لا يمنع الموت حجّاب ولا زَرَدُ

لا يمنع الموت حجّاب ولا زَرَدُ

ولا المواضي ولا العادية الجرد

ولا المواضي ولا العادية الجرد

Neither chamberlains nor chain mail can ward off death,

Neither veils nor armor can prevent death,

Nor keen swords, nor charging, sleek-coated horses,

Nor meadows, nor barren plains,

ولا الجيوش التي ضاق الفضاء بها

ولا الجيوش التي ضاق الفضاء بها

ولا أخ عن أخ أو عن أب ولد

ولا أخ عن أخ أو عن أب ولد

Nor armies so vast that open space grew cramped with them,

Nor the armies that filled the space,

Nor can a brother shield a brother, or a son his father.

Nor brother from brother, or son from father.

وما عمرناه للدنيا فمخترب

وما عمرناه للدنيا فمخترب

ونحن للموت كالآبا وما نلد

ونحن للموت كالآبا وما نلد

What we have built for this world will fall into ruin,

What we built for the life is an experiment,

And we and what we beget are death's, like our forefathers.

As we are for death like the fathers - we do not last.

والموت باب وكل الناس داخله

والموت باب وكل الناس داخله

والحشر نهج له كل الورى تحتد

والحشر نهج له كل الورى تحتد

Death is a gate, and all people enter it;

And death is a door, and all people enter it,

Resurrection is a road toward which all creation hastens.

And the resurrection is a path, to which all creation is led.

وكل حي له عن يومه أمد

وكل حي له عن يومه أمد

إن جاز لم يبق عن أيامه عدد

إن جاز لم يبق عن أيامه عدد

Every living being has an appointed span of days;

Every living being has a time,

Once it passes, none of its days remain.

If it passes, its days will not remain.

كم مرتج أن يقضي عيشه رغدا

كم مرتج أن يقضي عيشه رغدا

والموت تقصر عنه العيشة الرغد

والموت تقصر عنه العيشة الرغد

How many hope to spend their lives in ease,

How many who wished to live comfortably

Yet even a life of ease falls short of death.

Yet death shortened the comfortable living.

وغيب عن رداهم قبل موجبه

وغيب عن رداهم قبل موجبه

وحين جاء القضا حكم القضا شهدوا

وحين جاء القضا حكم القضا شهدوا

They are unaware of their doom before what brings it on;

And it was absent from their thoughts before its reason,

When fate arrived, they witnessed fate's judgment.

And when the decree came, the decree bore witness.

صادت سليمان مولانا حبائله

صادت سليمان مولانا حبائله

وفرّ منها بباقي عمره أسد

وفرّ منها بباقي عمره أسد

Its snares caught Sulayman, our lord,

Solomon’s schemes failed him,

And Asad escaped them with the remainder of his life.

And what remained of his life, he escaped like a lion.

وذاك من جدنا في من بقى ولنا

وذاك من جدنا في من بقى ولنا

بعد الَّذي قد مضى من قبلنا أمد

بعد الَّذي قد مضى من قبلنا أمد

That is our good fortune in the one who survives; we too have

That is from our ancestor, so for whoever remains of us

An allotted span after those who passed away before us.

After what has passed before us, it is a lesson.

يا بحر أغرقت بحراً لم يزل أَبدا

يا بحر أغرقت بحراً لم يزل أَبدا

عذباً وأنت الاجاج الملح والصرد

عذباً وأنت الاجاج الملح والصرد

O sea, you drowned a sea that was always

O sea, you drowned an ocean that never

Sweet, while you are bitter, salty, and cold.

Ceased being fresh, while you are bitter and turbid.

وأنت موجك موج لا انتفاع به

وأنت موجك موج لا انتفاع به

وذاكَ أمواجه الفتياء والسند

وذاكَ أمواجه الفتياء والسند

Your waves are waves that bring no benefit,

Your waves are useless waves,

While that sea's waves were legal opinions and support.

While its waves are youthful and sturdy.

على مطاك العفا من بعد غرقته

على مطاك العفا من بعد غرقته

فلا عليك جرت سفن ولا مسد

فلا عليك جرت سفن ولا مسد

Desolation upon your back after his drowning!

It forgave you after you drowned it,

May neither ships nor palm-fiber ropes pass over you.

So ships and rafts did not matter to you.

ومن جلالته ما رُمت تحفظه

ومن جلالته ما رُمت تحفظه

منك الفرائص لما ساح مرتعد

منك الفرائص لما ساح مرتعد

In awe of his majesty, you did not seek to keep him;

And from its glory is that you did not attempt preserving it

Your flank-muscles trembled when he voyaged.

From you - the obligations - when it flowed terrified.

