طُوِيَwas rolled up البِساطُthe carpet وَجَفَّتِand dried up الأَقداحُthe goblets
طُوِيَ البِساطُ وَجَفَّتِ الأَقداحُ
وَغَدَتand became عَواطِلٌunadorned بَعدَكَafter you الأَفراحُthe joys
وَغَدَت عَواطِلٌ بَعدَكَ الأَفراحُ
The carpet was rolled up, and the goblets ran dry;
The carpets were folded and the wine cups dried up,
and joys, after you, were left without adornment.
And after you joys have become rare.
وَاِنفَضَّand dispersed نادٍa gathering بِالشَآمِin the Levant وَسامِرٌand an evening company
وَاِنفَضَّ نادٍ بِالشَآمِ وَسامِرٌ
فيin مِصرَEgypt أَنتَyou هَزارُهُits nightingale الصَدّاحُfull-throated
في مِصرَ أَنتَ هَزارُهُ الصَدّاحُ
And a gathering in the Levant dispersed, and an evening company
A club in Damascus and Samarra have disbanded,
in Egypt, whose full-throated nightingale you were.
In Egypt you were their witty entertainer.
وَتَقَوَّضَتand collapsed لِلفَنِّfor art أَطوَلُthe tallest سَرحَةٍa spreading tree
وَتَقَوَّضَت لِلفَنِّ أَطوَلُ سَرحَةٍ
يُغدىone goes in the morning إِلىto أَفيائِهاits shade وَيُراحُand goes in the evening
يُغدى إِلى أَفيائِها وَيُراحُ
And art's tallest spreading tree collapsed,
The tallest entertainment dome collapsed,
to whose shade people went morning and evening.
Fate can demolish firmly established things.
وَاللَهِby God ماnot أَدريI know وَأَنتَand you وَحيدُهُits peerless one
وَاللَهِ ما أَدري وَأَنتَ وَحيدُهُ
أَعَلَيهِfor it? يُبكىone weeps أَمor عَلَيكَfor you يُناحُone laments
أَعَلَيهِ يُبكى أَم عَلَيكَ يُناحُ
By God, I do not know—you being its peerless one—
By God I know not, you alone left behind,
whether to weep for it or lament you.
Should one lament over it or over you cry?
إِسحاقُIshaq ماتَdied فَلاso no صَبوحَmorning draught وَمَعبَدٌand Ma'bad
إِسحاقُ ماتَ فَلا صَبوحَ وَمَعبَدٌ
أَودىperished فَلَيسَso there is no مَعَwith الغَبوقِthe evening draught فَلاحُhappiness
أَودى فَلَيسَ مَعَ الغَبوقِ فَلاحُ
Ishaq has died: no morning draught; and Ma'bad
Isaac died so no more dawns or sunsets,
has perished: no happiness comes with the evening draught.
Maabad perished so no more is spring's bounty.
مَلِكُthe king الغِناءِof song أَزالَهُremoved him عَنfrom تَختِهِhis throne
مَلِكُ الغِناءِ أَزالَهُ عَن تَختِهِ
قَدَرٌa fate يُزيلُdislodges الراسِياتِthe steadfast mountains مُتاحُallotted
قَدَرٌ يُزيلُ الراسِياتِ مُتاحُ
The king of song was removed from his throne
Fate dethroned the king of singing,
by an allotted fate that dislodges steadfast mountains.
A destiny that removes those firmly enthroned.
فيin التُربِthe dust فَوقَabove بَنيBeni سُوَيفَSuef يَتيمَةٌa peerless jewel
في التُربِ فَوقَ بَني سُوَيفَ يَتيمَةٌ
وَمِنَand among الجَواهِرِthe jewels زَيِّفٌcounterfeit ones وَصِحاحُand genuine ones
وَمِنَ الجَواهِرِ زَيِّفٌ وَصِحاحُ
In the dust above Beni Suef lies a peerless jewel,
In the soil above Bani Suwayf lies an orphaned gem,
and among jewels are the false and the genuine.
