ياO أَيُّهاyou الدَمعُtears الوَفِيُّfaithful بِدارِhasten!
يا أَيُّها الدَمعُ الوَفِيُّ بِدارِ
نَقضيwe fulfill حُقوقَthe dues of الرِفقَةِthe companions الأَخيارِthe good
نَقضي حُقوقَ الرِفقَةِ الأَخيارِ
O faithful tears, hasten!
Let us fulfill the dues of our good companions.
أَناI إِنif أَهَنتُكَI lavished you فيupon ثَراهُمُtheir dust فَالهَوىthen love
أَنا إِن أَهَنتُكَ في ثَراهُمُ فَالهَوى
وَالعَهدُand loyalty أَنthat يُبكَواthey be mourned بِدَمعٍwith tears جاريflowing
وَالعَهدُ أَن يُبكَوا بِدَمعٍ جاري
If I have lavished you upon their dust, love
and loyalty demand they be mourned with flowing tears.
هانواthey were brought low وَكانواand they were الأَكرَمينَthe noblest وَغودِرواand were abandoned
هانوا وَكانوا الأَكرَمينَ وَغودِروا
بِالقَفرِin the wilderness بَعدَafter مَنازِلٍdwellings وَدِيارِand homes
بِالقَفرِ بَعدَ مَنازِلٍ وَدِيارِ
They were brought low, though once the noblest, and abandoned
in the wilderness, after dwellings and homes.
لَهَفيmy anguish! عَلَيهِمfor them أُسكِنواthey were lodged دورَabodes of الثَرىthe dust
لَهَفي عَلَيهِم أُسكِنوا دورَ الثَرى
مِنfrom بَعدِafter سُكنىdwelling in السَمعِhearing وَالأَبصارِand sight
مِن بَعدِ سُكنى السَمعِ وَالأَبصارِ
Alas for them! They were lodged in the abodes of dust,
after dwelling in our hearing and our sight.
أَينَwhere البَشاشَةُcheerfulness فيin وَسيمِthe beauty of وُجوهِهِمtheir faces
أَينَ البَشاشَةُ في وَسيمِ وُجوهِهِم
وَالبِشرُand gladness لِلنُدَماءِfor boon companions وَالسُمّارِand evening companions
وَالبِشرُ لِلنُدَماءِ وَالسُمّارِ
Where is the cheer in their handsome faces,
and the glad welcome for boon companions and evening company?
كُنّاwe were مِنَin الدُنياthe world بِهِمwith them فيin رَوضَةٍa garden
كُنّا مِنَ الدُنيا بِهِم في رَوضَةٍ
مَرّواthey passed بِهاthrough it كَنَسائِمِlike breezes الأَسحارِthe hours before dawn
مَرّوا بِها كَنَسائِمِ الأَسحارِ
With them, we were in this world as in a garden;
they passed through it like breezes before dawn.
عَطفاًshow tenderness عَلَيهِمtoward them بِالبُكاءِwith weeping وَبِالأَسىand with grief
عَطفاً عَلَيهِم بِالبُكاءِ وَبِالأَسى
فَتَعَهُّدُfor tending to المَوتىthe dead مِنَis part of الإيثارِselflessness
فَتَعَهُّدُ المَوتى مِنَ الإيثارِ
Show them tenderness with weeping and grief,
for tending to the dead is an act of selflessness.
ياO غائِبينَabsent ones وَفيand within الجَوانِحِthe breast طَيفُهُمtheir phantom
يا غائِبينَ وَفي الجَوانِحِ طَيفُهُم
أَبكيكُمُI weep for you مِنamong غُيَّبٍabsent ones حُضّارِpresent ones
أَبكيكُمُ مِن غُيَّبٍ حُضّارِ
O absent ones, whose phantoms dwell within the breast,
I weep for you, absent ones who remain present.
بَينيbetween me وَبَينَكُمُand you وَإِنand though طالَgrows long المَدىthe distance
بَيني وَبَينَكُمُ وَإِن طالَ المَدى
سَفَرٌa journey سَأَزمَعُهُI shall resolve to take it مِنَamong الأَسفارِjourneys
سَفَرٌ سَأَزمَعُهُ مِنَ الأَسفارِ
Between me and you, though the distance be long,
lies a journey among journeys that I shall resolve to take.
