عَظيمُimmense الأَسىgrief فيin هَذِهِthis غَيرُnot مُقنِعِsufficient
عَظيمُ الأَسى في هَذِهِ غَيرُ مُقنِعِ
وَلَومُand blaming الرَدىdeath فيماfor what جَنىit wrought غَيرُnot مُنجِعِeffective
وَلَومُ الرَدى فيما جَنى غَيرُ مُنجِعِ
Immense grief does not suffice for this,
and blaming death for what it wrought is of no avail.
وَلاand no عَينَspring إِلّاexcept الدَمعَtears تَجريflow غُروبُهُits torrents
وَلا عَينَ إِلّا الدَمعَ تَجري غُروبُهُ
فَلاقِso face بِهِwith it المَقدورَwhat is decreed إِنif شِئتَyou wish أَوor دَعِrefrain
فَلاقِ بِهِ المَقدورَ إِن شِئتَ أَو دَعِ
There is no spring but tears, whose torrents flow;
so face what is decreed with them, if you wish, or refrain.
فَليسَfor ... are not القَناthe spears فيماagainst what أَصابَhas struck بِشُرَّعٍleveled
فَليسَ القَنا فيما أَصابَ بِشُرَّعٍ
وَليسَand ... are not الظُبىthe sword-edges فيماagainst what أَلَمَّhas befallen بِقُطَّعِcutting
وَليسَ الظُبى فيما أَلَمَّ بِقُطَّعِ
No spears can be leveled against what has struck,
nor can sword-edges cut down what has befallen.
وَلاand no مانِعٌprotection مِمّاagainst what رَمىshot اللَهُGod سَهمَهُHis arrow
وَلا مانِعٌ مِمّا رَمى اللَهُ سَهمَهُ
دِفاعُthe defense المُحاميof the defender وَاِدِّراعُand donning armor المُدَرَّعِby the armored man
دِفاعُ المُحامي وَاِدِّراعُ المُدَرَّعِ
Nor can the arrow God has shot be warded off—
not by a defender's defense, nor by the armor an armored man dons.
وَإِنَّand indeed المَناياthe fates of death إِنif طَرَقنَthey come by night بِفادِحٍwith a crushing blow
وَإِنَّ المَنايا إِن طَرَقنَ بِفادِحٍ
فَسِيّانِthen alike لُقياmeeting حاسِرٍa bareheaded man أَوor مُقَنَّعِa helmeted man
فَسِيّانِ لُقيا حاسِرٍ أَو مُقَنَّعِ
When the fates of death come by night with a crushing blow,
meeting the bareheaded or the helmeted is all the same.
إِذاwhen اِنتَصَرَseeks redress المَحزونُthe grief-stricken كانَis then اِنتِصارُهhis redress
إِذا اِنتَصَرَ المَحزونُ كانَ اِنتِصارُه
بِدَمعٍwith tears يَزيدُthat increase الوَجدَanguish أَوor عَضِّbiting إِصبَعِa finger
بِدَمعٍ يَزيدُ الوَجدَ أَو عَضِّ إِصبَعِ
When the sorrowful seeks redress, his redress is
through tears that heighten anguish, or biting a finger.
وَإِنَّand indeed غَبينَthe loser القومِamong the people مِنone who طاعِنِassails الرَدىdeath
وَإِنَّ غَبينَ القومِ مِن طاعِنِ الرَدى
إِذاwhen جاءَit comes فيin جَيشِthe army الرَزاياof calamities بِأَدمُعِwith tears
إِذا جاءَ في جَيشِ الرَزايا بِأَدمُعِ
Surely the loser among men is he who assails death
with tears, when it comes in an army of calamities.
