اِجعَلmake رِثاءَكَyour elegy لِلرِجالِfor men جَزاءَa recompense
اِجعَل رِثاءَكَ لِلرِجالِ جَزاءَ
وَاِبعَثهُand send it لِلوَطَنِto the homeland الحَزينِgrieving عَزاءَconsolation
وَاِبعَثهُ لِلوَطَنِ الحَزينِ عَزاءَ
Make your elegy a recompense for men,
Make your elegy for men a reward,
And send it as consolation to the grieving homeland.
And send it to the sorrowful homeland as solace.
إِنَّindeed الدِيارَthe lands تُريقُpour out ماءَthe water of شُؤونِهاtheir tear ducts
إِنَّ الدِيارَ تُريقُ ماءَ شُؤونِها
كَالأُمَّهاتِlike mothers وَتَندُبُand lament الأَبناءَthe sons
كَالأُمَّهاتِ وَتَندُبُ الأَبناءَ
For the lands pour out water from their tear ducts,
The homelands shed tears for their affairs,
Like mothers, and lament their sons.
Like mothers weeping for their children.
ثُكلُbereavement الرِجالِof men مِنَthrough البَنينِsons وَإِنَّماand only
ثُكلُ الرِجالِ مِنَ البَنينِ وَإِنَّما
ثُكلُbereavement المَمالِكِof kingdoms فَقدُهاtheir loss of العُلَماءَscholars
ثُكلُ المَمالِكِ فَقدُها العُلَماءَ
Men's bereavement is the loss of sons; whereas
Men are bereaved of their sons, but
The bereavement of kingdoms is their loss of scholars.
Kingdoms are bereaved when they lose their scholars.
يَجزَعنَthey grieve لِلعَلَمِfor the luminary الكَبيرِgreat إِذاwhen هَوىhe falls
يَجزَعنَ لِلعَلَمِ الكَبيرِ إِذا هَوى
جَزَعَthe grief of الكَتائِبِbattalions قَدalready فَقَدنَthey have lost لِواءَa banner
جَزَعَ الكَتائِبِ قَد فَقَدنَ لِواءَ
They grieve for a great luminary when he falls,
They grieve for the great scholar when he falls,
As battalions grieve when they have lost a banner.
As regiments grieve when they lose their banner.
عَلَمُthe luminary of الشَريعَةِsacred law أَدرَكَتهُovertook him شَريعَةٌa law
عَلَمُ الشَريعَةِ أَدرَكَتهُ شَريعَةٌ
لِلمَوتِof death يَنظِمُgoverns حُكمُهاits decree الأَحياءَthe living
لِلمَوتِ يَنظِمُ حُكمُها الأَحياءَ
The luminary of sacred law was overtaken by a law
The scholar of Sharia met the fate
Of death, whose decree governs the living.
That makes laws binding on the living.
عانىpracticed قَضاءَthe judgment of الأَرضِthe earth عِلمَthe knowledge of مُحَصِّلٍa learned scholar
عانى قَضاءَ الأَرضِ عِلمَ مُحَصِّلٍ
وَاَليَومَand today عالَجَhe faced لِلسَماءِfrom heaven قَضاءَa judgment
وَاَليَومَ عالَجَ لِلسَماءِ قَضاءَ
He practiced earthly judgment with a learned scholar's knowledge,
He suffered the decree of the earth with acquired knowledge,
And today he faced a judgment from heaven.
And today he answered the decree of heaven.
وَمَضىand he departed وَفيهِand in him مِنَof الشَبابِyouth بَقِيَّةٌa remnant
وَمَضى وَفيهِ مِنَ الشَبابِ بَقِيَّةٌ
لِلنَفعِfor service أَرجىmost promising ماas تَكونُit can be بَقاءَin continuance
لِلنَفعِ أَرجى ما تَكونُ بَقاءَ
And he departed, with a remnant of youth still in him,
And he passed away while still full of youth’s remainder,
Whose continuance held the greatest promise of service.
The most hopeful remainder for benefit.
إِنَّindeed الشَبابَyouth يُحَبُّis loved جَمّاًabundant حافِلاًfull
إِنَّ الشَبابَ يُحَبُّ جَمّاً حافِلاً
وَتُحَبُّand are loved أَيّامُthe days of الشَبابِyouth مِلاءَfull
وَتُحَبُّ أَيّامُ الشَبابِ مِلاءَ
Indeed, youth is loved in its abundance and fullness,
Youth itself loves a plentiful, teeming crowd,
And the days of youth are loved when full.
And the days of youth love to be filled.
