ماwhat بالُthe matter with عَينَيكِyour two eyes مِنهاfrom them دَمعُهاtheir tears سَرَبُstreaming
ما بالُ عَينَيكِ مِنها دَمعُها سَرَبُ
أَراعَهاhas it alarmed them? حَزَنٌgrief أَمor عادَهاreturned to them طَرَبُyearning
أَراعَها حَزَنٌ أَم عادَها طَرَبُ
What ails your eyes, that tears from them stream in torrents?
What ails your eyes, that tears stream from them?
Has grief frightened them, or has rapture revisited them?
Has grief alarmed them, or has yearning returned to them?
أَمor ذِكرُremembrance of صَخرٍSakhr بُعَيدَshortly after النَومِsleep هَيَّجَهاstirred them
أَم ذِكرُ صَخرٍ بُعَيدَ النَومِ هَيَّجَها
فَالدَمعُso the tears مِنهاfrom them عَلَيهِfor him الدَهرَforever يَنسَكِبُpour forth
فَالدَمعُ مِنها عَلَيهِ الدَهرَ يَنسَكِبُ
Or has the memory of Sakhr, when sleep lies far away, stirred them?
Or has the memory of Sakhr, just after sleep, stirred them?
And so their tears for him stream down forever.
So tears pour from them for him forever.
يالَهفَO the anguish نَفسيof my soul عَلىfor صَخرٍSakhr إِذاwhen رَكِبَتrode out
يالَهفَ نَفسي عَلى صَخرٍ إِذا رَكِبَت
خَيلٌcavalry لِخَيلٍagainst cavalry تُناديcalls out ثُمَّthen تَضطَرِبُclashes
خَيلٌ لِخَيلٍ تُنادي ثُمَّ تَضطَرِبُ
Ah, my soul’s grief for Sakhr whenever cavalry mounts
O my soul's anguish for Sakhr, when out rode
against cavalry, calling out, then surging into tumult.
Cavalry against cavalry, calling out, then clashing.
قَدindeed كانَhe was حِصناًa fortress شَديدَstrong الرُكنِthe supporting pillar مُمتَنِعاًimpregnable
قَد كانَ حِصناً شَديدَ الرُكنِ مُمتَنِعاً
لَيثاًa lion إِذاwhen نَزَلَdismounted الفِتيانُthe young men أَوor رَكِبواthey mounted
لَيثاً إِذا نَزَلَ الفِتيانُ أَو رَكِبوا
He was a fortress, mighty-pillared and unassailable,
He was indeed a fortress, firm-founded and impregnable,
a lion, whether the young warriors dismounted or rode.
A lion when the young men dismounted or mounted.
أَغَرُّfair-faced أَزهَرُradiant مِثلُlike البَدرِthe full moon صورَتُهُhis form
أَغَرُّ أَزهَرُ مِثلُ البَدرِ صورَتُهُ
صافٍpure عَتيقٌnoble-born فَماso no فيupon وَجهِهِhis face نَدَبُscar
صافٍ عَتيقٌ فَما في وَجهِهِ نَدَبُ
Bright-browed and radiant, his form was like the full moon,
Fair-faced and radiant, his form was like the full moon,
pure and highborn, with no scar upon his face.
Pure and noble-born, with no scar upon his face.
يافارِسَO rider الخَيلِof the horses إِذwhen شُدَّتwere fastened رَحائِلُهاtheir saddles
يافارِسَ الخَيلِ إِذ شُدَّت رَحائِلُها
وَمُطعِمَand feeder of الجُوَّعِthe hungry الهَلكىthose near death إِذاwhen سَغَبواthey hungered
وَمُطعِمَ الجُوَّعِ الهَلكى إِذا سَغَبوا
O horseman of the cavalry when its saddles were cinched,
O rider of the steeds, when their saddles were fastened,
and feeder of the starving, near death whenever hunger seized them;
And feeder of the famished, near death, when they hungered!
كَمhow many مِنof ضِرائِكَdestitute people هُلّاكٍperishing وَأَرمَلَةٍand a widow
كَم مِن ضِرائِكَ هُلّاكٍ وَأَرمَلَةٍ
حَلّواthey lodged لَدَيكَwith you فَزالَتso vanished عَنهُمُfrom them الكُرَبُthe troubles
حَلّوا لَدَيكَ فَزالَت عَنهُمُ الكُرَبُ
how many destitute, perishing souls and widows
How many destitute folk, near death, and widows
came to lodge with you, and their hardships fell away.
Lodged with you, and their troubles vanished!
سَقياًmay rain fall لِقَبرِكَupon your grave مِنof قَبرٍa grave وَلاand never بَرِحَتcease
سَقياً لِقَبرِكَ مِن قَبرٍ وَلا بَرِحَت
جَودُheavy rain الرَواعِدِof the thunderclouds تَسقيهِwaters it وَتَحتَلِبُand yields its milk
جَودُ الرَواعِدِ تَسقيهِ وَتَحتَلِبُ
May rain water your grave—what a grave! And may
May rain water your grave—what a grave! And may there never cease
the bountiful thunderclouds never cease watering it, pouring out milk-like rain.
The thunderclouds' heavy rains, watering it and yielding their milk.
ماذاwhat تَضَمَّنَit has enclosed مِنof جودٍgenerosity وَمِنand of كَرَمٍnobility
ماذا تَضَمَّنَ مِن جودٍ وَمِن كَرَمٍ
وَمِنand of خَلائِقَcharacter traits ماnot فيهِنَّamong them مُقتَضَبُcontrived
وَمِن خَلائِقَ ما فيهِنَّ مُقتَضَبُ
What generosity and munificence it holds within,
What generosity and nobility it has enclosed,
and what virtues—none can come near him in them.
And virtues, not one of them contrived!
Sol 6.1