Among jewels there are now cheap imitations.
ماnot زالَceased تاجُthe crown الفَنِّof art تَيّاهاًexultantly proud بِهاof it
ما زالَ تاجُ الفَنِّ تَيّاهاً بِها
حَتّىuntil اِستَبَدَّtook sole possession بِهاof it الرَدىdeath المُجتاحُravaging
حَتّى اِستَبَدَّ بِها الرَدى المُجتاحُ
Art's crown kept glorying in it,
The crown of art continued to diminish,
until ravaging death claimed it for itself.
Until taken over by spreading ignorance.
لَوif تَستَطيعُcould كَرامَةًin honor لِمَكانِهاof its resting place
لَو تَستَطيعُ كَرامَةً لِمَكانِها
مَشَتِwould walk الرِياضُthe gardens إِلَيهِto it وَالأَدواحُand the spreading trees
مَشَتِ الرِياضُ إِلَيهِ وَالأَدواحُ
If they could, in honor of its resting place,
If honouring her resting place was possible,
the gardens and great spreading trees would walk to it.
Gardens would extend to it and pilgrims flock.
رُحماكَyour mercy! عَبدَAbd (servant of) الحَيِّal-Hayy (the Ever-Living) أُمُّكَyour mother شَيخَةٌan old woman
رُحماكَ عَبدَ الحَيِّ أُمُّكَ شَيخَةٌ
قَعَدَتshe sat وَهيضَand was broken لَهاfor her الغَداةَthis morning جَناحُa wing
قَعَدَت وَهيضَ لَها الغَداةَ جَناحُ
Have mercy, Abd al-Hayy! Your mother is an old woman;
May God have mercy on Abdelhay, your mother was a venerable old lady,
she sits, and this morning her wing was broken.
Who sat as old age clipped her wings.
كُسِرَتwas broken عَصاهاher staff فَهيَso she is بِلاwithout عَصاًa staff
كُسِرَت عَصاها فَهيَ بِلا عَصاً
وَقَضىand died فَتاهاher son الأَجوَدُthe most generous المِسماحُopen-handed
وَقَضى فَتاها الأَجوَدُ المِسماحُ
Her staff was broken, so she has no staff,
Her staff was broken so she was left without,
and her son, most generous and open-handed, has died.
And her gallant young supporter passed away.
اللَهُGod يَعلَمُknows إِنif يَكُنthere is فيin قَلبِهاher heart
اللَهُ يَعلَمُ إِن يَكُن في قَلبِها
جُرحٌa wound فَفيthen in أَحشاءِthe entrails مِصرَEgypt جِراحُwounds
جُرحٌ فَفي أَحشاءِ مِصرَ جِراحُ
God knows: if in her heart there is
God alone knows if in her heart,
a wound, then in Egypt's entrails there are many wounds.
There remained wounds that Egypt still bears.
وَالناسُand people مَبكِيٌّone mourned وَباكٍand one weeping إِثرَهُafter him
وَالناسُ مَبكِيٌّ وَباكٍ إِثرَهُ
وَبُكاand the weeping الشُعوبِof nations إِذاwhen النَوابِغُthe gifted طاحواthey fell
وَبُكا الشُعوبِ إِذا النَوابِغُ طاحوا
And people are the mourned and the mourners in their wake;
And people cried and mourned over your loss,
and nations weep when their geniuses fall.
When prominent ones fall the masses weep.
كانَwere النَدامىthe drinking companions إِنif شَدَوتَyou sang وَعاقَرواand they drank wine
كانَ النَدامى إِن شَدَوتَ وَعاقَروا
سِيّانَalike صَوتُكَyour voice بَينَهُمamong them وَالراحُand the wine
سِيّانَ صَوتُكَ بَينَهُم وَالراحُ
For the drinking companions, when you sang and they drank,
If they were unkind or hostile the remorseful ones,
your voice among them and the wine were alike.