أغرقته للقضا الجاري عليك به

أغرقته للقضا الجاري عليك به

وهعته وجيوش الموت تطر

وهعته وجيوش الموت تطر

You drowned him under the decree binding upon you concerning him,

You drowned it by fate imposed upon you,

And you disgorged him while death's armies pursued.

And you moaned, and the armies of death weep.

للعلم إنك لم تقدر تضمنه

للعلم إنك لم تقدر تضمنه

فاخترت أنك من حوباه تبتعد

فاخترت أنك من حوباه تبتعد

Because you knew you could not contain him,

Know that you could not guarantee it,

You chose to keep away from his soul.

So you chose to distance yourself from its decay.

حتى به ظفرت أصحابه وبه

حتى به ظفرت أصحابه وبه

نور الايابة مثل الشمس يتقد

نور الايابة مثل الشمس يتقد

Until his companions recovered him; and in him

Until through it, its companions succeeded, and through it

The light of return blazed like the sun,

The light of return shone like the sun.

في ساحل كتب اللَه الجلال له

في ساحل كتب اللَه الجلال له

به فأصبح فيه وهو معتمد

به فأصبح فيه وهو معتمد

On a shore for which God decreed glory

On the shore God decreed glory for it,

Through him; there he came to rest, one to be relied upon.

So it settled there, steady.

خير البقاع سليمان أقام بها

خير البقاع سليمان أقام بها

حيا وميتاً ولا فيما أرى فند

حيا وميتاً ولا فيما أرى فند

The finest places are those where Sulayman dwelt,

The best place is where Solomon stayed

Alive and dead; in my view, there is no error in this.

Alive and dead - and in what I see, nothing matches it.

لأنه في بلاد اللَه جوهرة

لأنه في بلاد اللَه جوهرة

تضيء نوراً وباقي العالم الصفد

تضيء نوراً وباقي العالم الصفد

For he is a jewel amid the lands of God,

For it is in God's land a gem

Shining with light, while the rest of the world is fetters.

That shines brightly while the rest of the world is dark.

هيهات ليس لقبر حله مثل

هيهات ليس لقبر حله مثل

ولا لموطنه نزوى ترى بلد

ولا لموطنه نزوى ترى بلد

Far from it! The grave he entered has no equal,

Alas, no grave can equal it,

Nor will you see a town like his homeland, Nizwa.

Nor a place like Nuzwah you will find.

لما مررت بدار كان ساكنها

لما مررت بدار كان ساكنها

وحةض نعماه فيه والورى يرد

وحةض نعماه فيه والورى يرد

When I passed a house whose inhabitant he had been,

When I passed by the house where he lived

Where the pool of his bounty lay, with people coming to drink,

And enjoyed his blessings, while people came and went.

والخلق فوضى كطير الجو من ظمأ

والخلق فوضى كطير الجو من ظمأ

إِليه لم تدر من تنوي وتقتصد

إِليه لم تدر من تنوي وتقتصد

And the people were in turmoil, like birds in the sky, thirsting

And people were chaotic like birds in the sky, thirsty

Toward him, not knowing whom to seek and approach,

To him - you could not tell who aims and who rations.

وقد تمازجت الأصوات من حزن

وقد تمازجت الأصوات من حزن

هذا يحن وذاك باك وذا غر

هذا يحن وذاك باك وذا غر

And voices had mingled in grief—

Voices were mixed with sorrow

This one moaned, that one wept, and this one chanted—

This one wails, that cries, and another moans.

سد الشجي نفسي حتى غصصت به

سد الشجي نفسي حتى غصصت به

وكان لولاه ما بالمحنق السدد

وكان لولاه ما بالمحنق السدد

Grief stopped my breath until I choked on it;

I held back my flooding tears until I choked on them

Without it, there would have been no blockage in the throat.

And were it not for him, I would not have been patient and steadfast.

كأنني متي بين النفختين فلا

كأنني متي بين النفختين فلا

أَبدي لما قال لي صبراً ولا أعد

أَبدي لما قال لي صبراً ولا أعد

As though I lay dead between the two trumpet blasts, unable

It was as if I died between the two blasts - so I have

To show patience at what he told me, or promise it.

No permanence - when he told me patience and no more.

كأنما هذه الدنيا وساكنها

كأنما هذه الدنيا وساكنها

في لحده كلهم لما مضى لحدوا

في لحده كلهم لما مضى لحدوا

As though this world and all who dwelt in it

As if this world and its inhabitants

Had been buried together in his grave when he departed.

Were all in his grave when he passed away.

ناديت بعد انتباهي أين كوكبها

ناديت بعد انتباهي أين كوكبها

قالوا تغور والدنيا فمن ترد

قالوا تغور والدنيا فمن ترد

After awakening, I called, 'Where is its star?'

I called, after regaining my awareness, where is its star?