أَتَرضىare you content عَنِwith الدُنياthe world وَماwhile not زالَceased بِركُهاits breast
أَتَرضى عَنِ الدُنيا وَما زالَ بِركُها
عَلىupon مَقصِدٍone struck dead مِنّاof us وَشِلوٍand a body مُبَضَّعِcut to pieces
عَلى مَقصِدٍ مِنّا وَشِلوٍ مُبَضَّعِ
Can you be content with the world, whose breast is ever pressed
upon one of us struck dead, and a body cut to pieces?
إِذاif سَمَحَتshe grants يَوماًone day بِمَجواءَwith a breeze سَجسَجٍtemperate
إِذا سَمَحَت يَوماً بِمَجواءَ سَجسَجٍ
تَلَتهاshe follows it عَلىwith عَمدٍdeliberate intent بِنَكباءَwith a crosswind زَعزَعِviolent
تَلَتها عَلى عَمدٍ بِنَكباءَ زَعزَعِ
If one day she grants a temperate breeze,
she deliberately follows it with a violent crosswind.
أَيَومَO day عُبَيدِof ʿUbayd اللَهِAllah كَمhow many رُعتَyou frightened مِنof حَشىًa heart
أَيَومَ عُبَيدِ اللَهِ كَم رُعتَ مِن حَشىً
جَليدٍsteadfast عَلىover طولِthe length المَدىof time لَمnever يُرَوَّعِwas frightened
جَليدٍ عَلى طولِ المَدى لَم يُرَوَّعِ
O day of ʿUbayd Allah, how many a heart you terrified—
steadfast, never frightened through long years!
وَكَمand how many جَفَّran dry دَمعٌtears فيكَover you قَدalready كانَhad been غَربُهُits flow
وَكَم جَفَّ دَمعٌ فيكَ قَد كانَ غَربُهُ
بَطيئاًslow إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) ريمَsought لَمnot يَتَسَرَّعِhasten
بَطيئاً إِذا ما ريمَ لَم يَتَسَرَّعِ
And how many a tear ran dry over you, whose flow had been
slow, never hastening when summoned.
تَوَقُّعُanticipation أَمرٍof an event زادَincreased هَمّاًgrief وُقوعُهُits occurrence
تَوَقُّعُ أَمرٍ زادَ هَمّاً وُقوعُهُ
وَإِنَّand indeed وُقوعَthe occurrence الأَمرِof the event دونَless than التَوَقُّعِanticipation
وَإِنَّ وُقوعَ الأَمرِ دونَ التَوَقُّعِ
The coming of a dreaded event deepened grief,
though an event's coming falls short of its anticipation.
أَياO جَدَثاًgrave وارىthat concealed مِنَof العِزِّglory هَضبَةًa mountain
أَيا جَدَثاً وارى مِنَ العِزِّ هَضبَةً
تَمُدُّreaching إِلىtoward العَلياthe heights بِبوعٍwith an armspan وَأَذرُعِand arms
تَمُدُّ إِلى العَليا بِبوعٍ وَأَذرُعِ
O grave that concealed a mountain of glory,
reaching toward the heights with arms stretched to their full span!
سَقاكَmay He water you وَلَولاand were it not for ماwhat تَجِنُyou enclose مِنَof التُقىpiety
سَقاكَ وَلَولا ما تَجِنُ مِنَ التُقى
لَقُلتُI would have said شَآبيبَshowers العَقارِof wine المُشَعشَعِmixed with water
لَقُلتُ شَآبيبَ العَقارِ المُشَعشَعِ
May you be watered—and were it not for the piety you shelter,
I would have said: with showers of water-mixed wine.
وَقَلَّand too little is لِقَبرٍfor a grave أَنتَyou سِرُّthe secret ضَميرِهِof its depths
وَقَلَّ لِقَبرٍ أَنتَ سِرُّ ضَميرِهِ
بُكاءُthe weeping الغَواديof morning rainclouds كُلَّevery يَومٍday بِأَربَعِfourfold
بُكاءُ الغَوادي كُلَّ يَومٍ بِأَربَعِ
Too little for a grave whose inmost secret you are
is the morning clouds' weeping, fourfold every day.