Were equally your voice between them and comfort.
فيماin what تَقولُyou say مُغَنِّياًsinging وَمُحَدِّثاًand conversing
فيما تَقولُ مُغَنِّياً وَمُحَدِّثاً
تَتَنافَسُvie with one another الأَسماعُears وَالأَرواحُand souls
تَتَنافَسُ الأَسماعُ وَالأَرواحُ
Over what you said, singing and conversing,
In what you recited and narrated,
ears and souls vied with one another.
Ears and souls competed.
فارَقتَyou left دُنياa world أَرهَقَتكَburdened you خَسارَةًloss
فارَقتَ دُنيا أَرهَقَتكَ خَسارَةً
وَغَنِمتَand gained قُربَnearness to اللَهِGod وَهوَand it is رَباحُprofit
وَغَنِمتَ قُربَ اللَهِ وَهوَ رَباحُ
You left a world that weighed you down with loss,
You left a world that pained you with loss,
and won nearness to God, and that is profit.
And gained nearness to God which is true profit.
ياO مُخلِفاًbreaker لِلوَعدِof the promise وَعدُكَyour promise مالَهُit has no
يا مُخلِفاً لِلوَعدِ وَعدُكَ مالَهُ
عِنديwith me وَلاnor لَكَfor you فيin الضَميرِthe inner heart بَراحُdeparture
عِندي وَلا لَكَ في الضَميرِ بَراحُ
O breaker of your promise, your promise cannot depart
O you who broke your promise your pledge to me is worthless,
from me, nor can you depart from my heart.
I have none with my conscience to settle.
عَبَثَتtoyed بِهِwith it وَبِكَand with you المَنِيَّةُdeath وَاِنقَضىand ended
عَبَثَت بِهِ وَبِكَ المَنِيَّةُ وَاِنقَضى
سَبَبٌa bond إِلَيهِto it بِأُنسِناthrough our companionship نَرتاحُwe find comfort
سَبَبٌ إِلَيهِ بِأُنسِنا نَرتاحُ
Death toyed with it and with you, and gone was
Death toyed with it and with you and a cause,
a bond in which we found comfort through our companionship.
Through which we found comfort, came to an end.
لَمّاwhen بَلَغناwe reached بِالأَحِبَّةِwith the loved ones وَالمُنىand hopes
لَمّا بَلَغنا بِالأَحِبَّةِ وَالمُنى
بابَthe door السُرورِof joy تَغَيَّبَwent missing المِفتاحُthe key
بابَ السُرورِ تَغَيَّبَ المِفتاحُ
When, with loved ones and hopes, we reached
When friends and wishes lead us,
the door of joy, the key went missing.
To the door of joy, the key disappeared.
زَعَمواthey thought نَعِيَّكَthe herald of your death فيin المَجامِعِthe gatherings مازِحاًjoking
زَعَموا نَعِيَّكَ في المَجامِعِ مازِحاً
هَيهاتَfar from it! فيin رَيبِthe calamities المَنونِof death مِزاحُjesting
هَيهاتَ في رَيبِ المَنونِ مِزاحُ
They thought the herald of your death was joking in the gatherings;
They claimed you dead jokingly in gatherings,
far from it! There is no jest in death's calamities.
Alas, no jokes with death drawing near.
الجِدُّseriousness غايَةُthe end كُلِّof every لاهٍheedless لاعِبٍplayer
الجِدُّ غايَةُ كُلِّ لاهٍ لاعِبٍ
عِندَat المَنِيَّةِdeath يَجزَعُis distraught المِفراحُthe merry-hearted
عِندَ المَنِيَّةِ يَجزَعُ المِفراحُ
Seriousness is the end of every heedless player;
When faced with death all jesters and serious ones,
at death, even the merry-hearted are distraught.
Become anxious and morose.