بِالأَمسِyesterday كانَتthere was لِاِبنِfor Ibn هَيفٍHayf غَضبَةٌan outburst of anger
بِالأَمسِ كانَت لِاِبنِ هَيفٍ غَضبَةٌ
لِلحَقِّfor justice نَذكُرُهاwe remember it يَداًa hand بيضاءَwhite
لِلحَقِّ نَذكُرُها يَداً بيضاءَ
Yesterday Ibn Hayf was stirred to anger
Yesterday, Ibn Haif’s rage
For justice; we remember it as a white hand of generosity.
Was, we acknowledge, a white-handed blow for truth.
مَشَتِmoved البِلادُthe country إِلىtoward رِسالَةِthe message of مِلنَرٍMilner
مَشَتِ البِلادُ إِلى رِسالَةِ مِلنَرٍ
وَتَحَفَّزَتand braced itself أَرضاًearth لَهاfor it وَسَماءَand sky
وَتَحَفَّزَت أَرضاً لَها وَسَماءَ
The country moved to meet Milner's message,
The countries marched to Millner’s message,
And braced itself for it, earth and sky.
And earth and heaven were aroused for it.
فَلَمَحتُthen I glimpsed أَعرَجَa lame man فيin زَواياthe corners of الحَقِّjustice لَمnot
فَلَمَحتُ أَعرَجَ في زَوايا الحَقِّ لَم
أَعلَمI knew عَلَيهِin him ذِمَّةًa conscience عَرجاءَlame
أَعلَم عَلَيهِ ذِمَّةً عَرجاءَ
Then I glimpsed a lame man in the corners of justice; I had never
I saw the limping and the corrupt in the corners of truth -
Known him to have a lame conscience.
I never knew them to have an impaired loyalty.
اِرتَدَّتِrecoiled العاهاتُthe afflictions عَنfrom أَخلاقِهِhis virtues
اِرتَدَّتِ العاهاتُ عَن أَخلاقِهِ
لِسُمُوِّهِنَّbecause of their loftiness وَحَلَّتِand settled in الأَعضاءَthe limbs
لِسُمُوِّهِنَّ وَحَلَّتِ الأَعضاءَ
Afflictions recoiled from his virtues
The blind turned away from his morals
Because of their loftiness, and settled in his limbs.
To their height, and the limbs were refreshed.
عَطَفَتهُthey bent him عَطفَthe bending of القَوسِa bow يَومَon a day of رِمايَةٍshooting
عَطَفَتهُ عَطفَ القَوسِ يَومَ رِمايَةٍ
وَثَنَتهُand bent him كَالماضيlike a keen blade فَزادَso he grew مَضاءَin keenness
وَثَنَتهُ كَالماضي فَزادَ مَضاءَ
They bent him like a bow on a day of shooting,
On the day of shooting, he bent his bow like a bow,
And bent him like a keen blade, making him keener still.
And bent it like the past, so it shone more brightly.
لَمّاwhen رَأىhe saw التَقريرَthe report يَنفُثُspewing سُمَّهُits venom
لَمّا رَأى التَقريرَ يَنفُثُ سُمَّهُ
سَبَقَoutstripped الحُواةَthe snake-charmers فَأَخرَجَand brought out الرَقطاءَthe speckled serpent
سَبَقَ الحُواةَ فَأَخرَجَ الرَقطاءَ
When he saw the report spewing its venom,
When he saw the report spewing its poison,
He outstripped the snake-charmers and drew out the speckled serpent.
He outran the living and brought out the worthless.
هَتَكَunmasked الحِمايَةَthe protectorate وَالرِجالَand the men وَراءَهاbehind it
هَتَكَ الحِمايَةَ وَالرِجالَ وَراءَها
يَتَلَمَّسونَwere seeking لَهاfor it السُتورَveils رِياءَhypocritically
يَتَلَمَّسونَ لَها السُتورَ رِياءَ
He tore the veil from the protectorate, while the men behind it
He tore away the protection, with the men behind it
Were seeking veils for it in hypocrisy.
Feeling for its veils in hypocrisy.
ماwhatever قَبَّحواthey called ugly بِالصُبحِat dawn مِنof أَشباحِهاits specters
ما قَبَّحوا بِالصُبحِ مِن أَشباحِها
راحواthey went إِلَيكَto you فَحَسَّنوهُand made it fair مَساءَin the evening
راحوا إِلَيكَ فَحَسَّنوهُ مَساءَ
Whatever of its specters they had called ugly at dawn,
They did not uglify it in the morning with its specters;
They went to you and made it fair by evening.
