تَفوزُprevails بِناover us المَنونَdeath وَتَستَبِدُّand rules alone
تَفوزُ بِنا المَنونَ وَتَستَبِدُّ
وَيَأخُذُناand takes us الزَمانُtime وَلاand does not يَرُدُّgive back
وَيَأخُذُنا الزَمانُ وَلا يَرُدُّ
Death prevails over us and rules alone;
time takes us and does not give us back.
وَأَنظُرُand I behold ماضِياًone departed فيin عَقبِthe wake of ماضٍanother departed
وَأَنظُرُ ماضِياً في عَقبِ ماضٍ
لَقَدindeed أَيقَنتُI am certain أَنَّthat الأَمرَthe matter جِدُّis serious
لَقَد أَيقَنتُ أَنَّ الأَمرَ جِدُّ
I behold one departed in another's wake;
I am certain now: this matter is no jest.
رُوَيداًtake it slowly بِالفِرارِin fleeing مِنَfrom المَناياdeaths
رُوَيداً بِالفِرارِ مِنَ المَنايا
فَليسَfor not يَفوتُهاoutruns them الساريthe night traveler المُجِدُّthe tireless
فَليسَ يَفوتُها الساري المُجِدُّ
Take your time in fleeing death:
the tireless night traveler cannot outrun it.
فَأَينَso where مُلوكُناour kings الماضونَwho departed قِدماًlong ago
فَأَينَ مُلوكُنا الماضونَ قِدماً
أَعَدّواthey made preparations لِلنَوائِبِfor calamities وَاِستَعَدّواand readied themselves
أَعَدّوا لِلنَوائِبِ وَاِستَعَدّوا
Where are our kings who departed long ago,
who made provision for calamities and readied themselves?
وَأَينَand where مُعاقِدوthose who covenanted with الدُنياthe world قَديماًlong ago
وَأَينَ مُعاقِدو الدُنيا قَديماً
نَبَتturned hostile بِهِمُto them فَلاso no إِلٌّpledge وَعَقدُand covenant
نَبَت بِهِمُ فَلا إِلٌّ وَعَقدُ
And where are those who covenanted with the world of old?
It spurned them: no pledge, no covenant.
وَكُلُّand every فَتىًyoung man تَحُفُّsurround بِجانِبَيهِat his two flanks
وَكُلُّ فَتىً تَحُفُّ بِجانِبَيهِ
خَواطِرُprancing بِالقَناwith lances قُبٌّlean-bellied steeds وَجُردُand sleek steeds
خَواطِرُ بِالقَنا قُبٌّ وَجُردُ
And every young man whose flanks were thronged
by lean-bellied, sleek steeds prancing beneath lances—
فَماyet not دَفَعَwarded off المَناياdeaths عَنهُfrom him وَفرٌabundant wealth
فَما دَفَعَ المَنايا عَنهُ وَفرٌ
وَلاnor هَزَمَrouted النَوائِبَcalamities عَنهُfrom him جُندُan army
وَلا هَزَمَ النَوائِبَ عَنهُ جُندُ
no wealth warded death away from him,
nor did an army rout his calamities,
وَلاnor أَسَلٌlances لَهاthey have قَرعٌclashing وَوَخزٌand piercing
وَلا أَسَلٌ لَها قَرعٌ وَوَخزٌ
وَلاnor قُضُبٌswords لَهاthey have قَطٌّcrosswise cutting وَقَدُّand lengthwise splitting
وَلا قُضُبٌ لَها قَطٌّ وَقَدُّ
nor lances, with their clash and thrust,
nor swords, with their crosswise cuts and lengthwise cleavings.
أَعارَهُمُlent them الزَمانُtime نَعيمَthe comfort of عَيشٍa life
أَعارَهُمُ الزَمانُ نَعيمَ عَيشٍ
فَياso, oh سُرعانَhow swiftly ماlinking particle نَزَعواthey relinquished وَرَدّواand gave back
فَيا سُرعانَ ما نَزَعوا وَرَدّوا
Time lent them a life of ease;
how swiftly they relinquished it and gave it back!
هُمُthey فَرَطٌa vanguard لَناfor us فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday
هُمُ فَرَطٌ لَنا في كُلِّ يَومٍ
نَمُدُّهُمُwe reinforce them وَإِنand though لَمnot يَستَمِدّواthey seek reinforcements
نَمُدُّهُمُ وَإِن لَم يَستَمِدّوا
They are our vanguard; every day
we reinforce them, though they seek no reinforcements.
