تَعَزَّtake solace ياO خَيْرَbest of الْوَرَىcreation عَنْfor أخٍa brother
تَعَزَّ يا خَيْرَ الْوَرَى عَنْ أخٍ
لَمْnot يَشُبِmix الإِخْلاَصَsincerity بالَّلبْسِwith ambiguity
لَمْ يَشُبِ الإِخْلاَصَ بالَّلبْسِ
Take solace, O best of creation, for the loss of a brother
who never mingled sincerity with ambiguity.
كَانَhe was صَدِيقاًa friend وافِراًabundant وُدُّهُhis affection
كَانَ صَدِيقاً وافِراً وُدُّهُ
صَدَاقَةَfriendship of الأَنْفُسِsouls والجِنْسِand kindred nature
صَدَاقَةَ الأَنْفُسِ والجِنْسِ
He was a friend whose affection was abundant,
with a friendship of souls and kindred nature.
تَعَزَّtake solace عَنْهُfor him بِنَبِيِّin the Prophet of الهُدَىguidance
تَعَزَّ عَنْهُ بِنَبِيِّ الهُدَى
مَحَمَّدٍMuhammad أُدْخِلَwas laid فِيin الرَّمْسِthe grave
مَحَمَّدٍ أُدْخِلَ فِي الرَّمْسِ
Take solace for him in the Prophet of guidance—
Muhammad, who was laid in the grave,
وَهُوَthough he حَبِيبُthe beloved of اللهِGod فيupon أرْضِهِHis earth
وَهُوَ حَبِيبُ اللهِ في أرْضِهِ
مؤيَّداًsupported بالْوَحيby revelation والْقُدْسِand holiness
مؤيَّداً بالْوَحي والْقُدْسِ
though he was God's beloved upon His earth,
supported by revelation and holiness.
سَمَّاكَhe named you بِالرَّاضيas al-Radi لِتَرْضَىso you may be content بِمَاwith what
سَمَّاكَ بِالرَّاضي لِتَرْضَى بِمَا
تُسْلِفُyou send ahead مِنْof أَمْرٍan affair ومَاand what تُنْسىyou are made to forget
تُسْلِفُ مِنْ أَمْرٍ ومَا تُنْسى
He named you al-Radi, that you might be content with what
you send ahead of deeds, and what you are made to forget.
قَدْindeed أَنْذَرَhas warned الدَّهْرُTime تَصَارِيفُهُits vicissitudes
قَدْ أَنْذَرَ الدَّهْرُ تَصَارِيفُهُ
بِأَلْسُنٍwith tongues ناطِقَةٍspeaking خُرْسِmute
بِأَلْسُنٍ ناطِقَةٍ خُرْسِ
Time has given warning through its vicissitudes,
with tongues that speak, yet are mute.
يُخْبِرُنَاtells us عَنْof مَوْتِهِhis death كَوْنُهُhis existence
يُخْبِرُنَا عَنْ مَوْتِهِ كَوْنُهُ
بِغَيْرِwithout إِذْكَارٍreminding وَلاor حَدْسِconjecture
بِغَيْرِ إِذْكَارٍ وَلا حَدْسِ
His very existence tells us of his death,
without reminder or conjecture.
كَانَhe was نَسِيباًa kinsman لإِمامِto the imam of الْهُدَىguidance
كَانَ نَسِيباً لإِمامِ الْهُدَى
بَالْوُدِّthrough affection والألْفَةِand fellowship والأُنْسِand intimacy
بَالْوُدِّ والألْفَةِ والأُنْسِ
He was kin to the imam of guidance
through affection, fellowship, and intimacy.
ونِسْبَةُand kinship of الجِسْمِthe body شَتَاتٌdisunity إذَاwhen
ونِسْبَةُ الجِسْمِ شَتَاتٌ إذَا
لَمْnot تتآلفْis in harmony نِسْبُةُkinship of النَّفْسِthe soul
لَمْ تتآلفْ نِسْبُةُ النَّفْسِ
And bodily kinship is disunity when
kinship of the soul is not in harmony.
وَكَانَand he was فَرْعاًa scion ذَاكِياًflourishing غُصْنُهُhis bough
وَكَانَ فَرْعاً ذَاكِياً غُصْنُهُ
مُهَذَّباًwell tended مِنْfrom خَيْرِthe best of ماwhat غَرْسِwas planted
مُهَذَّباً مِنْ خَيْرِ ما غَرْسِ
And he was a scion whose bough flourished,
well tended, from the best that was planted.