They went to you and beautified it in the evening.
ياO قَيِّمَcustodian of الدارِthe house الَّتيthat قَدalready أَخرَجَتbrought forth
يا قَيِّمَ الدارِ الَّتي قَد أَخرَجَت
لِلمُدلِجينَfor night travelers مَنارَةًa beacon زَهراءَradiant
لِلمُدلِجينَ مَنارَةً زَهراءَ
O custodian of the house that has brought forth
O guardian of the house that brought forth
A radiant beacon for those who travel by night.
For those arriving a glowing beacon.
وَتَرىand you see لَدَيهاat it الوارِدينَthose arriving فَلاso you do not تَرىsee
وَتَرى لَدَيها الوارِدينَ فَلا تَرى
إِلّاexcept ظِماءًthirsty ones يَنزِلونَalight رَواءَwith thirst quenched
إِلّا ظِماءً يَنزِلونَ رَواءَ
And you see those who come to it, and see none
You see the visitors, and you see
But thirsty ones who alight with their thirst quenched.
Only the thirsty coming to drink their fill.
وَتُجالِسُand you sit with العُلَماءَscholars فيin حُجُراتِهاits chambers
وَتُجالِسُ العُلَماءَ في حُجُراتِها
وَتُسامِرُand you converse by night with الحُكَماءَsages وَالشُعَراءَand poets
وَتُسامِرُ الحُكَماءَ وَالشُعَراءَ
And you sit with scholars in its chambers,
And you sit with the scholars in its rooms
And converse by night with sages and poets.
And converse with the wise and the poets.
تَكفيكَit shields you from شَيطانَthe demon of الفَراغِidleness وَتَعتَنيand cares
تَكفيكَ شَيطانَ الفَراغِ وَتَعتَني
بِالجاهِلينَfor the ignorant تَرُدُّهُمit sends them back عُقَلاءَwise
بِالجاهِلينَ تَرُدُّهُم عُقَلاءَ
It shields you from the demon of idleness and cares
You spare yourself the devil of emptiness and care
For the ignorant, sending them back wise.
For the ignorant, making them reasonable.
دارُthe house of الذَخائِرِtreasures كُنتَyou were أَكمَلَthe most complete of كُتبِهاits books
دارُ الذَخائِرِ كُنتَ أَكمَلَ كُتبِها
مَجموعَةٌa collection وَأَتَمَّهاand the most complete of them أَجزاءَin parts
مَجموعَةٌ وَأَتَمَّها أَجزاءَ
In the house of treasures, you were its most complete book,
The house of treasures - you completed its books,
A collection, and the most complete in its parts.
A collected set, perfect in its parts.
لَمّاwhen خَلَتit was emptied مِنof كِنزِthe treasure of عِلمِكَyour knowledge أَصبَحَتit became
لَمّا خَلَت مِن كِنزِ عِلمِكَ أَصبَحَت
مِنof كُلِّall أَعلاقِthe precious things of الكُنوزِthe treasures خَلاءَempty
مِن كُلِّ أَعلاقِ الكُنوزِ خَلاءَ
When it was emptied of the treasure of your knowledge, it became
When your treasure of knowledge was gone from it
Empty of all the precious treasures.
It became empty of all sorts of treasures.
هَزَّstirred الشَبابُthe young إِلىtoward رَثائِكَyour elegy خاطِريmy thoughts
هَزَّ الشَبابُ إِلى رَثائِكَ خاطِري
فَوَجَدتَand so you found فِيَّin me وَفيand in الشَبابِthe young وَفاءَloyalty
فَوَجَدتَ فِيَّ وَفي الشَبابِ وَفاءَ
The young stirred my thoughts to lament you,
Youth shook my feelings to eulogize you,
And you found loyalty in me and in the young.
And in me and in youth it found loyalty.
عَبدَAbd الحَميدِal-Hamid أَلاshall I not أُسِرُّكَgladden you حادِثاًwith news
عَبدَ الحَميدِ أَلا أُسِرُّكَ حادِثاً
يَكسوclothes عِظامَكَyour bones فيamid البِلىdecay السَرّاءَjoy
يَكسو عِظامَكَ في البِلى السَرّاءَ
Abd al-Hamid, shall I not gladden you with news
Abdul Hamid - How I wish an event would clothe
That clothes your bones in joy amid decay?
Your bones in the earth with happiness!