وَقَفتُI stood عَلَيهِover it عاطِفاًturning toward it فَضلَthe remainder عَبرَةٍof tears
وَقَفتُ عَلَيهِ عاطِفاً فَضلَ عَبرَةٍ
تَفيضُoverflowing عَلىover فَضلِthe remainder الحَنينِof lament المُرَجَّعِrepeated
تَفيضُ عَلى فَضلِ الحَنينِ المُرَجَّعِ
I stood over it, turning toward it what tears remained,
spilling over the lingering echoes of lament.
أَقولُI say لَهُto him وَالعَينُwhile the eye فيهاwithin it زُجاجَةٌa glass vessel
أَقولُ لَهُ وَالعَينُ فيها زُجاجَةٌ
مِنَof الدَمعِtears قَدindeed وارىhas hidden بِهاwith it الجولُthe eye's rim مَدمَعيmy tear-duct
مِنَ الدَمعِ قَد وارى بِها الجولُ مَدمَعي
I say to him, while my eye holds a glassy vessel
of tears, with which the eye's rim has veiled my tear-duct:
وَماand not هِيَit إِلّاexcept ساعَةٌan hour وَهوَand he لاحِقٌjoining
وَما هِيَ إِلّا ساعَةٌ وَهوَ لاحِقٌ
بِعادٍwith ʿAd إِلىuntil يَومِthe Day المَعادِof Return وَتُبَّعِand Tubbaʿ
بِعادٍ إِلى يَومِ المَعادِ وَتُبَّعِ
It is but an hour, and he has joined
ʿAd and Tubbaʿ until the Day of Return.
هَلَwill اَنتَyou مُجيبيanswer me إِنif دَعَوتُI call بِأَنَّةٍwith a groan
هَلَ اَنتَ مُجيبي إِن دَعَوتُ بِأَنَّةٍ
وَهَلand will أَنتَyou غادٍgo out at dawn بَعدَafter طولِthe length مَدىًof time مَعيwith me
وَهَل أَنتَ غادٍ بَعدَ طولِ مَدىً مَعي
Will you answer me if I call with a groan?
And will you go forth with me at dawn after so long a span?
وَهَيهاتَbut far from it حالَتintervened بَينَناbetween us مُستَطيلَةًstretching long
وَهَيهاتَ حالَت بَينَنا مُستَطيلَةً
ضَمومٌa clasping grave عَلىaround الأَجرامِthe bodies مِنfrom كُلِّevery مَطلَعِopening
ضَمومٌ عَلى الأَجرامِ مِن كُلِّ مَطلَعِ
But far from it! Between us there has stretched
a close-clasping grave, enclosing bodies from every side.
لَناwe have كُلَّevery يَومِday فَرحَةٌjoy مِنfrom مُبَشِّرٍa bearer of good news
لَنا كُلَّ يَومِ فَرحَةٌ مِن مُبَشِّرٍ
بِمُقتَبَلٍof a newcomer أَوor رَنَّةٌa wail مِنfrom مَفَجَّعِone bereaved
بِمُقتَبَلٍ أَو رَنَّةٌ مِن مَفَجَّعِ
Each day we have joy from a bearer of good news
of a newcomer, or a wail from one bereaved;
وَطاريand fresh stirrings رَجاءٍof hope فيin مُلِمٍّa visitor مُسَلِّمٍoffering greetings
وَطاري رَجاءٍ في مُلِمٍّ مُسَلِّمٍ
وَعارِضِand a passing surge يَأسٍof despair مِنfrom خَليطٍa companion مُوَدِّعِtaking leave
وَعارِضِ يَأسٍ مِن خَليطٍ مُوَدِّعِ
and fresh hope in a visitor offering greetings,
and a passing despair from a companion taking leave.