إِنّيindeed I أَكادُalmost أَرىI see مَحَلِّيَmy place بَينَكُمamong you
إِنّي أَكادُ أَرى مَحَلِّيَ بَينَكُم
هَذاthis قَرارُكُمُyour resting place وَذاكَand that قَراريmy resting place
هَذا قَرارُكُمُ وَذاكَ قَراري
I almost see my place among you:
this is your resting place, and that is mine.
أَوَand is it that? كُلَّماwhenever سَمَحَwas generous الزَمانُtime وَبُشِّرَتand was given glad tidings
أَوَ كُلَّما سَمَحَ الزَمانُ وَبُشِّرَت
مِصرٌEgypt بِفَردٍof an exceptional man فيamong الرِجالِmen مَنارِa beacon
مِصرٌ بِفَردٍ في الرِجالِ مَنارِ
And must it be that whenever time is generous, and
Egypt receives glad tidings of a man, a beacon among men,
فُجِعَتshe was bereaved بِهِof him فَكَأَنَّهُso as though he وَكَأَنَّهاand as though she
فُجِعَت بِهِ فَكَأَنَّهُ وَكَأَنَّها
نَجمُa star الهِدايَةِof guidance لَمdid not يَدُمendure لِلساريfor the night traveler
نَجمُ الهِدايَةِ لَم يَدُم لِلساري
she is bereaved of him—as though he were, to her,
a guiding star that did not endure for the night traveler?
إِنَّindeed المَصيبَةَthe calamity فيin the loss of الأَمينِAmin, the trustworthy one عَظيمَةٌgreat
إِنَّ المَصيبَةَ في الأَمينِ عَظيمَةٌ
مَحمولَةٌborne لِمَشيئَةِin deference to the will of الأَقدارِfate
مَحمولَةٌ لِمَشيئَةِ الأَقدارِ
The calamity of Amin's loss is indeed great,
borne in deference to the will of fate.
فيin أَريَحِيِّa generous man ماجِدٍnoble مُستَعظَمٌdeemed immense
في أَريَحِيِّ ماجِدٍ مُستَعظَمٌ
رُزءُthe loss المَمالِكِof kingdoms فيهِin him وَالأَمصارِand cities
رُزءُ المَمالِكِ فيهِ وَالأَمصارِ
In a generous, noble man, immense is
the loss that kingdoms and cities suffer in him.
أَوفىthe most faithful الرِجالِof men لِعَهدِهِto his pledge وَلِرَأيِهِand to his views
أَوفى الرِجالِ لِعَهدِهِ وَلِرَأيِهِ
وَأَبَرَّهُمand the kindest of them بِصَديقِهِto his friend وَالجارِand the neighbor
وَأَبَرَّهُم بِصَديقِهِ وَالجارِ
The most faithful of men to his pledge and his views,
and the kindest of them to his friend and neighbor;
وَأَشَدَّهُمand the strongest of them صَبراًin steadfastness لِمُعتَقَداتِهِfor his beliefs
وَأَشَدَّهُم صَبراً لِمُعتَقَداتِهِ
وَتَأَدُّباًand in courtesy لِمُجادِلٍtoward a debater وَمُماريand a disputant
وَتَأَدُّباً لِمُجادِلٍ وَمُماري
and the most steadfast of them in his beliefs,
and the most courteous to debaters and disputants;
يَسقيhe waters القَرائِحَgifted minds هادِئًاquietly مُتَواضِعاًhumbly
يَسقي القَرائِحَ هادِئًا مُتَواضِعاً
كَالجَدوَلِlike a stream المُتَرقرِقِrippling المُتَواريhidden
كَالجَدوَلِ المُتَرقرِقِ المُتَواري
he waters gifted minds, quietly and humbly,
like a rippling stream flowing unseen.