فَلاso not الغاديthe morning traveler يَروحُreturns at dusk فَنَرتَجيهِso we may hope for him
فَلا الغادي يَروحُ فَنَرتَجيهِ
وَلاnor المُتَرَوِّحُthe evening traveler العَجلانُthe hasty يَغدوreturns at dawn
وَلا المُتَرَوِّحُ العَجلانُ يَغدو
No morning traveler returns at dusk for us to hope for him,
nor does the hasty evening traveler return at dawn.
وَلِلإِنسانِand for a person مِنamong هَذيthese اللَياليnights
وَلِلإِنسانِ مِن هَذي اللَيالي
وَهوبٌa lavish giver لاnot يَدومُendures وَمُستَرِدُّand a reclaimer
وَهوبٌ لا يَدومُ وَمُستَرِدُّ
Among these nights, a man encounters
a giver that does not endure, and a taker-back.
تُجِدُّrenews لَناfor us مَلابِسَهاits garments فَيَبقىso there remain
تُجِدُّ لَنا مَلابِسَها فَيَبقى
جَديداهاits ever-new pair وَيَبلىand wears out المُستَجَدُّthe newly clad one
جَديداها وَيَبلى المُستَجَدُّ
They renew their garments for us; yet there endure
their ever-new pair—day and night—while the newly clad wears out.
أَإِبراهيمُO Ibrahim أَمّاas for دَمعُthe tears of عَينيmy eye
أَإِبراهيمُ أَمّا دَمعُ عَيني
عَليكَfor you فَماso not يُعَدُّbe counted وَلاnor يُحَدُّbe bounded
عَليكَ فَما يُعَدُّ وَلا يُحَدُّ
O Ibrahim, as for my eye's tears
for you, they cannot be numbered or bounded.
يُغَصَّصُis choked بِالأَوائِلِby the first drops مِنهُof them طَرفٌan eye
يُغَصَّصُ بِالأَوائِلِ مِنهُ طَرفٌ
وَيَدمىand bleeds بِالأَواخِرِfrom the last drops مِنهُof them خَدُّa cheek
وَيَدمى بِالأَواخِرِ مِنهُ خَدُّ
My eye is choked by their first drops,
and their last make my cheek bleed.
بَكَيتُكَI wept for you لِلوَدادِout of love وَرُبَّand many a باكٍmourner
بَكَيتُكَ لِلوَدادِ وَرُبَّ باكٍ
عَليكَfor you مِنَamong الأَقارِبِrelatives لاnot يَوَدُّfeels love
عَليكَ مِنَ الأَقارِبِ لا يَوَدُّ
I wept for you out of love; many a mourner
for you among your kin feels no love.
وَإِنَّand truly بُكاءَthe weeping for مَنone whom تَبكيهِmourns him قُربىkinship
وَإِنَّ بُكاءَ مَن تَبكيهِ قُربى
لَدونَis surely less than بُكاءِthe weeping for مَنone whom يَبكيهِmourns him وُدُّlove
لَدونَ بُكاءِ مَن يَبكيهِ وُدُّ
Truly, the tears that kinship sheds for someone
fall short of those that love sheds for him.
إِذاwhen غِضناwe stem الدَموعَthe tears أَبَتrefuse عَليناus
إِذا غِضنا الدَموعَ أَبَت عَلينا
مَناقِبُvirtues مِنكَof yours لَيسَthere is not لَهُنَّfor them نِدُّan equal
مَناقِبُ مِنكَ لَيسَ لَهُنَّ نِدُّ
Whenever we try to stem our tears, we are thwarted by
your virtues, which have no equal.
فَمِنهُنَّso among them اِشتِطاطُكَyour far-reaching zeal فيin المَساعيnoble pursuits
فَمِنهُنَّ اِشتِطاطُكَ في المَساعي
وَفَضلُand excellence of العَزمِresolve وَالباعُand the reach الأَشَدُّthe mightiest
وَفَضلُ العَزمِ وَالباعُ الأَشَدُّ
Among them, your far-reaching zeal in noble pursuits,
your surpassing resolve and your mighty reach.
فَأَينَso where مُسابِقُthe racer against الأَجالِdeaths طَعناًin lance-thrusts
فَأَينَ مُسابِقُ الأَجالِ طَعناً
يَعودُreturns وَرُمحُهُand his spear رَيّانُsated وَردُrose-red
يَعودُ وَرُمحُهُ رَيّانُ وَردُ
Where is he who raced death with his lance-thrusts,
returning with his spear sated and rose-red?