رَمَتِstruck المَناياthe fates إِذwhen رَمَينَكَthey struck you بُلبُلاًa nightingale
رَمَتِ المَنايا إِذ رَمَينَكَ بُلبُلاً
أَراَهُshowed it فيin شَرَكِthe snare الحَياةِof life جِماحُheadstrong impulse
أَراَهُ في شَرَكِ الحَياةِ جِماحُ
The fates, when they struck you, struck a nightingale
Death struck you down like a nightingale,
that a headstrong impulse revealed in life's snare.
It saw you trapped in life's snare.
آهاتُهُhis sighs حُرَقُburning pangs الغَرامِof passionate love وَلَفظُهُand his speech
آهاتُهُ حُرَقُ الغَرامِ وَلَفظُهُ
سَجعُthe cooing الحَمامِof doves لَوَif انَّهُنَّthat they فِصاحُeloquent
سَجعُ الحَمامِ لَوَ انَّهُنَّ فِصاحُ
His sighs were love's burning pangs, and his speech
Its laments were burning passion and its warbling,
the cooing of doves, if they were eloquent.
The cooing of doves if only they articulated.
وَذَبَحنَand they slaughtered حَنجَرَةًa throat عَلىupon أَوتارِهاits strings
وَذَبَحنَ حَنجَرَةً عَلى أَوتارِها
تُؤسىare healed الجِراحُthe wounds وَتُذبَحُand are slaughtered الأَتراحُthe sorrows
تُؤسى الجِراحُ وَتُذبَحُ الأَتراحُ
And they slit a throat upon whose strings
And they slaughtered a throat over its strings,
wounds were healed and sorrows slaughtered.
Wounds grieve and happiness is slaughtered.
وَفَلَلنَand they blunted مِنfrom ذاكَthat اللِسانِtongue حَديدَةًa blade
وَفَلَلنَ مِن ذاكَ اللِسانِ حَديدَةً
يَخشىfears لَئيمٌa vile person بَأسَهاits might وَوَقاحُand a brazen one
يَخشى لَئيمٌ بَأسَها وَوَقاحُ
And they blunted the blade of that tongue,
And they extracted from that tongue a blade,
whose force the vile and the brazen feared.
Which the vile fear and the insolent.
وَأَبَحنَand they surrendered راحَتَكَyour palm البِلىdecay وَلَطالَماand how often
وَأَبَحنَ راحَتَكَ البِلى وَلَطالَما
أَمسىwas at evening عَلَيهاupon it المالُwealth وَهوَwhile it was مُباحُfreely available
أَمسى عَلَيها المالُ وَهوَ مُباحُ
And they surrendered your palm to decay; how often
And time eroded your comfort and long has,
wealth lay upon it at evening, free for all!
Wealth spent the night while lusts were permitted.
روحٌa spirit تَناهَتreached the utmost خِفَّةًlightness فَتَخَيَّرَتand so chose
روحٌ تَناهَت خِفَّةً فَتَخَيَّرَت
نُزُلاًa lodging تَقاصَرُfall short دونَهُbelow it الأَشباحُbodies
نُزُلاً تَقاصَرُ دونَهُ الأَشباحُ
A spirit reached the utmost lightness, and so chose
A soul that attained the limits of lightness,
a lodging beyond the reach of bodies.
And chose a dwelling beyond all spirits.
قُمrise غَنِّsing to وِلدانَthe youths الجِنانِof Paradise وَحورِهاand its heavenly maidens
قُم غَنِّ وِلدانَ الجِنانِ وَحورِها
وَاِبعَثand send forth صَداكَyour echo فَكُلُّناfor all of us أَرواحُspirits
وَاِبعَث صَداكَ فَكُلُّنا أَرواحُ
Rise, sing to the youths of Paradise and its houris,
Rise and sing to the lads and maidens of heaven,
and send forth your echo, for we are all spirits.
And send your voice that we are all souls.
Sol 6.1