نَبَأٌnews تَقاصَرَfell short دونَهُbeside it الأنْباءُother reports
نَبَأٌ تَقاصَرَ دونَهُ الأنْباءُ
واستَمطَرَand made rain down العَبَراتِthe tears وهْيَand they are دِماءُblood
واستَمطَرَ العَبَراتِ وهْيَ دِماءُ
News beside which all other news falls short,
News that surpassed all other news,
and made tears rain down—tears of blood.
That drew tears flowing like blood.
فالمُقْرَباتُso the favored steeds خَواشِعٌdowncast أبصارُهاtheir eyes
فالمُقْرَباتُ خَواشِعٌ أبصارُها
مِيلُbowed الرُّؤوسِheads صَليلُهُنَّtheir neighing بُكاءُweeping
مِيلُ الرُّؤوسِ صَليلُهُنَّ بُكاءُ
So the favored steeds have downcast eyes,
The maidens have downcast eyes,
their heads bowed, their neighing a lament.
Their heads bowed, weeping profusely.
والبِيضُand the bright swords تَقْلَقُstir restlessly فيin الغُمودِthe sheaths كَماas الْتَوىcoiled
والبِيضُ تَقْلَقُ في الغُمودِ كَما الْتَوى
رُقْشٌspeckled serpents تَبُلُّmoisten مُتونَهاtheir backs الأنْداءُthe dews
رُقْشٌ تَبُلُّ مُتونَها الأنْداءُ
And bright swords stir within their sheaths like coiling
The white garments flutter anxiously,
speckled serpents whose backs the dews moisten.
Like doves whose wings are stirred.
والسُّمْرُand the brown lances راجِفَةٌtrembling كأنَّas though كُعوبَهاtheir nodes
والسُّمْرُ راجِفَةٌ كأنَّ كُعوبَها
تَلويtwists معاقِدَهاtheir joints يَدٌa hand شَلاّءُpalsied
تَلوي معاقِدَها يَدٌ شَلاّءُ
And brown lances tremble, as though their nodes
The brown mare trembling, as if
were twisted at the joints by a palsied hand.
Her fetlocks were bound by a paralyzed hand.
والشَّمسُand the sun شاحِبةٌpale يَمورُheaves شُعاعُهاits radiance
والشَّمسُ شاحِبةٌ يَمورُ شُعاعُها
مَوْرَwith the heaving of الغَديرِthe pool طَغَتْraged بهِover it النَّكْباءُthe crosswind
مَوْرَ الغَديرِ طَغَتْ بهِ النَّكْباءُ
And the sun is pale; its radiance heaves
The sun is pale, its rays wavering
with the heaving of a pool lashed by a crosswind.
Like the shimmer of a flood overwhelmed with grief.
والنَّيِّراتُand the bright stars طَوالِعٌrising رَأْدَthe beginning of الضُّحىthe morning light
والنَّيِّراتُ طَوالِعٌ رَأْدَ الضُّحى
نُفِضَتْwas scattered علىacross صَفَحاتِهاtheir faces الظَّلْماءُdarkness
نُفِضَتْ على صَفَحاتِها الظَّلْماءُ
And the bright stars rise in the first light of morning,
The morning twilights, appearing at dawn,
with darkness scattered across their faces.
Were darkened by shadows cast over them.
يَنْدُبْنَthey mourn أحْمَدَAhmad فالبِلادُso the lands خَواشِعٌhumbled
يَنْدُبْنَ أحْمَدَ فالبِلادُ خَواشِعٌ
والأرضُand the earth تُعْوِلُwails والصّباحُand morning مَساءُevening
والأرضُ تُعْوِلُ والصّباحُ مَساءُ
They mourn Ahmad; the lands bow in grief,
They mourn Ahmad while the lands bow down,
and the earth wails, and morning is evening.
The earth wails and the morn turns to eve.
والعينُand the eye تنْزِفُdrain ماءَهاits water حُرَقُburning pangs الجَوىof grief
والعينُ تنْزِفُ ماءَها حُرَقُ الجَوى
والوجْهُand the face تُضمِرُharbor نارَهُits fire الأحشاءُthe inward parts
والوجْهُ تُضمِرُ نارَهُ الأحشاءُ
And grief's burning pangs drain the eye of its tears,
The eye sheds its waters, scorched with yearning,
and the inward parts harbor the fire of the face.