وَأَينَand where الآسَرُthe captor الفَكّاكُthe liberator يَسريtravel by night
وَأَينَ الآسَرُ الفَكّاكُ يَسري
إِلَيهِto him مِنَfrom العِدىenemies ذَمٌّblame وَحَمدُand praise
إِلَيهِ مِنَ العِدى ذَمٌّ وَحَمدُ
And where is the captor, the liberator? By night come
to him, from his foes, both blame and praise.
فَاِعناقٌso some necks أَحاطَencircled بِهِنَّthem مَنٌّclemency
فَاِعناقٌ أَحاطَ بِهِنَّ مَنٌّ
وَأَعناقٌand some necks أَحاطَencircled بِهِنَّthem قَدُّsevering
وَأَعناقٌ أَحاطَ بِهِنَّ قَدُّ
Some necks were encircled by clemency,
and other necks by a severing stroke.
أَياO سَهماًرَمىan arrow that aimed غَرَضاًat a target فَأَخطاthen missed
أَيا سَهماًرَمى غَرَضاً فَأَخطا
وَذيbut these الأَقدارِfates أَسهُمُهاtheir arrows أَسَدُّare more unerring
وَذي الأَقدارِ أَسهُمُها أَسَدُّ
O arrow that aimed at a mark, yet missed!
But the arrows of these fates fly truer.
وَلَوand if غَيرُother than الرَدىdeath جاثاكَknelt to confront you أَقعىwould have crouched
وَلَو غَيرُ الرَدى جاثاكَ أَقعى
بِهِat that مِنfrom بَأسِكَyour might الخَصمُthe adversary الأَلَدُّthe most stubborn
بِهِ مِن بَأسِكَ الخَصمُ الأَلَدُّ
Had any but death knelt to face you, there would have cowered
before your might even the most stubborn adversary.
قَتيلٌa slain man فَلَّهُblunted him نابٌa fang كَهامٌdull
قَتيلٌ فَلَّهُ نابٌ كَهامٌ
وَكانَand he had been العَضبَthe keen blade ضَوَّأَهُmade him gleam الفِرِندُthe watered pattern
وَكانَ العَضبَ ضَوَّأَهُ الفِرِندُ
A slain man, blunted by a dull fang,
though he had been the keen blade, bright with its watered pattern.
وَذَلَّand he was abased بِذُلِّby the baseness of قاتِلِهِhis killer فَأَضحىso there came to be
وَذَلَّ بِذُلِّ قاتِلِهِ فَأَضحى
لِقاتِلِهِfor his killer بِهِthrough him عِزٌّhonor وَمَجدُand glory
لِقاتِلِهِ بِهِ عِزٌّ وَمَجدُ
He was abased by his slayer's baseness; so there arose
for his slayer, through him, honor and glory.
فَياso O أَسَداًlion يَصولُpounces عَليهِon him ذِئبٌa wolf
فَيا أَسَداً يَصولُ عَليهِ ذِئبٌ
وَياand O مَولىًmaster يَطولُlords it عَليهِover him عَبدُa slave
وَيا مَولىً يَطولُ عَليهِ عَبدُ
O lion, assailed by a wolf!
And O master, over whom a slave lords it!
وَكَيفَand how رَجَوتُdid I hope أَنthat يَبقىhe would remain سَليماًunharmed
وَكَيفَ رَجَوتُ أَن يَبقى سَليماً
وَماwhile what شُربُthe draught of القُرونِgenerations لَهُfor him مُعَدُّis prepared
وَما شُربُ القُرونِ لَهُ مُعَدُّ
How could I hope he would remain unharmed,
when the generations' draught was prepared for him?
وَهَلand did بَقِيَتsurvive قَبائِلُهُhis tribes فَيَبقىthat he should survive
وَهَل بَقِيَت قَبائِلُهُ فَيَبقى
رَبيعَةُRabi'ah أَوor نِزارٌNizar أَوor مَعَدُّMa'add
رَبيعَةُ أَو نِزارٌ أَو مَعَدُّ
Did his tribes survive, that he should survive—
Rabi'ah, or Nizar, or Ma'add?
