him or grinds him down.

A debt whose payment the creditor demands of you.

فلستُ أعلمُ ما مَتَّ الحِمَامُ بِهِ

فلستُ أعلمُ ما مَتَّ الحِمَامُ بِهِ

حتى لوَى بِكَ عَنَّا واستبدَّ بِكَا

حتى لوَى بِكَ عَنَّا واستبدَّ بِكَا

So I do not know what kinship Death claimed,

I know not what the dove has done to deserve

to take you away from us and keep you for itself.

To take you from us and have you all to itself!

إنْ يَغْتَصِبْكَ الردَى مِنَّا فقد غُصِبَتْ

إنْ يَغْتَصِبْكَ الردَى مِنَّا فقد غُصِبَتْ

بالأَمسِ أُمُّكَ صَافِي إرثِهَا فَدَكَا

بالأَمسِ أُمُّكَ صَافِي إرثِهَا فَدَكَا

If doom wrests you from us, your mother was already robbed

If fate has robbed you from us today, yesterday

yesterday of her pure inheritance, Fadak.

It robbed your noble mother of her clear inheritance.

فاذهبْ فما زالَ هَامِي الغَيْثِ يصحبُهُ

فاذهبْ فما زالَ هَامِي الغَيْثِ يصحبُهُ

مُرفَضُّ دَمْعِي على مَثْوَاكَ مُنْسَفِكا

مُرفَضُّ دَمْعِي على مَثْوَاكَ مُنْسَفِكا

Go, then; may the pouring rain never cease, accompanied

Go now, still the rainy cloud accompanies my tears,

by my streaming tears, spilling upon your resting place.

Shed copiously over your resting place.