وَكَانَand he was فيin السُّودَدِlordship ذَاpossessing هِمَّةِresolve
وَكَانَ في السُّودَدِ ذَا هِمَّةِ
وَكَانَand he was فيin النِّعْمَةprosperity ذَاpossessing غَمْسimmersion
وَكَانَ في النِّعْمَة ذَا غَمْس
And in lordship he was a man of resolve,
and in prosperity he was deeply immersed.
أَرْسَىbrought down عَلَيْهِupon him دَهْرُهُhis time مِثْلَthe like of مَاwhat
أَرْسَى عَلَيْهِ دَهْرُهُ مِثْلَ مَا
أَرْسَىbrought down عَلَىupon سَاكِنَةِthe inhabitants of الرَّسِّal-Rass
أَرْسَى عَلَى سَاكِنَةِ الرَّسِّ
His time brought down upon him the like of what
it brought down upon the inhabitants of al-Rass.
إِنْif صُرِفَis turned الدهرTime إلَىtoward مَضَىwhat has passed
إِنْ صُرِفَ الدهر إلَى مَضَى
عَادَturns سُرُورُthe joy of النَّاسِpeople ذَاpossessing عَكْسِreversal
عَادَ سُرُورُ النَّاسِ ذَا عَكْسِ
If Time is turned toward what has passed,
people's joy turns to its opposite.
حَوادِثُcalamities of الأَيَّامِthe days شَقَّاقَةٌrending
حَوادِثُ الأَيَّامِ شَقَّاقَةٌ
تُقَرِّبُbrings close الْمَأَتَمَmourning بالْعُرْسِto a wedding
تُقَرِّبُ الْمَأَتَمَ بالْعُرْسِ
The calamities of the days tear things apart;
they bring mourning close to a wedding.
يَعْتَقبُalternates الْمَرْءُa person بِهاthrough them حَالُهُhis condition
يَعْتَقبُ الْمَرْءُ بِها حَالُهُ
بِوَطْئِهِby his treading الْحَزْنَrugged ground إلَىtoward الْوَعْسِsoft sandy ground
بِوَطْئِهِ الْحَزْنَ إلَى الْوَعْسِ
Through them, a person's condition changes,
as he treads from rugged ground to soft sand.
مَنْwhoever عَزَّfinds glory بالدُّنْيَاin this world هَفَاgoes astray قَلْبُهُhis heart
مَنْ عَزَّ بالدُّنْيَا هَفَا قَلْبُهُ
وَعَادand becomes مِنْهُfrom him النُّورُthe light ذاpossessing طَمْسِeffacement
وَعَاد مِنْهُ النُّورُ ذا طَمْسِ
Whoever finds glory in this world, his heart goes astray,
and the light that comes from him is blotted out.
وَزالَand vanishes فيamid تَلْوينَهاits changing colors عَقْلُهُhis reason
وَزالَ في تَلْوينَها عَقْلُهُ
وَغَالُهُand lays him low طَيْفٌa specter مِنَof اللَّقْسِagitation
وَغَالُهُ طَيْفٌ مِنَ اللَّقْسِ
And his reason vanishes amid its changing colors,
and a specter of agitation lays him low.
مَنِيَّةٌdeath إِنْif لَمْdoes not تُفَاجِtake by surprise الْفَتَىthe young man
مَنِيَّةٌ إِنْ لَمْ تُفَاجِ الْفَتَى
كَانَتْit was لَهُfor him بِالسُّقْمِthrough sickness ذَاتَpossessing مَسِّa touch
كَانَتْ لَهُ بِالسُّقْمِ ذَاتَ مَسِّ
Death, if it does not surprise a young man,
then touches him through sickness.
لَهفِيmy grief عَلَيْهِfor him وَقَلِيلٌand too little لَهُfor him
لَهفِي عَلَيْهِ وَقَلِيلٌ لَهُ
لَهْفِيmy grief وهَلْand can يَرْجِعُreturn لِيto me أَمْسِيmy yesterday
لَهْفِي وهَلْ يَرْجِعُ لِي أَمْسِي
My grief for him! Yet too little for him
is my grief—can my yesterday return to me?
لَهْفِيmy grief عَلَىfor مُنْتَخَبٍa chosen man حِلْمُهُhis forbearance
لَهْفِي عَلَى مُنْتَخَبٍ حِلْمُهُ
أَرْجَحُweightier مِنْthan رَضْوَىRadwa وَمِنْand than قُدْسِQuds
أَرْجَحُ مِنْ رَضْوَى وَمِنْ قُدْسِ
My grief for a chosen man, whose forbearance
weighs more than Radwa and Quds.