مِنَof القَومِthe people الأُلىwho طَلَبواsought وَنالواand attained
مِنَ القَومِ الأُلى طَلَبوا وَنالوا
وَجَدُّand sped بِهِمthem إِلىtoward العَلياءِhigh glory جَدُّgood fortune
وَجَدُّ بِهِم إِلى العَلياءِ جَدُّ
Of the people who sought and attained,
and fortune sped them toward high glory.
إِذاwhen نَدَبواthey were summoned إِلىto البَأساءِbattle عاجواthey turned toward it
إِذا نَدَبوا إِلى البَأساءِ عاجوا
وَإِنand if أَدنواthey were drawn إِلىtoward العَوراءِdisgrace صَدّواthey turned away
وَإِن أَدنوا إِلى العَوراءِ صَدّوا
When called to battle, they turned toward it;
when drawn toward disgrace, they turned away.
تَصَدَّعَcracked مَجدُthe glory of أَوَّلِهِمtheir forebears فَشَدّواso they braced
تَصَدَّعَ مَجدُ أَوَّلِهِم فَشَدّوا
جَوانِبَهُits sides بِأَنفُسِهِمwith themselves وَسَدّواand sealed
جَوانِبَهُ بِأَنفُسِهِم وَسَدّوا
Their forebears' glory cracked; they braced
its sides with their own selves, and sealed the breach.
إِذاwhen عُدَّwere counted الأَماجِدُthe glorious جاءَthere came مِنهُمfrom them
إِذا عُدَّ الأَماجِدُ جاءَ مِنهُم
عَديدٌa multitude كَالرِمالِlike the sands فَلَمso not يُعَدّواthey were counted
عَديدٌ كَالرِمالِ فَلَم يُعَدّوا
When the glorious were counted, there came from them
a multitude like the sands, beyond all counting.
سَقاهُmay water him أَحَمُّa dark cloud نَجدِيُّfrom Najd التَواليin its trailing masses
سَقاهُ أَحَمُّ نَجدِيُّ التَوالي
يُعَمُّare covered بِوَدقِهِby its rain غَورٌlowland وَنَجدُand upland
يُعَمُّ بِوَدقِهِ غَورٌ وَنَجدُ
May a dark cloud, its trailing masses from Najd, water him,
its rain covering lowland and upland alike.
إِذاwhen مَخَضَتchurns حَوافِلَهُits milk-laden camels جَنوبٌa south wind
إِذا مَخَضَت حَوافِلَهُ جَنوبٌ
مَرىdraws milk from لَقَحاتِهِits milch-camels بَرقٌlightning وَرَعدُand thunder
مَرى لَقَحاتِهِ بَرقٌ وَرَعدُ
When a south wind churns its milk-heavy herd,
lightning and thunder milk its milch-camels.
تَدافَعَsurge forth مِنهُfrom it مَلآنَfull الحَواياin the bellies
تَدافَعَ مِنهُ مَلآنَ الحَوايا
سِياقُa driven procession of النيبِaged she-camels أَصدَرَهُنَّsent them back وِردُa watering
سِياقُ النيبِ أَصدَرَهُنَّ وِردُ
From it surge full-bellied masses,
like aged she-camels driven back from watering.
وَلاand may it not عَرّىleave bare ثَراهُhis soil مِنَof الغَواديmorning rain-clouds
وَلا عَرّى ثَراهُ مِنَ الغَوادي
وَمِنand of نُوّارِهاtheir blossoms سَبطٌstraight-growing ones وَجَعدُand curled ones
وَمِن نُوّارِها سَبطٌ وَجَعدُ
May his earth never be stripped of morning rain-clouds,
or of their blossoms, straight and curled.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الرَكبُthe caravan مَرَّpasses عَليهِby him قالواthey say
إِذا ما الرَكبُ مَرَّ عَليهِ قالوا
أَياO حاليadorner of الصَعيدِthe soil سَقاكَmay water you عَهدُfresh rain
أَيا حالي الصَعيدِ سَقاكَ عَهدُ
Whenever a caravan passes by him, they say:
O adornment of the soil, may fresh rain water you!
لَقَدindeed كَرُمَتwas generous يَمينُكَyour right hand قَبلُbefore حَيّاًwhile alive
لَقَد كَرُمَت يَمينُكَ قَبلُ حَيّاً
وَقَدand indeed كَرُمَhas been generous الغَمامُthe cloud عَليكَupon you بَعدُafterward
وَقَد كَرُمَ الغَمامُ عَليكَ بَعدُ
Your right hand was generous before, while you lived;
and afterward the clouds have been generous to you.
Sol 6.1