While the face conceals its fires in its depths.
فأذَلَّso it humbled أعناقاًnecks خَضَعْنَbowed لفَقْدِهِat his loss
فأذَلَّ أعناقاً خَضَعْنَ لفَقْدِهِ
وهْيَand they are التيthose that طَمَحَتْrose high بهاwith them الخُيَلاءُpride
وهْيَ التي طَمَحَتْ بها الخُيَلاءُ
Thus it humbled necks that bowed at his loss,
Necks once held high now bent low in his loss,
though these were the necks that pride had lifted high.
Necks that ambition itself aspired to possess.
غَنِيَتْremained عَواطِلَunadorned بَعْدَماafter صاغتْfashioned حُلَىornaments
غَنِيَتْ عَواطِلَ بَعْدَما صاغتْ حُلَى
أطواقِهاof their collars بِنَوالِهِthrough his bounty الآلاءُthe blessings
أطواقِها بِنَوالِهِ الآلاءُ
They remain unadorned, after the jewels were fashioned
They sang joyfully after adorning themselves
for their collars by the blessings of his bounty.
With his peerless necklaces and bracelets.
ماwhat لِلْمَناياails the fates يَجْتَذِبْنَthey drag إِلىtoward الرَّدىdestruction
ما لِلْمَنايا يَجْتَذِبْنَ إِلى الرَّدى
مُهَجاًsouls فهُنَّand so they are طلائِحٌworn out أنْضاءُemaciated
مُهَجاً فهُنَّ طلائِحٌ أنْضاءُ
What ails the fates, that they drag toward destruction
Why must death snatch the bright stars
souls, and they are worn out and wasted?
When they are radiant brides of perfection?
تُدْهىis stricken بِهاby them العَصْماءُthe white-footed ibex فيon شَعَفاتِهاits peaks
تُدْهى بِها العَصْماءُ في شَعَفاتِها
وتُحَطُّand is brought down عنْfrom وُكُناتِهاits perches الشّغْواءُthe hook-beaked eagle
وتُحَطُّ عنْ وُكُناتِها الشّغْواءُ
By them the white-footed ibex is stricken on its peaks,
Thereby unveiled are the virtuous in their bowers,
and the hook-beaked eagle is brought down from its perches.
And the veils of their hidden abodes torn away.
عُونٌseasoned ones تَكَدَّسَleap بالنّفوسِupon souls وعِندَهاand with them
عُونٌ تَكَدَّسَ بالنّفوسِ وعِندَها
فيin كُلِّevery يومٍday مُهجَةٌa soul عَذْراءُvirgin
في كُلِّ يومٍ مُهجَةٌ عَذْراءُ
Veteran fates leap upon souls, yet with them
An affliction amassed in souls, each day
each day there is a virgin soul.
Taking away a chaste, tender maiden.
دُنياa world تُرَشِّحُrears للرَّدىfor destruction أبْناءَهاits children
دُنيا تُرَشِّحُ للرَّدى أبْناءَها
أُمٌّa mother لَعَمْرُby the life of أبيهِمُtheir father وَرْهاءُfoolish
أُمٌّ لَعَمْرُ أبيهِمُ وَرْهاءُ
The world rears its children for destruction—
A world sacrificing its sons to devastation,
a foolish mother, by the life of their father!
A mother, by the life of their father, perfidious!
فالنّاسُso people منْsome غادٍgoing at dawn علَيهِtoward it ورائِحٍand going at dusk
فالنّاسُ منْ غادٍ علَيهِ ورائِحٍ
ولِمَنْand for whoever تأخَّرَlagged عنهُماbehind them both الإسْراءُnight travel
ولِمَنْ تأخَّرَ عنهُما الإسْراءُ
Thus people go to death, some at dawn, some at dusk,
People coming and going from his presence,
and those who lag behind the two must travel by night.
While reaching him becomes difficult for latecomers.
لاno شارِخٌyouth يَبْقىremains ولاnor ذوone possessing لِمَّةٍa head of hair
لا شارِخٌ يَبْقى ولا ذو لِمَّةٍ
ألْوَتْcarried away بعَصْرِwith the season of شَبابِهاits youth العنْقاءُthe Anqa (mythic bird)
ألْوَتْ بعَصْرِ شَبابِها العنْقاءُ
Neither a youth remains, nor a man with locks
No honored soul remains nor people of conscience,
whose youthful season the Anqa has carried away.