أَيْنَwhere الأُولَىthose who كَانُواwere شَمُوسَthe suns of الْوَرَىcreation
أَيْنَ الأُولَى كَانُوا شَمُوسَ الْوَرَى
لُيُوثَlions of حَرْبٍwar غَيْرَnot مَاat all شُمْسِill-tempered
لُيُوثَ حَرْبٍ غَيْرَ مَا شُمْسِ
Where are those who were the suns of creation,
lions in war, yet never ill-tempered?
جَرَىhe proceeded عَلَىin السُّودَدِnobility مِنْهُمْfrom them كَمَاjust as
جَرَى عَلَى السُّودَدِ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا
شُيِّدُwas raised بُنْيَانٌa building عَلَىupon أسِّa foundation
شُيِّدُ بُنْيَانٌ عَلَى أسِّ
He followed their path in nobility, just as
a building is raised upon a foundation.
فافْرِسْso offer as prey لَهُto it صَبراًpatience يُزِيلُthat dispels الأَذَىpain
فافْرِسْ لَهُ صَبراً يُزِيلُ الأَذَى
فَالدَّهْرِfor Time للإِنْسَانِtoward man ذُوpossessing فَرْسِpredation
فَالدَّهْرِ للإِنْسَانِ ذُو فَرْسِ
So offer it patience that dispels pain,
for Time makes prey of man.
يَنْعَمُenjoys ease مِنْهُthrough it جِسْمُهُhis body تَارَةًat times
يَنْعَمُ مِنْهُ جِسْمُهُ تَارَةً
ثُمَّthen تَرَاهُyou see it جَاسِيَrigid الْجَسِّto the touch
ثُمَّ تَرَاهُ جَاسِيَ الْجَسِّ
At times his body enjoys ease through it,
then you see it rigid to the touch.
فَلَمْso not تَزْلْyou ceased to be فَوْقَabove المُلُوكِthe kings الأُولَىwho
فَلَمْ تَزْلْ فَوْقَ المُلُوكِ الأُولَى
مِنْamong عَرَبٍArabs سَادُواruled ومَنْand among فُرْسِPersians
مِنْ عَرَبٍ سَادُوا ومَنْ فُرْسِ
So you have always stood above the kings who
ruled among the Arabs and among the Persians.
مَنْwhoever لاَnot يَرَىregards حُبَّكَloving you فَرْضاًa duty فَماthen not
مَنْ لاَ يَرَى حُبَّكَ فَرْضاً فَما
أَدَّىfulfilled فُروضَthe obligations of اللهِGod فيin الْخَمْسِthe five prayers
أَدَّى فُروضَ اللهِ في الْخَمْسِ
Whoever does not regard loving you as a duty has not
fulfilled God's obligations in the five prayers.
فداؤُكَyour ransom النَّاسُpeople جَمِيعاًall together عَلَىdespite
فداؤُكَ النَّاسُ جَمِيعاً عَلَى
رَغْمِthe opposition of عَدُوٍّan enemy لِحَزٍmiserly شَكِسِquarrelsome
رَغْمِ عَدُوٍّ لِحَزٍ شَكِسِ
May all people be your ransom, despite
a miserly, quarrelsome enemy.
فالْخَلْقُso creation واردjourneying مِنْfrom رِفْهٍease إلَىtoward الْthe (continued article)
فالْخَلْقُ وارد مِنْ رِفْهٍ إلَى الْ
مَوْتِdeath وَذِيand one aged عَشْرٍten وذِيand one aged خَمْسِfive
مَوْتِ وَذِي عَشْرٍ وذِي خَمْسِ
All creation passes from ease toward
death, both those aged ten and those aged five.
أَوَّلُهُمْthe first of them مَنْتَظِرٌawaiting آخرّاًthe last
أَوَّلُهُمْ مَنْتَظِرٌ آخرّاً
فَهُوَand he عَلَيْهِfor him الدَّهْرَthroughout time ذُوpossessing حَبْسِconfinement
فَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ الدَّهْرَ ذُو حَبْسِ
The first of them awaits the last,
and is held in confinement for him throughout time,
حَتَّىuntil يَجِئُواthey come وَكِفَاتٌand a gathering-place لَهُمْfor them
حَتَّى يَجِئُوا وَكِفَاتٌ لَهُمْ
وَلاَand not يُرَىis perceived لِلْقَوْمِof the people مِنْany حِسِّperceptible trace
وَلاَ يُرَى لِلْقَوْمِ مِنْ حِسِّ
until they come, with a gathering-place to hold them,
and no trace of the people can be perceived.