They said, 'It has sunk—and the world with it. Whom do you seek?'

They said it disappears while the world - so who can bring it back?

إِن كنت تطلب جدواه فمات بها

إِن كنت تطلب جدواه فمات بها

أَو كنت تطلب شرواه فلا تجد

أَو كنت تطلب شرواه فلا تجد

If you seek his bounty, he has died with it;

If you seek its brilliance, it died out,

Or if you seek his equal, you will find none.

Or if you seek its lights, you will not find them.

كانت عمان به وجهاً ولا كلف

كانت عمان به وجهاً ولا كلف

به وعين صفت ما مسها رمد

به وعين صفت ما مسها رمد

Through him Oman was a face with no blemish

Oman through him was radiant, but now without him

Upon it, and a clear eye untouched by inflammation.

It lost its splendor, and its eyes are clouded with no clarity.

مغني مفاقرها مفتي حرائرها

مغني مفاقرها مفتي حرائرها

مفتي مجازرها حمال ما يئد

مفتي مجازرها حمال ما يئد

Reliever of its wants, legal adviser to its freeborn women,

Its singer, the caller of its free women,

Legal adviser for its slaughterhouses, bearer of crushing burdens.

The guide of its massacres, bearing what flows.

كأنما الوفد حيرى بعد مصرعه

كأنما الوفد حيرى بعد مصرعه

صيارف لوجوه القوم تنتقد

صيارف لوجوه القوم تنتقد

As though the delegations, bewildered after his death,

It is as if the delegation after his death

Were money-changers assaying the faces of the people.

Were confused, examining the people’s faces.

قالوا فقدنا سليمانا وقد علموا

قالوا فقدنا سليمانا وقد علموا

أن الندى والحجى والعلم قد فقدوا

أن الندى والحجى والعلم قد فقدوا

They said, 'We have lost Sulayman,' knowing full well

They said we lost Solomon, and they knew

That generosity, wisdom, and knowledge had been lost.

That charm, wisdom and knowledge were lost.

كأنما العالم العفري حيث مضى

كأنما العالم العفري حيث مضى

نهجا سليمان هم من بعده نقدوا

نهجا سليمان هم من بعده نقدوا

As though the earthly world, when he departed—

It is as if the world where he went

Sulayman upon his path—was assayed after him.

Became, after him, counterfeit.

ماتت قلوبهم مذ مات مرشدها

ماتت قلوبهم مذ مات مرشدها

فاليوم لا راشد باق ولا رشد

فاليوم لا راشد باق ولا رشد

Their hearts died when their guide died;

Their hearts died when their guide died

Today no rightly guided person remains, nor any guidance.

So today no guide remains, nor guidance.

تعسا ونكسا لذي الدنيا وآهلها

تعسا ونكسا لذي الدنيا وآهلها

عقبى سليمان لا دنيا ولا أحد

عقبى سليمان لا دنيا ولا أحد

Ruin and downfall upon this world and its inhabitants!

Woe and shame to the world and its people

After Sulayman, there is no world and no one.

After Solomon - neither world remains nor anyone.

كأنما الناس والدنيا وإِن عظموا

كأنما الناس والدنيا وإِن عظموا

في كفه طارف يقنيه أَو تلد

في كفه طارف يقنيه أَو تلد

As though the people and the world, however great they were,

It is as if people and the world, though great,

Were in his palm: new wealth he acquired, or inherited riches.

Were in his grip, a blade he wipes or forges.

كأنه من ذكاء العقل في رفق

كأنه من ذكاء العقل في رفق

أنوار موسى على سيناء تتقد

أنوار موسى على سيناء تتقد

As though, in brilliance of mind joined with gentleness, he were

It is as if from the intellect's wisdom in gentleness

The lights of Moses blazing upon Sinai.

Moses' lights shine on Sinai.

بيومه قد يرى ما الامس فات به

بيومه قد يرى ما الامس فات به

رؤياه بالعقل ما يأتي إليه غد

رؤياه بالعقل ما يأتي إليه غد

In his day he could see what yesterday had carried away,

Through his day, he sees what the past brought

His reason's vision reaching what tomorrow would bring him.

His vision with the intellect - what comes to him tomorrow.

لا يرقد الليل إِلا وهو مقتبل

لا يرقد الليل إِلا وهو مقتبل

وجه الإِله فمن خوف فمرتقد

وجه الإِله فمن خوف فمرتقد

He slept at night only while facing

He does not sleep at night but facing

The face of God; then, out of fear, he lay asleep.

God's face - so in awe, observant.

كأنما الليل معمول لمقلته

كأنما الليل معمول لمقلته

ميلا وإثمدُها فالدمع والسهد

ميلا وإثمدُها فالدمع والسهد

As though the night were fashioned for his eye

It is as if the night was made for his vigil

As a kohl-stick, its antimony being tears and sleeplessness.