قُلsay لِلسَماءِto the sky تَغُضُّlet it dim مِنof أَقمارِهاits moons
قُل لِلسَماءِ تَغُضُّ مِن أَقمارِها
تَحتَbeneath التُرابِthe dust أَحاسِنُthe fairest الأَقمارِmoons
تَحتَ التُرابِ أَحاسِنُ الأَقمارِ
Tell the sky to dim its moons:
the fairest moons lie beneath the dust.
مِنamong كُلِّevery وَضّاءِradiant in المَآثِرِnoble deeds فائِتٍsurpassing
مِن كُلِّ وَضّاءِ المَآثِرِ فائِتٍ
زُهرَthe bright ones among النُجومِthe stars بِذَهرِهِwith his [unclear word] السَيّارِfar-ranging
زُهرَ النُجومِ بِذَهرِهِ السَيّارِ
Each one radiant in noble deeds, surpassing
the bright stars with his far-ranging [unclear word].
تَمضيpass اللَياليthe nights لاdo not تَنالُmar كَمالَهُhis perfection
تَمضي اللَيالي لا تَنالُ كَمالَهُ
بِمَعيبِwith a blemishing نَقصٍwaning أَوor مَشينِa shameful سِرارِdark lunar phase
بِمَعيبِ نَقصٍ أَو مَشينِ سِرارِ
The nights pass, unable to mar his perfection
with the blemish of waning or the shame of moon-darkness.
آثارُهُhis enduring works بَعدَafter المَوتِdeath حَياتُهُhis life
آثارُهُ بَعدَ المَوتِ حَياتُهُ
إِنَّindeed الخُلودَimmortality الحَقَّtrue بِالآثارِthrough enduring works
إِنَّ الخُلودَ الحَقَّ بِالآثارِ
His enduring works after death are his life;
true immortality lies in enduring works.
ياO مَنyou who تَفَرَّدَwere unrivaled بِالقَضاءِin judgment وَعِلمِهِand knowledge of it
يا مَن تَفَرَّدَ بِالقَضاءِ وَعِلمِهِ
إِلّاexcept قَضاءَthe judgment of الواحِدِthe One القَهّارِthe All-Subduing
إِلّا قَضاءَ الواحِدِ القَهّارِ
O you unrivaled in judgment and its learning,
save for the judgment of the One, the All-Subduing!
مازِلتَyou kept تَرجوهُhoping in Him وَتَخشىand fearing سَهمَهُHis arrow
مازِلتَ تَرجوهُ وَتَخشى سَهمَهُ
حَتّىuntil رَمىHe shot فَأَحَطَّso you grasped (unclear form) بِالأَسرارِthe mysteries
حَتّى رَمى فَأَحَطَّ بِالأَسرارِ
You always hoped in Him and feared His arrow,
until He shot, and you grasped the mysteries [reading uncertain].
هَلّاcould you not بُعِثتَbe raised فَكُنتَand then be أَفصَحَmore eloquent مُخبَراًas a teller
هَلّا بُعِثتَ فَكُنتَ أَفصَحَ مُخبَراً
عَمّاof what وَراءَlies beyond المَوتِdeath مِنthan لازارِLazarus
عَمّا وَراءَ المَوتِ مِن لازارِ
Could you not be raised, to tell more eloquently
of what lies beyond death than Lazarus?
اِنفُضshake off غُبارَthe dust of المَوتِdeath عَنكَfrom yourself وَناجِنيand confide in me
اِنفُض غُبارَ المَوتِ عَنكَ وَناجِني
فَعَسايَso perhaps I أَعلَمُmay know ماwhat يَكونُwill become غُباريmy dust
فَعَسايَ أَعلَمُ ما يَكونُ غُباري
Shake the dust of death off yourself, and confide in me,
so perhaps I may learn what my dust will become.
هَذاthis القَضاءُjudgment الجِدُّin earnest فَاِروِso recount وَهاتِand bring عَنconcerning
هَذا القَضاءُ الجِدُّ فَاِروِ وَهاتِ عَن
حُكمِthe verdict of المَنِيَّةِdeath أَصدَقَthe truest الأَخبارِreports
حُكمِ المَنِيَّةِ أَصدَقَ الأَخبارِ
This is judgment in earnest: recount, and bring me, concerning
death's verdict, the truest reports.