قُمrise مِنfrom صُفوفِthe ranks of الحَقِّtruth تلقَyou will find كَتيبَةًa battalion
قُم مِن صُفوفِ الحَقِّ تلقَ كَتيبَةً
مَلمومَةًgathered together وَتَرَand you will see الصُفوفَthe ranks سَواءَaligned
مَلمومَةً وَتَرَ الصُفوفَ سَواءَ
Rise from the ranks of truth; you will find a battalion
Arise from the ranks of truth and receive a battalion,
Gathered together, and see the ranks aligned.
Cursed and see the ranks leveled.
وَتَرَand you will see الكِنانَةِal-Kinana, the Quiver شيبَهاits gray-haired وَشَبابَهاand its young
وَتَرَ الكِنانَةِ شيبَها وَشَبابَها
دونَin defense of القَضِيَةِthe cause عُرضَةًas targets وَفِداءَand as sacrifices
دونَ القَضِيَةِ عُرضَةً وَفِداءَ
And see al-Kinana, the Quiver, its gray-haired and its young,
And see its elders and youth before the cause,
In defense of the cause, as targets and sacrifices.
Exposed as ransom and sacrifice.
جَمَعَgathered السَلامُpeace الصُحفَthe newspapers مِنaway from غاراتِهاtheir raids
جَمَعَ السَلامُ الصُحفَ مِن غاراتِها
وَتَأَلَّفَand reconciled الأَحزابَthe parties وَالزُعَماءَand the leaders
وَتَأَلَّفَ الأَحزابَ وَالزُعَماءَ
Peace drew the newspapers together from their raids,
Peace gathered the pages from its raids,
And brought the parties and leaders into harmony.
And the parties and leaders were united.
فيin كُلِّevery وُجدانٍconscience وَكُلِّand every سَريرَةٍinward thought
في كُلِّ وُجدانٍ وَكُلِّ سَريرَةٍ
خَلَفَreplaced الوِدادُaffection الحِقدَrancor وَالبَغضاءَand hatred
خَلَفَ الوِدادُ الحِقدَ وَالبَغضاءَ
In every conscience and every inward thought,
In every conscience and every intimacy,
Affection replaced rancor and hatred.
Affection replaced hate and resentment.
وَغَداand now إِلىto دينِthe creed of العَشيرَةِthe clan يَنتَهيreturns
وَغَدا إِلى دينِ العَشيرَةِ يَنتَهي
مَنwhoever خالَفَopposed الأَعمامَthe uncles وَالآباءَand the fathers
مَن خالَفَ الأَعمامَ وَالآباءَ
And now returns to the creed of his clan
And it came to an end in the religion of clan
The man who opposed his uncles and fathers.
Who opposed uncles and fathers.
لاnot يَحجِبونَthey are shut out عَلىdespite تجَنّيهِمtheir wrongdoing وَلاnor
لا يَحجِبونَ عَلى تجَنّيهِم وَلا
يَجِدونَthey find إِلّاexcept الصَفحَforgiveness وَالإِغضاءَand forbearance
يَجِدونَ إِلّا الصَفحَ وَالإِغضاءَ
They are not shut out despite their wrongdoing, nor
They do not conceal their oppression, nor
Do they find anything but forgiveness and forbearance.
Do they find anything but forgiveness and overlooking.
وَالأَهلُand kin لاno أَهلاًwelcome بِحَبلِto the bond of وَلائِهِمtheir loyalty
وَالأَهلُ لا أَهلاً بِحَبلِ وَلائِهِم
حَتّىuntil تَراهُمyou see them بَينَهُمamong themselves رُحَماءُmerciful
حَتّى تَراهُم بَينَهُم رُحَماءُ
And kin—no welcome to their bond of loyalty
The family is no family with their rope of loyalty
Until you see them merciful to one another.
Until you see them as kin among themselves.
كَذَبَlies المُريبُthe doubter يَقولُhe says بَعدَafter غَدٍtomorrow لَناfor us
كَذَبَ المُريبُ يَقولُ بَعدَ غَدٍ لَنا
خُلفٌdiscord يُعيدُrenews وَيُبدِئُand rekindles الشَحناءَhostility
خُلفٌ يُعيدُ وَيُبدِئُ الشَحناءَ
The doubter lies, saying that the day after tomorrow we shall have
The mischief-maker lies saying to us after tomorrow:
Discord that renews and rekindles hostility.
"There will be those who renew and restart hostility."
قَلبيmy heart يُحَدِّثُنيtells me وَلَيسَand is not بِخائِنيa betrayer of me
قَلبي يُحَدِّثُني وَلَيسَ بِخائِني
إِنَّthat العُقولَminds سَتَقهَرُwill conquer الأَهواءَpassions
إِنَّ العُقولَ سَتَقهَرُ الأَهواءَ
My heart tells me, and does not betray me,
My heart tells me - it does not betray me -
That minds will conquer passions.
