اليومtoday ينتحرtakes his own life المقطمal-Muqattam
اليوم ينتحر المقطم
ويقومand is held فيin مثواهhis resting place مأتمa mourning gathering
ويقوم في مثواه مأتم
Today al-Muqattam takes his own life,
And a wake is held at his resting place.
ويشقand he tears صفحةthe surface of خدهhis cheek
ويشق صفحة خده
ندماin remorse ولاتbut it is not زمانa time for مندمremorse
ندما ولات زمان مندم
He tears his cheek
In remorse—when it is too late for remorse.
كمhow often حاربhe fought الوطنthe homeland الغزيdear (apparently intended; continued)
كم حارب الوطن الغزي
زcompletes 'dear' وباعand sold صالحهits welfare بدرهمfor a dirham
ز وباع صالحه بدرهم
How often he fought the dear homeland,
And sold its welfare for a dirham!
ولطالماand how often قلبhe distorted الحقاthe facts (continued)
ولطالما قلب الحقا
ئقcompletes 'facts' فيin سياستهhis policy وأوهمand misled
ئق في سياسته وأوهم
And how often he twisted the facts
In his policy, and misled!
متعثراstumbling فيin رأيهhis judgment
متعثرا في رأيه
متورّطاembroiled فيin كلevery مأتمfuneral
متورّطا في كل مأتم
Stumbling in his judgment,
Embroiled in every funeral,
ينسابhe glides فيin وسطthe midst of الحواthe events (continued)
ينساب في وسط الحوا
دثcompletes 'events' مثلماjust as ينسابglides أرقمa speckled serpent
دث مثلما ينساب أرقم
He glides amid events
As a speckled serpent glides.
فيحلthus he unravels منfrom among أقوىthe strongest المراthe supports (continued)
فيحل من أقوى المرا
فقcompletes 'supports' والمراشدand sound counsels كلevery مبرمfirmly tied bond
فق والمراشد كل مبرم
Thus he unravels, among the strongest supports
And sound counsels, every firmly tied bond;
ويثيرand he stirs up منfrom بينamong المشاthe difficulties (continued)
ويثير من بين المشا
كلcompletes 'difficulties' عثيراa dust cloud بالشرwith evil أقثمblackened
كل عثيرا بالشر أقثم
And stirs up, amid difficulties,
A dust cloud blackened with evil.
وإذاand when ارتدىhe dons ثوبthe robe of النصوthe sincere adviser (continued)
وإذا ارتدى ثوب النصو
حcompletes 'sincere adviser' فإنthen indeed منهfrom him الشهدhoney علقمbitter colocynth
ح فإن منه الشهد علقم
And when he dons a sincere adviser's robe,
Then honey from him is bitter colocynth.
ماwhat بالهhis condition متذبذباwavering
ما باله متذبذبا
ومعدّداand chanting laments فيat كلevery مأتمfuneral
ومعدّدا في كل مأتم
Why does he waver,
And chant laments at every funeral?
إنif كانhe is سورياSyrian فماthen how
إن كان سوريا فما
أقسىcruel معاولهhis pickaxes وأظلمand how unjust
أقسى معاوله وأظلم
If he is Syrian, how
Cruel his pickaxes are, and how unjust!
أوor كانhe is مصرياEgyptian فلِمthen why
أو كان مصريا فلِم
فيin الكيدintrigue أنجدhe went up to Najd ثمthen أتهمhe went down to Tihamah
في الكيد أنجد ثم أتهم
Or if he is Egyptian, why
Has he gone up to Najd, then down to Tihamah, in intrigue?
أوor كانhe is عبدthe slave of الاحتلاthe occupation (continued)
أو كان عبد الاحتلا
لcompletes 'occupation' فكيفthen how ينصحناhe counsels us ويرحمand shows mercy
ل فكيف ينصحنا ويرحم
Or if he is the occupation's slave,
How can he counsel us and show mercy?
مهلاwait فقدfor now برحhas departed الخفاconcealment (continued)
مهلا فقد برح الخفا
ءcompletes 'concealment' وأسفرand stands revealed السرthe secret المكتمclosely guarded
ء وأسفر السر المكتم
Wait: concealment has now vanished,
And the closely guarded secret stands revealed.
واستنزلand brought down المقدورfate صرdownfall (continued)
واستنزل المقدور صر
عتهcompletes 'downfall'; his وأرهقهand overwhelmed him المحتمinescapable doom
عته وأرهقه المحتم
And fate has brought about his downfall,
And inescapable doom has overwhelmed him.
ياoh للتصبرfor patient endurance والعزاءand consolation
يا للتصبر والعزاء
اليومtoday قدindeed سقطhas fallen المقطمal-Muqattam
اليوم قد سقط المقطم
Oh, for endurance and consolation!
Today al-Muqattam has fallen.
Sol 6.1