Inclining to Him - so tears and wakefulness.

كأنما سقر إِلا له خُلقت

كأنما سقر إِلا له خُلقت

مازال منها لقرب اللَه يبتعد

مازال منها لقرب اللَه يبتعد

As though Saqar had been created for him alone,

It is as if hell was created only for him

He kept away from it by drawing near to God.

He remains distant from it, drawing near to God.

كأنما عنده الدنيا غراب نوى

كأنما عنده الدنيا غراب نوى

وكل زخرفها في عينه سفد

وكل زخرفها في عينه سفد

As though, to him, the world were a raven of parting,

It is as if to him the world is a crow's nest,

And all its finery, in his eyes, a skewer.

And all its decor in his eyes is rubble.

ولا تجد أحداً إِلا عليه له

ولا تجد أحداً إِلا عليه له

من علمه أَو هداه أَو نداه يد

من علمه أَو هداه أَو نداه يد

You could find no one who did not owe him

You will not find anyone but for him

A favor through his knowledge, guidance, or generosity.

From his knowledge, guidance or help, has a hand.

فاليوم بعدك ركن الدين ما تركت

فاليوم بعدك ركن الدين ما تركت

ركناً من الخلق إلا خمشته يد

ركناً من الخلق إلا خمشته يد

Today, after you, pillar of faith, you have left

Today after you, pillar of the faith, you left

No pillar among mankind unscarred by a hand.

No pillar for people but your hand marked it.

كأن حزنك في وسط القلوب لظى

كأن حزنك في وسط القلوب لظى

تجري الدموع عليها وهي تتقد

تجري الدموع عليها وهي تتقد

As though grief for you were a blaze in the midst of hearts,

It is as if the grief within hearts burns

With tears flowing over it while it burns.

Tears flow over them and they blaze.

كأن ذكرك بين العالمين شذى

كأن ذكرك بين العالمين شذى

روض أجاد عليها الوابل البرد

روض أجاد عليها الوابل البرد

As though your remembrance among all people were the fragrance

It is as if your remembrance between worlds is fragrance

Of a garden lavishly watered by a cold downpour.

A garden he poured rain upon.

نروم ننساك لكن قد تركت لنا

نروم ننساك لكن قد تركت لنا

خلائقاً منك تنعينا فنجتهد

خلائقاً منك تنعينا فنجتهد

We try to forget you, but you have left us

We attempt to forget you, but you left

Qualities of yours that mourn us, so we struggle.

Traits of you that make us remember and strive.

سقى ضريحك محلول النطاق له

سقى ضريحك محلول النطاق له

زماجر كدموعي فيك تنسرد

زماجر كدموعي فيك تنسرد

May your tomb be watered by a cloud with loosened girdle,

Your tomb was watered by the dissolved shackles -

Its thunderings following one another like my tears for you.

Wailing - like my tears for you pouring down.

وخلد اللَه روحاً كنت متعبها

وخلد اللَه روحاً كنت متعبها

فيه إِلى جنة سكانها خلدوا

فيه إِلى جنة سكانها خلدوا

And may God make eternal the soul you wearied

May God immortalize a spirit you wearied

For Him, in a garden whose dwellers abide forever.

To a Paradise whose people are immortal.

وإِن بقي للذي يبقى على أَسف

وإِن بقي للذي يبقى على أَسف

بنو أخيك فنعم القادة النجد

بنو أخيك فنعم القادة النجد

And if, for one who lives on in sorrow, there remain

If there remains for who remains, my sorrow

Your brother's sons—how excellent those valiant leaders!

For your brother's children - excellent leaders and aid.

وإِن شقوا بالَّذي تشقى الكرام به

وإِن شقوا بالَّذي تشقى الكرام به

فهم على الصبر مذ فارقتهم سعدوا

فهم على الصبر مذ فارقتهم سعدوا

Though they suffer what noble men suffer,

If they endure what the noble endure,

They have found blessedness in patience since you left them.

Then in patience since you left them, they succeeded.

وإن خصصت بفضل وانفردت به

وإن خصصت بفضل وانفردت به

فهم به عن جميع العالم انفردوا

فهم به عن جميع العالم انفردوا

And if you were singled out for excellence and stood alone in it,

If you were distinguished by a merit and singled out with it

Then they, through it, stand apart from all the world.

Then through it, above all people they were singled out.

لا أدخل اللَه واو العطف بينكم

لا أدخل اللَه واو العطف بينكم

وإن فقدت فهم عاشوا ولا فقدوا

وإن فقدت فهم عاشوا ولا فقدوا

May God never insert the conjunctive waw between you;

May God not join between you and them that conjunction

Though you are lost, may they live and never be lost.

If I lost, they lived and did not lose.