That minds will subdue passions.
ياO سَعدُSaad قَدindeed جَرَتِhave moved الأُمورُaffairs لِغايَةٍtoward an end
يا سَعدُ قَد جَرَتِ الأُمورُ لِغايَةٍ
اللَهُGod هَيَّأَهاprepared it لَناfor us ماas شاءَHe willed
اللَهُ هَيَّأَها لَنا ما شاءَ
O Saad, affairs have moved toward an end
O Saad, things have come to the point
Which God prepared for us as He willed.
That God arranged for us whatever He willed.
سُبحانَهُglory be to Him جَمَعَHe united القُلوبَthe hearts مِنَthrough الهَوىpassion
سُبحانَهُ جَمَعَ القُلوبَ مِنَ الهَوى
شَتّىscattered وَقَوّىand strengthened حَولَهُaround him الضُعَفاءَthe weak
شَتّى وَقَوّى حَولَهُ الضُعَفاءَ
Glory be to Him: He united hearts that, through passion, were
Glory to Him Who gathered the hearts
Scattered, and strengthened the weak around him.
From passion scattered and strengthened the weak around Him.
الفُلكُthe ship بَعدَafter العُسرِhardship يُسِّرَwas made easy أَمرُهاits course
الفُلكُ بَعدَ العُسرِ يُسِّرَ أَمرُها
وَاِستَقبَلَتand it met ريحَthe wind of الأُمورِaffairs رُخاءَgently
وَاِستَقبَلَت ريحَ الأُمورِ رُخاءَ
After hardship, the ship's course was made easy,
After hardship, the ship makes its matter easy,
And it met the wind of events blowing gently.
And it met the wind of affairs with comfort.
وَتَأَهَّبَتand prepared itself بِكَwith you تَستَعِدُّit makes ready لِزاخِرٍfor a surging sea
وَتَأَهَّبَت بِكَ تَستَعِدُّ لِزاخِرٍ
تَطَأُit treads upon العَواصِفَstorms فيهِin it وَالأَنواءَand tempests
تَطَأُ العَواصِفَ فيهِ وَالأَنواءَ
And with you it made ready, preparing for a surging sea,
It was adorned with you, preparing
Where it treads upon storms and tempests.
To tread the storms in it and the gusts.
رَجَعَتit returned بِراكِبِهاwith its passenger إِلىto رُبّانِهاits captain
رَجَعَت بِراكِبِها إِلى رُبّانِها
تُلقيit lays الرَجاءَhope عَلَيهِupon him وَالأَعباءَand burdens
تُلقي الرَجاءَ عَلَيهِ وَالأَعباءَ
It returned with its passenger to its captain,
It returned its rider to its Captain
Placing its hope and burdens upon him.
Casting hope and burdens upon Him.
فَاِشدُدso strengthen بِأَربابِwith masters of النُهىreason سُكّانَهاits rudder
فَاِشدُد بِأَربابِ النُهى سُكّانَها
وَاِجعَلand make مِلاكَthe mainstay of شِراعِهاits sail الأَكفاءَthe capable
وَاِجعَل مِلاكَ شِراعِها الأَكفاءَ
So strengthen its rudder with masters of reason,
So brace its inhabitants with the people of prohibition
And make the capable the mainstay of its sail.
And make those qualified its sail's owners.
مَنwho ذاthis one الَّذيwho يَختارُchooses أَهلَpeople of الفَضلِmerit أَوor
مَن ذا الَّذي يَختارُ أَهلَ الفَضلِ أَو
يَزِنُweighs الرِجالَmen إِذاif اِختِيارُكَyour choice ناءَis far removed
يَزِنُ الرِجالَ إِذا اِختِيارُكَ ناءَ
Who is there to choose men of merit, or
Who is the one who chooses the people of merit or
Weigh men, if your choice is far removed?
Weighs men when your choice sighs?
أَخرِجbring forth لِأَبناءِfor the sons of الحَضارَةِcivilization مَجلِساًa council
أَخرِج لِأَبناءِ الحَضارَةِ مَجلِساً
يُبقيpreserves عَلىfor اِسمِكَyour name فيthrough العُصورِthe ages ثَناءَpraise
يُبقي عَلى اِسمِكَ في العُصورِ ثَناءَ
Bring forth a council for the sons of civilization,
Bring out for the sons of civilization a council
That preserves praise for your name through the ages.
That will keep your name spoken of in ages with praise.
Sol 6.1