The lofty-branched tree is stripped bare.
ولكَمْand how often نَظَرْتُI looked إِلىat الحياةِlife وقدْwhen already دَجَتْdarkened
ولكَمْ نَظَرْتُ إِلى الحياةِ وقدْ دَجَتْ
أظْلالُهاits shadows فإذاand behold الحَياةُlife عَناءُsuffering
أظْلالُها فإذا الحَياةُ عَناءُ
And how often I have looked upon life, when darkened
How often I looked upon life only to find
were its shadows—and behold, life was suffering.
Its shadows engulfing it, and life but toil and woe.
لاnot يَخْدَعَنّكَever deceive you مَعْقِلٌa stronghold أشِبٌthickly wooded ولَوand even if
لا يَخْدَعَنّكَ مَعْقِلٌ أشِبٌ ولَو
حلَّتْunfastened علَيْهِupon it نِطاقَهاits belt الجَوْزاءُOrion
حلَّتْ علَيْهِ نِطاقَها الجَوْزاءُ
Let no thickly wooded stronghold deceive you, even if
Let no impregnable fortress deceive you, even if
Orion loosened its belt upon it.
The fortified citadel be garbed all in emerald.
واكْفُفْand curb شَباthe edge of العَينِthe eye الطّموحِaspiring فَدونَfor short of ماwhat
واكْفُفْ شَبا العَينِ الطّموحِ فَدونَ ما
تَسْموit rises إليهِtoward it بلَحْظِهاwith its gaze أقْذاءُirritating motes
تَسْمو إليهِ بلَحْظِها أقْذاءُ
And curb the edge of the aspiring eye, for short of what
Restrain the youthful eye’s ambition, for between it
it seeks to reach with its gaze lie irritating motes.
And its aspirations are many barriers.
ولَوِand if اسْتُطيلَone could prevail علىover الحِمامِdeath بعِزَّةٍby might
ولَوِ اسْتُطيلَ على الحِمامِ بعِزَّةٍ
رُفِعَتْwas raised بِهاby it اليَزَنِيَّةُthe Yazanite spear السَّمْراءُbrown
رُفِعَتْ بِها اليَزَنِيَّةُ السَّمْراءُ
And if death could be bested by might
Had the pigeons aspired with pride
by which the brown Yazanite spear was raised,
To rival the noble hawks,
لَتَحدَّبَتْwould surely bend صِيدُthe proud ones among المُلوكِthe kings علىover القَناthe lances
لَتَحدَّبَتْ صِيدُ المُلوكِ على القَنا
حَيثُwhere القُلوبُhearts تُطيرُهاsends them flying الهَيْجاءُbattle
حَيثُ القُلوبُ تُطيرُها الهَيْجاءُ
the proud kings would have bent over their lances
The prey of kings would have swooped down upon the arrowheads
where battle sends hearts flying.
Where hearts are stirred to madness by passion.
يَطَؤونَthey tread upon أذيالَthe trailing hems of الدُّروعِmail coats كأنّهُمْas though they were
يَطَؤونَ أذيالَ الدُّروعِ كأنّهُمْ
أُسْدُlions of الشّرَىal-Shara وكأنّهُنَّand as though they were إضاءُpools of water
أُسْدُ الشّرَى وكأنّهُنَّ إضاءُ
They tread upon the trailing hems of their mail, as though they were
They tread on the hems of their coats of mail as though they are
lions of al-Shara, and as though their mail were pools.
Lions in battle, while in truth they are but light itself.
والخَيْلُand the horses عابِسَةُscowling الوُجوهِfaces كأنّهاas though they were
والخَيْلُ عابِسَةُ الوُجوهِ كأنّها
تَحْتَbeneath الكُماةِthe armored warriors إذاwhen انْجَرَدْنَthey raced forth ضِراءُfierce hounds
تَحْتَ الكُماةِ إذا انْجَرَدْنَ ضِراءُ
And the horses are grim of face, as though they were,
The steeds frowning of face as if they are
beneath the armored warriors, when they race forth, fierce hounds.