وَبَعْثُهُمْand their resurrection مِنْfrom بَعْدِafter ذَاthis كُلِّهِall of it
وَبَعْثُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَا كُلِّهِ
لِخَابِلِfor the confounder of الجِنَّةِthe jinn والإِنْسِand humankind
لِخَابِلِ الجِنَّةِ والإِنْسِ
And their resurrection after all of this
is for the confounder of jinn and humankind.
تَخْشَعُgrow subdued أَصْوَاتُهُمْtheir voices خِيفَةًin fear
تَخْشَعُ أَصْوَاتُهُمْ خِيفَةً
فَلاَso not تُنَاجِيconverse softly بِسَوَىwith anything other than الْهَمْسِwhispering
فَلاَ تُنَاجِي بِسَوَى الْهَمْسِ
Their voices grow subdued in fear,
so they speak in nothing but whispers.
دَاعِيthe summoner of المَنَايَاdeaths خَاطِبٌcourting كُفْوَهُhis match
دَاعِي المَنَايَا خَاطِبٌ كُفْوَهُ
كَخِطْبَةِlike the proposal of المْعُتَامِa discerning suitor لِلْعِرْسِto a bride
كَخِطْبَةِ المْعُتَامِ لِلْعِرْسِ
The summoner of deaths courts his match,
like a discerning suitor proposing to a bride.
يَسْمُوhe reaches up إِلَىtoward الأَنْفُسِsouls فِيwith قُدْرَةٍpower
يَسْمُو إِلَى الأَنْفُسِ فِي قُدْرَةٍ
مُنَكِّباًturning aside عَنْfrom سَاقِطٍa lowly man جِلْسِcoarse
مُنَكِّباً عَنْ سَاقِطٍ جِلْسِ
He reaches up toward souls with power,
turning aside from a lowly, coarse man.
تَلْعَبُplay بِالْمَرْءِwith man اللَّيَالِيthe nights كَمَاjust as
تَلْعَبُ بِالْمَرْءِ اللَّيَالِي كَمَا
قَدْmay تَلْعَبُplay الأَقْلاَمُpens بِالنَّقْسِwith ink
قَدْ تَلْعَبُ الأَقْلاَمُ بِالنَّقْسِ
The nights play with man, just as
pens may play with ink.
تُرْضِعُnurse بالإِنْعَامِwith favors ذَاone possessing عزَّةٍmight
تُرْضِعُ بالإِنْعَامِ ذَا عزَّةٍ
يُقْطَمُis bitten بِالْبُؤْسِby misery وَبِالتَّعْسِand by misfortune
يُقْطَمُ بِالْبُؤْسِ وَبِالتَّعْسِ
They nurse a man of might with favors;
he is bitten by misery and misfortune.
تُتْبِعُfollow نُعَمَاهَاtheir bounty بِبَأْسَائِهَاwith their afflictions
تُتْبِعُ نُعَمَاهَا بِبَأْسَائِهَا
وَيَعْقِبُand follows up الصِّحَّةُhealth بالنُّكْسِwith relapse
وَيَعْقِبُ الصِّحَّةُ بالنُّكْسِ
They follow their bounty with their afflictions,
and health is followed by relapse.
فَالحُرُّso the freeborn man فِيهاin it أَبداًforever حَائِرٌbewildered
فَالحُرُّ فِيها أَبداً حَائِرٌ
مِنْat سَوْمِهَاits asking price الْغَالِيhigh عَلَىdespite مَكْسِbargaining
مِنْ سَوْمِهَا الْغَالِي عَلَى مَكْسِ
So the freeborn man is forever bewildered in it
at its high asking price, despite bargaining.
يُتْعِبُwearies فِيهَاin it أَبداًforever جِسْمَهُhis body
يُتْعِبُ فِيهَا أَبداً جِسْمَهُ
وإنَّمَاand only الرَّاحَةُrest كاَلخَلْسِlike something snatched
وإنَّمَا الرَّاحَةُ كاَلخَلْسِ
He forever wearies his body in it,
and rest is like something stolen.
يَخْدَعُdeceives فِيهاin it بِالْمُنَىwith hopes نَفْسَهُhimself
يَخْدَعُ فِيها بِالْمُنَى نَفْسَهُ
وَوافِدُwhile the envoy of الْمَوْتِdeath بِهِbeside him مُرْسِيcasting anchor
وَوافِدُ الْمَوْتِ بِهِ مُرْسِي
He deceives himself in it with hopes,
while death's envoy casts anchor beside him.
يَنْسَىhe forgets الَّذِيwhat يأَتِيcomes بِهِwith it صَرْفُهَاits vicissitudes
يَنْسَى الَّذِي يأَتِي بِهِ صَرْفُهَا
والآمِلُand the hopeful man الغَرَّارُbeguiling قَدْmay يُنْسِيmake one forget
والآمِلُ الغَرَّارُ قَدْ يُنْسِي
He forgets what its vicissitudes bring,
and the beguiling hopeful man may make one forget.