وَماand what بُعدَdistance ماwhat بَينيbetween me وَبَينَكَand you سامِعاًhearing
وَما بُعدَ ما بَيني وَبَينَكَ سامِعاً
وَأَنتَwhile you بِمَرأىًwithin sight مِنof مُقاميwhere I stand وَمَسمَعِand hearing
وَأَنتَ بِمَرأىً مِن مُقامي وَمَسمَعِ
What distance lies between us, could you hear,
when you are within sight and hearing of where I stand?
لَحاmay ... curse اللَهُGod هَذاthis الدَهرَage ماذاwhat جَرَتِhave brought بِهِwith it
لَحا اللَهُ هَذا الدَهرَ ماذا جَرَتِ بِهِ
نَوائِبُهُits calamities مِنof مُؤلِمِpainful الوَقعِimpact مُظلِعِcrippling
نَوائِبُهُ مِن مُؤلِمِ الوَقعِ مُظلِعِ
May God curse this age! What it has brought
through its calamities—painful, crippling blows!
لَقَدindeed جَبَّhas shorn away مِنّاfrom us ذُروَةًa summit أَيَّwhat a ذُروَةٍsummit
لَقَد جَبَّ مِنّا ذُروَةً أَيَّ ذُروَةٍ
فَأُبناso we returned بِأَضلاعِwith the ribs الأَجَبِّof a hump-severed camel المُوَقَّعِsaddle-galled
فَأُبنا بِأَضلاعِ الأَجَبِّ المُوَقَّعِ
It has shorn from us a summit—what a summit!—
so we returned with the ribs of a humpless, saddle-galled camel.
أَليسَhas not عُبيدُʿUbayd اللَهِAllah خَلّىvacated مَكانَهُhis place
أَليسَ عُبيدُ اللَهِ خَلّى مَكانَهُ
فَلاso not عَطَسَsneezed الإِسلامُIslam إِلّاexcept بِأَجدَعِwith a mutilated nose
فَلا عَطَسَ الإِسلامُ إِلّا بِأَجدَعِ
Has not ʿUbayd Allah left his place vacant?
So Islam now sneezes only through a mutilated nose.
تَعَزَّtake comfort أَميرَO Commander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful صَريمَةًfirmness
تَعَزَّ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ صَريمَةً
مِنَof العَزمِresolve عَنover the loss of ماضيunwavering in الصَرائِمِdecisions أَروَعِa noble man
مِنَ العَزمِ عَن ماضي الصَرائِمِ أَروَعِ
Take comfort, Commander of the Faithful, with firmness
of resolve, for a noble man unwavering in his decisions.
أَمينُكَyour trusted man لَمnot يَذخَركَwithheld from you نُصحاًsincere counsel إِذاwhen حَناbent
أَمينُكَ لَم يَذخَركَ نُصحاً إِذا حَنا
رِجالٌmen عَلىaround الغِشِّdeceit القَديمِage-old بِأَضلُعِwith ribs
رِجالٌ عَلى الغِشِّ القَديمِ بِأَضلُعِ
Your trusted man withheld no loyal counsel from you, when
men bent their ribs around age-old deceit.
هُوَhe السابِقُthe forerunner الهاديthe guide إِلىto عَقدِsealing بَيعَةٍa pledge of allegiance
هُوَ السابِقُ الهادي إِلى عَقدِ بَيعَةٍ
رَأىhe saw الناسَthe people فيهاin it بَينَbetween حَسرىthe exhausted وَظُلَّعِand the limping
رَأى الناسَ فيها بَينَ حَسرى وَظُلَّعِ
He was the forerunner, the guide to sealing a pledge of allegiance,
in which he saw men exhausted or limping.