Serried ranks when they attack in early dawn,
يَفْدونَthey ransom أحمَدَAhmad بالنُّفوسِwith their lives وقلَّماyet seldom
يَفْدونَ أحمَدَ بالنُّفوسِ وقلَّما
يُغْنيavails إذاwhen نَشِبَhas taken hold المَنونُDeath فِداءُransom
يُغْني إذا نَشِبَ المَنونُ فِداءُ
They would ransom Ahmad with their lives, yet seldom
They ransom Ahmad with their souls, and rarely
does ransom avail when Death has taken hold.
Can sacrifice avail when death’s blow has struck.
قادَhe led الكَتائِبَthe battalions وهْوَwhile he was مُقتَبِلُin the first bloom of الصِّباyouth
قادَ الكَتائِبَ وهْوَ مُقتَبِلُ الصِّبا
حتَّىuntil اتّقَتْfeared غَزَواتِهِhis campaigns الأعْداءُthe enemies
حتَّى اتّقَتْ غَزَواتِهِ الأعْداءُ
He led the battalions while still in the first bloom of youth,
He led the regiments while still a youth,
until his enemies came to dread his campaigns.
Until his enemies feared his raids.
ورَمىand he assailed المَشارِقَthe eastern lands بالمَذاكِيwith full-grown steeds فارْتَدىthen clothed itself
ورَمى المَشارِقَ بالمَذاكِي فارْتَدى
بِعَجاجِهاin their dust المَلْمومَةُthe massed host الشَّهْباءُgray
بِعَجاجِها المَلْمومَةُ الشَّهْباءُ
And he struck the eastern lands with full-grown steeds; cloaked
He brandished his blades east and west, so that
in their dust was the massed, gray host.
The afflicted crimson suns retreated.
ولهُand his was بأطرارِon the fringes of المَغارِبِthe western lands وَقْعَةٌa battle
ولهُ بأطرارِ المَغارِبِ وَقْعَةٌ
تُرضيsatisfies السُّيوفَthe swords وغارَةٌand a raid شَعْواءُfar-ranging
تُرضي السُّيوفَ وغارَةٌ شَعْواءُ
And his, on the fringes of the western lands, was a battle
In the west he won a victory
that satisfied the swords, and a sweeping raid.
Satisfying to swords and a ferocious onslaught.
لمْdid not يَدْفَعِward off الحَدَثانِtime's ravages عَنfrom حَوبائِهِhis soul
لمْ يَدْفَعِ الحَدَثانِ عَن حَوبائِهِ
مَجْدٌglory أشَمُّlofty وعِزّةٌand might قَعْساءُunyielding
مَجْدٌ أشَمُّ وعِزّةٌ قَعْساءُ
The ravages of time were not warded from his soul by
No recent glory has warded off dishonor from his thresholds,
lofty glory or unyielding might,
A glory more fragrant, an honor more resolute.
وصَوارِمٌand swords مَشْحوذَةٌsharpened وأسِنَّةٌand spearheads
وصَوارِمٌ مَشْحوذَةٌ وأسِنَّةٌ
مَذروبَةٌkeen-edged وكَتيبَةٌand a battalion جَأواءُdark with armor
مَذروبَةٌ وكَتيبَةٌ جَأواءُ
or sharpened swords and spearheads,
Swords sharpened and blades unsheathed,
keen-edged, or a host dark with armor.
A band intrepid and fearless.
لَقِحَتْconceived بهِthrough him الأرضُthe earth العَقيمُbarren وأُسْقِيَتْand was watered
لَقِحَتْ بهِ الأرضُ العَقيمُ وأُسْقِيَتْ
سَبَلَshowers of الحَياrain فكأنَّهاso she was like عُشَراءُa she-camel ten months pregnant
سَبَلَ الحَيا فكأنَّها عُشَراءُ
Through him the barren earth conceived and was watered
The barren earth was impregnated by him and watered
with showers of rain, as though she were a she-camel ten months pregnant.
The paths of life, as if it had turned fertile.
والصّبْرُand patience فيat رَيْعانِthe first onset of كُلِّevery رَزيَّةٍcalamity
والصّبْرُ في رَيْعانِ كُلِّ رَزيَّةٍ
تَقِصُbreaks الجَوانِحَthe ribs عَزْمَةٌa resolve بَزْلاءُseasoned
تَقِصُ الجَوانِحَ عَزْمَةٌ بَزْلاءُ
And patience at the first onset of every calamity
Patience in the bloom of every calamity
that breaks the ribs is a firm, seasoned resolve.
