دُعيناwe were called إلىto تأبينeulogizing منthose who ماتdied قبلنَاbefore us
دُعينا إلى تأبين من مات قبلنَا
وقدwhile already ساورتناassailed us فيin الحياةlife المخاوفُfears
وقد ساورتنا في الحياة المخاوفُ
We were called to eulogize those who died before us,
with fears already besetting us in life.
وماذاand what الذيthat يرجوhopes for منfrom الشعرpoetry شاعرٌa poet
وماذا الذي يرجو من الشعر شاعرٌ
تطولgrow long بهfor him فوقَabove القبورthe graves المواقفperiods of standing
تطول به فوقَ القبور المواقف
And what does a poet hope to gain from poetry,
standing so long above the graves?
أحقmore deserving منthan الموتىthe dead بنعيٍof a death lament ومأتمٍand a mourning gathering
أحق من الموتى بنعيٍ ومأتمٍ
مدينa debtor رهينheld captive أرهقتهoverburdened him المصارفthe banks
مدين رهين أرهقته المصارف
More deserving than the dead of lamentation and mourning
is a captive debtor, overburdened by the banks.
وإنand indeed شراءbuying الدَّينdebt بالدينwith debt حيلةa stratagem
وإن شراء الدَّين بالدين حيلة
فإماso either توفيهyou repay it fully وإمّاor else تضاعفyou double
فإما توفيه وإمّا تضاعف
And indeed, buying off debt with debt is a stratagem:
you either repay it in full or double it.
عطفناwe sympathized ولمbut did not نعقلreason فكيفso how نجاتناour deliverance
عطفنا ولم نعقل فكيف نجاتنا
وقدwhen already غلبتhave overcome تلكthose العقولminds العواطفpassions
وقد غلبت تلك العقول العواطف
We sympathized but did not reason—how can we be saved,
when passions have overpowered those minds?
وقلناand we spoke فلمbut did not نسمعhear عتاباًreproach منfrom الذيthe one whom
وقلنا فلم نسمع عتاباً من الذي
نعاديwe treat as an enemy ولمand did not نبلغattain رضىapproval منthe one whom نحالفwe ally with
نعادي ولم نبلغ رضى من نحالف
And we spoke, but heard no reproach from the one
we treat as an enemy, nor won the approval of the one we ally with.
ولجتand grew insistent دعاويclaims الجانبينof both sides فلمbut did not نصلreach
ولجت دعاوي الجانبين فلم نصل
إلىto منwhoever نجاريهwe go along with him ولاnor منwhoever نخالفwe oppose
إلى من نجاريه ولا من نخالف
And both sides' claims grew insistent, but we could not reach
those we go along with, nor those we oppose.
وسرناand we went بنجواناwith our confidences إلىto غيرnot منجدa helper
وسرنا بنجوانا إلى غير منجد
يسائلناquestions us عماabout what بناwith us وهوthough he is عارفaware
يسائلنا عما بنا وهو عارف
And we took our confidences to one who offered no aid,
who asks us what ails us, though he knows.
وماand did not قرَّبتْbring nearer تلكthose الأحاديثُconversations موعداًan appointed time
وما قرَّبتْ تلك الأحاديثُ موعداً
ولاnor أبعدتput farther off تلكthose الظنونconjectures الزخارفembellishments
ولا أبعدت تلك الظنون الزخارف
And those conversations brought no appointed time nearer,
nor did those embellished conjectures put it farther off.
فماso what للذيwith the one who شدناwe raised لهfor him الصرحَthe edifice مُعرضاًturning away
فما للذي شدنا له الصرحَ مُعرضاً
يطالعlooks at فيهin it غيرناothers than us ويشارفand looks from above
يطالع فيه غيرنا ويشارف
Why, then, does the one for whom we raised the edifice turn away,
gazing at others within it and watching from above?
وليتand if only لناfor us منهfrom him نصيبthe share عداتهhis enemies
وليت لنا منه نصيب عداته
وقدwhile already راحhas begun يستصفيهمُtakes them as intimates ويلاطفand treats kindly
وقد راح يستصفيهمُ ويلاطف
And if only we had from him the share his enemies receive,
as he has taken to making them intimates and treating them kindly.
وليتand if only رعاةkeepers العهدthe covenant يلقونfind عندهwith him
وليت رعاة العهد يلقون عنده
منof الودaffection ماwhat يلقاهhe receives it فيin الطرْقknocking هاتفa caller
من الود ما يلقاه في الطرْق هاتف
And if only the keepers of the covenant found with him
as much affection as a caller receives when knocking.
وأهونand less grievous منthan فقدlosing الجميلkindness زلازلٌearthquakes
وأهون من فقد الجميل زلازلٌ
تُغيِّرalter مماsome of what حولناsurrounds us وعواصفand storms
تُغيِّر مما حولنا وعواصف
And less grievous than the loss of kindness are earthquakes
that alter some of what surrounds us, and storms.
ولاand not يتساوىbecome equal الناسpeople إلاexcept وكلهمwhile all of them
ولا يتساوى الناس إلا وكلهم
علىon الطللthe ruin الباليtimeworn وقوعfallen زواحفcrawling creatures
على الطلل البالي وقوع زواحف
And people become equal only when all of them
lie fallen and crawling upon the timeworn ruin.
Sol 6.1