غَرَستَyou planted بِهِthrough him غَرساًa tree يَرىsees الدَهرُTime عودَهُits trunk
غَرَستَ بِهِ غَرساً يَرى الدَهرُ عودَهُ
وَكانَand it used to مَتىwhenever تَغرِسyou plant عَلىdespite الرَغمِunwillingness يَنزِعِuproot
وَكانَ مَتى تَغرِس عَلى الرَغمِ يَنزِعِ
Through him you planted a tree whose trunk Time beholds,
though whenever you planted, it would uproot it despite you.
بَقيتَmay you remain أَمينَO trustee اللَهِof God عوداًa support لِمَفزَعٍin distress
بَقيتَ أَمينَ اللَهِ عوداً لِمَفزَعٍ
وَمَرعىًand a pasture لِإِخفاقٍfor disappointment وَوِرداًand a watering-place لِمَطمَعِfor aspiration
وَمَرعىً لِإِخفاقٍ وَوِرداً لِمَطمَعِ
May you remain, God's trustee, a support in distress,
a pasture for disappointment, a watering-place for aspiration.
إِذاif صَفَحَتspare عَنكَyou اللَياليthe nights وَأُغرِيَتand are intent
إِذا صَفَحَت عَنكَ اللَيالي وَأُغرِيَت
بِحِفظِكَon preserving you فيناamong us هانَis slight كُلُّevery مُضَيَّعِwhat is lost
بِحِفظِكَ فينا هانَ كُلُّ مُضَيَّعِ
If the nights spare you and are intent
on keeping you among us, every loss is slight.
فَلاso may not فُجِعَتbe bereaved بِالعِزِّof glory دارُكَyour house ساعَةًfor an hour
فَلا فُجِعَت بِالعِزِّ دارُكَ ساعَةً
وَلاand may not غُضَّbe diminished مِنfrom بابِthe gate الرَواقِof the portico المُرَفَّعِlofty
وَلا غُضَّ مِن بابِ الرَواقِ المُرَفَّعِ
May your house never for an hour be bereft of glory,
nor the gate of your lofty portico be humbled.
وَلاand may not بَرِحَتcease to be تِلكَthose الرُباعُdwellings مَجودَةًwatered by generous rain
وَلا بَرِحَت تِلكَ الرُباعُ مَجودَةً
عَلىin كُلِّevery حالٍcondition مِنof مَصيفٍsummer وَمَربَعِand spring
عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ مِن مَصيفٍ وَمَربَعِ
May those dwellings never cease to be generously rained upon,
in every season, summer and spring.
لَقَدindeed هاجَstirred هَذاthis الرُزءُcalamity رَيعانَthe first rush زَفرَةٍof a sigh
لَقَد هاجَ هَذا الرُزءُ رَيعانَ زَفرَةٍ
تَلَقَّيتَهاyou received it بِالقَولِin words عَنfrom قَلبِa heart موجَعِaching
تَلَقَّيتَها بِالقَولِ عَن قَلبِ موجَعِ
This calamity has stirred the first rush of a sigh,
which you received in words from an aching heart.
وَلاand no سَبَبٌbond إِلاّexcept المَوَدَّةُaffection إِنَّهُindeed he
وَلا سَبَبٌ إِلاّ المَوَدَّةُ إِنَّهُ
تَقَطَّعَhas been torn away مِنّيَfrom me وَالقُوىwhile the sinews لَمnot تُقَطَّعِwere severed
تَقَطَّعَ مِنّيَ وَالقُوى لَم تُقَطَّعِ
No bond but affection; indeed, he
has been torn from me, though my sinews remain uncut.
وَلَيسَand not مَقالٌspeech حَرَّكَتهُstirred it حَفيظَةٌloyal ardor
وَلَيسَ مَقالٌ حَرَّكَتهُ حَفيظَةٌ
وَعَهدٌand fidelity كَقَولِlike the speech القَإِلِof the speaker المُتَصَنِّعِwho feigns
وَعَهدٌ كَقَولِ القَإِلِ المُتَصَنِّعِ
No speech stirred by loyal ardor
and fidelity is like the words of a pretender.
Sol 6.1