كُلٌّeveryone وَإِنand though شَغَفَتهُhas enthralled him دُنياهُhis world هَوىًwith love
كُلٌّ وَإِن شَغَفَتهُ دُنياهُ هَوىً
يَوماًone day مُطَلِّقُهاwill divorce it طَلاقَwith a divorce like نَوارِNawar's
يَوماً مُطَلِّقُها طَلاقَ نَوارِ
Everyone, though his world enthralls him with love,
will one day divorce it as Nawar was divorced.
لِلَّهِGod be praised for جامِعَةٌa university نَهَضتَyou rose بِأَمرِهاto its cause
لِلَّهِ جامِعَةٌ نَهَضتَ بِأَمرِها
هِيَit فيin المَشارِقِthe eastern lands مَصدَرُa source of الأَنوارِlights
هِيَ في المَشارِقِ مَصدَرُ الأَنوارِ
God be praised for the university whose cause you championed!
It is the source of light in the lands of the East.
أُمنِيِّةُthe wish of العُقَلاءِthe wise قَدindeed ظَفِرواthey succeeded بهاin attaining it
أُمنِيِّةُ العُقَلاءِ قَد ظَفِروا بها
بَعدَafter اِختِلافِa succession of حَوادِثٍevents وَطَواريand contingencies
بَعدَ اِختِلافِ حَوادِثٍ وَطَواري
The wish of the wise, which they have attained,
after a succession of events and contingencies.
وَالعَقلُand reason غايَةُthe limit of جَريِهِits running لِأَعِنَّةٍtoward reins
وَالعَقلُ غايَةُ جَريِهِ لِأَعِنَّةٍ
وَالجَهلُand ignorance غايَةُthe limit of جَريِهِits running لِعِثارِtoward stumbling
وَالجَهلُ غايَةُ جَريِهِ لِعِثارِ
And reason's furthest course ends at the reins;
and ignorance's furthest course ends in stumbling.
لَوif يَعلَمونَthey knew عَظيمَthe greatness of ماwhat تُرجىit is hoped لَهُfor it
لَو يَعلَمونَ عَظيمَ ما تُرجى لَهُ
خَرَجَwould part الشَحيحُthe miser لَهاfor it مِنَwith الدينارِthe dinar
خَرَجَ الشَحيحُ لَها مِنَ الدينارِ
If they knew the greatness of what it is hoped to achieve,
the miser would part with his dinar for it.
تَشريbuy المَمالِكُkingdoms بِالدَمِwith blood اِستِقلالَهاtheir independence
تَشري المَمالِكُ بِالدَمِ اِستِقلالَها
قومواrise اِشتَروهُbuy it بِفِضَّةٍwith silver وَنُضارِand gold
قوموا اِشتَروهُ بِفِضَّةٍ وَنُضارِ
Kingdoms buy their independence with blood;
rise, and buy it with silver and gold.
بِالعِلمِthrough knowledge يُبنىis built المُلكُsovereignty حَقَّthe proper manner of بِنائِهِits building
بِالعِلمِ يُبنى المُلكُ حَقَّ بِنائِهِ
وَبِهِand through it تُنالُare attained جَلائِلُthe greatest الأَخطارِranks
وَبِهِ تُنالُ جَلائِلُ الأَخطارِ
Through knowledge, sovereignty is rightly built,
and through it, the loftiest ranks are attained.
وَلَقَدand indeed يُشادُis raised عَلَيهِupon it مِنamong شُمِّlofty peaks of العُلاglory
وَلَقَد يُشادُ عَلَيهِ مِن شُمِّ العُلا
ماthat which لاnot يُشادُis raised عَلىupon القَناspears الخَطّارِswaying
ما لا يُشادُ عَلى القَنا الخَطّارِ
And on it are indeed built such lofty peaks of glory
as cannot be built upon swaying spears.