Is an unbending resolve that tries souls.
ولِكُلِّand for every نَفْسٍsoul مَصْرَعٌa place of death لاnot تُمْتَطَىis ridden
ولِكُلِّ نَفْسٍ مَصْرَعٌ لا تُمْتَطَى
إلاexcept إلَيهِtoward it الآلَةُthe bier الحَدْباءُhumpbacked
إلا إلَيهِ الآلَةُ الحَدْباءُ
And every soul has a place of death; none rides
Each soul has an inescapable fate
the humpbacked bier except toward it.
To which the twisting threads lead inevitably.
للِّهِto God ماwhat اعتْتَنَقَembraced الثَّرىthe dust منof سُؤْدَدٍnobility
للِّهِ ما اعتْتَنَقَ الثَّرى من سُؤْدَدٍ
شَهِدَتْbore witness بهِto it أُكْرومَةٌmagnanimity وحَياءُand modesty
شَهِدَتْ بهِ أُكْرومَةٌ وحَياءُ
By God, what nobility the dust has embraced,
By God, how excellent is he whom the earth embraced,
to which magnanimity and modesty bore witness,
Witnessed to by modesty and bashfulness!
وشَمائِلٍand qualities رقَّتْgrew tender كَماas خَطَرتْwafted علىover
وشَمائِلٍ رقَّتْ كَما خَطَرتْ على
زَهرِthe blossoms of الرَّبيعِspring رُوَيْحَةٌa little breeze سَجواءُtranquil
زَهرِ الرَّبيعِ رُوَيْحَةٌ سَجواءُ
and qualities, gentle as the wafting over
Of such charm that memories of him
spring's blossoms of a little, tranquil breeze.
Pass gently as the breath of spring in flower.
عَطِرَتْgrew fragrant بهِthrough him الأرضُthe earth الفَضاءُopen كأنَّماas though
عَطِرَتْ بهِ الأرضُ الفَضاءُ كأنَّما
نُشِرَتْwas spread علَيهاupon it الرَّوضَةُthe garden الغنَّاءُluxuriant
نُشِرَتْ علَيها الرَّوضَةُ الغنَّاءُ
Through him the open earth grew fragrant, as though
The earth was scented by him as though
the luxuriant garden had been spread upon it.
The garden's blossoms were scattered over it.
لاmay not زالcease يَنْضَحُsprinkling قبْرَهُhis grave دَمُthe blood of قارِحٍa newly risen raincloud
لا زال يَنْضَحُ قبْرَهُ دَمُ قارِحٍ
يَحْبوcreeping لدَيْهِbeside it وديمَةٌand a steady raincloud وَطْفاءُthick-fringed
يَحْبو لدَيْهِ وديمَةٌ وَطْفاءُ
May his grave be ever sprinkled with the blood of a newly risen raincloud,
His grave continues to flow with the blood of enemies
creeping beside it, and with a thick-fringed cloud of steady rain.
Who cower before it, while sorrows ebb and flow.
والبَرْقُand the lightning يختلِسُsnatches الوَميضَflashes كأنّهُas though it were
والبَرْقُ يختلِسُ الوَميضَ كأنّهُ
بَلْقاءُa piebald mare تَمْرَحُfrisk حَولَهاaround her الأفْلاءُthe foals
بَلْقاءُ تَمْرَحُ حَولَها الأفْلاءُ
And the lightning snatches flashes, as though it were
Lightning steals a glimpse as though it were
a piebald mare with foals frisking around her.
A young gazelle frolicking with her companions.
جَرَّtrailed النَّسيمُthe breeze بهِaround it فُضولَthe loose ends of عِطافِهِits cloak
جَرَّ النَّسيمُ بهِ فُضولَ عِطافِهِ
وبَكَتْand wept عَلَيْهِover him شَجْوَهاtheir sorrow الأنواءُthe rain-bearing stars
وبَكَتْ عَلَيْهِ شَجْوَها الأنواءُ
The breeze trailed about it the loose ends of its cloak,
The breeze draws along whiffs of his perfume,
and the rain-bearing stars wept their sorrow over him.
While the gales cry over him.
Sol 6.1