تَلْبِسُهُclothes him مِنْfrom طَمَعِcraving غَفْلَةٌheedlessness
تَلْبِسُهُ مِنْ طَمَعِ غَفْلَةٌ
بِالْمَطْعَمِfor food المَلْذُوذِdelicious وَالُّلبْسِand clothing
بِالْمَطْعَمِ المَلْذُوذِ وَالُّلبْسِ
Heedlessness clothes him, born of craving
for delicious food and clothing.
فَأَسْلَمَso may preserve اللهُGod إِمَامَthe imam of الْهُدَىguidance
فَأَسْلَمَ اللهُ إِمَامَ الْهُدَى
فَمَاfor not عَطَاءُthe gift of الدَّهْرِTime بِالنَّحْسِill-starred
فَمَا عَطَاءُ الدَّهْرِ بِالنَّحْسِ
May God preserve the imam of guidance,
for Time's gift is not ill-starred.
كُلُّall الْوَرَىcreation أَنْتَyou وَكُلٌّand everyone يُرَىis seen
كُلُّ الْوَرَى أَنْتَ وَكُلٌّ يُرَى
عَبْدَكَyour servant مِنْamong عالٍthe exalted ومِنْand among نِكْسِthe base
عَبْدَكَ مِنْ عالٍ ومِنْ نِكْسِ
You are all creation, and everyone is seen
as your servant, the exalted and the lowly alike.
بَقَاؤُكَyour continued life الْفَوْزُtriumph لَنَاfor us وَالْغِنَىand prosperity
بَقَاؤُكَ الْفَوْزُ لَنَا وَالْغِنَى
نُصْبِحُwe enter morning فِيهِin it مِثْلَlike ماas نُمَسْيwe enter evening
نُصْبِحُ فِيهِ مِثْلَ ما نُمَسْي
Your continued life is our triumph and prosperity;
in it, we meet morning just as we meet evening.
شَوىًslight wounds صُرُوفُvicissitudes of الدَّهْرَTime مَاas long as لَمْdo not تُصِبْstrike
شَوىً صُرُوفُ الدَّهْرَ مَا لَمْ تُصِبْ
فِيamong الرَّطْبِthe green إِنْeven if عَاثَتْthey ravage وفِيand among اليَبْسِthe dry
فِي الرَّطْبِ إِنْ عَاثَتْ وفِي اليَبْسِ
Time's vicissitudes are slight wounds, so long as they do not strike you,
even if they ravage the green and the dry.
مَنْwhoever تاجَرَtrades with الدَّهْرَTime بِلاَwithout صَرْفِهِits turns
مَنْ تاجَرَ الدَّهْرَ بِلاَ صَرْفِهِ
فَصَارَand passes مِنْfrom رِبْحٍprofit إلَىinto وَكْسِloss
فَصَارَ مِنْ رِبْحٍ إلَى وَكْسِ
Whoever trades with Time without heeding its turns,
and passes from profit into loss,
فَأَسْلَمَyet preserves الكُلَّthe whole فَلاَthen no بَأْسَharm أَنْthat
فَأَسْلَمَ الكُلَّ فَلاَ بَأْسَ أَنْ
يُرْزَأَhe suffers loss فيin السُّدْسthe sixth وفيand in الخُمْسِthe fifth
يُرْزَأَ في السُّدْس وفي الخُمْسِ
yet preserves the whole, suffers no harm
in losing a sixth or a fifth.
إِنif غَيَّبَhas hidden الْبَدْرَthe full moon كُسُوفٌan eclipse فَقَدْthen indeed
إِن غَيَّبَ الْبَدْرَ كُسُوفٌ فَقَدْ
لاَحَتْhas shone بِسَعْدٍauspiciously غُرَّةُthe bright brow of الشَّمْسِthe sun
لاَحَتْ بِسَعْدٍ غُرَّةُ الشَّمْسِ
If an eclipse has hidden the full moon, still
the sun's bright brow has shone auspiciously.
مَاnot طَالِعُthe fortune of الأُمَّةِthe nation يَاO سَيِّدِيmy lord
مَا طَالِعُ الأُمَّةِ يَا سَيِّدِي
إِذَاwhen خَطَاكَpasses you by الْخَطْبُcalamity بِالْبَخْسِdiminished
إِذَا خَطَاكَ الْخَطْبُ بِالْبَخْسِ
The nation's fortune, my lord, is not
diminished when calamity passes you by.
Sol 6.1