إِنif كانَit was سَرَّكَpleased you أَنthat أَقَمتَyou raised جِدارَهاits wall
إِن كانَ سَرَّكَ أَن أَقَمتَ جِدارَها
قَدindeed ساءَهاgrieved it أَنthat مالَgave way خَيرُthe finest جِدارِwall
قَد ساءَها أَن مالَ خَيرُ جِدارِ
If it delighted you to have raised its wall,
it was grieved that its finest wall gave way.
أَضحَتit has become مِنَfrom اللَهِGod الكَريمِthe Generous بِذِمَّةٍunder protection
أَضحَت مِنَ اللَهِ الكَريمِ بِذِمَّةٍ
مَرموقَةِdistinguished in الأَعوانِhelpers وَالأَنصارِand supporters
مَرموقَةِ الأَعوانِ وَالأَنصارِ
It has come under the protection of God the Generous,
distinguished by its helpers and supporters.
كُلِأَتit was guarded بِأَنظارِby the watchful eyes of العَزيزِal-Aziz, the mighty one وَحُصِّنَتand was fortified
كُلِأَت بِأَنظارِ العَزيزِ وَحُصِّنَت
بِفُؤادَby Fuad فَهيَso it is مَنيعَةُimpregnable الأَسوارِin its ramparts
بِفُؤادَ فَهيَ مَنيعَةُ الأَسوارِ
Guarded by al-Aziz's watchful eyes, and fortified
by Fuad, it has impregnable ramparts.
وَإِذاand whenever العَزيزُal-Aziz, the mighty one أَعارَlent أَمراًa matter نَظرَةًa glance
وَإِذا العَزيزُ أَعارَ أَمراً نَظرَةً
فَاليُمنُthen good fortune أَعجَلُis swifter وَالسُعودُand blessings جَواريare flowing
فَاليُمنُ أَعجَلُ وَالسُعودُ جَواري
And whenever al-Aziz lends a matter a glance,
good fortune hastens, and blessings flow.
ماذاwhat رَأَيتَdid you see مِنَof الحِجابِveiling وَعُسرِهِand its hardship
ماذا رَأَيتَ مِنَ الحِجابِ وَعُسرِهِ
فَدَعَوتَناso you called us لِتَرَفُّقٍto gentleness وَيَسارِand ease
فَدَعَوتَنا لِتَرَفُّقٍ وَيَسارِ
What did you see in veiling and its hardship,
that you called us to gentleness and ease?
رَأيٌan opinion بَداappeared لَكَto you لَمdid not تَجِدهُyou find it مُخالِفاًcontrary to
رَأيٌ بَدا لَكَ لَم تَجِدهُ مُخالِفاً
ماwhat فيis in الكِتابِthe Book وَسُنَّةِand the tradition of المُختارِthe Chosen One
ما في الكِتابِ وَسُنَّةِ المُختارِ
A view occurred to you, which you found did not contradict
what is in the Book and the Chosen One's tradition.
وَالباسِلانِand the two valiant ones شُجاعُbrave of قَلبٍheart فيin الوَغىbattle
وَالباسِلانِ شُجاعُ قَلبٍ في الوَغى
وَشُجاعُand brave in رَأيٍopinion فيin وَغىthe battle of الأَفكارِideas
وَشُجاعُ رَأيٍ في وَغى الأَفكارِ
And the two kinds of valiant men are: the bravehearted in battle,
and the bold in opinion in the battle of ideas.
أَوَدِدتَdid you wish لَوthat صارَتmight become نِساءُthe women of النيلِthe Nile ماwhat
أَوَدِدتَ لَو صارَت نِساءُ النيلِ ما
كانَتwere نِساءُthe women of قُضاعَةٍQuda'a وَنِزارِand Nizar
كانَت نِساءُ قُضاعَةٍ وَنِزارِ
Did you wish the women of the Nile might become what
the women of Quda'a and Nizar once were,
يَجمَعنَthey combine فيin سِلمِthe peace of الحَياةِlife وَحَربِهاand its war
يَجمَعنَ في سِلمِ الحَياةِ وَحَربِها
بَأسَthe valor of الرِجالِmen وَخَشيَةَand the bashfulness of الأَبكارِmaidens
بَأسَ الرِجالِ وَخَشيَةَ الأَبكارِ
combining, in life's peace and war,
the valor of men and the bashfulness of maidens?
إِنَّindeed الحِجابَveiling سَماحَةٌtolerance وَيَسارَةٌand ease
إِنَّ الحِجابَ سَماحَةٌ وَيَسارَةٌ
لَولاwere it not for وُحوشٌbeasts فيamong الرِجالِmen ضَواريpredatory
لَولا وُحوشٌ في الرِجالِ ضَواري
Veiling is indeed a matter of tolerance and ease,
were it not for predatory beasts among men,
جَهِلواthey failed to understand حَقيقَتَهُits true nature وَحِكمَةَand the wisdom of حُكمِهِits rule
جَهِلوا حَقيقَتَهُ وَحِكمَةَ حُكمِهِ
فَتَجاوَزوهُso they overstepped it إِلىinto أَذىًharm وَضِرارِand injury
فَتَجاوَزوهُ إِلى أَذىً وَضِرارِ
who failed to grasp its truth and the wisdom of its rule,
and overstepped it into harm and injury.
ياO قُبَّةَdome of الغوريal-Ghuri تَحتَكِbeneath you مَأتَمٌa mourning assembly
يا قُبَّةَ الغوري تَحتَكِ مَأتَمٌ
تَبقىendure شَعائِرُهُits rites عَلىthroughout الأَدهارِthe ages
تَبقى شَعائِرُهُ عَلى الأَدهارِ
O dome of al-Ghuri, beneath you is a mourning assembly
whose rites will endure through the ages.
يُحييِهِkeep it alive قَومٌpeople فيin القُلوبِthe hearts عَلىthroughout المَدىall time
يُحييِهِ قَومٌ في القُلوبِ عَلى المَدى
إِنif فاتَهُمeludes them إِحياؤُهُcommemorating it فيin دارِa house
إِن فاتَهُم إِحياؤُهُ في دارِ
People keep it alive in their hearts for all time,
if they cannot commemorate it in a house.
هَيهاتَfar from possible! تُنسىbe forgotten أُمَّةٌa nation مَدفونَةٌburied
هَيهاتَ تُنسى أُمَّةٌ مَدفونَةٌ
فيin أَربَعينَforty مِنَof الزَمانِtime قِصارِshort
في أَربَعينَ مِنَ الزَمانِ قِصارِ
Never shall a buried nation be forgotten
within forty brief days.
إِنif شِئتَyou wish يَوماًa day أَوor أَرَدتَyou prefer فَحُقبَةًthen an age
إِن شِئتَ يَوماً أَو أَرَدتَ فَحُقبَةً
كُلٌّeach يَمُرُّpasses كَلَيلَةٍlike a night وَنَهارِand a day
كُلٌّ يَمُرُّ كَلَيلَةٍ وَنَهارِ
A day, if you wish, or an age, if you prefer—
each passes like a night and a day.
هاتواbring اِبنَIbn, son of ساعِدَةٍSa'ida يُؤَبِّنُto eulogize قاسِماًQasim
هاتوا اِبنَ ساعِدَةٍ يُؤَبِّنُ قاسِماً
وَخُذواand take المَراثِيَthe elegies فيهِfor him مِنfrom بَشّارِBashshar
وَخُذوا المَراثِيَ فيهِ مِن بَشّارِ
Bring Ibn Sa'ida to eulogize Qasim,
and take elegies for him from Bashshar:
مِنfrom كُلِّevery لائِقَةٍfitting elegy لِباذِخِfor the towering height of قَدرِهِhis stature
مِن كُلِّ لائِقَةٍ لِباذِخِ قَدرِهِ
عَصماءَflawless بَينَamong قَلائِدِnecklaces of الأَشعارِpoetry
عَصماءَ بَينَ قَلائِدِ الأَشعارِ
each befitting his towering stature,
flawless among the necklaces of poetry.
Sol 6.1